Foreign ministers from eight countries met in Turkiye to discuss regional conflicts and urged the United States not to attack Iran again. They stressed that dialogue and diplomacy are needed to reduce tensions, especially around the Strait of Hormuz, and warned that more fighting would hurt global oil prices.
Key Facts
Ministers from the UK, France, Germany (E3), Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Italy met in Istanbul.
They oppose any new military attacks on Iran, saying it would increase conflict and instability.
Diplomacy and dialogue are seen as the best ways to solve current regional issues.
The ministers also discussed Israel’s war in Gaza, the conflict in Yemen, and the Russia-Ukraine war.
Turkiye is promoting a new defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan called the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement.
The pact is informal, flexible, and open to more countries, including Egypt.
Egypt has not yet joined but supports protecting Saudi Arabia.
Iran-backed Houthis continue fighting Yemen’s Saudi-backed government and attacking Saudi Arabia.
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A study of people over 70 found eating fewer ultraprocessed and inflammatory foods is linked to a lower risk of depression symptoms. The researchers said a better quality diet helps reduce depression risk regardless of genetic factors.
Key Facts
The study involved more than 7,000 older adults monitored for nearly 6 years.
Eating four or more servings of ultraprocessed foods daily was linked to a 12% higher chance of depression symptoms.
A diet low in inflammatory foods lowered depression risk by 7%.
Ultraprocessed foods include items like soft drinks, packaged snacks, ice cream, and instant noodles.
Inflammatory foods include ultraprocessed foods, fried foods, and refined carbs that may cause low-level body inflammation.
The study used the Dietary Inflammation Score to measure how inflammatory participants’ diets were.
The research was conducted by Australian universities and published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.
Not all ultraprocessed foods are equally harmful; whole-grain and plant-based ultraprocessed foods might be less risky.
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President Donald Trump defended a political ad made by Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican running for Ohio governor. The ad featured comments from the opponent’s estranged mother and faced criticism from some Republicans. Trump discussed this with NBC reporter Monica Alba during a Friday interview.
Key Facts
President Trump supports an attack ad made by GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in the Ohio governor’s race.
The ad includes Amy Acton’s estranged mother accusing Acton, the Democratic candidate, of lying.
Some Republicans criticized the ad for its content.
President Trump responded firmly when asked about the criticism.
The discussion happened during an interview with NBC’s Monica Alba on Friday.
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A judge has allowed Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to be called to give evidence in a High Court fraud trial. The case involves allegations that a Turkish businessman, Selman Turk, misled a woman named Nebahat Isbilen over a £750,000 payment made to Mountbatten-Windsor in 2019.
Key Facts
Nebahat Isbilen accuses Selman Turk of misleading her about a £750,000 payment to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
The payment was made in 2019 and later repaid by Mountbatten-Windsor.
Selman Turk denies any dishonest behavior.
The trial is expected to start in London in November.
The judge said Turk can call Mountbatten-Windsor to give evidence, likely through a formal witness summons.
Isbilen sought help moving her assets out of Turkey after her husband, a politician, was jailed.
There are claims that tens of millions of Isbilen’s money were misused, but Turk has not explained its whereabouts.
The court ruling emphasizes fairness by allowing Turk to present his case with relevant evidence.
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Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. Transportation Secretary, has endorsed independent candidate Seth Bodnar in the Montana Senate race instead of the Democratic nominee. Bodnar, a retired Army Green Beret and former University of Montana president, says he will remain independent if elected and not join either major party.
Key Facts
Pete Buttigieg endorsed Seth Bodnar, an independent candidate, for Montana Senate.
Bodnar is a retired U.S. Army Green Beret and was president of the University of Montana.
Bodnar plans to remain independent in the Senate, not joining Democrats or Republicans.
The Democratic and Republican candidates are Alani Bankhead and Kurt Alme, respectively.
Montana is a traditionally Republican state with more Republican voters.
Republican Senator Steve Daines chose not to run for reelection, creating the open seat.
President Trump held a rally to support Republican candidates in Montana last week.
Bodnar’s independent stance has gained some support, leading to calls for the Democrat to drop out to avoid splitting the anti-Republican vote.
