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Top Stories

Injury Report Analysis: Patriots rule out five players for Thursday Night Football vs. the Bears

Iran Claims Seven Ships Hit in Persian Gulf as Oil Prices Surge

Developers bring incredible new app experiences to iPhone Duo

Sanders Announces 344 Regulatory Changes to Cut Red Tape

Rezoning decision about land for controversial Waikōloa Village development postponed until 2027
NW Arkansas

Sanders Announces 344 Regulatory Changes to Cut Red Tape
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders says 13 state departments found 344 ways to make permits, licenses and other approvals faster and cheaper under her February executive order. Seventy-five of those changes are already in place or underway.
Arkansas Democrats look to make election gains in fast-changing Washington County
Washington County Democrats are courting voters at events like a recent rally at Springdale's Parsons Stadium, betting that the fast-changing county can deliver election gains. The Arkansas Advocate followed candidates and volunteers on the campaign trail.

Photo Release: Second Lady Usha Vance and Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders Visit Central Arkansas School and Host Reception for Merit Pay Recipients
Second Lady Usha Vance joined Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in Central Arkansas to promote childhood literacy. They toured classrooms at Glenview Elementary in North Little Rock, held a roundtable with state education leaders and hosted a reception for teachers who earned merit pay.

Why low living costs don’t add up for Arkansas’ ALICE households
KUAF looks at Arkansas's ALICE households, people who work but can't cover basic costs. United For ALICE's national director explains why the state's low cost of living doesn't add up to financial security for many families.

Razorback Trio Completes Their Time in Memphis
Three Razorback women's tennis players wrapped up the ITA Central Regional Championships in Memphis. Natalie Oliver won two singles matches, including a three-set comeback, and Brooke Schaefer and Anastasija Adeikyte picked up a doubles win.

Fort Smith voters to decide city government change in November election
Fort Smith voters will decide in the November election whether the city switches to a mayor-council form of government. Early voting is already underway.

‘The Nurse at Baker Hospital’ revisits a Eureka Springs con man
Jocelyn Cullity's novel "The Nurse at Baker Hospital" puts a fictional nurse inside the Crescent Hotel in the 1930s. That was when con man Norman Baker ran it as a hospital and sold fake cancer cures to dying patients. KUAF talks with the author about Eureka Springs' most infamous resident.

Lights of the Ozarks to return Nov. 20 for 33rd season
Fayetteville's Lights of the Ozarks returns to the downtown square on Nov. 20 for its 33rd season. More than 500,000 LED lights and a 20-foot tree will shine from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. nightly through Jan. 1, starting with a Light Night celebration from 6 to 9 p.m. on opening day.

Reminder: Call for Artists for America 250 City Art Poster Project Ends October 23
Fayetteville is taking artwork celebrating local history for the America 250 City Art Poster Project until 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 23. The city will send the winning piece to the U.S. Conference of Mayors on Nov. 6, and it will be shown at the conference's winter meeting.

Frost Fest winter beer festival to return Feb. 6, 2027
Frost Fest, Fossil Cove Brewing's winter beer festival, returns on Feb. 6, 2027, outside the Washington County Fairgrounds in Fayetteville. Organizers promise beer from more than 60 regional breweries plus live music, food trucks and art vendors for the festival's 10th edition.

WATCH: Fort Smith mayoral candidates debate the issues
40/29 News hosted a debate among Fort Smith's mayoral candidates, moderated by Brett Rains. Seven people are running: Nataylia Deer, Shayne McKinney, Yvette C. Powers, Daniel Williams, Sara Harrison, Christina Catsavis and City Director Lee Kemp. The full debate is available on video.

Hawaii

Rezoning decision about land for controversial Waikōloa Village development postponed until 2027
The Hawaiʻi County Council postponed until July 2027 a rezoning bill for a Waikōloa Village project with 400 apartments and 300 single-family homes. Council members cited the island's housing need but said the impact of growth must be weighed carefully.
HDOT launches career education program to foster young storm water professionals
The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation launched the Hawaiʻi Storm Patrol Young Professionals Program, a free set of lesson plans that introduces high school students to careers in storm water management.

Meet the contenders in the unusual 3-party race for West Maui's House seat
West Maui's House District 14 race has an unusual three-party field: incumbent Elle Cochran, now running as a Republican, Democrat Sne Patel, and the Green Party's Pāʻele Kiakona, who leads Lahaina Strong. All three name affordability as the key issue.

U.S. would be growing more slowly without AI boom, but not in recession
A UHERO analysis estimates U.S. growth over the past year would have been half a point to about one point weaker without AI investment and AI-driven stock gains. Even so, the author says the economy would most likely not be in recession without them.

