U.S. flu activity rose early, with hospitalizations, positive tests and emergency visits increasing. H1N1 accounted for nearly all influenza A samples reported, but officials say it is too early to know how severe the season will be; the CDC recommends annual vaccination for everyone 6 months and older.
Key Facts
The CDC counted 4,811 laboratory-confirmed flu hospital admissions nationwide during the week ending October 17.
The hospitalization rate was the highest for this point in a flu season since 2010–11, according to the CDC surveillance network.
Walgreens said its flu indicators were tracking about four weeks ahead of recent seasons.
Of 241 influenza A samples analyzed by the CDC during the week ending October 17, 239 were H1N1.
The CDC said the circulating H1N1 is not a newly emerged strain and descends from the virus behind the 2009 swine flu pandemic.
The CDC had not detected the H3N2 subclade K, sometimes called “super flu,” in the samples described in the article.
Louisiana and Hawaii reported moderate influenza-like illness activity; Florida, South Carolina, West Virginia, Oregon and Washington reported low activity.
The CDC recommends annual flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older and says September and October are preferred vaccination months.
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Cornell student Diego Sarabia has asked a New York judge to dismiss him from a civil lawsuit filed by a former student identified as Jane Doe. His attorney argues the complaint describes an allegedly nonconsensual kiss and that the time limit for bringing a claim has passed; Doe’s attorney has not yet responded.
Key Facts
Jane Doe’s lawsuit concerns alleged sexual assaults involving seven members of Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity in 2024.
The complaint alleges Sarabia grabbed Doe’s face and kissed her without consent, and that he was among fraternity members who allegedly snorted ketamine off her body.
Sarabia’s attorney says the complaint does not allege that Sarabia supplied Doe with drugs or alcohol, took part in other alleged sexual encounters, or was present for most of the alleged conduct.
Sarabia’s attorney argues that a one-year statute of limitations bars an intentional-tort claim because Doe filed the case nearly two years after the alleged events.
All seven fraternity members have denied wrongdoing.
A judge recently denied Sarabia’s request for a gag order, calling it a distraction from the case’s merits.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is investigating the incident as a special prosecutor appointed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, and Cornell is conducting an internal review of its response.
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Ohio Democratic gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton urged President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance to consider the facts about her allegations of childhood abuse after they defended an attack ad from Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign. The ad features Acton’s estranged mother disputing Acton’s account; Acton said she has not seen her mother since age 12. Acton made the comments after a Cleveland campaign rally with former President Barack Obama.
Key Facts
The Ramaswamy campaign ad features Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, saying Acton lied about her past.
Acton has alleged that her stepfather sexually abused her between ages 9 and 12.
Charges were filed against Acton’s stepfather, who pleaded not guilty, fled the state before trial, and died in 2004.
Acton said she and her brother experienced extreme child abuse and neglect.
Trump dismissed questions about the abuse allegations and said the ad had nothing to do with Acton’s stepfather.
Vance criticized Republicans who objected to the ad, saying they should focus on what Democrats want to do.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine called the ad deeply troubling and said the Ramaswamy campaign should take it down, but he did not withdraw his endorsement.
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Aung San Suu Kyi’s son, Kim Aris, said she sounded physically strong and mentally alert during their first phone call in more than five years, but remained almost completely isolated. He said she was held at an undisclosed residence in Naypyidaw, had no access to news, and should be released from prison.
Key Facts
Aris spoke with his mother on Thursday at Myanmar’s embassy in London.
Aris said he was unsure of her exact location and believed she was staying at a residence in Naypyidaw.
Myanmar’s military removed Suu Kyi from power in a 2021 coup.
Aris described the call and recent photographs of his mother as part of a public relations effort by military leaders.
Myanmar officials released photographs of Suu Kyi during a Red Cross visit in August and while giving her gardening books last week.
Suu Kyi has been detained on charges that Aris called politically motivated.
Her party won the 2015 election, and she later served as state counsellor under a power-sharing arrangement with the military.
Suu Kyi faced international criticism over the military’s mass killings and expulsions of Rohingya Muslims in 2016 and 2017.
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Police found Savannah Tolbert, 37, fatally shot in a Tesla at a Huntsville, Alabama, shopping center on Nov. 15, 2022. Investigators questioned her husband, David Tolbert, after evidence at the scene raised doubts about an apparent suicide; store security cameras recorded him shortly after he said he found her body. The provided article excerpt ends as investigators begin reviewing footage of Savannah arriving at the store.
Key Facts
Savannah Tolbert was found dead in the front passenger seat of a red Tesla.
First responders reported that her fingers were curled around a gun found in her right hand.
