What just happened in the marijuana rescheduling hearing On September 28, 2026, three participants in the ALJ marijuana rescheduling hearing filed a “Joint Motion for Leave to File Supplemental Briefing, for Admission of Supplemental Exhibit, and for Stay of Proceedings.” The motion was submitted by DUID Victim Voices, Kenneth Finn, M.D., and the National Drug and Alcohol Association (collectively, the “Interested Parties”). The motion asks the ALJ to “allow the admission of the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s (“GAO”) report entitled “Drug Scheduling: While DEA Decisions Have Aligned with Recent HHS Recommendations, Both Need Comprehensive Policies” (the GAO Report), published on September 23, 2026, into the record. . .”. It also “requests an additional briefing period on the contents of the GAO Report and how it impacts these proceedings, if at all.” Finally, the Interested Parties requested a brief stay while those issues are resolved. On September 29, the ALJ granted the stay. The order does not grant the request to admit the GAO Report or authorize supplemental briefing. Instead, it stays the proceeding while the ALJ considers those requests. Based on where we are in the ALJ hearing, the practical effect of the stay could be significant. We were at the end of this process, awaiting the ALJ’s certified recommendation to DEA as to the Schedule 3 rule. Instead, the Interested Parties asked the ALJ to “'hold its recommended decision and certification of the record’ if and until briefing is completed on the GAO Report.” The ALJ found sufficient merit to stay the proceeding while the motion is resolved. DEA has been ordered to respond no later than October 13, 2026. The remaining interested parties (those that participated in the ALJ hearing) may also file responses by that deadline. All of this means that a proceeding that appeared to be approaching its conclusion is now on hold. How long it remains on hold, and whether the GAO Report ultimately has any impact on the ALJ's recommendation, are entirely different questions. What is the GAO Report? On September 23, 2026, GAO published the GAO Report. I have not yet had time to read all 31 pages, but I have reviewed GAO’s summary and recommendations. The report basically concludes that both DEA and FDA have gaps in their policies and procedures governing controlled substance scheduling. GAO found that DEA lacks comprehensive policies identifying roles, responsibilities, and procedures for scheduling decisions. It similarly found that FDA lacks policies specifying how staff should conduct evaluations and develop scheduling recommendations. For DEA, GAO recommended that DEA “develop policies and procedures that identify DEA’s roles, responsibilities, and procedures for evaluating and scheduling substances through administrative scheduling, new drug application scheduling, temporary scheduling, and international treaty scheduling under relevant statutes.” For FDA, GAO recommended that FDA “develop policies and procedures that Center for Drug Evaluation and Research staff are to use to when completing eight-factor evaluations and developing scheduling recommendations, including the criteria and process for determining a substance's "potential for abuse," including abuse potential relative to other substances.” GAO made a third recommendation concerning the FDA and NIH memorandum of understanding governing drug scheduling recommendations, but I won’t get into that right now. One important point is that the GAO Report does not conclude that marijuana should remain in Schedule I or that Schedule II is more appropriate than Schedule III. Nor does it conclude that HHA or DEA's prior scheduling recommendations were incorrect. In fact, GAO found that DEA's final scheduling decisions aligned with HHS recommendations in all 84 applicable cases it reviewed for which DEA had published a final rule. The report identifies deficiencies in agency procedures. Whether those deficiencies have any meaningful bearing on the marijuana rescheduling proceeding remains to be seen. Why this ALJ proceeding matters so much Before discussing what the stay could mean, it is important to understand why I believe the outcome of this particular proceeding is so consequential for the cannabis industry. There are currently two separate paths that could result in marijuana being moved to Schedule III. One is the medical marijuana final order, which established a separate regulatory framework for certain state-licensed medical marijuana activities. The other is the ALJ proceeding, which concerns the broader rescheduling of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. The separate medical marijuana Schedule III final order is already being challenged in the D.C. Circuit. As I have discussed many times before, I believe that order faces serious legal vulnerabilities and that it is more likely than not that the D.C. Circuit will overturn it. My concerns center on the statutory authority relied upon to issue the order and the procedural approach used to establish its regulatory framework. That leaves the ALJ proceeding as what I consider the industry's most important remaining opportunity to achieve Schedule III. There is an important distinction between the two approaches. A successful outcome in the ALJ rescheduling effort would not create or preserve the special regulatory framework created by the medical marijuana final order. State-licensed operators would not receive the same federal regulatory treatment contemplated under that separate framework merely because marijuana was moved to Schedule III. But broader rescheduling would still accomplish something enormously important. The immediate and primary benefit would be Section 280E relief. That alone makes this proceeding critically important, even though Schedule III would not resolve the numerous other federal legal problems facing state-licensed cannabis operators. As I believe the industry is facing the possibility that the medical marijuana order will be overturned, which leaves the ALJ proceeding as the remaining path to obtaining the tax relief associated with Schedule III. Which brings us back to the stay. What the stay could mean I have two main takeaways from this ruling, although I want to emphasize that the stay could ultimately mean