Former childcare worker Ashley Paul Griffith faces 202 additional charges in New South Wales over alleged abuse of 23 children between 2014 and 2017. Griffith, who is serving a life sentence in Queensland after pleading guilty to more than 300 child sexual offences, was charged while held at a Sydney correctional facility.
Key Facts
The new charges relate to 23 alleged victims aged between one and five.
The charges include 68 counts of rape of a child under 10 and 42 counts of aggravated rape of a child under 10 who was under Griffith’s authority.
Police also charged Griffith with 69 counts of aggravated indecent assault and 23 counts of producing child abuse material.
The alleged offences took place between 2014 and 2017 while Griffith worked at a childcare centre in Sydney’s inner west.
Griffith was extradited from Queensland to New South Wales days before the new charges were laid.
In November 2024, a Queensland court sentenced Griffith to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to more than 300 child sexual offences against nearly 70 victims.
Griffith was held at Silverwater Correctional Complex when police charged him.
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The Pentagon’s official count of U.S. military deaths linked to the war with Iran rose to 23 after it added two Air Force deaths classified as nonhostile. One death was attributed to illness; the circumstances of the other remain under investigation. The Pentagon also reports 865 U.S. service members wounded by enemy fire.
Key Facts
The Pentagon’s casualty database lists 23 U.S. military deaths connected to the conflict.
Eleven deaths were attributed to enemy fire, while 12 were classified as nonhostile.
The Air Force said one of the two newly added deaths resulted from illness.
The cause of the other newly added airman’s death has not been disclosed and remains under investigation.
The Pentagon lists 865 U.S. service members wounded by enemy fire since the war began in late February.
The initial campaign, Operation Epic Fury, accounts for 15 deaths and 417 wounded service members.
The Overseas Operations category, covering casualties since July 7, lists eight deaths and 448 wounded service members.
Six of the 12 nonhostile deaths followed a U.S. military refueling tanker crash in Iraq in March.
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An El Niño-driven drought has affected about 8 million people in Papua New Guinea, according to the country’s National Weather Service, with water shortages damaging farms and disrupting schools and health services. A coalition of churches, unions and business groups has called the situation a national crisis, while residents and aid workers report food shortages and long journeys to collect water.
Key Facts
Some parts of Papua New Guinea have received less than a quarter of their usual rainfall since August.
The National Weather Service declared El Niño in June, when the country was already experiencing drought.
Many families in rural highland areas are rationing food to one meal a day, CARE International in PNG said.
Dried rivers and creeks have left some communities without water for drinking, cooking and washing.
Some schools and health facilities are closing early or limiting services because of water shortages.
Residents in Bulolo district said dried crops and a lack of water have also made local gold panning harder.
A hailstorm in parts of Enga province buried sweet potatoes under ice, adding to food scarcity.
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An appeals court in Victoria, Australia, rejected Erin Patterson’s bid to overturn her convictions for three murders. The court also accepted the prosecution’s appeal against her 33-year sentence, which included the possibility of parole, meaning her sentence may increase.
Key Facts
Erin Patterson was convicted of three murders.
Victoria’s Court of Appeal rejected Patterson’s appeal against her convictions.
Prosecutors appealed Patterson’s 33-year sentence, which allowed for parole.
The court ruled in favor of the prosecution’s sentence appeal.
The article says the sentence may be increased, potentially keeping Patterson in prison for life.
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Former Trump aide Marc Short said Republicans are in “triage” ahead of the midterm elections, citing inflation, affordability concerns and corruption allegations as factors hurting voter enthusiasm. Republican campaign groups are shifting money and attention from expanding the party’s reach to defending seats they once viewed as safe.
Key Facts
Marc Short served as White House director of legislative affairs during Donald Trump’s first term and later as chief of staff to former Vice President Mike Pence.
Short said voters’ wages were not keeping pace with rising prices and argued that White House policies had not resolved inflation.
Short said corruption-related headlines were suppressing Republican enthusiasm.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer said Republicans had expanded their electoral map too broadly and were narrowing their campaign focus.
