The opinion article argues that schools should protect students’ ability to think independently as they adopt AI. It cites a study in China that found students’ homework scores rose after using generative AI, while their exam performance without AI later fell.
Key Facts
The article says Sweden is removing mobile phones from schools and funding textbook purchases amid concerns about reading scores and screen use.
A study followed about 27,000 students aged 12 to 18 in China for 30 months, according to the article.
After adopting generative AI, students’ homework scores rose by 18 percent, the article reports.
Students spent an average of 45 minutes per assignment, down from 64 minutes.
The article says students’ monthly exam scores without AI fell by 20 percent within six months.
The author describes the study’s findings as a “learning penalty,” in which homework results improved while learning outcomes weakened.
The author recommends using AI for support, while having students practice reasoning, writing, discussion, and other work themselves.
The author says younger students should not use AI, while high school students may use it to test ideas or find counterarguments.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A genome study found that repeated migrations by small groups across Polynesia created strong founder effects, which can make rare inherited disease variants more common. The researchers said some variants may matter for Native Hawaiian and other Eastern Polynesian health, while warning that these populations are underrepresented in major genetic databases.
Key Facts
Researchers analyzed whole-genome data from 1,050 people across French Polynesia and used additional data from Rapa Nui, Native Hawaiians, Samoans and Tongans.
The study found founder effects in Polynesian populations at least 10 times stronger than those documented among Finns.
The findings suggest Hawaiʻi and Rapa Nui were settled by the same long-distance voyaging population, with earlier ancestral roots in Mangareva.
Small founding populations carried only part of the genetic diversity of their source populations, allowing some rare variants to become more common over generations.
The researchers examined variants linked to ADAMTSL4-related lens displacement, PDE6B-related retinal disease and FAN1-related kidney disease.
The three variants were found in about 2 to 3 percent of the Eastern Polynesians studied; all three conditions are recessive.
The article says the study highlights a gap in genomic medicine because variants relevant to Native Hawaiian health may be missing from major genetic databases.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Defeated Brazilian presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro left Brazil for the United States despite a court order barring him from leaving. He has not conceded Sunday’s election and is under investigation in Brazil over alleged corruption and money laundering.
Key Facts
Flávio Bolsonaro was defeated in Brazil’s presidential election.
He left Brazil for the United States.
A court order barred him from leaving Brazil.
He has not conceded defeat in Sunday’s election.
Brazilian authorities are investigating him over alleged corruption and money laundering.
He is the son of jailed former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Brazilian senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who lost Sunday’s election to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, flew from Argentina through Ecuador and is heading to Miami with his wife and daughters. U.S. officials said visas would be granted to the family, and Donald Trump said he would approve their move to the United States.
Key Facts
Bolsonaro boarded a Gulfstream IV in Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, late Tuesday with his wife and two daughters.
The aircraft stopped in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and continued toward Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport.
Bolsonaro disappeared from public view for more than 24 hours before Argentina’s migration authorities confirmed he entered the country by land.
Lula called Bolsonaro’s departure “shameful” at an event in Brasília.
Brazilian police faced criticism for not preventing Bolsonaro from leaving the country.
Police had asked Brazil’s supreme court to retain Bolsonaro’s passport after his election defeat, citing comments by his brother Eduardo.
O Globo reported that the escape plan had been prepared for weeks as a contingency, with Eduardo Bolsonaro helping organize it.
Bolsonaro was expected to hold a press conference in the United States on Wednesday.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Displaced Palestinians in Gaza are preparing for a fourth winter in tents and makeshift shelters that offer little protection from rain, wind and cold. OCHA says at least 294,250 families need winter shelter assistance, while available supplies can provide partial aid to about 52,000 families.
Key Facts
Mohammed al-Jamal and his family are trying to patch their damaged tent in a displacement camp on Gaza City’s coast.
A replacement tarpaulin costs between 120 and 150 shekels ($37–$47) in local markets, beyond what al-Jamal’s family can afford.
About 30 members of al-Jamal’s extended family live in difficult shelter conditions, and rain can flood their tent.
