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What's that 1912 home on Commercial in south Salem turning into?
Crews remodeled an office space and are building a coffee shop on the east side of the property along Commercial Street in south Salem.
How Can I Hang On To My Digital Life?
I’ve been watching the “available storage” bars on my various digital storage systems creep up over the last couple years with a growing sense of dread. Each percentage point is a tick closer to an upgrade to my package—money I’ll have to pay Apple, Google, and Dropbox to continue to store my digital life. Maybe…
Vikings Get Strong Trade Deadline Take on Colts’ Jonathan Taylor
The Minnesota Vikings are 5-0 coming off their bye week as they prepare to face the Indianapolis Colts in Week 7. If the Vikings move to 6-0, could that entice general manager Nolan Teasley to make an aggressive trade to put this team over the top?Right now, despite being undefeated, the Vikings are likely behind […] The post Vikings Get Strong Trade Deadline Take on Colts’ Jonathan Taylor appeared first on HEAVY.
Mississippi declared infant mortality a public health emergency a year ago. What have officials done since then?
In 2025, an infant mortality report showed Mississippi’s infant mortality rate rose from 8.9 in 2023 to 9.7 in 2024 – nearly twice the national average.
'This has no place for partisan politics' say Camp Lejeune contamination victim advocates
At a Greenville rally this week, President Donald Trump said he will order swift settlement of remaining claims only if Republicans hold Congress.
Bow parents seek swift ruling in transgender athletes case ahead of winter sports
The lawsuit centers on pink “XX” wristbands that the Bow parents wore to a girls’ soccer game in Sept. 2024.
Giants' Cutthroat Najee Harris Move is Surprisingly Refreshing
The New York Giants' decision to cut Najee Harris this week was surprisingly refreshing.
Everton's Trip to Arsenal: Opposition View as Thierno Barry Praised
Everton travel to the Emirates to face Arsenal in the Premier League, and we looked to get some more insight from north London.
School of Medicine hosts Georgia Medical Education and Healthcare Collaborative Summit
Statewide summit convened leaders from Georgia medical schools, healthcare systems and government organizations.
Why Cook Political Report just shifted 19 more House races in Democrats’ direction
What questions do you have about women’s health?
We want to know what questions you have about your health.
Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur Premier League Preview
A one-match win streak is unlikely to become two.
Melania Trump says she secured a one-city ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine for humanitarian aid
First lady Melania Trump announced that she helped secure a localized ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the city of Oleshky to facilitate the evacuations of elderly residents.
Why I started DE Gameday high school sports show
The weekly interview show hosted by Brandon Holveck features top athletes from across all Delaware high school sports.
AmEx lifts 2026 profit forecast, plans to cut 5% of workforce
By Manya Saini and Arasu Kannagi Basil Oct 23 (Reuters) - American Express raised its 2026 profit forecast above Wall Street expectations on Friday and announced plans to eliminate 5%
Access Health CT enrollment window opens for insurance coverage
The open enrollment period runs from Oct. 23, 2026 through Jan. 15, 2027.
PhD Candidate Eva Leth Sørensen Publishes on Greenland’s Predicament in Global Politics at E-IR
PhD Candidate Eva Leth Sørensen has published a new article, titled “Greenland (Still) Between Empires: Continuing Imperial Sovereignty Games” at E-International Relations. Sørensen analyzes the recently renewed trilateral Arctic security agreement among the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland against the backdrop of Greenland's long history of colonization. She shows how continued Danish sovereignty over the island...
Best horror movies on HBO Max that'll give you nightmares
Seeking something scary? We've got you.
A Krehbiel matriarch sold her condo in a State Parkway classic
Kay Krehbiel, widow of one of the brothers who built Molex into a multibillion-dollar company, sold the unit in one of architect Benjamin Marshall's finest buildings, completed in 1911.
When health changes your sex life, intimacy doesn’t have to disappear
Aging and illness can impact intimacy. The Aging Untold experts are sharing practical ways for couples to talk openly and safely navigate sex after a diagnosis.
Britain Politics
Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham, right, stands behind the counter with a staff member during a visit to discuss support for British businesses in Manchester, England, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026.
