Trump DOJ to Investigate Reid Hoffman?

Global payments system revolution

Reid Hoffman probed next?

“Charlie Kirk Effect”

The ledger will use smart contracts to record, sequence, and validate transactions in real time, enhancing efficiency and security.

The system targets 24/7 instant cross-border transactions, reducing delays that currently span days.

SWIFT plans to make its network compatible with stablecoins and tokenized bank deposits.

Collaborators include JPMorgan, HSBC, Deutsche Bank, MUFG, BNP Paribas, Santander, OCBC, and banks from the Middle East and Africa.

⭐ Editor’s Pick: Trump warned of mass permanent firings of federal workers in the event of a government shutdown. (NBC)

The Trump administration is exploring tariffs on electronic devices calibrated to the proportion of foreign-made chips they contain. (YON)

Trump escalated his feud with the Federal Reserve by posting an AI-generated cartoon on Truth Social depicting him firing Jerome Powell. (CNBC)

China's manufacturing activity is projected to contract for a sixth straight month in September. (INV)

⭐ Editor’s Pick: Nexstar ended its boycotts of Jimmy Kimmel Live! after the network preempted the show in response to the host's controversial remarks on the assassination of Charlie Kirk. (DL)

Trump demanded that Microsoft dismiss its global affairs chief, Lisa Monaco, a former DOJ official and proponent of the Russian collusion investigation.

Electronic Arts is exploring a potential $50 billion buyout to go private. (WSJ)

PepsiCo is capitalizing on the surging popularity of "dirty sodas," by planning to launch products like Dirty Dew and Mug Floats Vanilla Howler. (CNBC)

Volvo plans to start producing its best-selling XC60 SUV at its South Carolina factory next year to ramp up U.S. manufacturing. (RTS)

⭐ Editor’s Pick: A $1 billion deal between U.S.-based Commonwealth Fusion Systems and Italy's Eni to deliver commercial fusion electricity signals the dawn of a transformative energy era. (ABC)

The Department of Energy has expanded its list of prohibited terms to include "climate change" in communications from its Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. (POL)

Gold prices soared to a record high near $3,800 per ounce, fueled by safe-haven buying amid escalating risks of a U.S. government shutdown. (INV)

BP approved a $5 billion offshore drilling project in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico to develop the Tiber and Guadalupe fields. (RTS)

⭐ Editor’s Pick: Crypto exchange Kraken is in talks to secure a major investor at a $20 billion valuation as it prepares for a potential initial public offering. (TB)

European banks are increasingly exploring the issuance of euro-backed stablecoins to compete in the global digital currency race. (RTS)

Crypto.com received approval from the CFTC for derivatives licenses in the U.S. for margined derivatives. (CN)

ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood compared Hyperliquid to Solana’s early-stage promise. (CT)

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During a gaggle with reporters last week, Trump cited Hoffman alongside George Soros as "radical left" figures "I keep hearing" about for allegedly funding agitators and anarchists behind political violence.

Trump signed a memorandum directing the Justice Department to investigate and dismantle "domestic terrorism networks," explicitly aiming at funders of groups tied to violent protests.

Hoffman donated tens of millions to Democrat causes and privately funded lawsuits against Trump, including the E. Jean Carroll case.

Investigations could also encompass Soros's Open Society Foundations and other nonprofits accused of supporting leftwing extremism.

⭐ Editor’s Pick: Stanford researchers have harnessed artificial intelligence to design 16 functional viral genomes from scratch, successfully synthesizing and testing them in the lab. (DEC)

Tilly Norwood, the first AI-generated actress in Hollywood created by AI studio Xicoia, debuted in a short comedy skit titled "The AI Inspector." (JF)

DeepSeek launched DeepSeek-V3.2-Exp, an experimental model boasting enhanced training efficiency and superior long-text processing capabilities. (INV)

OpenAI rolled out parental controls for ChatGPT, enabling guardians to restrict teenage usage, in response to a lawsuit alleging the tool's role in a teenager's suicide. (BBG)

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said artificial intelligence will fundamentally transform every job at the retail giant, projecting a flat head count over the next three years. (WSJ)

⭐ Editor’s Pick: Caltech unveiled the world's largest neutral-atom quantum computer, with 99.98% operational accuracy and 13 seconds of coherence. (DEC)

Meta is exploring a push into AI-powered humanoid robots, potentially intensifying its rivalry with Tesla. (WSJ)

Carnegie Mellon researchers created tiny robots called AggreBots from human lung cells, which could one day deliver medicine inside the body. (PHYS)

Designers unveiled a robot spider capable of constructing an entire house in a single day. (ABC)

⭐ Editor’s Pick: China's Ministry of State Security has evolved into a cyber powerhouse, leveraging advanced hacking operations and a sprawling network of private tech firms to conduct unprecedented global espionage. (NYT)

The Pentagon's ambitious Replicator program to deploy thousands of AI-enabled drones for countering China's military edge is encountering significant delays. (WSJ)

The Pentagon seeks to at least double U.S. missile production rates amid fears of depleted weapon stockpiles in a potential conflict with China. (WSJ)

The U.S. Air Force's experimental AI system has demonstrated the ability to generate attack plans 400 times faster than humans. (BD)

⭐ Editor’s Pick: Matt Miller, a former Sequoia partner, has launched Evantic Capital with more than $400 million in commitments. (BBG)

Neptune Robotics, a maker of AI-driven underwater robots for hull cleaning, has secured $52 million in Series B funding led by Granite Asia. (DSA)

Paid, a startup enabling AI agent providers to monetize services and track costs, raised a $21.6 million seed round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners at a valuation exceeding $100 million. (TC)

EdSights, a higher education software provider focused on curbing college dropout rates, has secured an $80 million growth investment from JMI Equity. (AX)

Pastors like Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills report young Americans asking profound questions about life's meaning, while Matt Zerrusen of Newman Ministry notes 15% increases in campus Mass attendance across over 200 U.S. ministries.

Through August, Bible sales hit 10 million copies, a one-million-unit rise from the prior year, coinciding with Kirk's death.

Platforms like X and TikTok are flooded with posts from users vowing to attend church for the first time or return after years away, crediting Kirk's influence.

Evangelical churches in states like California, Colorado, and Wyoming saw up to 30% attendance spikes, with some reporting record conversions, likened to a "9/11-type effect" awakening spiritual searching.

⭐ Editor’s Pick: Telegram founder Pavel Durov accused French intelligence of pressuring him to censor opposition channels on the platform ahead of Moldova's parliamentary election. (TRT)

Ian Andre Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines' school district, was arrested by ICE for illegal U.S. presence after a car chase revealed cash, a knife, and a loaded pistol. (CF)

The European Union will mandate biometric scans and electronic records for U.S. travelers beginning October 12. (RTN)

The Obama Foundation contributed just $1 million to a reserve fund for the Obama Presidential Center, fueling concerns that local taxpayers could bear hundreds of millions in potential liabilities. (FOX)