The article reports that about 1.5 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million people live in tents or makeshift shelters.
OCHA estimates that at least 294,250 families need winter shelter assistance; current supplies offer partial assistance to about 52,000 families.
A Shelter Cluster survey found that more than 65 percent of displaced households lived in tents or makeshift shelters, and more than half of those shelters were in poor or very poor condition.
The Norwegian Refugee Council said on October 5 that at least 500 truckloads of shelter materials were awaiting entry or procurement, and estimated that entry could take more than seven months at the current pace.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The article argues that California can address disputes over election confidence without proving that anyone cheated. It calls for securing ballots, verifying voter rolls and publishing the results of both processes.
Key Facts
The article focuses on election confidence in California.
It says California need not prove that anyone cheated to address the dispute.
It calls for securing ballots.
It calls for verifying voter rolls.
It calls for publishing the results of ballot security measures.
It calls for publishing the results of voter-roll verification.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Leaders and delegations from 48 African countries are meeting with Russian officials in Moscow on October 28–29 for the third Russia-Africa Summit. The talks cover trade, security and other areas of cooperation as Russia seeks to deepen ties with African countries amid Western sanctions over its war against Ukraine.
Key Facts
Russian President Vladimir Putin and African Union chair Evariste Ndayishimiye are chairing the summit.
Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said 22 African heads of state are expected to attend.
More than 40 sessions will address trade, investment, technology, food and energy security, healthcare, education and youth exchanges.
Putin is scheduled to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
A report by the African Security Analysis group says Russia has missions or troops in at least nine African countries.
Trade between African countries and Russia has exceeded $28 billion, up from an estimated $16.8 billion in 2019.
Russia’s African ties include energy, fertilisers, defence and nuclear power; trade remains concentrated in a few countries and is smaller than China’s and the European Union’s.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A cyclone with winds of 125 kilometers per hour hit India’s southeastern coast on October 28, 2026. Authorities warned of localized flooding and damage to power and communications poles, while neighboring Sri Lanka and Nepal issued weather warnings.
Key Facts
More than 180,000 people were evacuated in India.
The cyclone struck India’s southeastern coast on Wednesday, October 28.
Winds reached 125 kilometers per hour.
Authorities warned of localized flooding.
Officials warned that power and communications poles could be uprooted.
Sri Lanka and Nepal also issued weather warnings.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Police in Londonderry said a package delivered to The Ebrington hotel contained a viable explosive device. Army bomb experts carried out a controlled explosion, and police took the device for forensic examination; authorities evacuated people from the hotel and nearby premises.
Key Facts
The package was discovered at about 15:20 GMT on Tuesday at a hotel in Ebrington Square, in Londonderry’s Waterside area.
Army bomb experts carried out a controlled explosion on the device.
Police said the device was viable and was taken away for forensic examination.
A number of people left The Ebrington hotel, along with staff from neighbouring premises.
A Halloween funfair was taking place nearby and remained open during the security alert.
A local policing watchdog chair said the incident might relate to an Ministry of Defence careers event at the hotel in September, but Sinn Féin councillor Christopher Jackson said it was too early to speculate.
Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long condemned the incident and praised police who responded.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A campaign ad approved by Republican Sen. Susan Collins and funded by the National Republican Senatorial Committee criticized Democratic challenger Troy Jackson’s logging background, saying he lacked the skills to serve in the Senate. Jackson and several Maine political figures criticized the ad as dismissive of blue-collar workers and tied the dispute to the cost of heating homes.
Key Facts
The ad features retired News Center Maine sportscaster Bill Green, who endorses Collins and says Jackson lacks the tools to be effective in the Senate.
Jackson has highlighted his background as a fifth-generation logger and union member during the campaign.
Jackson said the ad talks down to blue-collar workers and focused attention on Mainers struggling to afford home heating.
Jason Shedlock, president of the Maine Building and Construction Trades Council, criticized the ad and said heating costs were difficult for workers to afford.
Former congressional candidate Jordan Wood called the ad a despicable attack in a post on X.