very little. First, the ALJ recommendation is going to be delayed. We had been expecting the ALJ certified recommendation any day. Now, the proceeding is stayed pending resolution of the motion, and DEA has until October 13 to respond. If the ALJ denies the motion after reviewing the responses, the proceeding could resume relatively quickly. If supplemental briefing is allowed, however, the delay could extend well beyond October. Depending on the briefing schedule, I would not be surprised if the certified recommendation were pushed until after the midterm elections. That timing could matter. We do not know what the political landscape will look like after the midterms. Significant Republican losses could change the Administration's political priorities, its relationship with Congress, and its influence over agency actions. There is also the broader question of how much attention Trump will devote to marijuana rescheduling once the final midterm elections of his presidency are behind him. Will marijuana rescheduling remain something the Administration cares enough about to actively pursue? Or will DEA largely be left to run the process on its own? We saw what happened when the Biden Administration left DEA to control the administrative process. The result of that strategy is what lead us to where we are now with the ALJ. Of course, the midterms could have absolutely no effect on this proceeding. DEA may still have a mandate to publish a final rule moving marijuana into schedule III. And there is no reason to assume that the GAO will necessarily influence the ALJ's recommendation. My concern is that an extended delay introduces additional uncertainty into a process that has already experienced more than its share. This leads me to my second takeaway. I do not view the stay as a particularly encouraging development for Schedule III through the ALJ hearing process. But I also recognize that I may be reading too much into what is, at least for now, a procedural order. The ALJ has not admitted the GAO Report into evidence. He has not authorized supplemental briefing. He has not indicated that the report undermines HHS's recommendation or DEA’s proposed order. He has simply stayed the proceeding while deciding whether the report should become part of the record. In fact, the ALJ's explanation for the stay is relatively straightforward. The stay may simply reflect nothing more than an effort to preserve the integrity of the administrative record and avoid future procedural and judicial complications. The ALJ could deny the motion, lift the stay and issue the same recommendation he was already preparing to issue. Even if he allows supplemental briefing, there is no reason to assume that the additional submissions will change his ultimate recommendation. The GAO Report itself may also prove largely irrelevant to the substantive scheduling determination. Its focus is on agency policies and procedures, not on whether marijuana satisfies the statutory criteria for Schedule III. Nevertheless, given the history of this proceeding, I find it difficult to dismiss the development entirely. As I have discussed before (here and here), the structure of this hearing has concerned me from the beginning. Schedule III proponents, other than DEA, were absent from the hearing, while opponents were given the opportunity to build a record against rescheduling. For all of the industry experts who thought this was a foregone conclusion because the industry paid $11.5 million for rescheduling, I counter once again with a simple point: procedure matters. As I have said time and time again, I question why the Administration chose to proceed with the ALJ hearing at all if it believed there was another legally defensible path to achieving its stated objective. If the result was predetermined, why expose the process to additional procedural challenges? And why pursue a separate medical marijuana framework under 21 U.S.C. § 811(d)(1)--an approach I have been discussing for years--rather than focus on completing broader rescheduling? Instead, the Attorney General used § 811(d)(1) to create the separate medical marijuana framework, which is now being challenged in the D.C. Circuit, while DEA proceeded with an ALJ hearing in which the participating Interested Parties were opponents of rescheduling. In my view, those decisions created unnecessary procedural vulnerabilities in the Administration's efforts to move marijuana to Schedule III. Recently, I became more optimistic that the ALJ hearing would ultimately produce a Schedule III recommendation. I had discussions about the ALJ being a young up-and-comer who was unlikely to go against the direction of the President and, by extension, DEA. Under that theory, the anticipated outcome was either a recommendation for Schedule III or a recommendation simply concluding that marijuana should not remain in Schedule I. To be fair, that still could be the outcome. And nothing in this stay order necessarily suggests otherwise. Nevertheless, the fact that the proceeding has been interrupted by a report addressing agency scheduling procedures, rather than marijuana's medical efficacy or potential for abuse, raises additional questions about how and when this process will conclude. The Schedule II problem Schedule II remains the alternative outcome that concerns me most. As I discussed during the hearing, the evidence presented made Schedule I difficult to reconcile with marijuana's accepted medical use. But that does not mean the ALJ must recommend Schedule III. Schedule II remains a legally available and realistic alternative. For state-legal operators, Schedule II would be particularly damaging from a tax perspective because it would not eliminate Section 280E. This is precisely why I believe the ALJ proceeding is so important. If the separate medical marijuana final order is overturned and the ALJ recommends Schedule II, the industry's anticipated path to Schedule III becomes considerably more complicated. If the ALJ recommends Schedule II, but DEA nevertheless moves forward with Schedule III, opponents will use the ALJ's recommendation as part of a subsequent challenge to DEA's final order. That would not automatically invalidate a Schedule III determination. The ALJ's recommendation is not binding on DEA, and DEA has, and may, reach