West Texas DA opens forgery investigation into disputed transgender mailers
The pamphlets appear to be an attempt to anger voters ahead of the midterm elections, GOP District Attorney Sarah Stogner said.
This week in health care policy: October 16–23, 2026
Medical innovation FDA approves several innovative treatments. Last week, the FDA granted accelerated approval to GSK’s Jemperli for certain untreated cancers with a specific DNA defect. The treatment will eliminate the need for costly alternative treatments such as surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, which are known to cause lasting health problems. The FDA also approved GSK’s […]
Megan Lawless & Lili Taylor Among Eight New Additions To STX/Aggregate’s ‘PRƎPPY’
EXCLUSIVE: Obsession‘s Megan Lawless and three-time Emmy nominee Lili Taylor (Outer Range) are among new additions to PRƎPPY, the true-crime flick from STX Entertainment and Aggregate Films that we an...
'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' Remains Atop Weekly U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Through Oct. 23
Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man: Brand New Day remained No. 1 for a second week on the Official Film Chart, the weekly U.K. home entertainment sales chart, through Oct. 23. The movie currently tops the 2026 global box office with $2.51 billion in ticket sales. At No. 2 was the retail debut of Warner’s Practical Magic 2, the … Continue reading "‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Remains Atop Weekly U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Through Oct. 23"
Community college program looks to next generation of police supervisors
Driven by a need for specially educated supervisors at police departments, Great Bay Community College has introduced a certificate program to help create the next generation of law enforcement supervisors
PHP2Shell signals a “new reality of vulnerabilities” for businesses
"This won't be the last bad vulnerability we will see this month or this year," says Beazley Security head
Carney rejects US election interference claims, criticizes Trump's ambassador to Canada
TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday there is “no merit” to U. allegations that Canadian politicians are interfering in next month’s U.
Fear and hope in Texas: Paxton vs. Talarico in an expensive U.S. Senate showdown
Winning Texas has been the Democratic Party's white whale for years, the much-hyped attempts repeatedly ending in disappointment.
Cowboys news: Brian Schottenheimer is feeling the pressure
Here is today’s Dallas Cowboys news.
Moderna Named a Top Employer by Science for Twelfth Consecutive Year
CAMBRIDGE, MA / ACCESS Newswire / October 23, 2026 / Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) today announced it was ranked as a top employer in the global biopharmaceutical industry in Science and
3 Quick Exercises to Do Daily to Build Bone and Muscle Health Mid-Life, According to a Longevity Expert
In TODAY.com’s Expert Tip of the Day, Dr. Vonda Wright, orthopedic surgeon and longevity expert, shares three movements to integrate into your daily routine to help you age better.
Picking Week 8 of college football in the Big Ten
Who can we expect to see win in the Big Ten this week?
Can Netanyahu win again? The secret to his political survival – and why it may finally fail him
Despite Oct. 7 and years of political turmoil, Benjamin Netanyahu remains competitive in the Israeli election
NFL fans blast officials for making Sunday Night Football “unwatchable”
NFL fans questioned a controversial roughing-the-passer penalty during the Packers' 23-13 win over the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. The call erased a potential interception and reignited debate over officiating consistency, player safety and the impact of penalties on the game's flow.
Three Rivers Report: Steelers defense pushing for top 5 status
Steelers news, notes, and more from October 23.
Samsung confirms a list of Galaxy phones and tablets getting Android 17 updates
Samsung has confirmed a list of Galaxy devices that are set to get its Android 17-based One UI 9 update...
“MobLand” star Mandeep Dhillon teases the ‘mess’ still to come in season 2: ‘God, it’s chaotic’
The actress breaks down Seraphina’s big pitch in the latest episode.
⭐ Ballon d'OF: our fifth pick is…
The 2026 Ballon d'Or winner will be revealed this Monday, October 26. To mark the occasion, OneFootball's French editorial team cast their votes to crown their Ballon d'OF winner for the 2025-2026 sea...
Five Science Fiction Movies to Stream Now
In this month’s picks, alien encounters, sinister deepfakes, fantastical time loops and postapocalyptic woe.
Digital political signs in Tallahassee back up and running with new message
The messaging signs appeared on digital signs often seen at construction sites.