The Jackson campaign said he has logged only periodically since he entered the Maine House of Representatives in 2002.
Newsweek said it contacted the Collins campaign for comment and was awaiting a response.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
More than 35 million people had voted early by Tuesday, ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, midterms. President Donald Trump campaigned for Republican candidates in Texas and was scheduled to visit Ohio, while Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski endorsed Democratic Alaska gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins.
Key Facts
All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats are on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Voters in 36 states will elect governors.
The University of Florida Election Lab reported that more than 35 million people had voted early as of Tuesday.
CBS News' Battleground Tracker gives Democrats an edge in the contest for control of the House.
Trump held rallies in Corpus Christi and Lubbock for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running for Senate, and other Republican candidates.
CBS News considers the Texas Senate race between Paxton and Democrat James Talarico a toss-up.
Murkowski endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for Alaska governor and criticized Gov. Mike Dunleavy's administration for failing to use some federal funds.
Alaska uses ranked-choice voting, and Kreiss-Tomkins faces three Republican challengers.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
With six days remaining before the election, inflation and high gas prices are key concerns for voters, according to the report. The article provides no polling figures or further details about voters’ views.
Key Facts
The report is dated October 28, 2026.
The report says six days remain before the election.
It identifies inflation as a key concern for voters.
It identifies high gas prices as a key concern for voters.
The article is presented as an ABC News video report.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Two high-speed trains collided south of Madrid on Wednesday morning, causing several carriages to fall down an embankment. The article gives conflicting death tolls: its opening says at least 30 people died, while a regional government spokesperson later cited 10 confirmed deaths; officials have not announced a cause.
Key Facts
The collision happened shortly after 09:00 local time between Mora and Orgaz, about 140 km south of Madrid.
The trains were operated by Spain’s Renfe and the private company Iryo.
RTVE, citing the transport ministry, reported that a Renfe train struck the rear of an Iryo train.
At least two carriages fell down an embankment.
The article says more than 500 people were aboard the two trains.
The article reports conflicting death tolls: at least 30 in its opening, and 10 according to a regional government spokesperson quoted later.
Authorities have not confirmed the cause; local media reported that a signalling-related human error could be involved.
Adif said rail traffic on the line had been stopped, and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said emergency services were responding.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Palestinian citizens of Israel voted in unusually high numbers in the parliamentary election, with some towns reporting turnout above 70 percent. Preliminary reports suggested Arab parties could win as many as 17 seats combined, potentially blocking Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition from securing a 61-seat majority, though opposition parties have ruled out an alliance with them.
Key Facts
Arab towns have typically recorded turnout of 45 to 65 percent in recent Israeli elections, according to the article.
Residents cited government policies and an attempted settler outpost on Palestinian land in Majd al-Krum as reasons some previously disengaged voters went to the polls.
The Joint List and United Arab List (Ra’am) were projected in preliminary reports to win up to 17 seats combined.
A party or coalition needs 61 seats for a majority in Israel’s parliament, the Knesset.
Arab Movement for Renewal leader Ahmad Tibi said Arab parties were willing to cooperate with the opposition to prevent Netanyahu from returning to power.
Tibi said Arab parties would seek commitments on issues including crime, personal security, home demolitions and racism in exchange for support.
The article said leaders of nearly all parties opposed to Netanyahu had ruled out an alliance with Arab parties.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
With 70% of votes counted in Israel’s election, neither Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition nor Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition bloc appeared likely to win the 61 seats needed for a Knesset majority. Coalition talks may hinge on whether Eisenkot’s bloc will work with Arab Israeli parties, which were projected to win 16–19 seats; the remaining absentee ballots could still affect the results.
Key Facts
Initial exit polls showed Eisenkot’s bloc narrowly ahead, but Netanyahu’s coalition moved ahead as vote counting continued.
With 70% of votes counted, both major blocs appeared short of a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
The Joint List and Ra’am were projected to win a combined 16–19 seats, according to the article.
Centre-left leader Yair Golan urged Eisenkot to negotiate with the Arab Israeli parties.
