Space

Axiom Space working to revise lunar spacesuit for early Artemis missions

Axiom Space is working to revise its lunar spacesuit design as NASA prepares for the early Artemis missions, including the first crewed lunar landing in more than 50 years.  The company was awarded a $228.5 million NASA contract to develop the spacesuit system for Artemis 3, with the design based partly on NASA’s xEMU reference suit.  Axiom has been conducting testing and making changes intended … Continue reading Axiom Space working to revise lunar spacesuit for early Artemis missions

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Technology

Shock gloves purchased by ICE cause intense pain and quick compliance, Army study finds

A previously unreleased Army study found that electric-shock gloves purchased by Immigration and Customs Enforcement caused intense pain and led military personnel posing as prisoners to stop resisting almost immediately. ICE signed a $16.7 million contract in August to purchase 6,000 pairs of the gloves, despite agency officials being aware of the Army study’s findings. The study found that participants experienced fatigue, soreness and fear … Continue reading Shock gloves purchased by ICE cause intense pain and quick compliance, Army study finds

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Business

IMF chief urges governments to tighten belts as global debt levels soar

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva is urging governments to tighten spending as global public debt reaches its highest level since World War II and is projected to exceed 100% of global GDP before 2030. She warned that rising government bond yields are increasing borrowing costs and putting additional pressure on already strained budgets, particularly in heavily indebted advanced economies. Georgieva said governments can no longer … Continue reading IMF chief urges governments to tighten belts as global debt levels soar

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Business

High mortgage rates strand home sellers as buyer demand plummets

Rising mortgage rates and high home prices are weakening demand, leaving many U.S. home sellers struggling to attract buyers. Mortgage rates have climbed above 7%, making monthly payments more expensive and pushing many potential buyers to delay purchases.  As homes remain on the market longer, sellers are increasingly cutting asking prices and offering concessions to encourage buyers to make deals. The housing market is also … Continue reading High mortgage rates strand home sellers as buyer demand plummets

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Politics

Trump plans to turn Mar-a-Lago into official presidential retreat

Donald Trump is proposing to turn his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida into an official presidential retreat where foreign leaders could be hosted and future presidents could receive complimentary memberships. The proposal submitted to Palm Beach County officials envisions the property hosting international summits and serving as a vacation residence for presidents visiting Florida. Trump’s lawyers say the project would establish Mar-a-Lago as a presidential institution … Continue reading Trump plans to turn Mar-a-Lago into official presidential retreat

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Politics

Rubio rails against open borders, globalism in speech from ancient Greek ruins

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a speech in Athens calling on Western nations to restore the values and principles he says have shaped Western civilization.  Speaking near the historic Acropolis, Rubio highlighted qualities including courage, ambition, curiosity and loyalty to one’s nation as important to the West’s future.  Rubio connected his message to President Donald Trump’s “America First” approach, arguing that putting national … Continue reading Rubio rails against open borders, globalism in speech from ancient Greek ruins

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Politics

Puigdemont welcomes Spain’s amnesty but warns it is not the solution for Catalonia

Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont welcomed a Spanish court decision allowing an amnesty to apply to him and lifting his arrest warrant, potentially allowing him to return to Spain after nine years in exile.  Puigdemont said, however, that the amnesty does not resolve the broader political dispute between Catalonia and Spain or the independence aspirations of some Catalans. He argued that the legal proceedings against … Continue reading Puigdemont welcomes Spain’s amnesty but warns it is not the solution for Catalonia

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Politics

EU plans 15-year probation period for new member states

The European Commission has proposed a 15-year probation period for new EU members during which their voting rights or access to EU funds could be suspended if they seriously violate democratic standards. The proposal is partly intended to prevent a repeat of disputes involving Hungary under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose government used its EU veto power to block decisions supported by other member … Continue reading EU plans 15-year probation period for new member states

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Politics

Golden naked Trump statue unveiled at European Parliament

A 2.5-meter statue depicting U.S. President Donald Trump naked and covered in 23-karat gold has gone on display at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.  Created by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt, the sculpture shows Trump sitting on the shoulders of a much smaller man while holding a golf club and the scales of justice. Titled “The Orange Plague,” the satirical artwork is intended by its creator as … Continue reading Golden naked Trump statue unveiled at European Parliament

