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109 stories · 10 categories · Friday, October 23, 2026

Friday, October 23, 2026 edition: 109 stories with labeled sources. Every brief from Friday, October 23, 2026 · All editions · RSS feed

Top Stories

  • Taiwan shuts schools and grounds flights as Typhoon Champi passes

    Taiwan shut schools and offices and canceled hundreds of flights Friday as Typhoon Champi brushed past the island, AP, France 24 and DW reported. One person was killed by waves. About 1,300 people were moved from risky areas, AP said.

  • Nigeria and Kenya Ebola patients passed through same Uganda airport

    Ebola patients in Nigeria and Kenya both traveled through Uganda's Entebbe airport on October 3, African health officials said Thursday, according to the BBC and AP. Officials are checking whether they crossed paths there or shared equipment. No link has been found yet, the BBC said.

  • Magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Tibet kills at least 16

    A magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit the Nagqu area of northern Tibet on Thursday night, killing at least 16 people, Chinese state media said, according to the Guardian, the BBC and CBS News. At least 339 homes collapsed. Rescuers searched high, cold mountain areas for survivors.

  • Judge orders Trump to sit for deposition in BBC lawsuit

    A federal judge ordered Donald Trump to answer questions under oath by December 11 in his lawsuit against the BBC, the Guardian and NBC News reported. The judge warned the case could be dismissed if he does not cooperate. Trump canceled an earlier date.

  • New York City Council votes to ban Central Park horse carriages

    The New York City Council voted Thursday to ban horse-drawn carriages starting in June 2028, the BBC, CBS News and Fox News reported. The law is named for a teen who died in a carriage accident. President Donald Trump criticized the ban, and a union plans to sue.

  • Personalized mRNA vaccine cuts melanoma return or death risk by 42%

    A personalized mRNA vaccine given with Keytruda cut the risk of melanoma coming back or death by 42% over two years, Moderna and Merck said, according to Ars Technica, the Guardian and Time. The trial had 1,137 patients. The vaccine is called intismeran.

  • Doctors say Pope Leo needs no more cancer treatment

    Pope Leo XIV, 71, does not need any more cancer treatment, his doctors said Wednesday, October 21, according to the BBC, CBS News, NBC News and Fox News. Tests showed the cancer in his lung had not spread. Doctors took out part of his right lung on October 13.

  • Trump says Musk restored Ukraine's Starlink access

    President Donald Trump said Thursday that Elon Musk has restored Ukraine's access to its Starlink network, the BBC, DW and The Hill reported. "Bottom line, he put it back," Trump said. He would not say whether he had called Musk about it.

  • Reports: US and Israel plan Iran strikes after midterm elections

    The United States and Israel are drawing up plans to strike Iran again after the November 3 midterm elections, ABC News and NPR reported, citing unnamed sources. The White House said the United States will not attack Iran before the vote. Iran said it is prepared for another attack.

  • Kohen Wiley's family seeks federal probe after shooting ruled justified

    Police in Mississippi shot and killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley in June. His family wants the Department of Justice to investigate, the Guardian and WVUE Fox 8 reported. The state attorney general ruled the shooting justified, and video of it has been made public.

  • Paris extends curfew as Lyon and Marseille ban weekend protests

    Paris is extending a nightly curfew in parts of the city until Monday, while Lyon and Marseille have banned all protests this weekend, the BBC reported. The Louvre will close Saturday. France 24 said the curfew runs from 11 PM to 6 AM.

Politics

Business

  • Taco Bell sticks with Pepsi after sister chain KFC switches to Coke

    Taco Bell has renewed its drink deal with PepsiCo through 2036, CNBC and CNN reported. The move came a week after sister chain KFC said it will switch to Coca-Cola in the US. The deal is a win for Pepsi after a tough stretch.

  • Trump uses Defense Production Act to boost oil refining

    President Trump said he will use the Defense Production Act to free up $150 million to make more fuel at US oil refineries, the Washington Examiner and The Washington Times reported. He spoke at a rally in Iowa on Thursday. Diesel and gas prices have soared since the war with Iran began.

  • L'Oréal says weight-loss drugs are changing skin care sales

    L'Oréal's CEO said the boom in GLP-1 weight-loss drugs is affecting beauty and skin care sales, the BBC and Business Standard reported. He called it "a very important phenomenon for us." The company sells products aimed at loose skin after fast weight loss.

