Yellowstone hit with surprise hydrothermal blast, US shrinks nuclear arsenal by 90% since Cold War peak, Wiz rejects $23 billion Google takeover for IPO

A sudden hydrothermal explosion erupted in Yellowstone National Park’s Biscuit Basin, sending steam, water, and dark rock skyward around 10 am on Tuesday.

The unexpected event caught tourists off guard, forcing them to flee for safety as debris rained down. Video footage shared online captured the moment, showing dozens of visitors on a boardwalk as the explosion grew.

Amid shouts of “Back up!” and “Holy cow!” tourists scrambled to avoid the falling debris and to witness the dramatic event under a massive steam cloud. For more on this development, check out today’s Must-Read.

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MUST READ

💥 US: Surprise hydrothermal blast shoots steam, rocks in sky, scaring tourists

Vlada March, a California real estate agent on a tour with her family, described the scene as surreal, CBS News reported. “We saw more steam coming up and within seconds it became this huge thing,” March recounted. “It just exploded and became like a black cloud that covered the sun.”

March managed to film parts of the eruption while urging her children to run for safety. The explosion shattered the boardwalk, leaving rocks and debris scattered. March’s mother, sitting on a nearby bench, was unharmed but visibly shaken.

“Walking back on the broken boardwalk was a little scary,” March added, “but thankfully it didn’t break under us.”

💣 31,255 to 3,748: US shrinks nuclear arsenal by 90% since Cold War peak

The nuclear warhead stockpile of the United States stood at 3,748 on September 2023, as per the latest data revealed by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

This is the first time since 2021 that the US has decided to declassify its nuclear weapons stockpile data and make it accessible to the public.

The nuclear stockpile includes both active and inactive warheads. The active warheads include strategic and non-strategic weapons maintained in an operational, ready-for-use configuration.

💵 Wiz rejects $23 billion Google takeover for IPO, targets $1 billion revenue

Cybersecurity startup Wiz Inc. has turned down a takeover bid of as much as $23 billion from Google-parent Alphabet, sticking instead with a plan for an initial public offering.

This surprising decision highlights the confidence and ambition of the New York-based startup, as it chooses to carve its path independently.

The move comes at a time when Alphabet is fervently trying to strengthen its foothold in the highly competitive cloud services market, currently dominated by Microsoft Corp. and Amazon Inc.

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