Thirty-four House Democrats from 17 states and the District of Columbia urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate reports that Dollar General, Family Dollar, 7-Eleven and Circle K charged customers more at checkout than shelf labels or gas signs showed. Their October 28 letter followed investigations reporting price-check failures and an FTC lawsuit, joined by 20 states, that accuses Dollar General of inaccurate pricing.
Key Facts
A Guardian investigation reported that Dollar General failed more than 4,300 government price-accuracy inspections in 23 states over three years.
The same investigation reported that Family Dollar failed 2,100 price inspections in 20 states during that period.
A separate investigation reported overcharges at 7-Eleven and Circle K for items including snacks, drinks, toiletries, tobacco and medication, as well as some gasoline prices above those displayed on roadside signs.
The four retailers have said in written statements that they try to keep register prices consistent with shelf prices.
The lawmakers’ letter was addressed to FTC Chair Andrew N. Ferguson, a Trump appointee, and asked for a broad investigation.
Two days before the letter, the FTC and 20 states filed a lawsuit accusing Dollar General of a pattern of inaccurate pricing affecting millions of purchases.
Dollar General said it would vigorously defend the lawsuit, aims for 100% price accuracy and cooperated with the FTC investigation.
The letter’s lead author, Representative Nikki Budzinski of Illinois, said affordability concerns informed the lawmakers’ request.
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Stephen Mwiti Joseph says all six of his children are presumed dead after his wife took them to follow self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie in Kenya’s Shakahola Forest. A court found Mackenzie guilty of murdering 191 people; his cult was alleged to have forced children to starve to “meet Jesus.”
Key Facts
Stephen Mwiti Joseph has six children who are presumed dead.
Joseph’s wife abducted the children to follow Paul Mackenzie.
Mackenzie is a self-proclaimed pastor.
The events took place in Kenya’s Shakahola Forest.
A court found Mackenzie guilty of the murder of 191 people.
Mackenzie’s cult was alleged to have forced children to starve to “meet Jesus.”
Joseph wants Mackenzie locked away for life.
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President Donald Trump said he could end the Iran war “whenever I want it to end.” The war’s cost has topped $47 billion and is affecting the U.S. midterm election climate as rising gas prices pressure voters.
Key Facts
Trump said he can end the Iran war whenever he wants.
The cost of the war has topped $47 billion, according to the article headline.
The war is a factor in the lead-up to the U.S. midterm elections.
Rising gas prices are squeezing voters’ budgets.
CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang reported on the war and its effects.
Lana Zak reported on election races in Iowa.
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A joke by Barack Obama comparing President Donald Trump’s White House renovations to Cheesecake Factory decor sparked political commentary and social media posts ahead of the midterm election. Trump defended the renovations, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and the restaurant chain’s former design vice president also responded to the dispute.
Key Facts
Obama joked that Trump had made the White House look like Saddam Hussein had opened a Cheesecake Factory.
The article says Obama’s joke renewed attention to the 2014 controversy over his tan suit.
The White House posted a cartoon of Trump in front of a Cheesecake Factory with lo-fi music.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized Obama’s remark outside a Cheesecake Factory and said he had enjoyed a meal there.
Trump said the White House is a symbol of America and criticized Obama’s comment about the renovations.
The Cheesecake Factory’s former longtime vice president of design, Rick McCormack, said he was disappointed the company had been drawn into the dispute.
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UK income tax thresholds, frozen since 2021, are expected to rise with inflation after 2031, according to documents from the Office for Budget Responsibility. Until then, pay rises can push more income into taxable or higher-rate bands, increasing tax bills; the article says a separate allowance will protect people whose only income is the state pension.
Key Facts
The personal allowance remains £12,570, and income above it is generally subject to income tax.
The higher-rate threshold is £50,271, while the additional 45% rate applies to income above £125,140.
Frozen thresholds mean that as wages rise, more income may become taxable or fall into a higher tax band.
The OBR documents say personal and other tax thresholds are scheduled to rise with inflation after 2031.
The government’s official forecaster estimates that almost one in four taxpayers will pay some income tax at the higher rate by 2031.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that more than six million additional people will be brought into income tax by 2031 because of the frozen personal allowance.
A new separate Pension Tax Allowance is intended to prevent people whose only income is the state pension from paying tax on it.
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Israel’s election has produced no clear path to power, and the outcome will depend on which leader can build a governing coalition. Yedioth Ahronoth correspondent Tamar Sebok said parties’ public refusals to work with Arab parties may change during negotiations, as they did after the 2021 election.
Key Facts
The election featured high voter participation and strong mobilisation among Arab voters.