  • Saab orders triple after Gripen fighter jet deal with Ukraine

    Swedish defense company Saab said its new orders more than tripled in the third quarter, CNBC and AeroTime reported. A deal for 16 Gripen fighter jets for Ukraine led the gains. Sales and profit also beat forecasts as Europe spends more on defense.

  • Jobless claims fall near lowest level since the 1960s

    First-time claims for unemployment benefits fell to 194,000 last week, close to the lowest level since the 1960s, CNBC, UPI and The Epoch Times reported. Employers are holding on to the workers they have, CNBC said. But hiring has stayed weak, with just 29,000 jobs added in September.

  • US to loan emergency heating oil to ease Northeast prices

    The Energy Department will loan up to 315,000 barrels from its Northeast heating oil reserve to ease high prices, Fox Business, The New York Times and the Portland Press Herald reported. Maine's two senators praised the move. Some analysts say it is too small to help much.

  • FAA certifies Boeing's 737 Max 10 after years of delays

    The FAA has approved Boeing's 737 Max 10 for passenger service, NPR and the agency reported. The approval comes nearly a decade after Boeing unveiled its largest 737 Max jet. Airlines in the US and abroad can now buy the plane, and Boeing expects to begin deliveries in 2027.

  • Italy trucker protests halt buffalo mozzarella output as government approves aid

    Truck drivers in Italy are protesting high fuel prices, and the protests have stopped some buffalo mozzarella from being made, Euronews and France 24 reported. Euronews said makers lost about 3 million euros in 24 hours. The government then passed a plan to help truckers, farmers and fishers.

  • Comcast plans job cuts after losing 144,000 broadband customers

    Comcast plans to cut jobs in its cable, broadband and wireless business, the Los Angeles Times and Ars Technica reported. It lost 144,000 home broadband customers in the third quarter, up from 91,000 a year earlier. It expects a charge of more than $1 billion.

  • Volvo Cars to cut 2,500 jobs after third-quarter loss

    Volvo Cars plans to cut 2,500 jobs after falling to a loss in the third quarter, CNBC and Euronews reported. About 2,000 of the jobs are in Sweden. The carmaker blamed tough markets in China and the US, including tariffs and fewer incentives for electric cars.

  • Barclays to cut about 5,000 jobs as it uses more AI

    Barclays is cutting about 5,000 jobs, around 5% of its global staff, as it brings more artificial intelligence into its work, the BBC and the Guardian reported. About 1,000 jobs are already gone. The bank also reported a quarterly profit of 2.3 billion pounds.

Sports

  • Haliburton in tears after return as Pacers beat Pelicans

    Tyrese Haliburton was in tears after his first game back from a torn Achilles, Newsweek and Forbes reported. He hurt it in the 2025 NBA Finals. He had 23 points and 12 assists as the Pacers beat the Pelicans 123-120 on Wednesday, Field Level Media reported.

  • App State hands James Madison its first loss in overtime

    Appalachian State beat previously unbeaten James Madison 34-31 in overtime on Thursday night, according to the AP and the official box score. James London kicked a 40-yard field goal to win it. Only five teams in the top level of college football are still unbeaten.

  • Rays pick Nick Martinez to start World Series Game 1

    The Tampa Bay Rays will start Nick Martinez against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night, ESPN, CBS Sports and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. The surprise pick gives ace Drew Rasmussen an extra day of rest. Martinez will face Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski.

  • Asian soccer body backs Infantino for another FIFA term

    Asia's top soccer body backed Gianni Infantino for another term as FIFA president, BBC Sport and the AP reported. It is a big shift from August, when the group criticized him. The FIFA election is in March, and no one has yet filed to run against him.

  • Utah suspends defensive tackle Jamal Wallace after arrest

    Utah suspended defensive tackle Jamal Wallace after his arrest on October 11, ESPN and CBS Sports reported. Police say he shared intimate videos of a woman, and he is under investigation for rape. He has not been formally charged and was released on $5,000 bond.

  • Steelers cancel Paris fan event as protests continue

    The Pittsburgh Steelers canceled a weekend fan event in Paris because of recent protests in the city, ESPN and CBS Sports reported. Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints at Stade de France is still on. It will be the NFL's first regular-season game in Paris.