Republican groups have pulled back spending in some competitive races and redirected resources toward defending seats.
The article reports that Republican groups shifted resources from North Carolina to South Carolina, where Republican Senator Lindsey Graham faces a competitive race against Democrat Annie Andrews.
In Kansas, Republican Senator Roger Marshall faces a challenge from Democrat Adam Hamilton, and Republican groups are directing resources to defend the seat.
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California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Ian Choudri resigned Wednesday, more than a month after a state watchdog reported that the agency had paid $543,000 in disallowed travel reimbursements for consultants. The rail project has faced rising costs and funding problems, and California Finance Department director Joe Stephenshaw will serve as interim CEO.
Key Facts
Choudri became CEO of the rail authority in 2024.
Choudri cited personal and family priorities in his resignation email.
A September inspector general report found $543,000 in consultant travel reimbursements were not allowed.
The report identified $81,000 in expenses for trips to places including gyms, an escape room and a nightclub that lacked an official purpose.
The project aims to build a high-speed rail line between Los Angeles and San Francisco, about 380 miles apart.
Eighteen years after voters approved a bond project, no tracks have been laid, and the estimated cost has risen above $100 billion.
The Trump administration withdrew $4 billion in funding last year.
Joe Stephenshaw, director of California’s Department of Finance, will serve as interim CEO.
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An appeals court in Victoria dismissed all seven grounds Erin Patterson raised against her murder and attempted-murder convictions. The judges also removed her 33-year non-parole period, ruling that the severity of her crimes made her ineligible for release; she has 28 days to seek another appeal in Australia’s High Court.
Key Facts
Patterson, 51, was convicted of murdering three relatives and attempting to murder Ian Wilkinson after serving them a meal containing death cap mushrooms in 2023.
The victims who died were Patterson’s in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson.
Ian Wilkinson survived after spending weeks in hospital and continues to have health problems related to the poisoning.
Patterson received a life sentence with a 33-year non-parole period last September.
The appeal judges rejected all seven grounds raised by Patterson’s legal team, including arguments about a jury hotel booking, evidence presented at trial and the prosecution’s cross-examination.
The court said the case involved such shocking criminality that it was inappropriate to set a non-parole period.
Patterson has 28 days to decide whether to ask Australia’s High Court to hear another appeal.
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Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said he would not commit to certifying the U.S. Senate election if Democrat Mary Peltola wins while an investigation into alleged candidate recruitment is ongoing. Peltola denies involvement, while the Justice Department is seeking to delay certification if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses.
Key Facts
Dunleavy said officials would investigate the allegations and follow the law before deciding whether to send election results to the Senate.
He said findings of illegal conduct could affect whether someone is seated in the Senate.
The allegations concern claims that Democratic operatives recruited another candidate named Dan Sullivan to draw votes from the Republican incumbent.
Peltola has denied involvement in the alleged recruitment effort.
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer is investigating the allegations.
Dunleavy ordered Alaska's Department of Public Safety to investigate whether the effort violated state law.
The Justice Department has sued to delay certification if the incumbent Sullivan loses.
Dunleavy's term ends Dec. 7, less than two weeks after Alaska's target certification date.
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The Justice Department filed an amended lawsuit seeking to stop Alaska from certifying its U.S. Senate election results if Republican Dan Sullivan loses. The case follows allegations that Democratic challenger Mary Peltola’s campaign helped recruit a second candidate named Dan J. Sullivan to split votes, which her campaign denies.
Key Facts
The revised complaint was filed days before the November 3 midterm election.
The Justice Department issued 40 subpoenas and document-preservation requests, Reuters reported.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered a criminal investigation into the allegations.
Alaska’s Supreme Court ruled in June that Dan J. Sullivan Jr. could run in the election.
Alaska election officials have taken steps to distinguish the two candidates with the same name.
The article says recruiting a candidate to divide an opponent’s vote is generally considered legal and has been used by both parties in Alaska.
Republicans hold 53 of the U.S. Senate’s 100 seats, and the election could determine control of the chamber.
