Ukraine's new weapon, world's hottest pepper, and TSA Precheck at Staples.

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US News, Politics, & Government

Jim Jordan fails to win House speaker vote on first ballot

House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) fell short of securing the 217 votes needed to become the House Speaker in the first roll call ballot. 200 House Republicans voted for Jordan, while 20 Republicans voted against him. Those that gave him the thumbs down cited concerns over his ties to former President Trump, the Jan. 6 events, the Freedom Caucus, fundraising abilities, and alleged bullying tactics. The House will now head to a second ballot. In January, it took McCarthy 15 ballots over four days to be elected. (More)

Top universities facing antisemitism accusations, losing long-time donors amid Israel-Hamas conflict

Donors and board members at multiple major US colleges like the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard have criticized what they perceive as anti-Semitic responses from these schools to Hamas's attacks on Israel. The University of Pennsylvania faced backlash from donors, including former U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman, who labeled the university's silence as antisemitism. Harvard also lost major donors due to concerns about the hostile environment experienced by the Israeli community at the school. In many cases, these complaints began long before the conflict began. (More)

The new world's hottest pepper, Pepper X, is 3 times spicier than its predecessor

Pepper X, a small, wrinkly yellow-green pepper grown by PuckerButt Pepper Company in South Carolina, has been declared the world's hottest chili pepper by Guinness World Records, measuring an average of 2.693 million Scoville Heat Units (SHUs). It surpasses the previous record holder, the Carolina Reaper, which averaged 1.64 million SHUs. A jalapeño, by comparison, measures just 2,000 to 8,000 SHUs. Pepper X's heat is intense, and the burn can be felt all over your body. Much of the pepper’s heat is concentrated in the interior white placenta instead of the seeds. And it’s exterior bumpiness creates more space for the placenta to grow. (More)

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World

India's top court refuses to legalize same-sex marriage

India's Supreme Court has refused to legalize same-sex marriages, returning the issue to the country's Parliament. The judges all agreed that the court could not grant LGBTQ+ people the right to marry because it is a legislative function — India’s Supreme Court interprets laws but can’t make them. While the court didn't recognize same-sex unions, it did accept the government's proposal to set up a panel to explore granting social and legal benefits to same-sex couples. (More)

Ukraine uses US-provided long-range ATACMS missiles against Russian forces for the first time

The United States has quietly delivered a small number of long-range ballistic missiles (Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS) to Ukraine. These missiles provide Ukraine with the ability to strike Russian targets from farther away, keeping Ukrainian forces out of firing range. The delivery was kept secret, with the U.S. initially reluctant to send the weapons due to concerns about escalating tensions with Russia. The ATACMS missiles delivered to Ukraine have a shorter range than usual but carry cluster munitions which can hit multiple targets. Ukraine has used the missiles against Russia and said they “executed very accurately.” (More)

Hundreds killed in Gaza hospital blast, West Bank protests erupt

Hundreds of people were killed in a strike on a hospital in Gaza City. Both Israeli and Palestinian officials are blaming each other. Gaza health authorities claimed it was due to an Israeli airstrike, while Israel's military stated it was the result of a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group. The situation exacerbated tensions in the region and led to protests in the West Bank and across the Middle East. It also complicated diplomatic efforts, including a summit involving President Biden, which was canceled by Jordan’s foreign minister. (More)

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Business & Economy

Daily stock market update

US stock markets closed mixed on Tuesday (S&P -0.01%, Nasdaq -0.25%, Dow +0.04%). Tuesday’s market moves came as bond yields increased on stronger-than-expected September retail sales, and the yield on Treasury notes hit its highest level since Oct. 6. (More)

Choice Hotels offers to buy rival Wyndham for $7.8 billion

Choice Hotels has made a $7.8 billion cash and stock offer to acquire Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. The merger would combine around 16,800 properties under various brands, including Radisson, Quality Inn, Days Inn, Ramada, and Travelodge. The proposed deal, which includes debt, is valued at around $9.8 billion. Choice Hotels decided make its takeover intentions public after Wyndham ended their months-long merger negotiations. (More)

Retail sales soar in September, continuing summer surge

Retail sales in the US continued to surge in September, rising by 0.7%, well above the expected 0.2%. The Census Bureau also revised August's retail sales number to 0.8% from 0.6%. These strong numbers demonstrate resilient consumer demand that is contributing to the economy's overall growth, despite high interest rates and job market challenges. The strength was seen across various sectors, including restaurants, bars, internet sales, and miscellaneous store retailers. Strong consumer spending is helping prevent a recession. (More)

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Sports & Entertainment

Philadelphia Phillies Blow Out Arizona Diamondbacks in Dominant NLCS Game 2 Effort

The Phillies crushed the Diamondback 10-0 in game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Tuesday night. Last night marked the first time Arizona failed to score in a playoff game. Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning and never walked a batter. The series now head to Phoenix for game 3 on Thursday. (More)

Alec Baldwin may face involuntary manslaughter charge in Rust Shooting

New Mexico prosecutors plan to recharge actor Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the fatal 2021 "Rust" shooting. Prosecutors have new evidence they believe connects Baldwin to recklessness around safety standards on the film set. The case focuses on an incident in which a prop gun fired a live round, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. Baldwin maintains that he didn’t pull the trigger, but could face up to 18 months in prison if convicted. (More)

Britney Spears's memoir reveals abortion with Justin Timberlake

In her upcoming memoir, “The Woman in Me,” Britney Spears claims that she had an abortion while she was dating singer Justin Timberlake. The couple’s romance began in the early 2000s, and ended in a public breakup. Timberlake has not commented on the story yet. (More)

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Science, Health, & Tech

FDA faces pressure to act nationwide on red dye in food

California has banned the use of four food additives, including synthetic food coloring red No. 3, due to concerns about their impact on children's behavior. Now, public health advocates are pushing for a nationwide removal of the dye from the food supply. While the FDA banned red No. 3 in cosmetics in 1990 based on a study that found it can cause cancer in rats, the agency continues to permit its use in food. Multiple studies suggest that synthetic food dyes, including red No. 3, are linked to behavioral issues in children. (More)

Apple launches cheaper $79 Apple Pencil

Apple announced a new $79 Apple Pencil with a hidden USB-C charging port, set to launch in November. The cheaper version works with all USB-C iPads but lacks features like wireless charging and pressure sensitivity found in pricier Apple Pencils. Apple has begun to shift to USB-C across all of its products in order to comply with new European Union regulations. (More)

21 species removed from US Endangered Species Act after going extinct

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has removed 21 species from the US Endangered Species Act (ESA) after confirming their extinction. The delisted species include the Bachman's warbler, eight types of southeastern mussels, and the Little Mariana fruit bat. Some initially marked for removal, like the ivory-billed woodpecker, were retained amid extinction debates. Wildlife advocacy groups continue to highlight the "permanent" consequences of inaction on biodiversity and climate change. (More)

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Bonus Material

6 laundry tips to save time and extend the life of your clothes.

Check out these stunning photos of fog waves rolling over landscapes.

You can now enroll in TSA PreCheck at Staples.

The best ways to actually hear TV dialogue.