U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez campaigned with Democrat Troy Jackson in Maine's important Senate race against Republican Susan Collins. This race is seen as a key battle that could affect which party controls the U.S. Senate after the midterm elections.
Key Facts
Troy Jackson, a Democrat and former Maine Senate president, is running against long-time Republican Susan Collins.
Maine is considered a battleground state, with polls showing a close race despite its Democratic-leaning voters.
Collins has historically won by large margins due to her popularity and bipartisan appeal.
Ocasio-Cortez joined Jackson at a public event in Portland to help energize progressive and young voters.
Ocasio-Cortez criticized Collins for supporting healthcare bill moves that Democrats say led to cuts.
Jackson has also campaigned with progressive figures like Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
Collins' campaign labeled Jackson as aligned with the "far left" because of his support from progressive politicians.
Republicans currently hold a 53-47 Senate majority, making this race important for control of the chamber.
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Tens of thousands of people, led by students, held a big rally in Belgrade before Serbia’s upcoming parliamentary election. The student group wants to replace the current government led by Aleksandar Vucic’s party, which has been in power for over 14 years.
Key Facts
The rally took place in central Belgrade with supporters of the student-led opposition movement.
The election is scheduled for Sunday and could end Aleksandar Vucic’s long rule.
The student movement formed the "Student List," running 250 candidates focusing on fighting corruption.
The protests began after a deadly railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad that killed 16 people in 2024.
Vucic resigned as president in September to run for prime minister and called the snap election.
Vucic accused the student movement of being a foreign-funded coup attempt.
Polls suggest a close race between Vucic’s party and the student movement, though Serbia lacks reliable independent polling.
More than 100 violent incidents were reported during the election campaign, and some arrests were made for planned election-day violence.
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Tom Skerritt, an actor famous for his roles in movies like Alien and Top Gun, died at the age of 93 from natural causes. He had a long career with over 170 acting credits and was known for his work both in films and television.
Key Facts
Tom Skerritt died at age 93 from natural causes, confirmed by his publicist.
He acted for more than 60 years with over 170 roles in movies and TV shows.
Skerritt won an Emmy Award and was nominated for the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards.
He served four years in the US Air Force before starting his acting career.
His breakout role was in the 1970 movie M*A*S*H, which was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.
He appeared in famous films such as Alien, Top Gun, The Dead Zone, and Contact.
Skerritt co-founded the Red Badge Project in 2012 to help veterans with PTSD through storytelling.
His last film role was in the 2025 western drama Broke, starring Dennis Quaid.
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India-based company eMudhra is stopping its TLS certificate business after it issued eight weak encryption keys that could be easily hacked. The company cited high compliance costs, low revenue, and competition from free certificate providers as reasons for exiting the market.
Key Facts
eMudhra issued eight TLS intermediate certificates with very weak private keys, some as small as 4 bits, making them easy to break.
TLS certificates help secure websites and mail servers by encrypting data and verifying identities.
These weak keys allowed anyone to create fake certificates trusted by major browsers and many devices.
Browser makers quickly blocked certificates linked to these weak keys to protect users.
The problem happened due to a flaw in a certificate creation process called the Key Generation Ceremony on April 30, 2025.
eMudhra used special hardware security devices (HSMs) to create keys, but a software error caused weak keys to be published instead of strong ones.
The company said the TLS business made only 1% of its revenue and stopped because of high costs and free competitors.
eMudhra's certificate authority status was at risk due to the security failure.
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Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned in Mississippi for Democratic Senate candidate Scott Colom, as the Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith faces a closer race than expected. President Donald Trump plans to visit Mississippi to support Hyde-Smith before the November 3 election, highlighting national attention on this usually Republican-leaning state.
Key Facts
Kamala Harris campaigned in Columbus and Clarksdale, Mississippi, supporting Scott Colom.
Mississippi’s Senate race is unexpectedly competitive despite Trump winning the state by nearly 23 points in 2024.
President Trump will rally for Cindy Hyde-Smith in Corinth shortly before Election Day.
The Republican Senate Leadership Fund is reconsidering campaign spending to protect Hyde-Smith’s seat.