MLB News Outside The Confines: The Fall Classic is here
Lots and lots about the World Series, the Brewers and the Rays. Some free agent musing and other MLB news.
Good to see you after all this time. Scientists finally put a face to Denisovans
Scientists use fossil fragments found in northern China to reconstruct the features of the ancient hominids.
Arsenal women confirmed for new FIFA tournament starting in 2028
The 2028 tournament will bring together 19 clubs from around the world, with Arsenal qualifying through their Champions League success.Photo by Harry Murphy/Getty ImagesArsenal will take part in the f...
Karen Bass Climbed L.A.’s Political Ladder. Then a Fire Changed Everything.
The mayor of Los Angeles, who has never lost an election, is now in the fight of her political life.
Skuld names new underwriting chief and CFO
Norway-based Assuranceforeningen Skuld (Gjensidig) has promoted Chief Financial Officer Kristian Løberg to chief underwriting officer, Coverager reported. Skuld expects the reorganization to establish…
Report: Bears Fear Cole Kmet’s Knee Injury Is Season-Ending
A reported knee injury has the Bears bracing to lose their top blocking tight end. #OnePride
Kings C Sabonis Wants to Be Primary Offensive Initiator
The Sacramento Kings got great return games from Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis, which is a great sign of things to come. As the season progresses, Sabonis should be a primary option on the offensive end.
‘Wednesday’ star who filmed in Mass. says she’s stepping away from TV
After spending much of her life jumping from show to show, the actress says she’s ready for a change.
What's the 411?
Actress and comedian Janelle James, better known as Dr. Ava Coleman on the hit ABC show “Abbott Elementary” is coming Netflix! Her first special for the Network “How Romantic” starts
UW Health hosts 24th annual Fall Cancer Conference
Friday, the Monona Terrace welcomed a record number of attendees to the UW Carbone Center's annual Fall Cancer Conference.
E. coli cases possibly linked to Bengtson's Pumpkin Farm, Will County health officials say
Five cases of E. coli are possibly linked to visits to Bengtson's Pumpkin Farm in Homer Glen, the Will County Health Department said.
Reviewing the Most Impactful Penn State Transfer Portal Departures
Penn State experienced a tumultuous 2026 offense. It was a carousel wash of players and coaches shuffling in and out of the Latsch Building, with 40 transfers entering and 47 transfers exiting. At 3-4 overall and 0-4 in Big Ten play, Penn State seems to be on the short end of the transfer portal transactions. …
Our Offense vs. Their Defense: Auburn Tigers
Auburn-s defense is very opportunistic but LSU has a chance to get explosive against them with powerful offense
Why Rochester Hills businesses are fighting a $40M road project -- and it’s not the construction
Meta delays new business terms after publisher pushback on AI scraping
Legal experts argued that Meta’s changes weren’t enough to rule out AI scraping.
Colts' Anthony Richardson Busted for Marijuana Possession
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. has been charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession.
Bowl Games Face Uncertain Future With a 24-Team CFP
College football bowl game viewership rose 13% year-over-year in 2025.
El Paso honors traditions with Día de los Muertos festival, parade
El Paso celebrates Día de los Muertos with parades, festivals, and community altars throughout late October and November.
Where to Buy iPhone Duo Today: Stores, Pickup, and Wait Times
Apple's first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, officially launched today, Friday October 23. Pre-order deliveries are arriving to customers, but supply is extremely tight, although anyone who didn't order in advance may still be able to buy one in person, depending on local availability. That said, Apple has said it expects supply to sell out quickly.
Republican 'Muslim Brotherhood' attacks on El-Sayed in Michigan seek to exploit Democratic fault lines
Pollsters, political strategists say the approach is aimed at dissuading Jewish and Black voters who backed El-Sayed's primary opponent, Haley Stevens
Essential Health highlights personalized direct primary care in Davenport
Essential Health Direct Primary Care offers pediatric and adult patients personalized, evidence‑based care through a flat‑rate membership model that includes extended visits, in‑house pharmacy services and on‑site lab testing.
In the 2026 midterms, here’s how NC politicians do — or don’t
Hurricane Helene and the economic troubles it left behind influence what politicians say on the campaign trail.
