Readthrough
Top Stories

Apple introduces the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6

Justice Department sending election monitors to 2 Arkansas counties on Election Day

EQT Announces Strategic Acquisition of Range Resources, Creating America’s Undisputed Natural Gas Champion

Four takeaways from Anthropic’s potentially record-breaking stock market filing

Ras Tanura Fire Follows Attacks on Aramco Offices and Near Shaybah Field
NW Arkansas

Justice Department sending election monitors to 2 Arkansas counties on Election Day
The U.S. Justice Department will send election monitors to Washington and Pulaski counties, Arkansas' two most populous, on Election Day. Washington County's election commission voted not to let the monitors inside polling places, citing a lack of timely notice, and Pulaski County's commission meets Thursday to weigh the same decision.
Governor Sanders Announces the My Natural State Story Winners
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the winners of the My Natural State Story contest, run with the state education department, Game & Fish Commission and Parks, Heritage & Tourism. The contest, launched in August, asked Arkansas students to write about their outdoor experiences to encourage more time outside and off screens.

Arkansas voters must submit absentee voter applications by mail, fax or email today
Tuesday, Oct. 27, is the deadline for county clerks to receive absentee ballot applications sent by mail, fax or email for Arkansas' Nov. 3 general election. Applications delivered in person by a designated bearer or authorized administrator are due by 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, and mailed absentee ballots must arrive by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.

Issue Spotlight: What candidates in Arkansas’ US Senate race say about AI, data centers
The Arkansas Advocate asked the candidates in Arkansas' U.S. Senate race about artificial intelligence and data centers, and all three said Arkansans should get a vote on whether a data center is built near them. The piece notes local backlash over data centers' water and power use in several Arkansas communities and the attorney general's lawsuit against OpenAI.

By the numbers: Tracking early voting data in Arkansas
Early voting is underway in Arkansas ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm election, and 40/29's data team is tracking early and mail-in ballots using University of Florida Election Lab data. Benton County saw 6,513 people vote on the first day of early voting, Oct. 19, compared with 3,669 on the first day in 2022.

HogTown Rocks Out with ‘No Vacancy’ on Halloween
Razorback fans can start Halloween at HogTown on Maple Street before Saturday's Arkansas-Missouri game, with the free pregame event opening four hours before kickoff. Cover band No Vacancy plays the main stage from 3:15 p.m., and a Hogoween table hands out trick-or-treat bags.

Game Time Announcement: Auburn
Arkansas' Nov. 7 football game at Auburn will kick off at 11:45 a.m. on SEC Network, the SEC announced. Before that, the Hogs host No. 23 Missouri on Halloween night at 6:45 p.m., their first Halloween home game in more than a decade, to cap the university's 105th Homecoming Week.

Hogs give fans plenty to like in exhibition win over Gonzaga
No. 12 Arkansas beat No. 15 Gonzaga 76-72 in an exhibition at Bud Walton Arena, though the Bulldogs were missing two key players, Davis Fogle and Chauncey Wiggins. Freshman Davion Thompson hit a clutch 3-pointer with a minute left and finished with 12 points as John Calipari's team rallied from a one-point halftime deficit.

Sanders Announces Benton as Arkansas’ Capital for a Day on October 28
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders proclaimed Benton, Arkansas, the state's Capital for a Day on Oct. 28 and invited senior state officials to join her for a visit. The proclamation highlights the city's history, from the Civil War's Fort Bussey to Niloak Pottery and a World War II airman whose notes were used at the Nuremberg Trials.

Hawaii

Hawaii tourism survey shows resident support waning
The state's latest resident sentiment survey from DBEDT shows fewer Hawaii residents believe tourism has brought more benefits than problems. For the first time, residents voiced growing concern about visitors disrespecting Hawaiian culture and the ʻāina, and the Hawaii Tourism Authority says visitor respect is key to how residents feel.
Transforming ocean policy at the intersection of science and law
UH Mānoa is launching a Center for Ocean Policy that pairs its Department of Oceanography with the William S. Richardson School of Law to tackle ocean and climate challenges. Students will get hands-on experience through clinics, capstone projects and advocacy work on real environmental issues.

Hawaiʻi lifeguards join in international collaboration to improve lifesaving education, drowning prevention
The Hawaiian Lifeguard Association signed a three-way agreement with the Okinawa Lifesaving Association and the University of the Ryukyus in Japan to improve drowning prevention, lifesaving education and training. Ocean safety chiefs from Kauaʻi, Honolulu and Maui attended the signing in Okinawa.

