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Amazon has paused operations with cargo carrier 21 Air after an Amazon-branded aircraft overshot the runway at Miami International Airport, killing five people and crashing into nearby vehicles before stopping 1,300 feet beyond the runway with its right engine on fire. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident, with 21 Air’s safety practices, its relationship with Amazon and the pilots’ actions among the areas under scrutiny after investigators indicated that the pilots belatedly decided to redo their landing before opting to brake and stop the aircraft. 21 Air, which is owned by logistics businessman and Houston Astros owner Jim Crane, operates around 17 aircraft, including eight that fly for Amazon, and has worked with the ecommerce group for nearly two years.

 

Wall Street Journal

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has called for a slowdown in AI development following warnings from industry researchers that a superintelligent AI would be a threat to humanity. In an essay, Amodei proposed inserting independent evaluators into frontier AI companies, applying common safety standards among developers and negotiating international cooperation. OpenAI's Sam Altman and Elon Musk have backed Amodei's call for a more measured approach. However, some are questioning Amodei's motives: sceptics suggest he may be trying to engineer state regulation to suppress open source competition. President Trump, meanwhile,    told reporters on Sunday it was imperative for the U.S. to retain its international leadership in AI. “Look, we’re leading China in AI . . . and, frankly, I want to keep it that way, because whoever wins AI, wins,” Trump said.

 

Financial Times

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The Verge

The Guardian

U.S. consumer sentiment fell sharply in September as rising energy prices and trade tensions increased concerns about household finances and the broader economy. The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index dropped 7.5% from August to 47.8, its second-lowest reading on record and 13.2% below a year earlier, while the expectations component declined 11.1%. One-year inflation expectations rose to 4.6%, up 0.6 percentage point, as consumers faced higher fuel costs. Gasoline prices increased 3.9% in August and 27.4% year over year, while fuel oil prices rose 52% annually. Separately, annual inflation remained at 3.4%, pushing market expectations for a Federal Reserve rate increase next week above 85%.

 

CNBC	Wall Street Journal

The Labor Department reported on Friday that U.S. inflation held at 3.4% in August, matching expectations but remaining well above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target and increasing pressure on policymakers to raise interest rates. Core inflation, excluding food and energy, was 2.4% year over year and rose 0.3% from July, prompting markets to price in about a 90% probability of a quarter-point rate increase at the Fed’s meeting next week, up from roughly 70% before the report. Inflationary pressures are being sustained by higher energy costs, tariffs, and the AI-driven technology build-out. Regular gasoline averaged $4.07 a gallon in August, while crude oil has since climbed above $99 a barrel, raising concerns that higher transportation costs could spread across the economy. Economists also estimate that core PCE inflation, the Fed’s preferred underlying measure, could reach about 3.4% annually, strengthening the case for tighter monetary policy.

 

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Wall Street Journal

The White House has agreed to updated ethics provision in the Clarity Act ahead of a key vote on the cryptocurrency regulation bill in the Senate tomorrow. The provision, which prohibits public officials from issuing or sponsoring digital assets, could be enforced by both state attorneys general and the Department of Justice (DOJ) under new language released by Senate Republicans late yesterday that was a key demand from Democrats. “After a year of intense daily bipartisan negotiations, this bill is ready,” Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) said, adding: “A no vote on Tuesday means opposing real ethics reforms on politicians' personal investments, handing American leadership in digital assets to our foreign competitors, and leaving Americans with zero protections in the digital asset markets . . . Democrats got what they wanted; now they need to take yes for an answer.”

 

The Hill

A federal appeals court has struck down an order from the White House that forced a coal plant in Michigan to stay open past its scheduled retirement date. The Energy Department has for more than a year ordered the J.H. Campbell facility in West Olive, Michigan, to maintain operations despite its plans to close in May 2025, citing an “energy emergency.” On Friday, a three-judge panel at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the Trump administration had overreached in its use of emergency powers. The challenge was brought by attorneys-general from Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois, and environmental groups.

 

Financial Times

Detroit Free Press

New York Times

Canadian grocers are adapting their supply chains as consumers increasingly boycott U.S. products amid worsening trade tensions. Retailers are improving country-of-origin labelling, promoting Canadian goods and sourcing more produce from countries including Spain, Brazil and Honduras. U.S. suppliers remain dominant, but their share of Canadian vegetable imports fell to 62.6% in July from 69% in 2023. Canada is investing about C$3bn ($2.15bn) over a decade in greenhouses to boost domestic production and reduce reliance on imports. Grocers say newly diversified supply chains could prove more resilient, although U.S. products remain attractive because of lower costs and regulatory barriers to moving food between Canadian provinces.

 

Reuters

Micron staff in Taiwan are to get bonuses worth up to 68 months of pay for fiscal 2026 as the U.S. semiconductor manufacturer contends with widespread support among union members for a strike. The company said the payouts were its strongest ever; more than 60,000 employees globally will receive fiscal 2026 rewards “following an extraordinary year.” The Taoyuan union said it was still seeking changes to Micron’s rewards system that would allocate 15% of operating profit to workers' bonuses.

 

CNBC

Johnson & Johnson is in talks to sell its DePuy Synthes hips-and-knees business to private-equity firm Apollo Global Management for around $20bn as the healthcare group shifts its focus towards higher-growth areas. The orthopaedics unit, which also makes instruments used to repair bones and joints, generated $9.3bn of sales last year, accounting for less than a tenth of J&J’s total revenue, but its growth has slowed in recent years. J&J announced plans last year to separate the business within 18 to 24 months and has been considering several options, while talks with Apollo may not result in a deal and another bidder could still emerge.

 

Wall Street Journal

Kroger has cut its full-year same-store sales forecast to 0.2%-0.8%, from 1%-2%, as household budget pressures and concerns over a cyclospora outbreak weigh on spending. Second-quarter same-store sales rose 0.2%, below analysts' 0.8% estimate, while revenue increased 2% to $34.62bn. CEO Greg Foran said shoppers were buying fewer items despite increased store traffic, citing reduced SNAP benefits, higher fuel prices and weak consumer confidence. Cyclospora reduced quarterly sales growth by about 0.35 percentage points. Profit rose to $641m, while adjusted earnings of $1.09 a share beat expectations. Lower drug and egg prices also weighed on sales. Kroger and rivals are investing in lower prices to attract budget-conscious shoppers and gain market share. Kroger is also improving product availability, merchandising and shrink management, while simplifying discounts. The company is also expanding through its planned acquisition of Giant Eagle and has appointed several new senior executives.

 

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have announced that the recent cyclosporiasis outbreak - the largest in U.S. history - has ended, with a confirmed 12,833 cases having been identified across 21 states. Officials have linked the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms in Mexico. The outbreak came during the worst cyclosporiasis season in the country's history, with almost 20,000 overall cases, including two deaths in Michigan.

 

CNBC

US News

Disposable vapes could pose a significant environmental risk due to high levels of lead and other heavy metals found in their remaining e-liquid, alongside the difficulties involved in recycling their batteries, circuitry and plastics. Researchers testing discarded devices collected in the U.K. and U.S. found some contained extremely high lead concentrations, with tests on a small number of unused vapes suggesting the contamination was present from the outset. Researchers warned that discarded devices could contaminate groundwater and add to landfill waste, while lithium batteries can cause fires when crushed in waste systems. The study recommended tighter monitoring of e-liquids for harmful metals and design changes including removable batteries, recyclable plastics and refillable devices, although it did not establish whether the metals detected in e-liquid are transferred into vapor and inhaled by users.

 

US News and World Report