The Flash

Astronomers report that enigmatic flashes of X-rays in the sky may come from the catastrophic merger of two stars, producing an ultra-dense, ultra-magnetic remnant known as a magnetar. The findings emerged from a collaboration between Chinese and European science missions, and are drawing attention among space researchers and enthusiasts discussing what the discovery reveals about how magnetars form.

Astronomers have detected an extraordinarily powerful X-ray flash that could be the first direct observation of a magnetar being born. Magnetars are neutron stars with the strongest magnetic fields known in the universe, usually formed in supernova explosions. Researchers say the record-breaking burst fits theoretical predictions for the moment such a star switches on, offering a rare glimpse into one of the most extreme events in astrophysics.

SanDisk Corporation (SNDK) is seeing heightened interest as investors track its stock price, quotes and trading history on financial platforms. The company, a major maker of flash memory and storage products, is being followed by market watchers looking for the latest price moves and company news. No specific earnings announcement or corporate event is confirmed in current coverage.

The remains of Hurricane Polo, now a tropical depression, are dumping heavy rain on southern Arizona and New Mexico. With the landscape already saturated from prior storms, forecasters have issued flash flood warnings across parts of the Southwest. Conditions remain calmer in the Four Corners area, with clouds and light winds expected before the rain arrives.

A line of storms is forecast to push eastward tonight, with forecasters warning that some areas face the greatest risk of flash flooding. Coverage highlights which locations are most likely to see heavy rainfall and ponding on roads, and residents in those zones are being advised to stay alert to changing conditions overnight.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area is under a flood watch Wednesday as storms and heavy rain move into North Texas. Forecasters warn that downpours could cause flash flooding in low-lying areas and on roads, and residents are being urged to monitor conditions through the day as the weather system passes through the region.

Newsweek's daily Bulletin for September 30 groups three stories: talk of renewed nuclear diplomacy and friendship between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, the reveal of a new look for US passports, and a flash flood emergency in New Mexico. The combination has drawn attention as readers follow each developing story.