Tech

Audi’s new AUDI E5 Sportback received 10,153 orders within 30 minutes of its China launch, showing how German brands are adapting to win Chinese hearts. This isn’t regular Audi - it’s spelled “AUDI” in capitals without the four rings logo, created specifically for Chinese customers through partnership with local company SAIC. The strategy blends “German engineering with China’s cutting-edge technology and digital ecosystem”. Key features include a massive 59-inch dashboard screen, 480-mile range , and pricing starting at just $32,800. The electric fastback represents Audi’s bold move to create China-only products that match local preferences.

NASA selected Blue Origin to deliver its VIPER rover to the moon’s south pole in late 2027, rescuing a mission that was canceled in 2024 due to ballooning costs. VIPER stands for “Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover” and will hunt for water ice deposits over 100 days on the lunar surface. About the size of a golf cart, the rover will drill into permanently shadowed craters to map precious resources that could become drinking water, oxygen, and rocket fuel for future astronauts. Blue Origin’s $190 million contract uses their Blue Moon MK1 lander, giving Jeff Bezos’ company a major NASA endorsement. This resurrection proves that even “dead” space missions can find new life through creative partnerships.

Chinese auto giant BYD’s Yangwang U9 Xtreme broke the world production car speed record, hitting 496.22 km/h at Germany’s ATP Papenburg test track. This electric hypercar dethroned Bugatti’s Chiron Super Sport 300+, which held the crown for five years at 490.4 km/h. The U9X features four electric motors spinning at 30,000 rpm each, producing over 3,000 horsepower from a revolutionary 1,200V architecture. German racing driver Marc Basseng piloted the record run, with only 30 units planned for production. This achievement proves electric powertrains can now outperform the most extreme gasoline supercars.

NVIDIA announced plans to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI as part of a strategic partnership to deploy 10 gigawatts of AI computing power, with the first phase launching in late 2026. This complements OpenAI’s existing $300 billion agreement with Oracle over five years to purchase computing power, part of the broader $500 billion Stargate project. The NVIDIA investment will primarily fund GPU leasing arrangements rather than outright purchases, allowing OpenAI to spread costs while NVIDIA bears more risk. Oracle and SoftBank are expanding Stargate with five new US data center sites, bringing total planned capacity to nearly 7 gigawatts and over $400 billion in investment. These interconnected deals represent massive infrastructure investments, though questions remain about funding sources given OpenAI’s current unprofitability.

Global

President Trump signed an executive action on Friday imposing a $100,000 application fee for new H-1B visas, targeting what his administration calls overuse of the program. The White House later clarified this is a one-time fee for new applications only, not affecting existing visa holders or renewals. This move particularly impacts tech companies like Amazon (14,000+ H-1B holders), Microsoft, Meta, and Google, which heavily rely on skilled workers from India and China. The surprise announcement sparked panic, with companies like Amazon urgently telling employees to return to the US before Sunday’s deadline. Global talent hubs like the UK and Dubai see this as an opportunity to attract skilled workers.

China Eastern Airlines launches the world’s longest “direct” flight on December 4, 2025, connecting Shanghai to Buenos Aires in up to 29 hours with a technical stop in Auckland, New Zealand. The journey spans 12,500 miles - roughly half the Earth’s circumference - using a Boeing 777-300ER flying twice weekly. Passengers must stay aboard during the two-hour Auckland refueling stop, but can stretch their legs briefly. The airline chose an unusual southerly route near Antarctica to save four hours compared to traditional paths. Economy tickets start at $1,538 while business class costs over $5,000, reflecting the marathon journey’s premium nature. This “Air Silk Road” connects Asia-Pacific with South America like never before.

Lake Como, the iconic Italian destination beloved by Hollywood celebrities, suffered severe flooding twice in two days on September 22-23, 2025, after torrential rain hit northern Italy. The historic medieval center of Como was submerged, with water flowing through streets and partially submerging cars in Piazza Cavour and the lakeside promenade. Firefighters used trucks and helicopters to rescue residents stranded in vehicles and evacuate people from homes as floodwaters surged. The extreme weather also caused a massive sinkhole on scenic road SP38. This strikes the heart of a region famous for its Gothic-Renaissance Duomo and celebrity villa retreats.

Economy & Finance

China’s securities regulator has advised domestic brokerages to pause their real-world asset (RWA) tokenization business in Hong Kong, signaling Beijing’s concerns about the booming offshore digital assets market. The China Securities Regulatory Commission issued informal guidance to at least two major brokerages in recent weeks, aimed at strengthening risk management and ensuring legitimate business backing. RWA tokenization converts traditional assets like stocks, bonds, and real estate into digital tokens traded on blockchain platforms. The move contrasts with Hong Kong’s aggressive push to become Asia’s digital finance hub, causing Chinese brokerage shares to drop 2-6% on Tuesday. This follows China’s 2021 cryptocurrency ban and recent restrictions on stablecoin research.

