Friday, October 23

James's News

Updated 4:09 AM CT
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Top Stories

NW Arkansas

Arkansas Razorbacks (official)·

Razorbacks Hit the Road for Matches with Tide, Bulldogs

Arkansas volleyball goes on the road this weekend to face Alabama and Mississippi State. Alabama is 9-8 and 1-7 in the SEC, while Mississippi State is 13-5, 3-4 in the league and unbeaten at home. The Hogs had won 10 straight against the Tide before last season's home loss and haven't won in Starkville since 2022.

Arkansas Razorbacks (official)·

Lev Grinberg Named SEC Freshman Golfer of the Week

Razorback freshman Lev Grinberg was named SEC Freshman Golfer of the Week after a final-round 5-under 67 moved him up 12 spots to finish runner-up at the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational. He helped Arkansas share the team title there, and he finished the fall with a 71.75 scoring average and a team-best 50 birdies.

City of Fayetteville·

Continue to Help Shape the Future of Fayetteville’s Next Neighborhood Park

Fayetteville is asking residents to help finish the design of a new 1.5- to 2-acre neighborhood park near Owl Creek. A drop-in workshop runs Thursday, Oct. 29, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. near North Magellan Lane and West Oldham Drive, and an online survey is open for at least two weeks.

Arkansas Governor news releases·

Sanders Announces 344 Regulatory Changes to Cut Red Tape

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders says 13 state departments found 344 ways to make permits, licenses and other approvals faster and cheaper under her February executive order. Seventy-five of those changes are already in place or underway.

Hawaii

University of Hawaii News·

Kolten Wong named special advisor to UH Mānoa athletics

Former Rainbow Warrior star and 11-year MLB veteran Kolten Wong has been named special advisor to UH Mānoa Athletics. He'll work with Athletics Director Matt Elliott on special projects and help coach Rich Hill's baseball program with recruiting, player development and community outreach.

University of Hawaii News·

UH fall enrollment tops 50K for 3rd straight year

The University of Hawaiʻi system enrolled 50,617 students this fall, the third straight year above 50,000, though that's down 2% (795 students) from fall 2025. UH Mānoa has 20,061 students and the community colleges 25,045; Kauaʻi CC was the only campus to grow, by 1%.

UH Hilo Stories·

UH Hilo students win first-place awards in national sociology competition

UH Hilo students took two first-place awards at the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology's national competition on Oct. 16-17, competing against students from top research universities. The team earned a perfect score in the team competition, and a sociology student won first place for her research paper.

Hawaii DOT News·

Public open house for Kunia Interchange Improvements Environmental Study Wednesday, Nov. 18

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation will hold a public scoping open house on Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Kaleiʻopuʻu Elementary School in Waipahu about possible improvements to the Kunia Interchange. The interchange links the H-1 Freeway with Kunia Road and Fort Weaver Road, and residents can learn about the study and give input.

Business

CNBC·

Volvo Cars plunges 27% as CEO says China sales slump came 'faster than we thought'

Volvo Cars shares fell about 27% after the automaker reported a third-quarter operating loss of 5.6 billion kronor (about $564 million) and said it will cut 2,500 jobs. CEO Håkan Samuelsson said the China sales slump came "faster than we thought," as Chinese buyers turn to domestic brands, and that the company needs a new, more regional strategy there.

HM Treasury·

Government slashes red tape and tariffs to give businesses breathing space

The UK government says new measures to cut paperwork and form-filling, plus extended tariff suspensions, will save British businesses almost £800 million. The plans, some developed with small businesses, were announced as the Prime Minister and Business Secretary met small-business leaders ahead of next week's Budget.

Bank of England·

Regulators unveil plans to simplify Senior Manager and Certification Regime

The UK's Prudential Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority opened parallel consultations on streamlining the 10-year-old Senior Managers and Certification Regime. Far fewer financial-services roles would need enhanced regulator checks, saving firms an estimated £2 billion over 10 years, while accountability standards stay the same.

HM Treasury·

PM puts communities first in government investment rules shake up

The UK Prime Minister confirmed plans to reform the Treasury's Green Book, the official framework for judging spending projects, at next week's Budget. Projects in the same area would be assessed together rather than one by one, which the government says will help overlooked places make the case for investment.

Tech

NVIDIA Newsroom·

Kazakhstan Expands Compute for Its AI Future

Nvidia says Kazakhstan's AI push is moving from plans to deployment, as CEO Jensen Huang visited Astana on Oct. 23, met President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and joined AI minister Zhaslan Madiyev for a fireside chat at Alem.AI. The company rounded up the country's announcements on computing infrastructure, homegrown models and applications, including Madiyev's call for AI that understands and speaks Kazakh.

TechCrunch·

Oura sues rival Ultrahuman again, threatening its U.S. smart ring comeback

Smart-ring maker Oura has sued Ultrahuman again in federal court in Texas, claiming its redesigned Ring Pro infringes two patents covering design, battery and sensors. Oura wants damages and a permanent ban on sales, just months after the Ring Pro got a favorable customs ruling that let Ultrahuman back into the U.S. following an earlier import ban.