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U.S. News

Woman allegedly stabs girl after SUV hits semi as soldiers step in to stop horrific roadside attack

A 35-year-old Washington woman allegedly stabbed a 9-year-old girl after her SUV crashed into a semi-truck and overturned on Interstate 5 near DuPont. The girl suffered a stab wound and multiple broken bones, while a 15-year-old girl who was also in the SUV was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.  Two soldiers from nearby Joint Base Lewis-McChord stopped to help and reportedly tackled the woman, disarmed her … Continue reading Woman allegedly stabs girl after SUV hits semi as soldiers step in to stop horrific roadside attack

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U.S. News

Former CIA official accused of stealing $40M in gold bars pleads guilty

Former CIA official David J. Rush pleaded guilty to wire fraud after using his government position to obtain more than $40 million worth of gold bars and fund luxury real estate purchases.  Prosecutors say Rush fabricated a highly classified government program and a bogus sensitive operation to justify obtaining gold and other government resources for his personal benefit. His scheme allegedly caused about $194 million … Continue reading Former CIA official accused of stealing $40M in gold bars pleads guilty

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U.S. News

California couple arrested, charged with abuse of 15 children

A California couple with 27 children has been arrested and charged with allegedly abusing 15 of them, including a child who was just 2 months old. Prosecutors accuse Guojun Xuan, 66, and Silvia Shasha Zhang, 39, of directing nannies to beat the children with shoes and wooden sticks, sometimes while the couple watched. The alleged abuse occurred at the couple’s large mansion in Arcadia, and … Continue reading California couple arrested, charged with abuse of 15 children

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U.S. News

Texas set to execute man for fatally shooting a convenience store clerk in 2000

Jamaal Howard, 46, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection in Texas on Wednesday for the 2000 killing of convenience store clerk Vickie Swartout. Howard was convicted of capital murder after surveillance video showed him shooting Swartout during a robbery in Silsbee, Texas, before taking $114 and a carton of cigarettes. His attorneys argue that Howard is intellectually disabled and therefore should not be … Continue reading Texas set to execute man for fatally shooting a convenience store clerk in 2000

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U.S. News

Christa Pike’s lawyers hold press conference after she regains consciousness in hospital

Christa Pike’s lawyers say the 50-year-old Tennessee death row inmate is conscious and able to speak following last week’s unsuccessful execution attempt. Pike remains in critical care at a hospital, where her lawyers say she is handcuffed and shackled to her bed and faces a potentially lengthy recovery. An anesthesiologist advising her legal team said Pike can communicate in a basic way but apparently does … Continue reading Christa Pike’s lawyers hold press conference after she regains consciousness in hospital

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World News

Brazilian beauty queen, 22, dead after being struck by lightning

Ana Beatriz Araújo Ferreira, a 22-year-old Brazilian beauty queen and mother, died after being struck by lightning during a rainstorm in her mother’s garden. Ferreira was combing her young niece’s hair outdoors after bathing her 5-year-old son when the lightning struck. She was rushed to a nearby hospital in Almas but died from her injuries shortly afterward. Ferreira, known as “Aninha,” was a physiotherapy student … Continue reading Brazilian beauty queen, 22, dead after being struck by lightning

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World News

South Korea blames North Korean mines for border blast injuries and demands apology

South Korea’s military concluded that North Korea planted the mines that exploded near the border last month, injuring three South Korean soldiers. The military said its conclusion was based on a joint investigation with the U.N. Command, forensic testing and the discovery of another North Korean mine near the blast site. South Korea called on North Korea to apologize and remove other mines, saying the … Continue reading South Korea blames North Korean mines for border blast injuries and demands apology

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World News

Ten injured in knife attack at Polish school

Ten people, including five students, two teachers and two bystanders, were injured in a knife attack at a vocational school in Ostroleka, Poland. Police detained a 19-year-old student suspected of carrying out the attack with a machete about 20 minutes after it began. Nine people were taken to hospitals, but authorities said none of the injuries were life-threatening, while the suspect also suffered self-inflicted injuries. … Continue reading Ten injured in knife attack at Polish school