State funds to support facility improvements at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
State Senate Vice President Lorraine Inouye announced the release of $9.5 million in capital improvement funding for facilities at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. The money will go toward designing and building campus upgrades, including research and environmental monitoring infrastructure and modernized training facilities.

UH Hilo Chancellor and Executive Leadership Team deliver 2026 State of the University Address
UH Hilo Chancellor Bonnie Irwin and her leadership team gave the 2026 State of the University Address on Oct. 23, and the university posted the remarks and slides. Irwin said enrollment is still trending down but the decline has flattened, with new transfer students up 19% from last year.

QB Alejado named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week
UH sophomore quarterback Micah Alejado was named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week after leading the Rainbow Warriors to a 56-21 win at Northern Illinois, their first conference win of the season. UH's 56 points were its most in eight seasons, and it also posted a season-high 504 yards of offense.

10/26/26 – MĀLAEKAHANA CONSTRUCTION BRINGS MONTHSLONG CLOSURE TO CASTLE BEACH PARKING LOT
The DLNR Division of State Parks has closed the Castle Beach parking lot at Mālaekahana State Recreation Area on Oʻahu for improvement work expected to last into the first half of 2027. The $150,000 project will expand the lot to 56 spaces plus three ADA-compliant stalls.

DOH ANNOUNCES RECIPIENT OF 2026 SUZANNE RICHMOND-CRUM AWARD ON WORLD AIDS DAY
The Hawaiʻi Department of Health named Peter Tuiolosega Silva the recipient of the 2026 Suzanne Richmond-Crum Award for his contributions to HIV services in Hawaiʻi. The award will be presented at the World AIDS Day ceremony at Church of the Crossroads in Honolulu on Dec. 1.

Father-Son Duo Bodi and Ikaika Mendez to Perform at October Hawaiian Music Series
The Lahaina Restoration Foundation's free Hawaiian Music Series continues Thursday, Oct. 29, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the lawn of Waiola Church in Lahaina. The concert features father-and-son duo Bodi and Ikaika Mendez, and guests are invited to bring blankets, mats or low-back chairs.

Business

Four takeaways from Anthropic’s potentially record-breaking stock market filing
Anthropic's stock market filing shows explosive but costly growth: $16.3 billion in revenue and an $80 billion loss in the first half of 2026, much of it from a $72.4 billion one-off charge. The Guardian notes the company did not list a target valuation, though some investors have valued it at $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion, and that computing power is its biggest cost.
Boeing narrows loss on higher defense sales, targets Max production increase for late 2027
Boeing narrowed its loss on higher defense sales and said it is targeting a 737 Max production rate of 52 planes a month in the second half of 2027, up from about 47 now. CEO Kelly Ortberg said the company is focused on stabilizing production, and the stock fell 9% in morning trading.

General Motors to move stock listing from NYSE to Nasdaq in technology-focused shift
General Motors will move its stock listing from the New York Stock Exchange to Nasdaq, with trading expected to start Nov. 17 under the same GM ticker. The automaker said the switch reflects its focus on technology, and it could open the door to inclusion in the Nasdaq-100.

Polymarket has investigated 'dozens' of election-related cases
Polymarket has investigated "dozens" of midterm election bets for possible insider trading or manipulation, its head of investigations told NPR. At least two cases have been referred to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi boom in popularity.

How Aldi is pushing down grocery prices
An NPR business piece looks at how Aldi's small, no-frills stores and low prices have made it the fastest-growing grocery chain in America. Aldi plans more than 3,000 U.S. locations by the end of 2028, which would trail only Walmart, and it brought in about $29 billion in U.S. sales in 2024.

October results of the Bank Lending Survey (BLS) | Credit standards for loans to enterprises tightened further
German banks tightened credit standards for business loans again in the third quarter of 2026, according to the Bundesbank's Bank Lending Survey, citing higher credit risk. The tightening was a bit weaker than the previous quarter, while banks eased standards for home loans and left consumer credit unchanged.

Everyday fixes to make life easier for millions of Britons
Britain's Chancellor unveiled five "everyday fixes" to ease household costs ahead of Wednesday's Budget, including action on food and fuel. The measures extend parental pay rights to more than 150,000 more parents a year and end the Carer's Allowance cliff edge so unpaid carers aren't left worse off for earning more.