Democrats, through Senate Majority PAC, are spending $1.2 million on statewide TV and digital ads for Colom.
Polls show Hyde-Smith leading by about 6 points, but the race is considered competitive.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and senators from other states have pushed for more resources in Mississippi.
Prediction markets still favor Hyde-Smith with about a 90% chance of winning.
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A retired decorator from Woking sold a collection of Pokémon cards for £1.56 million at auction. The cards were kept in his attic for 15 years before he realized their value after reading about a single card selling for over £6,000.
Key Facts
The collection sold for £1.56 million at Ewbank's auction house in Surrey.
The seller is a retired decorator from Woking.
The cards were stored in his attic for 15 years.
He noticed their value after seeing a card sell for more than £6,000 in his local newspaper.
Ewbank's auction claimed this was the UK's most valuable trading cards auction ever.
The auction took place on a Wednesday.
The BBC visited to report on the collection and the auction.
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Libya’s eastern parliament has withdrawn its objection to a sea boundary deal with Turkiye that was signed seven years ago by Libya’s rival government. The deal has caused tension because Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt say it ignores their rights to parts of the Mediterranean Sea, leading Greece to ask the United Nations for help.
Key Facts
The maritime deal sets boundaries between Libya and Turkiye in the Mediterranean Sea.
Libya’s Government of National Unity signed this deal seven years ago.
Libya’s eastern parliament recently stopped opposing the agreement.
Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt oppose the deal, claiming it violates their rights.
Greece took the issue to the UN Security Council for discussion.
The area involved may have large amounts of natural gas resources.
The deal has heightened regional tensions over control of the eastern Mediterranean.
Experts from economics, law, and geopolitics are analyzing the deal’s impact.
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Officials and supporters close to President Trump criticized the news outlet Politico again this week, even after Politico corrected a story about White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. The correction clarified that Wiles was not directly involved in the removal of press secretary Katie.
Key Facts
Politico published a story about Susie Wiles, the White House Chief of Staff.
The original story incorrectly said Wiles played a direct part in removing press secretary Katie.
Politico issued a correction to fix this mistake on Wednesday.
Despite the correction, Trump administration officials and allies increased their criticism of Politico.
The story and criticisms relate to personnel changes in the White House under President Trump.
Susie Wiles is a key aide working closely with President Trump.
Katie is the former White House press secretary who was ousted.
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A teacher named Becky Drury was seriously injured in a shooting at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon. A 16-year-old former student shot six people, killing one teacher and three children before he was stopped by a teacher and a parent.
Key Facts
The shooter was Griffin J John II, a 16-year-old former student at Silver Rail Elementary.
He entered the school with a shotgun and targeted a special education classroom.
Four people died: teacher Megan Lambert and three boys, including a five-year-old child.
Becky Drury was shot before she could protect anyone and pretended to be dead to avoid more harm.
Another teacher tackled the shooter after throwing her phone at him, and a parent then fatally shot the teen.
Drury clarified that she was shot before taking any protective actions, correcting earlier reports.
She lost most of her left hand and was badly hurt in her other arm.
The shotgun was legally purchased, and the shooting is still under investigation.
Schools in the area have reopened with police officers present to support students.
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Stocks fell sharply as investors became worried about whether the large spending on artificial intelligence (AI) will bring profits. The Nasdaq dropped 751 points due to concerns about rising debt for AI companies and higher oil prices.
Key Facts
The Nasdaq Composite Index fell 751 points, or 2.8%, on Thursday.
The S&P 500 dropped 1.4%, and the Dow Jones fell 0.1%.
AI companies are spending heavily on data centers, leading to large amounts of debt.
There is concern if these AI companies will make enough profit to cover their costs.
The Brookings Institution estimates AI infrastructure will cost over $10 trillion between 2025 and 2032.
Meta’s stock dropped 7.4% after mixed earnings with higher revenue but lower profits.
Tesla’s stock fell 2.1% after reporting stronger profits but weaker revenue than expected.
Oil prices rose due to worries about the Iran war, with U.S. oil near $99.44 a barrel and Brent crude at $113.