a different conclusion. Nevertheless, a Schedule II recommendation creates yet another issue for DEA to address and defend during judicial review. That is the scenario I am concerned about. None of those outcomes is inevitable. But the possibility illustrates why the procedural decisions being made now deserve attention. Is the Trump Administration still paying attention? Finally, this stay order raises a broader question about the Trump Administration's continued attention to marijuana rescheduling. There are plenty of other issues competing for the Administration's attention. And after the midterms, will the President still prioritize marijuana rescheduling? I do not assume that DEA, left entirely to its own institutional preferences, will aggressively push this process toward Schedule III. Nor would I assume that Administrator Terrance Cole necessarily shares the Administration's stated policy objective. If the Administration wants broader marijuana rescheduling to succeed, its continued attention to the administrative process matters. Several months ago, I wrote that I could envision a scenario in which the industry finds itself six months down the road with the medical marijuana Schedule III order rejected by the D.C. Circuit and the separate ALJ rescheduling proceeding ending with a recommendation for Schedule II. That scenario remains possible. Conclusion I want to end by returning to an important distinction. This stay order does not establish that the ALJ is against Schedule III, that the GAO Report will influence his recommendation, or that the Administration's rescheduling efforts are headed toward failure. It could mean absolutely nothing beyond a few additional weeks of procedural delay. My concern is not that the stay itself is particularly damaging. It is that the industry has two potential paths to Schedule III, one of which I believe faces serious problems in the D.C. Circuit, while the other continues to encounter procedural uncertainty. And if the ALJ proceeding is ultimately the industry's remaining opportunity to obtain meaningful federal tax relief through Schedule III, every additional complication deserves attention. The post "Marijuana" Rescheduling Delayed, Again. What It Could Mean, and What Comes Next appeared first on Harris Sliwoski LLP.

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A woman accused of opening fire at Rihanna’s Beverly Crest-area residence while the singer was home with her partner and children pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a grand jury indictment charging her with 14 counts, including attempted murder. The indictment against Ivanna Lisette Ortiz was unsealed Wednesday in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom, one day after she was found mentally competent to stand trial. Ortiz, 36, is charged with one count of attempted murder involving Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Fenty, along with 10 counts of assault with an assault weapon, two counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling and one count of shooting at an inhabited vehicle, as well as allegations that she personally and intentionally discharged a rifle, involving the alleged crimes March 8. “This is a person who wanted to kill Rihanna. Everyone else was collateral damage,” Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott said outside court after Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Yvette Verastegui unsealed the indictment. Ortiz had been charged in March with nearly identical counts — with the assault with a semiautomatic firearm subsequently being upgraded to assault with an assault weapon in the indictment. The earlier case was dismissed as a result of the indictment. She was ordered to remain jailed in lieu of more than $2.6 million bail, and is due back in court Oct. 29 for a pretrial hearing. During a March 25 court hearing, the prosecutor said Ortiz fired about 20 rounds from an assault-style rifle and aimed the gunfire at an area where adults and children were present, “putting numerous lives at risk.” He called her alleged conduct “extremely dangerous,” and said Ortiz was subsequently found in a vehicle with a rifle, ammunition and a disguise — a wig. A Los Angeles Police Department document, which was attached to the request from the California Attorney General’s Office to bar Ortiz from practicing speech-language pathology, alleges that Ortiz drove a white Tesla Model 3 to the neighborhood and fired at least 20 rounds at the occupied residences. The document indicates that police discovered bullet holes or impacts on the exterior of the gate of Rihanna’s residence, a wooden fence, the front windshield of an Airstream trailer, a patio area and on the exterior wall of a “nursery room,” and also observed bullet impacts to a neighboring residence. Rihanna told police she was in the Airstream trailer with her partner — rapper A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, who was sleeping. She said she heard approximately 10 loud sounds like something banging on metal, according to an LAPD follow-up report. She told police she opened the curtains after the noise stopped, and noticed bullet holes in the windshield directly in front of where she was standing, grabbed Mayers out of bed, told him they were being shot at and pushed both of them to the ground before they ran into the garage of their residence and went to “secure” their children and staff, according to the report. Police said the singer told them she had received death threats over social media in the past, but most had never risen to a serious level, according to the document. