Governments in many countries advise people to keep emergency supplies, often including food, water, medicine, batteries, a flashlight and a radio. France and the U.K. recommend supplies for 72 hours, while some European countries recommend longer periods; U.S. guidance says to prepare supplies for several days.
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France and the U.K. have advised people to keep emergency supplies for 72 hours.
Japan, Mexico and the Netherlands also recommend a 72-hour emergency kit.
Sweden and Norway advise keeping supplies for about one week, while Germany recommends up to 10 days.
Ready.gov says people in the United States should have food, water and other supplies to last several days.
Canada recommends an emergency kit for 72 hours.
India advises households to keep a disaster emergency kit but does not set a specific timeframe.
The European Commission announced its Preparedness Union Strategy in March 2025, citing geopolitical tensions, conflicts and climate-related natural disasters.
Commonly recommended supplies include non-perishable food, water, medicine, batteries, a flashlight and a radio.
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At least 64 people died when two high-speed trains collided in Spain on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Rescue workers searched the wreckage for more victims; the crash was Spain’s second deadly rail accident this year.
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Two high-speed trains collided in Spain on Wednesday.
At least 64 people died in the crash.
Rescue workers searched the wreckage for more victims.
The crash was Spain’s second deadly rail accident this year.
The article was issued on October 28, 2026.
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Lebanese expect little change in Israeli policy after Israel’s election, according to a France 24 report. Votes were still being counted, and no clear winner had emerged at the time of the report.
Key Facts
The report focuses on Lebanese expectations for Israeli policy after the election.
Lebanese people interviewed or described in the report expect little change in Israeli policy.
Votes were still being counted in Israel.
No clear winner had emerged at the time of the report.
France 24 correspondent Renée Davis reported on the story.
The report was issued on October 28, 2026.
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A review of 600 years of happiness research found that close social connections are among the most reliable predictors of wellbeing. Researchers also linked happiness with meaningful activities and habits such as gratitude and volunteering, while noting that financial security matters more than extra income once basic needs are met.
Key Facts
The findings appeared in the Journal of Happiness Studies in August.
Researchers identified relationships and having someone to rely on as strong predictors of happiness.
More social relationships and a sense of community may add to wellbeing, co-author Lara Aknin said.
Financial security supports wellbeing, but income beyond basic needs had less effect on overall happiness.
Researchers linked greater happiness with work and activities that align with personal values.
The article reports that life circumstances account for about 10 percent of overall happiness, while how people spend their time accounts for about 40 percent.
The experts cited gratitude, savoring positive experiences, attentive listening, volunteering, and social engagement as intentional habits associated with wellbeing.
Research cited by Jan-Emmanuel De Neve found that people who shared at least one meal with others reported greater happiness and lower stress, sadness, and pain.
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The operator of the Villa Vie Odyssey suspended its world cruise, leaving 203 passengers in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, as fuel costs strained its finances. The company is arranging temporary housing and reviewing restructuring options, but the ship’s departure date is unclear.
Key Facts
The ship is docked at the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Thailand.
Cambodian officials said the ship carried 203 passengers, mostly Americans, and 156 crew members.
The cruise began in Belfast in October 2024 and was planned as a continuous voyage around the world.
The operator said fuel costs had put its operating model under unsustainable financial pressure and said it would assess restructuring and recapitalization options over 60 days.
The company said monthly fuel costs per cabin in parts of Asia had risen to as much as $8,000 from $1,800.
The article links rising fuel prices to the U.S. war on Iran and says the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed since February 28.
Passenger Carol Larson said she paid $120,000 in installments for her cabin, plus monthly maintenance fees, under a program offering up to 15 years aboard.
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The article argues that software, including AI, could help address America’s electric bill costs. It says lawmakers must allow this approach but provides no further details in the supplied text.
Key Facts
The article focuses on America’s electric bill.
Its title calls for putting AI to work on the issue.
The article says software could help address the problem.
It says lawmakers’ decisions affect whether software can be used.