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Tom Skerritt, a US actor known for roles in movies like "Top Gun" and "Alien," and the TV show "Picket Fences," has died at age 93 from natural causes. He won an Emmy award for his acting in "Picket Fences" and had a long career in film, television, and theater.
Key Facts
Tom Skerritt died at the age of 93 from natural causes.
He was best known for movies such as "Top Gun" (1986) and "Alien" (1979).
Skerritt won an Emmy Award in 1993 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for "Picket Fences."
He acted in both movies and TV, playing solid and authoritative characters.
Skerritt also performed on stage, including in Broadway’s “A Time to Kill” in 2013.
His acting career began after a theater role led to his first film part in 1962.
He served four years in the Air Force and studied filmmaking at UCLA.
Skerritt had close friendships with actors like Robert Redford, who praised his integrity.
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Karoline Leavitt, former White House Press Secretary, said Katie Zacharia was not the right fit for the job after a short time as press secretary under President Donald Trump. Leavitt said the job is very hard and requires a lot of preparation. President Trump is still looking for a new press secretary who is smart, loyal, and can handle tough questions from the media.
Key Facts
Karoline Leavitt served as White House Press Secretary for nearly two years under President Trump.
Leavitt said Katie Zacharia’s brief time as Trump’s press secretary showed the role was not suitable for her.
The position of White House Press Secretary requires strong preparation and the ability to manage media pressure.
President Trump is considering several candidates to replace Zacharia, including Anna Kelly, Danielle Alvarez, Scott Jennings, and Monica Crowley.
Leavitt emphasized that Trump wants a press secretary who is tough, smart, loyal, and knowledgeable about his policies.
Zacharia expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and praised President Trump’s policies and efforts.
There is tension reported between Zacharia and media coverage, with President Trump criticizing how she was treated by reporters.
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President Donald Trump promised to focus on American problems and reduce foreign wars, but his actions have differed, including increasing conflict with Iran and protecting wealthy allies. Some Republicans running in November’s midterm elections are quietly moving away from Trump’s positions on issues like the Epstein files and the war in Iran because these topics are causing problems in their campaigns.
Key Facts
President Trump campaigned as an outsider promising to “drain the swamp” and prioritize “America first.”
After taking office, Trump reduced efforts to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s network and started a conflict involving Iran.
Trump called Epstein investigations a “hoax” and resisted releasing FBI files related to Epstein despite earlier promises.
Congress, including some Republicans, forced the release of some Epstein files, but many remain heavily redacted.
Republican lawmakers who supported Epstein file transparency faced political consequences, such as losing office or party support.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned after publicly disagreeing with Trump about Epstein.
Some Republicans running for Congress are focusing on local issues and avoiding discussions about Iran and Epstein to improve their election chances.
Trump shifted from his earlier statements about reducing US foreign military actions by engaging in conflicts like the US-Israel war on Iran.
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Kansas Senator Roger Marshall said that the war between Ukraine and Russia, not a war with Iran, is the main reason for high diesel prices. He made this statement during a debate and agreed with President Donald Trump's criticism of Ukraine, while expressing cautious support for importing Russian diesel if it could help end the war.
Key Facts
Senator Roger Marshall is a Republican from Kansas.
He blamed high diesel prices on the war between Ukraine and Russia.
Marshall rejected the idea that a U.S. war with Iran caused the high diesel prices.
His views on Ukraine align with President Donald Trump's recent critical stance.
President Trump says Ukraine's attacks on Russian refineries raise fuel costs.
Trump supports importing Russian diesel to lower prices.
Marshall was hesitant about importing Russian diesel but open if it helps end the war.
Marshall made these remarks during a debate with Democrat Adam Hamilton.
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Ohio candidate Amy Acton received a large increase in donations after an attack ad from her Republican opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy. She became the second most popular fundraiser on the Democratic site ActBlue, just behind another candidate, James Talarico.
Key Facts
Amy Acton is running for governor in Ohio as a Democrat.
Vivek Ramaswamy is her Republican opponent.
Ramaswamy released a controversial attack ad targeting Acton.
After the ad aired, Acton’s fundraising donations rose sharply.
Acton became the second top fundraiser on ActBlue, a Democratic donation site.
The only candidate ahead of her on ActBlue is James Talarico, running for Senate in Texas.
