5 things you need to know Thursday
1. Tesla takes step toward self-driving car
Tesla owners will get an "Autopilot" self-driving feature flashed into their electric cars on Thursday. While the details of autopilot's capabilities aren't yet fully known, it is expected that it will be able to hold the car in its lane on the freeway. Tesla was also working on a feature that would allow the car to park itself. The rollout, contained in the Version 7 software update, reportedly will take five days to complete. Tesla's not alone in the self-driving race; GM CEO Marry Barra announced this week that her company was working on self-driving cars.
2. Southwest is going international
The airline known for short, domestic-only flights and no baggage fees begins international routes Thursday. All of these new routes will leave from Houston and Ft. Lauderdale, where the airline spent nearly $5 million to build international terminals. And guess what? Your bags still fly free! But don't expect to book your out-of-country travel from an app on your phone: Only the website and 1-800-number work right now. Southwest says it will serve 12 destinations in eight countries by the end of the year, focusing on Latin America and Caribbean destinations for now.
3. No benefit rise for Social Security next year
The government said Thursday there will be no benefit increase next year for millions of Social Security recipients, disabled veterans and federal retirees. It's just the third time in 40 years that benefits will remain flat. By law, the annual cost-of-living adjustment — or COLA — is based on a government measure of inflation. Because the COLA is zero, Medicare Part B premiums are poised to rise more than 50% for more than 7 million Americans. It's all because of the "hold harmless" provision in the law, which limits the dollar increase in premiums to the dollar increase in people's Social Security benefit.
4. California Lt. Gov. to propose gun control ballot initiative
California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing a 2016 ballot initiative on Thursday that would ask voters to strengthen the state's gun laws. If adopted, the proposal, sponsored by the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, would make California the first state in the nation to require background checks at the point of sale for ammunition. It would also make owners get rid of now-banned large-capacity magazines, require that lost or stolen firearms be reported to law enforcement, create a process for felons to relinquish any firearms and make notifying the federal instant criminal background check system mandatory.
5. It's do or die for the Mets and Dodgers in the final Division Series
Thanks to a brilliant performance by ace Clayton Kershaw in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, the Dodgers and Mets will play a winner-take-all Game 5 in Los Angeles on Thursday. The Dodgers other ace, Zack Greinke, will take on Mets phenom Jacob deGrom in what promises to be a hard-fought pitchers' duel. The matchup of teams from the country's two largest markets was bound to draw plenty of attention despite the relative lack of playoff history between the clubs, but thanks to the drama of the first four games, including Chase Utley's slide that broke Ruben Tejada's leg, this clash has become the postseason's most compelling theater. The winner will go on to face the Chicago Cubs, a franchise fighting to make it to its first World Series since 1945.
And the essentials:
Weather: Chilly air will spread into the north-central U.S. Thursday while showers dampen the Southwest and Great Lakes.
Stocks: U.S. stock futures were higher Thursday, as weak economic figures in the U.S. reinforced expectations the Federal Reserve will remain cautious over raising interest rates.
TV tonight: Wondering what to watch tonight? TV critic Robert Bianco looks at Bones, Player and Blacklist.
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Contributing: The Associated Press