The supplied article text does not explain how the software would work or describe specific policy proposals.
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Hennepin County prosecutors charged James O’Keefe and Cam Higby with felony unlawful voting and identity theft over videos filmed at Minnesota polling places during the Aug. 11 primary. Prosecutors say the men gave election workers the names of registered voters without permission; the county said the videos were posted to social media. The article says the activists did not go ahead with voting illegally.
Key Facts
Prosecutors filed the charges Wednesday, according to a Hennepin County Attorney’s Office news release.
O’Keefe, 42, and Higby, 26, face charges of felony unlawful voting and identity theft.
The county says the men visited multiple precincts and misrepresented their identities to election judges.
Minnesota law bars intentionally using another person’s identity when applying for a ballot, depositing one, or attempting to vote by machine.
The activists said they were testing Minnesota’s voter voucher law, which lets a registered voter vouch that someone lives at a stated address.
The law does not allow people to impersonate registered voters.
The article says the group’s members did not proceed with voting illegally, and the real voter named in a video was able to vote that evening.
The county release did not state when the men are due in court.
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Alaska’s GOP-led government asked a federal court to dismiss a Department of Justice lawsuit seeking to stop the state from certifying its midterm election results. The DOJ lawsuit, filed the previous week, cited a candidate with the same name as incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.
Key Facts
Alaska’s government is led by Republicans.
The state asked a federal court to dismiss the DOJ lawsuit.
The DOJ filed the lawsuit the previous week.
The lawsuit seeks to bar Alaska from certifying its midterm election results.
The DOJ filing referred to a candidate with the same name as incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.
Sullivan is a Republican senator.
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With 85 percent of votes counted, Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc leads Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition bloc, but neither is on track to win the 61 seats needed for a majority. Israel faces talks over forming a government, and President Isaac Herzog will consult the parties next week; if no bloc can secure a majority, another election could take place as early as April.
Key Facts
Netanyahu’s bloc is projected to win 53 seats, while Eisenkot’s bloc is projected to win 48.
Arab parties are on track to win 19 seats, a record, but their support for an Eisenkot-led government is described as highly unlikely.
About 500,000 votes remain to be counted, including ballots from soldiers, diplomats and prisoners.
The remaining votes could shift seat totals but are not expected to change the overall balance between the blocs.
President Isaac Herzog plans to consult the parties next week before asking Netanyahu or Eisenkot to form a government.
Netanyahu has called for a strong right-wing government, while opposition leaders publicly pledged not to join his bloc.
The opposition is expected to take key positions in the Knesset after the new parliament is sworn in next week.
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A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Bill Essayli is unlawfully serving as the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles. Essayli is the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California and a former Republican state assemblymember.
Key Facts
U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright issued the ruling.
The ruling concerns Bill Essayli’s service as the top prosecutor in Los Angeles.
Essayli is the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California.
The judge said Essayli is unlawfully serving in the role.
Essayli previously served as a Republican member of California’s state assembly.
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Walmart says its holiday meal basket costs $35 and is designed to feed 10 people, or $3.50 per person. The 17-product basket is available in stores and online through Dec. 24, and Walmart is offering free express delivery through Nov. 30.
Key Facts
Walmart says the basket contains 17 different products and 26 items in total.
The basket includes a frozen turkey, stuffing, vegetables, potatoes, rolls, and ingredients for pie.
Walmart says the basket has 18% more items and costs 12% less than the same items did last year.
Walmart describes this as the lowest-priced one-click basket in the program's history.
Walmart cited internal survey data indicating that consumers are seeking lower prices.
U.S. food prices had risen 2.5% through September, according to the CBS News Price Tracker.
Federal Reserve data show that grocery food costs for home consumption have risen more than 30% since 2020.
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Newsweek reports that Chinese state media, sponsors and social media accounts criticized Kylian Mbappé after an April interview in which he joked about a meme depicting him as a Chinese dictator. Mbappé, Real Madrid and La Liga apologized amid concerns about losing access to Chinese audiences and commercial deals, while the original joke was reportedly censored inside China.
