JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 1182

Egypt inaugurated the long-delayed Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza Pyramids, billed as the world’s largest museum devoted to an ancient civilization and a centerpiece of efforts to revive tourism and the economy. The GEM houses more than 50,000 artifacts and, for the first time since 1922, the complete treasures of King Tutankhamun. World leaders were set to attend an elaborate opening highlighted by a drone light show and orchestral performance. Officials expect up to 5 million visitors a year. The museum opens to the public Nov. 4.

Barack Obama will headline rallies Saturday for Democratic gubernatorial nominees Abigail Spanberger in Virginia and Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey, as both parties sprint into Tuesday’s elections. Republicans Winsome Earle-Sears and Jack Ciattarelli tour their states without comparable star power, while Donald Trump backs them from afar. The races test Black voter turnout, economic anxieties, and clashes over abortion and transgender policies; Virginia is set to elect its first woman governor. On the West Coast, California voters weigh a Newsom-backed plan to redraw the congressional map for Democrats, part of a mid-decade redistricting fight with national stakes.

Cannabis shares are stirring after years of drift, buoyed by hopes for federal rules on hemp products and hints that President Donald Trump could soften policy on marijuana. Verano posted $203 million in revenue and a $44 million loss, while Curaleaf and Trulieve report next week. Tilray’s stock has already jumped on strong results, and a Trump-shared video touting Medicare coverage for CBD sparked broad gains. Washington is weighing hemp regulations and possible marijuana rescheduling, even as some Republicans push curbs, leaving investors betting on clarity to unlock growth.

Across rural Maryland, a $424 million plan to run a 67-mile, 500-kilovolt transmission line has ignited fierce resistance from farmers who say towers would threaten crops and agritourism. PSEG, building the PJM-backed Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, cites soaring data center demand and warns of grid congestion and possible brownouts by 2027. Lawsuits over survey access, accusations of threats, and a denied request for US marshals have deepened tensions, while local officials in three counties oppose the route. With state approval not expected until 2027, landowners appeal to Gov. Wes Moore and President Donald Trump as uncertainty drags on.

President Trump said an imminent lapse in SNAP funding would hurt largely Democrats as the shutdown entered its second month, even as millions of recipients live in Republican states and districts. A federal judge ordered payments to continue during the shutdown, but delivery remains uncertain and Trump warned November benefits would be delayed. Available data show Democrats represent slightly more SNAP households, yet Republicans represent millions as well; rural counties that backed Trump rely heavily on the program. Experts noted no definitive research on recipients’ voting, but warned any cuts would hit Republican voters too.

Chicago’s improbable surge rolled on with a 135-125 win over the Knicks, their first in NBA Cup play, pushing the Bulls to 5-0 for the first time since 1996-97. Josh Giddey starred with a career-high 32 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, with Nikola Vucevic adding 26 and four threes, and Ayo Dosunmu 22 and nine. Up 19 at halftime, Chicago steadied after a late Mikal Bridges three cut the lead to four, closing with an 8-0 burst. The Improbabulls sit atop the Eastern Conference as its lone unbeaten.

On Minneapolis’ Lake Street, Somali-owned cafes and shops show what refugees built, even as the Trump administration capped admissions at 7,500—down from 125,000—and prioritized Afrikaners from South Africa. Community members like Nasra Hassan pointed to a corridor revived by arrivals from Somalia, Mexico, Myanmar, the Congo and Ukraine. Advocates called the move a break with U.S. tradition; Murad Awawdeh said it “shut the door” on people fleeing persecution. Activist Fartun Weli warned of workforce strains if newcomers stop coming, while Minnesota’s roughly 87,000 Somali residents are visible in local councils, the legislature and business hubs.

University of Chicago paleontologist Paul Sereno has mapped the look of the duck-billed Edmontosaurus annectens in rare detail, publishing findings in Science after tracking down a century-old mummy site in eastern Wyoming. Archival sleuthing and a tip from a rancher whose great-grandmother was the Warren, Wyoming postmaster led his team to the mummy zone, where river sand preserved skin as fragile clay masks. The specimens, an adult Ed Sr. and late juvenile Ed Jr. (the only juvenile dinosaur mummy, the university says), reveal hooves, a crest, and tail spikes. Experts praised the feet and called the study a baseline.

At Bahrain’s Manama Dialogue, U.S. national intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard said Washington has ended its approach of regime change or nation building under President Donald Trump, stressing a pivot to economic prosperity and regional stability. She cited a ceasefire halting the Israel Hamas war in Gaza and an end to Israel’s 12 day war on Iran after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, while warning the Gaza truce is fragile and noting renewed activity at Iran’s facilities. Separately, Bahrain revoked an AP reporter’s visa; activist Abdulhadi al Khawaja later paused his hunger strike after EU and Danish letters.

At an APEC summit in Gyeongju, Xi Jinping took center stage, urging creation of a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization to set rules and treat AI as a public good, with Shanghai floated as a base. With Donald Trump absent after talks that produced a one year deal to partially roll back trade and technology controls, Xi promoted China's approach to multilateral trade and green tech. APEC members approved a joint declaration and pacts on AI and aging. China will host the 2026 summit in Shenzhen.