Investigators noted that the gun was in her right hand while the bullet wound was on the left rear side of her head.
Police also found a shell casing on the rear seat, behind the driver.
Savannah's sisters said they did not believe she had taken her own life.
David Tolbert, 47, was handcuffed during transport to the police station but had not been arrested at that point.
David told investigators that Savannah had come to the store while he was working and that he had not known she would visit.
Security footage from the store showed David after he found Savannah's body; the excerpt does not describe what later footage revealed.
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Some Latino voters in Doral, Florida, who supported Donald Trump in 2024 say his immigration policies have disappointed them. A recent CBS News poll found Hispanic likely voters favored Democrats over Republicans for the upcoming midterms, while local businesses reported reduced foot traffic amid fear of immigration enforcement.
Key Facts
Latinos and Hispanics make up more than 70% of Miami-Dade County’s population.
Doral has the largest Venezuelan population of any U.S. city and voted for Trump in 2024.
Andrea Ramos, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Venezuela, said she felt disappointed and betrayed by Trump, citing his administration’s immigration crackdown and concerns about the economy.
A CBS News Battleground Tracker poll found 60% of Hispanic likely voters were likely to back congressional Democrats in the midterms, compared with 39% for Republicans.
In the same poll, 59% of Hispanic likely voters said the administration was trying to deport more people than they expected; 59% said its focus on deportation was too much.
CBS News exit polls found that 51% of Hispanic voters backed Democrats in 2024 and 46% backed Republicans.
Doral business owner Stephanie Caro said her coffee shop and other local businesses had seen lower foot traffic and sales, amid reports of masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the city.
Doral Mayor Christi Fraga declined to say directly whether she still supported Trump and told voters to follow their conscience.
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Common Cause, represented by ACLU attorneys, filed a motion to intervene in the Justice Department’s lawsuit over Alaska’s Senate election. The DOJ’s suit concerns a candidate with the same name as incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan, but the article excerpt does not provide the full allegation or the motion’s arguments.
Key Facts
Common Cause is seeking to intervene in the Justice Department’s lawsuit over Alaska’s Senate election.
ACLU attorneys represent Common Cause in the matter.
The Justice Department filed its lawsuit on Thursday.
The DOJ lawsuit concerns a candidate who shares a name with incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan, a Republican.
The article excerpt does not state what election certification action the DOJ seeks to block.
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Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, reportedly sent her father, Thomas Markle, a letter in 2025 saying she would not contact him again or allow him to meet her children. The letter referred to abuse allegations against him, which Markle denies; authorities in the Philippines and the Metropolitan Police have reported actions related to the claims.
Key Facts
Sources close to Meghan said she sent the letter while her father was in a hospital in the Philippines after having his leg amputated.
Meghan and Markle have been estranged since 2018, when he did not attend her royal wedding, citing ill health.
The Metropolitan Police said it received a letter containing claims about Markle in 2019 and shared it with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The Metropolitan Police said it did not pass the letter’s contents to other law enforcement agencies and is reviewing how it handled the matter.
Philippine officials said a task force is investigating allegations involving Markle.
Philippine Interior Minister Jonvic Remulla said police had secured Markle’s computer for a digital forensic examination.
Markle acknowledged paying for sex in the Philippines but denied having sex with underage girls or possessing child abuse images.
The FBI said it is aware of the allegations.
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England’s Renters’ Rights Act ended fixed-term private rental contracts, allowing student tenants to leave with two months’ notice. Students say the change gives them more flexibility, while landlords warn that early departures create uncertainty and may affect rents.
Key Facts
The Renters’ Rights Act came into force in May.
Private rentals now continue on a rolling basis instead of ending on a fixed date.
Students renting from private landlords can give two months’ notice to leave.
University halls and purpose-built student accommodation are exempt and can still use fixed-term contracts.
Eddie Lever used the new rules to leave a tenancy after deciding to change universities.
Because Lever had a joint tenancy, his departure ended the tenancy for the whole house; a friend took his room so his housemates could sign a new agreement.
The National Union of Students says tenants can use the flexibility to move home during the summer and save on rent.
The act also prevents landlords in England from evicting tenants without a legal reason.
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A new memorial honors veterans of the Gulf War, who helped liberate Kuwait from Saddam Hussein’s forces. CBS News correspondent Eleanor Watson reported on the memorial.
Key Facts
The memorial honors Gulf War veterans.
The veterans served in the conflict that liberated Kuwait from Saddam Hussein’s forces.
Eleanor Watson reported the story for CBS News.
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German police arrested a 33-year-old suspect after a fire at Eagle’s Nest, an alpine retreat in Germany. The site was once used by the Nazis and Adolf Hitler.