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The Federal Trade Commission has ordered nine companies to provide detailed information about their use of personal data. The agency wants to determine whether they use that data to set prices for customers or pay workers less.
Key Facts
The Federal Trade Commission issued orders to nine major companies.
The companies must provide detailed information about their practices.
The inquiry concerns companies’ use of users’ personal data.
The FTC is examining whether personal data affects the prices customers are charged.
The agency is also examining whether personal data affects how much employees are paid.
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Pope Leo XIV requested a mail ballot for Illinois’ November 3 midterm election, but officials have not confirmed whether he returned it. If he votes, he could become the first pope known to cast a ballot in a secular election while serving as pontiff.
Key Facts
The Will County Clerk’s Office said Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost, requested a mail ballot on October 3.
Leo remains registered to vote at an address in New Lenox, Illinois, despite living at the Vatican.
His ballot is expected to include the Illinois U.S. Senate race, the governor’s race and local contests in Will County.
Public records cited by the Chicago Sun-Times indicate that Leo voted in several Illinois primary and general elections, including the 2024 general election.
More than 20 million Americans and 1.16 million Illinois residents had voted early, according to the article.
Leo has criticized the war in Iran and clashed publicly with President Donald Trump over foreign affairs and immigration policy.
The Vatican said tests after surgery confirmed Leo had localized lung adenocarcinoma and needed no further cancer treatment.
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Republican Ohio gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy said Thursday that his campaign had finished airing an attack ad featuring Donna Arthur, the estranged mother of Democratic nominee Amy Acton. The ad drew criticism for using allegations about Acton’s childhood abuse; Ramaswamy said he wanted the campaign to focus on policy, while Acton accused him of exploiting her childhood.
Key Facts
Ramaswamy said the ad had run to completion and that his campaign had put up four other ads.
His campaign had announced the previous week that it planned to spend $4 million to broadcast the ad.
The ad featured Donna Arthur, who lost custody of Acton in 1978 after her husband was charged with raping Acton when she was between 10 and 12.
The campaign edited the ad from 60 seconds to 30 seconds, removing Arthur’s claim that Acton had lied about living in a tent with Arthur.
Court records indicated that Cledith Arthur lived in a tent when he was arrested on rape charges.
President Donald Trump defended the ad at a rally with Ramaswamy on Wednesday.
Acton said at an event Thursday that Ramaswamy was exploiting her childhood and described experiencing abuse and neglect.
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CBS News reports that actor Sir Patrick Stewart has died at 86. A segment on “The Daily Report” looks back at his career, including his work on stage and his role as a “Star Trek” icon.
Key Facts
The article reports that Patrick Stewart died at age 86.
Stewart was a British actor and was knighted.
The article says he spent more time on stage than on screen.
The segment discusses Stewart’s career as a celebrated stage actor and “Star Trek” icon.
Wall Street Journal reporter Chris Kornelis joined “The Daily Report” to discuss Stewart’s career.
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Fighting over disputed land and water in Ethiopia’s Moyale border region has driven people into Kenya. At least 30,000 displaced people need aid, shelter and medical care; the article title says families have been left hungry and homeless.
Key Facts
Clashes are taking place in Ethiopia’s Moyale border region.
The dispute involves land and water.
People have fled the fighting into Kenya.
At least 30,000 displaced people need assistance.
Those displaced need shelter and medical care.
The article title reports that families are hungry and homeless.
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CBS News reports that Flávio Bolsonaro, described as a defeated candidate in Brazil’s presidential election, reached Florida despite Brazilian authorities asking him to surrender his passports. The supplied article teaser does not explain how he left Brazil.
Key Facts
The article identifies Flávio Bolsonaro as a defeated candidate in Brazil’s presidential election.
It says Bolsonaro went to Florida.
Brazilian authorities had asked Bolsonaro to turn over his passports.
CBS News correspondent Lilia Luciano is named as the reporter covering the story.
The page describes the segment as a 2-minute, 49-second video.
