James's News
Top Stories
Apple announces American Manufacturing Program partners for latest iPhone lineup
NEWS RELEASE: Hawai’i September Unemployment Rate at 2.8 Percent
Sanders Announces Fort Smith as Arkansas’ Capital for a Day on October 21
Patriots Place WR Romeo Doubs on Injured Reserve; Sign DB Elliott Davison to the 53-Man Roster from the Practice Squad; Announce Additional Practice Squad Moves
Energy Department Advances Constitution Pipeline Project with $42 Million in Defense Production Act Funding
NW Arkansas
Sanders Announces Fort Smith as Arkansas’ Capital for a Day on October 21
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has proclaimed Fort Smith Arkansas' "Capital for a Day" on Wednesday, Oct. 21. It is the 27th city to get the designation under Sanders, and senior state officials will join her for the visit.
Arkansas #12/13 in Preseason Polls; Face Top-15 Gonzaga Saturday
Arkansas men's basketball opens the season ranked No. 12 in the AP preseason poll and No. 13 in the coaches poll after back-to-back Sweet 16 runs and the nation's top recruiting class. The Hogs host No. 15/12 Gonzaga in an exhibition Saturday, Oct. 24, at 3 p.m. in Bud Walton Arena.
Jackson Named to Manning Award Stars of the Week List
Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jackson was named a Manning Award Star of the Week after the 31-21 win at Vanderbilt, where he threw for 251 yards and ran for 58 yards and a touchdown. Arkansas is off this week and hosts Missouri on Oct. 31 at 6:45 p.m.
Early voting underway in Arkansas
Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election opened across Arkansas on Oct. 19. Voters need an approved photo ID, and the ballot includes the races for governor, U.S. Senate and all four U.S. House seats.
Hawaii
NEWS RELEASE: Hawai’i September Unemployment Rate at 2.8 Percent
Hawaii's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose slightly to 2.8% in September, from 2.7% in August, still far below the national rate of 4.2%. The state counted 675,450 people employed and 19,450 unemployed, DBEDT said.
Līhu‘e Airport implements temporary passenger pickup changes during construction
At Līhuʻe Airport on Kauaʻi, the passenger pickup area in front of Baggage Claim A reopened Oct. 19 to shuttles, taxis and rideshares. Baggage Claim B's pickup area is now closed for construction until about April 2027, and all pickups are moving to A.
10/19/26 – HAWAIʻI CLIMATE REBATE FINDER HELPS RESIDENTS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES SAVE ON UPGRADES
A new Hawaiʻi Climate Rebate Finder from the state's climate commission puts rebates, tax incentives and other aid for home and business upgrades in one place: appliances, water systems, lighting, HVAC and clean vehicles.
Donnette Leilani Kapono named interim chancellor of Hawaiʻi CC
The University of Hawaiʻi named Donnette Leilani "Lei" Kapono interim chancellor of Hawaiʻi Community College starting Nov. 2, while a national search for a permanent chancellor continues. The appointment still has to be published on the Oct. 22 Board of Regents agenda.
Why these candidates want to be CEO on the Office of Hawaiian Affairs
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees are expected to vote Thursday on three finalists for CEO: interim CEO Summer Sylva, former Honolulu Council chair Todd Apo and former DHHL director Kaulana Park. It would be OHA's third CEO in four years.
Business
SEC, FSA Hold Autumn Financial Regulatory Dialogue
The SEC and Japan's Financial Services Agency held their autumn regulatory dialogue in Tokyo on Oct. 19, covering private and public markets, asset management and innovation. Commissioner Mark Uyeda led for the SEC, and the next round is set for Washington in spring 2027.
SEC Announces Roundtable on Machine-Understandable Data in the Age of Super Intelligence
The SEC will hold a public roundtable on Nov. 9 on machine-understandable data and "Super Intelligence," including the risks and costs. It will run 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET at SEC headquarters and be streamed on SEC.gov.
Acquisition of financial assets and external financing in Germany in the second quarter of 2026 | Results of the financial accounts by sector
German households' financial assets jumped by €335 billion in the second quarter to €9.831 trillion as markets recovered, the Bundesbank reported, mostly through €258 billion of valuation gains. Still, the real return stays negative for most households.
Trump announces $8B bailout for farmers to cover diesel cost surge amid attacks on global supply
President Trump announced an $8 billion "Harvest Fuel Relief" program for farmers at a Kansas rally, to offset higher diesel and other costs tied to Middle East supply disruptions. USDA says payments will be based on modeled 2026 losses, with crop rates due in November.
Google Cloud outage: service recovery underway after power problem causes widespread disruption – latest updates
A "power event" in one zone of Google Cloud's London region (europe-west2) knocked out services Tuesday, disrupting UK banks, fintech apps such as Revolut and Emma, and court video systems. Google says the power issue is fixed and services are recovering.
Tech
Apple announces American Manufacturing Program partners for latest iPhone lineup
Apple named new US suppliers for iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro under its American Manufacturing Program. Pennsylvania's Perryman will supply titanium for the foldable iPhone Duo, with Apple committing up to $100 million over three years, and Qnity Electronics will make parts for the 18 Pro's new variable-aperture camera.
