Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano said improving agency records and operations and reducing fraud, waste and abuse are initial steps to protect the program. The 2026 Trustees Report projects that the retirement and survivor trust fund will run out of reserves in the fourth quarter of 2032; ongoing income would then cover 78 percent of scheduled benefits if Congress takes no action.
Key Facts
Bisignano said the Social Security Administration reviewed its full database and corrected about 15 percent of its records.
The agency has worked to fix incomplete or inaccurate records, including missing death dates and citizenship information.
The SSA said on October 20 that it had corrected tens of millions of files in its Social Security Number database.
The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund is projected to pay scheduled benefits from reserves through the fourth quarter of 2032.
After reserve depletion, continuing program income is projected to cover 78 percent of scheduled benefits.
A financial literacy instructor quoted in the article said administrative improvements alone will not resolve Social Security’s funding challenges.
The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated a $3.8 trillion cash shortfall over the coming decade and a 75-year actuarial deficit equal to 4.42 percent of taxable payroll.
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Texas Senate candidate James Talarico’s exchange with voter Jodi Hunt over abortion rights at an October 14 CNN town hall drew millions of social media views. Polls suggest abortion is not a top concern for most voters, but experts say it could matter in a close race against Republican Ken Paxton by affecting turnout among voters on both sides.
Key Facts
Hunt described herself as a one-issue voter and challenged Talarico over his support for abortion rights.
Talarico said the Bible was silent on abortion; Hunt responded by citing the commandment against killing.
In a University of Texas and Texas Politics Project poll of 861 likely voters, 2 percent named abortion as their most important issue; cost of living and the economy ranked higher.
A June Texas Politics Project poll found that 43 percent of Texans wanted less strict abortion laws.
An August poll found that 39 percent of respondents strongly disapproved of how Texas leaders and the Legislature had handled abortion policy.
Texas law generally bans abortion and exposes doctors who perform one to felony charges, with limited exceptions when a patient's life is in danger.
Paxton, Texas attorney general, has defended and enforced the abortion law; he did not attend the CNN town hall.
The Texas Supreme Court rejected a 2024 challenge by women denied abortions, ruling that the law's exceptions were broad enough.
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Michigan Deputy Secretary of State Aghogho Edevbie discussed election security and early voting turnout in an interview with CBS News. The segment also focused on Michigan’s contentious Senate race.
Key Facts
Aghogho Edevbie is Michigan’s deputy secretary of state.
Edevbie appeared in a CBS News interview.
The interview addressed election security.
The interview discussed early voting turnout in Michigan.
The segment concerned Michigan’s Senate race.
The video segment is listed as 2 minutes and 40 seconds long.
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Beatrice Keul, a former Miss Switzerland runner-up, told Newsweek she fears for her safety after an anonymous caller warned her to stop discussing her allegation that Donald Trump raped her in 1993. House Democrats included her allegations in a report concerning Trump and Jeffrey Epstein; the White House denied the allegations, and Newsweek said it had not independently verified them.
Key Facts
Keul alleges Trump assaulted her at the Donald J. Trump American Dream Pageant at New York’s Plaza Hotel in November 1993.
Keul said an anonymous caller warned her and her family after the House Democrats’ report was released.
She said she reported the alleged threat to her attorney and that it was being investigated.
Keul told Newsweek, “I am scared,” and said she was worried about her safety.
Keul had accused Trump of groping her in a 2024 interview but did not then allege rape, according to the article.
Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee detailed Keul’s allegations in a 53-page report about possible wrongdoing connected to Jeffrey Epstein.
A White House spokesperson said the allegations were not true, and White House officials criticized the committee report.
Newsweek said it had not independently verified Keul’s allegations and had sought comment from the FBI and Swiss authorities about the alleged threats.
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Jury selection began in Los Angeles in a case brought against Meta and Snap by two young plaintiffs who say the companies designed social media features that encouraged addictive use and harmed their mental health. TikTok and YouTube settled before trial, and Meta settled with one plaintiff; Meta and Snap dispute the remaining claims. The trial is expected to continue until mid-December, with opening statements scheduled for early November.
Key Facts
The plaintiffs sued in 2023, alleging that features such as endless scrolling and Snapstreaks encouraged compulsive use.
