Well, Panthers, we made it through our first month back to school. With all our adjusting to new schedules and classes, we are in need of a little break. Before you roll into Labor Day weekend, make sure you check out this week of KICs. This week includes a U.S. ambassador who sends a letter to the French government, a teenager who committed suicide with help from ChatGPT, a report ranking Atlanta the fourth buggiest city in the U.S., and Mexico suspending postal shipments to the U.S. due to tariff confusion.
World – US ambassador sends letter to French government
Last Sunday, US ambassador Charles Kushner sent a letter to the French government regarding the lack of sufficient action on antisemitism. This has now led to the French government summoning the ambassador to discuss the letter this Monday.
The French have made it clear that the letter was “unacceptable” and “fall short of the quality of the transatlantic relationship” between the US and French. The US, on the other hand, has said, “He’s our US government representative in France and is doing a great job advancing our national interests.” This Monday the French and American ambassadors will have a discussion on the details of the letter.
So far the White House has remained silent about the matter. We have yet to hear the final judgment from the French government.
National – Teenager commits suicide due to ChatGPT, family alleges
On April 11, Adam Raine killed himself. His family says that ChatGPT was responsible for his death.
Adams family filed a lawsuit Tuesday saying that “ChatGPT actively helped Adam explore suicide methods.” It was being his “suicide coach,” actively harming his mental state and helping plan his suicide, even actively discouraging outside help in its conversations. Despite OpenAI’s attempts to stop events like this, people bypass their safeguards through trivial means.
OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, has yet to comment on the incident. The company had not yet reviewed the lawsuit at the time of response, as the family’s attorneys had not filed it in court.
State – Atlanta is nation’s fourth buggiest city
According to Thumbtack, Atlanta ranks fourth for being the buggiest city in the U.S. Atlanta used to be at the top of the buggiest cities in the U.S for the last two years but Austin took the top spot with a 19% increase.
There was a new study called “Thumbtack” which finds that Atlanta is one of the worst cities when it comes to bugs. The ratings were compiled in August 2024 to July 2025 for pest control services. Atlanta dropped 4% after last year. Bed bug exterminators range from $151 to $513 according to Thumbtack, outdoor pest control goes from $99 to $249, and exterminators will cost between $111 and $280.
“Thumbtack” recommends you to keep your home and yard clean. It is best to wipe out any standing water, and keep an eye out for gaps in walls, doors, and windows.
Politics – Mexico suspends postal shipments to United States over tariff confusion
There has been a wave of uncertainty over Trump’s new tariffs. Mexico, along with many other European countries, have halted their shipments to the United States.
Mexico has attempted negotiating with Trump to stop tariffs from rising any higher. Australia and Japan have also paused U.S. shipment. Two women in Mexico attempted sending mail to people in the U.S. and were told they were unable to do so.
Mexico is currently improving measures to get shipping back to normal. The country’s main focus is to prevent drug cartels.