Bird flu has spread for two months at a Utah mink farm that raises thousands of animals, according to reporting by ProPublica. Infectious disease experts raised concerns about limited information, delayed culling and a lack of worker monitoring, while one expert said there were no signs of wider spread described in the article.
Key Facts
The farm is about an hour from Salt Lake City.
Utah state veterinarian Amanda Price sought help from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which reportedly said it did not regulate mink and had no vaccine approved for them.
ProPublica reported that CDC officials spoke with Utah health department staff but did not communicate with Price.
Veterinarians told ProPublica the farm should have culled its mink; a fur trade representative warned that culling could harm the business and industry.
The article says officials reportedly did not monitor farm workers for symptoms, despite CDC guidance to do so.
ProPublica found two people who worked at the farm; one had a red eye, a symptom for which the CDC urges testing.
Nearly 10,000 mink in Utah died from coronavirus during the Covid-19 pandemic, and nine farms were quarantined.
Jennifer Nuzzo said the risk was greatest for people exposed to sick animals and that she saw no signals of the virus spreading.
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The article says that 13 years after the Supreme Court weakened federal oversight under the Voting Rights Act, states have adopted new voting restrictions. It argues these restrictions have reduced minority voting power, particularly in states that were part of the Confederacy.
Key Facts
The article describes the Supreme Court's decision as weakening federal oversight under the Voting Rights Act.
The article says 13 years have passed since that change.
It says states no longer subject to federal oversight adopted new voting restrictions.
It says many of those states were part of the Confederacy.
The article says the restrictions have diluted minority voting power.
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Jessica Sanchez, 40, had persistent constipation, heavy bleeding, night sweats and extreme fatigue for about five years before a colonoscopy found a tumor. Biopsies showed rectal adenocarcinoma, and she is awaiting scans to determine the cancer’s stage and whether it has spread.
Key Facts
Sanchez said doctors had repeatedly dismissed her symptoms as minor issues.
A colonoscopy revealed a tumor, and biopsies identified rectal adenocarcinoma.
Rectal adenocarcinoma is a cancer that develops in glandular cells lining the rectum.
Sanchez was told she would receive the biopsy results at a follow-up appointment the next week.
She is undergoing CT and MRI scans to check the cancer’s stage and whether it has spread.
Sanchez said support from friends and family has helped her cope with the diagnosis.
She shared her experience online to encourage others to speak up when they feel dismissed.
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James Blair, a Florida political strategist and White House deputy chief of staff, helped Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign regain the presidency. The article describes Blair’s political career and his close ties to Susie Wiles, and says he now faces the task of helping Republicans retain control of Congress in the midterm elections.
Key Facts
Blair is 37 and was born in Tampa, Florida.
He earned a finance degree from Florida State University and founded Rapid Loop Consulting in 2013.
Blair worked for Florida political leader Richard Corcoran and later served as a senior adviser to Ron DeSantis’s 2018 gubernatorial campaign.
He became deputy chief of staff in DeSantis’s administration and formed a close working relationship with Susie Wiles.
Wiles brought Blair into Trump’s political operation, including his 2024 presidential campaign, where Blair served as political director.
After Trump won the 2024 election, Blair became a White House deputy chief of staff and worked with Congress on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The article says Blair is now working to help Republicans hold the House and Senate in the midterm elections.
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SNAP enrollment fell from 41.6 million people in July 2025 to 36.5 million in June 2026, a 13% decline, after the Trump administration changed eligibility rules and program costs. Food-bank groups and officials say demand for food assistance has risen, while the administration has described the enrollment decline as a sign that more people are working.
Key Facts
US Department of Agriculture data show SNAP enrollment dropped by 5.1 million between July 2025 and June 2026.
The new rules require many adults ages 18 to 64 without a child under 14 to work or volunteer at least 20 hours per week to qualify for benefits.
The Congressional Budget Office projected the SNAP changes would reduce spending by about $187 billion over 10 years.
Starting in October, states must pay 75% of SNAP administrative costs, up from 50%.
