JQJO — General news · Page 105

Dancing With the Stars' Disney Night saw Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko eliminated. Despite a Star Wars-themed quickstep, Baldwin's performance wasn't enough to save her. Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas once again topped the leaderboard with a score of 25/30, marking their fourth consecutive week as the highest-scoring pair. Other notable performances included Alix Earle and Jordan Chiles both earning 24/30.

President Donald Trump has criticized the NFL's decision to select Bad Bunny as the headliner for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, calling the choice "absolutely ridiculous." Trump, who stated he's unfamiliar with the artist, echoed concerns raised by his adviser and Homeland Security Secretary that Bad Bunny's perceived anti-ICE stance could be divisive. The artist, however, has previously expressed worries about ICE raids affecting his U.S. tour dates and sees his Super Bowl performance as a significant cultural win for Latinos.

Tesla has launched cheaper versions of its Model Y and Model 3 electric vehicles, aiming to boost sales amidst declining demand, an aging lineup, and intense competition. The new Model Y is priced under $40,000 and the Model 3 under $37,000, though both are significantly above previously promised lower price points. Investors reacted negatively, with Tesla stock dropping, as they sought more innovative offerings rather than mere iterations of existing models. The price cuts come as a federal EV tax credit expired, potentially further impacting sales.

The Trump administration is delaying mass layoffs of federal workers amid a government shutdown due to growing political concerns. While initially planning swift firings as leverage against Democrats, administration officials and Republican lawmakers now recognize the potential backlash. The White House hopes the threat of future layoffs will still pressure Democrats to negotiate an end to the shutdown, but acknowledges the need to eventually act if talks remain stalled.

The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) is investigating Arizona Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon's sideline behavior after a crucial fumble by running back Emari Demercado. Gannon appeared to strike Demercado after the player fumbled the ball before scoring a potential game-sealing touchdown, leading to a loss. Gannon has apologized, admitting he let the moment get to him. The union's examination centers on whether Gannon's actions warrant disciplinary action, similar to past incidents involving coaches striking players.

Week 5 of the NFL season brought notable fantasy football developments. Joe Flacco is the new Bengals QB, potentially boosting Chase and Higgins. Drake Maye is showing superstar potential, while Stefon Diggs is resurging. Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rico Dowdle had breakout performances. However, rookie running back woes persist for Henderson and Harvey. The Eagles' aerial attack backfired. Patrick Mahomes is increasing his rushing output, and Emeka Egbuka is having a historic rookie season. Geno Smith faces pressure, and Jonathan Taylor continues his dominance.

OpenAI and AMD have announced a significant partnership where OpenAI will acquire 6 gigawatts of compute capacity and assist in refining AMD's GPUs. Uniquely, OpenAI will pay using AMD stock warrants, potentially worth billions. This deal serves as a major validation for AMD's AI chip roadmap, driving adoption momentum with cloud service providers, though analysts suggest OpenAI will likely sell shares to cover costs.

Google is launching a preview of its Gemini 2.5 Computer Use model, codenamed Project Mariner, enabling AI agents to interact with graphical user interfaces, specifically browsers and websites. This specialized model analyzes user requests, screenshots, and action history to perform tasks like clicking, typing, searching, and scrolling. It loops through analysis and execution until a task is complete. Demonstrations show impressive performance in web and mobile UI control, outperforming competitors in browser control quality and latency. Developers can access this AI via Gemini API in Google AI Studio and Vertex AI.

The Director of National Intelligence has ordered a review of random polygraph exams for intelligence agency employees, focusing on questions about leaks to the press. This directive aims to curb unauthorized disclosures of sensitive information, echoing past administrations' efforts. While reinforcing existing policies, the move could face criticism over press freedom and chilling effects on whistleblowers, with some experts calling it a "flexing of bureaucratic muscle."

Microsoft is further restricting workarounds to bypass the mandatory Microsoft account sign-in requirement during Windows 11 setup. A recent Insider Preview build (26220.6772) removes several command-line methods previously used to create local accounts, citing potential setup issues. While the exact "critical screens" are unclear, users suspect Microsoft aims to push subscriptions and data collection features. This move indicates Microsoft's continued push for users to associate their Windows installations with a Microsoft account.