A recent poll shows that 91 percent of Texas voters think the war involving Iran is causing oil and gas prices in the U.S. to increase. Only a small percentage of people believe the war is not affecting prices much.
Key Facts
91 percent of Texas voters say the Iran war is making oil and gas prices higher.
The poll was conducted by CBS News and YouGov.
Most respondents felt prices were “a lot higher” or “a little higher” because of the war.
Only 7 percent believed the war was not raising prices.
The poll reflects public concern about energy costs related to international conflict.
Texas voters are particularly focused on this issue, likely due to the state’s energy industry.
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President Donald Trump said the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is now 70% filled with water after repairs and warned that anyone who damages the pool will go to jail. Federal prosecutors, however, found that the damage was caused by a rushed contractor job, not vandalism.
Key Facts
President Trump posted that the Reflecting Pool is 70% filled and warned vandals would face jail time.
Security cameras have been installed around the pool to watch for damage.
The pool had problems since it was built in 1922 and often leaked, according to Trump.
Water started flowing back into the pool on October 12 after repair work.
The repair project began in April and was expected to cost $1.5 to $2 million but ended up costing more.
The pool's new blue coating began to peel shortly after repairs were completed.
Federal prosecutors dropped a vandalism case against David Hearn, stating damage was due to rushed installation, not vandalism.
Documents from the Interior Department showed extensive damage linked to speedy work ahead of the America 250 celebration.
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President Donald Trump said he has not yet agreed to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the same time but expressed openness to such a meeting. He made these remarks while speaking to reporters before a rally in Kansas.
Key Facts
President Trump said he is willing to have a meeting with both Putin and Xi together.
He has not formally agreed to the meeting yet.
The comment was made outside the White House, on the South Lawn.
Trump was about to attend a midterm election rally in Kansas at the time.
The meeting would involve leaders of the United States, Russia, and China.
This could be a significant diplomatic event involving three major world leaders.
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AI-generated photos falsely showed an elderly couple being “stripped and robbed” during riots in France. These fake images spread widely on social media, especially through far-right accounts, but no official report has confirmed such an attack.
Key Facts
Two photos claiming to show an elderly couple attacked during French unrest were created by AI.
The images were shared millions of times, mostly by far-right social media accounts.
The pictures were made using OpenAI tools and checked by a digital watermark system called SynthID.
Visual errors in the images, like a woman with four fingers and two heads on one body, showed they were fake.
The images originated from a pro-Israel account that published AI-generated content.
A French journalist reported an elderly couple had been attacked, citing a police source, but no official confirmation exists.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said no attack report had been filed by the time of fact-checking.
The false images fueled misleading claims linking the unrest to religious and ethnic groups.
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President Donald Trump wants to hold a meeting next month with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in China to talk about reducing nuclear weapons. He said the meeting would focus on denuclearization, not on ending the war in Ukraine.
Key Facts
President Trump plans to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Shenzhen, China, in mid-November.
He wants to add a separate meeting with Xi and Putin to discuss nuclear arms reduction.
Such a summit with leaders of the U.S., China, and Russia would be the first of its kind.
Putin has mentioned the idea of this meeting in phone calls with Trump, including a recent call.
China has not yet agreed to hold this trilateral summit.
Trump said the main purpose of the meeting would be denuclearization, not the conflict in Ukraine.
Trump has been interested in negotiating nuclear arms deals with Russia and China for about two years.
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A new study from the University of Melbourne looked at the emissions caused by making lithium-ion batteries, which are important for electric vehicles and clean energy storage. The research found ways to lower these emissions by making batteries last longer, recycling more, and using fewer batteries overall.
Key Facts
Currently, battery production causes about 0.18% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Battery emissions could grow 10 times or more by 2050 if production keeps increasing.
Improving battery manufacturing and recycling could cut the carbon footprint of making a battery by 34% by 2050.
Making electric vehicle batteries last as long as the cars themselves could reduce battery production demand by 29%.
Limiting the growth in average battery sizes for EVs could cut demand by 23%.
Using ride-sharing and repurposing old batteries for energy storage could reduce demand by nearly 18%.
Combined strategies could prevent 6 to 7.2 billion tons of CO2 emissions between 2024 and 2050.
Battery production emissions are a small part of total global emissions, but reducing demand adds up to significant savings.
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Ukraine's military said it successfully used a drone to airlift a wounded soldier from a dangerous front-line area. The rescue was done because a ground mission was too risky due to landmines and enemy drones nearby.
Key Facts
The Ukrainian 92nd Assault Brigade conducted the drone airlift.
A ground rescue was impossible due to surrounding landmines and high Russian drone activity.