Arizona’s SNAP enrollment fell 50% from July 2025 to June 2026, while Kentucky’s fell 6%.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said he was concerned the changes would leave more people, including children and older adults, hungry.
Michigan’s food bank helpline received more than three times as many calls per day after the changes and temporarily suspended service because of high call volume.
The administration has praised the decline in SNAP enrollment, while food-assistance groups say food needs have increased.
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A shooting near Florida A&M University in Tallahassee injured 12 people Saturday evening, including six children. Police said 11 people had gunshot wounds; three were seriously injured, including one in critical condition.
Key Facts
Six of the injured were adults and six were juveniles, Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said.
The youngest injured person was 11 years old.
Eight victims were reported in stable condition.
A grandmother of one victim was injured while fleeing the scene, but did not have a gunshot wound.
Police said the shooting followed an altercation between individuals near Perry and Manatee streets, outside the university’s Bragg Memorial Stadium.
Florida A&M University said police were at the scene and investigating.
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President Donald Trump criticized Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski over ranked-choice voting and urged voters to support a ballot measure repealing the system. His remarks come as the Justice Department challenges Alaska’s Senate election procedures and Republican Senator Dan Sullivan faces Democrat Mary Peltola.
Key Facts
Trump called Murkowski one of the Senate’s worst members and accused her of opposing the Justice Department’s lawsuit to help Democrats.
Trump described ranked-choice voting as a scam and urged Alaskans to vote yes on Ballot Measure 2, which would repeal it.
Trump is backing Dan Sullivan in his reelection contest against Democrat Mary Peltola.
Trump alleged that a second Republican candidate with a similar name could divert votes from Sullivan; the article says he provided no evidence for that claim in his posts.
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska’s Senate election results under certain circumstances.
The lawsuit concerns whether votes for Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher and former Forest Service employee, could affect the contest under ranked-choice voting.
In ranked-choice voting, voters rank candidates, and votes for candidates who are eliminated can transfer to voters’ next choices.
Voting-rights experts cited in the article questioned the administration’s legal arguments and the ability to determine voters’ intentions after ballots are cast.
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Actress Parker Posey discusses her film and television career in an extended interview with CBS News correspondent Mo Rocca. The interview covers her work in “Party Girl,” “The White Lotus” and “Wild Horse Nine,” and her reputation as the “Queen of the Indies.”
Key Facts
CBS News published the interview as a web exclusive.
Mo Rocca interviewed Parker Posey.
Posey discussed her movie and television career.
The article names “Party Girl,” “The White Lotus” and “Wild Horse Nine” as works in her career.
Posey was dubbed the “Queen of the Indies.”
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Actress Parker Posey became a prominent star in 1990s independent films, earning the nickname “Queen of the Indies.” She recently received an Emmy nomination for “The White Lotus” and appears in Martin McDonagh’s film “Wild Horse Nine.”
Key Facts
Posey broke out in independent films such as “Party Girl” in the 1990s.
She was dubbed “The Queen of the Indies.”
Posey received an Emmy nomination for “The White Lotus.”
She appears in Martin McDonagh’s film “Wild Horse Nine.”
Posey spoke with correspondent Mo Rocca, a former classmate from summer theater school.
The interview covered Posey’s Southern upbringing and how her parents inspired her acting.
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Democratic and independent candidates in rural states are campaigning on economic populism and personal outreach as they seek support ahead of the midterm elections. They emphasize local concerns, including pressure on farmers and workers and the effects of data centers and artificial intelligence on rural communities.
Key Facts
Independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn is visiting all 93 counties in Nebraska and had about a dozen left to visit, according to the article.
Iowa Democratic Senate candidate Josh Turek describes his approach as “commonsense prairie populism” and says he prioritizes workers, rural communities, and small farms.
Montana Democrat Sam Forstag has highlighted economic support for people who grew up in poverty, including access to food assistance.
Kansas Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton’s campaign says he admires Republican Bob Dole and would work with politicians from either party.
Candidates are adding concerns about data centers and artificial intelligence to their rural economic messages.
Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb said candidates have increasingly addressed local issues that voters raise.
