A former Cornell student, known as Jane Doe, told a university panel about being raped by several fraternity members in October 2024. The university held a private investigation, but local prosecutors chose not to press charges despite the case being under criminal review.
Key Facts
Jane Doe reported being raped by 8-10 men at Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024.
She testified in May 2025, describing being pressured to take drugs and sexually assaulted repeatedly.
The accused men deny wrongdoing and say the encounter was consensual or they did not participate.
Cornell’s Title IX investigation was private and its results were not shared with local prosecutors.
The local district attorney declined to reopen the case after earlier refusing charges.
ABC News reviewed transcripts from a 12-day university hearing showing conflicting accounts.
Hundreds of Cornell students protested the university’s handling of the incident in October 2026.
Cornell appointed a former deputy attorney general to lead an independent review of the case.
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Democratic candidate Josh Turek and Republican candidate Ashley Hinson are competing for an Iowa U.S. Senate seat currently held by a retiring Republican. Recent polls show a close race, with some surveys slightly favoring Turek and others favoring Hinson, making the contest important for control of the Senate.
Key Facts
Iowa has not elected a Democratic U.S. senator in nearly 20 years.
Josh Turek is a Democratic state representative and Ashley Hinson is a Republican congresswoman.
A Suffolk University poll from October 1–4 shows Turek leading by 4 points (48% to 44%).
Other recent polls show the race to be very close, with small leads for both candidates in different surveys.
Prediction markets give Hinson about a 55% chance to win and Turek about 45%.
The Cook Political Report rates the race as a "toss up," and Inside Elections rates it as "tilt Republican."
The contest is to replace retiring Republican Senator Joni Ernst.
This race could impact which party controls the U.S. Senate after the 2024 election.
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Christa Pike, a convicted killer in Tennessee, survived two attempts at lethal injection. Her lawyers went to court to try to change her death sentence following the failed execution.
Key Facts
Christa Pike is convicted of murder in Tennessee.
She survived two lethal injection attempts designed to execute her.
Her attorneys appeared in court to ask for her death sentence to be changed.
The legal action came shortly after the failed execution attempt.
The case is being closely followed in Tennessee and by national news.
Lethal injection is the method used for executions in this case.
The court appearance was reported by CBS News correspondent Skyler Henry.
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A new poll shows Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman is more popular with Republicans in his state than with Democrats after he spoke at a Republican event. The poll from Quinnipiac University found most Pennsylvania Republicans view him positively.
Key Facts
Senator John Fetterman is a Democrat from Pennsylvania.
He made a virtual appearance at the Republican Party’s midterm convention in September.
The Quinnipiac University poll was released on a Wednesday (exact date not given).
72% of Pennsylvania Republicans have a favorable opinion of Fetterman.
19% of Pennsylvania Republicans view him negatively.
Only 7% of Pennsylvania Republicans are undecided or did not provide an opinion.
The poll indicates Fetterman is more popular among Republicans than Democrats in Pennsylvania.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) issued new advice to fight childhood obesity, which differs in some ways from U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recommendations. While Kennedy encourages more protein in children’s diets, the WHO cautions that eating too much protein might increase weight and blood pressure, though the evidence is weak.
Key Facts
Childhood obesity worldwide has increased four times since 1990.
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. focuses on diet changes, especially boosting protein intake for kids.
Kennedy recommends 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of a child’s body weight daily.
WHO’s new guidelines do not specify protein amounts and say high protein’s effect on weight is uncertain.
The WHO warns high protein might slightly raise body weight, BMI, waist size, and blood pressure but with very low-quality evidence.
Both WHO and Kennedy agree on cutting processed foods, promoting school meals, supporting low-income families, and encouraging physical activity.
Increased screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic is linked to higher obesity rates in children.
Kennedy also supports natural food dyes and whole milk, which the WHO guidance does not address.
