Mayor Karen Bass refuses a House DOGE panel’s request to testify over Los Angeles homelessness spending.

Iceland formally rebukes the U.S. after Trump posts a map depicting Iceland under the American flag, calling it “an insult to Icelanders.”

DOJ asks Supreme Court to let it resume expanding a federal database states can use to verify voters’ citizenship ahead of the midterms.

Japanese brewer Sapporo will move some beer production from Canada to the U.S. after Trump’s 50% tariff on Canadian beer took effect.

Andrew Garfield says he’s “really scared” of backlash over playing OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in upcoming film Artificial.

OpenAI reveals a 10,000-agent AI swarm solved the Navier–Stokes problem in 88 hours, using 130 billion output tokens to crack one of mathematics’ most famous unsolved problems.

Startup founder Marc Lou announces he’s “selling his body” for ads, auctioning spots on 10 of his muscles ahead of a HYROX race, with bids starting at $1,000.

Democrats launch a $10+ million AI-focused PAC, aiming to back midterm candidates who support child safety rules, data privacy protections, & limits on data center construction.

Smithsonian chief Lonnie Bunch to step down after months of escalating pressure from Trump over the institution’s alleged “woke” portrayal of U.S. history.

Amazon hit with a class-action lawsuit alleging pregnant warehouse workers were punished & ultimately fired for seeking medically necessary accommodations.

Anti-surveillance activists design a 3D-printed “Flock Sock” designed to cover Flock cameras without permanently damaging them.

Senate Republicans warn the bipartisan crypto Clarity Act is likely to fail next week. 16% chance the Clarity Act is signed into law by end of year.

South Korea sends officials to assess the Strait of Hormuz as it reviews possible military options, after Iran warned any deployment could bring “serious consequences.”

Trump holds phone call with Putin, telling him he wants the war in Ukraine ended “as soon as possible.”

Kentucky man raises 400 ostriches after developing a red meat allergy from tick bites, turning to the bird’s "beef-like" meat as an alternative.

UK, France, & Canada announce coordinated sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

First look at Andrew Garfield as Sam Altman in upcoming film “Artificial,” which centers on Altman’s 2023 firing & rapid return to OpenAI.

Lindsay Clancy’s attorney publicly appeals to Trump for a pardon, saying, “I would hope that you would consider this young lady.”

Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on $20 billion in U.S. goods take effect, with duties on American milk, perfume, video game consoles, golf clubs, steel, & other products.

NYC begins releasing hundreds of thousands of pages of previously undisclosed 9/11 air quality records.

Iran accuses Canada of “appeasing” the U.S. by backing American-led efforts in the Strait of Hormuz.

Global teen reading scores have plunged to their worst level since testing began in 2000, as officials blame rising screen time.

Migrant shelters on Mexico’s northern border are reportedly operating at just 15% occupancy as fewer migrants head toward the U.S.

Argentina to file criminal charges against Navitas Petroleum over oil drilling off the Falkland Islands.

Students who use AI heavily for writing assignments scored 28 points lower on science tests than peers who rarely or never use them, new OECD report warns.

Will Hunter Biden’s memecoin launch on time?

North Korea’s new defense minister warns the U.S., South Korea & Japan over ongoing military drills, vowing “strong & reflective countermeasures” if confrontation escalates.

Tesla FSD Supervised officially receives approval in Slovenia.

Self-described “genocidal racist monster,” former tax worker Thomas Webster is sentenced to 2 years in UK prison after admitting to 12 hate posts online.

LAPTOP airdrop by…?

Latvia to impose a 300% tariff on grain from Russia and Belarus.

Electric vehicle sales in Russia more than doubled this summer as Ukrainian attacks on refineries contributed to widespread gasoline shortages.

Pacific island nation Nauru opens an embassy in Jerusalem, becoming the ninth country to do so.

Australia moves to require social media platforms to let users turn off algorithmic recommendations & see only posts from accounts they choose to follow.

KOSPI all-time high before 2028?

