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Connor Hellebuyck earns win in his Devils debut as New Jersey beats Dallas 5-1
Hellebuyck, the three-time Vezina Trophy winner, started four days after being traded by the Winnipeg Jets.
Kennedy says Arabs ‘don’t produce science,’ but Nobel record says otherwise
The health secretary's comments have been widely condemned by critics as untrue and racially biased
Kennedy says Arabs ‘don’t produce science,’ but Nobel record says otherwise
The health secretary's comments have been widely condemned by critics as untrue and racially biased
Hidden doom of doomscrolling includes potentially lasting mental health effects
Doomscrolling can leave you feeling anxious, mentally exhausted, overwhelmed, angry and hopeless, experts say.
Dalet Labs raises $7 million for shopping app Scene: Pitch deck
Dalet Labs is launching a new app called Scene, where you can scroll through shoppable, AI-generated images.
Hochul gets boost over Blakeman in new Siena poll
The governor's lead over GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman has grown from last month.
Hochul gets boost in new Siena poll
The governor's lead over GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman has grown from last month.
World Series run brings business boost to hotels, restaurants and attractions
World Series run brings business boost to Tampa Bay hotels, restaurants and attractions
Prop. 44: Supporters and opponents make their case
It’s a measure that may not be getting much attention but could have a significant impact on community health clinics
Judge weighs whether California can count up to 20,000 disputed ballots
The hearing Tuesday comes as mail-in voting is underway, a week before the Nov. 3 conclusion of midterm elections
Judge weighs whether California can count up to 20,000 disputed ballots
The hearing Tuesday comes as mail-in voting is underway, a week before the Nov. 3 conclusion of midterm elections
One-on-one with Jeffries: Poised to make history, again
He is poised to become the first Black speaker of the U.S. House.
One-on-one with Jeffries: Poised to make history, again
He is poised to become the first Black speaker of the U.S. House.
One-on-one with Jeffries: Poised to make history, again
He is poised to become the first Black speaker of the U.S. House.
Ratings for small-market Brewers-Rays World Series down only 6% through 2 games
Milwaukee's Game 1 win averaged 12.26 million viewers, while Game 2 had 10.85 million.
Judge weighs whether California can count up to 20,000 disputed ballots
The hearing Tuesday comes as mail-in voting is underway, a week before the Nov. 3 conclusion of midterm elections
Chadron entrepreneur grows her business inside Chadron Open Art gallery
Rylee Greiman, owner of The Wandering Lilac, started her business in 2023 to fill a gap in Chadron’s local food scene.
Election poses questions big and small for NY legislature
The possibilities in Albany range from subtle and symbolic— to seismic should favored Gov. Kathy Hochul not win her reelection bid.
Blakeman vows to axe traffic toll in Manhattan
Hochul called congestion pricing an innovative way to improve life in the borough.
Hernandez hopes to end DiNapoli’s long winning streak as state comptroller
Tom DiNapoli, in office since 2007, is the overwhelming favorite over his Republican challenger, Joseph Hernandez.
Texas early voting for 2026 could break record
Texas is currently on track to beat the 2022 midterm turnout of 5.51 million voters.
The Brewers' World Series run a hit for tourism, business
Experts say the impact's immediate and long-lasting.
Federal Reserve to announce decision on interest rates ahead of midterms
During an appearance earlier this month, Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh was coy about which way the decision might go.
Brent Taylor addresses sexting allegations, calls report a political distraction days before election
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — With Election Day just a week away, Republican state Sen. Brent Taylor is responding to allegations first reported by the Nashville Scene that he sent unsolicited nude photos to wo…
Supreme Court won’t step in to let judges pause some deportation proceedings
The high court turned down a request from Democratic-led cities who say the rule was used to help crime victims and neglected juveniles
Federal agents search Beverly Hills mansion tied to ex-Rep. Eric Swalwell
Stephen Cloobeck's home was searched
Tom Tiffany making final push ahead of Election Day
The Republican from Minocqua says he has a vision for Wisconsin that starts with lowering costs for working families.
