Bin Laden TikTok trend, medical debt relief, and a $1b bust.

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Saturday’s Quick Hits

9/11 families call out TikTok over Osama bin Laden trend

A 9/11 families group called out TikTok after a letter by Osama bin Laden has gone viral on the platform.

• Catch Up: Bin Laden published a letter in 2002 named “Letter to America” that attempted to justify the killing and targeting of American civilians.

• What’s happening: Videos are circulating social media showing support for the late al Qaeda leader’s argument and are encouraging others to read the letter in light of the U.S.’s support of Israel in their war against the extremist Palestinian group Hamas.

• TikTok said the letter clearly violates their rules about supporting any form of terrorism and are aggressively removing the content while investigating how it got onto the platform.

Bengals QB Joe Burrow out for the season

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow won’t play again this season due to a torn ligament in his right wrist.

• What happened: Burrow said he felt a pop in the second quarter of the Bengals’ 34-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday. He wanted to tape it and “give it a go” but said he “just couldn’t.”

• Outlook: Burrow will probably need surgery to fix the torn ligament and the Bengals will use backup quarterback Jake Browning for the rest of the season.

• Trending: Burrow is the second AFC quarterback to have a season-ending injury this week. Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson will also sit out in 2023 after fracturing his throwing shoulder Sunday - while also playing the Ravens.

Cadillac reveals its new entry-level EV

Cadillac introduced its new compact-sized crossover elective vehicle called Optiq.

• Details: The car vehicle will be GM’s fourth EV and be priced below the current entry-level Lyriq midsize crossover EV, which starts around $59,000. Cadillac didn’t reveal exact pricing for the 2025 Optiq, which is expected to go on sale in the U.S. early next year.

• $$$: Cadillac’s other EV options start at $130,000 and $300,000 respectively, continuing the trend of ultra-expensive electric car options.

• Flashback: Remember in 2010 when entry-level cars were under $20,000?

Mexico committed to cracking down on fentanyl

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador promised to stop fentanyl and the ingredients used in the lethal drug from passing through his country and into the U.S.

• Details: López Obrador and President Biden discussed the issue at a meeting in San Francisco on Friday. Both leaders stressed the importance of cooperating to stop the flow of the drug into the U.S.

• By the numbers: Fentanyl-related overdose deaths in the U.S. almost quadrupled between 2016 and 2021.

• Teaming up: Mexico will join the U.S. and China in the worldwide fight against fentanyl. Chinese leader Xi Jinping and President Biden agreed earlier this week to crack down on Chinese companies that produce the chemical ingredients that can be used to make the drug.

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI fires CEO Sam Altman

OpenAi board fired CEO Sam Altman for not being “consistently candid in his communication with the board.”

• Altman co-founded OpenAI in 2015 and has served as the CEO since 2019. The company launched ChatGPT a year ago and are largely responsible for the recent artificial intelligence boom.

• Multiple exits: OpenAI president and board chairman Greg Brockman announced Friday that he was quitting the firm after the news broke that Altman was fired.

• What’s next: Microsoft has invested heavily into the company and plans to continue the partnership while OpenAI reshuffles its leadership core.

Weekly Dose of Positive

Determined dog leads owner to a cat stuck in a 100-foot mine shaft for 6 days

A dog named Daisy led her owner to a mineshaft in the U.K. where a cat, Mowgli, had been stuck for six days. Daisy's persistent behavior near the old mine alerted her owner, who discovered Mowgli 100 feet down the mineshaft. Unable to rescue Mowgli in the dark, Rose called for help the next morning and animal rescuers successfully retrieved the uninjured cat. (More)

Woman buys off strangers’ medical debit in her final farewell

Casey McIntyre passed away at 38 from stage four ovarian cancer. Expressing love for her family and friends on a social media post, she said her final wish was to erase others' medical debt. The fundraiser exceeded its $20,000 goal, reaching almost $28,000. A memorial service and a "debt jubilee" in Casey’s honor will take place in December where attendees will anonymously purchase and forgive medical debt. (More)

Wave-powered desalination system produces 13,000 gallons of drinking water a day from each buoy

Canadian startup Oneka is shaking up the desalination industry by using ocean energy to turn seawater into drinking water. Unlike traditional desalination plants that use fossil fuels, Oneka's machines capture wave energy for reverse osmosis and produce 13,000 gallons of clean water daily. This eco-friendly approach addresses the environmental impact of brine discharge, making it a space-efficient and sustainable solution. (More)

Florida Army veteran helps take down carjacking suspect

Army veteran Shane Spicer intervened at a Florida Starbucks when he witnessed a convicted criminal attempting to carjack a pregnant woman. Bodycam footage shows Spicer restraining the man while police rush in to make the arrest. The pregnant woman was unharmed and has reached out to thank Spicer. (More)

Bonus Material

This 47-year-old pays $1,900/month to live on a sailboat and travel the world.

A family discovers their living room painting is a lost masterpiece worth millions.

Why there’s no such thing as a “good college.”

A $1 billion counterfeit luxury goods ring was busted in NYC.