Neural Newscast

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This is Neural Newscast.

Broadcasting from the Neural Newscast Newsroom, I'm Andrew Lindbeck.

It's August 13, 2025.

On this day in 1961, East German authorities began erecting the Berlin Wall,

sealing off West Berlin, and physically dividing the city for decades

as the Cold War's most visible symbol of communist repression.

Environmental challenges and solutions ahead.

The World War.

Juno orders evacuations, as scientists warn a record glacial lake outburst flood could peak this week, threatening downstream homes and roads.

Here's Samuel Green with more.

juno orders evacuations as a record glacial flood looms from the mendenhall glacier basin city officials warned that outburst floodwaters could peak this week threatening homes and roads downstream the surge comes from a basin dammed by the retreating glacier fueled by rain and snow melt

Scientists describe these summer events called glacial lake outburst floods as increasingly intense with warming.

Emergency crews prepare shelters and urge residents in low-lying areas to leave now.

One federal assessment says the flood risk would not be possible without climate change.

Authorities continue real-time monitoring of river gauges and weather.

An independent review says the toxic spill at a Chinese-owned Zambian copper mine is far worse than

first estimated devastating waterways. Here's Samuel Green with more.

An independent review finds a toxic spill at a Chinese state-owned copper mine in Zambia is 30 times worse than first estimated.

A waste dam partially collapses, releasing massive sludge into nearby waterways and farmland.

Local communities report dead fish, livestock at risk, and contaminated wells.

Environmental officials warn of heavy metals that threaten drinking water and crops.

Investigators call for urgent containment, water testing, and medical screening.

The mine faces potential fines, cleanup orders, and criminal inquiries.

One official says the scale demands immediate action to protect downstream towns.

A 50-acre wildfire east of Boise raced into hundreds of acres within hours,

forcing officials to issue evacuation notices for neighborhoods.

Here's Samuel Green with more.

A fast-moving wildfire east of Boise grows from 50 acres to hundreds within hours, triggering evacuation alerts.

Crews attack the flames with engines, dozers, and air support as winds push the fire toward homes and rangeland.

Local officials issue ready-and-go notices for nearby subdivisions and recreation areas.

Highway access narrows as smoke reduces visibility.

Fire managers cite dry grass, triple-digit heat, and gusts as key drivers.

Residents prepared to leave and utility stage crews to protect infrastructure and restore power if lines are damaged.

This is Samuel Green for Neural Newscast.

From the Political Beat, here's what's new.

A federal appeals court ruled the administration may withhold billions in approved foreign aid,

a decision that shifts budget control dynamics.

Here's Cassandra Joyce with more.

A federal appeals court rules the Trump administration can withhold potentially billions in foreign aid Congress approved this year.

The decision expands executive control over how and when funds are obligated.

The White House frames the move as fiscal discipline and leverage to advance U.S. interests,

one perspective in a long debate over foreign assistance.

Critics in Congress from both parties argue the Constitution gives the purse to lawmakers

and say the ruling weakens the check.

Supporters counter that agencies need flexibility to avoid waste.

Legal and budget fights over separation of powers continue.

Donald Trump plans a virtual call with Zelensky and EU leaders, ahead of a summit with Putin,

signaling interest in negotiating on Ukraine. Here's Cassandra Joyce with more.

Donald Trump plans a virtual call today with Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders

before a scheduled Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin. Trump says EU leaders want to see a deal

done, signaling interest in a negotiated path on Ukraine. So,

Supporters frame talks as pragmatic and focused on ending the war.

Critics warn that premature concessions could weaken Kiev and reward aggression.

Zelensky and NATO allies press for sustained military aid and security guarantees,

underscoring that any ceasefire terms remain part of ongoing discussions, not consensus policy.

This is Cassandra Joyce for Neural Newscast.

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Here's the latest in tech.

Report says US authorities secretly place trackers in AI chip shipments to China to monitor diversions and enforce export controls.

Here's Kara Swift with more.

US authorities secretly track high-end AI chips, heading to China.

A new report says shipments from Dell and Supermicro that include Nvidia and AMD processors carry hidden devices.

Trackers sit in packaging and inside some servers.

They ping location data once the gear moves.

The goal is to monitor diversions and enforce export controls on November 2023 chip restrictions.

This matters because these GPUs power advanced AI and military research.

It shows how supply chains become surveillance tools.