The remaining plaintiff, identified as K.D.B., is 18 and says using Meta platforms and Snapchat contributed to mental health problems and self-harm.
The other plaintiff, identified as S.J., is 16; Meta settled her claims before trial.
TikTok and YouTube, owned by Alphabet, settled before the trial.
Meta and Snap say other factors contributed to the plaintiffs’ difficulties and dispute the allegations.
The plaintiffs are seeking an unspecified amount in compensatory and punitive damages.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram head Adam Mosseri and Snap CEO Evan Spiegel are expected to testify.
Judge Carolyn Kuhl is presiding, and Meta and Snap have asked to hold separate trials; the judge has not ruled on that request.
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Christina Applegate said questions about her chronic illness remain after she revealed that she had been misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). CBS News presented a report about her health, with Entertainment Tonight host Nischelle Turner introducing it.
Key Facts
Applegate said questions about her chronic illness remain.
She revealed that she had been misdiagnosed with MS.
The report described the illness as a mystery chronic condition.
Entertainment Tonight host Nischelle Turner presented the report.
The report appeared on CBS News.
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Apple announced a redesigned MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen, its first touchscreen Mac running macOS. The new models retain M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, add display and design changes, and go on sale November 6, with prices starting at $2,899.
Key Facts
The MacBook Pro’s OLED display supports up to 2,000 nits of brightness, a stated contrast ratio of 10,000,000:1, and a variable refresh rate of up to 120 Hz.
Apple demonstrated touchscreen features including dragging files and pinch-to-zoom; the laptop does not appear to convert into a tablet.
The 14-inch model weighs 3 pounds, about half a pound less than the prior model, depending on configuration.
A Dynamic Island cutout replaces the screen notch, and the Apple logo on the lid glows.
The new models use M5 Pro or M5 Max chips and support up to 128 GB of RAM and 16 TB of storage.
Preorders begin on the announcement date, and Apple says the laptops will reach customers on November 6.
Prices start at $2,899 for the 14-inch M5 Pro model and $3,399 for the 16-inch model; M5 Max models start at $4,499 and $4,799, respectively.
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Prime Minister Andy Burnham said his position on Brexit had not changed and that the government would not restore EU freedom of movement during this Parliament. He said he would seek practical improvements to the UK’s relationship with the EU at a summit in Brussels on 20 November, while any fundamental change would be for the public and a future Parliament to decide.
Key Facts
Burnham said the government had a collectively agreed position on the EU and that it matched what he had said during the Makerfield by-election.
Labour’s 2024 manifesto ruled out restoring freedom of movement, joining the EU single market or joining a customs union.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Burnham of creating confusion and asked whether he wanted a referendum on rejoining the EU.
Burnham said the UK had experienced low growth and insufficient control over migration after what he called a harder Brexit than voters had been promised in 2016.
At the 20 November Brussels summit, Burnham plans to discuss youth mobility, food and drink, energy, and cooperation on illegal immigration.
In a letter to Cabinet ministers, Burnham asked them to stay aligned and not publicly advocate specific options or predict the summit’s outcome.
Burnham said any fundamental change to the UK’s relationship with the EU would be for the public to decide and a matter for the next Parliament.
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President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak at a rally in Ohio at 7 p.m. EDT. He has been holding campaign rallies around the country ahead of the midterm elections and urged supporters to imagine he was on the ballot.
Key Facts
Trump is scheduled to speak at an Ohio rally at 7 p.m. EDT.
The article offers a live video of the rally.
Trump told supporters to pretend he was on the ballot.
Trump has been holding campaign rallies across the country ahead of the midterm elections.
The article title says the rally follows a campaign ad by Vivek Ramaswamy.
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Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who was set to oversee the criminal trial of deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, has died at age 92, a court official said. Hellerstein served on the federal bench in New York City for nearly three decades and handled many high-profile disputes.
Key Facts
Hellerstein was 92 when he died.
A court official confirmed his death.
He was set to oversee Maduro’s criminal trial.
Maduro is described in the article as a deposed Venezuelan leader.
President Bill Clinton nominated Hellerstein in 1998.
Hellerstein served as a federal judge in New York City for nearly three decades.
He oversaw many high-profile disputes during his judicial career.
