General news

• How Facebook's tentacles reach further than you think

  26-05-2017 01:09 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Share Lab uses flow charts and data analysis to map one of the greatest forces shaping our world - Facebook.
  
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• Flydubai pilot hailed a hero after fighting off attacker as plane plunged

  01-10-2026 07:54 via cnn.com
  
  Indian pilot Smit Machchhar has been hailed as a hero for saving passengers after he was stabbed by his colleague in an alleged attempt to crash a Flydubai plane on Wednesday. - Israel Foreign Ministry/Reuters
  The Indian pilot who fought off a savage attack by his copilot and helped prevent an apparent hijack of a Flydubai plane heading to Israel with more than 170 people on board is being hailed as a hero.
  Captain Smit Machchhar was stabbed while trying to fend off the attacker, leaving him bad
  
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• California bans child marriage, a practice still legal in 32 U.S. states

  01-10-2026 06:26 via bbc.com
  
  Brittany Bee was wed to a man when she was a teen.[BBC]
  California has officially banned child marriage, with Governor Gavin Newsom signing legislation to end the practice that is still legal in 32 US states. The new law, which will come into effect on 1 January, states people must be 18 to get married in the Golden State.Newsom called it a "long overdue measure to protect young Californians and minors". He signed the bill into law with Courtney Stodden, whose parents allowed her to marry a 50-y
  
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• White House removes CNN from press pool for Trump's upcoming trip to Texas and Oklahoma

  01-10-2026 05:29 via nbcnews.com
  President Donald Trump speaks to the media aboard Air Force One on its way to Joint Base Andrews, Md., from Ireland on Sept. 13.(Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images file)The White House on Wednesday removed CNN from the press pool that’s set to cover a trip by President Donald Trump on Thursday, escalating a feud with the cable network after a federal judge blocked the administration’s push to restrict its media access.CNN had been designated to travel with Trump on Thursday, a
  
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• Man in custody following tip about 'violent attack' on Texas State Capitol

  01-10-2026 04:01 via abcnews.com
  
  A man accused of plotting a "violent attack" on the Texas Capitol in Austin is in custody after state authorities say they received a tip about the alleged threat and worked through the night to track down a suspect.The Texas State Department of Public Safety and the FBI thwarted a "credible threat" against the state capitol, according to a notice sent to Texas state senators Wednesday and reviewed by ABC News. The alleged attack was to occur on Thursday, according to the notice and Texas DPS.2
  
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• Man arrested after alleged mass shooting threat against Texas Capitol

  01-10-2026 04:01 via abcnews.com
  
  A man accused of plotting a "violent attack" on the Texas Capitol in Austin is in custody after state authorities say they received a tip about the alleged threat and worked through the night to track down a suspect.The Texas State Department of Public Safety and the FBI thwarted a "credible threat" against the state capitol, according to a notice sent to Texas state senators Wednesday and reviewed by ABC News. The alleged attack was to occur on Thursday, according to the notice and Texas DPS.2
  
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• Man accused of planning 'violent attack' on Texas Capitol arrested after tip

  01-10-2026 04:01 via abcnews.com
  
  A man accused of plotting a "violent attack" on the Texas Capitol in Austin is in custody after state authorities say they received a tip about the alleged threat and worked through the night to track down a suspect.The Texas State Department of Public Safety and the FBI thwarted a "credible threat" against the state capitol, according to a notice sent to Texas state senators Wednesday and reviewed by ABC News. The alleged attack was to occur on Thursday, according to the notice and Texas DPS.2
  
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• Cornell agrees to independent review of its handling of student's rape allegation

  01-10-2026 03:57 via yahoo.com
  The New York state prosecutor who has reopened an investigation into the alleged rape of a woman by seven members of a fraternity at Cornell University in October 2024 says he was not provided with a transcript of her interview with campus police before his office decided not to pursue charges.On Tuesday, CBS New York published excerpts from a Nov. 14, 2024, interview with police, in which the woman reportedly asserted, "I can say with 100% confidence I was raped." Tompkins County District
  
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• Religion, drone warfare and a new base: 7 takeaways from Hegseth's speech

  01-10-2026 00:27 via thehill.com
  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made a flurry of announcements during a wide-ranging speech to active-duty officers Wednesday. 
  At the beginning of the address, the Pentagon chief stuck to his bread and butter: culture-war grievances, stripping the “woke” out of the Department of Defense (DOD), bashing the news media for its coverage of the Iran war, and proclaiming the “warrior ethos” has been revived and the U.S. military has been “rebuilt.”
  But the Def
  
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• Man describes subduing attacker after cockpit stabbing on Israel-bound plane

  30-09-2026 23:52 via bbc.com
  
  Passengers on a flight to Israel have recounted how they subdued a pilot after he stabbed the other pilot and appeared to be trying to disable the plane, while others described the "terrifying" moment they thought they would die.Appearing in a bloodstained shirt after the ordeal, Yaniv Hayun told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he realised something was wrong when the aircraft suddenly dropped. The plane, en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv, plummeted 17,000ft (5,200m) in less than two min
  