TSA rolls out new program allowing people without plane tickets to enter airport gates to visit terminal restaurants & shops.

Former Obama national security official Jacob Stokes urges U.S. to prepare for scenarios that could include military strikes on Chinese data centers if China nears AGI first.

Tucker Carlson claims algebra is fake & that people who "add letters into numbers" are in the matrix.

Big Tech is reportedly scouting Argentina’s Patagonia for new “mega data centers,” drawn by its cool temperatures & vast stretches of undeveloped land.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirms he will attend the 25th anniversary 9/11 ceremony.

Menendez brothers granted an early parole suitability hearing for March 2027, more than a year ahead of when they were previously eligible to apply.

UK retailers pledge to create 100,000 jobs for ages 18-24 over the next 3 years, amid a worsening youth unemployment crisis.

Eiffel Tower shuts down amid a staff strike, after women were reportedly told to leave their work areas to accommodate a Hindu group’s request to limit interactions with women.

Marco Rubio travels to Colombia, Ecuador, & Peru this week as the Trump administration deepens ties with newly elected, U.S.-aligned governments across Latin America.

Trump assures oil prices will “drop precipitously” once Iran conflict is over, predicting gasoline will quickly fall to $3 a gallon & eventually below $2.

Mayor Mamdani creates NYC’s first-ever “Office of Worker Power” to help private sector workers organize & connect with unions.

Friends of JFK’s grandson, Jack Schlossberg, are reportedly trying to arrange a date for him with AOC — but he dismisses the idea & says she “can do way better than me.”

AI-powered "robochefs" are surging in China, with one company saying its cooking robots are already deployed in more than 300 cities & 4,000 stores.

UK woman Leah Shutkever reclaims the Guinness World Record for fastest burrito eaten, finishing a regulation-size burrito in just 30.75 seconds.

Man deliberately gives nonsense answers to AI recruiter during interview, with the bot treating phrases like “raccoon protocols” as legitimate experience & telling him it will follow up about next steps.

Robinhood will serve as an underwriter for Oura’s upcoming IPO, marking the brokerage’s first official underwriting role.

Tristan Tate reveals he is being denied fingernail clippers in jail, saying he is forced to bite off his nails & spit them into the toilet.

Israel’s national security minister calls on Netanyahu to formally recognize Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, & sanction the UK "as long as the occupation continues."

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture reveals chicken breast is at its lowest price since 2021.

Polish humanoids & quadrupeds take to the streets of Warsaw in a "robot protest" over AI & automation, calling for new rules to protect human jobs from replacement.

Vibecoder effectively “castrates” a simulated fruit fly by using AI to alter the neural circuitry tied to its reproductive behavior, sparking outrage from animal rights groups.

Odds the Strait of Hormuz returns to normal traffic this year crash to an all-time low, as shipping activity falls to its weakest level since May. 25% chance.

Viral video shows a Denver data center “heavily watering” its lawn, while 1.5 million residents face strict drought restrictions limiting outdoor water use.

It's been revealed U.S. Navy SEALs conducted a secret four-month operation in the Strait of Hormuz, using divers, robots, & unmanned vessels to locate & destroy suspected Iranian mines.

Georgia man arrested after allegedly firing a flaming projectile at Flock cameras, leaving at least one “completely melted” & facing multiple felony charges.

52% of Americans are “more concerned than excited” about the increased use of AI in daily life — Pew Research

Analysis reveals young Americans without college degrees are enjoying a "historically strong" job market, while recent college grads face conditions rivaling the 2008 recession & pandemic era.

Meta reveals it has remotely disabled photo & video recording on "thousands" of smart glasses that were tampered with to hide their recording indicator lights.

Gen Z college students are turning frat parties into “wellness darties” with group runs, yoga, & mocktails instead of traditional drinking. — Fox

U.S. labor data projects nurse practitioner as America’s fastest-growing job over the next decade, with employment expected to surge +41% by 2035 as the country's population ages.

Centrist former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot is now projected to be Israel's next prime minister, unseating Benjamin Netanyahu. 51% chance.