The ad caused reactions from both Democratic and Republican sides.
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James Carville, a Democratic political strategist, said again that he believes President Donald Trump will leave office by Easter next year. He shared this view during an interview on Fox News with Laura Ingraham.
Key Facts
James Carville is a Democratic political strategist.
Carville predicted earlier this year that President Trump would leave office by Easter 2025.
He confirmed during a Fox News interview that he still believes this prediction.
The interview took place on the show "The Ingraham Angle," hosted by Laura Ingraham.
Carville mentioned that Trump is “not particularly…” but the sentence is incomplete in the article.
His prediction is focused on the political future of President Donald Trump, the current U.S. President.
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The U.S. State Department has asked some career diplomats applying for important jobs about how they voted in the last three presidential elections. According to a report, diplomats who voted for President Donald Trump may be eligible for mid- to upper-level foreign service positions.
Key Facts
The State Department is questioning some career diplomats about their voting records.
The focus is on votes in the last three U.S. presidential elections.
Diplomat candidates who voted for President Trump could qualify for higher-level foreign service roles.
The report also mentions looking into campaign donations.
This practice involves career diplomats applying for senior jobs within the State Department.
The information comes from the Washington Sun newspaper.
The inquiry relates to the selection process for diplomatic positions.
It is not clear how widespread this practice is across the department.
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The UK plans to relax financial rules created after the 2008 crisis that hold bank and financial firm leaders responsible for bad behavior. Under new proposals, only top executives like CEOs and CFOs need to prove yearly that they act properly, reducing extra checks on about 140,000 managers. The changes will also reduce reporting requirements for minor employee misconduct to focus regulator attention on serious issues.
Key Facts
The Bank of England and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are behind the new proposals.
Only the most senior executives will need to show they are “fit and proper” each year and before starting new jobs.
Around 140,000 managers will no longer face extra checks on their conduct.
Reporting of “lower-level misconduct” like being late or minor mistakes will not need to be sent to regulators.
Firms must still report serious misconduct, final warnings, or firings to the authorities.
These rules were created after the 2008 banking crash to make bank leaders more accountable.
The changes aim to make UK financial firms more competitive globally.
The regulators estimate the changes will save businesses about £2 billion over 10 years and cut regulator costs significantly.
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BioWare, a well-known game developer, has closed down, stopping work on the next Mass Effect game called Mass Effect: Universe. A short trailer from the game leaked online, showing some story and action scenes, and confirmed by several sources as authentic.
Key Facts
BioWare, a respected video game company, was recently shut down by its parent company EA.
The next Mass Effect game, titled Mass Effect: Universe, was canceled due to BioWare’s closure.
A leaked trailer about two minutes long appeared online, showing early footage from the game.
The trailer features an ex-military character in an N7 coat, an Asari alien, and a bar gunfight scene.
Scenes in the trailer include planets, a huge alien in a glass container, and a holographic map with many points of interest.
The leak was first shared on Reddit and later confirmed as real by IGN and journalist Jason Schreier.
Some sci-fi authors publicly shared their involvement in the game's story development before its cancellation.
EA stated only a small team was working on Mass Effect: Universe when the decision was made to stop its development.
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Europe faces a challenge in maintaining its advanced social welfare systems because its economic growth is much weaker than in major competitors like the U.S., China, and India. This slow growth raises concerns about the future of social protections, economic competitiveness, and political unity across the continent.
Key Facts
Europe has one of the world's most advanced social systems, described as "very sophisticated."
The continent's potential economic growth rate is about half that of the United States, one-third that of China, and one-fourth that of India.
Weak economic growth threatens the long-term sustainability of Europe's social protections and the political agreement supporting them.
Recent social unrest in France reflects broader economic pressures affecting lower-income groups, including rising living costs and energy problems.
Europe has limited influence over ongoing geopolitical conflicts impacting its economy.
China's growing industrial power poses a challenge to European industries through increased exports.
The preferred European response to trade tensions with China is negotiation first, with stronger trade defenses considered only if necessary to avoid raising prices.
Europe must balance protecting its industries, preserving social welfare, and managing economic competition in a world with increasing international rivalry.
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