Amazon announces plan to invest €16 billion in Germany in 2027
Amazon plans to invest more than €16 billion (about $18 billion) in Germany in 2027, covering data centers and AI infrastructure, Amazon Leo satellite internet, logistics and Prime Video productions. It announced the plan at the government's Invest in Germany Summit in Berlin.
Amazon is creating over 300,000 new US jobs this holiday season with increased pay and expanded benefits
Amazon is hiring more than 300,000 people across US operations for the holidays. Starting Jan. 1, 2027, seasonal workers on 30 or more hours a week get healthcare from day one, with plans from $5 a week. Full-time operations pay starts at $20 an hour and averages nearly $24.
Partnering to strengthen the grid and support local communities in Arkansas
Google has handed out the first $1.25 million from its $25 million West Memphis Energy Impact Fund, to 10 Arkansas nonprofits and local agencies. The grants pay for job training, home energy upgrades and utility-bill relief near its planned West Memphis data center.
Introducing tsrs: a Port of TypeScript to Rust
Cloudflare and VoidZero are building tsrs, a Rust port of the TypeScript compiler, with Max Schwenk of Owner.com and in close collaboration with the TypeScript team. Early benchmarks show it up to 8x faster and using about 70% less memory than TypeScript 7.0. They stress it is not a fork.
XLE & Oil
Energy Department Advances Constitution Pipeline Project with $42 Million in Defense Production Act Funding
The Energy Department will put up to $42 million in Defense Production Act Title III funding into the proposed 125-mile Constitution natural gas pipeline from Pennsylvania to New York. DOE says it will lower energy costs and reduce blackout risk in the Northeast.
Asian LNG Prices Surge Past $30 as Middle East Shipping Risks Escalate
Asian spot LNG prices topped $30 per mmBtu for the first time since December 2022, after a reported attack on an LNG tanker near Yemen and as Asia and Europe compete for winter gas. European storage is 74% full, against a five-year average of about 89%.
Why Is the WTI Oil Price Rising More than Brent Intraday?
WTI jumped about 5% on Tuesday to around $109 a barrel, outpacing Brent near $111, as the November contract expired. Analysts cited Middle East shipping risks, U.S. inventory draws and last week's hurricane, and noted the WTI-Brent spread has narrowed from over $12 to under $5.
Oil-Rich Alberta Votes to Stay in Canada in Historic Referendum
Alberta voters rejected starting the legal process toward separation from Canada, with early results showing about 76% choosing to remain a province. Premier Danielle Smith welcomed the result, and Prime Minister Mark Carney said "Albertans chose Canada."
Chainlink
Why Chainlink CCIP 2.0 Is the Standard for Global Finance | Sergey Nazarov
In a new video from Chainlink, co-founder Sergey Nazarov explains why security, reliability and institutional-grade features matter for cross-chain interoperability, and how CCIP 2.0 is built to move tokenized assets securely across blockchains.
Pacific Meta Partners With Chainlink, Selects CCIP As Preferred Cross-Chain Solution
Tokyo-based Pacific Meta has formed a strategic partnership with Chainlink Labs, choosing CCIP as its preferred cross-chain solution and adding Chainlink's Automated Compliance Engine (ACE) to its marketplace for Japanese institutions.
Tokenization at Scale: Building the Next Era of Global Markets | DTCC & Chainlink at Sibos 2026
DTCC's head of digital assets, Nadine Chakar, joined Sergey Nazarov at Sibos 2026 to talk about bringing tokenization to market scale, covering the DTCC AppChain, 24/7 collateral management, interoperability and DTCC's digital-asset roadmap.
Patriots
Patriots Place WR Romeo Doubs on Injured Reserve; Sign DB Elliott Davison to the 53-Man Roster from the Practice Squad; Announce Additional Practice Squad Moves
The Patriots put WR Romeo Doubs on injured reserve with a shoulder injury from Sunday's win over the Jets and promoted DB Elliott Davison from the practice squad. They also signed WR Ryan Miller, OL Jacob Rizy and G Andrew Rupcich to the practice squad and released CB D'Shawn Jamison.
Week 7 Injury Report: Patriots at Bears
Monday's first injury report for Thursday's game at Chicago, from a walkthrough: K Andy Borregales, OL Ben Brown, CB Carlton Davis III, DT Joshua Farmer and G Alijah Vera-Tucker were listed as not participating, and A.J. Brown (ankle) and Morgan Moses (foot) as limited. Drake Maye (right shoulder) was full.
After Further Review: Drake Maye and A.J. Brown film breakdown, quick-hit film notes from Sunday's win over the Jets
Patriots.com's film review of the 26-19 win over the Jets: Vrabel called the team "lucky to win," with two more lost fumbles and a rusty Maye-to-A.J. Brown connection, yet Drake Maye still posted +0.39 EPA per dropback and an 89.2 QBR.
Romeo Doubs injury: Patriots get positive update on star WR
Romeo Doubs' stay on injured reserve may not last long. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports the receiver hopes to return after the Week 11 bye, and with the bye he would miss only four games before the Week 12 game against the Chargers.