  • Falcons throwback logo post draws Nazi comparisons online

    A retro Atlanta Falcons logo posted on the team's social media drew a wave of jokes comparing it to Nazi imagery, The Guardian and NBC News reported. The design put the team's old falcon on red, white and black stripes. A team representative said the Falcons do not have a new logo.

  • Panthers rookie Cooper Black becomes tallest goalie in NHL history

    Florida Panthers rookie Cooper Black, who is 6-foot-9, became the tallest goalie ever to play in a regular-season NHL game, ESPN, NBC New York and Newsday reported. He made his debut Thursday night in Pittsburgh. The Penguins beat Florida 4-0.

  • Trump calls LeBron James a 'TOTAL DISGRACE' over anthem warmups

    President Donald Trump said LeBron James disrespected the country by warming up during the national anthem before a 76ers game, ESPN, the Guardian and the BBC reported. Trump called James "a TOTAL DISGRACE" and said he should apologize. James later said it must be a slow news day.

  • Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk says he has Parkinson's disease

    Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk, now the coach at Southern University, has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, ESPN and CBS Sports reported. Faulk, 53, said he has had it for about a year and a half. He said on a podcast that he thinks he caught it early.

  • 76ers rally from 29 points down to beat Cavaliers 114-106

    The Philadelphia 76ers came back from 29 points down to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106 on Thursday night, ESPN and the BBC reported. Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 32 points. It was the biggest comeback of LeBron James' 24-season career.

  • Caleb Williams throws 2 touchdowns as Bears beat Patriots 30-24

    Caleb Williams threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns as the Chicago Bears beat Drake Maye and the New England Patriots 30-24 on Thursday night, AP, the Guardian and the New York Post reported. Cairo Santos kicked a 58-yard field goal late to help seal it.

World

  • Hungary arrests former central bank chief in fraud probe

    Hungarian police arrested György Matolcsy, the central bank chief under former leader Viktor Orbán, in a fraud case, the AP and Hungarian news site Telex reported. Prosecutors want him held, and a court is set to rule Friday. Matolcsy has denied wrongdoing, the AP said.

  • Ex-Mexican state prosecutor faces treason case over CIA operation

    A former top prosecutor in Mexico's Chihuahua state faces a treason case over a drug lab raid with CIA agents, the AP reported in stories run by ABC News and the New York Post. Two CIA agents died in a crash after the April raid. A federal judge will decide Saturday whether to indict him, the AP and Mexico's La Razón reported.

  • Canada tells its diplomats to avoid US midterm candidates

    Canada has asked its staff in the US to stay away from midterm candidates, Politico and Bloomberg reported. The rules for its diplomats last until the November 3 vote. They must also avoid being in photos with any elected US officials.

  • Austrian and Swiss women kidnapped in Niger are freed

    Two women from Austria and Switzerland who were kidnapped in Niger have been freed after more than a year and a half, the AP and the Times of Malta reported. Both had lived in the city of Agadez. Officials did not say who held them or how they were released.

  • Taiwan charges five men over plot to hurt comedian who mocks Xi

    Prosecutors in Taiwan charged five men over a plot to injure comedian Huang Yi-hao, who mocks Chinese leader Xi Jinping, The Guardian and the AP reported. Prosecutors said a person from mainland China known only as K paid them. A car struck Huang in September, but he was not badly hurt.

  • Egypt sends Mada Masr editor Lina Attalah to trial

    Egyptian prosecutors sent Lina Attalah, editor of the independent news site Mada Masr, to trial on a charge of running a website without a license, DW and the AP reported. It came after more than six hours of questioning. Her trial is set to begin October 27.

  • El Salvador sends special forces to Haiti to find missing soldiers

    El Salvador sent 100 special forces troops to Haiti on Thursday to help find four of its missing soldiers, the AP reported, citing two officials. Gangs attacked the four men on Sunday. President Nayib Bukele has warned the gangs to free them alive, NPR and The New York Times reported.

  • On this day, 1983: A truck bomb killed 241 US troops

    On October 23, 1983, a suicide bomber drove a truck full of explosives into a Marine barracks in Beirut. The blast killed 241 American troops, History.com and the Naval History and Heritage Command say. That same morning, a second bomber killed 58 French soldiers two miles away.