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom has built a small-dollar fundraising and organizing network backed by a large, growing list of potential supporters nationwide. The article says the network could give him a significant asset if he runs for president in 2028; it was already in place before last year’s Proposition 50 redistricting effort.
Key Facts
Gavin Newsom is governor of California.
Newsom has built a small-dollar fundraising network.
The network also supports organizing.
It draws on a large and growing contact list of potential supporters across the country.
The article says the network could support a 2028 presidential campaign.
The network existed before last year’s Proposition 50 redistricting effort.
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The article previews seven contentious moments from the November midterm campaign season. It mentions a controversial campaign ad in Ohio and a candidate telling an opponent to “shut up” during a debate.
Key Facts
The article focuses on the November midterm elections.
It says the campaign season included fiery policy exchanges and personal attacks.
It describes seven moments that drew criticism.
One example involved a campaign ad in Ohio.
Another example involved a candidate telling an opponent to “shut up” during a debate.
The article says closely contested battleground races featured these moments.
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A children’s commissioner report ranked Middlesbrough as the hardest place in England to grow up, based on 162 measures including poverty, school exclusions and air quality. Children and local youth workers acknowledged serious challenges but said the ranking overlooks community ties, local pride and positive experiences.
Key Facts
The report, The Childhood Lottery, was published by Children’s Commissioner Rachel de Souza.
It combined 162 measures of children’s lives to compare how difficult it is to grow up in areas across England.
Middlesbrough ranked at the bottom of the report’s assessment.
Local youth workers and a teacher said the label could add to negative views of the town and discourage families.
Young people at a youth club described activities including cooking, table tennis, crafts and sports.
Some young people said they enjoy living in Middlesbrough and value its parks, museum, football and youth club.
Linx Youth Project chief executive Wayne Mason said many young people in deprived areas want to stay because Middlesbrough is home.
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Vote-Scope projects Democrats will win 54 Senate seats, but polling experts say a 55-seat majority remains unlikely. They say Democrats would need to hold their current seats and win several races in Republican-leaning states, including contests beyond their main pickup opportunities.
Key Facts
Vote-Scope’s October 23 forecast gives Democrats 54 seats, with a range of 48 to 55 and a 71 percent chance of a Senate majority.
The forecast draws on 529 polls and 50,000 simulations, weighting polls by quality, sample size and recency.
The Fred Cornell Senate Forecast projects 52 Democratic seats and gives the party a 66 percent chance of winning at least 51.
The 270toWin consensus places 49 seats in the Democratic column and lists five races as tossups.
Democrats need a net gain of four seats for a 51-seat majority and eight pickups, with no losses, to reach 55.
The article identifies North Carolina, Maine, Ohio and Texas as four leading Democratic pickup opportunities; winning all four would bring the party to 51 seats.
Pollsters Lee Miringoff and Patrick Ruffini said a 55-seat outcome is unlikely; Ruffini estimated its probability at about one in ten.
Ruffini said Iowa could be a key test: a Democratic win could make Kansas competitive, while a loss could leave 53 seats as the party’s upper limit.
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Former President Barack Obama campaigned for Democrats in Ohio and Michigan ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. He criticized President Donald Trump’s Iran war, tariffs and trade policies, and urged voters to reject Republicans.
Key Facts
Obama spoke at rallies in Cleveland, Ohio, and Michigan on Saturday, 10 days before the elections.
In Cleveland, Obama backed former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown.
Obama said Trump’s decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement and start a war had raised oil and diesel prices.
Obama cited attacks on U.S. bases, American casualties and disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz as consequences of the war.
Obama argued that tariffs raise costs for consumers and for U.S. manufacturers that use imported parts.
Trump has threatened 50 percent tariffs on Canadian vehicles and auto parts starting in January 2027, according to the article.
Obama said the federal debt had reached $40 trillion; the article notes that this is accumulated debt, not the annual budget deficit.
Senate and gubernatorial races are taking place in both Ohio and Michigan.
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Divorce attorney Hannah Hembree Bell describes a “medium-suck” marriage as one without a major crisis but marked by ongoing unhappiness. She shares signs of this situation, including feeling unsure whether to leave and judging a marriage by the problems it lacks rather than by whether it brings happiness.