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Meghan Markle has shared that her decision to keep distance from her father, Thomas Markle Sr., was to protect her family after she learned in 2018 about serious allegations against him that police investigated. Thomas Markle Sr. is currently under police investigation following claims made by his son, but he denies the allegations and has not been charged.
Key Facts
Meghan Markle and her father have been estranged since before her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.
Thomas Markle Sr. did not attend the royal wedding due to health issues and controversy over staged photos.
Meghan and Harry moved to the U.S. in 2020 partly because of negative media coverage in the U.K.
In 2018, a letter with serious allegations about Markle Sr. was sent to the Metropolitan Police, who shared its contents with Meghan.
Meghan said she kept her children away from her father to protect them.
In 2024, Markle Sr. is being investigated after his son reported finding child sexual images at his father's former home.
Markle Sr. denies the allegations and has not faced any charges yet.
Meghan’s statement helps explain why she has not publicly talked about her relationship with her father before.
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President Donald Trump joked at a rally that he has the right to run for a third term, even though the U.S. Constitution's 22nd Amendment does not allow presidents to serve more than two terms. He claimed that because he believes the 2020 election was stolen, he should be allowed to run again, but also acknowledged the constitutional limits.
Key Facts
The 22nd Amendment stops any U.S. president from serving more than two terms.
President Trump joked about running for a third term during a rally in Iowa.
He said Democrats “cheated” in the 2020 election, which he uses to justify running again.
Trump has previously expressed interest in a third term and worn merch promoting "Trump 2028."
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Trump’s comments are mostly to provoke political opponents.
Trump also admitted the constitution is clear about the two-term limit with "not a lot of wiggle room."
Trump asked supporters to vote as if he were on the ballot in the 2024 midterm elections.
Trump’s approval ratings have dropped recently, despite strong support from his base.
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An archaeologist from Historic England used a scientific method called tree-ring dating to check the age of old pubs in England. He found that the George Inn in Somerset, which has been a pub since about 1430, is the oldest continuously used pub, and many pubs claiming to be older are not accurate.
Key Facts
Historic England's archaeologist, Dr. James Wright, studied more than 24 pubs claiming to be England’s oldest.
Tree-ring dating (dendrochronology) was used to find out when the wooden beams in pubs were cut to estimate their age.
The George Inn in Norton St Philip, Somerset, has been an inn since around 1430-1432, making it England’s oldest confirmed pub.
Many pubs say they are over 1,000 years old, but there is no strong evidence to support these claims.
Ye Olde Fighting Cocks and Bingley Arms claim origins back to Viking times, but these claims are based on marketing, not facts.
No pubs are mentioned in the Domesday Book, a famous historical record from 1086, despite some pubs’ claims.
The George Inn was built by monks from Hinton Priory in the 14th century.
Dr. Wright says some pubs started as different buildings, like dovecotes, and only became pubs much later.
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First Lady Melania Trump helped arrange a temporary ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the occupied city of Oleshky. This agreement aims to let humanitarian aid enter the city and allow civilians, mostly elderly people and children, to leave safely.
Key Facts
The ceasefire in Oleshky was announced by the White House and is set to start on October 29.
Oleshky is under Russian control and has about 1,700 to 2,000 residents remaining, down from 24,000 before the war.
Melania Trump and her representative negotiated directly with leaders from both Russia and Ukraine.
The agreement includes steps for humanitarian aid, clearing landmines, and voluntary evacuation of civilians.
This local ceasefire is limited to one city and has not yet been confirmed by Russia or Ukraine independently.
Earlier, Melania Trump helped reunite 34 children separated by the war, opening communication channels with both governments.
The ceasefire aims to protect civilians rather than settle larger political issues in the war.
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Ohio GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy released a campaign ad with his Democratic opponent Amy Acton’s estranged mother accusing Acton of lying about her past. The ad has caused division within the Republican Party, with President Trump supporting it and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine criticizing it.
Key Facts
The ad features Donna Arthur, Amy Acton’s estranged mother, claiming Acton lied about growing up in a tent.
Amy Acton has publicly stated she spent part of her childhood living in many homes and once in a tent at a campground.
Acton says she was sexually abused by her stepfather and removed from her mother’s custody at age 12.
Acton’s stepfather was indicted for rape in 1979 but fled and was never tried.