  • New Zealand military chief resigns over inappropriate relationship

    New Zealand's top military officer quit Friday after he admitted to an improper relationship while he led a unit, according to AP. Air Marshal Tony Davies said he regrets that he did not disclose it when he had the chance. He did not say when it happened or who it was with.

  • Germany arrests Ukrainian man suspected of spying for Russia

    Germany has arrested a Ukrainian man who is suspected of spying for Russia, the BBC and Euronews reported. Prosecutors said he gathered facts on how arms are made, such as armored vehicles and explosives. Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that Russia still spies on Germany a great deal.

  • Thousands of women protest across Poland over stalled abortion reform

    Thousands of people protested in Warsaw and more than 20 other Polish cities on Thursday to demand abortion rights, DW and Euronews reported. Protesters said Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government broke its promise to ease the strict laws, AP reported. The president is expected to veto two new bills.

  • International Criminal Court wins EU's top human rights prize

    The International Criminal Court and its staff won the Sakharov Prize, the European Union's top human rights honor, AP and France 24 reported. The award came days after the Trump administration announced sweeping new sanctions on the court. The court said it faces "unprecedented challenges."

  • North Korea says it will restart propaganda loudspeakers at the border

    North Korea will restart propaganda loudspeakers aimed at South Korea along the border, Kim Jong Un's sister Kim Yo Jong said, NPR and the Guardian reported. On Friday, the South offered military talks to avoid clashes, the Korea Herald reported. Tensions rose after a mine blast hurt three South Korean soldiers.

Tech

  • FCC blocks two devices over chips from a Huawei unit

    The FCC blocked two devices from sale in the US because they contain chips from a Huawei subsidiary, The Verge reported, citing an FCC release. The FCC said they were a dashcam and a wireless video transmitter. It is the first use of a new FCC power over parts from listed firms.

  • Amazon renames Kindle Unlimited as Kindle+ and adds more audiobooks

    Amazon has renamed its Kindle Unlimited book subscription to Kindle+, Engadget, 9to5Mac and Digital Trends reported. The price stays at $11.99 a month, and users can still borrow up to 20 titles at a time. The main change is a bigger audiobook library, including some books read by AI voices.

  • Rhode Island sues Meta over scam ads on Facebook and Instagram

    Rhode Island sued Meta on Thursday, saying it profited from scam ads while telling users it was protecting them, The Verge and The Boston Globe reported. The Globe said it is the first state to bring such a suit. Meta said it will fight the "unfounded lawsuit."

  • Hackers hijacked more than 300 Tor exit relays to steal passwords

    Unknown attackers took over more than 300 Tor exit relays in early October and used them to steal SSH passwords, Ars Technica and The Hacker News reported. A researcher found 333 relays sending SSH logins to 12 attacker servers. Users who ignored a key-change warning could have had passwords taken.

  • Hacker uses AI to partly jailbreak the Nintendo Switch 2

    A security researcher showed a software hack that partly unlocks the Nintendo Switch 2 so it can run homebrew apps and modded games, Ars Technica and Kotaku reported. He said he used OpenAI's Codex to help find the flaw. The hack must be redone each time the console starts.

  • Microsoft ties ConnectWise breach to Chinese hackers using AI agents

    Microsoft said a China-linked hacking group used AI agents in the recent breach at IT firm ConnectWise, The Register and The Record reported. The group tried to break into more than 2,250 Microsoft 365 customer accounts, The Register said. Some attacks gained high-level access in under three hours.

  • Canva launches its first in-house AI image model

    Design platform Canva released Canva Craft, its first image model built in-house, TechCrunch and The Verge reported. The model plans a design before it makes an image, which Canva says helps with clear text and exact layouts. It is free to try for all users through the Dream Lab tool.

  • 1Password lets AI agents sign in for you without seeing passwords

    1Password launched a tool that lets AI agents sign in to accounts for users without seeing their passwords, Engadget and TechCrunch reported. Users get an alert and must approve each sign-in. Access lasts for one session only and covers only approved items, Engadget said.

  • Global PC shipments fall 21% as memory prices soar

    Global PC shipments fell 21% in the third quarter from a year earlier, The Verge and Engadget reported, citing Counterpoint Research. Rising prices for memory and other parts pushed up the cost of computers. Counterpoint expects a 27% drop in the fourth quarter.