State downsizes proposed Oʻahu jail, but advocates say that doesn’t address the root of the problem
Hawaiʻi is shrinking its planned new Oʻahu jail from 1,000 beds to 800, though water, sewer and power will still be built for 1,000 in case it needs to grow. Advocates say a smaller building doesn't by itself mean fewer people behind bars.

Leeward CC propels food makers from Hawaiʻi to Tokyo
Leeward Community College's ʻĀina to Mākeke program is helping local food makers reach global buyers. One alum, ReBran founder Tatsuyoshi Omura, now sells his upcycled rice-bran granola at Foodland and Down to Earth and pitched it at the Tokyo International Gift Show.

Democrats Gain Ground With AAPI Adults As Trust In GOP Fades, Poll Finds
A new AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll finds Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults souring on President Trump and Republicans ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms. Only 2 in 10 approve of his handling of the economy, and Democrats hold a clear edge on the economy and health care.

‘Not the end of life’: She’s battling early-onset dementia with new tools
An InvestigateTV report follows Andrea Lucas, who is living with early-onset dementia, and the tools she uses to keep her independence. The condition is diagnosed when cognitive decline before age 65 keeps a person from living or working on their own.

Sister city delegation from South Korea visits UH Hilo, strengthening collaboration in education and cultural exchange
UH Hilo welcomed a delegation from Gokseong-gun, a sister county in South Korea, on Oct. 13. The visit was coordinated by professors Su-Mi Lee and Hee Jun Choi and aims to build education and cultural exchange across the Pacific.

Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope discovers more than 2,100 previously unknown galaxies
Astronomers using the Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope found more than 2,100 previously unknown galaxies in the Virgo Cluster, more than doubling its known population. The discovery completes the Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey, which spanned more than a decade of observations.

UH leads Mountain West in MW+ subscriptions, women’s fall sports viewership
UH Mānoa Athletics leads the Mountain West in MW+ streaming subscriptions in its first season as a full member, according to the conference. It also ranks No. 1 for women's volleyball and soccer viewership, and UH football is second, though exact numbers aren't released.

10/21/26 – TEMPORARY CLOSURE AT MAKAPUʻU LOOKOUT FOR REPAIRS
State Parks has closed the Makapuʻu Lookout section of Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline for repairs through Nov. 4. The main Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail and its parking stay open.

Business
Comcast Reports 3rd Quarter 2026 Results
Comcast reported third-quarter results, and co-CEOs Brian Roberts and Mike Cavanagh said they are taking "decisive steps" to strengthen the business. They pointed to better customer satisfaction and more customers converting free wireless lines to paid plans, while near-term connectivity results reflect ongoing investment.
£16 billion productivity boost delivers better value and better services for taxpayers
The UK Treasury says government departments delivered £16 billion in efficiency savings last year, about 4.1% of day-to-day spending, beating their target. It credits AI and new technology with faster NHS diagnoses and more teaching time.

Anthropic is unveiling a workplace AI agent to rival Meta Muse and OpenAI Dots
Anthropic opened a research preview of Claude Duet, an AI agent app for professionals and small-business owners. It sends a morning brief from a user's connected apps, finishes the tasks it's given and checks in before acting, putting it up against Meta's Muse and OpenAI's Dots.

Stable banks, strong capital markets – Europe’s financial system for the future | Keynote speech at the conference for the 40th anniversary of the International Bankers Forum
In a keynote at the International Bankers Forum's 40th anniversary, the Bundesbank looked back on four decades of European financial integration. The speech made the case for stable banks alongside strong capital markets as Europe's financial system for the future.

France protests: Macron condemns 'stupid' comments from Trump, others as bond market pressure builds
French President Emmanuel Macron called comments by foreign leaders, including President Trump, about France's mass protests and rioting "unacceptable" and "stupid." He blamed foreign disinformation as pressure builds on French government bonds.

The Philippines launches safeguard investigation on pork
The Philippines told the WTO it has opened a safeguard investigation into pork imports. The Department of Agriculture's Trade Remedies Office gave interested parties five working days to submit comments and evidence.

eBay layoffs: Hundreds of jobs slashed with stock riding high. ‘Our strategy is working,’ says CEO
eBay plans to lay off about 1,000 employees, roughly 9% of its workforce, in its second round of cuts this year. CEO Jamie Iannone told staff the company's strategy is working, and its stock has been rising.

How long does it take to save up for a starter home? Twice as long as it did in 2019
A new analysis finds it now takes twice as long as in 2019 to save for a down payment and closing costs on a starter home. Mortgage rates are above 7%. The Center for Responsible Lending says closing costs have become another growing hurdle for first-time buyers.