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman told reporters in March that the Orlando, Florida, woman is accused of driving up to Rihanna’s home just west of Beverly Hills at about 1:20 p.m. March 8 and firing multiple times from her semi-automatic weapon at the residence. “Rihanna was there with her partner, her three children, her mother and two staff people, representing eight of the 10 of the counts of dealing with an assault with a semi-automatic firearm,” Hochman said then, noting there are two dwellings at Rihanna’s residence, including the Airstream trailer containing Rihanna and Mayers. “In addition, Miss Ortiz is accused of firing at a neighboring residence that had two additional individuals,” the district attorney said. He noted then that Ortiz’s alleged motivation was still under investigation. “Law enforcement will be looking at any videos on social media, at any additional evidence that they can uncover to both understand her motivation and why she did these particular acts,” Hochman said. “Law enforcement is in the process of gathering all evidence of motivation, any connections between the defendant and Rihanna if any so exist or why this particular defendant decided to open up and shoot her semi-automatic rifle on the afternoon of March 8.” The district attorney said the woman then traveled through Beverly Hills and eventually ended up in Sherman Oaks, and was arrested “within hours” at the Sherman Oaks Galleria, where allegedly a weapon was recovered. He lauded the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills police departments for their prompt actions leading to Ortiz’s arrest. LAPD Capt. Mike Bland told reporters that the weapon was an AR-15-style rifle. There were no reports of injuries. Ortiz was ordered March 10 not to have any contact with Rihanna or Mayers. She was subsequently also directed not to practice as a speech-language pathologist in California, where she has been licensed since 2016, while the criminal case is pending. If convicted, she could face up to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the district attorney said. Ortiz had once been involuntarily committed and lost custody of her then 10-year-old child, TMZ reported. On what is believed to be Ortiz’s Facebook page, there were multiple videos and posts making reference to celebrities including Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and Cardi B. One post from last February tags Rihanna, and said Ortiz was waiting for the singer “to say something to me directly instead of sneaking around like you talking to me where I’m not at.” She referenced the singer again in a December post that states, “I’m already threw (sic) with Rihanna, Your turn hiding (expletive), Stop begging for a look.” In another video, she said Rihanna wants to kill her.

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Jennifer Lawrence is heading into science fiction for Zach Cregger’s next original movie. The Oscar winner will lead The Flood, a new thriller from the filmmaker behind Barbarian, Weapons and this year’s Resident Evil. Cregger wrote the screenplay from his own original idea and will direct and produce the film for New Line Cinema. Amblin Entertainment is producing alongside Roy Lee and Miri Yoon of Vertigo Entertainment, and Warner Bros. has scheduled a theatrical release for August 11, 2028. The studio has not released a synopsis or identified Lawrence’s character. Cregger has previously described The Flood as science fiction rather than a conventional horror movie, saying it has disturbing material and horror scenes but is ultimately more cerebral and structurally ambitious than a straightforward scare vehicle. “Jennifer is one of a kind, and I’m beyond excited to see her in this role,” Cregger said in the casting announcement, according to TheWrap. Lawrence Is the First Star Announced for Cregger’s New Film Lawrence is the first major cast member publicly attached to The Flood, putting her at the center of a project that Warner Bros. film chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy described as Cregger’s “bold and wholly original vision.” The executives said they were eager to work with Cregger, Vertigo and Amblin again following their experience on Weapons. Entertainment Weekly independently confirmed Lawrence’s casting and the August 2028 release date. The outlet also reported that Steven Spielberg’s Amblin is producing with Lee and Yoon, while Amblin’s official site lists The Flood among its feature projects. Cregger Came Up With the Idea While Trying to Work With Spielberg Cregger has revealed more about how The Flood came together than about what actually happens in it. He told Deadline that the concept emerged during a brief window in which he was eager to create something he could make with Spielberg and gave himself roughly five days to find the right idea. According to Entertainment Weekly’s account of that interview, inspiration arrived while Cregger was watching another science-fiction movie with his wife and began thinking about what could make an abandoned-spacecraft scenario stranger and more frightening. He said the full movie suddenly seemed to appear in his mind, giving him the idea he had been searching for. Cregger has since described the finished concept in broader creative terms rather than revealing its mechanics. In interviews surrounding Resident Evil, he called The Flood “very cerebral” and “more sophisticated,” while telling TheWrap that it has his most bizarre narrative structure yet and is “a bit more of an adult movie” despite containing horror sequences. ‘The Flood’ Left Netflix After a Fight Over a Theatrical Release The film’s path to New Line began before Lawrence joined the cast. TheWrap reported in November 2025 that Cregger had written the project through Amblin’s relationship with Netflix but that development stalled because he wanted a firm theatrical commitment that the streamer had not provided. The project subsequently went into turnaround, and New Line picked it up earlier this year, according to The Hollywood Reporter. By April, Warner Bros. had already placed The Flood on its theatrical calendar for August 2028, and the current casting report says principal photography is due to begin in Europe during the opening months of 2027. That move also reunites Cregger with the studio behind Weapons. Lawrence Already Has Two Other Major Movies on Her Schedule View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leonardo DiCaprio (@leonardodicaprio) The Flood joins a busy stretch for Lawrence after Die My Love. She is also starring opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese’s What Happens at Night, which began production in the Czech Republic earlier this year with Apple Original Films. TheWrap reported that Lawrence and DiCaprio play a married American couple traveling to a snowy European town to adopt a baby. She is also returning as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, which opens November 20, 2026.