‘Gentlemen’ season 3 casting shocker: Major star exits, 2 ‘Lord of the Rings’ stars join for reunion
‘The Gentlemen’ season 3 announcement reveals cast shakeup as Daniel Ings exits show, while Orlando Bloom and Elijah Wood will hold a a ‘Lord of the Rings’ reunion as stars join, without Meghan Markle.
Bravo casts controversial ‘Big Brother’ star Aaryn Williams on Texas-based reality show
The new reality show ‘Small Town Trouble: Texas’ is set to follow a group of women living in Boerne, Texas, including controversial ’Big Brother’ alum Aaryn Williams, who was known as Aaryn Gries during season 15 of the CBS show.
Alaska Native Communities Get $375K for Health and Wellness
The SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) is investing $375,000 in funding to each of its 15 tribal partners to support public health in their respective communities. The funding will be distributed through SEARHC’s Healthy is Here program. Launched in 2017, the program has dedicated more than $3 million to locally driven wellness initiatives, including […]
Hackensack Meridian Health Hospitals Earn National Recognition by Vizient for Clinical Quality
Hackensack Meridian Health is proud to announce that Hackensack University Medical Center, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Riverview Medical Center, and Old Bridge Medical Center have earned national recognition by Vizient for clinical quality.
'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' Remains Atop Weekly U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Through Oct. 23
Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man: Brand New Day remained No. 1 for a second week on the Official Film Chart, the weekly U.K. home entertainment sales chart, through Oct. 23. The movie currently tops the 2026 global box office with $2.51 billion in ticket sales. At No. 2 was Warner’s Practical Magic 2, which made its retail debut. … Continue reading "‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Remains Atop Weekly U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Through Oct. 23"
Authorities investigating whether first Kenyan and Nigerian Ebola cases crossed paths
Nigeria this week recorded its first case of Ebola in the current outbreak, which has spread from the epicenter in Congo to several other African countries.
Connor Hellebuyck Traded By Winnipeg Jets in Blockbuster Deal
Connor Hellebuyck has reportedly been traded from the Winnipeg Jets to the New Jersey Devils, ending months of uncertainty surrounding the superstar goalie.
Olivia Wilde's new movie The Invite hits streaming, here's where to watch
Olivia Wilde and Seth Rogen serve up marriage drama and dark comedy in The Invite. Here’s how to stream it now with Sling.
Brandi Glanville is ‘taking my face off’ to undergo ‘power wash’ under her skin, as health battle continues
The former Bravo star has been chronicling her facial disfigurement since 2023.
INDYCAR Announces Phase Two of 2027 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Schedule
New Marquee Race Weekend in Barcelona Highlights Action-Packed Summer, Furthers Series Momentum INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Oct. 23, 2026) – Following the histor...
Cyberpunk 2077 2.5 Update Secretly Added The Witcher 3 Sword and Cosmetics
Cyberpunk 2077’s surprise 2.5 update added a new dual-wielding playstyle, fresh ways to customize protagonist V’s look, extra quests and plenty more, but players have discovered that developer CD Projekt Red secretly added a range of new The Witcher 3-themed cosmetics, too.
Health spending on Southampton taxis surges by 75%
It comes as the department looks to review spending for off-island hospital treatment.
