Edition 36 · Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Here's what happened.
Paramount has reached a settlement with U.S. states that clears the way for its $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. The agreement requires Paramount to produce 30 films a year or sell off parts of the company.
Unarmed 911 response programs, in which mental-health clinicians respond to some calls instead of police, have expanded to nearly 100 US cities. The programs have proliferated since George Floyd’s murder, with questions remaining about how to make them work well.
Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency to strengthen statewide preparedness for El Niño and protect California. The proclamation comes as the state prepares for potential weather-related impacts.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of bills intended to safeguard California elections and address possible federal interference with election administration. The measures are framed as a response to President Donald Trump’s stated concerns about election fraud and voting rules.
The Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia are back at war, opening a second front in the Middle East after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. The conflict is adding to regional uncertainty and turmoil in energy markets.
Beijing is pressing President Trump to freeze a proposed $14 billion weapons sale to Taiwan. Taiwan is seeking to demonstrate that its security serves U.S. interests, putting the issue at the center of fragile U.S.-China ties.
Meta has patched its Muse macOS app after researchers found a zero-day vulnerability that could let attackers take control of the AI agent. The flaw used an undocumented Muse setting to redirect transcription processing from Meta’s servers.
OpenAI has formed a mathematics advisory group as its AI system has resolved more than 100 open problems. The group will not be given authority to slow or redirect OpenAI’s ongoing mathematical research.
Opposition to data centers has become one of the year’s major political movements in the United States. The story examines what happens to local jobs and the economy when a data center arrives in a community.
NASA says Perseverance discovered complex water systems in an area on Mars associated with the shoreline of an ancient lake. Mission scientists were surprised by the geologic features found in the crater’s Margin Unit.
Scientists are investigating how some viruses appear to disappear after outbreaks and later emerge again. They do not always know which animals harbor the viruses or how to prevent spillover into humans.
Kairos Power has reached a deal with Samsung C&T to help build its first 50-megawatt nuclear power plant. The future Google supplier will receive up to $100 million from the Samsung group.
Shares in Grail, which is developing a blood test for cancer, rose after the FDA released documents ahead of an advisory committee meeting. The vote could affect the company, patients and regulators.
The FDA approved a new combination drug treatment for patients with an advanced form of breast cancer. The approval adds another treatment option for this group of patients.
Alzheimer’s research is beginning to show more progress after decades of limited advances. More than 7 million Americans live with the disease, which remains incurable, while research has been hindered by groupthink and alleged fraud.
A new study finds that consumer fitness wearables are generally inaccurate when estimating calories burned. The results suggest users should be cautious about treating smartwatch calorie counts as precise measurements.
Ineos suspended production at key UK plants, blaming high natural-gas prices. The company said UK gas costs are twelve times higher than in the United States.
The EU’s trade deficit with China exceeded €1 billion a day in July, according to customs data. The bloc spent three times more on Chinese imports than China spent on EU goods, days before a summit involving Xi Jinping and Donald Trump.
With mortgage rates above 7%, new listings are outpacing pending home sales. The housing market is being watched for signs that inventory will begin to rise.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico sued President Trump after the networks were suspended from the White House. Paramount also made concessions to resolve a lawsuit involving its proposed Warner Bros. Discovery merger.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed data center laws described by his office as the nation’s most comprehensive. The measures give local communities more control over data centers’ water use, electricity demands and land use.
Four states will vote in November on abortion-related ballot measures. The measures follow the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which overturned federal abortion protections and left abortion policy to states and voters.
Representative Veronica Escobar said federal immigration officials prevented her from fully carrying out congressional oversight during a visit to the Camp East Montana ICE detention facility in Texas. She said she was barred from speaking to detainees after disturbances had been reported at the facility.
Reports say Xbox CEO Asha Sharma will consolidate game studios and cut jobs this week. The reported changes could include moving Halo to Activision Blizzard, marking another major restructuring at Microsoft’s gaming division.
Young consultants are leaving established consulting firms for artificial-intelligence start-ups. These companies are reportedly offering salaries that can outmatch consulting pay, drawing in college recruits with the promise of work in the fast-growing AI sector.
An Emory University study found that women surveyed were less likely to apply for jobs perceived as lacking gender diversity. The findings suggest that representation can influence who enters the applicant pool.
A report says artificial intelligence has created a recession-like job market for some recent college graduates. The report highlights the growing effect of AI on the transition from higher education into work.
England fast bowler Mark Wood has announced his immediate retirement from international cricket. The decision ends the international career of one of England’s leading fast bowlers.
Mikel Arteta has agreed an improved new contract with Premier League champions Arsenal. The deal keeps the manager at the club after its title-winning season.
Snapchat’s Lens+ subscription now includes Create Song, which turns chat messages into AI-generated songs. Snapchat also added AI Photoshoot, AI Remix, sticker, and font tools.
Snapchat published a report examining the rise of microdramas, or short-form video series. The report says users are increasingly responding to serialized content and outlines ways brands can tap into community engagement trends.
X updated its Under the Hood performance report to give users more insight into penalties that can affect post reach. The changes are intended to help users better understand potential restrictions on their posts.
Bungie says it is not done with Destiny and plans to restore vaulted Destiny 2 campaigns, raids, and destinations. The move comes three months after Destiny 2’s final update and is intended to rebuild player trust.
Blizzard has confirmed that its open-world StarCraft shooter will not be exclusive to Xbox platforms. The game is currently scheduled to launch in 2030.
IO Interactive has delayed the Nintendo Switch 2 launch of 007 First Light for a third time. The game is now scheduled to release in March 2027, with the studio saying it had no choice but to postpone it.
A report warns that schools are not prepared for artificial intelligence and are seeking government guidance. Its author, Sir Anthony Seldon, said AI should be addressed with the urgency of a war or epidemic.
More than 500 campus hazing incidents were confirmed during the first full year of data collected under the Stop Campus Hazing Act. Advocates said the estimate likely understates the number of cases.
Florida’s new law requires qualifying factory-built single-family homes to receive the same local zoning treatment as site-built homes. The law preserves neutral design and development standards.
Filmmaker Patricio Guzmán has died at 85. He was known for documentaries about Chile’s 1973 Pinochet coup and the legacy of the authoritarian regime that followed.
Charles Spencer’s memoir, “Swan Song,” examines Princess Diana’s life, her marriage to Prince Charles and the suffering she endured under the tabloid press. The book arrives nearly 30 years after Diana’s death.
Dr Vincent Brown is due in court in the UK to face charges linked to the 1994 Rwanda genocide. The charges followed a seven-year British investigation into the killings.
New DNA analysis has added evidence to the historical question of whether Thomas Jefferson fathered children with Sally Hemings. The research follows a 15-year investigation involving a lock of hair and DNA analysis.