Meta agrees to let Mark Zuckerberg remain in California amid proposed billionaire wealth tax
Meta agreed to give Mark Zuckerberg non-voting shares he can sell to pay a possible tax under Proposition 40, California's proposed billionaire wealth tax. With that deal in place, he will stay in California after saying he was weighing a move.

Elon Musk says Tesla vehicle demand exceeding production ahead of Dallas Cybercab launch
Tesla reported $28.05 billion in third-quarter revenue, and Elon Musk said demand for its cars is well ahead of production. He credited interest in Full Self-Driving as Tesla prepares to launch its Cybercab robotaxi service in Dallas next month.

Tech

Developers bring incredible new app experiences to iPhone Duo
Apple says developers have optimized apps and games for iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone, ahead of Friday's launch. The inner display is 50% larger than iPhone 18 Pro Max's, and apps are adding new layouts for streaming, gaming, creativity and multitasking.
Tesla says it will start selling Cybercabs by end of year
Tesla says it will start selling its steering-wheel-free Cybercab to customers by the end of the year, even as federal regulators investigate whether it meets safety standards. For now, every Cybercab built goes into Tesla's own robotaxi fleet.

We are working with Voltus to build a 1-gigawatt virtual power plant.
Google and Voltus are expanding their partnership to a 1-gigawatt virtual power plant across the PJM grid, which serves 67 million people in 13 states and D.C. Homes and businesses that cut power use during demand peaks get bill savings and cash payments.

Fortnite is coming back to Apple's Australian App Store following court ruling
An Australian federal court ordered Apple to open iOS to competition, and Fortnite is returning to the App Store there. Apple must also allow alternative app stores without conditions and let developers show other payment options. Apple disagrees with the ruling and says it will challenge it.

NVIDIA Cosmos Opens New Tools to Train, Evaluate and Deploy World Models
NVIDIA expanded its Cosmos world-model platform with new training tools, simulation checkpoints and Cosmos Data Factory blueprints. The tools are for developers building physical AI systems that need to understand and simulate the real world.

What’s going on with the web? The PHP issue and sites going offline
A significant number of websites have been taken offline on purpose by their owners after severe security vulnerabilities were found in PHP, the open-source language that powers most of the web. 9to5Mac explains what PHP is and why the flaws matter.

How Companies Are Using NVIDIA DSX to Break the Power Bottleneck
NVIDIA says companies are using its DSX AI Factory platform to plan, simulate and run the power grid and AI data centers as one system. NVIDIA calls power the biggest bottleneck in infrastructure, with more than $300 billion in equipment backlogged and over 200 gigawatts waiting in U.S. interconnection queues.

Broad access through consistent standards
OpenAI says it has worked with customers and partners to align safety policies across the services that offer its models. It is also updating its Usage Policies to make the requirements clearer for developers as models such as GPT-6 Astra expand what they can build.

Ex-Marine and Microsoft vets launch Watchtower Labs with $35M to bring AI to military logistics
Watchtower Labs, a Bellevue, Wash., defense startup founded by an ex-Marine and Microsoft veterans, came out of stealth with $35 million. The money will go to AI software that speeds up military logistics and operations decisions. Shield Capital and Conviction led the seed round, with Founders Fund and In-Q-Tel joining.

Introducing full transaction detection for Cloudflare WAF
Cloudflare added full transaction detection to its web application firewall. It checks each HTTP request together with the response to spot signs that an attack succeeded. New response rules can also block an origin's response before it reaches the requester.

Blackstone’s Jas Khaira says fears over AI-buildout debt are overblown
At TechCrunch Disrupt, Blackstone's Jas Khaira said fears about debt in the AI buildout are overblown. He leads Blackstone N1, the firm's San Francisco AI hub. Blackstone is lending to data centers and investing in frontier models and applications.

GridCraft is the open-source Excel clone for Linux I’ve been waiting for
ZDNet reviews GridCraft, a free, open-source Excel clone for Linux from ArtCraft, the developers behind PhotoCraft and WordCraft. The reviewer says it nearly delivers on its goal, and the main thing missing is a strong template feature.

XLE & Oil

Iran Claims Seven Ships Hit in Persian Gulf as Oil Prices Surge
Iran's Revolutionary Guard navy says seven ships, including oil tankers, were hit by its forces or struck mines in the Persian Gulf over the past day. Four tankers were hit during oil transfers in the northern Gulf, and three vessels hit mines west of the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices surged on the news.
Energy Department Authorizes Exchange from Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve
The Energy Department is offering an exchange of up to 315,000 barrels of fuel oil from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve to ease supply disruptions. Companies that borrow it must return the same amount plus a premium before the 2027–28 heating season.