Joint statement from HM Treasury and Department of Finance Canada
HM Treasury and Canada's Department of Finance said they will develop two separate but complementary defense financing institutions, the Multilateral Defence Mechanism and the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank. The two countries agreed on a cooperation framework so the institutions work in partnership as they get up and running.

Why the new Lego x Daft Punk collab makes perfect sense
Lego announced a partnership with Daft Punk, the French electronic duo that split in 2021, spanning products, content and brand experiences. The first set is a model of the pyramid stage from the duo's Alive 2007 tour, and Fast Company's writer argues it could be one of Lego's best collaborations yet.

The Florida 'blueprint': Sen Ashley Moody reveals how the state built a $1.8T economic fortress
Sen. Ashley Moody told Fox Business that Florida's no state income tax, deregulation and fiscal restraint built the state's $1.8 trillion economy. She credits that blueprint with making Florida the world's 14th-largest economy.

Tech

Apple introduces the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6
Apple announced a new 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M6 chip, which has a 12-core CPU and a 12-core GPU Apple says delivers up to 30% faster graphics and 25% faster AI workloads than M5. The laptop adds Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 and is rated for up to 24 hours of battery life.
Apple unveils new iMac with M6
Apple unveiled a new iMac with the M6 chip in seven colors, promising up to 5x faster on-device AI than M4 and up to 18x the performance of the most popular Intel iMac. It adds Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, optional 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet and storage up to twice as fast.

NVIDIA and Meta to Expand Collaboration on Muse and Muse Family of Models Amid Robust Growth
NVIDIA and Meta will expand their partnership on Meta's Muse family of AI models, and Meta plans to deploy more NVIDIA Vera Rubin systems and Vera CPUs. NVIDIA also said it will invest $3 billion in Meta's equity offering, and the companies are considering work on agent security and monitoring tools.

Meta AI director Rohit Patel leaves to take on Microsoft Office and Google Workspace
Rohit Patel, a former director at Meta Superintelligence Labs, is leaving Meta after eight years to launch Ndoc, an AI-native startup pitched as a replacement for Microsoft Office and Google Workspace, TechCrunch reports. He is the latest in a string of high-profile departures from Meta.

Ford Fathom will be the cheapest American EV capable of powering a house
Ford announced two new chargers that will let its upcoming Fathom electric pickup power a home or feed the grid, at about half the cost of its current equivalents. The Fathom starts at $28,350 and can deliver more than 10 kW, enough to stand in for a small standby generator.

What took the Internet offline in Q3 2026
Cloudflare's quarterly review of Internet disruptions found that Q3 2026 outages were mostly caused by failures in the systems the Internet depends on, including power grid failures in Cuba, Honduras, Guam and Ukraine. Government-ordered shutdowns, led by exam-related blackouts in Iraq, were still the most frequent cause.

Apple Creator Studio adds powerful new AI features and even more creative tools
Apple added new AI features to its Creator Studio apps, including Generate Fill in Pixelmator Pro, an intelligent assistant in beta for Logic Pro and an improved Stem Splitter that can separate drums. Keynote, Pages and Numbers get AI assistants in beta and Model Context Protocol support for automating workflows.

iOS 27.2 adds new Messages feature that’s already a favorite
iOS 27.2 brings back Messages "Suggestions," an AI feature that was pulled from the iOS 27 beta. It offers one-tap actions based on the conversation, such as creating a reminder or a note, or sharing photos when someone asks for them.

Fitbit Edge: Premium design for an active life
Google introduced the Fitbit Edge, a fitness tracker with its largest and brightest display yet, a hybrid OLED panel meant to stay readable in harsh outdoor glare. It also adds a physical side button for control during workouts and a redesigned interface built around glanceable tiles.

Android Find Hub app reveals how ‘Left Behind’ and ‘Ring your phone’ alerts work on Pixel Tag
A new Android Find Hub app update shows how "Left Behind" alerts and "Ring your phone" will work with Google's upcoming Pixel Tag tracker. The features aren't live yet, but 9to5Google says the update is another sign the tag's launch is weeks away.

I tried Windows 11’s customizable right-click menu – and it’s a much-needed change
Microsoft is testing a customizable right-click menu in the latest Windows 11 Insider Beta, letting users add, remove and rearrange commands. ZDNet tried it and says it fixes the clutter of the current menu, though you need to join the Windows Insider Program to try it.

