JQJO — General news · Page 74

The Energy Department finalized a $1.6 billion loan guarantee for AEP Transmission to replace nearly 5,000 miles of power lines in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma and West Virginia, boosting reliability and capacity for largely fossil fuel-run energy as data centers and AI drive demand. The first award under the Energy Dominance Financing program, the project includes more than 2,000 miles in Ohio and will create about 1,100 construction jobs. The move follows the administration’s cancellation of $7.6 billion in clean-energy grants. Officials say utilities must pass savings to customers and that the upgrades stay within existing rights-of-way.

Two bright green comets—Lemmon and SWAN—are gracing Northern Hemisphere evenings, with Lemmon nearing Earth around Tuesday and SWAN’s flyby on Monday as it fades while heading away from the sun. Experts call the dual display rare but not unprecedented. Look just after sunset: Lemmon low in the north, SWAN low to the southwest. Both may remain visible with binoculars through month’s end, though their brightness is uncertain. The comets likely hail from the solar system’s distant reaches and appear green from outgassing, yet from Earth they resemble gray, fuzzy patches.

A one-game swing tightened the race: Chris went 10-5 thanks to taking the Bears, trimming the gap to one; season tally 60-32-1 vs. 59-33-1. Against the spread: 51-42 vs. 47-46 after 7-8 and 8-7 weeks. This slate features only one disagreement, with Simms taking Washington over Dallas while Florio sides with the Cowboys. Picks also back Steelers over Bengals, Rams over Jaguars in London, Bears over Saints, Browns over Dolphins, Chiefs, Eagles, Panthers, Patriots, Broncos, Colts, Packers, Falcons over 49ers, Lions over Bucs, and Seahawks over Texans.

Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, 83, fell in a Capitol hallway Thursday as he headed to Senate votes, as two Sunrise Movement volunteers approached and asked about Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions. He did not answer, appeared unsteady, then rose with help from his detail and waved to them. The Senate was holding a series of votes tied to the government shutdown, now in its 16th day; McConnell voted afterward and is expected to vote later. The episode follows prior incidents, including a 2023 fall. McConnell, who walks with a limp from polio, plans to retire in January 2027.

President Donald Trump unveiled plans for a monumental arch in Washington—quickly nicknamed the “Arc de Trump”—telling wealthy guests at a White House dinner it was planned as a gateway to Washington from northern Virginia, near Arlington Memorial Bridge. He flashed 3D models topped with a gold Lady Liberty and said he preferred the largest. The event also doubled as thanks to billionaires and major companies backing his $250m, privately funded White House ballroom, now under construction with bulletproof glass and room for 1,000. Trump cast the projects as part of sweeping renovations he’s overseen since returning to power.

NFL analyst Todd McShay cheered Penn State’s firing of James Franklin, blasting his leadership as driven by “image, selfishness, agenda” and saying it lasted “entirely too long.” The move, which triggered a $49 million buyout and a campus uproar, came during a skid of three straight losses. McShay opposed betting favorite Matt Rhule for the job, citing Rhule’s Penn State history, and suggested Ohio State receivers coach Brian Hartline. The season also crumbled after quarterback Drew Allar’s season-ending injury. Franklin departs with a 104-45 record.

The NFL trade deadline looms at 4 p.m. Nov. 4, with seven in-season deals already completed and last year’s 18-trade rush as a backdrop. Contenders seek fixes while strugglers clear cap space for draft picks. Ten names to watch include Baltimore’s Mark Andrews and DeAndre Hopkins; Miami rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips; veterans Demario Davis and Trey Hendrickson; Cleveland’s David Njoku and Wyatt Teller; the Giants’ Kayvon Thibodeaux; and Seattle corner Riq Woolen. Some teams, like Cincinnati after adding Joe Flacco, must balance a playoff push against the value of moving assets now.

Microsoft is rolling out upgraded Copilot Voice and Vision to Windows 11, enabling hands-free “Hey, Copilot” queries that respond to what’s on your screen. In demos, the AI surfaces Spotify settings, drafts bios from photo portfolios, and can plan trips. The cloud-based vision feature sends desktop imagery to Microsoft’s servers, a trade-off the company counters with opt-in controls. A new Copilot Actions tool can autonomously perform tasks like batch photo fixes, with step‑by‑step oversight. An “Ask Copilot” taskbar search is coming; both will roll out gradually to Insiders.

MI5 is grappling with near-record terrorism caseloads and surging state threats, director-general Sir Ken McCallum warned in an annual speech, calling it a “new era” and the agency’s biggest mission shift since 9/11. He cited a 35% rise in individuals under investigation, daily Chinese activity—disrupted as recently as last week—and 19 late-stage plots foiled since 2020 amid hundreds of developing threats. One in five of 232 terrorism arrests last year involved under-17s. He also flagged more than 20 potentially lethal Iran-backed plots, espionage across UK institutions, AI risks, and recent court criticism.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he offered Democrats a vote to extend Affordable Care Act premium subsidies in a bid to end the 16-day government shutdown, but he wouldn’t promise an outcome. The Senate again failed to advance the GOP funding bill, and Thune plans a procedural vote to fund the Department of Defense for a full year to ensure troop pay, with the option to attach other agencies’ bills under regular order. Speaker Mike Johnson echoed that health care results can’t be guaranteed. Thune urged reopening the government and wouldn’t predict an end, hoping it doesn’t reach Thanksgiving.