Key Facts
Police said they arrested a 33-year-old suspect.
The arrest followed a fire at Eagle’s Nest.
Eagle’s Nest is an alpine retreat in Germany.
The site was once used by the Nazis and Adolf Hitler.
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In Doral, Florida, some Latino voters who previously supported President Donald Trump are reconsidering their support for the Republican Party amid heightened activity by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). CBS News reported on the potential effect of the immigration crackdown on the community’s voting choices.
Key Facts
The report focuses on Doral, Florida.
Some Latino voters in Doral previously supported Trump.
Some of those voters are now turning away from the Republican Party or hesitating to vote Republican.
The report links their changing views to strong ICE activity.
Cristian Benavides reported the story for CBS News.
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Anti-government protests took place in France over the weekend, according to CBS News. The article title also mentions clashes between riot police and demonstrators in Italy, but the provided text gives no details about those events.
Key Facts
CBS News reported a new round of anti-government protests in France.
The protests took place over the weekend.
The title says riot police clashed with demonstrators in Italy.
The provided article text includes no details about the protests in Italy.
The supplied text does not state the protests’ causes, size, or whether anyone was injured or arrested.
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Ukrainian leaders said Saturday that access to SpaceX’s Starlink and Starshield systems in Ukraine had returned to full speed. The report said the confirmation came shortly after Elon Musk acknowledged slowing Starlink down.
Key Facts
Ukrainian leaders confirmed that access to SpaceX services had been restored to full speed.
The systems named were Starlink and Starshield.
The services are used in Ukraine, according to the report.
Elon Musk acknowledged slowing Starlink down.
The restoration confirmation came shortly after Musk’s acknowledgment.
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Former President Barack Obama campaigned for Democratic candidates at several stops in Ohio and Michigan. He spoke out against the Trump administration less than two weeks before the midterm elections.
Key Facts
Obama made multiple campaign stops in Ohio and Michigan over the weekend.
He campaigned for Democratic candidates.
Obama spoke out against the Trump administration.
The midterm elections were less than two weeks away at the time of the report.
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West Coast communities are preparing for high tides as storms threaten further flooding. Recent flooding has also affected the Southwest, and a forecast was included in the report.
Key Facts
Communities along the West Coast are bracing for high tides.
Storms are expected to bring more flooding.
Recent flooding has affected the Southwest.
Akiko Fujita reported on the situation.
Andrew Kozak provided the forecast.
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Elon Musk said a Starlink loophole was closed last week after Ukraine’s military allegedly used the service for offensive drone strikes. The slowdown affected Ukraine’s military capabilities, according to the article.
Key Facts
Musk said he was behind the Starlink slowdown in Ukraine.
He said Ukraine’s military violated Starlink’s terms of service.
Musk alleged the military used Starlink for offensive drone strikes.
He said the loophole was closed last week.
The slowdown impacted Ukraine’s military capabilities.
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Barack Obama criticized President Donald Trump’s policies and administration at a Saturday rally in Ohio supporting Democratic candidates in the midterm elections. He also condemned a campaign ad targeting Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and voiced support for her.
Key Facts
Obama said Trump had made bad decisions and criticized his handling of the war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
Obama urged Ohio voters to reject the Republican administration in the midterm elections.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s ad features Acton’s mother disputing Acton’s account of childhood homelessness and sexual abuse by her stepfather.
Acton says she has not seen her mother since 1978.
Acton’s brother has supported her account of childhood sexual abuse by her stepfather, who died in 2004 and had been charged with rape.
Obama praised Acton and appeared at the rally with her and former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown.
Brown is running against incumbent Republican Senator Jon Husted.
The article says polls showed Democrats slightly ahead in both Ohio races, which were expected to be close.
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At a campaign rally in Cleveland, former President Barack Obama criticized Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy over an ad featuring the estranged mother of Democratic candidate Amy Acton. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance defended the ad, while Acton said her childhood involved abuse and neglect and that she had not seen her mother since age 12.
Key Facts
Obama campaigned with Acton and former Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown at a rally in Cleveland on Oct. 24, 2026.
Ramaswamy's campaign ad features Acton's birth mother, Donna Arthur, calling Acton a liar and suggesting she has mental health issues.
Ramaswamy defended the ad as fair game.
Trump defended the ad while voting in West Palm Beach, saying Arthur's comments were a good reference about Acton.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and other Republican leaders in Ohio called for the ad to be removed.
Acton said she and her brother experienced abuse and neglect, and that her stepfather was indicted on a rape charge involving her.
Acton said she last saw her mother when she was 12, at a courthouse.
Obama also campaigned in Michigan later that day.
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