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Senator Thom Tillis said that Senator Mitch McConnell’s mind is as clear and sharp as it has been before, despite McConnell being away from the Senate for several months after a fall. Tillis noted he has recently spoken with McConnell, indicating McConnell is mentally well.
Key Facts
Senator Mitch McConnell missed several months in the Senate due to a fall.
Senator Thom Tillis said McConnell’s brain is still sharp.
Tillis has had recent conversations with McConnell.
Tillis contrasted McConnell’s situation with President Joe Biden’s situation, implying they are different.
McConnell is a Republican senator from Kentucky.
Tillis is a Republican senator from North Carolina.
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President Donald Trump announced a new government program that automatically opens investment accounts called "Trump Accounts" for 70 million children under 18. These accounts will allow yearly contributions, including a government seed amount for children born between 2025 and 2028, to help them invest in stocks.
Key Facts
The program sets up automatic investment accounts for children under 18 across the U.S.
Parents or legal guardians must claim the accounts using a website or app.
The accounts allow after-tax contributions up to $5,000 a year.
The government will put $1,000 into accounts for children born between 2025 and 2028.
The program is part of the 2025 tax overhaul.
President Trump also commented on other topics, including his endorsement of Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton and his views on the Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump proposed making his golf club in West Palm Beach a presidential retreat for future presidents.
He discussed expectations that Russia will share more information about a lab worker’s death in Siberia.
Trump said he might cut ties with political advisers working on Balkan election campaigns if conflicts arise.
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A poll found that 86% of Americans, including many Republicans, oppose using taxpayer money for TV ads featuring President Donald Trump and his cabinet. The ads celebrate a "golden age of America" but critics say they are more like campaign messages than public service announcements.
Key Facts
86% of Americans think it is wrong to pay for these ads with public money.
Ads show patriotic themes and praise President Trump, calling it a "golden age."
The ads have cost taxpayers at least $1.4 million so far.
President Trump said he will pay for future ads himself and with funds from his political committee, MAGA Inc.
The White House says these ads are like other government campaigns promoting health and social programs.
Critics say the ads are political and do not focus on specific government programs.
Some Democrats want investigations into the use of Department of Homeland Security funds to pay for the ads.
Even some Republican leaders say taxpayer money should not fund these advertisements.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has renewed its call to ban raw milk because it can carry dangerous germs that harm children’s health. This comes as some public figures promote misinformation about vaccines and raw milk, causing public health concerns and increasing illness outbreaks.
Key Facts
Raw milk is milk that has not been heated to kill harmful germs, a process called pasteurization.
Pasteurization has greatly reduced infant deaths and illnesses since the early 1900s.
At least 27 U.S. states now allow the sale of raw milk, despite federal restrictions.
Outbreaks of illness from raw milk have increased in the past 20 years, with many children affected.
A 17-month-old girl in California nearly died from an infection caused by drinking raw goat milk.
The girl developed serious kidney damage and will need ongoing medical care.
Her mother was unaware of the risks and later warned others but was blocked from some social media groups.
The AAP urges a nationwide ban on selling unpasteurized milk to protect vulnerable groups like babies and pregnant people.
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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is changing how it measures health care performance, focusing more on the quality of care rather than just wait times. Under President Trump, the VA has increased both community care appointments with private providers and direct care appointments at VA facilities, while also reducing disability claims processing times.
Key Facts
The VA Secretary Doug Collins announced a shift from measuring wait times to focusing on care quality.
In fiscal year 2025, nearly 60 million community care appointments happened, a 12% increase from the previous year.
Community care lets eligible veterans get treatment from private providers paid for by the VA.
Direct-care appointments at VA facilities reached a record of over 82 million, up 4.1% from the previous year.
The VA processed over 3 million disability claims in fiscal year 2026, the highest ever recorded.
Average disability claims processing time dropped from 141.5 days in January 2025 to 75.6 days in September 2025.
The VA expanded access by offering more than 3 million appointments outside normal hours, including evenings and weekends.
