📰 News Roundup: The Rundown

Your midweek digest delivers critical world developments, tragedy and crime updates, shocking incidents, strange oddities, celebrity and entertainment highlights, and health breakthroughs keeping attention worldwide. Here are the defining stories.

1. Trucker “distracted by porn” on phone kills dad-of-two in horrific crash

Key Points

• A British truck driver was distracted by his phone, viewing pornographic images, when he crashed into another car.

• The victim was a father of two, whose car caught fire after the collision.

• The truck driver has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

What happened?
A lorry driver named Neil Platt was found to have been scrolling through social media and pornographic images on his phone moments before crashing into the car of Danny Aitchison, a father of two. The impact caused Aitchison’s car to ignite. Court evidence included dashcam footage and witness testimonies. The judge said Platt prioritized looking at his phone over the safety of others. He was sentenced to ten years in prison for causing death by dangerous driving.

(Sources: People, ITV)

2. The Trump administration recommends against using Tylenol during pregnancy, linking it to autism

Key Points

• The Trump administration advised pregnant women to avoid Tylenol (acetaminophen), claiming a link to autism.

• Medical experts say the evidence is weak, inconsistent, and not proof of causation.

• European and U.K. health regulators pushed back, saying Tylenol remains safe in normal doses during pregnancy.

What happened?
At a White House event, President Trump and his administration called for pregnant women to avoid Tylenol on the basis that it could increase the likelihood of autism in children. They also suggested approval of a drug called leucovorin for autism. But most scientists and medical organizations disagreed, claiming because studies only show association, not cause. The European Medicines Agency and regulators in Britain acknowledged that acetaminophen is thought to be safe in low doses during pregnancy. Critics cautioned that discouraging pain relief for mothers could pose risks to mothers and fetuses.

(Sources: Reuters, AP, FDA)

3. Trump to Add $100,000 Fee to H-1B Visas

Key Points

• The Trump administration issued a proclamation requiring a new $100,000 annual fee for new H-1B visa applications.

• The fee does not apply to existing visa holders or renewals.

• The move is likely to face legal challenges regarding presidential authority.

What happened?
President Trump signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 annual fee on employers applying for new H-1B visas, which are used by skilled foreign workers to work in the U.S. This fee is in addition to existing application costs. The policy excludes current H-1B holders and their renewals. The administration also tied the policy to restricting visa grants unless the fee is paid. Critics argue this bypasses Congress and is excessive. Legal experts expect court challenges over whether such a high fee is lawful under U.S. immigration law.

(Sources: Reuters, ABC7, Axios)

4. Tech CEO falls 3,000 feet to his death while climbing California’s Mt. Shasta

Key Points

• An Argentine tech entrepreneur fell over 2,000–3,000 feet during descent from Mount Shasta in California.

• He had successfully reached the summit earlier that day.

• He collided with a rock or slipped on ice, losing control and falling to his death.

What happened?
Matias Augusto Travizano, a 45-year-old Argentine tech entrepreneur and cofounder of GranData, died after a hiking accident on Mount Shasta. After summiting the 14,162-foot peak, he and his climbing partners descended via a glacier route. At some point, he slipped or collided with a boulder, lost consciousness, then upon regaining consciousness, was seen sliding downward off the ice and falling out of sight. Search and rescue confirmed his death from the fall. His unexpected death shocked colleagues and the tech community.

(Sources: People, Hindustan Times, NDTV)

5. Kimmel’s show to return - but not everywhere

Key Points

• Disney and ABC bring back Jimmy Kimmel Live! after a suspension.

• Some major station owners refuse to air the show in their markets.

• The conflict involves free speech, media ownership, and political influence.

What happened?
Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show was suspended after he made controversial remarks about a political figure’s death. Disney and ABC later reversed their decision and confirmed the show will return. Some local station owners such as Sinclair and Nexstar announced they will not air the program in their markets. These companies own many ABC stations in large U.S. cities, which means a big part of the audience will miss Kimmel’s comeback. Their refusal is tied to anger over his comments and requests for a public apology. The result is that Kimmel’s return will be uneven.

(Source: Business Insider)

6. Woman wins $150K lottery using ChatGPT and plans to donate every OpenAI penny to charity

Key Points

• A woman named Carrie Edwards used ChatGPT to generate lottery numbers and won $150,000.

• She said she believes the tool helped, even though lottery games are random.

• She intends to donate the full amount to her favorite charities.

What happened?
In Virginia, Carrie Edwards asked ChatGPT for lottery-number suggestions for a Powerball drawing. Her ticket matched enough numbers to win $150,000 (she had paid an extra “Power Play” dollar, boosting the win). She was initially skeptical, thinking the notice was a scam, but later confirmed her win. Edwards declared she intends to give every cent of her winnings to three charities she supports. Though people questioned whether AI could truly help in a game of chance, she considers it a blessing and a way to turn it into good.

(Sources: Reuters via Reuters health/lottery section, People)

That’s all I’ve got for today. Sorry for not posting the Monday kickoff roundup, but luckily nothing big happened anyway. I’ll see you in the weekend wrap-up roundup.

News Roundup - 3x a week

Each roundup covers six major headlines with in-depth explanations of the top stories. Coverage spans a variety of topics including world news, true crime, human interest, weird news, health, science, technology, business, AI and economy.

In the meantime, join the official Pro Breaking News subreddit → Join Here

This has been PBN. See you in the next one!