Record Fuel Prices Accelerate Europe’s EV Sales
Record gasoline and diesel prices in Europe are speeding the shift to electric cars. September battery-EV sales jumped 60% while gasoline car sales fell 20.6% and diesel sales 28.2%, according to the European carmakers' association (ACEA).

Energy Department Announces New Investments to Strengthen America's Power Grid and Lower Electricity Costs
The Energy Department announced about $967 million in additional Grid Resilience formula grants for states, territories and tribes. The money is meant to upgrade infrastructure, prevent outages and meet growing electricity demand.

India's Middle East Oil Imports Jumped 32% in September
India's crude imports from the Middle East rebounded 32% in September to 2.8 million barrels per day, the highest since February, as more oil made it out through the Strait of Hormuz. Imports from Russia fell as China competed for those barrels.

Duke Energy Foundation and Cincinnati Regional Chamber award $100,000 in storm relief grants to 26 local businesses
The Duke Energy Foundation and the Cincinnati Regional Chamber awarded $100,000 in storm relief grants to 26 small businesses hurt by severe weather and flooding this summer. Each grant is between $2,500 and $10,000 and can go toward repairs, equipment and inventory.

Oil Gains After Saudi Oil Field Attack
Brent crude traded around $110 a barrel after a drone attack on a Saudi Aramco oil field killed two people, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Reuters reports the U.S. State Department is preparing ordered departures of some staff from embassies across the Gulf.

Tanker costs add new pressure to global oil markets
Goldman Sachs says average crude shipping costs have climbed above $20 a barrel, up from about $3 a year ago, and some Middle East routes now cost more than $35. That adds pressure to oil markets even as Gulf producers restore exports disrupted by the conflict involving Iran.

Released 10/21/2026
The EIA's weekly update puts the U.S. average residential heating oil price at $6.19 a gallon and residential propane at $2.69 as of Oct. 19. Residential propane runs much higher on the East Coast, at $3.69 a gallon.
Libyan Deal Paves Way for Broader Turkish Drilling in Mediterranean
Libya's eastern government in Benghazi ratified a maritime boundary deal with Turkey, joining the rival Tripoli government in backing it. Turkey says the deal protects its rights, clearing the way for wider drilling in the eastern Mediterranean despite objections from Greece and Cyprus.

Duke Energy lineworkers earn six awards at International Lineman’s Rodeo, showcasing the skills that deliver safe, reliable service to customers
Duke Energy lineworkers won six awards at the International Lineman's Rodeo in Bonner Springs, Kan., on Oct. 17. Justin McCarson, Heath Burrell and Miles Bell placed second overall among journeymen.

Halliburton sees growth beyond U.S. shale
Halliburton expects international activity to drive mid-single-digit revenue growth and roughly 15% operating margins in 2027, even with no rebound in U.S. fracking. It reported third-quarter revenue of $5.7 billion and adjusted earnings of 60 cents a share.

Chainlink

Chainlink reports $15B in CCIP migrations as LINK price nears $12
Chainlink's third-quarter review reports more than $15 billion in token value migrated to its CCIP cross-chain protocol this year, plus new Swift and DTCC integrations. LINK traded near $12.24 on Oct. 22, with indicators pointing to continued selling pressure.
Why Chainlink CCIP 2.0 Is the Standard for Global Finance | Sergey Nazarov
In a new video, Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov explains why he thinks CCIP 2.0 meets the security and reliability standards institutions need to move tokenized assets across blockchains.

Chainlink, Cardano, other blockchain groups push SEC for clearer crypto rules
Chainlink Labs, the Cardano Foundation, Hedera, Aptos Labs, Ava Labs and the Stellar Development Foundation sent the SEC a joint letter asking it to formally classify digital commodities as non-securities in its proposed crypto rules.

Tokenization at Scale: Building the Next Era of Global Markets | DTCC & Chainlink at Sibos 2026
On the podcast The Future Is On, recorded at Sibos 2026, DTCC Digital Assets head Nadine Chakar and Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov discuss bringing tokenization to market scale. They cover 24/7 collateral management, interoperability and DTCC's AppChain linking traditional markets with blockchains.

Chainlink’s McCormick: Blockchain Benefits Institutional And Retail Investors
Chainlink Labs' Andrew McCormick told the Thinking Crypto podcast how institutions use Chainlink to bring tokenized assets onchain. He also discussed CCIP 2.0, launched at Sibos 2026 with partners including Fidelity International, AWS and Google Cloud.

