JQJO — General news · Page 14

Californians face steep premium hikes on the Covered California exchange as open enrollment begins Saturday, with federally subsidized plans set to jump 97% on average in 2026 if enhanced tax credits lapse amid the federal shutdown. Executive Director Jessica Altman warns as many as 400,000 enrollees could drop coverage, despite a new $190 million state credit for people earning up to 150% of the federal poverty level. Without subsidies, costs would rise about $125 a month on average, on top of a roughly 10% increase, straining workers from bartenders to freelancers and pushing more people toward going uninsured.

Chris Grier and the Miami Dolphins agreed to part ways after the team fell to 2-7 with a 28-6 loss to the Ravens, ending his decade as general manager. Owner Stephen Ross said change could not wait and vowed improvement in 2025, 2026 and beyond. Champ Kelly will serve as interim GM while a search begins. ESPN reported coach Mike McDaniel is expected to remain at least through the season. Grier’s tenure delivered winning seasons but no playoff victories, as Miami’s 25-year drought continues.

Ryan Seacrest announced on social media that his father, Gary Seacrest, died at 81 after living with prostate cancer. In an emotional Instagram post, he said Gary passed peacefully earlier this week and called him a devoted husband of 56 years, an incredible Papa to Flora, and his best friend. Gary is survived by his wife, Connie, and children Ryan and Meredith. Seacrest previously described his father’s worsening illness, including pneumonia during chemotherapy that led to weeks in the ICU, and reflected on the toll of cancer on their family.

With the NFL trade deadline approaching Nov. 4, teams are clarifying plans. The Falcons are unlikely to move Kirk Cousins; the Ravens won’t tear down. The Bills covet Chris Olave, though a deal seems unlikely. Carolina is keeping core pieces like Derrick Brown and Chuba Hubbard. The Bears could add edge depth; the Bengals won’t sell; the Browns are sellers. Dallas seeks defensive help but has no deal in mind. Other notes: Chiefs eye DT and RB, Lions and Eagles monitor secondary and edge, while several clubs, including the Vikings and Broncos, may stand pat.

LSU is without a president, athletic director or head football coach as Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry takes center stage in the upheaval. After the Tigers fell to 5-3 and confidence in Brian Kelly cratered, Landry pushed through Kelly’s firing and a $54 million buyout, then publicly sidelined AD Scott Woodward, despite his other title-winning hires. Interim AD Verge Ausberry now leads a search committee, though questions linger over who truly holds power. Critics warn the governor’s highly visible role, jokes and fact slips risk scaring off top candidates and deepening a perception of chaos.

HBO’s It: Welcome to Derry unveiled a striking opening credits sequence, debuting with the second episode released early on HBO Max for Halloween. Animated postcards peel back an idyllic 1960s Derry to reveal Pennywise’s death and destruction, the threat of nuclear war, and the 1908 Ironworks blast, all set to Patience and Prudence’s 1956 song A Smile and A Ribbon. Executive producer Andy Muschietti calls it a “descent into dread,” crafted with Filmograph’s CG then transferred to film for grainy texture and packed with Easter eggs. Not every catastrophe teased will appear in the series, particularly in the first season.

As layoff notices swept the CDC during the government shutdown, Aryn Melton Backus received a third termination email, then a rapid reversal, capturing the chaos inside the agency. Unions call the latest reductions illegal, saying repeated cuts have eliminated a quarter of the CDC and gutted offices from ethics oversight and the IRB to the library and Washington office, with key surveys and prevention programs disrupted. About 1,300 layoffs were processed; roughly 700 were later reinstated while 600 remain out. Staff also report harassment, doxing, and trauma after an August shooting at CDC headquarters.

On his first visit to South Korea in 15 years, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang unveiled an expanded partnership at APEC Summit 2025 to strengthen the nation’s AI infrastructure and physical AI. South Korea will secure over 260,000 Nvidia GPUs, with about 50,000 for public AI projects and the rest for Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor Group, and Naver. Samsung will build an AI Megafactory using more than 50,000 GPUs. Nvidia will co-develop AI-RAN with Samsung, telecom operators, and ETRI. Hyundai and Nvidia will deploy 50,000 Blackwell GPUs and establish AI research centers, as SK and Naver launch industrial AI platforms.

Amazon shares jumped 13% after a third quarter beat, posting $1.95 EPS on $180.27 billion in revenue versus $1.57 and $177.8 billion expected. AWS revenue hit $33 billion, topping estimates and accelerating 20.2% versus the 18.1% analysts anticipated. CEO Andy Jassy said AWS is growing at a pace not seen since 2022 amid strong AI demand, with custom Trainium chips a highlight. Wall Street turned more bullish, with Goldman Sachs, Barclays, Bank of America, JPMorgan, UBS, Morgan Stanley and Citi lifting price targets up to $320.

HBO’s I Love LA casts the city as its real lead, following Maia, a 20-something talent manager who signs her estranged best friend Tallulah, a rising social media star. Alongside Charlie, Alani and Dylan, the series skewers influencer culture, nepo-baby privilege and LA's sunlit grind that can make or break you online. Created by and starring Rachel Sennott, in her first creator credit and directing debut, the brisk 30-minute comedy leans on sharp one-liners, internet-native cameos and self-aware cringe, as Maia hypes herself with, "Hustle until your idols become your rivals."