News Hub Central — breaking world, business, tech and sports news, summarised in minutes

Trump gave Xi Jinping a warm welcome. What did the talks accomplish?

From the National Archives to the state dinner, President Trump and Xi Jinping looked comfortable together in Washington. Two former NPR China correspondents on what the visit did and didn't deliver.

Is Congo's Ebola outbreak coming under control?

Four months in, Congo's Ebola outbreak is one of the largest ever recorded. Officials and outside experts can't agree on whether it's finally slowing down.

Mother of woman found hanging in tree shocked as police say body was staged

Christy Spivey tells the BBC she only has more questions now police think Tasia Fortune's body was put in the tree after her death.

Yamal nets in Spain’s 3-2 comeback win against England in Nations League

Lamine Yamal goal opens the scoring, but Spain made to comeback in Nations League win as Harry Kane misses penalty.

Trump says he approved new fuel economy standards, rolling back Biden-era rules

The new fuel economy standards will reverse the Biden administration's stricter policies meant to spur electric vehicle adoption.

Boeing flags 737 Max software glitch affecting some automated approach functions

Boeing identified a software issue on some 737 Max aircraft that can affect automated vertical navigation functions after a missed approach.

Here's exactly what Paramount promised Hollywood to land WBD — and why some are still skeptical

Paramount CEO David Ellison's antitrust settlement eased some theatrical concerns, but questions remain about what happens when the five-year agreement ends.

White House moves to block $810 million in funding through pocket rescission

The White House is moving to block $810 million in appropriated funds days before the fiscal year ends, drawing objections over the maneuver.

Apple hit with $5.7 billion in damages over haptic patents

Haptics tech company Taction sued Apple in 2021, alleging it infringed two of its patents. Now a federal jury in San Diego has awarded Taction over $5.7 billion in damages. According to CNBC, "The lawsuit centered around U.S. Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117, which both involve vibration-based, tactile transducer technology that helps users feel a […]

Insurers claim AI is already increasing healthcare costs

Blue Cross Blue Shield says hospital use of AI tools led to an additional $942M in healthcare spending over a two-year period.

TikTok agrees to pay at least $100M in Alabama settlement

Trial had been set for Monday over claims by Alabama that TikTok misled parents about tools meant to shield children from harmful content TikTok has agreed to pay Alabama at least $100m and enact time limits and other restrictions for teenage users, avoiding a trial with a settlement that was modelled on Instagram-owner Meta’s recent agreement with US states. Alabama described it as a “first-in-the-nation settlement” with a state in the sweeping litigation over social media’s affect on teen wellbeing. Continue reading...

Decap is the man behind the drums behind your favorite song

I don't think I'm going to hurt anyone's feelings by pointing out that Decap doesn't have the name recognition of Kendrick Lamar, Olivia Rodrigo, or Charli XCX. But his fingerprints are all over tracks from them, as well as many other artists, including Freddie Gibbs, Bad Bunny, Mac Miller, BTS, and even Ludwig G ransson's score […]

'Debate settled': Texas' UT jab at Tennessee leads top trolls of CFB Week 4

Texas left Knoxville with a parting shot at its hosts centered on the two schools' shared UT acronym.

Taylor Swift 12, Purdue 0: Boilermakers' album release curse continues

Purdue is now 0-12 in games that fall within seven days of Taylor Swift releasing or rereleasing an album.

Follow live: Peru's goal ties score in first half of friendly versus USMNT

The Playbook: Shadow Reports, lineup locks and projected scores for Week 3

An all-encompassing look at the matchups to exploit or avoid and lineup locks in fantasy, as well as projected scores for all NFL games.

‘SNL U.K.’ Spoofs Oasis as Russian Hackers Who Trick Prime Minister Andy Burnham by Asking Him to Join the Band

Oasis and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham were at the heart of a surreal cold open in the third episode of “Saturday Night Live U.K. Season 2, where the iconic Manchester-based duo turned out to be a Russian psyop stealing Burnham’s personal details. The sketch started with Burnham (George Fouracres) proudly reflecting on a recent […]

Israeli Americans Protest ‘NAZA’ by Screening October 7 Footage Outside New York Premiere: ‘Compassion For Palestinian Civilians Doesn’t Require Us to Erase October 7’

The Israeli-American Council organized a protest Saturday afternoon outside the New York Film Festival premiere of “NAZA,” which the organization has described as an “anti-Israel” film that “makes serious allegations about the IDF’s conduct in the Gaza Strip while ignoring findings and information that contradict its claims” and fails to present the full “context of […]

UK’s Largest Tabletop Convention Bans AI With Few Exceptions

As AI generated material consumes much of the gaming and entertainment world, major tabletop players like UKGE refuse to roll the dice with the unpopular tech

Marine Atlan’s French Oscar Hopeful ‘La Gradiva’ Takes Top Prizes at 30th Queer Lisboa – the Biggest Edition to Date

French filmmaker Marine Atlan’s lauded debut film “La Gradiva” proved the big winner at the 30th Queer Lisboa – International Queer Film Festival, taking the best feature film and Audience Awards. A sweeping portrait of the vicissitudes of youth, the film, which also won the top prize at the Cannes Critics’ Week, follows a group […]

Burnham announces scheme to help first-time buyers on to housing ladder

Exclusive: Policy initiative for England will help more young people on to property ladder, prime minister tells Guardian A new help-to-buy scheme aimed at giving first-time buyers who cannot rely on the “bank of mum and dad” is to be introduced in a big policy announcement by Andy Burnham. The programme, called “Your first home”, is intended to help buyers in England who have a regular income but have been unable to save for a large deposit or don’t have financial support from their family. Continue reading...

Belfast court injuncts decision to allow Orange Order march down Garvaghy Road

Andy Burnham calls for calm as fears of unrest grow after request for countermarch in mainly nationalist area A controversial loyalist parade down a nationalist street in Portadown has been temporarily injuncted after a high court judge urged all sides to “step back from the abyss” and take responsible decisions for “the sake of everyone in Northern Ireland”. The ruling was made amid rising fears that a parade could unleash fresh sectarian violence, 28 years after the parade route was banned due to disorder. Continue reading...