One official calls it lawful monitoring to protect national security.

Staffing firm Manpower confirms a major data breach affecting roughly 144,000 users, raising identity theft concerns.

Here's Kara Swift with more.

Staffing giant Manpower confirms a major data breach affecting 144,189 people.

The company says it detected the attack while probing an IT incident on January 20, 2025.

Investigators find an unknown actor accessed its network from December 29, 2024 to January 12, 2025.

Manpower files details with Maine's Attorney General and notifies victims.

The firm doesn't list specific data types, but warns of identity theft risks.

Users should watch accounts, change passwords, enable multi-factor, and freeze credit where possible.

This is Kara Swift for Neural Newscast.

Business and finance stories coming up. The White House insists the monthly U.S. jobs report

will continue amid concerns the Labor Statistics nominee could politicize the agency.

Here's Ethan Wells with more. The White House says the monthly U.S. jobs report will continue,

even as controversy grows over Donald Trump's pick to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Democrats and some economists warn the nomination could politicize a traditionally non-partisan agency that tracks employment, wages, and inflation.

The commissioner oversees the jobs report, which moves markets and shapes Fed policy.

The administration signals stability in release schedules and methodology.

Critics urge safeguards to protect data integrity.

The nominee has not yet been confirmed by the Senate.

Amazon says it will expand same-day grocery delivery to over 2,300 U.S. cities by the end of the year to boost repeat business.

Here's Ethan Wells with more.

Amazon plans to expand same-day grocery delivery to more than 2,300 U.S. cities by year's end.

The push targets everyday items with frequent purchases like groceries and personal care products to deepen customer loyalty.

Amazon says faster delivery boosts basket size and repeat orders.

The company has been integrating Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods options into a single, streamlined experience.

It also continues to test delivery fees and membership perks to balance costs in a low-margin category.

This is Ethan Wells for Neural Newscast.

Science Shaping Our Understanding

Scientists developed an AI tool that can find magnetic shadows in fusion reactors much faster, aiding component placement and safety.

Here's Nathaniel Cohen with more.

Scientists develop an AI tool that finds magnetic shadows in fusion reactors faster than before.

These shadows are cooler zones that shield hardware from plasma heat, radiation, and radiation.

reaching millions of degrees. The project links Commonwealth fusion systems with the Department

of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The system scans magnetic field maps to spot safe surfaces in seconds, not hours.

Researchers say the speed-up helps plan component placement and extend reactor life.

It could accelerate tests for CFS's spark device this year.

New findings show water from a Halley-type comet closely matches Earth's oceans, supporting

theories of comet-delivered water.

Here's Nathaniel Cohen with more.

Scientists report that water from a Halley-type comet matches the makeup of Earth's oceans.

The finding strengthens the idea that comets delivered water and perhaps organic molecules

to early Earth.

Researchers compare the ratio of heavy-to-light hydrogen, a key chemical fingerprint.

The close match suggests multiple common impacts could have seeded oceans and kick-started prebiotic

chemistry. One scientist calls it a strong link between cometary water and ours. This is Nathaniel

Cohen for Neural Newscast. For a worldwide view, we turn to our international team.

The U.S. Treasury moves to sanction a cartel-linked network engaged in violent timeshare fraud targeting

Americans in Puerto Vallarta.

Here's Monica Kellan with more.

The U.S. Treasury Department sanctions a criminal network tied to a brutally violent

cartel for timeshare fraud.

Officials say the scheme targets Americans in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and nets hundreds

of millions of dollars.

The action freezes U.S. assets, blocks transactions, and warns travelers.

Treasury urges victims to report scams.

The move signals stepped up pressure on cartel finances and aims to disrupt cross-border

fraud operations.

This is Monica Kellan for Neural Newscast.

Here's today's entertainment news.

South Park is pausing another week despite record ratings amid renewed controversy and fan

anticipation for its return. Here's Lydia Holmes with more.

South Park hits record ratings, then hits pause. The show skips this week's episode,

extending its brief break in season 27. The hold comes amid fresh blowback from recent

installments lampooning Christy Noem, J.D. Vance and I.C. Barbie. Fans now circle next

Wednesday for the return.

One teased, unaired scene reportedly goes even harder on Noem.

The message from Cartman's crew.

We'll be back and louder.

This is Lydia Holmes for Neural Newscast.

Bringing you the next story in our lineup.

That wraps our headlines for this hour.

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