There’s a Reason That Netflix’s Ad Business Has Underwhelmed
Somewhat lost in the company’s slew of firings and engagement warnings over the past few weeks was the fact that Netflix is scaling back its ad forecast for 2026 from $3 billion to $2.7 billion. That’s despite the fact that: CTV is growing by 14-15% this year This year saw a monster upfront Netflix is the biggest streamer out there this side of YouTube, and was the platform that for years brands were supposedly dying to be a part of In other words, that’s an alarming pull-back from Netflix. A Wall Street analyst I spoke with last week was blunt, calling Netflix’s ad business “disappointing.” To me, a red flag on the ad front is that Netflix has never revealed how many ad-supported subscribers it has. Because if I know anything about how big companies work, if they have a positive number that makes them look really good - they tend to share it. (How many subs does go90 have right now? We’re not saying just yet. How are ads going on ChatGPT? Oh, a billion run rate - I see). Yes, to date Netflix has shared some fuzzy ad numbers, such as the idea that the company’s ad tier ‘reaches’ 250 million users globally.’ Here’s why that figure gives me pause: a)they lead with global, and b) they don’t explain how they are calculated. (Are they based on average people in each room? Surveys of some kind?). Regardless, some insiders say that Netflix’s ad tier is scaling nicely - others not so much. Either way, one of Netflix’s biggest challenge on the ad front appears to have been its starting point. Remember, when Netflix launched ads in 2022, it had 73 million subs in the US and Canada. That’s 73 million people who were used to Netflix with zero ads. And when the ad product rolled out, the company clearly was going after new users - a limited pool of potential subscribers by default. That focus seems to have changed over time, as Netflix has tried to convert longtime subscribers to the ad tier. Historically Netflix subscribers are very sticky. But is the company’s low churn a problem? Not necessarily, according to Antenna data. Rather, Netflix’s consumer loyalty is a bit of a double-edged sword. “Netflix is the one streamer which actually has seen substantial “trade downs” but has much lower ‘win backs,’ said Antenna founder Jonathan Carson (win-backs being people who were on the ad-free plan, cancelled, then rejoined on the ad plan). “Netflix has lower churn and so has less opportunity to win back old subs with a lower cost plan option.” This all might explain why Netflix has been so slow to roll out all of these table stakes targeting options until just this week. It likely didn’t have enough users to carve up into various targets. etc. However, what really hit Netflix’s ad business was Amazon’s move a few years ago to turn on advertising for Prime Video by default. Suddenly the market was awash in premium inventory, and Netflix was playing catch-up on multiple fronts. Thus, the streaming giant appears to still be figuring out if if wants lead in ‘programmatic TV,’ or premium ‘upfront’ TV sales. “The CTV market now sorts into three businesses, and Netflix is not the leader of any of them,” wrote analyst Jack Myers. Ouch. So how does Netflix ratchet up its ads business? Get the next NFL package You’re gonna have to wait until 2030 unless one of the bigger media companies like Skydance opts out, but the easiest (not cheapest) way for Netflix to become a huge TV ads contender is to get one of the regular NFL packages, ideally Sunday afternoons. That way it can sell ads to its whole U.S. subs base overnight. Go FAST This one is risky, because to program a compelling FAST channel, you’d likely have to take some older Netflix exclusive shows and make them available for free to non-subscribers. But FASTs, for better or worse, are ad-inventory machines. Go full UGC I’m not sure I see this happening. There is something already off about Netflix carrying podcasts and shows for creators. The experience sticks out in what is such a produced, and generally non-communal environment. But Netflix could open up its platform by allowing creators to upload videos without having to be approved by the service. But that opens a whole other can of worms (policing brand safety, copyright infringement, overall quality). Make a huge RMN Deal I was going to suggest something crazy, such as ‘instead of buying Warner Brothers, Netflix should buy Target. But the company doesn’t want to be in the brick and mortar business. Yet for Netflix’s ad business to compete in an Amazon world, it needs to be able to connect ad exposures to shopping. What if, instead of letting Amazon target Netflix viewers with its DSP, Netflix inked a deal with Target, or even took control of Roundel, and created its version of the Amazon full-funnel for brands? Price us out. I hope they don’t do this, but Netflix’s price increases - while significant - haven’t been enough to push long-term customers out of the ad-free tier. But if they made those prices so prohibitive, it could push large swaths of consumers to trade down. Then again, that could also dent engagement - as binging becomes much less appealing once you bring ads into the equation. Or, they could just launch a bunch of hit shows and maybe everyone will quickly forget all this angst. More from Amazon unBoxed A few weeks ago, I recorded two podcasts live at Amazon’s unBoxed event in San Francisco. I was able to go really deep with several brand partners about how Amazon’s various data and ad products work - particularly the under appreciated Amazon Marketing Cloud. First, I talked with Laura Abadias Velilla, of the Amazon specialty agency Amerge, along with Amazon’s own Charlotte Maines, Vice President, Devices Content & Advertising, about how the two partners helped a very specific printer company Epson launch into a brand new category - high end projectors. It’s a great example of how brands connect audience data across platforms to make budget deployment decisions. Next, I chatted with Monks VP Head of Digital Investment for North America Tom Burchill about how the agency actually brought in data from Linkedin to help target B2B customers across various Amazon properties for the brand Quicken. Check it out: Check these out, or just listen:
Apple F1 Advertising Booming in First Season With Racing Sport
The tech giant does not have an ad tier on its Apple TV streaming service, but one of the company's top ad execs tells THR that F1 is growing its share of the pie.