The article says no clear winner had emerged as votes were counted.
In Israel’s parliamentary system, a party’s ability to form a coalition can matter more than winning the most seats.
Smaller parties can gain influence when larger parties need their support to secure a parliamentary majority.
Sebok said statements ruling out cooperation with Arab parties may not determine the eventual coalition.
Sebok cited the 2021 coalition negotiations as an example of political boundaries shifting after an election.
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Some Silicon Valley parents are choosing private schools that restrict screens, citing concerns about how digital devices affect children’s learning and development. The article contrasts that trend with research on classroom distraction and links between screen exposure and academic and language outcomes, while noting that digital tools can also support some students.
Key Facts
San Francisco Waldorf does not allow screens in the classroom, according to the article.
Software engineer German Gil told The Guardian that he enrolled his daughter at San Francisco Waldorf to give her a screen-free school experience.
San Francisco Waldorf said applications for early-childhood places had risen, with many prospective parents working in technology.
The article reports that early-childhood tuition at the school is nearly $40,000 a year and high-school tuition is nearly $60,000 a year.
An OECD report in 2023 found that nearly one-third of surveyed students across member states said digital devices distracted them in most or every math lesson.
A 2024 Norwegian study of 36 university students found greater brain connectivity during handwriting than typing, especially in networks linked to learning and memory.
A September 2026 JAMA Pediatrics review covering more than 2.8 million children found that greater screen exposure was associated with poorer academic performance and language skills.
The article notes that classroom technology can help students through tools such as text-to-speech, dyslexia-friendly fonts and subtitles.
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A recent KFF poll found that healthcare costs are the biggest cost-of-living concern among U.S. voters. CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Céline Gounder discussed the findings.
Key Facts
The poll was conducted by KFF.
Healthcare costs ranked as voters’ top financial worry.
The poll focused on U.S. voters.
CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Céline Gounder discussed the results.
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With almost all votes counted, Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc leads in projections but falls short of the 61 seats needed for a Knesset majority. Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition bloc also lacks a majority, leaving the Palestinian Israeli parties’ seats potentially decisive as absentee ballots are counted.
Key Facts
Projections give Netanyahu’s bloc 53 seats and Eisenkot’s opposition bloc 48 seats.
The Palestinian parties are projected to win 19 seats combined.
The Joint List has at least 12 seats, while Ra’am has seven.
Absentee ballots remain to be counted, with final results expected by Thursday, according to the article.
Eisenkot’s bloc could seek support from Palestinian Israeli parties, call for a new election, or consider other governing arrangements.
Netanyahu said Likud would be the country’s largest party and called for a strong right-wing government.
Eisenkot said voters had rejected Netanyahu’s continued service as prime minister.
The article says nearly 80% of IDF soldiers voted in what it describes as Israel’s most-voted-for election.
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Former Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel said Tuesday that Democrats would probably win control of the House in the midterm elections. She noted that Democrats need to gain three seats, with one week remaining before Election Day.
Key Facts
Ronna McDaniel previously chaired the Republican National Committee.
McDaniel said Democrats would probably take control of the House.
She said Democrats need to gain three seats.
Her remarks came one week before the midterm elections.
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Russell Brand testified Wednesday at Southwark Crown Court in London, where he faces seven charges involving six women and alleged incidents from 1999 to 2009. He pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations, saying he believed the sexual encounters were consensual.
Key Facts
The charges are three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault.
The six complainants’ allegations span a 10-year period, from 1999 to 2009.
Brand answered “no” when asked whether he committed each charge.
One complainant alleged Brand raped her after they met at a Labour Party conference in 1999; Brand denied the allegation.
A woman who worked with Brand at MTV alleged he grabbed her arm in 2001; he said he did not recall meeting her or taking her by the arm.
A complainant alleged Brand sexually assaulted her at a London bar in 2004; Brand denied the allegations and said he later recalled an encounter at the location.
Brand confirmed having anal sex with a complainant in 2009 but said she consented and he had no indication she was in pain.
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Barack Obama is set to headline a rally for Georgia Democrats. The rally is intended to support Jon Ossoff and Keisha Lance Bottoms in their Georgia races.
Key Facts
Obama is scheduled to headline a rally for Georgia Democrats.
The rally is connected to races in Georgia.
Jon Ossoff is among the candidates the rally aims to support.
Keisha Lance Bottoms is also among the candidates the rally aims to support.
CBS News correspondent Skyler Henry reported on the rally.
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Flavio Bolsonaro, described in the article as Brazil’s defeated presidential candidate, arrived in Florida with his family. The article says Brazil’s Supreme Court had ordered him to surrender his passports during a money-laundering probe, and his whereabouts then became unknown.