In the shimmering vaults of global finance, gold embarked on an epic ascent in 2025, defying economic storms. Fueled by escalating geopolitical tensions and whispers of U.S. Federal Reserve rate cuts, the precious metal surged relentlessly. Investors, seeking safe haven amid market volatility, poured billions into bullion, driving prices from $2,700 in January to a staggering all-time high of $3,790.82 per ounce on September 23. By September 26, it hovered near $3,781, up over 40% year-to-date. Analysts predict further climbs, as central banks hoard reserves and inflation looms, turning gold into the ultimate treasure in uncertain times.

Nature & Environment

Canadian outdoor brand Arc’teryx partnered with renowned Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang to stage a massive “Rising Dragon” fireworks display on September 20, 2025, at 5,500 meters altitude in Tibet’s Himalayas near Mount Everest. The publicity stunt triggered fierce backlash on Chinese social media, with critics denouncing environmental damage to the pristine ecosystem and cultural disrespect to sacred Tibetan lands. Wildlife protection groups warned the loud noises and smoke could devastate local species like Tibetan antelopes and snow leopards. Both Arc’teryx and Cai issued public apologies by September 21, with local authorities launching an investigation. The controversy sparked boycott calls and highlighted the disconnect between Arc’teryx’s environmental brand image and this destructive marketing stunt.

Science

NASA selected 10 new astronaut candidates on September 22, 2025, from over 8,000 applicants to join the agency’s astronaut corps for future moon and Mars missions. The group includes six women and four men - the first time women outnumbered men in a NASA astronaut class. Notable candidates include Anna Menon, who flew on SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission, and Dr. Lauren Edgar, who worked on Mars exploration rovers for 17 years. The candidates will undergo nearly two years of training before becoming eligible for missions to low Earth orbit, the Moon, and ultimately Mars. Acting Administrator Sean Duffy said one of them could become the first person to set foot on Mars.

Comet 3I/ATLAS, designated C/2025 N1, was discovered on July 1, 2025, by the ATLAS survey in Chile. It is the third confirmed interstellar object, following Oumuamua and Borisov, originating from the direction of Sagittarius on a hyperbolic orbit. Observations show a coma and tail from cometary activity, rich in carbon dioxide, water ice, and other volatiles. Its nucleus is estimated at up to 20 km in diameter, roughly similar to the length of Manhattan. It will reach perihelion on October 29, 2025. Speculation includes potential artificial origins, similar to debates on Oumuamua, though its cometary features suggest natural formation. It may be over 7 billion years old, predating the Solar System, possibly ejected from a protoplanetary disk in the Milky Way’s disk. Scientifically, it provides insights into extrasolar chemistry, planet formation, and galactic dynamics, as a rare probe of interstellar material.

Lifestyle, Entertainment & Culture

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle shattered US anime records with a $70 million opening weekend, demolishing the 26-year-old record held by Pokémon: The First Movie ($31 million). The Japanese film follows demon slayer Tanjiro in the climactic Infinity Castle arc, where he and his allies face their ultimate battle against the demon lord Muzan. This success highlights anime’s growing mainstream acceptance in America, with 42% of Gen Z watching anime weekly. With $555 million globally, the Japanese blockbuster has become the highest-grossing Japanese anime film worldwide, though it ranks behind China’s Ne Zha 2 among animated films overall. The breakthrough proves that Japanese anime can achieve massive theatrical success beyond its traditional fanbase, marking a cultural milestone for the medium.

China’s micro-drama craze is turning stalled real estate projects into lavish film sets, breathing life into vacant buildings across the country. The micro-drama industry exceeded $7.1 billion in 2024, with 660 million viewers nationwide, even surpassing China’s box office revenue for the first time. Empty malls, unfinished Evergrande projects, and idle office buildings are being repurposed as filming locations, with one vacant mall in Xinzheng producing 700 micro-dramas in under a year. Urban romance dramas featuring luxurious settings have proven especially popular, transforming model flats into wealthy heiresses’ bedrooms and empty clubhouses into high-end party venues. Despite this creative reuse, China’s vast property glut remains largely untouched by the entertainment boom.