Nearly a decade in, foldables have come a long way. Even Apple has noticed all of the fun Android users are having with their bendable smartphones, jumping into the crowd with next month’s iPhone Duo. Unfortunately, you usually need to break an arm and a leg to afford one, but with this one-day-only deal on the last-gen Galaxy Z Fold 7 at Amazon, your entry fee to the foldable club is down to the price of modern slab flagships. You’ll need to hurry though, as this deal is already halfway to selling out. more…

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Harlow, 30th September 2026: Harlow’s ongoing regeneration story took another significant step forward yesterday as Mantle officially launched its newest flexible workspace development at One Station Approach, Harlow. Local business leaders, commercial property professionals and members of the Mantle Space team gathered for the official launch event celebrating the arrival of a premium workspace destination designed to support the next generation of businesses choosing Harlow as their base. The event saw guests enjoy canapés from Marmite Fine Dining alongside prosecco, beers and soft drinks while touring the impressive new facility, located adjacent to Harlow Town station. The launch comes as Harlow continues to attract significant investment and regeneration, cementing its status as a key business hub within the London-Stansted-Cambridge innovation corridor. With a growing number of high-quality brands choosing to invest in the town, confidence in Harlow’s commercial future is clearly on the rise. Mantle Space is the latest premium business to join this expanding community, further strengthening the town’s reputation as a destination for ambitious and growing companies. Executive Leader of Harlow Council, Dan Swords, said: “Harlow is rapidly becoming one of the most attractive business destinations in the region, and Mantle’s arrival is another vote of confidence in our town’s future. Through Building Harlow’s Future, we are investing in our town, delivering ambitious regeneration projects and creating the conditions for businesses to grow and succeed. It is fantastic to see high-quality businesses like Mantle choosing to invest alongside us, supporting growing companies, creating opportunities for local people and helping put Harlow back on the map as a thriving business hub.” Guy Baker, CEO of Mantle, added, “Today’s businesses want flexibility, connectivity and a sense of community. Harlow offers all the ingredients for growth, from excellent transport links and access to talent through to ambitious regeneration plans that are transforming the area. We’re excited to be part of that journey. Guests also heard from Mantle MD, Alex Livesey, who outlined Mantle Space’s investment in the location and its confidence in Harlow’s future as a destination for ambitious businesses. Situated at One Station Approach, Mantle Space Harlow offers modern private offices, meeting rooms and flexible workspace solutions designed to support organizations at every stage of growth. The location benefits from immediate access to Harlow Town station and strong transport connections to London, Cambridge and Stansted Airport, making it an attractive base for businesses operating across the region. As Harlow’s business community continues to grow, Mantle Space is set to play a key role in supporting the ambitious companies helping to shape the town’s next chapter. The post Harlow’s Business Future Gets A Major Boost As Mantle Officially Launches Flexible Workspace At One Station Approach appeared first on Allwork.Space.

As autism diagnoses rise, and research, regulation, and public awareness reshape the landscape, a broader neurodiversity care ecosystem is taking shape. The opportunities and challenges emerging from that shift were at the heart of a recent discussion among Kirsten Chang, senior industry analyst at VettaFi, Brendan Cavanaugh, chief strategy officer at Defiance ETFs, and Jane Edmondson, head of index product strategy at VettaFi.