Acton accuses her mother of not protecting her during the abuse and calls the ad an exploitation for political gain.
Ramaswamy's campaign claims Acton has serious truthfulness issues.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called the ad “deeply, deeply troubling” and urged its removal.
President Trump praised the ad and criticized DeWine for opposing it.
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A Florida family found a dead man inside a vacant home they were viewing in Kentucky. The man, identified as Michael Harding, had been shot multiple times, leading to a murder investigation involving his estranged wife and another man.
Key Facts
David Hammersley and his family found Michael Harding’s body on September 26, 2022, while looking at a home in Burkesville, Kentucky.
Harding had been shot four times and had been missing for over a week.
Authorities found Harding’s phone at the scene and discovered he was lured to the house using a fake repair request.
The phone contacting Harding was a prepaid "burner" phone linked to a man named Thomas O'Donnell from Houston, Texas.
Harding was going through a tense divorce with his wife Julie Harding, who was a California Highway Patrol captain living separately.
Investigators found many calls between Julie Harding and Thomas O'Donnell before the murder, and the phones were near each other days before Harding’s death.
Thomas O'Donnell was arrested on December 8, 2022, for Harding's murder.
Two days after O’Donnell’s arrest, Julie Harding was found dead by suicide at Harding’s Tennessee home.
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The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit in advance to prevent the certification of Alaska’s Senate election results if Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan narrowly loses. The lawsuit claims there is confusion among voters because another candidate named Dan J. Sullivan has a very similar name.
Key Facts
The DOJ filed the lawsuit before the election results were finalized.
The lawsuit aims to block certification if the incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan loses.
There are two candidates with very similar names: Dan S. Sullivan (incumbent) and Dan J. Sullivan (challenger).
Republicans say the challenger’s similar name may confuse voters and take votes away from the incumbent.
President Donald Trump publicly supported Senator Dan Sullivan during the campaign.
The lawsuit is part of efforts to contest the election outcome on the grounds of voter confusion.
The case concerns the Alaska Senate race in 2026.
Election results and further legal developments are still pending.
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The Trump administration plans to introduce a new seafood label called "U.S. Caught Seafood" to help shoppers know where their seafood comes from. This label would be optional and aims to support American fishermen, who caught much less seafood than what the U.S. imports.
Key Facts
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a new label called "U.S. Caught Seafood" for grocery store seafood.
The label would not be compulsory for sellers to use.
President Trump mentioned seafood while campaigning in Florida for local candidates.
About 80% of seafood eaten in the U.S. in 2023 was imported from other countries.
U.S. fishermen caught $5.1 billion worth of seafood in 2023.
The U.S. imported $25 billion worth of seafood in 2023.
The administration is preparing $5 billion in loans for the fishing industry to buy new equipment.
These loans would be provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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A gunman killed one person and injured five others near Paris in an attack described as a possible Islamophobic terrorist crime. The suspect was captured soon after and the investigation is focused on whether the attack was motivated by race or religion.
Key Facts
The shooting took place in the towns of Trappes and La Verriere near Paris.
One person died and five others, including a 12-year-old girl, were wounded.
The attacker fired at a playground, fuel station, and medical center.
The suspect, a 39-year-old man, was quickly arrested.
Authorities believe the attacker used a military-grade or automatic weapon.
The attack lasted less than 15 minutes and is being treated as a terrorist crime.
Some victims were of African and North African origin.
France is increasing security with 70,000 officers and special police units ahead of nationwide protests planned for the weekend.
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The Trump administration filed a lawsuit to stop Alaska from officially approving the Senate election results if Republican Senator Dan Sullivan loses by a close margin. The lawsuit argues that having two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the ballot could confuse voters.
Key Facts
The lawsuit was filed by the Justice Department under President Donald Trump’s administration.
It targets the certification of the Senate race in Alaska if Senator Dan Sullivan loses narrowly.
Another candidate named Dan Sullivan, who is a retired teacher, is also on the ballot.
The concern is that voters might accidentally vote for the wrong Dan Sullivan.
The Alaska Supreme Court has already rejected efforts to remove the retired teacher Dan Sullivan from the ballot.
Alaska uses a ranked-choice voting system, where voters can rank candidates by preference.