Why some iPhone apps don't appear in Apple CarPlay
Engadget explains why many iPhone apps don't appear in CarPlay: Apple only allows certain categories of apps, such as navigation and audio, to run on the car's screen. The piece walks through those restrictions and why even apps without obvious barriers are left out.

XLE & Oil

Ras Tanura Fire Follows Attacks on Aramco Offices and Near Shaybah Field
A fire broke out near Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura oil export hub after an attack early Tuesday but was quickly contained, a source told Bloomberg; the extent of any damage was unclear. Saudi Arabia also said it intercepted three ballistic missiles and four drones launched by the Houthis.
Middle Eastern Powers Met to De-escalate Tensions. Oil Prices Remain Above $110 a Barrel.
Top officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan traveled to Tehran to try to ease fears of renewed escalation with the U.S. and Israel. Oil prices stayed high anyway, with Brent above $110 a barrel and WTI near $101 on Tuesday morning.

EQT Announces Strategic Acquisition of Range Resources, Creating America’s Undisputed Natural Gas Champion
EQT agreed to buy Range Resources in an all-stock deal that the companies say creates America's leading natural gas company, with a pro forma enterprise value of more than $50 billion. They describe the combined company as the largest and only vertically integrated U.S. natural gas producer.

OPEC+ Set to Keep Oil Quotas Unchanged
Key OPEC+ producers are expected to keep their oil output quotas unchanged for December when they meet Sunday, sources told Reuters. The group finished unwinding 1.65 million barrels a day of cuts in September, though the targets have been mostly on paper as the Middle East conflict has disrupted supply.

Data For 10/26/26
The EIA's weekly survey for Oct. 26 put the U.S. average price of regular gasoline at $4.269 a gallon and on-highway diesel at $6.352. California remained the most expensive, at $5.888 for regular and $8.155 for diesel, while the Gulf Coast had the cheapest gasoline at $3.702.
Ovintiv expands Montney oil position with $890 million Logan Energy acquisition
Ovintiv agreed to buy Canadian producer Logan Energy in an all-cash deal worth about $890 million including debt, expanding its position in the oil-rich Montney formation. Logan shareholders will get about $0.99 a share, and the deal is expected to close early in the first quarter of 2027.

Aramco Closes In on $10B Loan
Saudi Aramco is close to signing a $10 billion revolving credit facility with banks including Citigroup, HSBC, JPMorgan and Bank of China, Bloomberg reports. The loan would shore up its finances as Middle East conflicts threaten crude exports, even as high prices have boosted its revenue.

Investors From 119 Countries Pile Into Dangote’s Record Refinery IPO
The IPO of Nigeria's Dangote refinery has already hit its $1.6 billion target from domestic and retail investors, and international demand is expected to far exceed its $2.1 billion goal, sources told Bloomberg. Investors from 119 countries have piled in as Aliko Dangote pitches an "IPO for the people."

Diesel Drives India's Fuel Export Windfall as Earnings Reach $12.6 Billion
High diesel and gasoline prices lifted the value of India's fuel exports by 50% in rupee terms between April and September, to 2.59 trillion rupees, according to oil ministry data cited by The Economic Times. A weaker rupee against the dollar also helped drive the jump.

India Rejects Claims of U.S. Pressure Over Russian Oil Purchases
India's oil minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the U.S. has not pressured India to cut its Russian crude imports, saying purchases depend on prices and discounts. Russian cargo arrivals to India have fallen in recent weeks as imports from the Middle East rose.

Rig Sinks Offshore Gabon
Borr Drilling said its Prospector 5 jack-up rig sank offshore Gabon on Oct. 24 after a "punch through" event during preload work ahead of a planned drilling campaign. The rig lost stability while jacking operations were underway.

Egypt Agrees Tax Relief for Project to Import Cyprus Gas
The Chevron-led Aphrodite consortium and Egypt agreed on a special tax regime for piping all gas from the Aphrodite field offshore Cyprus to Egypt. The deal exempts the partners from taxes on gas sold to state-owned EGAS, except income tax, but still has to be fully signed.

Chainlink

Chainlink CustodySync To Connect Institutional Assets With DeFi Lending Markets
Chainlink launched CustodySync, which connects qualified digital asset custodians to DeFi lending markets so institutions can borrow onchain without moving assets out of custody. It targets a long-standing barrier that has kept custodied institutional capital out of DeFi.
Chainlink price outlook after CustodySync launch: Can LINK rally?
LINK traded around $11.36 after the CustodySync launch as the wider crypto market weakened, staying under resistance near $12. CoinGape notes derivatives volume rose while LINK ETFs saw no net inflows.

