Thursday, April 2, 2026
32 stories
WGA West Internal Conflict: Staff Strike Exposes Writer Frustrations
Three years after the 2023 writers' strike, the WGA West is now dealing with internal turmoil as its own staff has gone on strike. The ironic reversal has exposed growing frustrations among guild members about the organization's leadership.
↗DeadlinePritzker Architecture Prize 2026 Goes to Chile's Smiljan Radić
Chilean architect Smiljan Radić has won the 2026 Pritzker Prize, architecture's equivalent of the Nobel. Known for his experimental and poetic approach, Radić becomes the second Chilean to receive the prestigious award.
↗CNNXO, Kitty Returns to Netflix for a New Season
The To All the Boys spinoff XO, Kitty drops its latest season on Netflix today, April 2. The rom-com series follows Kitty Song Covey's adventures at a Korean boarding school.
↗Hollywood ReporterDisney+ April Lineup: Daredevil Born Again S2 and Spider-Man: No Way Home
Disney+ is stacking its April 2026 lineup with major Marvel content including Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and the new animated series Meet Iron Man and His Awesome Friends.
↗NewsweekTrump Reveals Presidential Library Plans: Miami Skyscraper with Gold Statue
Donald Trump shared renderings of his planned presidential library — a Miami skyscraper featuring Air Force One and a giant gold statue of himself. The unconventional design has sparked widespread reactions online.
↗DeadlineGM and Toyota Report Lower Q1 Sales Amid Affordability Concerns
Top automakers General Motors and Toyota both reported lower first-quarter sales in the US, citing ongoing affordability pressures. Winter storms and the economic impact of the Middle East conflict have further clouded the industry outlook.
↗ReutersLucid Gravity Wins 2026 World Luxury Car of the Year
The Lucid Gravity electric SUV has been named 2026 World Luxury Car of the Year. The vehicle will be displayed at the New York International Auto Show from April 3-12 and is available to order now.
↗Investing.com2026 New York International Auto Show Opens to Public This Week
The 2026 New York International Auto Show opens to the public April 3-12 in Manhattan. Hyundai has teased a 'major world debut' and several automakers are expected to showcase new EV models.
↗Driving.caMercedes-Benz Investing $4 Billion in Alabama Plant for SUV Production
Mercedes-Benz announced a $4 billion investment at its Alabama plant through 2030 to boost SUV production, seeking to address significant US auto tariffs and strengthen its domestic manufacturing base.
↗ReutersNTSB Criticizes Ford BlueCruise After Two Fatal Collisions
The NTSB criticized Ford's hands-free BlueCruise driver assistance system for failing to ensure drivers were not distracted before two fatal collisions in the US. The safety board raised concerns about oversight gaps in the technology.
↗ReutersHopes Dim for Swift End to Iran War After Trump Speech
Hopes for a swift end to the Middle East war faded after President Trump vowed more aggressive strikes on Iran, sending oil prices sharply higher. The speech drew a partisan divide, with Democrats criticizing the lack of an exit plan.
↗ReutersUK to Host Talks with 35 Countries on Reopening Strait of Hormuz
The UK announced it will host talks with 35 countries on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping route disrupted by the ongoing Iran conflict. The closure has contributed to surging global energy prices.
↗ReutersGoldman, Citi Tell Paris Staff to Work Remotely After Foiled Bank Bomb Attack
Goldman Sachs and Citigroup told Paris staff they could work remotely Thursday following a foiled bomb attack on Bank of America's Paris offices last Saturday. Security concerns are rising across European financial centers.
↗ReutersPope Leo Emerges as Pointed Trump Critic
Pope Leo, the first American pope, has emerged as an outspoken critic of President Trump's policies, marking a notable shift in Vatican-US relations. His public remarks have drawn both praise and pushback from American political figures.
↗ReutersLibya's Haftar Acquires Combat Drones Despite UN Embargo
Libya's General Haftar has acquired combat drones in defiance of a UN arms embargo, according to a new Reuters report. The acquisition raises concerns about further destabilization in the already fractured North African nation.
↗ReutersRound Rock Express Open 2026 Home Season
Baseball is back in Central Texas as the Round Rock Express step up to the plate for their 2026 home opener. New team manager Kyle Moore leads the franchise into an exciting new season at Dell Diamond.
↗CBS AustinStatewide Emergency Alert Drill Today — What to Expect in Austin
Texas is conducting a statewide emergency alert drill today, April 2, testing local systems' effectiveness in alerting residents about disasters and emergencies. Austin-area residents should expect test alerts on their phones and TV screens.
