Passengers recount chaos on Tel Aviv flight. And, FBI probes employee-data hack
Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
A flydubai plane headed to Tel Aviv yesterday made an emergency landing after one pilot stabbed the other in a possible attempt to crash the plane. Most of the roughly 170 passengers were Israeli. Some passengers entered the cockpit and subdued the attacker after the injured pilot unlocked the door. Another flight crew on board then helped land the plane safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The motive remains unknown.
A plane carrying passengers from an earlier flydubai flight that was diverted to Saudi Arabia arrives at Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday in Tzafria, Israel. Earlier, their flight from the United Arab Emirates was diverted to Saudi Arabia after a violent altercation in the cockpit. A second plane was sent to Saudi Arabia to retrieve the stranded passengers and return them to Israel. Erik Marmor/Getty Images hide caption
toggle caption
Erik Marmor/Getty Images
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he wants fewer generals and admirals — and a military built around drones, AI and what he calls a "warrior ethos." In a speech at Quantico yesterday, Hegseth said he has already cut the number of senior officers by about 10% and wants to reach 20%. He also announced a new military command focused on drones and other emerging technologies, even as the U.S. remains at war with Iran.
The FBI says it is "aggressively" investigating a cyberattack claimed by ShinyHunters after the group said it stole sensitive FBI employment data. It is still unclear how much information was taken or whether hackers got in through third-party software or the bureau's own systems. Some current and former employees told NPR the stolen files may include job applications, promotion records, family details and medical information.
President Trump is traveling to Oklahoma today — not a battleground state but a place where he can test-drive his midterm message with a friendly crowd. Trump promised to campaign for Republicans in 35 competitive races, but his first stops are in reliably red states like Oklahoma and Alabama.
In an aerial view, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve storage at the Bryan Mound site is seen on October 19, 2022 in Freeport, Texas. Brandon Bell/Getty Images North America hide caption
toggle caption
Brandon Bell/Getty Images North America
The U.S. has drawn heavily from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve since the war with Iran began, shrinking the stockpile by more than 30% in six months. The reserve, stored in underground salt caverns in Louisiana and Texas, is one of the government's main tools for easing pressure on gas prices. Here's what to know:
by Geoff Brumfiel, NPR's senior editor and correspondent
Tristan Buckmaster is a mathematician at New York University. He poses for a portrait in his office in Manhattan on September 11, 2026. Buckmaster and his collaborator Levent Alpöge have been working on the Navier-Stokes equations. They are clashing with OpenAI, which claims to have cracked the equations. Karsten Moran/for The Washington Post/Getty Images hide caption
toggle caption
Karsten Moran/for The Washington Post/Getty Images
OpenAI says its AI helped solve one of math's hardest problems. The catch? Mathematicians weren't quite sure how it got there.
That's what I discovered when I started talking to mathematicians about what was supposed to be one of the biggest discoveries this century. It turned out OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra model was not some machine supergod that outstripped human intellect – it was just that it was really bad at showing its work.
Suddenly, a very abstruse and vague math story felt pretty relatable. Who hasn't been scolded by a teacher for skipping the steps? And who hasn't gotten an AI answer that sounds impressive but leaves you wondering what on earth it just said?
Mathematicians believe the answer is correct, but the AI-generated proof runs 166 pages, and they say it may take weeks to untangle what actually matters. Despite the lack of clarity, they're excited about the possibility of using AI to solve more problems in the future.
You can read my full reporting here. And if you come across an AI story you think I should be following, feel free to send it my way via Signal at gbrumfiel.13.
A Swiss glacier shows the effects of years of ice loss, with exposed rock replacing ice that once covered the landscape. Swiss Academy of Natural Sciences hide caption
toggle caption
Swiss Academy of Natural Sciences
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi. Suzanne Nuyen contributed.
Read the full story at NPR ↗
What we know so far about the tense moments aboard a Tel Aviv-bound flight. And, the FBI investigates a cyberattack involving sensitive employee data
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
A flydubai plane headed to Tel Aviv yesterday made an emergency landing after one pilot stabbed the other in a possible attempt to crash the plane. Most of the roughly 170 passengers were Israeli. Some passengers entered the cockpit and subdued the attacker after the injured pilot unlocked the door. Another flight crew on board then helped land the plane safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The motive remains unknown.
A plane carrying passengers from an earlier flydubai flight that was diverted to Saudi Arabia arrives at Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday in Tzafria, Israel. Earlier, their flight from the United Arab Emirates was diverted to Saudi Arabia after a violent altercation in the cockpit. A second plane was sent to Saudi Arabia to retrieve the stranded passengers and return them to Israel. Erik Marmor/Getty Images hide caption
toggle caption
Erik Marmor/Getty Images
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he wants fewer generals and admirals — and a military built around drones, AI and what he calls a "warrior ethos." In a speech at Quantico yesterday, Hegseth said he has already cut the number of senior officers by about 10% and wants to reach 20%. He also announced a new military command focused on drones and other emerging technologies, even as the U.S. remains at war with Iran.
The FBI says it is "aggressively" investigating a cyberattack claimed by ShinyHunters after the group said it stole sensitive FBI employment data. It is still unclear how much information was taken or whether hackers got in through third-party software or the bureau's own systems. Some current and former employees told NPR the stolen files may include job applications, promotion records, family details and medical information.
President Trump is traveling to Oklahoma today — not a battleground state but a place where he can test-drive his midterm message with a friendly crowd. Trump promised to campaign for Republicans in 35 competitive races, but his first stops are in reliably red states like Oklahoma and Alabama.
