Medication drone delivery, aid for Gaza, and a shipwreck discovery.

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US News, Politics, & Government

US military shoots down drones headed toward troops in Iraq

The US military intercepted several drones that were targeting its soldiers in Iraq. They shot down three drones and no one was hurt. This was the first attack on US positions in Iraq in about nine months. Officials haven’t said who is responsible. The incident has increased US concerns about possible attacks by Iranian proxies on its troops in Iraq and Syria because of the regional instability. (More)

Biden announces $100 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza and West Bank

The U.S. is sending $100 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza and the West Bank. The aid will go towards emergency needs in Gaza and help over 1 million displaced Palestinians affected by the conflict. This comes after a major explosion at a Gaza hospital, with both Hamas and Israeli officials giving conflicting explanations. Biden warned Hamas not to interfere with the aid, stating it would end if they did. Israel is also allowing food, water, and medicine to pass through the border. (More)

Jim Jordan loses supporters on second failed House speaker vote

Jim Jordan's campaign to become the House GOP speaker faces increasing opposition from fellow Republicans. On the second ballot, 22 House Republicans voted against Jordan, up from 20 Republicans who voted against him on the first ballot. Some House Republicans may push to temporarily empower Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry to keep legislative processes moving. Jordan, however, remains committed to his campaign despite the challenges. (More)

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World

Vladimir Putin feted at Xi Jinping's global Belt and Road summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin received a warm welcome at a global summit in Beijing, celebrating 10 years of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The BRI has seen China pour an estimated trillion dollars into investments and infrastructure projects around the world. Putin praised the BRI initiative and reaffirmed Russia’s alignment with China’s vision. The visit comes amid rising concerns that China and Russia are building their own bloc to rival the West. The summit attracted leaders from over 130 countries, primarily from Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America. (More)

Eight French airports forced to evacuate for security reasons

Eight airports in France were evacuated due to security reasons, including bomb threats received at multiple hubs. Affected airports included Beauvais, Strasbourg, Nantes, Biarritz, Toulouse, Lille, Lyon-Bron, and Nice. Some of these airports later resumed operations after police cleared them. Additionally, the Palace of Versailles near Paris was evacuated for the third time in less than a week. France had raised its security alert level to the highest possible following a recent knife attack at a school in the city of Arras. (More)

Biden says Gaza militants appear to be behind hospital blast as anti-Israel protests spread

The US has vetoed a United Nations resolution that condemned Hamas attacks on Israel and violence against civilians, saying it didn't include language addressing Israel's right to defend itself. Twelve other countries voted in favor of the resolution, and two abstained. The proposed resolution condemned Hamas's attack on Israel and called for humanitarian pauses to deliver aid to Gaza's civilians. The U.S. vetoed the resolution due to President Biden's ongoing visit to the region, emphasizing the importance of allowing diplomatic efforts to play out. While the US backs Israel’s right to defend itself, they also called for steps to protect civilians. (More)

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Business & Economy

Daily stock market update

US stock markets closed lower on Wednesday (S&P -1.34%, Nasdaq -1.62%, Dow -0.98%) ~ Stocks dropped sharply during regular trading as Treasury yields surged to multiyear highs. The yield on the 10-year Treasury topped 4.9%, reaching its highest level in 16 years. (More)

United Airline new boarding process

United Airlines is changing its boarding process to allow economy passengers with window seats to board before those with middle and aisle seats, aiming to speed up the boarding process. This new seating plan, called WILMA (Window-Middle-Aisle), is expected to save up to two minutes on the boarding process for each flight. The change will be applied on all domestic and some international flights, beginning on Oct. 26. First-class and business-class won’t be affected. (More)

Mortgage rates hit highest level in 20 years

The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage rate hit 8% on Wednesday, reaching the highest level since 2000. The higher rates have caused mortgage demand to fall sharply. The average rate on the 30-year fixed was as low as 3% just two years ago. A buyer purchasing a $400,000 home with a 20% down payment would have a monthly payment today of nearly $1,000 more than it would have been in 2021. (More)

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Sports & Entertainment

Astros bounce back, take Game 3 vs. Texas Rangers to cut ALCS deficit to 2-1

The Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 8-5 in Game 3 of the ALCS on Wednesday. Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer was playing in his first game in over a month and gave up 5 runs in four innings. Houston will look to even the series at 2-2 in Game 4 tonight at 8:03 p.m. ET. Starting pitchers have yet to be announced. (More)

Aces fend off Liberty to win back-to-back titles

The Las Vegas Aces became back-to-back champions on Wednesday after defeating the New York Liberty 70-69 in game 4 of the WNBA Finals. They are the first repeat champions since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-2002. The Aces were without starters Chelsea Gray and Kia Stokes but rallied from a double-digit deficit in the second half to close out the series. (More)

Neymar has torn ACL, set for surgery after injury with Brazil

Brazilian soccer star Neymar will miss significant time after tests confirmed that he tore the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee during his country’s World Cup qualifying loss to Uruguay on Tuesday. He will undergo surgery and could play again in eight months. He could potentially be ready for the Copa America held in the US next summer. (More)

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Science, Health, & Tech

Milkshake neuroscience: how the brain nudges us toward fatty foods

Scientists have discovered a part of the brain that reacts to the smooth feeling of fatty foods and influences our desire to eat them. When people tasted milkshakes with varying fat and sugar levels, brain scans showed that a specific brain region, called the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), responded to the food's texture. This brain region also connected the smoothness of the food to how much people were willing to pay for it. And people whose OFC was more sensitive to the texture of fatty foods tended to eat more high-fat dishes during the study. These findings could help create healthier foods and deepen our understanding of overeating. (More)

Amazon begins delivering medications by drone in Texas

Amazon Pharmacy has launched a prescription medication delivery service by drone for customers in College Station, Texas. Eligible customers can receive over 500 medications within 60 minutes at no additional cost. To be eligible, customers must sign up for Prime Air and complete a yard survey. The drones use cameras to detect objects in their path and fly as high as 400 feet before descending to drop packages on a delivery marker. Amazon said it has successfully delivered "hundreds of household items" via drones in College Station since late last year. (More)

X to test $1 subscription fee for new users

X announced that it will begin charging a $1 annual subscription fee for new users. The program is currently being tested in New Zealand and the Philippines, and new users there will have to pay the fee in order to post content. Those who opt out of the fee can only read posts, watch videos, and follow accounts. Current users won’t be affected. The new test is being implemented to help the company fight spam. (More)

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Bonus Material

The 40 coolest neighborhoods in the world.

Constructions crews in Florida discover a 19th-century shipwreck.

Cast your vote to help decide which forgotten toy gets a place in the National Toy Hall of Fame.

What to do when you receive an inheritance.