The drone used was a heavy hexacopter, controlled remotely.
The operation was described as very difficult but stable.
BBC Verify confirmed the identity of the soldier in the video and found no signs of video manipulation or AI involvement.
This is reportedly the world's first drone airlift of a wounded soldier from a combat zone.
The footage was released by the Ukrainian military.
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Finland plans to buy one million anti-personnel landmines and spend 100 million euros ($112 million) on them. The country left a global treaty banning such mines due to security concerns about Russia and wants to start producing the mines locally by 2028.
Key Facts
Finland wants to buy one million anti-personnel mines for defense.
The estimated cost for the mines is 100 million euros ($112 million).
Finland left the Ottawa Convention, a treaty banning these mines, in January 2025.
The decision came because Finland sees Russia as a growing long-term threat.
Finland shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia.
Finnish officials hope local companies will produce the mines by 2028.
Neighboring countries Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland also left the treaty citing threats from Russia.
Finland’s Foreign Minister asked the EU to stop giving tourist visas to Russians during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has allowed more than 100,000 Ukrainians and Sudanese to stay in the United States temporarily without fear of deportation. Their Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which was due to expire on October 19, has been extended for now, but DHS has not said how long the extension will last.
Key Facts
More than 100,000 people from Ukraine and Sudan currently have Temporary Protected Status in the U.S.
TPS is a program that lets people from certain countries stay temporarily if it is unsafe for them to return home.
The TPS for about 101,000 Ukrainians and 1,800 Sudanese was set to end on October 19.
The Department of Homeland Security announced these individuals can remain in the U.S. for now without immediate deportation.
DHS has not specified how long this protection will continue or when a final decision will be announced.
The temporary extension offers relief while the government reviews the situation in Ukraine and Sudan.
TPS does not provide permanent residency but allows people to stay legally on a temporary basis.
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France experienced large, violent protests over the weekend related to rising living costs and student demands for better education funding. The protests included clashes with police, injuries, arrests, and damage to property, leading to a national discussion on how French police handle public order.
Key Facts
About 550,000 to 800,000 people protested across France on October 17, 2026.
The protests began with high school students demanding more resources and better school conditions.
Violence included clashes with police, looting, buildings set on fire, and at least 2,400 arrests.
Some protesters were injured by police crowd control weapons like tear gas and grenades.
A 17-year-old lost a hand and another young protester lost sight in an eye due to explosive devices used during protests.
One protester died near a demonstration from a probable cardiac arrest; details are unclear.
The student movement revived elements of the Yellow Vests protest, originally about fuel prices and living costs.
The police have increased their use of weapons and training despite budget cuts in other public sectors like education.
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Police and federal agents are investigating a shooting near the Alrahma Mosque in Columbus, Ohio. At least one person has died, and another person’s condition is unknown.
Key Facts
The shooting occurred near the Alrahma Mosque on Albert Avenue in Columbus.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is involved in the investigation.
One victim has died; the second victim’s condition is not yet known.
The shooting happened during a funeral service at the mosque.
Investigators are still gathering information and working to understand what happened.
The identities of the victims have not been shared with the public.
Police, FBI, and Ohio Department of Public Safety were contacted for updates but had no new information at the time.
The situation is ongoing, and more details are expected to follow.
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Authorities are responding to a shooting at a mosque in Columbus, Ohio. The federal agency in charge of investigating gun crimes is involved, and the situation is ongoing.
Key Facts
The shooting took place at a mosque in Columbus, Ohio.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is responding to the incident.
Details about victims or suspects have not yet been released.
The situation is still developing, and more updates will come as available.
Local and federal law enforcement are working together on the case.
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At least one person was killed in a shooting near a mosque in Columbus, Ohio. Police said the mosque was not the target, and the shooting happened after a disagreement at a nearby apartment building.
Key Facts
The shooting occurred near a mosque on Albert Avenue in Columbus, Ohio.
At least one person died in the shooting.
Local police confirmed the mosque was not targeted in the incident.
The shooting resulted from an argument at an apartment building near the mosque.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents responded to the shooting scene.
Sergeant James Fuqua clarified it was not an attack on the mosque.
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A team of researchers traveled to Nikumaroro Island, a remote place in the Pacific Ocean, to look for Amelia Earhart’s missing airplane. This search happened 90 years after Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, disappeared during their flight.
Key Facts
Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan went missing about 90 years ago.
The search took place on Nikumaroro Island in the Pacific Ocean.
Researchers aimed to find Earhart’s lost airplane.
The expedition was guided by the discovery of a mysterious object.
Amelia Earhart was a famous pilot who made important flights in the early 20th century.
