Thor

Newly unsealed court briefs in the Authors Guild's copyright lawsuit against Microsoft and OpenAI show that top executives at the companies were aware that using pirated books to train AI models was legally questionable. The Authors Guild, representing writers including prominent novelists, argues the internal documents undermine claims of good faith. The filing is being widely discussed as it may influence the broader wave of copyright litigation over AI training data.

A beach chair (Strandkorb) belonging to German CDU politician Philipp Amthor has been given to a care facility in Ueckermünde, according to Die Zeit. The donation has drawn attention in Germany, where the young Bundestag member is a frequent subject of public and media commentary about his lifestyle and political profile.

Two unions representing workers at the University of Vermont Medical Center have voted to authorize a strike. The authorization vote does not mean an immediate walkout, but gives union leaders the ability to call one if contract negotiations fail. The move signals mounting frustration among hospital staff over bargaining with management, and a strike would affect one of Vermont's largest employers and primary health care providers.

Reports claim Avengers: Doomsday will include six major character deaths, a toll that would make it one of the deadliest Marvel films yet. Fans are debating which heroes could be killed off, with longtime Avengers like Thor among the names most frequently mentioned as possible casualties ahead of the film's release.

A tally circulating online claims that Nicholas Polson, a statistician at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, has authored 258 academic papers in 2026 alone. The figure has drawn attention and skepticism, with readers debating how such a volume of output is possible and what it says about authorship norms, co-authorship practices, and pressure to publish in modern academia.

Cloudflare has published a detailed blog post describing how it built its own certificate authority to issue TLS certificates at Internet scale. The piece walks through the technical and operational challenges of running a publicly trusted CA, and developers are discussing the engineering trade-offs involved in automating certificate issuance across millions of domains.

An economic upgrade for Singapore has been reported, arriving as the Monetary Authority of Singapore directs its attention toward bringing down elevated inflation. The news draws attention to how the city-state's growth outlook is holding up while policymakers prioritise price stability, with observers watching how the central bank's anti-inflation stance may shape conditions for businesses and households.

Support staff at the University of Vermont Medical Center have voted to authorize a strike, giving union leaders the option to call a work stoppage if contract negotiations fail. The vote does not mean workers will walk out immediately, but it signals growing frustration and raises pressure on hospital management to reach an agreement.

Bella Thorne is drawing attention after being photographed in a dazzling Gucci micro minidress that rode high on her thighs. Fashion watchers and entertainment outlets are highlighting the bold, sequin-heavy look, with coverage focusing on the statement piece and the actress's eye-catching style. The outfit has become a talking point in celebrity fashion circles.

A researcher writing under the name pasjrwoctx, linked to the SARAH Research Initiative, has published a version 1.0 concept document describing the MILK Protocol, described as a predictive kinematic intelligence framework for autonomous reality-state modification. The proposal spans robotics, cybernetics, control theory, digital twins and AI, but describes an untested concept rather than a working system, and its practical feasibility is unknown.

Clean-up and recovery efforts are ongoing after a bout of severe weather, with transport delays, power outages and local damage still affecting affected areas. Authorities are warning residents that unsettled conditions could bring further disruption in the coming days, urging people to stay updated on official advisories and avoid unnecessary travel where warnings remain in place.

Support staff and technicians at the University of Vermont Medical Center have voted to authorize a strike. The authorization does not mean workers will immediately walk out, but it gives union leadership the power to call one if contract negotiations fail. The vote signals growing frustration among hospital support employees over wages and working conditions.

A new book by two authors argues that the era of the A-list celebrity is fading. Their theory examines why today's biggest stars no longer command the unified public attention that figures once did, and the argument is drawing interest in media and entertainment circles.

Author Will Hackman is calling for a rethink in how climate change is communicated, arguing that outreach should focus on people who are not already worried about the issue. Writing in Yale Climate Connections, he says engaging unconcerned audiences requires changing the tone and framing of climate conversations rather than preaching to the converted.

The Singapore Police Force has announced temporary road closures, during which only authorised vehicles, police and emergency vehicles will be allowed through. Auxiliary police officers and security officers will be stationed along the affected roads and lanes to direct and assist motorists. The advisory tells drivers to expect restricted access and follow officers on the ground during the closure period.

Boston's mass transit authorities are searching for ways to deal with a persistent pigeon problem across the city's transit system, with reports suggesting approaches that may include falcons to deter the birds. The story is drawing amusement online for its wordplay and as a lighthearted urban wildlife tale, with readers weighing in on whether natural predators or other measures can keep the pigeons off trains and platforms.

The Church News has published an updated September 2026 chart of the general authorities and general officers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, available for download. The chart reflects the current leadership lineup, and members typically use these periodic updates to follow changes in senior church positions.