  • Browser Company will shut down its Arc browser on December 22

    The Browser Company will shut down its Arc web browser on December 22 and is moving users to Dia, its AI browser, TechCrunch and Engadget reported. The company said keeping a browser secure takes more work in the age of AI. Bookmarks, passwords and history will move to Dia.

  • OpenAI seeks up to $30 billion at $1.25 trillion valuation

    OpenAI is raising up to $30 billion at a $1.25 trillion valuation before it may go public, according to CNBC. Investors from the United Arab Emirates and Coatue are leading the round, CNBC reported, citing people familiar with the deal. The final size is still being decided.

  • Etsy bans AI-made recipes and patterns from its marketplace

    Etsy will no longer let sellers offer recipes, patterns and instructions made with AI, CNBC and The Verge reported. Sellers must also show a real item made from a guide. The company said many buyers can't tell which items involve AI.

Entertainment

  • Michael Gray, star of 1970s TV show 'Shazam!,' dies at 75

    Michael Gray, who played Billy Batson on the 1970s TV show "Shazam!," has died at 75, Deadline and USA Today reported. He died of natural causes on October 16 in Palm Desert, California. His rep confirmed the news to Deadline, and a family spokesperson announced it, The Hollywood Reporter said.

  • Judi Dench says sight loss means she can no longer act

    Judi Dench, 91, said her eye condition means she can no longer act on stage or in films, or read, according to the BBC. She was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration in 2012. She spoke on BBC Radio 4's Today program.

  • Offspring guitarist Noodles steps away from live shows for health issue

    The Offspring guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman is stepping away from live shows to deal with what he called a "sudden and fairly serious health issue," Loudwire, Blabbermouth and Fox News reported. He did not say what the issue is. He said the band will keep playing while he is away.

  • Police investigate Married at First Sight Australia after cast complaint

    Police in Australia are looking into the reality show Married at First Sight, The Sydney Morning Herald, Mumbrella and the BBC reported. A male cast member said producers shared private details about him with his on-screen bride. Nine, which airs the show, has confirmed the police probe.

  • Prince William makes surprise visit to The Graham Norton Show

    Prince William made a surprise appearance on The Graham Norton Show to promote his Earthshot Prize, the BBC, the Mirror and InStyle reported. He joined Cate Blanchett, Robert Irwin and Hannah Waddingham, who all work with the prize. The episode airs Friday on BBC One.

  • Monet's "Iris" sells for about $56 million at Paris auction

    A large Claude Monet painting called "Iris" sold for 50 million euros, about $56 million, at Sotheby's in Paris on Thursday, The New York Times and Artnet reported. A buyer in Asia won it after a long phone bidding war. Artnet said it is the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction in France.

  • Tom Hanks and Kelli O'Hara will bring time-travel play to Broadway

    Tom Hanks will return to Broadway in fall 2027 in "This World of Tomorrow," a time-travel romance he co-wrote, The New York Times, Deadline and Broadway News reported. Kelli O'Hara will star with him. The play had a sold-out run at The Shed in New York last year.

  • El Paso GOP chief plans to sue Baron Cohen over 'Ali G'

    The head of the El Paso County Republican Party plans to sue Sacha Baron Cohen over his part in the new film "Ali G: Who Iz I?," according to the Guardian. Michael Aboud said he thought he was in a documentary about the border. He called the crew "a bunch of liars."

  • Influencer Clavicular pleads not guilty to rape charge

    Social media influencer Clavicular, whose real name is Braden Peters, pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges including rape, the BBC and The Hollywood Reporter reported. He is accused of assaulting a 17-year-old girl in 2025. Peters has said the encounter was consensual.

  • Raye wins the Mercury Prize for 'This Music May Contain Hope'

    Singer Raye won the 2026 Mercury Prize for her second album, "This Music May Contain Hope," the BBC and Variety reported. She beat nominees including Paul McCartney and Olivia Dean. The BBC said it is the first pop album to win since 1994.

  • Country Music Hall of Famer John Anderson dies at 71

    Country singer John Anderson, known for "Swingin'," "Seminole Wind" and "Straight Tequila Night," has died at 71, the Guardian, CBS News and Fox News reported. His family announced his death on social media. He joined the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024.

