JQJO — General news · Page 79

America’s travel clout has slipped: the Henley Passport Index now places the U.S. at 12th—tied with Malaysia—its first exit from the top ten in two decades. Henley highlights reciprocity gaps, noting Americans access 180 destinations visa-free while the U.S. waives visas for only 46 nationalities. The drop also coincides with tighter U.S. immigration and travel policies. Singapore leads with 193 destinations, followed by South Korea and Japan. Henley says the decline reflects shifting soft power and is stoking interest in dual citizenship among Americans.

With millions of federal workers missing paychecks, the government shutdown is rippling through travel, delaying approvals, closing some museums and curbing household spending. Analysts warn of a critical inflection point as key economic data are delayed, confidence slips, and companies pause decisions. Estimates suggest growth could fall by about $15bn a week, unemployment could reach 4.8% if it lasts until 18 October, and a month-long stoppage could erase $30bn in consumer spending. The Trump administration has threatened denying back pay and permanent firings, while moving to ensure military pay and certain food programs continue.

In Kenya’s Koobi Fora, researchers uncovered the first known hand fossils of Paranthropus boisei, linking the “Nutcracker Man” to specific hand and foot bones for the first time. The 1.52-million-year-old partial skeleton reveals a long thumb, straight fingers and a mobile pinkie—dexterous yet gorilla-like—suggesting powerful grips for processing tough plants and potential, though unproven, stone-tool use. Published in Nature, the study argues P. boisei walked upright with arched feet and likely shared habitats—but not niches—with Homo erectus, as footprints and anatomy hint at coexistence without direct competition.

In Milwaukee, the Dodgers rode a dazzling one-two punch from Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to seize a 2-0 NLCS lead. After Snell faced the minimum through eight in Game 1, Yamamoto answered with the franchise’s first postseason complete game since José Lima, a 5-1 Game 2 win at American Family Field. He settled after Jackson Chourio’s leadoff homer, allowing three hits and a walk and retiring the last 14. The duo’s spring-training bond and relentless study now have Los Angeles two wins from the World Series.

The article charts a generational reshuffle atop the NBA, accelerated by injuries and aging stars, and ranks the best bets for 2025-26. Nikola Jokić is picked No. 1, narrowly ahead of MVP and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with Giannis Antetokounmpo third, Luka Dončić fourth and Victor Wembanyama fifth. Anthony Edwards, Evan Mobley, Jalen Williams, Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell round out the top 10. Steph Curry, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard "hang on," while Cade Cunningham, Cooper Flagg, Paolo Banchero, Amen Thompson and Darryn Peterson headline the next wave.

Days after a judge restricted how federal agents may use chemical agents on crowds, Border Patrol used tear gas Tuesday to disperse a crowd on Chicago’s Southeast Side after a pursuit ended in a crash at 105th and Avenue N. CBP said the driver rammed a patrol vehicle and the crowd turned hostile; Chicago police said objects were thrown, and 13 officers felt the gas. Neighbors described burning eyes. At least four people were arrested. Residents and city officials condemned the escalation, as unanswered questions persisted about detentions and whether agents complied with the court order.

At the BFI London Film Festival, Daniel Day-Lewis rejected takes on Method acting as misguided, calling it a way to free spontaneity rather than a cultish practice. He said the approach doesn’t seal actors off from real life, but creates a self-contained space where preparation lets "whatever passes through" flow. Returning last month in Anemone, directed by his son Ronan, he also reflected on My Left Foot, saying he wouldn’t take that role today amid criticism from members of the disabled community in Ireland. Months of immersion on that film, he added, forged the research-driven style he still defends.

Newly released surveillance footage shows Cody Balmer smashing windows at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s mansion with a sledgehammer and hurling flaming Molotov cocktails inside around 2 a.m. on April 13, while the governor’s family slept after a Passover celebration. The Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office shared the video Tuesday as Balmer, 38, pleaded guilty to attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary, terrorism and more; he was sentenced to 25 to 50 years. Shapiro, at a press conference, urged 'real accountability' and warned against growing numb to political violence.

Chinese smartphone maker Honor said it is developing a “robot phone” whose camera folds out on a robotic arm, and will share more details at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona early next year. The company said the device will incorporate artificial intelligence but offered no specifics. The concept underscores a broader push in Chinese consumer electronics to rethink long-standing hardware designs to integrate AI. Earlier this year, Beijing-based Roborock began selling a robot vacuum with a fold-out arm that uses AI and sensors to detect and remove obstructions.

In the ghost town of Kolmanskop, South African photographer Wim van den Heever finally captured a brown hyena — a shot that won the grand title at this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year. After a decade of 2–3 a.m. setups, trashed cameras and fog-thick nights, his trap fired as the elusive animal slipped between abandoned buildings. A Natural History Museum zoologist hopes the image can shift perceptions. Researchers say brown hyenas, near threatened yet roughly stable, use old mining towns for shelter and bring nourishment into the Namib. Van den Heever says he’ll keep returning.