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Good morning, it's Monday, Oct. 12. Saudi Arabia has pledged to respond after a Houthi attack on an international airport killed at least 12 people. First time reading? Join millions of insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
Also in today's Digest: tensions over Russian energy access (Need To Know), "cockroach" protests return (Pol. & World Affairs), the best Bigfoot call (Etc.), and much more.
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Need To Know
Houthis Strikes Riyadh
Iranian-backed Houthi rebels struck Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport yesterday, a day after striking the same terminal Saturday, killing at least 12 people and wounding more than 300 others. It was the deadliest attack on Saudi soil since 2015. See video of the aftermath here.
Following the initial attack, President Donald Trump said he would consider military action against the Houthis. The renewed deliberation comes a month after Trump reportedly declined Saudi Arabia’s request for US strikes**,** offering intelligence support instead. The US’ two-month campaign against the Houthis last year cost over $1B but did not oust the Yemen-based militia. A reporter gained access to attack plans when top security officials added him to a Signal group chat.
In September, Houthi forces seized territory along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait (see map), a key route for Saudi oil exports that has become an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts suggest restricting travel through it could push oil prices above $120 per barrel; here's how.
AI Murder Tip
An AI agent developed by Anthropic submitted a false homicide tip to Philadelphia police, local authorities revealed. Spam filters intercepted the form, but Anthropic did not register the incident for two months, flagging it to police nine days later.
The incident was included in Anthropic’s latest report on rogue activity by its agents. During the testing stage for a new Claude model, the agent was instructed to fill out practice government forms, but it maneuvered to real websites instead. Claude wrote that it saw “someone matching the description” of a homicide suspect, but left its name and contact fields empty. The agent also filed 20 visa applications with the State Department, but did not complete them. Anthropic characterized the latest incidents as having “minimal real-world impact.”
A recent poll finds that most Americans want AI safety guardrails. See more, w/graph.
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Surprise Ceasefire
President Donald Trump said yesterday that Ukraine and Russia reached an energy ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the alleged agreement but said he had not received any details.
The announcement comes a day after Trump suggested Ukraine hold an election to oust Zelenskyy, attributing high diesel prices to his continued strikes on Russian oil refineries. Ukraine has targeted some of Russia’s 32 refineries as many as 15 times since February 2022 (scroll for map) and claimed last week to have disabled 51% of the country’s oil refining capacity. In an effort to lower US fuel prices, Trump temporarily lifted oil sanctions and orchestrated a deal with Russia last week to import around 3 million tons of its diesel over an unspecified time period.
Zelenskyy responded to Trump's call for a Ukrainian election yesterday, saying the country would organize a vote for a new leader if Russia ceases fire for 60 days.
🫶 Humankind: Community raises $18K to help a recently divorced woman secure pet-friendly housing and reunite her with her 11-year-old dog, Eddie.
In The Know
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Department of Justice is investigating whether ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and Fox News violated antitrust laws after networks suspended White Housespect coverage; decision came after President Donald Trump banned three news outlets (More)
> Georgia rises to No. 1 in Top 25 college football rankings after win over Alabama; Texas slides six spots to No. 7 following loss to unranked Oklahoma (More) | Watch the Sooners pull off the upset with a last-second field goal (More)
> "Crazy Rich Asians," the 2018 romantic comedy based on Kevin Kwan's internationally bestselling book, is getting a television show sequel on HBO, including several of the original stars (More) | What to read next if you enjoyed the novel (More)
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Science & Technology
> Apple is expected to unveil HomeView tomorrow, a voice-activated device competing with products like Amazon's Echo, Google's Nest Hub (More)
> Larger dog breeds lose control over self-copying genes 35% faster than small dogs each year, potentially explaining shorter lifespan, new study finds (More) | Which dog breeds live the longest? (More)
> Cannabis use linked to poorer sleep quality, including greater nighttime disruptions, per new research; long-term cannabis users did not perceive their sleep to be worse (More)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets close higher Friday (S&P 500 +0.6%, Dow +0.8%, Nasdaq +0.6%) after President Donald Trump says Russia will lift diesel export restrictions (More)
> AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon shares drop over 8% on news SpaceX agreed to acquire spectrum; Starlink bids to become major mobile carrier in the US (More)
> Sequoia-backed semiconductor startup Nuvacore reportedly pursues $2.5B valuation in latest funding round (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> Indian "cockroach" protests continue in Delhi after leaders of Cockroach Janta Party are released from detention; youth-led protesters call for resignation of election chief after 130 million names are removed from voting register (More)
> Ethiopian forces retake regional capital city of Mekelle from Tigrayan rebels amid renewed fighting (More) | Boat carrying migrants capsizes off the coast of Djibouti, killing at least 139 people, with over 80 more missing as of this writing (More)
> FBI arrests suspect, a Canadian citizen in Philadelphia, allegedly affiliated with ShinyHunters, the group accused of hacking the agency's jobs website, stealing employees' data (More)
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Etcetera
What winter preparations looked like 100 years ago.
More than 18,000 animal species photographed in "Photo Ark" project.
A guide to bumper stickers, sorted by type.
Tips to keep your carved pumpkins looking fresh longer.
Why you should always shut the toilet lid before flushing.
Michelin-starred chefs have a secret: They love Taco Bell.
The frugal origins of Hollywood jump scares. (w/video)
Would you eat a bone marrow birthday cake?
How to make Julia Child's favorite two-ingredient cocktail.
Clickbait: If you haven't seen Bigfoot, have you tried calling him?
Historybook: Christopher Columbus reaches the Caribbean, believes he has reached the Indies (1492); American playwright Alice Childress born (1916); Wilt Chamberlain dies (1999); USS Cole is attacked by suicide bombers, killing 17 American sailors (2000); Eliud Kipchoge becomes first person to run a sub-two-hour marathon (2019).
"Like snowflakes, the human pattern is never cast twice. We are uncommonly and marvelously intricate in thought and action, our problems are most complex and, too often, silently borne."
- Alice Childress
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