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Two high-speed trains collided near Mora and Orgaz in Spain after a Renfe train was told to move while an Iryo train ahead remained stopped. Passengers described severe injuries and damage, while residents and emergency workers helped people leave the trains and get medical care.
Key Facts
The trains were travelling from Madrid toward Seville when they collided about 140 kilometres south of Madrid.
The Renfe train carried 397 passengers, and the Iryo train carried 147.
A reported problem with the automatic signalling system had led trains on the affected stretch to stop.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente said an employee ordered the Renfe train to resume travel at 08:36, and the collision occurred about 17 minutes later.
Passengers reported broken arms and noses, smoke, overturned carriages and people thrown from their seats.
Some passengers helped injured people, and residents brought water and cars to assist with evacuation.
The article says Spain had suffered another high-speed rail disaster near Adamuz in January, in which 46 people died.
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Marisa Collins struggled with opioid addiction and sought ibogaine treatment in Utah after stopping methadone. Her sister, Alyce, urged her not to go; the article says ibogaine was not FDA-approved, and the sisters never spoke again after Marisa left for treatment.
Key Facts
Marisa and Alyce were 11 months apart and grew up close with their older sister in a single-parent household.
Marisa began using opioids around age 21 and later had regular access to pain medication after a serious car accident.
Marisa tried repeatedly to stop using opioids over more than a decade and later attended a methadone clinic.
After stopping methadone in late 2011, Marisa experienced severe withdrawal and searched online for another treatment.
Marisa planned to receive ibogaine, a psychoactive drug, at a private home in Utah from a couple she understood to be a nurse and a paramedic.
The article says ibogaine treatment was not federally approved by the FDA at the time and remains unapproved.
Alyce warned Marisa against the treatment, and the sisters never spoke again after Marisa left.
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Mohamed Amersi is suing the BBC for defamation over a 2021 Panorama programme and article that linked his work for telecoms firm Telia to suspected corruption in Uzbekistan. At the opening of the seven-week trial, his barrister said the allegations harmed Amersi’s reputation and cost him a knighthood and peerage; the BBC disputes that he suffered serious harm and says its reporting was true and in the public interest.
Key Facts
The BBC’s 2021 programme and article examined a $220m payment Telia made to Gibraltar company Takilant in January 2010.
The BBC alleges Takilant was beneficially owned by Gulnara Karimova, daughter of Uzbekistan’s then president, and that Telia made corrupt payments in several countries.
Amersi says he did not know, and had no reason to know, that Karimova owned Takilant or that the payment was a bribe.
Amersi’s barrister said his client’s work for Telia in Uzbekistan lasted fewer than six weeks.
Amersi says the publicity cost him a knighthood and peerage, led Union Bancaire Privée to end its banking relationship with him, and forced him to step back from educational philanthropy.
The BBC says there is no corroborating documentary evidence for Amersi’s claims of reputational harm and disputes the accuracy of parts of his statement.
Amersi donated £25,000 to Reform UK last year and previously gave hundreds of thousands of pounds to the Conservatives.
Amersi is seeking damages, including aggravated damages, and an injunction.
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Dolores Huerta, a labor organizer and civil rights leader who co-founded the organization that became the United Farm Workers, died at age 96 at her home in Bakersfield, California. She helped negotiate farmworker contracts and win legal protections, while also advocating for voting rights, immigrant rights and other causes.
Key Facts
Huerta died Wednesday, according to her family; no cause of death was announced.
She co-founded the organization that became the United Farm Workers of America.
She organized strikes and boycotts, negotiated contracts and lobbied elected officials on farmworkers’ behalf.
Farmworker contracts she helped secure included provisions for higher wages, healthcare, retirement plans, rest periods and pesticide protections.
She helped win California legislation extending certain welfare and disability-insurance protections to farmworkers.
Huerta helped secure the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975, which established farmworkers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively.
Her activism also addressed voting rights, women’s political participation, immigrant rights, racial equality, environmental justice and LGBTQ+ rights.
Huerta was born in Dawson, New Mexico, on April 10, 1930, and later moved to Stockton, California.
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An internal Republican poll found Democrat Amy Acton leading Vivek Ramaswamy by eight points in Ohio’s governor’s race, compared with a two-point lead earlier in October. The poll’s memo said many respondents had heard about Ramaswamy’s ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother, and those familiar with it were more likely to support Acton.