Chainlink reports $15B in CCIP migrations as LINK price nears $12
In its Q3 review, Chainlink said more than $15 billion in token value has migrated to its cross-chain infrastructure in 2026, and it reported new Swift and DTCC integrations. CCIP 2.0 added new security, compliance and settlement controls during the quarter.

Chainlink, Cardano, other blockchain groups push SEC for clearer crypto rules
Chainlink Labs, the Cardano Foundation and four other blockchain groups urged the SEC in a joint letter to formally classify digital commodities as non-securities. The letter came as the agency's public comment period on proposed crypto rules closed.

LG CNS Partners With Chainlink To Advance Korea’s Digital Asset Market
LG CNS, the IT arm of South Korea's LG Group, formed a strategic partnership with Chainlink to help build out Korea's $70 billion digital asset market. LG CNS is leading the Bank of Korea's Project Hangang digital currency platform.

Archax Turns To Chainlink Data Streams For Tokenised Treasury Collateral
Regulated digital asset platform Archax adopted Chainlink Data Streams to price GOVY, its rolling tokenized U.S. Treasury product. The data is meant to support collateral uses, such as borrowing against tokenized Treasurys or using them as margin.

Tokenization at Scale: Building the Next Era of Global Markets | DTCC & Chainlink at Sibos 2026
DTCC Digital Assets head Nadine Chakar joined Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov at Sibos 2026 to discuss bringing tokenization to market scale. They covered the DTCC AppChain, 24/7 collateral management and connecting public blockchains to traditional markets.

Future of Value: When Money Becomes Intelligent | Microsoft, Parallax Ventures, & Chainlink at Sibos
At Sibos 2026, Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov joined Microsoft's Martin Moeller and Parallax Ventures' Azor Barros to talk about AI's growing role in payments. The panel discussed how AI agents could reshape the global financial system.

Why Chainlink CCIP 2.0 Is the Standard for Global Finance | Sergey Nazarov
Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov explains why security and reliability matter for cross-chain interoperability. He makes the case that CCIP 2.0 provides the infrastructure institutions need to move tokenized assets safely between blockchains.

OpenZeppelin Partners With Chainlink To Advance Institutional Onchain Finance
OpenZeppelin partnered with Chainlink to build CCIP and Chainlink's Automated Compliance Engine into its developer tools. Developers can add cross-chain features and programmable compliance directly when building tokens.

Pacific Meta Partners With Chainlink, Selects CCIP As Preferred Cross-Chain Solution
Tokyo-based Pacific Meta formed a strategic partnership with Chainlink Labs to speed up institutional adoption of tokenized assets, onchain identity and compliance tools in Japan, and picked CCIP as its preferred cross-chain solution. Pacific Meta has supported more than 300 projects in over 41 countries since 2022.

Chainlink Data Standard Connects Stellar’s $4B+ RWA Ecosystem To DeFi
Chainlink's data standard is now live on Stellar, giving developers Data Feeds and Data Streams to build lending markets, prediction markets and perpetual futures. The integration links Stellar's $4 billion-plus real-world asset ecosystem to DeFi.

Patriots

Game Preview: Patriots at Dolphins | NFL Week 8
The Patriots visit the Dolphins on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 4:25 p.m. ET, their second straight road game. It's the first of two meetings with Miami this season, with the rematch at Gillette Stadium closing out the regular season.
How to Watch and Stream Sunday's Patriots Game Against the Dolphins | NFL Week 8
Sunday's Patriots-Dolphins game airs on CBS, locally on WBZ-TV Channel 4 in Boston. Andrew Catalon will call the play-by-play with Logan Ryan as analyst and AJ Ross on the sideline.

Patriots playoff picture after losing to the Bears in Week 7
The Patriots' 30-24 loss to the Bears snapped a three-game winning streak and dropped them from the No. 5 seed to No. 9 in the AFC playoff picture. Pats Pulpit looks at where New England stands in the conference after the loss.

Patriots are about to hit sweet spot of their schedule they need to take advantage of
At 4-3 after the loss in Chicago, the Patriots now head into an easier stretch of the schedule starting with Sunday's trip to Miami. Pats Pulpit's power rankings roundup tracks where national outlets have New England after Week 7.

Patriots’ Mike Vrabel refuses to comment on $250,000 fine for behavior to officials
Mike Vrabel declined to discuss the $250,000 fine the NFL handed him for his conduct toward officials, saying it was meant to stay private and telling reporters to "talk to the league."