The Next Generation of Collateral Management | DTCC & Chainlink at Sibos 2026
At Sibos 2026, DTCC's Dan Doney and Sergey Nazarov presented their work on 24/7 collateral management through DTCC's Collateral AppChain. Nazarov said the problem is fragmented data and systems that can't talk to each other fast enough to move collateral during the day.

OpenZeppelin Partners With Chainlink To Advance Institutional Onchain Finance
OpenZeppelin is partnering with Chainlink to build Chainlink's CCIP and Automated Compliance Engine into its developer tools. Token developers will be able to add cross-chain features and programmable compliance directly as they build.

Chainlink Partnership Targets Institutional Tokenization in Japan
Pacific Meta named Chainlink CCIP its preferred interoperability tool and will offer Chainlink ACE to Japanese institutions on its marketplace. Blockonomi notes the announcement named no launch customers or timeline. LINK traded at $12.30, down 1.64% in 24 hours.

Pacific Meta Partners With Chainlink, Selects CCIP As Preferred Cross-Chain Solution
Tokyo-based Pacific Meta signed a strategic partnership with Chainlink Labs to speed up institutional adoption of tokenized assets, onchain identity and compliance tools in Japan. Pacific Meta has supported more than 300 projects in over 41 countries since 2022.

Chainlink Data Standard Connects Stellar’s $4B+ RWA Ecosystem To DeFi
Chainlink Data Feeds and Data Streams are now live on Stellar. Developers can now build lending markets, prediction markets and perpetual futures that connect Stellar's $4 billion-plus real-world asset ecosystem to DeFi.

Chainlink CCIP Vault Adapters Bring One-Click Deposits To DeFi
Chainlink launched CCIP Vault Adapters, which let DeFi vaults accept deposits from more than 80 chains while their strategy and accounting stay on the home chain. Vault providers no longer need to deploy separate versions on every chain.

Chainlink’s Andrew McCormick On Tokenized Equities’ $150 Trillion Opportunity
On The Crypto Tape, Chainlink Labs' Andrew McCormick talked with Frank Chaparro about growing DeFi interest and the infrastructure needed to tokenize traditional assets. He is most excited about bringing tokenized equities onchain, which he calls a $150 trillion opportunity.

Patriots

Injury Report Analysis: Patriots rule out five players for Thursday Night Football vs. the Bears
The Patriots ruled out five players for Thursday night in Chicago: guards Alijah Vera-Tucker and Ben Brown and cornerbacks Carlton Davis III, Karon Prunty and Channing Canada. Morgan Moses, Kevin Byard III, Craig Woodson and Christian Elliss are questionable, leaving the offensive line short-handed.
Mike Vrabel sends unmistakable message to Drake Maye ahead of Bears matchup
The Patriots take a three-game win streak into a short-week trip to Chicago, after wins over the Bills, Raiders and Jets. Musket Fire says Thursday's game is a key test of whether Drake Maye can keep up his recent form and avoid the turnovers that hurt the early season.

Expert Predictions: Week 7 Picks for Patriots at Bears
Patriots.com rounds up the national experts' picks for Thursday's game at Chicago, and most ESPN analysts pick the Bears. Mike Reiss predicts a 27-24 Chicago win, citing the banged-up offensive line, while CBS's Pete Prisco picks the Patriots 28-27.

Caleb Williams and Drake Maye are on fire. Can either defense make a stand in Bears-Patriots?
Thursday's game pits two of the NFL's hottest young quarterbacks against each other: Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. Maye has 10 touchdown passes since a 1-2 start marred by turnovers, and ClutchPoints asks whether either defense can slow them down.

Patriots mailbag: What’s the formula against the Bears defense?
Pats Pulpit's Thursday mailbag looks at how New England can beat Chicago's defense on a short week. Topics include how good the Bears' pass rush really is and how the Patriots' offensive line matches up.

Drake Maye Mic'd Up, 1-on-1 with Kevin Byard III & More | Patriots All Access
This week's Patriots All Access previews the short-week trip to Chicago. It features Drake Maye mic'd up, Scott Zolak's sit-down with Eliot Wolf and a one-on-one with former Bear Kevin Byard III, plus Mike Vrabel's postgame speech after the win over the Jets.

Patriots vs. Bears live stream, kickoff time, TV channels for Thursday Night Football
The Patriots, winners of three straight, play the Bears on Thursday Night Football in a matchup of 4-2 teams. Pats Pulpit lays out kickoff time, TV channels and streaming options for the Week 7 game in Chicago.

Patriots Unfiltered 10/21: NFL Week 7 Picks/Predictions, Bears Preview, Injury Updates
Patriots Unfiltered previews Thursday night's game against the Bears, gives picks for the full Week 7 slate and shares the latest injury updates from Gillette Stadium.