Movies
Every Case Tells a Story: ‘Miracles of the ER’ Unveils Gripping Trailer
Netflix released the trailer and key art for "Miracles of the ER," Taiwan's first emergency-room medical drama, starring Wallace Huo and Cheryl Yang. It premieres worldwide on Nov. 12.
Netflix Unveils First Look at ‘Empress of Flames’, a Fresh Take on the Iconic Thai story of Vengeance for the Throne
Netflix released a first look at "Empress of Flames," a reimagining of the classic Thai story of vengeance for the throne from the makers of "Master of the House." It arrives Dec. 3.
Press Play on the Past: Anime Classics Worth Revisiting (or Discovering)
Netflix's guide to classic anime now streaming includes "Ranma½" Season 3, "Dragon Ball Super: Beerus," an enhanced re-edit with new scenes, and "Cowboy Bebop."
Slayground Trailer: First Look At A24 Movie From Rebel Ridge And Green Room Director Jeremy Saulnier
A24 released the first trailer for "Slayground," a horror film set in a haunted attraction from Jeremy Saulnier, the director of "Green Room" and "Rebel Ridge." The Halloween-set film reaches theaters early next year, not this October.
RIP Ann Hornaday, a Newspaper Film Critic Survivor
Ann Hornaday, the Washington Post's film critic for 23 years and a 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalist for criticism, has died of brain cancer at 66. IndieWire remembers her as a pioneering woman critic.
Lorcana & SWU
Disney Lorcana TCG Products from D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event Now Available Online
Ravensburger will sell the 2026 D23 Collection and the Winnie the Pooh Hunny Wizard premium foil playmat online through an EQL random draw. Entries open Oct. 31 at 9 a.m. ET and close Nov. 1 at 9 p.m. ET. Shipping is limited to the US, UK and EU.
Star Wars: Unlimited | Starting with Icons
Star Wars: Unlimited explains the Icons 2027 Edition Starter Box: two 30-card decks, Darth Vader and Princess Leia, that grow over four guided games to teach new players the basics before full deckbuilding.
Disney Lorcana TCG Set Release Notes: Hyperia City
The official Hyperia City release notes introduce ink drops, counters you can remove to pay 1 ink each, along with a revamped Comprehensive Rules section on counters and other rules updates for the new Disney Lorcana set.
First Cards for Star Wars Unlimited’s Icons 2027 Edition Revealed
The first cards from Star Wars Unlimited's Icons 2027 Edition (set code IC27) are revealed. The beginner-friendly, expandable set, which Card Gamer compares to Magic's Foundations, releases Nov. 20, 2026.
Faith
Global missionary partners expand gospel work through IMB teams
IMB profiles Rebeca Couto, a fourth-generation Christian from Portugal's Azores who now serves in Japan as a global missionary partner. Close to 400 GMPs, missionaries supported by churches in their home countries, serve on IMB teams worldwide.
Specialized spiritual care: Bringing Christ’s love to all
The LCMS Specialized Spiritual Care Conference in St. Louis covered chaplaincy and crisis care, ministry to older adults, trauma and disaster response with immigrant communities. A fire chaplain called it "extremely helpful."
Kevin DeYoung | On Covenant, The Church, And Israel
On a byFaith podcast episode, Kevin DeYoung and host Derek Rishmawy explain how covenant theology understands the people of God: the church as Israel's continuation and expansion in Christ rather than its replacement, and how that differs from dispensationalism.
Talarico credits PCUSA pastor with encouraging Senate run as 'a form of ministry'
Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico told a faith coalition that his longtime PCUSA pastor, the Rev. Jim Rigby, persuaded him his campaign could be "a form of ministry" while he weighed finishing seminary.
Christian Metal
SAVE US - No Holding Back
Solid State Records released a video for SAVE US' "No Holding Back," from the band's album "Death To Something," which is out now. The song pleads with someone hurting to pour it all out: "don't hold back on me, I'll keep listening."
Skillet - Grave Stomper (Official Visualizer)
Skillet released an official visualizer for "Grave Stomper," written by John L. Cooper and produced by Korey Cooper. The song is streaming now.
Reveiw: P.O.D. Returns With a Vengeance on ‘Outbreak’ Featuring Norma Jean’s Cory Brandan
Heaven's Metal calls P.O.D.'s new single "Outbreak," featuring Norma Jean's Cory Brandan, among the band's strongest releases since 2001's "Satellite": heavy, urgent and built around a massive breakdown.
Feature: Immortal Fest 2026 – Where Christian Metal History Still Feels Alive
Heaven's Metal looks back at Immortal Fest 2026, three days of Christian rock and metal in Versailles, Ohio, with musicians tied to Petra, Bloodgood, Barren Cross, Bride and more. The writer says the fest is as much about community as the music.
Chris Voss
How Tactical Empathy Will Change Your Life- Justus Parmar & Chris Voss
In a new Negotiation Mastery episode, investor Justus Parmar of Fortuna Investments tells Chris Voss how the Black Swan Method's tactical empathy changed how he negotiates: he now starts with what the other side wants and aims for deals that benefit both sides.