September 22 marks the autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, when day and night are nearly equal in length worldwide. This astronomical event occurs when the Sun crosses the celestial equator, moving southward, officially beginning fall in the north while spring starts in the Southern Hemisphere. The word “equinox” comes from Latin meaning “equal night.” During this time, the Sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west. For many cultures, this date holds deep significance as a time of balance, harvest celebrations, and preparation for winter. Ancient civilizations built monuments like Stonehenge to mark these precise solar alignments, recognizing the equinox’s importance for agriculture and timekeeping.

Tokyo Game Show’s headline reveal was Microsoft confirming Forza Horizon 6 will be set in Japan and launch in 2026, fulfilling one of fans’ most requested locations. Other major announcements included Ninja Gaiden 4 adding accessibility features, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 showcasing Japan-themed maps, and a complete Gungrave Gore remake in Unreal Engine 5. Horror fans got Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly remake coming early 2026. Square Enix revealed underwater content for Dragon Quest remakes, while Sega teased New Virtua Fighter updates. The show emphasized cross-platform gaming and Microsoft’s new ROG Ally Xbox handheld.

Sports

Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé won the 2025 Men’s Ballon d’Or on September 22, becoming the first French player to claim the prize while wearing PSG colors. The 28-year-old forward led PSG to a historic quadruple, including their first-ever Champions League title, scoring 37 goals and providing 15 assists across all competitions. Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmatíwon her third consecutive Women’s Ballon d’Or, while teammate Lamine Yamalclaimed his second Kopa Trophy as best young player. Other winners included England coach Sarina Wiegman (women’s coaching award), Luis Enrique (men’s coaching award), and goalkeepers Hannah Hampton and Gianluigi Donnarumma. PSG was also named Men’s Club of the Year for their unprecedented European success.

Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel delivered a stunning performance to win his third consecutive world time trial title in Kigali, Rwanda, while pre-race favorite Tadej Pogačar suffered a crushing defeat. The Slovenian star struggled from the opening checkpoints on the challenging 41.8km course, losing time at each split before being dramatically caught by Evenepoel on the final climb. Pogačar finished over 2:30 behind the winner and missed the podium by just one second, calling it “a hard one to swallow”. The hilly parcours featuring cobbled climbs and high altitude proved decisive as Evenepoel’s time trial prowess shone through. The upset sets up an intriguing rivalry ahead of next week’s road race where Pogačar seeks redemption.

English superstar Harry Kane has had an extraordinary start to the 2025/26 Bundesliga season, scoring 10 goals in just five matches and recently reaching 100 goals for Bayern Munich in a record-breaking 104 games. This milestone broke a European record previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland, who needed 105 games to reach 100 club goals. The English striker has won back-to-back Bundesliga top scorer awards, netting 36 goals in his debut season and 26 in 2024/25, becoming the first player to win the Torjägerkanone in his first two German seasons. Kane’s impact goes beyond goals - he’s shown incredible efficiency with a 72.7% shot accuracy and averages a goal every 79 minutes, faster than any player in Bundesliga history. His arrival has transformed Bayern, helping them reclaim the title and achieve his first senior team trophy.

This Day in History

On September 27, 1908, automotive history was made when the first Ford Model T rolled off the assembly line at the Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit, Michigan. Henry Ford’s revolutionary “Tin Lizzie” was designed to be affordable, reliable, and simple enough for ordinary Americans to own and maintain. Priced at $825, the Model T featured a 20-horsepower, four-cylinder engine and could reach speeds of 40-45 mph. Ford’s vision was to create “a motor car for the great multitude,” democratizing transportation that had previously been a luxury for the wealthy. The Model T’s durability, ease of repair, and mass production techniques would transform it into the world’s first truly popular automobile, eventually selling over 15 million units and fundamentally changing American society, culture, and the global economy.

Art of the Week

Cadillac Ranch is a renowned public art installation located west of Amarillo, Texas, along historic Route 66. Created in 1974 by artists Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez, and Doug Michels of the Ant Farm collective, it features ten Cadillac automobiles, models from 1949 to 1963, half-buried nose-first in the ground at an angle mirroring the Great Pyramid of Giza. Commissioned by eccentric millionaire Stanley Marsh, the sculpture pays homage to the evolution of the Cadillac tailfin and American car culture. Relocated in 1997 to accommodate urban growth, it remains an interactive site where visitors are encouraged to spray-paint the cars, resulting in ever-changing, vibrant graffiti layers. This landmark attracts tourists worldwide, symbolizing pop art and roadside Americana.

Funny

- by Ali Solomon, New Yorker

Previous Issues

September 20, 2025, All You Need Is Another AI Research Report

September 13, 2025, Good Old Apple Strikes Back

July 06, 2025, While Young Talents Trailblaze AI Frontier, Legendary Icons Write New Chapters

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Last modified on 2025-09-27