What are the 10 biggest news stories from today?

Here are the 10 biggest news stories making headlines today, Thursday, October 1, 2026:

1. SpaceX and NASA Set to Launch Crew-13 to the ISS

The SpaceX Crew-13 mission is scheduled to launch today at 11:10 a.m. EDT (15:10 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Led by Commander Jessica Watkins—who is making history as the first NASA astronaut to launch aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule for a second time—the four-person crew is embarking on a six-month scientific mission to the International Space Station. The crew also includes NASA pilot Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov.

2. White House and Tech CEOs Sign "Super Intelligence" Accord

In a major White House meeting, U.S. President Donald Trump and the country’s leading tech executives (including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai, Jensen Huang, and Dario Amodei) signed a "morally binding" safety pact called the White House Accord on Super Intelligence. The agreement establishes a voluntary four-layer framework for auditing and self-policing frontier models. Additionally, President Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to officially replace the term "Artificial Intelligence" with "Super Intelligence" (SI) in all official documentation.

3. Google Unveils Next-Gen Frontier Model "Gemini 4 Argon"

Google has officially launched Gemini 4 Argon, the latest flagship model in its Gemini lineup. Built to handle massive, complex workflows with a class-leading 1-million-token output limit, Google is pitching Argon as a breakthrough for software engineering, financial research, and autonomous cybersecurity. The model is initially rolling out to vetted cyber defenders in Google's Fairwind Program, with broader public and enterprise access planned for a staged release.

4. Over 60 Million Children to Get IRS "Trump Accounts"

Under temporary regulations taking effect today, the IRS will begin automatically opening "Trump accounts" for eligible children under 18 who have a Social Security number. Created by the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act, these accounts act as traditional IRAs with special rules that apply during a growth period lasting until the child turns 17. The IRS estimates the automatic enrollment initiative will establish accounts for more than 60 million children.

5. Tens of Thousands of Washington Residents Lose Medicaid; Hundreds of Maryland Laws Take Effect

A wave of state-level policy changes took effect across the United States today. In Washington state, approximately 14,000 residents (predominantly lawful immigrants and refugees without green cards) are losing their Medicaid eligibility due to federal funding changes under the HR1 bill. Meanwhile, in Maryland, more than 300 new laws have gone into effect, including a heavy crackdown on out-of-state license plates and new restrictions on dynamic pricing.

6. Nigeria Celebrates 66th Independence Day

Nigeria is observing a federal public holiday today to commemorate its 66th Independence Day. Under the theme "All Hands on Deck," the government has organized a relatively low-key schedule of national events, designed to focus on fostering civic pride, national reflection, and promoting the newly unveiled National Value Charter.

7. Landslide Ruling in Westlaw v. Ross Intelligence AI Copyright Case

In a landmark decision for the generative AI sector, a three-judge panel of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower-court ruling that Ross Intelligence infringed copyright by training its legal research platform on Westlaw’s proprietary data. This decision is the first major federal appellate ruling to address the legality of using copyrighted publisher content for AI training, setting a powerful legal precedent.

8. Asian Games Chief Apologizes for Operational Failures

The 20th Asian Games are underway in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, but the event has faced logistical issues. The head of the organizing committee issued a public apology to athletes and officials following several highly publicized operational failures. These included playing the wrong national anthem for some delegations and widespread issues with athlete accommodation and transport. On the field, India’s medal count reached a milestone of 60 total medals, including 10 golds.

9. China Condemns Japan's "Taboo-Free" Discussion on Nuclear Weapons

Regional tensions escalated today after China’s Foreign Ministry called on the international community to keep Japan strictly bound to its Three Non-Nuclear Principles. The statement was a direct response to comments from Japan's defense chief, who publicly asserted that discussions regarding Japan potentially possessing nuclear weapons and nuclear submarines should be held "without taboo."

10. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Pushes for Closer EU Ties

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham continues to outline his administration's major domestic and foreign policy priorities. In recent remarks, Burnham reiterated his stance that Brexit has done "more harm than good," urging Britain to work toward a much closer economic and political relationship with the European Union. Domestically, his administration is moving forward with a cost-of-living initiative to completely remove the 5% VAT on household electricity bills across England, Scotland, and Wales.