Author: Isabella Sorvani

First-Class Demand Surges as Travelers Pay for Comfort Delta Air Lines is seeing record demand for first-class and premium seating, a shift that could see revenue from its higher-end cabins surpass sales from standard economy seats as early as next year. The airline reported that in the latest quarter, ticket revenue from its premium cabins rose 9% year over year to nearly $5.8 billion, while main-cabin ticket sales fell 4% to just over $6 billion. CEO Ed Bastian said Thursday that there is no sign of a slowdown in premium-travel demand, crediting the trend for Delta’s strong outlook for the…

Tsunami Warning Issued and Later Lifted A massive 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck the southern Philippines on Friday morning, shaking the island of Mindanao and triggering widespread panic. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) initially issued a tsunami warning for coastal areas within 300 kilometers of the epicenter, warning of potentially hazardous waves. Hours later, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirmed that the threat had passed. The quake hit off the coast of Manay in the Davao Oriental province at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, according to Phivolcs. The tremor caused widespread alarm, sending people rushing out of schools,…

Economic Weakness Spreads Across Key Regions Nearly two dozen U.S. states are already in recession or on the brink of one, according to Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics. His latest analysis suggests that 22 states — representing about one-third of the nation’s total GDP — are either contracting or showing signs of severe economic slowdown. The states span the entire country, from Washington to Virginia to Maine, reflecting a broad and uneven downturn. Zandi attributes the weakness to a combination of slowing immigration, rising tariffs, and federal job cuts, which together are straining regional economies. While the broader…

President Links Funding Deadlock to Political Strategy President Donald Trump announced Thursday that his administration intends to use the ongoing federal government shutdown to permanently eliminate what he described as “Democrat programs,” escalating tensions in the ninth day of the funding stalemate. “We’re only cutting Democrat programs,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House. He added that these programs are “very popular Democrat programs that aren’t popular with Republicans, frankly,” but did not specify which ones would be targeted. The president continued to blame Democrats for the government shutdown, claiming they would “get a little taste of…

Yankees Rally From Five-Run Deficit to Stun Blue Jays NEW YORK — Facing elimination and a five-run hole, the New York Yankees staged one of their most dramatic postseason comebacks in recent history Tuesday night. Aaron Judge launched a 100 mph inside fastball off the left-field foul pole for a game-tying, three-run home run that ignited a 9-6 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. The win keeps New York’s season alive and forces a crucial Game 4 on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. “I was just saying, ‘Hit the f—ing foul pole,’”…

AI Agents Gain Ability to Control User Interfaces Google has unveiled the Gemini 2.5 Computer Use model, a new AI system designed to interact directly with graphical user interfaces (UIs) through clicks, typing, and scrolling. Built on the foundation of Gemini 2.5 Pro’s advanced visual reasoning, this model enables developers to create agents capable of performing digital tasks across websites and applications — such as filling forms or navigating dashboards — without relying solely on APIs. The model is now available via the Gemini API in Google AI Studio and Vertex AI. According to Google, Gemini 2.5 Computer Use outperforms…

Consulting Firm Admits Generative AI Was Used in Faulty Review Deloitte will refund part of a $440,000 government contract after admitting that generative artificial intelligence was used to produce a report containing multiple factual and citation errors. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) confirmed that Deloitte will forgo its final payment for the project once the refund process is finalized. The move follows public criticism after errors were discovered in a report reviewing the department’s welfare compliance framework and IT system. The report, initially published in July 2025, found issues with the automated system that penalized jobseekers for…

Lecornu Steps Down Amid Political Turmoil France plunged into fresh political uncertainty on Monday as Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned less than 24 hours after naming his new government and just weeks into his term. The move marks France’s fourth change of prime minister in a year, underscoring the country’s deepening political instability. President Emmanuel Macron accepted Lecornu’s resignation, the Élysée Palace confirmed in a statement. A loyal ally of Macron, Lecornu cited an inability to build consensus as the reason for stepping down. “It would take little for it to work — by being more selfless for many, by…

State Challenges Federalization of Troops Amid Protests The state of Illinois and the city of Chicago filed a lawsuit on Monday against the Trump administration over its decision to deploy National Guard troops to the city. The legal challenge comes amid escalating tensions between the White House and Democratic-led states following weeks of protests against federal immigration enforcement. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, argues that the federal government’s decision to deploy troops is unconstitutional and politically motivated. “Defendants’ deployment of federalized troops to Illinois is patently unlawful,” the complaint states, urging…

Government Shutdown Complicates Job Data Analysis Private payrolls in the United States fell sharply in September, deepening uncertainty about the labor market as the federal government shutdown prevents the release of official employment data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is unlikely to issue its monthly jobs report this week, leaving investors and policymakers reliant on private data sources like payroll processor ADP. According to ADP’s latest report, private-sector employers cut 32,000 jobs in September. August’s previously reported gain of 54,000 was revised down to a loss of 3,000, reflecting what ADP called a “rebenchmarking” of its data. Chief economist…