Corey Kiner might steal a Patriots' starter's job sooner rather than later
Musket Fire argues Corey Kiner could take over a starting job sooner than expected. The piece frames it as part of Mike Vrabel's push to upgrade the roster around Drake Maye, who finished one vote short of last season's MVP.

Looking Towards the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football | Patriots Unfiltered on TV
Patriots.com writers Paul Perillo, Mike Dussault and Alex Francisco recap the Week 6 win over the Jets and preview Thursday's game at Chicago.

Why Patriots cannot afford not to start Caleb Lomu each week
NBC Sports Boston says first-round pick Caleb Lomu, the former Utah tackle taken 28th overall, has been New England's most impressive rookie and should start every week. Second-rounder Gabe Jacas and third-rounder Eli Raridon have also played well.

Patriots-Bears preview: Maye vs. Williams a battle of electric, maturing QBs
Ahead of Thursday's game, Drake Maye praised Caleb Williams' ability to escape pressure and throw on the run. Maye said he doesn't think he is that shifty in the pocket himself. NBC Sports Boston calls it a matchup of two electric, maturing quarterbacks.

Movies

Sharing ‘My Sad Dead’ With the Community That Helped Make It
Netflix took its limited series My Sad Dead, directed by Pablo Larraín from stories by Mariana Enriquez, back to the Piedrabuena neighborhood where it was filmed, screening the first two episodes for residents alongside the cast and crew.
Godzilla Minus Zero Is Influenced By Aliens And Terminator 2: ‘I Have To Credit James Cameron’
Takashi Yamazaki tells Empire that Godzilla Minus Zero, his sequel to the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One, draws on James Cameron's Aliens and Terminator 2. He says Cameron showed how a sequel can find a new hook in the original.

Netflix and hoichoi join forces to bring acclaimed stories, new premieres and adaptations to audiences worldwide
Netflix and Bengali streamer hoichoi announced a partnership that will bring all hoichoi series premiering in the next two years to Netflix in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Fourteen titles are included, among them Madam Inspector, Sampurna and Lajja.

Clayface First Reviews: Tom Rhys Harries Shines in a Messy but Distinctive DC Horror Story
The first reviews for DC's Clayface praise Tom Rhys Harries in the title role and its body-horror, standalone approach. Critics also say the script and effects may disappoint some viewers. It's the third DC Universe film and opens in theaters this weekend.

“Looks Like the Oneders? No, the Wonders!”: 30 Years of That Thing You Do!
The Walt Disney Archives marks 30 years of Tom Hanks's That Thing You Do!, which opened October 4, 1996. The film did modestly at the box office but has since become a fan favorite, and D23 is sharing items from the archives to celebrate.

8 Times Connie Britton Joined the Worlds of Disney
D23 marks the Hulu mystery series Phony, now streaming on Hulu on Disney+, by looking back at eight times Connie Britton appeared in Disney projects. In Phony, she plays a mother whose teenage son wakes from a car accident convinced she has been replaced by an impostor.

When VFX and Practical Sets Work Together, Sometimes You Invent New Cameras
IndieWire looks at how production designer Ramsey Avery and the "Whalefall" crew mixed practical sets with VFX to film scenes inside a sperm whale, with Austin Abrams and Josh Brolin. The challenge was big enough that they ended up inventing new cameras.

From the Hundred Acre Wood to a Midnight Fairytale: Discover DiFerdinando’s Disney-Inspired Handbags
DiFerdinando has two Disney-inspired handbag collections, one built around Winnie the Pooh and one around Cinderella, both full of storybook details.

Ken Russell’s ‘The Devils’ Extends Theatrical Run Following Strong Box Office Debut
Warner Bros. extended the theatrical re-release of Ken Russell's "The Devils" past its planned one week, citing popular demand. The restored film opened last weekend in 350 theaters.

A Very Strange Love Affair: Hitchcock’s “Notorious” Turns 80
RogerEbert.com revisits Alfred Hitchcock's "Notorious" at 80. The essay looks at how Hitchcock pitched it as the story of a woman sold into sexual enslavement for political purposes, and at its portrayal of Nazis living among ordinary people just a year after WWII.
Does Clayface Have A Post-Credits Scene? A Spoiler-Free Guide
/Film's spoiler-free guide answers whether DC Studios' "Clayface" has a post-credits scene. Directed by James Watkins, the R-rated body-horror film gives the Batman villain an origin story in Gotham without the Caped Crusader.