By Mel Gurtov The New Reality China’s President Xi Jinping’s sixth visit to the US has come and gone. Expectations were low for any kind of breakthrough on longstanding issues such as Taiwan’s status, human rights, the SCS, and especially tariffs. The emphasis was on pomp and circumstance, which Trump provided in abundance. Xi probably was not all that impressed. Judging from his comments in Washington, he valued the chance to extol China’s newly recognized status, which Trump has endorsed: that China and the US, now “correctly getting along,” have achieved “constructive strategic stability” (设性战略稳定关系) What that phrase describes is a structural change in relations by which the US recognizes China’s equal status and accepts that a consensus has been reached on a stable relationship. Differences will be better managed and direct confrontation avoided. The two countries, said Xi, agree to “hold the line of no conflict and no confrontation.” Real progress in relations, Xi seems to be saying, depends on how well this management works. And that’s far from certain. We have to keep in mind that for the Trump administration, accepting stable relations with China is an extraordinary shift. During his first term and well into his second, tariff wars dominated the China agenda as a key element in a confrontational approach that expanded on Joe Biden’s trade policy. For a while, Trump tried to play the strategic triangle game, attempting to leverage a soft Russia policy to moderate China’s aggressive trade policy and its support of Russia in the Ukraine war. All of that failed: the Russians strengthened ties with China, and China did not flinch in the tariff war. The anti-China hawks in Trump’s administration, such as Peter Navarro, lost ground. US policy now appears to be based on “spheres of influence”—leaving Europe to Russia and Asia to China while the US focuses on the Western Hemisphere and deepening problems on the home front. Xi, too, needs to focus on the economy as China begins its 15th five-year plan. But he also sees opportunities in Trump’s unpopularity at home and abroad and his economic woes. And he is seizing on them—“taking advantage of another’s troubles,” as the Chinese saying goes. The Chinese view “America First” as a retreat from the global competition, leaving the field to them. Their opportunism has taken several forms: diversifying trading partners, by shifting trade to Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East while reducing trade with the US; winning favor in the Global South by selling low-priced EVs and providing wind farm technology and solar panels under the Belt and Road Initiative; pushing for greater self-reliance in advanced technologies such as semi-conductors and AI in response to US export controls while imposing China’s own controls, such as on rare earth minerals; and focusing on a new trade deal with Europe and Canada, whose ties with the US are fraying. Few Agreements Xi therefore visited with a much stronger hand than Trump. While Xi would like US tariffs reduced, especially on advanced technology, Trump needs to show that his tariff war can save manufacturing jobs and forego the need for a deal on AI. But all he got was an agreement to keep the “trade truce” for two more months. Xi did not budge on opening the door to US imports of China’s rare earth minerals, and the US didn’t budge on exporting US advanced technology to China. On AI, Trump has made clear that he thinks regulating AI is a “hoax.” He’s unwilling to regulate AI, least of all by an international agreement. Thus, he stood alone while Xi, in remarks in Washington, proposed US-China dialogue on AI, reiterated a promise made to Joe Biden to keep nuclear weapon matters in human hands, and called for AI to serve human needs. Several other critical issues in US-China relations were apparently not touched upon. Trump apparently did not seek the release of Americans being held in China or of Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong publisher and human rights activist. China’s closeness to North Korea as the North expands its nuclear and missile program, China’s aid to Russia in the Ukraine war, and China’s electronic components exports to Iran (which could be used in Iran’s drone and missile program) were not mentioned by either side in public comments, though the US ambassador to China insisted afterward that Trump pressed Xi to stop military-related aid to Iran. Xi did extend an invitation for 100,000 US students to visit China over the next five years, but that surely is contingent on the US not denying visas to numerous Chinese students and researchers. Xi also demanded that Chinese companies in the US be “treated fairly,” perhaps his way of suggesting that both countries reconsider their “entities lists” that bar certain companies from doing business. Taiwan Still the Critical Issue On the issue most important to China—preventing Taiwan from seeking independence—Xi repeated that position. Nothing more was said publicly. Trump’s one major “bargaining chip,” as he has put it, is the $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan that has sat unapproved on his desk since May. Xi has called it a red line in relations. Did Trump use the chip? We’ll see; but as of now, his record of support of Taiwan is inconsistent at best. He has sometimes criticized it for stealing semiconductor chip-making from the US, not investing enough in the US, and not increasing its military budget sufficiently, while at other times Trump has supported large weapons sales to Taiwan and maintenance of defense and political ties via military trainers and official visits. And Trump is surely aware that despite high tariffs, Taiwan as of July had risen to third place among importers, displacing China. But as a transactional president, Trump is fully capable of selling Taiwan down the river if an offer from China appeals to him. It is perhaps fitting that on the day Xi visited the White House, no major US television network covered the event because of Trump’s ban (which was overturned by a federal judge but briefly defied) on CNN, Politico, and MS-Now. The media may not have missed much, but the Chinese must feel a bit smug that the Americans engage in the kind of press censorship they’re always criticizing about China. Mel Gurtov, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Portland State University. The post Chairman Xi goes to Washington appeared first on The Westside Gazette.