The VA has opened dozens of new health care facilities since January 2025.
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President Donald Trump said he could have done harmful things to Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Barack Obama. He made this comment when talking about possible attempts by Democrats to impeach him.
Key Facts
President Trump mentioned he could have done "very bad things" to Hillary Clinton.
He said similar things about Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
These comments came up in a discussion about Democrats possibly trying to impeach him.
Hillary Clinton was a former Secretary of State.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden are former U.S. Presidents, with Biden being the current president.
Impeachment is a process where Congress can charge a president with wrongdoing.
The statement reflects tensions between Trump and Democratic political figures.
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The US Supreme Court is reviewing a case about whether the Air Force can keep using Tarague Beach in Guam to blow up unexploded bombs. A local group, Prutehi Guahan, says this practice harms the environment, cultural sites, and water supply, and questions if proper environmental laws were followed.
Key Facts
The Air Force has used Tarague Beach in Guam for bomb detonations since 1982.
In 2021, the Air Force applied for a new permit to continue these detonations.
Guam’s Environmental Protection Agency neither approved nor denied the permit, but detonations continued.
Prutehi Guahan, a conservation group in Guam, argues the Air Force did not properly follow all environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act.
The detonation site is on land taken by the US military after World War II and is near culturally important fishing and medicinal areas.
The site is above an aquifer that supplies drinking water to about 80% of Guam’s people.
The Air Force says it followed the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which they argue covers environmental rules.
The Ninth Circuit Court allowed the case to continue after a lower court had dismissed it.
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Democrats are doing well nationally as November 3 midterm elections approach, but recent polls show they have smaller leads in New York than expected. New York, once a strong Democratic state, has shifted more towards Republicans in recent years, especially in the 2024 election.
Key Facts
Democrats have a growing lead nationally ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
In New York, Democratic leads are smaller, with polls showing them ahead by 11 to 13 points.
New York shifted the most to the right in the 2024 presidential election compared to other states.
President Trump gained more support from Hispanic and Asian American voters in New York in 2024.
Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul leads her Republican opponent by 9 to 19 points in recent polls.
Polls show Democrats winning the generic congressional ballot in New York by 11 to 15 points, down from 24 points in 2020.
Political experts say the strong Democratic dominance in New York may be ending, but a Republican win is still unlikely.
Recent polls have varying margins of error around 3.6 to 4.2 percentage points.
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A small live TV panel of Trump voters showed strong support for Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed over Republican Mike Rogers in a key Michigan race. Polls show the race is very close, and President Donald Trump’s approval rating in Michigan is low as the midterm election approaches.
Key Facts
A TV panel of 10 Trump voters had 5 supporting El-Sayed and 1 supporting Rogers, with 4 undecided.
Those backing El-Sayed said they were mostly firm in their choice.
El-Sayed will campaign with former President Barack Obama in Detroit on October 24.
Vice President Kamala Harris recently appeared with El-Sayed in Michigan.
Recent polls show El-Sayed slightly ahead or tied with Rogers in this closely watched Senate race.
President Trump’s approval rating in Michigan is negative, recently at -26 points.
El-Sayed faced questions about past statements on dual citizenship, which his campaign denies.
The election in Michigan is a key battleground as Democrats try to win control of the U.S. Senate.
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A Tennessee judge ordered the state to keep all evidence related to Christa Pike’s failed execution attempt in September. Pike survived the lethal injection but suffered serious injuries. The judge’s order aims to preserve materials that could explain what went wrong during the execution.
Key Facts
Christa Pike survived an execution attempt in Tennessee on September 30 after receiving two doses of the drug pentobarbital.
Pike suffered severe arm injuries and was hospitalized in critical condition but later regained consciousness and was able to speak.
The judge ordered Tennessee officials to preserve evidence like medical supplies, restraints, photos, videos, recordings, execution records, and official communications.
Pike’s legal team requested the order to help investigate the cause of the failed execution and protect her legal rights.