Health

  • Small study hints psilocybin may lower inflammation in Parkinson's patients

    In a small study, people with Parkinson's had less inflammation in their blood after they took psilocybin, according to NPR. The study of 12 people was published Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry. The team says more tests are needed, since the study did not compare the drug with a fake pill.

  • Flu season arrives early on the West Coast

    Flu cases are rising on the West Coast months earlier than usual, The Guardian and The Seattle Times reported. In California, 9.65% of flu tests came back positive as of October 10. Doctors are urging people to get a flu shot now.

  • FDA approves drug that may let some rectal cancer patients skip surgery

    The FDA has approved GSK's Jemperli for a type of rectal cancer tied to certain gene changes, Time, MedCity News and Healio reported. In a key study, 68% of patients had no sign of cancer after a year. Some may avoid surgery, chemo and radiation.

  • UK trial tests diabetes and ADHD drugs as Alzheimer's treatments

    A new UK trial will test several drugs for Alzheimer's disease at the same time, starting with medicines for diabetes and ADHD, the BBC, pharmaphorum and The BMJ reported. Scientists hope it will cut years off the search for treatments. About 1,200 patients will take part.

  • UK lawmakers say NHS rollout of Mounjaro weight-loss shots is too slow

    A group of UK lawmakers says the NHS plan to give the weight-loss shot Mounjaro to 220,000 people is "unambitious," the BBC and Sky News reported. That is only about 6% of those eligible. The lawmakers warned that only people who can pay are getting good access.

  • Workers' share of family health premiums jumps 9% to $7,471

    Workers now pay $7,471 a year on average toward family health coverage at work, up 9% from last year, according to KFF's annual survey, STAT reported. Total family premiums rose 5% to $28,303. Workers at small firms paid even more.

  • West Coast states ask CDC to reconsider denying faster measles test

    The CDC said no to a plan for a faster measles test, the Guardian and The New York Times reported. Health officials in California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii have asked the agency to think again. The CDC took two months to reply and cited "other competing priorities," the Guardian said.

  • US-funded hepatitis B vaccine trial on newborns in Guinea-Bissau canceled

    A US-funded trial of the hepatitis B vaccine in newborns in Guinea-Bissau will not go ahead, the Guardian, Ars Technica and The Hill reported. The lead researcher said the government did not approve it. Experts had called the trial unethical because half the babies would not get the shot.

  • France confirms first known human case of Shamonda virus

    France has confirmed the first known human case of Shamonda virus, a disease that mostly affects cattle, the BBC and DW reported. The patient, whose immune system was very weak, died in early October. Officials said there is no risk to the public.

  • Flesh-eating screwworm found in Texas elk, first case in US wildlife

    The USDA said New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite, has been found in US wildlife for the first time, the Guardian and The Hill reported. It was found in an elk in Texas. Officials urged hunters and landowners to watch for signs of it.

Science & Climate

  • England confirms first bird flu outbreak of season at egg farm

    England has confirmed its first bird flu outbreak of the season on a farm with 32,000 egg-laying hens, Farmers Weekly, Farmers Guardian and the BBC reported. The farm is near Belford in Northumberland. All the birds there have been culled.

  • Storm Austen brings 80 mph gusts and power cuts to UK

    Storm Austen hit southwest England with gusts near 80 mph on Friday, Sky News, LBC and WalesOnline reported. Thousands of homes in Cornwall lost power, and some flights and ferries were canceled. A second storm, Boelo, is due to hit this weekend.

  • Delhi's air turns 'poor' for first time this season

    Delhi's air quality fell into the "poor" range on Wednesday for the first time this season, The New York Times, TBS News and The Week reported. Officials started the first stage of an anti-pollution plan. Forecasts say the bad air will last for days.

  • SpaceX will try to catch both Starship stages on next flight

    SpaceX will try to catch both parts of its giant Starship rocket on its next test flight, Ars Technica, SpaceNews and Aviation Week reported. The flight is aimed for November, pending approval from regulators. Elon Musk said success is "more likely than not."

  • UK approves North Sea gas field, Burnham vows to keep climate goals

    Britain has approved the long-delayed Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea, The New York Times and The Guardian reported. Prime Minister Andy Burnham called it a "pragmatic" step. He also said Britain will still reach net zero by 2050.

