Flight Delays, Conversion Therapy Case, & Drive-thru Report Cards

News without the noise

Adam Rogers
October 08, 2025

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Flight delays continued for a second day on Tuesday as air traffic controllers worked without pay during the government shutdown. Delays hit airports in Boston, Philadelphia, Nashville, Houston, Chicago, and Las Vegas on Tuesday, adding to Monday's disruptions at Denver, Phoenix, Burbank, and Newark. More than 6,000 flights were delayed on Monday and 3,000 on Tuesday as controllers called in sick.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA will reduce flights if sick calls continue, prioritizing safety. Controllers are working six-day weeks while worrying about bills and considering second jobs. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association warned 'We do not have the luxury of time' and demanded Congress end the shutdown.
The shutdown began last Monday after Senate Republicans and Democrats hit an impasse over funding. Republicans have a slight majority but need 60 out of 100 votes to pass a bill. Democrats demand healthcare concessions while Republicans refuse to negotiate until funding is restored.

The Supreme Court's conservative majority appeared ready to strike down state bans on conversion therapy for minors during arguments Tuesday. Justice Samuel Alito called Colorado's law 'blatant viewpoint discrimination,' questioning why states allow counselors to affirm LGBTQ kids but bar counseling for those seeking to change their orientation or identity.
Christian counselor Kaley Chiles argued the law violates her First Amendment rights to offer voluntary faith-based therapy. Colorado countered that the law regulates discredited health practices linked to serious harm, not speech. The state says therapists can discuss sexuality but cannot perform treatment aimed at changing a minor's orientation.
Linda Robertson testified that her son Ryan died at age 20 after conversion therapy led to depression and suicide attempts following his coming out at age 12. A ruling for Chiles could invalidate similar bans in about half of the US states.

Scientists revived microbes trapped in Arctic permafrost for up to 40,000 years by warming frozen soil samples to summer temperatures. The microbes took several months to wake up, but eventually formed thriving colonies that break down organic matter and release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The findings reveal risks as permafrost thaws from climate change. Permafrost underlies nearly a quarter of the northern hemisphere’s land and stores massive amounts of carbon. As it thaws, awakening microbes convert organic matter into greenhouse gases, creating a feedback loop that accelerates warming.
The study found microbes didn't wake faster at higher temperatures, suggesting extended warm seasons matter more than brief heat spells. Colonies needed about six months of warmth to become active enough to emit large volumes of greenhouse gases.

Leaked violent texts from Virginia Democrat Jay Jones have upended the governor’s race, with Republican Winsome Earle-Sears attacking Abigail Spanberger’s support for Jones as polls tighten before November’s election. (More)

Attorney General Pam Bondi stonewalled Senate Democrats questioning her about indicting ex-FBI chief James Comey and other Trump critics during Tuesday’s congressional hearing. (More)

Texas National Guard troops landed in Chicago under Trump's orders despite Governor Pritzker's lawsuit blocking the deployment. (More)

Israel marked two years since Hamas' attack that killed 1,200 people as indirect peace talks continued in Egypt. Polls show 70% of Israelis now want the war ended in exchange for hostage releases. (More)

Rescuers ended the search at a collapsed Islamic boarding school in Indonesia that killed 67 people, mostly teenage boys, at afternoon prayer, after finding all 171 victims, with 104 survivors. (More)

Canada’s Marineland warned it might have to euthanize 30 captive belugas without emergency funding, but the government refused, saying the shuttered park should have planned better for their care. (More)

US stock markets closed lower on Tuesday (S&P -0.38%, Nasdaq -0.67%, Dow -0.20%). The S&P snapped a 7-day winning streak, bogged down by a drop in Oracle shares. (More)

Tesla launched cheaper versions of its Model Y and Model 3 cars, priced under $40,000 and $35,000, with fewer features to boost slumping sales amid anti-Musk boycotts and expired tax credits. (More)

Gold topped $4,000 per ounce Tuesday for the first time, soaring 50% this year as central banks and investors seek safety from weak currency, Trump tariffs, and stubborn inflation. (More)

Arizona Cardinals fined coach Jonathan Gannon $100,000 for confronting running back Emari Demercado on the sideline after he dropped the ball before crossing the goal line, costing Arizona a crucial touchdown in their loss. (More)

The UFC suspended Conor McGregor for 18 months because he missed three drug tests in 2024. He'll be eligible to fight by March 2026. (More)

The Bengals traded for Joe Flacco from division rival Cleveland after backup quarterback Jake Browning struggled filling in for injured Joe Burrow. (More)

Buildings like Norton Audubon Hospital are installing ice batteries that freeze water overnight when power is cheap, then melt it to provide air conditioning, slashing energy bills and grid demand. (More)

Three physicists won the Nobel Prize for 1980s research showing how quantum mechanics works at human scale, enabling today's quantum computers and ultra-sensitive medical sensors like MRIs. (More)

Breathing sulfur dioxide from coal and oil burning was linked to 23% higher ALS rates in a Canadian study, even where air met safety standards. (More)

How a man stole thousands of butterflies from museums.

Universities producing the most billionaires.

Photos from Thailand’s water buffalo festival.

Taco Bell tops the speed rankings in drive-thru report cards.

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