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Pope Leo is recovering from lung surgery, and in his absence the Catholic Church is effectively operating on autopilot, with routine governance continuing without his direct involvement. According to The New York Times, the situation is drawing attention to how the Vatican functions when the pope is incapacitated and how long the Church can run without an active pontiff at the helm.

Workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport have begun a 24-hour strike, walking out as the airport advances a $2.1 billion expansion project. The stoppage highlights tensions between low-wage airport workers and officials over pay and conditions at one of the busiest hubs in the United States. The action is drawing attention to labor disputes playing out alongside the airport's major construction plans.

A radical left 'flotilla' is being organised in Italy to support Ukraine, with organisers defending Kyiv's right to fight 'even with weapons'. The movement says it rejects traditional pacifism and frames the effort with the same 'anti-imperialist' stance it applies to Gaza and Sudan. A land convoy is set to depart, drawing attention to splits on the Italian left over war and pacifism.

Lottery players are checking the latest draw results, with the Iowa Lottery publishing its Mega Millions and Pick 3 Midday numbers for October 13, 2026. Searches for lottery checks are climbing as ticket holders confirm whether their numbers came up in the recent draws, a routine but reliable spike in interest after each drawing.

The Economist argues that Europe is full of pleasant, liveable cities but has too few that carry real global weight economically, culturally or politically. The piece suggests Europe's urban landscape is comfortable yet lacks metropolises able to compete with the likes of London, New York or Asian hubs in influence, innovation and scale, prompting debate about why the continent struggles to produce truly major cities.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has donated $1 million to a campaign opposing a pro-abortion ballot initiative in Idaho. The contribution, reported by Utah Public Radio, marks a significant intervention in the state's abortion debate and stands out given the church's public stance of political neutrality. The measure would restore abortion access in one of the most restrictive US states.

A court has struck down a backup plan in Wisconsin, prompting state election officials to instruct clerks to mail absentee ballots as soon as possible. The ruling removes what officials had hoped would be a fallback option for the upcoming election, leaving them racing to get ballots to voters in time to meet legal deadlines.

The deadline to request a mail-in ballot ahead of the general election is approaching, and election officials are urging voters who want to vote by mail to submit their requests before the cutoff. Voters who miss the deadline will need to vote in person on election day.

Israeli diplomats posted at missions around the world have begun casting their ballots through the country's absentee voting process, allowing diplomatic staff to vote from their stations overseas. The start of diplomatic voting marks an early step in Israel's electoral process, with the rest of the electorate due to vote in person. Early participation from diplomats abroad is drawing attention to how Israelis stationed overseas take part in the election.

Voting in Israel's upcoming election has started abroad, with Israeli diplomats at embassies and consulates casting the first ballots. Overseas voting traditionally precedes domestic polls, opening the electoral process for Israeli representatives serving around the world before voters in Israel go to the polls. Further details about the election date, candidates or turnout abroad were not provided.

North Richland Hills, a city in Texas's Dallas-Fort Worth area, is preparing for a bond election. Local coverage from Fort Worth Report and KERA outlines what items are on the ballot, though specific propositions and dollar amounts were not detailed in the available reports. Bond elections typically ask voters to approve city borrowing for projects such as streets, parks, and public safety facilities.

A Springfield News-Sun opinion column argues that public education will be a decisive issue for voters in the November elections. The piece frames school funding and policy as choices facing the electorate, positioning education alongside other contested issues on the ballot.

A columnist writing in the Aspen Daily News outlines education-related ballot items that local voters may face, urging residents to consider the measures before casting their ballots. The piece reviews what each item would mean for schools and funding in the area. Discussion of school-related measures typically rises as election day approaches and voters weigh local tax and policy questions.

A 2026 voter guide published by EdNC explains what North Carolina voters need to know about education items appearing on the ballot. The guide outlines education-related measures, candidate races, and their potential impact on schools across the state as residents prepare to head to the polls.

A parent writing to Slate's advice column says her husband holds an unrealistic expectation about the clothes their 4-year-old wears, and she cannot keep up with it. The letter, published under Slate's Care and Feeding column, is drawing attention as readers weigh in on divided parenting standards and household disagreements over young children's clothing.

A colt by leading sire Lope de Vega was the top lot on the second day of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale at Newmarket, one of Europe's key bloodstock auctions. The result underlines continued demand for progeny of the Ballylinch Stud stallion, with buyers competing for yearlings seen as potential middle-distance prospects. Full sale figures and the identity of the buyer were not immediately reported.

Walmart is working from a design studio in New York to create affordable, trendy clothing, a sign the retail giant wants to be taken seriously in fashion. The move targets style-conscious shoppers who historically looked elsewhere, and it comes as retailers compete to refresh apparel assortments quickly and cheaply. Observers see it as part of Walmart's broader push to shed its purely budget image.

A single ticket holder from New South Wales has won the entire $100 million Powerball jackpot, taking one of Australia's largest lottery prizes. The winning numbers were closely watched nationwide as the draw went off, with officials confirming just one entry claimed the full division one prize. The mystery winner has yet to come forward.

Reports claim Red Bull are plotting a move to sign two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, while Laurent Mekies has issued a statement addressing the situation. The news is making the rounds across Formula 1 media as fans and pundits speculate about what a potential Alonso-Red Bull pairing would mean for the driver market and the team's future lineup.

Microsoft's Copilot AI has released predictions for all NFL Week 6 matchups, with USA Today publishing its picks for every game. The move highlights the growing use of AI tools in sports analysis, as fans compare the model's forecasts against expert and odds-based predictions.

Duke Health and CaroMont Health have joined forces to submit a bid for two hospitals in Charlotte, North Carolina. The partnership pairs the Durham-based academic health system with the Gastonia-based CaroMont as both look to expand their footprint in the Charlotte market. The move comes amid ongoing consolidation and competition among North Carolina hospital systems.

SunLibCrypto has published a new guide explaining how to mine Bitcoin solo at home in 2026. The article breaks down the differences between solo mining and pool mining, and reviews small ASIC devices such as the Bitaxe Gamma that let hobbyists try their luck. The odds of winning a block alone are tiny, hence the 'lottery miner' framing, but the guide reflects ongoing interest in DIY mining hardware.