NVIDIA Newsroom·

NVIDIA Unveils Minerva to Bring End-to-End Observability for AI Factories

NVIDIA launched Minerva, an AIOps platform that pulls telemetry from GPUs, networking, storage, schedulers and AI workloads into one view and uses purpose-built AI models to spot problems early. It aims to maximize "AI factory yield" by catching issues such as a GPU running hot before they slow whole jobs.

TechCrunch·

Uber rival inDrive eyes 2027 robotaxi tests in Central Asia with Pony.ai and Nvidia

Ride-hailing company inDrive has signed a memorandum of understanding with Pony.ai and Nvidia to start testing robotaxis in Astana, Kazakhstan, in the first half of 2027. Pony.ai would supply its Gen-7 vehicles and Nvidia its Hyperion platform and Halos safety system, with safety operators on board at first and fully driverless rides as the goal.

XLE & Oil

OilPrice.com·

Brent Hits $114 as Houthi Attacks Threaten Saudi Energy Infrastructure

Brent crude hit $114 a barrel and WTI topped $100, putting oil on track for a big weekly gain as Houthi attacks threaten Saudi energy infrastructure, including Aramco facilities. Aramco ordered personnel evacuated from its Dhahran headquarters, and Libya's National Oil Corporation reported a pipeline shutdown, adding to the rally.

DOE News·

Energy Department to Use Defense Production Act Funding to Restart American Refinery and Expand Refining Capacity

President Trump announced up to $150 million in Defense Production Act Title III funding to expand petroleum production, storage and logistics at U.S. refineries, including restarting a refinery. The Energy Department says the money should raise domestic output of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel by millions of gallons per day and lower prices.

Rigzone·

Oil Surges 4% After Deadly Saudi Attacks

Brent crude jumped 4% to settle near $113 a barrel and WTI closed above $99 after deadly attacks in Saudi Arabia, Rigzone reports. A drone strike on Saudi Aramco's Shaybah field killed two people but left operations unaffected, there were casualties in an attack on Dammam's airport, and Yemen's Houthis claimed strikes on the port of Yanbu.

DOE News·

Energy Department Announces Over $125 Million for 63 Projects Across 16 States to Lower Energy Costs, Expand Electricity Access, and Advance Economic Development for America’s Tribal Communities

The U.S. Department of Energy announced more than $125 million for 63 tribe-led projects in 16 states, including Alaska, the largest single investment in the history of its Office of Indian Energy. The 61 tribal entities selected for award negotiations will use the money to cut electricity costs, expand access and support economic development.

Patriots

Patriots.com·

Game Observations: 8 takeaways from the Patriots loss to the Bears on Thursday Night Football in Week 7

The Patriots fell 30-24 to the Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday Night Football, with Chicago running 16 more plays (66-50) and the Bears forcing 16 missed tackles. Drake Maye was mostly sharp behind a short-handed line, but a red-zone interception followed by an 80-yard Bears touchdown drive in the second quarter was a key swing for an injury-depleted New England team.

NBC Sports Boston·

Split decision: Caleb Williams outperforms Drake Maye in Bears' win over Pats

NBC Sports Boston's postgame crew judged Caleb Williams the winner of his duel with Drake Maye in the Bears' 30-24 win. Phil Perry said the quarterback who won and didn't turn the ball over wins "by decision," while noting Maye played very well aside from one mistake.

Patriots.com·

New England Patriots Postgame Quotes 10/22

Mike Vrabel said after the 30-24 loss in Chicago that the tackling "wasn't good enough" against Bears playmakers like D'Andre Swift and Luther Burden III, though he liked how his team competed. He called the margin thin against good teams, pointed to red-zone stops and the one missed red-zone chance as the difference, and wouldn't blame injuries in the secondary.

Pats Pulpit·

6 winners and losers from Patriots loss to the Bears

Pats Pulpit's winners and losers from the 30-24 loss to the Bears, which dropped New England to 4-3 and out of the AFC playoff picture for now. Drake Maye heads the winners after completing a season-high 77.4% of his passes for more than 300 yards and running for a touchdown, and Hunter Henry was again a steady target.

Movies

IndieWire·

Tom Skerritt, ‘Alien’ and ‘M*A*S*H’ Star, Dies at 93

Tom Skerritt, first-billed in Ridley Scott's "Alien" (1979) and an actor for more than seven decades, died Wednesday of natural causes at 93, his manager said. His family remembered his humor, curiosity and generosity and his care for veterans, the natural world and helping others share their voices.

Netflix newsroom·

Netflix adapts the classic by Clarín: Production Begins on 'La Regenta'

Netflix has started production on La Regenta, a contemporary, female-perspective film adaptation of the classic Spanish novel by Leopoldo Alas "Clarín." Mar Coll directs, María Zamora produces, and Ester Expósito stars as Ana Ozores, with Oriol Pla, Vito Sanz and Borja Luna also in the cast.