Eisenkot appeared to rule out a broad coalition with those parties in a victory declaration, referring to a “Zionist majority.”
Absentee ballots, including votes from deployed soldiers, remained to be counted; the article said the full count could take several days.
After the results are final, President Isaac Herzog will ask a party leader to try to form a government, giving that leader six weeks.
Donald Trump said his endorsement helped Netanyahu’s performance.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
James Fishback retracted his claim that Florida Representatives Byron Donalds and Cory Mills were under federal investigation and apologized to them and their families. He said he accepts the Justice Department’s statement that neither man is under investigation and called his earlier claim a mistake.
Key Facts
Fishback made the allegation in early August while competing with Donalds in a Republican primary for Florida governor.
Fishback said he had received the information from someone he trusted.
He said the alleged investigation involved the congressmen’s travel to a Maryland resort in 2024.
Fishback shared documents with his original post, but the materials have not been independently authenticated.
The Justice Department said Donalds was not under investigation; its public statement did not name Mills.
A law enforcement official told Newsweek that the allegation against Donalds was “absolutely false.”
Fishback said neither congressman nor their lawyers asked him to issue the apology.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A federal jury convicted Halima Salman, a U.S. citizen from New York, of receiving weapons training from the Islamic State group. Salman said her father took her to Syria when she was 17 and that she was trapped there by her husband; prosecutors argued she supported the group and took part willingly. Her lawyers asked the judge to overturn the verdict, and sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 2.
Key Facts
Salman was born in Brooklyn and was 17 when her father took the family to Syria in 2017.
Prosecutors presented a video of Salman holding an assault rifle, a photo of her with the Islamic State group’s flag and messages she sent her husband.
Salman testified that she was frightened when the family entered Syria and said she repeatedly tried to leave her marriage.
She married German-Afghan Islamic State fighter Abu Ali, according to court documents.
Salman’s father died in 2018 after being injured in an airstrike.
The conviction carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Her lawyers asked the judge to set aside the verdict and acquit her.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 2.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Two high-speed trains collided south of Madrid, Spain, leaving at least 10 people dead. A regional government spokesperson said the toll was expected to rise as rescuers worked at the scene.
Key Facts
More than 500 passengers were travelling on the trains involved.
The collision occurred between a Renfe train and an Iryo train, according to rail operator Adif.
The Iryo train was travelling on the Madrid-to-Seville route.
Rescue workers set up makeshift medical tents at the crash site.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he was shocked by the accident and was in contact with the transport minister.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
At least 39 people were killed when two high-speed trains collided near Urda, Spain. The crash derailed two carriages and suspended service on the Madrid-Andalusia line; another deadly accident on the same route killed 46 people nine months earlier.
Key Facts
At least 39 people were killed in the collision.
Two high-speed trains collided near Urda, Spain.
The crash derailed two carriages.
The collision suspended service on the Madrid-Andalusia line.
A rail accident on the same route killed 46 people nine months earlier.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A September 2026 report commissioned by a U.S. congressional advisory commission ranks several Pacific undersea cables with major U.S. company stakes among those most exposed to possible sabotage. It identifies waters near Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines as higher-risk areas and warns that damage to multiple cables could disrupt communications and cloud services between the United States and the Indo-Pacific.
Key Facts
The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission commissioned the report from the London-based China Strategic Risks Institute.
The report created an interactive index that ranks cable risks using factors such as route depth, shipping traffic, ownership, territorial claims and links to Taiwan.
The index identifies waters near Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines as the highest-risk areas.
Google-owned TPU, Meta-owned ORCA and the jointly owned E2A cable project were among the 10 cables rated most at risk; all three ranked in the top five.
The report says a serious disruption to one trans-Pacific cable could overload available capacity on direct routes between the United States, Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines.
Damage to several cables could reduce or overwhelm trans-Pacific capacity, forcing traffic onto longer routes and affecting internet communications, cloud services and financial trading.
Most undersea cable damage results from fishing nets, ship anchors, storms or undersea landslides, but the article says geopolitical tensions have increased scrutiny of possible sabotage.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