In an aerial view, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve storage at the Bryan Mound site is seen on October 19, 2022 in Freeport, Texas. Brandon Bell/Getty Images North America hide caption
toggle caption
Brandon Bell/Getty Images North America
The U.S. has drawn heavily from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve since the war with Iran began, shrinking the stockpile by more than 30% in six months. The reserve, stored in underground salt caverns in Louisiana and Texas, is one of the government's main tools for easing pressure on gas prices. Here's what to know:
by Geoff Brumfiel, NPR's senior editor and correspondent
Tristan Buckmaster is a mathematician at New York University. He poses for a portrait in his office in Manhattan on September 11, 2026. Buckmaster and his collaborator Levent Alpöge have been working on the Navier-Stokes equations. They are clashing with OpenAI, which claims to have cracked the equations. Karsten Moran/for The Washington Post/Getty Images hide caption
toggle caption
Karsten Moran/for The Washington Post/Getty Images
OpenAI says its AI helped solve one of math's hardest problems. The catch? Mathematicians weren't quite sure how it got there.
That's what I discovered when I started talking to mathematicians about what was supposed to be one of the biggest discoveries this century. It turned out OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra model was not some machine supergod that outstripped human intellect – it was just that it was really bad at showing its work.
Suddenly, a very abstruse and vague math story felt pretty relatable. Who hasn't been scolded by a teacher for skipping the steps? And who hasn't gotten an AI answer that sounds impressive but leaves you wondering what on earth it just said?
Mathematicians believe the answer is correct, but the AI-generated proof runs 166 pages, and they say it may take weeks to untangle what actually matters. Despite the lack of clarity, they're excited about the possibility of using AI to solve more problems in the future.
You can read my full reporting here. And if you come across an AI story you think I should be following, feel free to send it my way via Signal at gbrumfiel.13.
A Swiss glacier shows the effects of years of ice loss, with exposed rock replacing ice that once covered the landscape. Swiss Academy of Natural Sciences hide caption
toggle caption
Swiss Academy of Natural Sciences
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi. Suzanne Nuyen contributed.
Read the full story at NPR ↗
Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
A flydubai plane headed to Tel Aviv yesterday made an emergency landing after one pilot stabbed the other in a possible attempt to crash the plane. Most of the roughly 170 passengers were Israeli. Some passengers entered the cockpit and subdued the attacker after the injured pilot unlocked the door. Another flight crew on board then helped land the plane safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The motive remains unknown.
A plane carrying passengers from an earlier flydubai flight that was diverted to Saudi Arabia arrives at Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday in Tzafria, Israel. Earlier, their flight from the United Arab Emirates was diverted to Saudi Arabia after a violent altercation in the cockpit. A second plane was sent to Saudi Arabia to retrieve the stranded passengers and return them to Israel. Erik Marmor/Getty Images hide caption
toggle caption
Erik Marmor/Getty Images
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he wants fewer generals and admirals — and a military built around drones, AI and what he calls a "warrior ethos." In a speech at Quantico yesterday, Hegseth said he has already cut the number of senior officers by about 10% and wants to reach 20%. He also announced a new military command focused on drones and other emerging technologies, even as the U.S. remains at war with Iran.
The FBI says it is "aggressively" investigating a cyberattack claimed by ShinyHunters after the group said it stole sensitive FBI employment data. It is still unclear how much information was taken or whether hackers got in through third-party software or the bureau's own systems. Some current and former employees told NPR the stolen files may include job applications, promotion records, family details and medical information.
President Trump is traveling to Oklahoma today — not a battleground state but a place where he can test-drive his midterm message with a friendly crowd. Trump promised to campaign for Republicans in 35 competitive races, but his first stops are in reliably red states like Oklahoma and Alabama.
In an aerial view, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve storage at the Bryan Mound site is seen on October 19, 2022 in Freeport, Texas. Brandon Bell/Getty Images North America hide caption
toggle caption
Brandon Bell/Getty Images North America
The U.S. has drawn heavily from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve since the war with Iran began, shrinking the stockpile by more than 30% in six months. The reserve, stored in underground salt caverns in Louisiana and Texas, is one of the government's main tools for easing pressure on gas prices. Here's what to know:
by Geoff Brumfiel, NPR's senior editor and correspondent
Tristan Buckmaster is a mathematician at New York University. He poses for a portrait in his office in Manhattan on September 11, 2026. Buckmaster and his collaborator Levent Alpöge have been working on the Navier-Stokes equations. They are clashing with OpenAI, which claims to have cracked the equations. Karsten Moran/for The Washington Post/Getty Images hide caption
toggle caption
Karsten Moran/for The Washington Post/Getty Images
OpenAI says its AI helped solve one of math's hardest problems. The catch? Mathematicians weren't quite sure how it got there.
That's what I discovered when I started talking to mathematicians about what was supposed to be one of the biggest discoveries this century. It turned out OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra model was not some machine supergod that outstripped human intellect – it was just that it was really bad at showing its work.
Suddenly, a very abstruse and vague math story felt pretty relatable. Who hasn't been scolded by a teacher for skipping the steps? And who hasn't gotten an AI answer that sounds impressive but leaves you wondering what on earth it just said?
Mathematicians believe the answer is correct, but the AI-generated proof runs 166 pages, and they say it may take weeks to untangle what actually matters. Despite the lack of clarity, they're excited about the possibility of using AI to solve more problems in the future.
You can read my full reporting here. And if you come across an AI story you think I should be following, feel free to send it my way via Signal at gbrumfiel.13.
A Swiss glacier shows the effects of years of ice loss, with exposed rock replacing ice that once covered the landscape. Swiss Academy of Natural Sciences hide caption
toggle caption
Swiss Academy of Natural Sciences
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi. Suzanne Nuyen contributed.
Read the full story at NPR ↗
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
- What we know so far about the tense moments aboard a Tel Aviv-bound flight.
- And, the FBI investigates a cyberattack involving sensitive employee data