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• Cornell agrees to outside review of its handling of rape allegation, Gov. Hochul says

  30-09-2026 23:48 via abc7ny.com
  Cornell University agreed Wednesday to initiate an independent investigation into how the Ivy League school handled what a former student now alleges was fraternity house gang rape, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said on Wednesday.Hochul discussed the case during an exclusive interview Wednesday afternoon at her Midtown offices. The governor sits on the Cornell University board.The governor called for the outside review, saying what happened raised "serious questions about Cornell campus culture" an
  
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• FCC chair says government-funded Trump ads ‘don’t raise any red flags’

  30-09-2026 23:30 via nbcnews.com
  Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr has been a staunch defender of President Donald Trump and gone after some of his critics. (Al Drago / Getty Images file)Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr said Wednesday that new pro-Trump TV ads paid for with government funds don’t “merit any sort of FCC review.”“It doesn’t strike me as anything at all out of the ordinary,” Carr said of the ads, which have aired across the country in recen
  
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• Millions of Americans face changes to SNAP benefits beginning today

  30-09-2026 22:59 via abcnews.com
  
  Major changes are coming on Oct. 1 for the tens of millions of Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for food assistance from the federal government.In the short term, most families will see a slight bump in their monthly payments to help afford groceries. But in the coming months, households will face stricter eligibility requirements and changes to how the benefits are administered that could ultimately result in far fewer benefits.An estimated five million
  
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• Pennsylvania reports its 5th measles-related death of the year amid outbreak

  30-09-2026 22:28 via yahoo.com
  A Parkside Pediatrics provider assessing a patient with measles symptoms in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on 30 January 2026.Photograph: The Washington Post/Getty Images
  Pennsylvania has reported its fifth measles-associated death of 2026 as the state’s ongoing outbreak climbs to 943 confirmed cases across 39 counties.
  The Pennsylvania department of health said on Wednesday that an unvaccinated Lancaster county resident who tested positive for measles had died. Health officials did not rel
  
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• NASA telescope could fall to Earth within weeks after daring rescue falls short

  30-09-2026 21:39 via cnn.com
  
  NASA’s Swift Observatory orbits above Earth in an artist’s concept. - Goddard Space Flight Center/NASA
  A celebrated space telescope is rapidly dipping from its once-stable orbit and falling to Earth just shy of the 22nd anniversary of its launch.
  The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory will soon have to cease its science observations after a daring rescue mission’s attempt to boost its orbit failed over the summer.
  Named after fast-flying birds, the telescope could quickly pivot to
  
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• Judge clears final barrier to Paramount's $111 billion Warner Bros. deal

  30-09-2026 21:32 via variety.com
  
  Paramount chief David Ellison, after a fierce year-long battle, is finally about to get his hands on Warner Bros. Discovery — in the most expensive takeover in Hollywood history. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín, who is overseeing the antitrust case aimed at blocking the Paramount-Warner Bros. deal approved Paramount’s settlement with the 12 Democratic state attorneys general who brought the case to resolve the litigation.More from VarietyHow H
  
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• Fed watchdog clears Jerome Powell but says board mishandled renovation costs

  30-09-2026 20:46 via newsmax.com
  (Dreamstime)The Federal Reserve's inspector general on Wednesday cleared former Chair Jerome Powell of criminal wrongdoing in the central bank's $2.4 billion headquarters renovation while faulting Fed managers for weak cost controls that led to a roughly $1 billion overrun.
  The 120-page evaluation from Fed Inspector General Michael Horowitz found that "at no point" during a yearlong review did investigators uncover "reasonable grounds to believe that a violation of federal criminal law had
  
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• Billy Joel doesn't want people worrying about his brain disorder

  30-09-2026 19:01 via rollingstone.com
  
  Billy Joel doesn’t want anyone fretting too much over his health. The artist stepped away from performing last year after being diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a brain disorder caused by an excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain’s ventricles. Still, he doesn’t think it’s a big deal. “I know people are worried about me because they read that I have a brain disorder, which sounds a lot worse than it actually is,” Joel recently
  
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• Senate blocks bill restricting stock trading by members of Congress

  30-09-2026 18:55 via yahoo.com
  By Richard CowanWASHINGTON, Sept 30 - The US Senate on Wednesday blocked legislation placing new restrictions on stock trading by members of Congress, as Democrats refused to provide enough votes to advance the measure toward passage, arguing ‌that it falls short of a full ban.By a vote of 53-47, the Senate halted a Republican drive to ‌open debate on the partisan bill, which was passed in July by the House of Representatives. Sixty affirmative votes were needed to get the legislation
  
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• FTC opens probe into AI giants, including Anthropic and OpenAI

  30-09-2026 18:29 via yahoo.com
  By Jody GodoySept 30 (Reuters) - The Federal Trade Commission is conducting an industry-wide probe into Anthropic, OpenAI and other AI labs to uncover the potential dangers their technology ‌poses to consumers, a senior FTC official told Reuters on Wednesday.The probe is the first ‌official US enforcement action that delves into rogue AI agents, following a surge in incidents first reported in July that ​have stoked fears among the public that uncontrolled AI could one day h
  