Key Facts
Mbappé said in an April interview that he found a meme depicting him as a Chinese dictator funny.
The article says Chinese sponsors threatened to drop Mbappé and state television said it would stop showing Spanish league games.
State media and social media accounts accused Mbappé of disrespect and insensitivity toward Chinese fans.
The article reports that the meme was largely censored inside China, leaving some people unclear about the controversy.
Mbappé, Real Madrid and La Liga apologized.
The article says the criticism appeared in similar language across state media and social media accounts.
The piece notes that China’s national soccer team lost 5–0 to Palestine and 1–0 to Tajikistan in early October.
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At Winchester Crown Court, Joanne Young told jurors that she woke restrained and blindfolded and once saw a stranger in her bedroom. Her ex-husband, Philip Young, has pleaded guilty to multiple abuse charges; four men accused of sexually assaulting her are on trial, and the charges against them are denied.
Key Facts
Joanne Young told police in a recorded interview that she and Philip Young had been married for 20 years and had three children.
She said they had been a monogamous couple and that she had not agreed to have other people involved in their sex life.
She told the court she sometimes woke up restrained and blindfolded without remembering how the restraints had been put on.
She said she saw a stranger in her bedroom in February 2023 and later learned Philip Young had invited him to watch them have sex.
Joanne Young said Philip Young told her after his arrest that he had shared explicit images of her.
Philip Young, 50, has pleaded guilty to multiple charges of abuse and will be sentenced after the trial.
Four men face charges related to alleged sexual assaults of Joanne Young; they have pleaded not guilty or deny the charges.
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Thirty-four House Democrats from 17 states and the District of Columbia urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate reports that Dollar General, Family Dollar, 7-Eleven and Circle K charged customers more at checkout than shelf labels or gas signs showed. Their October 28 letter followed investigations reporting price-check failures and an FTC lawsuit, joined by 20 states, that accuses Dollar General of inaccurate pricing.
Key Facts
A Guardian investigation reported that Dollar General failed more than 4,300 government price-accuracy inspections in 23 states over three years.
The same investigation reported that Family Dollar failed 2,100 price inspections in 20 states during that period.
A separate investigation reported overcharges at 7-Eleven and Circle K for items including snacks, drinks, toiletries, tobacco and medication, as well as some gasoline prices above those displayed on roadside signs.
The four retailers have said in written statements that they try to keep register prices consistent with shelf prices.
The lawmakers’ letter was addressed to FTC Chair Andrew N. Ferguson, a Trump appointee, and asked for a broad investigation.
Two days before the letter, the FTC and 20 states filed a lawsuit accusing Dollar General of a pattern of inaccurate pricing affecting millions of purchases.
Dollar General said it would vigorously defend the lawsuit, aims for 100% price accuracy and cooperated with the FTC investigation.
The letter’s lead author, Representative Nikki Budzinski of Illinois, said affordability concerns informed the lawmakers’ request.
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Stephen Mwiti Joseph says all six of his children are presumed dead after his wife took them to follow self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie in Kenya’s Shakahola Forest. A court found Mackenzie guilty of murdering 191 people; his cult was alleged to have forced children to starve to “meet Jesus.”
Key Facts
Stephen Mwiti Joseph has six children who are presumed dead.
Joseph’s wife abducted the children to follow Paul Mackenzie.
Mackenzie is a self-proclaimed pastor.
The events took place in Kenya’s Shakahola Forest.
A court found Mackenzie guilty of the murder of 191 people.
Mackenzie’s cult was alleged to have forced children to starve to “meet Jesus.”
Joseph wants Mackenzie locked away for life.
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President Donald Trump said he could end the Iran war “whenever I want it to end.” The war’s cost has topped $47 billion and is affecting the U.S. midterm election climate as rising gas prices pressure voters.