The team hopes to learn more about what happened to Earhart and Noonan.
Earhart’s disappearance remains one of the most well-known aviation mysteries.
The expedition is part of ongoing efforts to solve that mystery.
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Florida has issued an arrest warrant for Raul Castro, the former Cuban leader, accusing him of ordering the shooting down of two unarmed planes in 1996 that killed four people. The charge is part of increased US actions against Cuba's government, with President Donald Trump’s administration seeking accountability and pushing for regime change.
Key Facts
Florida’s State Attorney General James Uthmeier issued the arrest warrant for Raul Castro.
The warrant is based on charges related to the 1996 shooting of two unarmed aircraft linked to the group Brothers to the Rescue.
Four people died in the attack, and Castro faces charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
The planes were flying over international waters when Cuba shot them down without warning.
Raul Castro was Cuba’s defense minister at the time and later served as the country’s president.
The Trump administration wants regime change in Cuba and has tightened US restrictions, including an energy blockade.
In May, the US also charged Castro in a federal indictment for conspiracy to kill US nationals and other crimes.
US officials say they will use both federal and state legal efforts to hold Castro accountable.
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Independent MP Helen Haines was seriously injured after being hit by a car outside her office in Wangaratta, Victoria. She had surgery and remains in critical condition while police investigate the incident as a possible attack.
Key Facts
Helen Haines, MP for the Indi electorate, was hit by a car at about 3:35 pm on Monday near her office.
She was taken to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne and had surgery overnight.
Haines is still in critical condition as of Tuesday morning.
A 43-year-old man from Tarrawingee is in police custody after the event.
Police and security agencies, including federal police and the counter-terrorism taskforce, are investigating.
A knife was found in the suspect’s car after being stopped by a bystander.
The motive for the attack is not yet known, and authorities say the incident may have been deliberate.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other politicians have expressed concern and sent best wishes to Haines and her family.
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There were violent protests in France over the weekend, causing unrest and damage to shops. The far-right National Rally party is using the situation to push for stronger law and order policies.
Key Facts
Violent protests took place across France during the weekend.
Shops and properties were damaged during the riots.
Different political groups blamed each other for the unrest.
The far-right National Rally party has used the protests to argue for tougher law enforcement.
National Rally leaders, including Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, are speaking out about the events.
French authorities introduced local curfews in some areas after the violence.
The protests and riots raised concerns about their impact on tourism in France.
French Prime Minister blamed "ultra-left" groups for trying to cause deeper unrest before elections.
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Hackers are actively attacking Plex Media Server by exploiting recent security weaknesses. These attacks install malware that can mine cryptocurrency or turn devices into proxy servers used for hiding internet activity.
Key Facts
Plex fixed four security problems in their media server software recently.
Researchers found five weaknesses, with one rated very serious (8.6 out of 10).
A researcher created a “Plex2Shell” exploit using four vulnerabilities to run harmful code remotely.
A honeypot (a fake server) detected real attacks happening quickly after the exploit was public.
The installed malware includes cryptominers and software that turns devices into proxies for anonymous internet use.
The exploit was developed using artificial intelligence to speed up the complex hacking process.
Plex users should update to version 1.43.3 immediately to stay safe.
Users are advised to secure their servers by limiting internet access, using strong passwords, and secure apps.
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Heavy flooding in eastern Spain has forced residents to take refuge on their rooftops. Spain’s military is rescuing people by lifting them from these rooftops as part of evacuation efforts.
Key Facts
Eastern Spain is experiencing severe flooding.
Floodwaters have trapped residents on their rooftops.
Spain’s military is actively rescuing people from rooftops.
Evacuations are ongoing to move people to safety.
The flooding has caused deaths in the affected areas.
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Christiane Amanpour, a lead international anchor at CNN, will leave the network after 43 years in early 2027. She plans to end her shows on CNN International and PBS but will continue her podcast.
Key Facts
Amanpour started at CNN in 1983 as an assistant and became a prominent war correspondent.
She will reduce her CNN International show to once a week in early 2027 and end it by May of that year.
Her PBS show, "Amanpour & Co," will end at the end of 2024.
Amanpour will keep working on her podcast "The Ex Files" with her ex-husband, Jamie Rubin.
She has publicly shared her experience with ovarian cancer diagnosed in 2021 and subsequent recurrences.
Amanpour’s departure comes as CNN changes ownership, merging CBS and CNN under new parent company Paramount following its $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
CNN's CEO praised her rise from a doubtful start to a major international correspondent.
Amanpour has reported from major conflict zones including the Gulf War, Bosnia, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Iran.
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