Key Facts
Flavio Bolsonaro landed in Florida.
He traveled with his family.
The article says his family received U.S. visas from the Trump administration.
Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered him to surrender his passports.
The order came amid a money-laundering probe.
His whereabouts became unknown before he appeared in Florida.
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Digital parenting coach Dr. Elizabeth Milovidov shares advice on keeping children safe online during Halloween while allowing them to enjoy the holiday. The article identifies the topic but does not provide specific safety tips.
Key Facts
The segment is titled “Top tips for a safe Halloween online.”
Digital parenting coach Dr. Elizabeth Milovidov offers advice.
The advice focuses on children's digital safety during Halloween.
The segment aired on France 24’s Entre Nous.
The article was issued on October 28, 2026.
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Russia said it test-fired a Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile from the nuclear-powered submarine Generalissimo Suvorov in the Sea of Okhotsk. The launch came shortly after Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke with Vladimir Putin, prompting criticism from some European leaders who called for a united approach to contact with Moscow.
Key Facts
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the submarine launched the missile on Wednesday.
The missile was aimed at the Chizha testing range in Russia’s Arkhangelsk Region.
The Bulava has a stated range of more than 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers).
Borei-class submarines can carry up to 16 Bulava missiles, according to the article.
Stubb and Støre said they discussed the war in Ukraine, possible three-way talks involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine, and European security concerns.
Putin accused the European Union and NATO of prolonging the war through what he called confrontational policies.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and other European officials voiced skepticism about the call and urged coordination in contacts with Putin.
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The page identifies a BBC video in which political editor Chris Mason discusses notable points from a Budget. The video was unavailable in the provided article text, which contains no details about the Budget’s measures.
Key Facts
The video is titled “What are the standout points from the Budget?”
The page names Chris Mason as the presenter.
Chris Mason is identified as the BBC Political Editor.
The page says it was published 29 minutes ago.
The article text provides no specific Budget measures or figures.
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The article says AI tools, especially Anthropic’s Claude, have made it faster for people to decompile and modify video game code, leading to a surge of unusual game mashups on social media. It also describes broader growth in emulation and warns that many uses may violate copyright law.
Key Facts
The article links the recent wave of video game mashup clips to AI-assisted coding.
It says Claude can help reconstruct source code from compiled games, a process known as decompiling.
The article says mashup projects still require human work, but can take far less time than before.
The author used Claude to create a simple, playable browser game in about four minutes, then spent about half an hour developing it further.
The article reports seeing recent games run in web browsers and open-source launchers that use emulated game code.
It says PlayStation 5 emulation has advanced, allowing many PS5 games to run on a PC.
The article notes that many such activities may be illegal because of copyright issues.
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The headline says 47 states allow all voters to cast ballots early and asks about the other three. The supplied article text argues that voting rights depend on people’s ability to exercise them, but it does not identify the three states or provide further details.
Key Facts
The headline says 47 states allow all voters to vote early.
The headline asks about the three states not included in that count.
The supplied text says some people view early voting as a convenience rather than a right.
The writer argues that the right to vote depends on the ability to exercise it.
The supplied text does not name the three states.
The supplied text does not explain the early-voting rules in those states.
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Tommy Robinson was found guilty of two counts of harassment causing fear of violence against Daily Mail journalists Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber. The case followed his response to articles about his 2024 holiday in Cyprus during riots in England; he was granted bail before sentencing on 16 December.
Key Facts
A jury at Southwark Crown Court convicted Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
The charges concerned harassment of two Daily Mail journalists.
The articles at issue appeared in August 2024 and showed Robinson on holiday in Cyprus while riots took place in England following the Southport murders.
The court heard that the journalists used security or left home because of Robinson’s conduct.
Robinson denied the charges and said he had panicked and feared for his family after an article identified their hotel area.
The Crown Prosecution Service said Robinson used social media in a campaign that caused the journalists serious fear of violence.
Robinson was granted bail, with sentencing scheduled for 16 December.
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Flávio Bolsonaro arrived at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport after disputing the results of Brazil’s presidential election, which he lost to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered him to surrender his passports as part of an investigation into alleged money laundering; he has not been charged and denies the allegations.
Key Facts
Flávio Bolsonaro arrived at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport in Florida.
He disputed the results of Brazil’s Sunday presidential election.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won the election against Bolsonaro.
Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered Bolsonaro to surrender his passports.
The passport order is part of an ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering.
Bolsonaro has not been charged in the case and denies the allegations.
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