World Series in Milwaukee impacts high school sports, Bucks home opener
High school football and the Milwaukee Bucks are making changes to accommodate the Brewers and sports fans.
Hakeem Jeffries eyes speaker role as Democrats seek House control
Jeffries could become the first Black American to hold the role.
“Jerry Maguire ”child“ ”star Jonathan Lipnicki says career comments were ‘taken out of context’: ‘It bugged me a bit’
“I’ve never felt sorry for myself,” says the “Primetime” actor.
Selig Argues for MLB Salary Cap: ‘You Have to Make Adjustments’
Selig unsuccessfully sought a cap while he was the Brewers owner.
Nevada football versus San Jose State: Three keys to victory and a prediction
During Choate's Wolf Pack tenure, 20 has been the magic number. When Nevada has allowed 20 points in a game under Choate, it is just 2-22. That’s a result of a
Hillsong Worship's Jad Gillies reflects on church's fall, God's grace as band releases new music
After years of scandal, leadership upheaval and public scrutiny that rocked one of the world s most influential megachurches, Hillsong Worship s Jad Gillies says the ministry is embracing a
Exiting Ting Fiber Transfers Colorado Springs Business to gFiber
Colorado Springs Utilities will receive $670 million over the next 30 years through the lease with gFiber.
Analysis-Trump's diesel price relief efforts grow costlier as election nears
By Jarrett Renshaw and Leah Douglas Oct 23 (Reuters) - With the November midterm elections fast approaching, President Donald Trump is throwing an array of costly and politically fraught solutions
White House Declares Increased Focus on Women’s Health in US
A newly erected Women’s Health Division within NIH will work in tandem with the Office of Research on Women’s Health.
Olivia Wilde's new movie The Invite hits streaming, here's where to watch
Olivia Wilde and Seth Rogen serve up marriage drama and dark comedy in The Invite. Here’s how to stream it now with Sling.
Hotel builder relies on repeat business, portfolio diversification amid construction slowdown
RD Olson president tells developers looking to build to ‘pull the trigger’
Beloved Musician Brady Rymer To Be Inducted Into LI Music & Entertainment Hall Of Fame
"Brady Rymer's induction recognizes a remarkable career that has brought musical excellence to audiences of all ages."
A first look inside IU Health’s $4.7B downtown hospital
IndyStar got a rare look inside the IU Health Medical Center under construction downtown, estimated to cost $4.7 billion.
Apple revives the original iPod as an Apple Music easter egg
The iPod’s back — on Apple Music.
