Global Headlines and Breaking Stories

This is NNC, Neural Newscast. From our digital news hub, this is Andrew Lindbeck. Now, let's share the latest from abroad. A deadly funicular crash in Lisbon kills 16 and prompts urgent safety and cable investigations. Monica Kellan is here with more details. Rescuers pull a three-year-old boy alive from a funicular crash in Portugal that kills 16. More than 20 people suffer injuries, many of them foreign nationals. The crash shocks the country and triggers a major emergency response. Officials seal off the site and begin a formal investigation. Authorities say it is too early to determine the cause. Families search hospitals for loved ones as consular teams assist tourists. Leaders promise accountability and safety reviews to prevent another tragedy. We will find answers, a senior civil protection official says. Investigators in Lisbon focus on a broken cable and maintenance records after the finicular disaster. Russian President Vladimir Putin warns Ukraine to accept talks or face military force, raising tensions. I'm joined by Daniel Grove. Russian President Vladimir Putin warns Ukraine to accept talks or face a military end to the war. Putin says Russia will achieve its objectives by force if Kiev refuses a deal. He calls a comprehensive settlement practically impossible, but signals readiness for negotiations on Russia's terms. Kiev rejects concessions, insisting on full territorial restoration. The remarks come as fighting intensifies along the front and as Western aid flows to Ukraine. Some U.S. lawmakers urge President Volodymyr Zelensky to maintain a firm stance, underscoring hardening positions on both sides. U.S. immigration agents detain South Korean workers at a Hyundai EV construction site near Savannah, prompting Seoul's protest. Samuel Green reports on this story. U.S. immigration agents detain South Korean workers during a raid at Hande's electric vehicle plant site in Georgia. The operation triggers a sharp response from Seoul, which calls it a rights infringement. South Korea's foreign ministry demands details on how many people are held and on what grounds. Hyundai is building a multi-billion dollar EV and battery facility near Savannah, slated to open soon. The site relies on international contractors and specialized labor. Analysts say the incident could strain Udastat, South Korea ties on trade and clean energy. Seoul urges swift and fair treatment for its citizens. A U.S. plan aims to disrupt transnational criminal networks through sanctions and joint operations. Here's Thomas Golding with more. The U.S. signals a tougher stance on transnational crime. During a visit to Ecuador, Secretary of State Antony Blinken unveils new measures aimed at foreign criminal gangs. He says the United States will target networks that traffic drugs, weapons, and people across borders. The plan includes expanded sanctions, intelligence sharing, and joint operations with regional partners. Blinken frames the effort as protecting communities from cartel violence and corruption. He adds, we will disrupt these groups wherever they operate, underscoring closer cooperation with Ecuadorian authorities, Israel advances a settlement plan in the West Bank, a move critics say complicates a two-state solution. Cassandra Joyce is here with more details. Israel advances a new settlement plan in the occupied West Bank, drawing fresh scrutiny and concern. Former Israeli peace negotiator Daniel Levy says the move hardens realities on the ground and complicates any future two-state deal. He argues it deepens Palestinian displacement risks and fuels regional tensions. The plan expands Jewish housing across key corridors, entrenching Israeli control and fragmenting Palestinian areas. International partners warn it undermines diplomacy and violates obligations. Levy urges a halt, saying this trajectory forecloses choices and calls for renewed political engagement. This is Cassandra Joyce for Neural Newscast. From the Economy Desk, here's what's new. Federal Reserve officials' signal rate cuts are coming. A weak jobs report could push larger easing. Ethan Wells is here with more details. The Federal Reserve is poised to start cutting interest rates at its upcoming meeting. Policymakers say the size and speed of those cuts hinge on the labor market. A weak jobs report would strengthen the case for a larger move. Slower hiring and cooler wage gains point to easing inflation pressures. Investors now price in multiple cuts by year-end if job growth continues to fade. Lower rates would reduce borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans, and businesses. But the Fed aims to avoid reigniting inflation while sustaining growth. Northern Ireland energy customers face mixed bill changes as companies adjust