AI companies are developing plans to prevent catastrophic hacking campaigns, but cybersecurity experts say they have been excluded from these safety planning efforts.
The Trump administration spent an estimated $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers in 2025, driven largely by a DOGE-era deferred resignation program that cost $6.7 billion and allowed nearly 140,000 employees to be paid through September after agreeing to quit. The GAO report found administrative leave costs rose sixfold and usage jumped 435% from 2023 to 2025 as part of efforts to shrink government, though the Office of Personnel Management acknowledged it cannot accurately track the true costs of these workforce reduction efforts.
The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by 0.25% to 3.75–4.00% on Wednesday, the first increase since 2023, citing elevated inflation driven partly by the Iran war and rising oil prices. The decision defies President Trump's calls for lower rates, with Fed Chair Kevin Warsh emphasizing that inflation remains too high and underlying price pressures must move toward the Fed's 2% target at sufficient speed.
President Trump is pressuring Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh to cut interest rates, escalating tension over Fed independence as inflation remains elevated at 3.4% annually. Trump adviser Kevin Hassett signaled the president will react strongly if the Fed raises rates Wednesday, reviving concerns about political pressure on monetary policy.
Calls for AI development restraint raise concerns about potential economic slowdown, as AI investments have driven nearly half of U.S. economic growth. Trump rejected safety guardrails, calling concerns a hoax, while the Supreme Court blocked his administration's mail-in voting restrictions weeks before midterm elections.
A man driving a stolen Tesla evaded police on a San Diego boardwalk, striking a 25-year-old woman who was hospitalized in critical condition. Bystanders, including beachgoer Alex Srour, chased down and detained the driver until police arrived; he faces felony hit-and-run charges and was suspected of being under the influence.
AI industry leaders called for slowing AI development due to safety concerns, triggering stock market volatility. U.S. equity indexes initially fell but recovered after President Trump dismissed the warnings as a hoax on social media. Semiconductor and AI-related stocks experienced significant declines, while broader markets stabilized by afternoon trading.
Oil prices surged to $108 per barrel after Saudi Arabia shut its East-West Pipeline and Iran-Hormuz talks were postponed, amid Houthi attacks and minimal vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Diesel prices hit all-time highs at $6.23 per gallon, with economists warning this will drive inflation across transportation and food costs; President Trump urged Ukraine to stop attacking Russian refineries to ease the shortage.
AI executives Dario Amodei of Anthropic and Sam Altman of OpenAI publicly called for slowing AI development due to safety concerns, while Saudi Arabia shut down a critical oil pipeline after drone strikes from Iraq, raising regional stability concerns amid ongoing Middle East tensions.
Amazon suspended its use of cargo carrier 21 Air following a fatal crash of a 21 Air Boeing 767 at Miami International Airport on September 6 that killed five ground workers. The aircraft overran a runway while landing from San Juan, and preliminary data indicated the pilots did not deploy speed brakes or thrust reversers despite warnings about excessive speed. Amazon said it will redirect affected shipments to other carriers while supporting the ongoing NTSB investigation.
L.L.Bean, founded in 1912, maintains its traditional business model centered on brick-and-mortar retail, print catalogs, and human-focused customer experiences while avoiding widespread AI adoption due to environmental and brand concerns. CEO Greg Elder emphasizes the company's commitment to staying headquartered in Freeport, Maine, and resisting industry pressure to adopt direct-to-consumer and technology-driven approaches.
Friday's Consumer Price Index report is expected to be pivotal for the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision, with inflation anticipated at 0.4% month-over-month and 3.4% annually. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh has signaled concern about price trends despite recent disinflationary signals, while rising oil prices and mortgage rates are exacerbating the U.S. affordability crisis.
Two AI researchers from Anthropic and Google DeepMind have departed their positions, warning that advanced AI systems risk spiraling beyond human control with potentially catastrophic consequences. They express concern that leadership lacks adequate safety oversight.
U.S. crude oil surged above $100 per barrel for the first time since May, driven by President Trump's comments that he is not pursuing a deal with Iran and expects oil prices to remain elevated until after November elections. Rising energy prices have triggered inflation concerns, pushing Treasury yields and mortgage rates to multi-year highs while stock markets declined.