↗KXANTrump Addresses Nation on Iran War — Says Conflict 'Nearing Completion'
President Trump addressed the nation from the White House, claiming the Iran war is 'nearing completion' and promising to bomb Iran into the 'Stone Ages.' Democrats criticized the speech for shifting timelines and lacking a clear exit strategy.
↗CNNSenate and House Republicans Strike Deal to End Record DHS Shutdown
Senate and House Republicans reached a deal to end the record-long Department of Homeland Security shutdown. The Senate passed a partial funding bill and sent it to the House for a vote, with top Democrats claiming 'House Republicans caved.'
↗The New York TimesSupreme Court Takes Up Birthright Citizenship Fight
The Supreme Court is weighing in on Trump's birthright citizenship challenge, with five key words fueling the legal battle. The case could have far-reaching implications for immigration policy and constitutional interpretation.
↗AxiosFederal Judge Halts Construction on Trump White House Ballroom
A federal judge halted construction on Trump's controversial White House ballroom project. Congressional Republicans have shown little urgency to authorize the project, and Trump is now framing it as a security measure.
↗The Daily BeastHouse Republicans Call Defense Secretary to Testify on Iran War
After weeks of resisting calls for public hearings, House Republicans have called the Secretary of Defense to testify at a budget hearing in late April — the first time since attacks on Iran began.
↗The New York TimesNASA Launches Artemis II — First Crewed Moon Mission in 50+ Years
NASA launched four astronauts on Artemis II, the first crewed mission to fly around the Moon in over half a century. The Orion spacecraft is on a 10-day journey aboard the SLS rocket, marking America's boldest step toward returning humans to the lunar surface.
↗Reuters12,000-Year-Old Native American Dice Discovered
Archaeologists have found that Native American hunter-gatherers were making and using bone dice more than 12,000 years ago — thousands of years before similar tools appeared elsewhere. The 'binary lots' acted like primitive coins for generating random outcomes.
↗ScienceDailyFusion Scientists Solve Long-Standing Tokamak Plasma Mystery
Fusion researchers have solved a decades-old mystery about why escaping plasma particles hit one side of the tokamak exhaust system far more than the other. The breakthrough could help engineers design more efficient fusion reactors.
↗ScienceDaily500-Million-Year-Old Clawed Predator Reshapes Spider and Horseshoe Crab Evolution
A newly discovered 500-million-year-old fossil named Megachelicerax cousteaui is redefining how scientists understand the evolution of spiders and horseshoe crabs. The Cambrian-era predator reveals new details about early chelicerate diversification.
↗NatureSleeping Sickness Parasite's Stealth Protein Discovered
Scientists discovered a protein called ESB2 that allows the deadly sleeping sickness parasite to hide from the human immune system with surprising precision. The finding could open new pathways for treating the disease.
↗ScienceDailySpaceX Lines Up 21 Banks for Mega IPO, Code-Named 'Project Apex'
SpaceX has enlisted 21 major banks to prepare for what could be one of the largest tech IPOs in history. The offering, internally code-named Project Apex, signals Elon Musk's rocket company is moving closer to a public market debut.
↗ReutersChinese Chipmakers Claim Nearly Half of Local Market as Nvidia's Lead Shrinks
Chinese semiconductor companies have captured close to half of their domestic market, eating into Nvidia's once-dominant position. The shift reflects China's aggressive push for chip self-sufficiency amid ongoing US export controls.
↗ReutersGoogle TurboQuant Slashes LLM Memory Requirements by 6x
Google announced TurboQuant technology that reduces the memory needed to run large language models by at least six times, cutting training costs significantly. Memory chip stocks dropped sharply in response — SK Hynix fell over 6%, Samsung dropped 5%.
↗AI Agent StoreDrift Protocol DeFi Hack Drains $285M — Biggest DeFi Hack of 2026
Solana-based Drift Protocol confirmed it is under attack after $285 million left the DeFi platform. The exploit is being called the biggest DeFi hack of 2026 so far, shaking confidence in decentralized finance protocols.
↗TechmemeTCL and Sony Form Joint Venture 'Bravia Inc.' — TCL Takes 51% Stake
TCL will own a 51% majority stake in a new joint venture with Sony called Bravia Inc. The deal represents a major shift in the TV industry, with the Chinese electronics giant taking control of one of the most iconic TV brands.
↗The Verge