Why did the Patriots release Bryce Baringer? Mike Vrabel explains.
The Patriots released punter Bryce Baringer, a 2023 sixth-round pick, off injured reserve, handing the job to Mitch Wishnowsky. Vrabel explained the decision to move on from Baringer.

Patriots have an A.J. Brown problem that they need to figure out ASAP
A.J. Brown's connection with Drake Maye still hasn't taken off after the receiver spent Weeks 2 through 5 on injured reserve. Pats Pulpit looks at why the Patriots' big offseason addition hasn't produced yet.

Patriots injury analysis after Bears loss in Week 7
An injury analysis of the Bears loss found only two noticeable injuries for New England, including safety Kevin Byard III. Pats Pulpit breaks down what each could mean heading into the Dolphins game.

Patriots' Kayshon Boutte trade is turning out better than expected
The Patriots' trade of Kayshon Boutte to Houston for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick is looking better than expected. Pats Pulpit reviews how both sides of the deal have played out.

Riq Woolen could be perfect Patriots trade target after Bears exposed an obvious need
With the Nov. 10 trade deadline approaching, Musket Fire suggests cornerback Riq Woolen as a target after Caleb Williams exposed New England's secondary. The piece argues the Patriots need another starting-caliber corner.

Patriots Women’s Association Donates $25,000 to Women’s Lunch Place | In the Community
The Patriots Women's Association and the Patriots Foundation volunteered at Boston's Women's Lunch Place and donated $25,000 during their annual visit.

New England Patriots Players Take Ghosts & Gravestones Tour In Boston
Patriots players Corey Kiner, Walter Rouse, Erick Hunter and Lan Larison took Boston's Ghosts & Gravestones tour for a Halloween-season outing through the city's haunted history.

Movies

Taika Waititi's Sci-Fi Movie Starring Jenna Ortega Flopped At The Box Office
Taika Waititi's "Klara and the Sun," starring Jenna Ortega, flopped in its opening with about $725,000 from 880 screens, roughly $824 per screen, and a 25% Rotten Tomatoes score. Meanwhile, "Clayface" topped the box office with a $24 million domestic debut.
Keanu Reeves To Star In Jaume Collet-Serra Action Movie Maelstrom As Alan Ritchson Exits
Keanu Reeves will replace Alan Ritchson in Jaume Collet-Serra's Netflix thriller "Maelstrom," which has been described as "Die Hard in a hurricane." Mark Bianculli wrote the script.

Godzilla Minus Zero Director Takashi Yamazaki’s Grandgear Casts Paul Giamatti, Nico Parker, Sam Nivola
Paul Giamatti, Nico Parker and Sam Nivola have joined "Grandgear," the Hollywood mech film from "Godzilla Minus One" director Takashi Yamazaki, Deadline reports. J.J. Abrams is producing.

Chris Pratt Officially Leaves ‘The Terminal List’ Behind With New Apple TV Action Thriller Trailer
Apple TV released the trailer for "Way of the Warrior Kid," starring Chris Pratt as a Navy SEAL who helps his nephew find his confidence. Linda Cardellini and Parker Young co-star.

'Glee' Star Leads a Chilling Group Therapy Session in Sneak Peek at New Horror Thriller
"Breeder," the second feature from Alex Goyette of the JouleThief YouTube channel, opens in theaters from IFC and Shudder. Dot-Marie Jones stars as Patti, a poodle breeder, opposite Daniel Doheny as broke student Russell.

Luchino Visconti’s Tragic, Beautiful Final Film ‘L’Innocente’ Restored in 4K — Watch the Trailer
Luchino Visconti's final film, "L'Innocente," is returning in a 4K restoration from Film Movement Classics, starring Giancarlo Giannini, Laura Antonelli and Jennifer O'Neill. The theatrical rollout begins Dec. 11.

How Two Rival Columnists Created Hollywood’s Gossip Machine — and Taught America to Worship Attention
Eileen Cope's new book "Hollywood Whispers" tells the story of rival gossip columnists Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper, who at their peak reached a combined 75 million readers. Variety talks with the author about how they shaped old Hollywood.

Best New Movies of 2026, Ranked by Tomatometer
Rotten Tomatoes updated its running list of the best new movies of 2026, made up of Certified Fresh films released this year. The list ranges from "You Can See Everything" to "Wicker."