Tom Cruise is DIGGER. Only in theaters and IMAX October 2. Get tickets now. https://www.fandango.com/digger #DiggerMovieAcademy Award-winning filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu returns with his original film DIGGER, starring Tom Cruise in the title role.The most powerful man in the world embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.Cruise stars alongside Oscar winner Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Oscar nominee Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Oscar nominee Jesse Plemons.Iñárritu directed from a screenplay by Iñárritu & Oscar-winners Alexander Dinelaris & Nicolás Giacobone, and Sabina Berman, story by Berman & Iñárritu and Jez Butterworth. The film is produced by Iñárritu, Oscar nominee Mary Parent, Cruise, and executive produced by Joshua Grode.Joining Iñárritu behind the camera are previous collaborators Oscar-winning director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki; editors Conor O’Neill and Oscar winner Stephen Mirrione; Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West; Oscar-winning makeup and hair designer Alessandro Bertolazzi; and Oscar-nominated casting director Francine Maisler; along with Oscar- winning production designer Dennis Gassner and production designer Richard Johnson, Oscar-winning prosthetic makeup designer Kazu Hiro, and composer Cosmo Sheldrake.Warner Bros. Pictures Presents A Legendary Pictures Production, An Alejandro G. Iñárritu Film, DIGGER, shot entirely in VistaVision and released in theaters and IMAX® across North America on October 2, 2026, and internationally beginning 30 September 2026. It will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

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About five years too late Mr Cruise. The post Tom Cruise to Play an Oil Executive in a New Global Warming Movie appeared first on Watts Up With That?.

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WARNING, DISTURBING CONTENT: Horrifying new video shows the blood-soaked aftermath aboard a flydubai flight after a co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain, forcing the Israel-bound plane to divert to Saudi Arabia.#fox #media #breakingnews #us #usa #new #news #breaking #foxnews #flydubai #israel #saudiarabia #aviation #airlines #flight #pilot #copilot #cockpit #stabbing #crime #crimenews #crimestory #criminal #police #emergencylanding #airtravel #flightsafety #internationalnewsDon’t just watch Fox News—be part of it. Become a Fox News Patriot today. https://youtube.com/foxnews/joinSubscribe to Fox News: https://bit.ly/2vBUvASWatch more Fox News Video: http://video.foxnews.comWatch Fox News Channel Live: http://www.foxnewsgo.com/Download the Fox News app: https://foxnews.onelink.me/xLDS/cd5yhg3oFOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. The number one network in cable, FNC has been the most-watched television news channel for 18 consecutive years. According to a 2020 Brand Keys Consumer Loyalty Engagement Index report, FOX News is the top brand in the country for morning and evening news coverage. A 2019 Suffolk University poll named FOX News as the most trusted source for television news or commentary, while a 2019 Brand Keys Emotion Engagement Analysis survey found that FOX News was the most trusted cable news brand. A 2017 Gallup/Knight Foundation survey also found that among Americans who could name an objective news source, FOX News was the top-cited outlet. Owned by FOX Corporation, FNC is available in nearly 90 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top ten programs in the genre.Watch full episodes of your favorite showsThe Five: https://www.foxnews.com/video/shows/the-fiveSpecial Report with Bret Baier: https://www.foxnews.com/video/shows/special-reportJesse Watters Primetime: https://www.foxnews.com/video/shows/jesse-watters-primetimeHannity: https://www.foxnews.com/video/shows/hannityThe Ingraham Angle: https://www.foxnews.com/video/shows/ingraham-angleGutfeld!: https://www.foxnews.com/video/shows/gutfeldFox News @ Night: https://www.foxnews.com/video/shows/fox-news-nightFollow Fox News on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoxNews/Follow Fox News on X: https://x.com/foxnewsFollow Fox News on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foxnews/

Learn about best practices for developing for the iPhone Duo, and get a sneak peek at the upcoming API changes in iOS 27.1, specifically for the Duo!