gas and electricity tariffs. Cassandra Joyce reports on this story. Energy bills move in opposite directions for many Northern Ireland households. SSE electricity cuts gas tariffs by just over 8% in some areas, easing winter costs. At the same time, PowerNeeve raises electricity prices by 4% for all customers. The shift reflects lower wholesale gas costs, but persistent electricity pressures. Families using both services may see modest net savings while all-electric homes face higher bills. Consumers should review direct debits and check eligibility for support schemes before the new rates take effect. Stay tuned to NNC for unbiased daily news summaries. Subscribe and explore our archives at nnewscast.com. This is Neural Newscast. The latest from the world of innovation. OpenAI unveils a jobs platform and an AI certification program to speed hiring and verify skills. Kara Swift reports on this story. OpenAI plans a new AI-powered jobs platform to match AI-savvy workers with employers. The company also readies an AI certification program to verify skills. Partners include Walmart, John Deere, Boston Consulting Group, and Indeed. The goal is simple. Speed hiring and cut guesswork. candidates prove proficiency with standardized tests. Employers search by concrete skills, not buzzwords. This could widen access to AI roles beyond tech hubs and elite schools while helping companies fill thousands of data, automation, and support jobs faster. Scholars debate how artificial intelligence could reshape college teaching and credentialing. Turning to Michael Torres for details. A Princeton professor says artificial intelligence could upend college as we know it. Historian D. Graham Burnett argues AI tutors scale one-on-one coaching to millions 24-7. Courses shift from lectures to personalized practice, instant feedback, and adaptive tests. Degrees matter less. Verified skills and portfolios matter more. Schools respond with smaller seminars, project studios, and tighter human mentorship. The question now, who sets the standards and who gets access? Now, let's share the latest in health. Former President Joe Biden has surgery to remove a skin cancer lesion and is expected to recover. Laura Navarro joins us with the latest. Former President Joe Biden undergo surgery to remove a skin cancer lesion on his head. Doctors act after a visible wound appears on the right side in recent days. Skin cancer is common and treatable when caught early, especially in older adults. Biden 81 is expected to recover and resume normal activities soon. Dermatologists urge regular skin checks, sun protection, and prompt care for new or changing spots. Early detection saves lives, a treating physician says, emphasizing follow-up and family support during recovery. Doctors welcome U.S. support for a long-acting HIV prevention drug that health officials say could reshape prevention strategies. From the Environment Desk, here's what's new. Music Fiber optics sensing on Greenland's seafloor reveals how meltwater and ocean mixing accelerate glacier loss. New research links fine particle air pollution to toxic brain protein clumps tied to dementia risk. Cities are using rivers and lakes to cool buildings, cutting energy use but facing limits as waters warm. Here's Amelia Richardson with more. Cities tap rivers and lakes to cool buildings by running water through pipes and heat exchangers. These systems move excess heat from offices and apartments into nearby waterways, cutting electricity use and peak demand. Engineers call it free cooling and pair it with heat pumps for efficiency, but warming trends shrink the advantage. Hotter summers raise water temperatures, reducing capacity and forcing operators to add backup chillers or limit loads. This is Amelia Richardson for Neural Newscast. Now, let's check in on sports. Sports NFL Week 1 previews highlight marquee matchups and betting lines to watch this weekend. Thomas Golding has more on this. Week 1 of the NFL season delivers marquee matchups and tight betting lines. The Packers face the Lions in a divisional showdown, while Josh Allen and the Bills visit Lamar Jackson's Ravens in a potential playoff preview. Betters' eye points spreads and totals as rosters reset after preseason. Early lines favor home teams by narrow margins, but quarterback play likely decides outcomes. One odds maker says turnover swing week one. For an entertainment update, here's what's new. And a look at cultural trends. A. I could reshape higher education and credentialing models. Here's another story we're following. Those are today's top stories. For in-depth coverage, visit NeuralNewscast.com and subscribe to our podcast. You've been listening to Neural Newscast, AI-powered, human-reviewed. 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