CURE

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau argued that "sometimes, the cure is worse than the disease" when countries move investigative and prosecutorial bodies out of the Executive Branch and label them "independent" to avoid politicization. Writing as a US-trained lawyer, he suggested such structural reforms may not deliver the impartial justice they promise, drawing attention to ongoing debates over judicial independence and political interference.

North Carolina wildlife officials are asking residents to secure trash cans, pet food, bird feeders and other food sources as black bears enter their fall feeding phase, known as hyperphagia, when they eat heavily to build fat reserves for winter. Bears drawn to easy food in residential areas can lose their natural wariness of people, prompting the safety warning.

French Finance Minister Eric Lescure said France is far from needing European Central Bank assistance with its debt, pushing back against concerns about the country's public finances. He stressed that France's borrowing situation does not warrant any ECB intervention, as investors continue to watch the country's budget deficits and debt levels closely.