Washington desk

Filed from the Washington desk — including multi-city pieces that also ran elsewhere.

Business · 10 October 2026

Nikon calls AI‑enhanced micro‑film a ‘cheat’, pulls plug on Small World in Motion winner

Helen Pell, Washington desk

Nikon has stripped the Small World in Motion contest winner after determining the entry relied on artificial intelligence. The decision has sparked a debate over the role of AI in creative competitions.

Entertainment · 10 October 2026

Stanfield Teases ‘Molepeople’ at Comic‑Con, Promises Underground Terror

Candy Voss, Washington desk

Oscar‑nominated LaKeith Stanfield and Emmy‑winner Ben Mendelsohn preview the upcoming horror thriller ‘Molepeople’ at New York Comic‑Con, revealing a film about a man descending into abandoned New York tunn…

Politics · 10 October 2026

Trump’s Diesel Deal: America’s New Fueling Friendship with Putin, One Tanker at a Time

Clyde Rook, Washington desk

President Trump announced a limited import of Russian diesel after a phone call with Vladimir Putin, lifting sanctions on the fuel weeks before the midterm elections. The shipment is described as small compared with gl…

Entertainment · 10 October 2026

NBC Axes ‘Newlyweds’ Showrunner Days Before Premiere, Cast Left in Limbo

Candy Voss, Washington desk

Co‑creator and showrunner Gail Lerner was dismissed from NBC’s upcoming sitcom “Newlyweds” just days before its scheduled debut, leaving stars Tèa Leoni, Tim Daly and Jamie Lee Curtis to wonder if the se…

Finance · 10 October 2026

Trump Sets Up Committee to Probe Fed Governor Lisa Cook’s Mortgage Dealings

Helen Pell, Washington desk

President Trump announced Friday a new committee to investigate Fed Governor Lisa Cook’s mortgage applications, reviving his effort to oust her after the Supreme Court ruled her prior firing unconstitutional.

Entertainment · 10 October 2026

Paramount+ Extends Avatar: Seven Havens to Seasons 3 & 4 and Orders New Water‑Tribe Series Avatar Kuruk

Candy Voss, Washington desk

At New York Comic‑Con, Paramount+ confirmed that Avatar: Seven Havens will continue through Books 3 and 4, adding two more seasons, and also ordered a new series, Avatar Kuruk: Wave of Chaos, centered on a…

Business · 10 October 2026

Delta’s Wi‑Fi Upgrade Leaves Musk’s Starlink Out of the Cabin

Helen Pell, Washington desk

Delta Air Lines is refreshing its in‑flight Wi‑Fi, but the move didn’t win over Elon Musk. The SpaceX founder publicly rebuked the airline’s top executive for not choosing Starlink, turning a routine upgrade into…

Finance · 10 October 2026

Fed Releases 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances, Leaving Coffee Budgets to the Baristas

Helen Pell, Washington desk

The Federal Reserve Board has published the 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances, offering policymakers and the public a detailed look at American families’ economic condition.

Finance · 9 October 2026

Energy Stocks Outshine Tech as Iran Conflict Fuels Winners

Helen Pell, Washington desk

Quarter‑long fund returns were bleak across the board, but a war‑driven surge in energy stocks made them the sole winners while tech funds sputtered.