JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 1156

Corporate America’s tone has hardened as layoffs rise and AI reshapes work, with more bosses telling staff to conform or leave. Palantir’s Alex Karp touted an 'anti-woke' stance and attacked multiculturalism; AT&T’s John Stankey curtailed remote work; GitHub’s chief warned to embrace AI or exit; Shopify and Coinbase imposed AI requirements. Scholars say leaders feel newly empowered as peers face few consequences, though some executives stay quiet amid polarization. Experts add the pendulum may swing back if the economy turns.

U.S. stocks slipped Thursday morning as investors sifted fresh earnings amid a government shutdown that’s obscuring key economic data. The S&P 500 fell 0.4%, the Dow lost 185 points, and the Nasdaq dropped 0.7% by 10:25 a.m. Eastern. DoorDash sank 14% after flagging higher product-development spending next year, while Datadog jumped 22.4% and Rockwell Automation rose 5.7% on forecast-beating results. With jobless claims missing and data gaps growing, the Fed faces tricky rate-cut calculus after two cuts this year; markets now see a 69% chance of a December cut. Treasury yields eased as European stocks edged lower.

USDA officials reversed course on food-stamp cuts, saying late Wednesday that SNAP recipients will receive up to 65% of their November benefits after recalculations showed payments should be reduced by 35%, not by half. The Justice Department said the agency recognized the error and sent states new guidance. The shift follows a lawsuit that compelled the USDA to use contingency funds during the record-long shutdown. An earlier filing estimated $4.6 billion in reserves to cover about half of eligible households’ current allotments and said the agency intends to exhaust contingency funds.

After allowing 24 first-half points to the Bengals, the Jets tightened up after halftime and won — then rocked the deadline by trading Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner and adding Mazi Smith in a deal with the Cowboys. The column imagines five big swaps that never happened — Andrews or Njoku to Green Bay, Hendrickson to Detroit, Meyers to Buffalo, Hall to Kansas City, Wilson to Tampa Bay — notes limited quarterback movement, places the Chiefs atop Super Bowl chances ahead of the Bills and Eagles, and ranks the Jets most likely to land 2026’s No. 1 pick.

Trump administration officials told lawmakers the U.S. isn’t planning strikes inside Venezuela and lacks legal grounds for land targets, despite a Caribbean military buildup. An existing Justice Department opinion authorizes attacks on suspected drug boats, including 16 since September that killed at least 67 people, but not on land. Officials are seeking a new legal rationale without Congress while stressing the deployment supports counternarcotics and intelligence. Lawmakers split: Sen. Mark Warner praised intelligence but questioned lethal force over interdiction; Rep. Gregory Meeks doubted the strikes' legality. Briefers insisted targets are rigorously vetted and tied to cartels.

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative announced its first major restructuring, sharpening its mission around science and A.I. The philanthropy acquired the team from A.I. start-up Evolutionary Scale and named its chief scientist, Alex Rives, head of science, without disclosing the amount. Mark Zuckerberg and Dr. Priscilla Chan pledged a tenfold boost in computing power by 2028 to drive virtual cell mapping, a biological reasoning language model, and A.I. disease detection. The shift follows retreats from politics and social-justice work, including ending diversity-based recruiting, a school’s closure after funding was lost, and curbing nearly all local housing grants.

Behind Spencer Knight’s 43 saves and a primary assist, the Blackhawks shook off a grinding second period in Vancouver and stormed past the Canucks 5-2. Tyler Bertuzzi netted a hat trick, Connor Bedard added a goal and an assist, and coach Jeff Blashill logged his first successful challenge as Chicago reached the second intermission tied 0-0. They went 1-for-1 on the power play and killed both penalties. Captain Nick Foligno said higher standards now leave "no moral victories," as this group leans into structure, maturity and a belief it can win anywhere.

Short on healthy wideouts and plagued by drops, the Jaguars sent two draft picks to the Raiders for Jakobi Meyers, a receiver known for sure hands. In 98 career games, Meyers has only 11 drops and has never had more than two in a season—stark relief for the 2025 Jaguars, who lead the league with 19 drops. GM James Gladstone said the move fits their needs, praising Meyers’ “superpower” of not dropping the ball. Meyers will try to hit the ground running Sunday against the Texans.

Outback Steakhouse abruptly closed 21 restaurants in October and will let 22 more leases lapse over four years as parent Bloomin’ Brands launches a turnaround. The company will take a $33 million impairment and suspend its shareholder dividend while investing $75 million in menu upgrades, value offers, and service tweaks, plus renovating all remaining locations with brighter interiors and expanded pickup by 2028. Same-store sales inched up 0.4% this quarter, trailing LongHorn and Texas Roadhouse, as choosier diners favor better value.

ESPN has named DraftKings its Official Sportsbook and Odds Provider, effective Dec. 1, with integrations rolling into ESPN platforms and the betting tab in the ESPN App starting in December. At launch, users can access sportsbook, daily fantasy and Pick6, with a full rollout of integrations expected in 2026. ESPN also said it will no longer work with Penn Entertainment. Executives from both companies touted a seamless, responsible experience, and pledged joint campaigns promoting responsible play. DraftKings serves more than 10 million customers across 28 states, D.C., and Ontario.