  • Russia calls satellite 'purely peaceful' after close pass by US spacecraft

    Russia says its satellite Kosmos 2612 is "purely peaceful," Ars Technica and Space.com reported. The craft flew very close to a US radar satellite whose owner sends images to Ukraine. A US official said the moves look like a weapons operation.

  • Researchers date van Gogh's 'The Starry Night' sky to July 22, 1889

    Researchers say van Gogh's "The Starry Night" matches the real predawn sky over Saint-Rémy, France, around July 22, 1889, according to AP, France 24 and Space.com. That is about a month later than art historians have long thought. One outside expert called it an intriguing idea, not a settled answer.

  • Arizona's Chiricahua becomes the newest US national park

    A park site in Arizona called Chiricahua is now a national park, the Guardian, NPR and the park service reported. President Donald Trump signed the bill on Tuesday. It passed Congress with support from both parties, and it is the 64th US national park.

  • IUCN says 96% of shallow coral reef systems are critically endangered

    Almost all of the world's shallow-water coral reefs face a very high risk of collapse by 2075, according to DW and AP. The IUCN found 96% of reef systems are critically endangered, its highest risk level. It called heat stress from climate change the biggest threat.

  • UN report says keeping warming to 1.5C is no longer realistic

    A United Nations report says the world will go past the 1.5C warming goal, according to Ars Technica, Time and Inside Climate News. Its best case now has warming peak around 1.8C before coming back down. Current climate pledges still fall far short, the report found.

  • Study finds summer heat killed about 50,000 people in European cities

    Heat killed more than 50,000 people in European cities this summer, a new study found, according to the Guardian and AP. About two-thirds of those deaths were blamed on human-caused climate change. The Guardian said the toll was the worst on record.

Lifestyle

  • National Geographic names its 25 best places to travel in 2027

    National Geographic has released its Best of the World 2027 list of 25 places to visit next year, USA Today and CNN reported. The picks run from Baltimore to Luxor, Egypt, where a total solar eclipse is due in August 2027. Readers also picked Santa Catalina Island as a bonus spot.

  • Retired decorator's forgotten Pokémon cards sell for £1.56 million

    A retired decorator's Pokémon card collection, stored in his attic for 15 years, sold for £1.56 million at auction, the BBC reported. IGN and Kotaku put the total at about $2 million. The auction house, Ewbank's, called it its most successful sale in more than 30 years.

  • Spotify uses QR codes to check that Family plan members live together

    Spotify is asking some Family plan members to scan a QR code to prove they live with the plan's manager, The Verge and Engadget reported. Members who miss the seven-day window can be locked out for a year. Co-CEO Alex Norström called it a "routine improvement" on an earnings call.

  • New Jersey bill would drop license rules for slower e-bikes

    A new bill in New Jersey would drop license and registration rules for slower e-bikes, Electrek and New Jersey 101.5 reported. The state's strict e-bike law took full effect only in July. Bike shops say it has hurt sales, and a dealers group says about three dozen shops have closed.

  • Luxury cruise lines push pricier suites, up to $25,000 a night

    Luxury cruise lines are betting on bigger and pricier suites, according to CNBC. The top suite on Regent's Seven Seas Splendor costs $15,000 a night, CNBC reported. Regent's next ship, due in December, will have a suite costing $25,000 a night.

  • Saving for a starter home now takes renters 16 years, report finds

    A median-income renter household now needs 16 years to save for a down payment and closing costs on a starter home, according to NPR. That is twice as long as in 2019, the Center for Responsible Lending found. Rising rents and costs have eaten into savings.

  • Costco picks Smithfield for its first Rhode Island warehouse

    Costco has chosen Smithfield for its first Rhode Island warehouse, The Hill and WJAR reported. Helena Foulkes, a Costco board member running for governor, shared the news. The store is expected to open in 2028 and still needs town approval, WJAR reported.

  • Starbucks China now requires a purchase to sit in its stores

    Starbucks China now requires people to buy something before they sit in its stores, the BBC and Caixin reported. The rule took effect Thursday, the company said. The BBC said the chain faces stiff competition from local rivals such as Luckin Coffee.

  • Average 30-year mortgage rate eases to 7.32%, first drop since August

    The average rate on a 30-year mortgage fell to 7.32% this week from 7.4%, AP and The Hill reported, citing Freddie Mac. It was the first weekly drop since late August. A year ago the rate was 6.19%, AP reported.