Senator Dan Sullivan is the Republican incumbent in a tight race against Democrat Mary Peltola, who currently leads narrowly.
The Justice Department wants a judge to stop Alaska from finalizing the election results if Sullivan loses by less votes than the other Dan Sullivan.
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The Cook Political Report moved 19 U.S. House races toward the Democrats ahead of the midterm elections. This shift suggests Democrats may gain control of the House, as they only need a few more seats to win a majority.
Key Facts
The Cook Political Report moved 19 House races in favor of Democrats, with no races shifting toward Republicans.
Six districts changed from toss-up to leaning Democratic, including four currently held by Republicans.
President Donald Trump’s approval rating is low, which often makes it harder for his party to keep seats in midterms.
Republicans currently hold 218 House seats; Democrats have 214.
Democrats need to win just a few Republican seats to take control of the House.
Cook predicts Democrats could flip 12 to 22 seats, possibly holding 227 to 237 seats in the next Congress starting January 2025.
Other election forecasters show similar trends, with many competitive seats leaning Democratic.
The shifts reflect voter concerns about issues like inflation and government performance under President Trump.
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Experts say certain foods may help improve sleep because they contain compounds that support the body's natural sleep processes. Pistachios, melatonin-rich foods like tart cherries, and foods with tryptophan and vitamin B6 are among those that might help people sleep better, but more studies are needed.
Key Facts
Pistachios have vitamins and compounds that may help the body produce melatonin, a hormone that signals nighttime.
Melatonin is found naturally in foods such as tart cherries, tomatoes, and walnuts.
Phytomelatonin is the plant form of melatonin, present in foods like kiwis, which may improve sleep.
Tryptophan and vitamin B6 help the body make melatonin; tryptophan sources include turkey, chicken, and dairy, while vitamin B6 is in bananas, chickpeas, and salmon.
Around 30% of Americans get less than seven hours of sleep, with many reporting difficulties falling or staying asleep.
A recent review suggests pistachios could be studied more to confirm their effects on sleep.
The review was partially funded by the American Pistachio Growers.
Experts say more controlled human trials are needed to prove that these foods consistently improve sleep.
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Two former FBI intelligence officers were charged with lying about their investigation into Hunter Biden’s laptop before the 2020 presidential election. They appeared in federal court amid efforts by the Justice Department to review past FBI actions related to politically sensitive cases.
Key Facts
Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides are accused of making false statements about their roles in investigating Hunter Biden’s laptop.
Both officials surrendered and appeared in court in Washington DC on the charges.
The charges were announced 10 days before the November 3, 2024, midterm elections.
The laptop was found in 2020 and contained emails about Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, fueling controversy during the presidential race.
The investigation into the laptop intersected with concerns about possible Russian interference favoring Trump in the 2020 election.
FBI director Kash Patel has been reviewing high-profile past FBI cases linked to political controversies.
The laptop story was originally publicized by the New York Post, based on material from Rudy Giuliani.
President Donald Trump refused to accept the 2020 election result and later faced impeachment and criminal charges, which ended after his 2024 election win.
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Professor Sebastian Zimmeck from Wesleyan University says artificial intelligence (AI) can threaten democracy. He explains that AI may cause people to give up thinking for themselves, which means strong rules and careful thinking are needed to protect people's ability to make their own choices.
Key Facts
Sebastian Zimmeck is a computer science professor at Wesleyan University.
He believes AI can harm democratic citizenship by promoting "cognitive surrender," meaning people stop thinking critically.
Cognitive surrender happens when people rely too much on AI and lose their personal judgment.
Protecting democracy requires individuals to keep thinking critically.
Strong and clear regulations are needed to oversee AI use.
The goal is to protect personal agency, which means the ability to make independent decisions.
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Gunmen attacked a funeral inside a church in central Jordan, killing six people and injuring 28. The attackers arrived by car, opened fire, and then escaped before security forces arrived.
Key Facts
The shooting took place at a funeral in a church in Karak governorate, Jordan.
Six people were killed during the attack.
Twenty-eight more people were injured.
The attackers used a car to reach the church.
They opened fire inside the church and fled the scene afterward.
Government spokesperson Mohammad al-Momani called the attack "heinous."
Security forces were sent to the area following the shooting.
CCTV footage shows the gunmen near the church before the attack.
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