The supplied text does not provide details about how Bolsonaro left Brazil.
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The Republican National Committee said President Donald Trump will take part in tele-rallies across 19 states before Election Day. The announcement came after two in-person events in Iowa and Kansas were canceled.
Key Facts
The RNC announced the tele-rallies on Thursday.
Trump is scheduled to appear in tele-rallies across 19 states.
The events are planned for the period before Election Day.
Trump had two in-person events canceled.
The canceled events were in Iowa and Kansas.
The RNC described the tele-rallies as a 72-hour sprint.
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The University of Kentucky approved a religious accommodation allowing research administrator David Durman to avoid personally using generative AI for his work. Durman, a humanist, said he sought the exemption because he believes using generative AI can weaken human reasoning and conflicts with his beliefs about human well-being.
Key Facts
The university approved Durman's request on September 25 after determining it would not create an undue burden for his department, according to the American Humanist Association.
Durman edits grant applications and handles compliance work at the University of Kentucky.
He sought the accommodation preemptively because he was concerned that AI use might eventually become mandatory.
The accommodation does not exempt him from meetings about AI, working with colleagues who use it, or submitting materials through websites that use it.
Durman said his objection focuses on generative AI and large language models, not every technology described as artificial intelligence.
The American Humanist Association said the case is the first known workplace AI accommodation granted to a humanist.
A North Carolina software engineer received an accommodation from using AI in May after raising religious, environmental, and ethical objections, according to Business Insider.
The university's CATS AI framework aims to expand access to AI tools and AI literacy across education, research, health care, and operations.
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A review of British newspaper front pages focuses on Chancellor John Healey’s Budget and reports about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s stay at Balmoral. Other coverage includes Israel’s election, Alphabet’s share-price fall, and oil company Shell’s profits.
Key Facts
The i Paper reports that Healey said there would be no welfare cuts before the election and cites a forecast that spending could reach £431 billion by 2032.
The Daily Telegraph reports that the Institute for Fiscal Studies warned of prolonged financial pressure and estimated a typical family’s disposable income would rise by an average of 2% over the 2020s under the Budget measures.
The Times reports that Healey is discussing an international bank with at least three NATO members to help finance higher defence spending.
The Daily Express reports that Police Scotland confirmed active enquiries into Jeffrey Epstein’s reported stay at Balmoral with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
The Guardian reports that Benjamin Netanyahu and allies called on Israel’s internal security service to investigate alleged vote buying and other irregularities in Palestinian communities after no major bloc won a majority.
The Financial Times reports that Alphabet shares fell 15% on Thursday and the Nasdaq fell 1.5%.
The Daily Star reports that actor Sir Patrick Stewart has died aged 86.
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The page raises the question of whether it is legal to recruit a candidate who shares an opponent’s name, but the supplied text does not provide an answer. It says Alaska’s governor ordered a new investigation into an alleged effort to draw votes away from Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, and the Justice Department issued new subpoenas.
Key Facts
The headline asks whether recruiting a same-name candidate to compete against an opponent is legal.
The supplied text does not explain the law or resolve the question.
Alaska’s governor ordered a new investigation into an alleged plot to siphon votes from Sen. Dan Sullivan.
The Justice Department issued new subpoenas in the case.
CBS News legal analyst Jessica Levinson was identified as discussing the controversy.
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Binance said it froze more than $2.5 billion in digital assets while investigating a security issue and temporarily suspended deposits and withdrawals. The company said it would cover losses and that user funds were safe; crypto prices fell after the alerts.
Key Facts
Binance said it froze more than $2.5 billion in assets to stop them from being stolen during its investigation.
The exchange temporarily suspended deposits and withdrawals while conducting security checks.
Binance said it would cover all losses and that users' funds were safe.
Former Binance chief Changpeng Zhao said the incident appeared to be a hack.
Circle said it froze more than $800 million in assets linked to the incident.
Zhao said Tether and Circle had together frozen about $1.7 billion in stolen assets.
Bitcoin fell about 5% after the alerts, and Ethereum and Solana also dropped sharply.
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