Key Facts
The survey of 800 likely Ohio voters was conducted Oct. 23–26 and had a margin of error of 3.46 percentage points for each candidate’s result.
Acton received 50% support in the poll, up from 47% earlier in the month; Ramaswamy received 42%, down from 45%.
The ad features Donna Arthur, Acton’s estranged mother, criticizing her daughter and urging voters not to support her.
The poll memo said 86% of respondents had seen, read or heard something about the ad.
Among respondents familiar with the ad, twice as many said it made them more likely to vote for Acton than for Ramaswamy.
Ramaswamy’s campaign committed $4 million to airing the ad statewide, according to the article.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine criticized the ad, while President Trump and Vice President Vance backed Ramaswamy.
A separate Suffolk University poll found Acton leading by four points, narrower than its earlier nine-point margin.
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Nine months after Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, his parents held a press conference to demand answers. His mother, Susan Pretti, accused the federal government of lying about her son and trying to damage his reputation; the article’s title says the family claims the Justice Department is withholding information.
Key Facts
Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, according to the article.
The article says nine months had passed since Pretti’s death.
Pretti’s parents held a press conference the day before the article was published.
His parents are demanding answers about his death.
Susan Pretti accused the federal government of lying about Alex.
Susan Pretti said the government tried to slander her son’s memory.
The article title says the family alleges the Justice Department is withholding information.
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The article describes Donald Trump’s midterm rallies and his attacks on Democratic candidates and public figures. It reports that Trump called Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed a “jihadist,” made claims about Somali Americans, and commented on the bodies of male politicians and rapper Nicki Minaj.
Key Facts
Barack Obama has appeared on the midterm campaign trail and criticized Trump at a rally in Detroit.
Trump held a rally in Port Huron, Michigan, on Sunday, where he attacked Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
Trump said El-Sayed was a “jihadist” and suggested he should be barred from the Senate chamber.
The article says it found no evidence for Trump’s claims about El-Sayed.
Trump repeatedly criticized Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar and made allegations about Somali Americans’ employment and wealth.
Trump commented on the physiques of Ohio Senator Jon Husted and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.
Trump also commented on rapper Nicki Minaj’s body at a rally.
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Families in Khartoum are struggling to afford food as prices rise and the Sudanese pound weakens during the war between Sudan’s military and the Rapid Support Forces. Residents interviewed by Al Jazeera described irregular or insufficient incomes, borrowing money, and skipping meals to cover expenses.
Key Facts
The war between Sudan’s military and the Rapid Support Forces has continued since 2023.
Rasha Abdelaziz Musa sells tea for seven hours a day and supports her four children while her military husband has been away on the front lines for more than eight months.
Musa said feeding her family costs about 40,000 Sudanese pounds a day, not including rent and other expenses.
Ahmed Youssef supports a family of 12, and said his household spends more than 100,000 Sudanese pounds a day.
Ali Fadil said he sometimes skips meals to pay school fees or medical costs and borrows money for other expenses.
A survey of four markets in Khartoum State found recent increases in prices for sugar, cooking oil, bread, lentils, rice, and powdered milk.
Al Jazeera-monitored parallel-market exchange rates put the U.S. dollar at 10,050 Sudanese pounds on Friday, up from 9,500 the previous day.
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Keri Lijinsky argues that restaurants should offer safe, appealing gluten-free meals as a standard menu option, not an afterthought. She also urges U.S. policymakers to consider support for the cost of gluten-free food, citing government assistance for people with celiac disease in countries such as Italy.
Key Facts
The article says celiac disease affects about 1 percent of Americans, citing medical research.
A 2025 study cited in the article found gluten-free bread averaged $0.52 per ounce, compared with $0.20 for regular bread, in an analysis of five Midwest grocery-store websites.
The author says the higher cost of gluten-free food can make safe options difficult for some households to afford.
The article recommends that restaurants plan gluten-free dishes as part of their menus and use safe preparation methods, such as dedicated spaces or equipment.
The author says restaurants with reliable, high-quality gluten-free choices may attract repeat customers and groups that otherwise would choose another venue.
The article says people with celiac disease receive government support to offset gluten-free food costs in countries such as Italy.
The author calls on U.S. policymakers to consider similar support.
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