Pope hope, that’s entertainment, and getting ahead in the CIA
Happy Friday friends, I want to start by just breathing for all of us a big long collective sigh of relief at the news this week that the pope’s doctors have basically blown the all clear for Leo’s health. Going from knowing nothing to him declaring to the world he needed surgery, to a cancer diagnosis, to bouncing out of the hospital in barely even days, to ringing the bell in less than two weeks is whiplash inducing. But in the best possible way. We are living in a world in which the Roman pontiff, by dint of history, biography and circumstance, is once more at the epicenter of global affairs. Not just conversations about religion, or Christian and post-Christian values, but the bleeding edge of the most pressing issues of human affairs. Think I am exaggerating a touch? Consider the images of the crowds who greeted Leo in Paris just weeks ago, and juxtapose them with the absolute photo negative scenes unfolding there recently. Ask yourself how many world leaders are talking about AI right now and directly citing the pope as they do so. Try to name a country who has had as many top-ranked diplomats in and out of both Russia and Ukraine in the last three years as the Vatican has in the last three months. It has been fascinating to watch Leo XIV emerge as not just a kind of pop culture reference point or totem to be cited (Francis was often name-checked this way) but as a kinetic force in global conversation. Given the state of things, we need global figures of gravitas and values, even better if they have real wisdom behind what they are saying. So news of Leo’s illness was, it seemed to me, a tremor with potentially Richter Scale implications. That not only has the worst not come to pass but instead we’ve had the best of outcomes announced is something to really be grateful for. Humanity, it seems to me, is entering one of its irregular but cyclical phases where the pace of change — technological, social, and geopolitical — outstrips the ability of previously settled norms and received wisdom to cope. Such periods – and I think the first decades of the last century were a similar such time – throw into question the viability of all kinds of institutions. And many of ours have been straining to breaking point for a few years now. The papacy has the power and the potential to be a steadying pole in all of this. That’s my hope, anyway. It’s a lot to freight the office with, though it is arguably its ultimate purpose from its founding, to be a steadying rock on which all that matters can be anchored. It’s also, of course, an intolerable weight of responsibility to place on a single man. But I am encouraged to have hope in – and for – Leo. The apostle whom he succeeds, after all, was famously unequal to some moments, failed some tests of faith, and resiled from taking the road which led ultimately to the circus on Vatican hill. Human frailty and limitations, of health, of character, of temper, can open us to Christ, whose strength is greatest in our weakness, so St. Paul learned. That gives me hope, and I am sure it consoles Leo, too. And so I will continue to pray for him. Because we need apostles of rock right now. Here’s the news. Subscribe The News The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued yesterday a new document “Venite ad me: Considerations on the Transmission of the Faith in an Epochal Change.” It’s not a short document, and it is at pains to stress this isn’t a doctrinal note from the dicastery, either. Rather, it brings together reflections on an important issue from the Church around the world. Some of it I actually found really rather powerful. It is, however, 25,000, which is a lot for a busy reader to get through on a weekday. So, you can read our busy reader’s summary right here. — News broke yesterday of an Oct. 22 meeting of U.S. bishops with President Donald Trump. The meeting was organized by an official at the Heritage Foundation, according to several sources close to the meeting. Video of several U.S. bishops praying in the Oval Office over President Trump was posted on social media Thursday afternoon, first by White House Communications Advisor Margo Martin, and then by the official twitter.com account of the Archdiocese of Denver. The meeting has drawn sharp criticism because of its proximity to the upcoming midterm Congressional elections, in which Democrats are widely expected to win control of the House of Representatives, while control of the Senate remains closely contested. Sources close to the bishops’ conference told The Pillar that some USCCB senior officials were surprised by the existence of the meeting when video of it first emerged online. And a source close to conference president Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City told The Pillar that the archbishop was “deeply frustrated” by the occasion of the meeting. An official conference spokesperson told The Pillar that the meeting was “not organized with or by the USCCB” and was “not affiliated with the conference.” You can read the whole story here. — The next National Eucharistic Congress will be held in Indianapolis in 2029, a return to the city that hosted the last gathering in 2024. You read it here first. By here, I don’t mean this newsletter, I mean at The Pillar. We broke the story this week. It’s a big deal, in as much as the last congress was a roaring success and the next installment has the potential to be a real focal point for evangelizing efforts in the coming years. Read all about it here. — As Pope Leo prepares for the longest trip of his pontificate, Church leaders in Uruguay say the pontiff will encounter a highly secularized culture, in a country with a very different Catholic history than many of its South American neighbors. The nation has not had a papal visit since 1988, and leaders who spoke with The Pillar say it has a dire need for evangelization, even amid the prospect of a small revival in faith. This is real reporting on the Church in the country, and frankly a story you simply