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World News

Ten people linked to Kenya’s first-ever Ebola case quarantined as screening concerns grow

Kenya has quarantined 10 people who came into contact with a man who died of Ebola after traveling from the Democratic Republic of Congo, while authorities seek 57 additional contacts. The case has raised concerns about border screening after the patient traveled through several cities in Congo, Uganda and Kenya while reportedly sick for about a month without being detected. Health officials say the patient … Continue reading Ten people linked to Kenya’s first-ever Ebola case quarantined as screening concerns grow

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World News

Russia launches heavy strikes at Ukraine, killing at least 20

Russia launched a massive wave of missiles and drones against Ukraine on Wednesday, killing at least 20 people, including children, and damaging industrial and energy facilities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the attack one of Russia’s “most vile strikes” and said it involved about 70 missiles, many of them ballistic. The heaviest casualties occurred in Pryluky in the Chernihiv region, where a missile destroyed a … Continue reading Russia launches heavy strikes at Ukraine, killing at least 20

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Space

SpaceX’s Crew-12 astronauts heading home after nearly 10 months in space

Four astronauts from SpaceX’s Crew-12 mission are scheduled to leave the International Space Station on Oct. 7 after nearly eight months in orbit, following the arrival of Crew-13 on Oct. 1.  The crew consists of NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.  Their Dragon spacecraft, named Freedom, is scheduled to undock at 8:05 a.m. EDT … Continue reading SpaceX’s Crew-12 astronauts heading home after nearly 10 months in space

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Technology

Lightsaber-like plasma antenna uses laser-ionized air to transmit radio waves

Researchers at North Carolina State University have demonstrated a new antenna made from a thin filament of laser-ionized air, creating a glowing plasma beam that resembles a lightsaber. The laser creates the plasma filament by ionizing air, while a metal ring acts as a contactless capacitor to couple a radio-frequency signal into the plasma without physically touching it. The researchers demonstrated the system transmitting a … Continue reading Lightsaber-like plasma antenna uses laser-ionized air to transmit radio waves

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Business

S&P 500 rises to record high as yields move lower

U.S. stocks rose on Oct. 5, with the Nasdaq Composite reaching a record closing high as investors continued to favor technology and AI-related companies.  The S&P 500 gained 0.66%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.18% and the Nasdaq climbed 1.05% to 27,477.31.  Nvidia, Microsoft, Meta and Tesla were among the major technology stocks helping drive the gains, while Nvidia also reached a record … Continue reading S&P 500 rises to record high as yields move lower

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Business

Google signs 20-year nuclear deal with Constellation Energy to power AI build-out

Google has signed a 20-year agreement with Constellation Energy to secure 890 megawatts of additional nuclear power for its growing AI and data-center operations. The deal will fund upgrades at 11 existing nuclear reactors across Illinois, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with Constellation investing more than $4.3 billion to increase their output. The first upgraded facility is expected to begin supplying electricity in 2028, with the … Continue reading Google signs 20-year nuclear deal with Constellation Energy to power AI build-out

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Politics

Trump says he ‘looks forward to signing’ $5,000 dividend checks

President Donald Trump is again promising a $5,000 “Trump dividend” to every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans retain control of both the House and Senate in the November 2026 midterm elections. Trump said in a Truth Social video that he looks forward to signing the checks, but he has not provided a detailed funding mechanism for the proposed payments. USA TODAY estimates that sending $5,000 … Continue reading Trump says he ‘looks forward to signing’ $5,000 dividend checks

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Politics

Meloni files to trademark her voice in fight against deepfakes

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has applied to trademark her voice with the European Union Intellectual Property Office as a way to strengthen legal protections against AI-generated deepfakes. The application, filed Oct. 5, includes a four-second recording of Meloni saying “Io sono Giorgia Meloni,” echoing a phrase from her well-known 2019 political speech and her 2021 autobiography. Meloni has previously been targeted by manipulated images … Continue reading Meloni files to trademark her voice in fight against deepfakes

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