Key Facts
Trump said he can end the Iran war whenever he wants.
The cost of the war has topped $47 billion, according to the article headline.
The war is a factor in the lead-up to the U.S. midterm elections.
Rising gas prices are squeezing voters’ budgets.
CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang reported on the war and its effects.
Lana Zak reported on election races in Iowa.
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A joke by Barack Obama comparing President Donald Trump’s White House renovations to Cheesecake Factory decor sparked political commentary and social media posts ahead of the midterm election. Trump defended the renovations, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and the restaurant chain’s former design vice president also responded to the dispute.
Key Facts
Obama joked that Trump had made the White House look like Saddam Hussein had opened a Cheesecake Factory.
The article says Obama’s joke renewed attention to the 2014 controversy over his tan suit.
The White House posted a cartoon of Trump in front of a Cheesecake Factory with lo-fi music.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized Obama’s remark outside a Cheesecake Factory and said he had enjoyed a meal there.
Trump said the White House is a symbol of America and criticized Obama’s comment about the renovations.
The Cheesecake Factory’s former longtime vice president of design, Rick McCormack, said he was disappointed the company had been drawn into the dispute.
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UK income tax thresholds, frozen since 2021, are expected to rise with inflation after 2031, according to documents from the Office for Budget Responsibility. Until then, pay rises can push more income into taxable or higher-rate bands, increasing tax bills; the article says a separate allowance will protect people whose only income is the state pension.
Key Facts
The personal allowance remains £12,570, and income above it is generally subject to income tax.
The higher-rate threshold is £50,271, while the additional 45% rate applies to income above £125,140.
Frozen thresholds mean that as wages rise, more income may become taxable or fall into a higher tax band.
The OBR documents say personal and other tax thresholds are scheduled to rise with inflation after 2031.
The government’s official forecaster estimates that almost one in four taxpayers will pay some income tax at the higher rate by 2031.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that more than six million additional people will be brought into income tax by 2031 because of the frozen personal allowance.
A new separate Pension Tax Allowance is intended to prevent people whose only income is the state pension from paying tax on it.
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Israel’s election has produced no clear path to power, and the outcome will depend on which leader can build a governing coalition. Yedioth Ahronoth correspondent Tamar Sebok said parties’ public refusals to work with Arab parties may change during negotiations, as they did after the 2021 election.
Key Facts
The election featured high voter participation and strong mobilisation among Arab voters.
The article says no clear winner had emerged as votes were counted.
In Israel’s parliamentary system, a party’s ability to form a coalition can matter more than winning the most seats.
Smaller parties can gain influence when larger parties need their support to secure a parliamentary majority.
Sebok said statements ruling out cooperation with Arab parties may not determine the eventual coalition.
Sebok cited the 2021 coalition negotiations as an example of political boundaries shifting after an election.
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Some Silicon Valley parents are choosing private schools that restrict screens, citing concerns about how digital devices affect children’s learning and development. The article contrasts that trend with research on classroom distraction and links between screen exposure and academic and language outcomes, while noting that digital tools can also support some students.
Key Facts
San Francisco Waldorf does not allow screens in the classroom, according to the article.
Software engineer German Gil told The Guardian that he enrolled his daughter at San Francisco Waldorf to give her a screen-free school experience.
San Francisco Waldorf said applications for early-childhood places had risen, with many prospective parents working in technology.
The article reports that early-childhood tuition at the school is nearly $40,000 a year and high-school tuition is nearly $60,000 a year.
An OECD report in 2023 found that nearly one-third of surveyed students across member states said digital devices distracted them in most or every math lesson.
A 2024 Norwegian study of 36 university students found greater brain connectivity during handwriting than typing, especially in networks linked to learning and memory.
A September 2026 JAMA Pediatrics review covering more than 2.8 million children found that greater screen exposure was associated with poorer academic performance and language skills.
The article notes that classroom technology can help students through tools such as text-to-speech, dyslexia-friendly fonts and subtitles.
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