Lorcana & SWU

Disney Lorcana TCG Products from D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event Now Available Online
Ravensburger will sell the 2026 D23 Collection and the Winnie the Pooh Hunny Wizard foil playmat online through an EQL drawing. Entries run from Oct. 31 at 9 a.m. ET to Nov. 1 at 9 p.m. ET, and winners will be notified by email starting Nov. 4.
Starting Out with Star Wars: Unlimited Icons, Available November 20th
Fantasy Flight Games previews the Icons 2027 Starter Box for Star Wars: Unlimited, out November 20. Icons is a smaller set of fan-favorite characters with straightforward mechanics, aimed at new and returning players.

Star Wars: Unlimited | Iconic Musings
Star Wars: Unlimited designer Tyler Parrott shares details about the Icons set. It has new art on 20 reprints, and by design it includes more high-cost cards than any set so far.

WALL-E Comes to Lorcana, Hyperia City Reveals + New Illustrious Card
A special Lorecast toured Disney Lorcana's Hyperia City set, revealing WALL-E cards, more on the Ink Drops mechanic and a new Illustrious card. The set reaches local game stores October 16 and wider retail October 23.

Disney Lorcana TCG Set Release Notes: Hyperia City
Ravensburger published the set release notes for Disney Lorcana's Hyperia City. They explain the set's rules changes, new mechanics and the reasons behind them.

New Expansion ‘Homeworlds’ Shakes Up the Star Wars Unlimited Meta With New Mechanics
Star Wars: Unlimited's ninth main set, Homeworlds, is out now with 260 new cards. It adds the fortify keyword, two new token cards and a new prestige style, focused on planets, creatures and invading armies.

A Coco Themed Deck
A Ravensburger deck guide builds a Coco-themed Lorcana deck for Hyperia City. Ancestral Guitar helps Héctor and Miguel sing, and pairing it with Ernesto de la Cruz – Ruthless Musician can counter opposing singer decks.

10 Most Valuable Star Wars Unlimited: Homeworlds Cards
Card Gamer ranks the 10 most valuable cards in Star Wars: Unlimited's Homeworlds. The set adds a Fortify keyword that upgrades your base, Beast tokens, Weakness tokens and new card treatments.

TIMELESS TALES AND TOTALLY-ROCKIN’ TUNES
Two new Lorcana products, the Curator's Collection: Beauty and the Beast Edition and an I2I Foil Playmat, went on sale Oct. 16. They're sold at Downtown Disney, Disney Springs, World of Disney in Disney Village Paris and DisneyStore.co.uk.

Review: "Disney Lorcana: Hyperia City" Prerelease Box Brings New Mechanics and More Fantastic Art to the TCG
Laughing Place reviews the Disney Lorcana: Hyperia City Prerelease Box, available at select retailers ahead of the set's wide release. Hyperia City is Lorcana's take on a big metropolis, its name a nod to the Disney brothers' Hyperion Studio, and it brings new mechanics and art.

Hercules – Young Rescuer
Ravensburger revealed Hercules – Young Rescuer, a 2-cost Ruby character from the Wilds Unknown set. His Heroic Sacrifice ability lets you discard your hand when he's played, then return a card from your discard pile to your hand.

Star Wars: Unlimited Homeworlds Available Now
Star Wars: Unlimited Homeworlds is in stores now, with Chewbacca and Grand Moff Tarkin as the new deck leaders. With more than 260 cards it is the game's biggest set yet, and it is the first time players can fortify their own base.

Faith

Pope Leo urges young people to register for 2027 World Youth Day
Registration is open for World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul, South Korea. In a video message, Pope Leo XIV urged young people to sign up, calling it a pilgrimage of faith, friendship and hope, not just a chance to see a new city.
Pastor Charged in Alleged $13 Million Fraud Scheme Targeting Fellow Christians
Federal prosecutors have charged Cristian Popescu, pastor of Passion for Christ church in Kirkland, Washington, in an alleged $13 million fraud scheme. Investigators say he used his position to defraud members of his own congregation, beginning as far back as 2015.

Uganda Marks 108 Years of the Martyrdom of Blessed Daudi Okelo and Blessed Jildo Irwa
Ugandan Catholics marked 108 years since the martyrdom of Blessed Daudi Okelo and Blessed Jildo Irwa with a celebration in the Archdiocese of Lira. It drew bishops, clergy, pilgrims and local leaders, including visitors from Austria and Germany.

Hispanic evangelicals are turning on Trump. But will they vote for Democrats?
Some Hispanic evangelical pastors who backed Donald Trump in 2024 say the mass deportation agenda is hitting their congregations. One Florida Assemblies of God pastor who voted for Trump told RNS he was wrong, but it's unclear whether voters like him will turn to Democrats.

Holy See signs agreement with Honduras
Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Honduran President Nasry Asfura signed a 25-article agreement between the Holy See and Honduras at the Vatican on Oct. 22. It protects the Church's legal status and sets out cooperation between Church and state for the common good.