are not going to be able to read anywhere else. Read the whole thing. — The Archdiocese of Detroit announced this week a plan that would see the vast majority of its parish priests reassigned next summer, amid a restructuring process expected to dramatically shrink the number of parishes in the archdiocese. Archbishop Edward Weisenburger said this week that the plan “asks much of our priests,” but is a “sacrifice they are making as brothers of one, unified presbyterate.” The thing is, as JD pointed out in an analysis yesterday, pastors of parishes have a legal right to stability in office, so the only way this kind of wholesale reassignment goes ahead is if all of the archdiocesan clergy agree to resign. That creates its own kind of legal issues, though, and re-raises longstanding questions about the effectiveness of canonical due process protections for priests when dealing with coercive exercises in authority. Read the whole thing here. — More than three months after the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued its decree declaring the excommunication of the leadership of the Society of St. Pius X, questions remain about the full effects of the society’s schism. Specifically, the DDF’s July claim that marriages witnessed and confessions heard by SSPX priests are now invalid remains contested — and it emerged this week it appears that the Vatican’s own legal experts don’t agree. You can read my whole analysis of the situation and what it means here. All I would add is that the DDF’s undeveloped, some would say unsubstantiated, claim about the invalidity of some SSPX sacraments came in their July Explanatory Note on the schismatic consecrations by the society that month. It touches directly on both papal acts of governance — indeed it purports to nullify them — and the most intimate pastoral encounters possible in a parish setting. If there is one aspect of the Francis-era style of governance I would like the curia to finally cut out, root and branch, it would be these attempts to try to effect extraordinarily sensitive legislative acts via a note. — At least a dozen French bishops have spoken out following an eruption of violence on the country’s streets Oct. 17. Not surprisingly, they unanimously condemned the violence, but the length and content of their interventions varied significantly. Several sought to distinguish between the actions of rioters and what they suggested were the legitimate concerns of peaceful young protesters. Many also evoked Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 25-28 visit to France, suggesting it offered a powerful counter-image to the scenes of looting and destruction. A number of bishops also stressed their solidarity with law enforcement officials who struggled to contain the disorder, as well as the owners of the roughly 3,000 damaged or looted businesses. What’s the background to the nationwide unrest that the French media calls “les violences du 17 octobre”? And what exactly are the bishops saying? Read all about it here. — A Polish bishop called for the firm defense of unborn children as well as compassion for their mothers this week, as the lower house of Poland’s parliament passed two bills seeking to liberalize the country’s abortion laws. The bill on decriminalizing assistance in an abortion passed by 217 votes to 213, while the abortion in cases of fetal abnormality bill passed by 233 to 203, thanks to the government’s majority in the lower house. Both bills will now move to the Polish Senate, the upper house of parliament, where the ruling coalition has a larger majority. The fetal abnormality bill is symbolically significant because if it became law, it would effectively overturn a 2020 ruling by Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal that a 1993 law permitting abortion for a severe and irreversible disability or a life-threatening incurable disease was unconstitutional. Read the whole story here. Subscribe **[The St. Paul Center App | Bible Study On-The-Go Read and understand the Bible with St. Paul Center’s new app! With today’s leading Catholic Scripture scholars as your guides, the St. Paul Center app empowers you to read the Bible](https://stpaulcenter.com/app?utm_source=pillar&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=applaunch)** from the heart of the Church. Download the app for free at either the Apple or the Google app stores. https://stpaulcenter.com/app That’s entertainment I have written before about my deep and sincere reservations about the celebrity exorcist subculture which has taken root in American Catholicism. And, because I am very ill at ease with the entire thing, I try to keep a weather eye on the phenomenon without being drawn into the kind of online back-and-forth which these figures sometimes generate. Earlier this week, JD noted that one such celebrity exorcist type, Fr. Chad Ripperger, has undertaken, on the request of his bishop, a year’s fast from interviews and public speaking. I’m sure that will be salutary for him, if for no other reason than that receiving with docility requests from one’s rightful ecclesiastical superiors always comes with graces. Then a second thing happened this week which caught my eye. Apparently, another fixture in the celebrity exorcist world, Fr. Carlos Martins, has initiated a lawsuit against two lay men — apparently associates of Rippenger, though I am unclear in what way, exactly — for allegedly defaming him and his ministry on a podcast. It seems the suit was initiated nearly a year ago and is now pending. At issue, I read, is that the two men described Martins on a podcast as “not who he says he is” with regard to his exorcism ministry and that he “doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” These statements Martins considers to be false and defamatory and, his suit claims, “directly affected the sale and reception of [his] The Exorcist Files book that was newly released at the time these episodes aired.” I don’t want to get too into the weeds of the details here, but a couple of things struck me about all this.