Lorcana & SWU

Disney Lorcana TCG Set Release Notes: Hyperia City
Ravensburger published the official release notes for Disney Lorcana's Hyperia City set, explaining new rules and card interactions players will need when the set arrives.
Review: "Disney Lorcana: Hyperia City" Prerelease Box Brings New Mechanics and More Fantastic Art to the TCG
Laughing Place reviews the Disney Lorcana Hyperia City prerelease box, which brings new mechanics and art as the game moves to a big-city setting named for the Disney brothers' Hyperion Studio.

WALL-E Comes to Lorcana, Hyperia City Reveals + New Illustrious Card
A special Lorecast toured Hyperia City with new card reveals, including WALL-E, plus more on the new Ink Drops mechanic and a glimpse of the next set's darker future.

Disney Lorcana reveals Illustrious new Evil Queen and an Iconic Cinderella for Hyperia City
Ravensburger revealed an Illustrious reprint of "The Evil Queen, Commanding Presence," one of the ultra-rare cards limited to 23 copies each. Illustrious rares will only appear in Collector Booster packs debuting in February 2027 with Into the Inkdark.

Disney Lorcana TCG Products from D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event Now Available Online
The Disney Lorcana D23 Collection and a Winnie the Pooh "Hunny Wizard" foil playmat go on sale online through EQL from Saturday, Oct. 31, at 9 a.m. ET to Sunday, Nov. 1, at 9 p.m. ET.

TIMELESS TALES AND TOTALLY-ROCKIN’ TUNES
The Lorcana Curator's Collection: Beauty and the Beast Edition and a matching foil playmat went on sale Oct. 16 at Downtown Disney, Disney Springs, World of Disney Paris and DisneyStore.co.uk.

Star Wars: Unlimited | Iconic Musings
In "Iconic Musings," Star Wars: Unlimited designer Tyler Parrott explains the thinking behind the Icons set, a smaller set with new rare and legendary units plus reprints with new art.

Starting Out with Star Wars: Unlimited Icons, Available November 20th
Fantasy Flight Games previewed Icons 2027, the first Icons set for Star Wars: Unlimited, available Nov. 20. It's built as an entry point for new and returning players, focusing on fan-favorite characters and simpler mechanics while matching standard-set power levels.

First Cards for Star Wars Unlimited’s Icons 2027 Edition Revealed
The first cards for Star Wars: Unlimited's Icons 2027 Edition have been revealed. The set includes a Starter Box and booster packs so beginners can build a collection without overly complex cards.

New Expansion ‘Homeworlds’ Shakes Up the Star Wars Unlimited Meta With New Mechanics
Homeworlds, Star Wars: Unlimited's ninth set, released Oct. 9 with 260 cards, the new Fortify keyword, two new tokens and a new prestige card style.

10 Most Valuable Star Wars Unlimited: Homeworlds Cards
A rundown of the 10 most valuable Star Wars: Unlimited Homeworlds cards, including serialized cards such as Yanna, Sanctuary Elder.

Star Wars Unlimited – Homeworlds’ PreCon Decks are Lethal In Their Own Ways
Homeworlds' two precon decks, led by Grand Moff Tarkin and Chewbacca, each take very different paths to victory. Big Boss Battle breaks down what each box includes and how they play.

Faith

‘It was a massacre’: 4 things to know about deadly church attack in Jordan
Gunmen attacked St. George's Greek Orthodox Church in Hmoud, in Jordan's Karak Governorate, on Oct. 23, killing nine people and wounding at least 34, and Jordanian authorities have arrested three men. One witness said the attackers shot at people fleeing, then returned to fire again.
Lifeway Research analysis reveals most impactful keys to discipleship
Lifeway Research found the average U.S. Protestant churchgoer scores 68.1 out of 100 on its State of Discipleship measure. New analysis points to habits tied to higher scores, such as taking time to praise God, praying for non-Christians and reading the Bible.

Authorities in Egypt hold Christian without charges
Egyptian authorities arrested Coptic engineer Sherif Wagih Fahmi in Alexandria on Oct. 5 over Facebook posts criticizing forced Islamic education of non-Muslims and have held him without charges, according to Coptic Solidarity. Six young Copts detained over a TikTok video were ordered released.

‘The Chosen’ Cast Surprises 200 Texas Inmates: ‘The Gospel Transforms Lives’
About 200 inmates in the Prison Fellowship Academy at a Texas prison watched an unreleased episode of "The Chosen," then got a surprise when three actors from the series joined them for a panel discussion.