Sometimes in politics, there isn’t a direct line of causation. Unintended consequences of policy decisions are common. Presidents and Congress can think they have thought of every possible outcome, and then a law is passed and implemented, and unexpected results happen.Unintended consequences are a byproduct of governing.PoliticusUSA is 100% independent news and opinion. Please support us by becoming a subscriber.Subscribe nowIn the case of the current gas price crisis, there is a clear and direct line of causation. Donald Trump started a war with Iran that impeded and disrupted the oil supply chain, which caused gas and diesel prices to increase, which has fueled a resurgence in inflation, and, along with Trump’s trade war, results in higher prices and costs for the American people. Republicans in the House and Senate have consistently refused to pass any legislation that would end Trump’s war with Iran, so Republicans are equally to blame for the high price of gas. Donald Trump has blamed Joe Biden for high gas prices, even though Biden has been out of office for nearly two years and gasoline was around $3.10 a gallon when the former president left office. With the midterm election turning into a disaster, some House Republicans have found someone else to blame for high gas prices.House Republican Blames Obama For Gas Prices Read more

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A New York man has been indicted in Ohio after prosecutors say postal employees flagged him while he was trying to buy 50,000 stamps with a fraudulent check. Christopher Ryan Ellis, 24, was indicted on one count of attempted grand theft and two counts of forgery, according to the Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office, as reported by Cleveland 19. The case began Aug. 19 when Chardon police responded to a post office after employees reported a suspicious customer. Prosecutors said postal workers had already received an alert about Ellis following activity at several other post offices. Chardon Municipal Court records show three preliminary allegations across two cases arising from the Aug. 19 incident: felony forgery, obstructing official business and false identifying information. All three were later bound over to Geauga County Common Pleas Court. A Postmaster Alert Connected the Chardon Visit to Earlier Stamp Purchases The Geneva postmaster had circulated an alert about Ellis before the Chardon encounter, according to the prosecutor’s office. Investigators said he had previously obtained approximately $40,000 worth of stamps from three post offices in Ashtabula County using fraudulent checks. When Ellis appeared at the Chardon post office on Aug. 19, employees contacted police while he was allegedly attempting to purchase another 50,000 stamps. Following the investigation, authorities recovered what the prosecutor’s office described as a fake Ohio identification card and a fraudulent check. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service assisted Chardon police. Municipal Records Show Three Preliminary Allegations Across Two Cases Chardon Municipal Court case 2026 CRA 00452 involving Christopher Ryan Ellis. – Document source: Chardon Municipal Court. Chardon Municipal Court case 2026 CRA 00452 identifies the Aug. 19 offense as forgery under Ohio Revised Code 2913.31(A)(3). The court classified the preliminary charge as a fifth-degree felony. The forgery case was filed Sept. 10. The docket shows a warrant on complaint, a Sept. 11 Chardon arrest and a $7,500 bond structured as 10% or surety. Ellis later waived a preliminary hearing, and the municipal court ordered the case bound over to Common Pleas. The Chardon Municipal Court docket for case 2026 CRA 00452. – Document source: Chardon Municipal Court. A second case, 2026 CRB 00421, arose from the same Aug. 19 incident. That municipal case lists obstructing official business as a second-degree misdemeanor and false identifying information as a third-degree misdemeanor. Ellis entered a not-guilty plea in that case on Aug. 21. The docket later records both allegations as bound over to Common Pleas on Sept. 21 alongside case 2026 CRA 00452. Chardon Municipal Court case 2026 CRB 00421 involving Christopher Ryan Ellis. – Document source: Chardon Municipal Court. The Grand Jury Returned Three Charges The Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office later announced that a grand jury indicted Ellis on one count of attempted grand theft and two counts of forgery. Ohio’s forgery statute covers conduct that includes forging writings or possessing or presenting certain forged writings while knowing they have been forged. The statute generally classifies forgery as a fifth-degree felony, although the degree can increase depending on the property, services or loss involved. The preliminary Chardon forgery charge was filed under subsection 2913.31(A)(3). The prosecutor’s announcement identified the later indictment as two forgery counts but did not specify their subsections. Cleveland 19 reported Sept. 29 that Ellis was being held in the Geauga County Jail pending arraignment in Common Pleas Court. Postal Inspectors Have Seen Other Fake-Check Schemes Targeting Stamps The Ellis investigation is not the first case in which postal inspectors have encountered fraudulent checks being used to obtain large quantities of postage. In its annual report, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service described a Southern California investigation in which suspects used fraudulent business checks to buy stamps from post offices. Inspectors said the stamps in that scheme were sold at a discount to a middleman and then resold for profit. The operation caused more than $600,000 in losses to the Postal Service. The same report described employees recognizing a suspect from an alert bulletin during an attempted $37,800 stamp purchase, prompting law enforcement involvement. Counterfeit Checks Can Be Difficult to Identify on Appearance Alone The U.S. Postal Inspection Service warns that counterfeit checks can closely resemble legitimate checks because fraudsters may use commercial printers, scanners, check stock and information copied from genuine financial documents. The agency also warns that a counterfeit check may not be identified immediately. A transaction can appear successful before the issuing bank or account holder discovers that the check is fraudulent. Suspected check fraud or fraud involving the mail or Postal Service can be reported through the Postal Inspection Service.

What happens when an AI panel of investors, fraud engineers, and D2C merchants stress-tests the infamous universal 1-click checkout…Continue reading on Medium »