AI cannot become conscious, Indian theologian Vinay Samuel argues, warns of revived urge to ‘play God’
Indian theologian Canon Vinay Samuel argued that artificial intelligence cannot become conscious the way humans are. He warned that AI has revived an old human urge to "play God." He presented the paper at an Evangelical Fellowship of India webinar on AI and human dignity.

Wes Fowler on promoting life on the Missouri ballot
On the ERLC Podcast, Missouri Baptist Convention leader Wes Fowler talks about a ballot initiative that would ban most abortions in Missouri, which now allows abortion up to fetal viability. The measure would also ban gender transition procedures for minors.

Current and past senior ministers urge HPUMC to vote for disaffiliation
Highland Park United Methodist Church's senior minister, Matt Tuggle, and his two predecessors are urging the Dallas congregation to vote to leave the United Methodist Church. Their Oct. 21 letter and video push back on a former associate minister who asked the church to slow down.

Latter-day Saint Volunteers Assist in Hurricane Cleanup in Florida
Hundreds of Latter-day Saint volunteers helped with hurricane cleanup in Pensacola, Florida, over the weekend. Hurricane Isaias came ashore near Destin on October 9 as a Category 2 storm, killing several people and leaving more than 500,000 without power.
Shane Pruitt Warns Parents About Mystery Transgender Mailer as Texans Question Its Source
Mystery mailers titled "Texas Trans & LGBTQ Student Resource Guide" have been arriving addressed to minors in Texas as early voting begins. Pastor Shane Pruitt is warning parents about them, and Texans are asking who sent them.

Helping our children resist vice and love good
An ERLC essay says parents and lawmakers are finally waking up to the risks unlimited internet access and the attention economy pose to children. It urges parents to help children resist vice and love what is good.

Carl Lentz Discusses New Book, Marriage Restoration and How God Can Redeem Brokenness
Former Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz told ChurchLeaders he has no immediate plans to return to ministry but doesn't think his past failures permanently disqualify him. He and his wife Laura have released a book, "Overcoming Infidelity."

Christian Metal

Skillet Releases 'After The Storm' EP
Skillet released "After the Storm," a six-song independent EP led by the focus track "Grave Stomper." The band calls it some of the heaviest and most hopeful music of its nearly 30-year career.
Skillet - Grave Stomper (Official Visualizer)
Skillet posted an official visualizer for "Grave Stomper." The song was written by John Cooper and produced by Korey Cooper, and it's streaming now.

Mr. Weaverface Surpasses 1 Million Lifetime Streams On Spotify
Christian rock artist Mr. Weaverface has passed 1 million lifetime Spotify streams, and about 1.25 million across Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. The independent artist mixes '90s alternative rock with songs about faith and testimony.

Meadows “Desert Walker” is out now
Facedown Records has released Meadows' "Desert Walker," a heavy record about walking through the wilderness. The songs deal with the tension between isolation and redemption and between death and new life.
Eauclaire Holds No. 1 For Third Consecutive Week With "Changing"
Eauclaire's "Changing," produced by Scott Mills, has held No. 1 on Christian Music Weekly's CHR chart for three straight weeks, now in its 14th week on the chart.

Jimmy Rock Announces Debut Album 'Reflections,' Arriving October 23
Christian EDM producer Jimmy Rock releases his debut album "Reflections" on Oct. 23. Its 19 tracks mix dance music with worship, house, hip-hop and Latin influences, with guests including Social Club Misfits, Tedashii, KJ-52 and Steven Malcolm.

Nobody's Uncle launch Kickstarter for new album "Kiss the Son"
Michigan indie rocker Nobody's Uncle launched a Kickstarter to fund the physical release of "Kiss the Son." The 13-song follow-up to "Mercy Diorama" draws on '90s alternative and early-2000s emo.

Fighting From The Ground Up Vol. 5 up for Preview and Listening Party Part 2 October 11th
Indie Vision Music's compilation "Fighting From The Ground Up Vol. 5" is up for $1 preorder in two parts, with some songs available right away. The full compilation goes live Oct. 23 as free or name-your-price.

Have You Heard of He Is Mighty?
He Is Mighty, a Christian metal band from Arvada, Colorado, released a three-song EP on Sept. 4 that mixes clean and harsh vocals. Indie Vision Music recommends it and points fans to Bandcamp to support the band.

Chris Voss

How Tactical Empathy Will Change Your Life- Justus Parmar & Chris Voss
In a new conversation with Chris Voss, an investment firm founder explains how the Black Swan Group's tactical empathy changed his approach to negotiating. He says he now starts with what the other side wants, which protects long-term relationships.