Rome event to explore Holy See's relations with 20th-century totalitarian regimes
A Rome conference on the Holy See's relations with 20th-century totalitarian regimes opens Oct. 28 with an address by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin. Poland's Institute of National Remembrance, the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences and the Pontifical Gregorian University organized it.

Assisi’s lasting legacy: Peace, prayer, dialogue
Forty years after Pope John Paul II's 1986 World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi, Vatican News looks at the town's legacy of peace, prayer and dialogue. Religious leaders, including former Chief Rabbi of Ireland David Rosen, say good relations between faiths remain essential.

IMB missionary sees God at work through new believer and local church
An IMB missionary tells how a South Asian believer, Maryam, who grew up distrusting Muslims, went out with missionaries to share the gospel in a Muslim-majority city. The story shows God at work through a new believer and a local church.

At Maryland university, students use photos to build interfaith understanding
University of Maryland students are using photographs of meaningful objects to build interfaith understanding, Religion News Service reports. One Seventh-day Adventist student shared a photo of his collection of Bibles in Tamil and English.

Are ‘Real’ Catholics as Conservative as Evangelicals? Still no.
The Graphs About Religion newsletter returns to the data on whether devout Catholics are as politically conservative as evangelicals, and finds they still are not. The post responds to social media commenters who argued "real" Catholics would match evangelicals.

Christian Metal

News: Burn Eternal reunites KSE’s Howard Jones and Adam Dutkiewicz
Killswitch Engage's Howard Jones and Adam Dutkiewicz have reunited as Burn Eternal and signed with Metal Blade Records, with new music coming soon. The duo helped shape the metalcore sound from New England's underground scene.
What Lies Below - Return To Nothing (Official Music Video)
Solid State Records welcomed What Lies Below to its roster with the official video for "Return To Nothing." The song's lyrics call listeners to wake from grief and reclaim the light they lost.

SAVE US - No Holding Back
SAVE US released the song "No Holding Back" from its album "Death To Something," out now on Solid State Records. The lyrics urge someone not to stay silent and to let out what they're carrying.

News: Set For The Fall release looking to be explosive
North Carolina hard rock band Set For The Fall is releasing its third studio album, its first full-length in more than seven years. Opener "Product of Pressure," featuring TJ Harris of Decyfer Down, has landed on several Apple Music playlists.

News: Devin Williams unleashes ‘Conquer the World Live’
Christian rocker and worship leader Devin Williams released his live album "Conquer the World Live" on Oct. 23, along with a live concert video for "Every Eye." It follows his "Be Glorified" video, which topped 100,000 views.

Feature: Ignescent Interview with Heaven’s Metal
Ignescent founder and singer Jennifer Benson talks with Heaven's Metal about the band's latest album, "Eternal," and the faith and personal experiences behind songs like "Joker" and "Fearless." She also discusses collaborations with members of Flyleaf and Sevendust.

Feature: Metal for Emmanuel – Georgia Heavy Metal Duo Shares Their Music, Faith, and Testimony
Heaven's Metal interviews Dana and Jason of Metal for Emmanuel, a Christian heavy metal duo from Perry, Georgia. They talk about classic metal influences, melodic vocals and the faith behind their songs.

Have You Heard of He Is Mighty?
Indie Vision Music spotlights He Is Mighty, a new Christian metal band from Arvada, Colorado, mixing clean and harsh vocals. Its three-song EP came out Sept. 4 on Bandcamp and digital platforms.

Splitcast - Art Official (Official Song Stream Video)
Splitcast released a stream video for its new song "Art Official," which opens Indie Vision Music's "Fighting From The Ground Up Vol. 5" compilation. The comp is a name-your-price download on Bandcamp.

Audio Adrenaline Reunites for a Special Episode of Mission Aviation Fellowship’s 'Cockpit Karaoke'
Audio Adrenaline reunited for the first time in nearly 20 years for an episode of Mission Aviation Fellowship's "Cockpit Karaoke," playing some of its best-known songs in a plane cockpit. The episode highlights the band's connection to MAF's ministry in Haiti.

Chris Voss

How Tactical Empathy Will Change Your Life- Justus Parmar & Chris Voss
Fortuna Investments founder Justus Parmar tells former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss how the Black Swan Method changed the way he negotiates, starting with what the other side wants instead of only his own goals. He says tactical empathy helped him build trust, protect long-term business relationships and communicate better at home.