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• Co-pilot stabs pilot, tries to crash passenger jet en route to Israel, Netanyahu says

  30-09-2026 18:29 via abcnews.com
  
  Passengers aboard a FlyDubai flight to Tel Aviv on Wednesday sprang into action after a pilot allegedly stabbed another and plunged the plane thousands of feet in an apparent attempt to crash it, in what Israeli officials are saying was an act of terror.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the intention was to "crash the plane, killing everyone on board" the flight from Dubai.Passengers described a violent mid-air incident as the unidentified pilot allegedly stabbed the other pilot in the cock
  
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• Powerful Kelvin wave threatens to raise California sea levels for months

  30-09-2026 18:10 via livescience.com
  
  When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. After hitting the coast of South America in late August, a "Kelvin" wave is now making its way up the coast of North America.| Credit: David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images
  A powerful "Kelvin wave," triggered by this year's super El Niño, is creeping up the Pacific coast of Central and North America and will soon reach California's shores, where it could raise sea levels by up to 1 foot (30
  
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• AI agents weren't supposed to get out. Several reached real-world systems anyway.

  30-09-2026 18:09 via tech.yahoo.com
  
  On Tuesday, President Trump met with tech executives at the White House to have them sign a "morally binding" agreement on artificial intelligence. Rather than pushing for government regulation, Trump called for "tremendous self-regulation" among companies in the AI industry. The document reflects that, encouraging AI leaders to implement "robust internal controls" and partner with independent external auditors.The summit comes after months of increased scrutiny for AI companies as they've discl
  
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• DA in Cornell rape case says he never saw campus police interview transcript

  30-09-2026 17:26 via yahoo.com
  New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is calling for an outside investigation into a Cornell University rape case that has drawn national attention after a civil lawsuit was recently filed against the school.Hochul said Tuesday there were "serious questions" for the university to answer about its initial response to the allegations, which she described as being "nothing short of horrifying." "That is why I am calling for outside counsel to conduct a transparent, independent review of the university's respo
  
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• Oil shipments are recovering, but damaged refineries keep fuel prices high

  30-09-2026 16:51 via yahoo.com
  Crude oil is moving through the Strait of Hormuz at a pace that is starting to approach prewar levels, a notable rebound for the world’s most critical oil choke point.That restored flow is mainly the result of Iran’s somewhat depleted military capability and a U.S. Navy operation that has secured a portion of the waterway for relatively secure passage. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post.But the forces driving
  
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• Police say toddler was found with loaded gun at Michigan daycare

  30-09-2026 16:01 via abcnews.com
  
  A parent has been arrested after a toddler was found with a loaded gun inside a Michigan daycare facility, authorities said.A teacher noticed the gun Monday morning and took "immediate action," Canton Police Chief Joseph Bialy told ABC Detroit affiliate WXYZ.Officers then responded to the incident in Canton, just outside of Detroit, and secured the weapon, according to Canton police.Florida mom allegedly abandons 4 kids to go on cruise: Court documentsNo injuries were reported.Charges against th
  
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• U.S. economy grew 2.2% last quarter, stronger than first estimated

  30-09-2026 14:44 via finance.yahoo.com
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy grew at a solid 2.2% pace from April through June as consumer spending and business investment came in strong.Growth in gross domestic product — the nation’s output of a goods and services — decelerated from a 2.5% pace from January through March, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. The second-quarter growth was an improvement on the department’s previous estimate of 1.5% — a surprise to economists who had expected li
  
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• Israeli officials suggest terror link after cockpit fight and flight's 14,000 ft. plunge

  30-09-2026 14:25 via uk.news.yahoo.com
  
  By Alexander Cornwell and Rami AmichayJERUSALEM, Sept 30 (Reuters) - The co-pilot of a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv is believed to have stabbed the captain in a possible attempted "terror attack" on Wednesday, forcing the plane to divert to Saudi Arabia where it landed safely, three Israeli officials said.They said the cabin crew entered the cockpit and took control of ‌flydubai flight FZ1073 from the United Arab Emirates to Israel, which diverted to Saudi Arabia as it flew over Jordanian
  
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• Netanyahu says FlyDubai scare under control after pilot reportedly tried to crash plane

  30-09-2026 14:00 via newsmax.com
  Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (ilia YEFIMOVICH/Getty Images)Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that the situation was under control after a flydubai flight carrying about 180 Israelis was diverted to Saudi Arabia and that steps were being taken to bring the passengers home safely.
  "The situation is under control, and all measures are currently being taken to bring the Israeli passengers back to Israel safely," Netanyahu's office said in an official statement.
  Netanyahu
  
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• GOP breaks with Trump on multiple issues heading into midterm elections

  30-09-2026 12:00 via thehill.com
  Republicans in both chambers are increasingly breaking ranks with President Trump across a host of sensitive issues, hoping some separation from the GOP’s unpopular standard-bearer will help avert a blue wave in the midterm elections.  
  The divisions are highly unusual for a party that’s walked virtually in lockstep with Trump for more than a decade. But as the president’s numbers have tanked over the summer and rising costs have squeezed voters of all stripes, more
  
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