JQJO — General news · Page 41

In a breezy valley north of Los Angeles, Rocco — a dog with credits from Veronica Mars to The Morning Show — still trains and poses, but work is thinning. Trainers say advancing AI lets productions build animal performances in post, squeezing a business already hit by COVID, 2023 strikes and a shrinking industry. Studio Animal Services’ Karin McElhatton and rental owner Benay Karp report steep declines; even horses may be next. PETA welcomes the shift, while coordinators like Bonnie Judd argue real animals deliver irreplaceable emotion. For now, Rocco keeps working — just less.

Social Security benefits will rise 2.8% in January, adding $56 a month for 75 million recipients, the Social Security Administration said Friday. The 2026 cost-of-living adjustment edges above last year’s 2.5% increase; over the past decade, COLA has averaged 3.1%. The announcement followed September inflation data that ticked up to the highest level since January, the final input in the calculation. “Social Security is a promise kept,” Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano said, emphasizing that benefits reflect current conditions. The agency will also raise the taxable earnings cap from $176,100 to $184,500 and begin mailing notices in early December.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere hews closely to the record, zeroing in on 1981–82 as Bruce Springsteen crafts Nebraska, battles depression, and pushes his label to release stark home demos. Guided by Springsteen, the film gets major beats right: childhood bar pickups of his father, ad-hoc Stone Pony jams, a Badlands spark for the title track, four-track bedroom recording, abandoned E Street versions, and Born in the U.S.A. songs taking shape. One invented composite girlfriend compresses real relationships. The portrait also faces family turmoil and illness, a lost father in L.A., and a cross-country move with friend Matt Delia.

Jelly Roll revealed on the "Human School" podcast that he had an affair, calling it one of the worst moments of his adulthood that "really, really, really blew me back." He said he has worked hard to repair his marriage to Bunnie XO, describing the "special" recovery and saying they're now stronger than ever. The couple married in 2016 and renewed their vows in 2023. Bunnie XO hosts the "Dumb Blonde" podcast, and Jelly Roll has often credited her support for helping him move from convicted felon to music star.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in the United Kingdom for a London meeting of Europe’s “coalition of the willing,” as allies discussed further support ahead of winter. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who greeted Zelenskyy at Downing Street after a royal welcome from King Charles III, said he would press Europe to deliver additional long-range missiles and bolster defenses for Ukraine’s power grid. Denmark’s and the Netherlands’ prime ministers and NATO chief Mark Rutte joined in person, with more than 20 leaders dialing in, as the EU vowed continued financial support.

AdHoc Studio’s debut, Dispatch, reframes superheroes from behind a desk: you play Robert Robertson III, a powerless dispatcher managing reformed villains. The first two of eight animated episodes—rolling out two per week through Nov. 12—offer striking visuals and a notable cast (Aaron Paul, Laura Bailey, Jeffrey Wright, Travis Willingham), but sparse interaction and limited consequences. Brief missions unfold via a ’90s-style computer, with quick-time events that barely matter. Strong writing and characters stand out, yet early hours feel on rails, leaving cautious optimism; it’s available on PS5 and Steam.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio toured a new Civil-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat, saying more diplomats will join U.S. officers to monitor Gaza’s fragile cease-fire as the Trump administration presses Israel to honor the deal. The State Department named Steven Fagin as lead civilian at the site. Admiral Brad Cooper said 200 U.S. troops are building the center, with partners and NGOs to assist; no troops will enter Gaza. Officials, including Vice President JD Vance, signaled support, while Rubio floated a possible U.N.-mandated peacekeeping force and pushed back against West Bank annexation moves.

Dinosaurs may not have been fading before the asteroid struck 66 million years ago, according to a study of New Mexico’s Kirtland Formation. Researchers dated rocks and fossils to roughly 400,000 years before impact using volcanic glass grains and magnetic minerals, revealing a diverse community including T. rex, a Triceratops-like herbivore, and the colossal Alamosaurus. Differences from same-age fossils in Montana suggest thriving, distinct ecosystems. The findings, published in Science, hint at resilience but, experts warn, reflect a single site and not the full global picture.

Inflation cooled slightly in September, with consumer prices up 3.0% year over year and 0.3% on the month, undershooting forecasts, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. The release arrived nine days late due to the government shutdown, which has sidelined most economic reports and left the Federal Reserve missing key data. Even so, the softer figures strengthen expectations for another quarter-point rate cut later this month. The report—released by recalled BLS staff—also set Social Security’s cost-of-living increase: benefits will rise 2.8% next year, about $56 a month.

The Post’s baseball panel leans hard toward the Dodgers in the Blue Jays–Dodgers World Series, opening Friday in Toronto. Five of six pick Los Angeles, pointing to a four-deep, superior rotation, star power, and questions about Toronto’s pitching depth against the Dodgers’ long lineup. Predictions range from a sweep to seven games. One dissenting pick takes the Blue Jays in seven, citing the possibility of a Game 7 home-field advantage in Toronto and calling for an upset.