Empire·

Marvel’s Zodiac Series Sets Amit Cohen And Ron Leshem To Write As New Plot Details Emerge

Marvel Television has hired Ron Leshem, creator of the original Israeli Euphoria, and his frequent collaborator Amit Cohen to write Zodiac, the secretive spy series announced at New York Comic Con, Deadline reports. The show takes its name from a Marvel Comics criminal organization, and fans suspect it will bring S.H.I.E.L.D. back into the MCU.

Netflix newsroom·

Song Hye-kyo and GONG YOO Chase Glittering Dreams in Netflix Series Tantara, Premiering December 11 with New Date Announcement Poster

Netflix set a Dec. 11 premiere for Tantara, a Korean series starring Song Hye-kyo and Gong Yoo about people chasing success in the Korean entertainment industry from the 1960s to the 1980s. It is written by Noh Hee-kyung (Our Blues) and directed by Lee Yoon-jung (The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince).

Lorcana & SWU

Disney Lorcana·

Disney Lorcana TCG Set Release Notes: Hyperia City

Ravensburger published the set release notes for Disney Lorcana's Hyperia City. They explain the set's rules changes, new mechanics and the reasons behind them.

Star Wars: Unlimited·

Star Wars: Unlimited | Iconic Musings

Star Wars: Unlimited designer Tyler Parrott shares details about the Icons set. It has new art on 20 reprints, and by design it includes more high-cost cards than any set so far.

Disney Lorcana·

Disney Lorcana TCG Products from D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event Now Available Online

Ravensburger will sell the 2026 D23 Collection and the Winnie the Pooh Hunny Wizard foil playmat online through an EQL drawing. Entries run from Oct. 31 at 9 a.m. ET to Nov. 1 at 9 p.m. ET, and winners will be notified by email starting Nov. 4.

Big Boss Battle (SWU)·

New Expansion ‘Homeworlds’ Shakes Up the Star Wars Unlimited Meta With New Mechanics

Star Wars: Unlimited's ninth main set, Homeworlds, is out now with 260 new cards. It adds the fortify keyword, two new token cards and a new prestige style, focused on planets, creatures and invading armies.

Faith

Vatican News·

Pope Leo will not make Assisi visit to aid recovery after surgery

Pope Leo XIV won't attend the Oct. 27 "Unarmed and Disarming Peace" meeting in Assisi so he can recover from thoracic surgery he had last week, the Holy See Press Office said. The gathering marks the 40th anniversary of John Paul II's World Day of Prayer for Peace, and the pope will send a message to the participants.

Christian Daily International·

Nigerian mother acquitted of blasphemy receives Shahbaz Bhatti Freedom Award

Rhoda Jatau, a Nigerian Christian mother of five who spent 19 months in prison on blasphemy-related charges before her acquittal, received the 2026 Shahbaz Bhatti Freedom Award in Geneva on Oct. 16. She had been charged after allegedly sharing a video condemning the 2022 mob killing of Christian student Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu.

Vatican News·

Pope to students of canon law: Seek the supernatural good of persons

Pope Leo XIV told the Canon Law Faculty of the Pontifical Gregorian University, marking its 150th anniversary, that canon law performs "an essential service in safeguarding ecclesial communion." Recalling the faculty's Jesuit roots, he said its aim is "quality over quantity": forming people with a sense of what is just, studied in light of the mystery of the Church.

Religion News Service·

Multisite churches — also known as franchises — are now a staple of American life

At least 5 million Americans attend a multisite church, according to "Multisite Revealed," a new report from The Ascent Leader. About 1,800 churches use the model across roughly 6,000 campuses, found, lead researcher Warren Bird said, "everywhere but Wyoming."

Christian Metal

Solid State Records (YouTube)·

What Lies Below - Return To Nothing (Official Music Video)

Solid State Records has signed What Lies Below and released the band's official music video for "Return To Nothing." The song is about reclaiming light lost to grief and finding a way out from under its weight.

Heaven's Metal·

Review: Omegashift – The Burden of Storms

Heaven's Metal reviews The Burden of Storms, the second album from Norwegian doom band Omegashift, out Nov. 20 on Nordic Mission. The review praises how the band pairs doom's slow heaviness with big melodies, Jorunn Aateigen's vocals and a hopeful message, starting with the eight-minute opener and first single "While Men Slept."

Solid State Records (YouTube)·

SAVE US - No Holding Back

Solid State Records released a video for SAVE US's "No Holding Back," from the band's new album Death To Something, which is out now. The lyrics plead with someone who is hurting not to stay silent.

Heaven's Metal·

Feature: Trans-Siberian Orchestra interview with Al Pitrelli

Heaven's Metal sat down over Zoom with Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitarist Al Pitrelli to talk about TSO's 2026 tour. In the 24-minute interview he tells stories like breaking his leg and tearing his ACL during a guitar solo, and the night he thought he had died on stage.

Chris Voss

Negotiation Mastery (YouTube)·

How Tactical Empathy Will Change Your Life- Justus Parmar & Chris Voss

In a new conversation with Chris Voss, an investment firm founder explains how the Black Swan Group's tactical empathy changed his approach to negotiating. He says he now starts with what the other side wants, which protects long-term relationships.