Tennessee argued it was already required to keep such evidence, but the judge still demanded a formal preservation order.
The execution logs, medical waste, and IV equipment used in the execution are part of the preserved evidence.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee suspended all executions in the state until the end of 2026 and ordered an independent review of the incident.
Pike was sentenced to death for a murder committed in 1995, but there is no current date set for a new execution attempt.
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An 18-year-old man in Minnesota, Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, was charged with planning a terror attack linked to ISIS. Authorities say he tried to get weapons to carry out an attack at the Mall of America and other places in Minnesota.
Key Facts
Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud is 18 years old and lives in Minnesota.
He was under FBI investigation since December 2024.
Mohamud allegedly planned to join a Foreign Terrorist Organization in Somalia.
He was charged with terrorism and illegally receiving a firearm and ammunition.
The weapons included an AK-47 style rifle and about 200 rounds of ammunition.
The plot targeted the Mall of America and other Minnesota locations.
Mohamud communicated with an FBI source online and shared plans and photos.
The FBI and DOJ say the arrest came after a successful law enforcement operation.
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President Donald Trump will hold a rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, as part of his campaign tour in states that typically support Republicans. This visit follows his recent attendance at a college football game in Knoxville, Tennessee, where key Republican governor and Senate races are taking place.
Key Facts
President Trump will speak at a rally in Clarksville, Tennessee.
The event is part of his tour through Republican-leaning states.
He recently attended a Texas-Tennessee college football game in Knoxville.
Tennessee has important Republican races for governor and Senate this year.
The Republican National Committee announced the Tennessee stop.
Tennessee is considered a solidly Republican state in these elections.
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The upcoming U.S. midterm elections are seen as a test of both economic concerns and democracy. Democrats are leading in polls for key races, but Republicans have strong spending and still hold advantages in some areas. President Trump plays a major role in the campaign, though some candidates distance themselves from him.
Key Facts
Midterms often reflect public opinion on the current president, President Trump.
Democrats currently lead by about nine points in generic ballot surveys.
Democrats are expected to keep a majority in the House and might gain four Senate seats.
Democratic success in some red states depends on strong candidates and weak Republican opponents.
Democrats face challenges with low popularity and uneven support across states.
Republicans have spent $700 million on advertising since September, outspending Democrats.
President Trump is campaigning actively but divides voters and some Republican candidates avoid close ties to him.
His actions, including restrictions on voting and executive orders, affect views on democracy and governance.
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Hillary Clinton has officially supported Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan for the U.S. Senate race in 2026. This is Clinton’s first endorsement of any candidate running for the House or Senate in the 2026 midterm elections.
Key Facts
Hillary Clinton previously served as Secretary of State and was First Lady of the United States.
Clinton endorsed Peggy Flanagan, the Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota, for the U.S. Senate.
This is Clinton’s first endorsement in the 2026 House or Senate races.
Flanagan announced the endorsement on social media and expressed honor for Clinton’s support.
The endorsement came on a Wednesday in the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections.
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BBC presenter Nicky Campbell told a court that a maths teacher violently attacked him at Edinburgh Academy when he was a teenager in the 1970s. The court is hearing evidence to decide if two former teachers accused of attacking pupils can be convicted, as they are medically unfit for trial.
Key Facts
Nicky Campbell was about 15 years old when the attack happened at Edinburgh Academy.
Colin Turner, a maths teacher, grabbed Campbell from behind and hit him in the school playground.
Campbell described being shaken, slapped, and dragged across the playground.
After the attack, Turner and Campbell went inside, and Campbell said he could have called the police.
Campbell’s mother contacted the school after seeing his torn shirt and distress.
The school apparently took some action against Turner, according to Campbell’s mother.
Campbell recently saw his school file and found no record of the attack.
The accused teachers, Turner and David Bourne, are considered unable to stand trial due to medical reasons, so a sheriff will decide based on evidence if they should be convicted.
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