Key Facts
Bell says her first marriage ended after she recognized that she was quietly unhappy, despite no single major problem.
Bell describes a “medium-suck” marriage as one in which a person feels they are functioning rather than flourishing.
One sign Bell identifies is feeling that there is no clear reason to leave but also no strong reason to stay.
Another sign is measuring a marriage by the absence of major problems, such as abuse, infidelity, or frequent arguments.
The article says researchers estimate that about 40 percent of first marriages in the United States end in divorce.
A study cited in the article found that divorced participants most often named lack of commitment, infidelity, and excessive conflict as contributors to their divorce.
The study also listed financial problems and substance abuse among commonly cited contributors to divorce.
Bell is now a divorce attorney and says she is happily married in a blended family with four children.
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Faded advertisements known as ghost signs remain on brick walls across the United States, offering clues about past businesses and products. Artist Craig Winslow uses projection mapping to temporarily recreate old signs, while enthusiasts document them before demolition removes them.
Key Facts
Marketing professor Ron Ladouceur searches for and studies ghost signs in Schenectady, New York.
Ladouceur said the golden era of ghost signs ran from about 1895 through the 1930s, alongside the rise of national advertising.
Many signs promoted brands and companies that no longer exist, and repeated layers of paint can make them hard to read.
Ghost signs are often lost when buildings are demolished.
Craig Winslow’s Light Capsules project uses projection mapping to recreate the appearance of old signs.
Winslow researches signs using archival images and old directories before projecting them.
In Portland, Oregon, Winslow identified five advertising layers on a warehouse wall, including signs for Montgomery Ward and Oregon Transfer Co.
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Harry Houdini, born Erik Weisz in Hungary in 1874, became famous for escape acts involving handcuffs, straitjackets and water tanks. Later, he exposed tricks used by fake spiritualist mediums. The article looks back on his life a century after his death and says the mystery surrounding it endures.
Key Facts
Houdini’s family moved to Wisconsin when he was four.
As a teenager, he performed magic in sideshows and beer halls.
He took his stage name from French magician Houdin, adding an “i.”
His Metamorphosis Trunk act helped make him a sought-after performer.
Houdini became famous for escaping handcuffs and other restraints, as well as straitjackets and a water tank.
In 1904, Houdini bought a townhouse in Harlem, where he lived with his wife, mother and brother.
After World War I, Houdini worked to expose fraudulent spiritualist mediums.
The article says Houdini died 100 years before its publication, on Halloween, but the provided text does not explain the circumstances of his death.
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Police forces across Britain recorded a 10% rise in crimes mentioning cocaine between 2019 and 2025, while estimates show cocaine use has increased in England. The figures include drug offences, violence, sexual offences and driving offences, but a cocaine mention in a crime report does not establish that the drug caused the offence.
Key Facts
Police recorded at least 29,922 crimes mentioning cocaine in 2025, or 63.4 per 100,000 people, compared with 57.7 per 100,000 in 2019.
Home Office estimates indicate cocaine use at sites across England rose 26% between 2021 and 2025.
Wastewater analysis estimates that people in England consumed 123,000kg of cocaine in 2024–25.
Of crimes mentioning cocaine in 2025, 18% were violent offences and just under 4% were sexual offences; the reports included 344 rapes.
Nearly six in 10 people arrested on suspicion of domestic abuse who received a police drug test between July 2025 and June 2026 tested positive for cocaine.
In 2025, 30,707 drug-driving offences were added to driving licences, up 28% from 2022; 29,769 drink-driving offences were added, down 17%.
The article notes that drug tests in domestic-abuse cases are not representative and that a cocaine mention in a crime record does not prove the drug caused the offence.
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At least 12 people, including six children, were injured in a shooting near a football stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, on Saturday during Florida A&M University’s homecoming weekend. Police said a fight preceded the shooting and that no arrests had been made.
Key Facts
The shooting occurred near the Florida A&M University campus after a football game in a crowded area.
At least 12 people were injured, including six children.