Trump and Rubio plan to visit oil tanker carrying Venezuelan crude in Texas
The visit to Port Arthur, Texas, comes on the same day that Trump is campaigning in the state for Republican candidates in the midterms.
3 things to watch in Packers v. Panthers
This is already the second Thursday night game for the Packers this season.
Sophia Bush addresses ‘OTH’ fan theories about infamous Brucas scenes
Sophia Bush reveals the scene she broke character on ‘One Tree Hill’ — and debunks theories about a second season 3 moment.
Pelican brings upscale restaurant, lively bar, VR games under one roof
Pensacola's new Pelican complex is now open, featuring Southern Creole dining, immersive virtual reality gaming, a lively bar scene and liquor store.
Scene
In this week’s scene we find this rooster that has gotten into the “spirit” of the Halloween season by dressing as a mummy, recently spotted on the lawn of a
Wallace’s Health Sciences Simulation Center earns full accreditation
Instructors manage scenarios from behind the scenes while students apply classroom learning in a controlled setting.
Wallace’s Health Sciences Simulation Center earns full accreditation
Instructors manage scenarios from behind the scenes while students apply classroom learning in a controlled setting.
Wallace’s Health Sciences Simulation Center earns full accreditation
Instructors manage scenarios from behind the scenes while students apply classroom learning in a controlled setting.
Wallace’s Health Sciences Simulation Center earns full accreditation
Instructors manage scenarios from behind the scenes while students apply classroom learning in a controlled setting.
Wallace’s Health Sciences Simulation Center earns full accreditation
Instructors manage scenarios from behind the scenes while students apply classroom learning in a controlled setting.
Mamdani takes on role as cheerleader role for Gov. Hochul
The mayor has taken center stage in several ads and campaign events boosting the governor’s reelection bid.
New York’s minor parties fight to maintain ballot access
As early voting gets underway in New York, the race for governor is also testing the political strength of two of the state’s most influential minor parties.
Another penalty-filled performance leaves the Packers fuming
Penalties have caused problems all season for the Green Bay Packers, who have been flagged more times per game than any other NFL team.
AI political ads increasing, no N.C. laws require disclosure
Campaigns and political action committees have already spent more than $137 million on AI ads this year alone.
AI political ads increasing, no N.C. laws require disclosure
Campaigns and political action committees have already spent more than $137 million on AI ads this year alone.
Court declines to rule on bid to set aside ballots of alleged noncitizens
The decision sets the federal government and state officials up for another legal showdown on the matter on Tuesday
Billy Evans' 'You Can See Everything' shower scene was his idea
Billy Evans — the partner of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes — asked the 'You Can See Everything' team: 'Want to film me showering?'
Early voting surges across New York as Hochul, Blakeman make final push
More than 485,000 New Yorkers cast ballots during the first two days of early voting, compared to more than 262,000 during the same period four years ago.
Amid her reelection bid, Hochul aims at retaking Congress
Hochul spoke exclusively with NY1.
What you need to know about California's election
There are 14 statewide propositions on the ballot in California this election.
Texas Senate candidates offer differing economic visions
Feeling the financial squeeze has become a major motivation for Texas voters to head to the polls early.
El-Sayed responds to Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric
At a rally in Michigan on Sunday, Trump escalated false claims that El-Sayed is a jihadist and a member of the Muslim Brotherhood
Billy Evans suggested the shower scene in 'You Can See Everything'
"You Can See Everything" director Lance Oppenheim said that Elizabeth Holmes' partner, Billy Evans, suggested he be filmed in the shower.
Hochul, Blakeman hit the streets to encourage early voters
New York Democrats and Republicans were out in full force Saturday.
Mid-Columbia Ballet prepares for 50th anniversary of "The Nutcracker"
RICHLAND, WA. — For 50 years, the Mid-Columbia Ballet has brought the holiday classic The Nutcracker to audiences in the Tri-Cities. This year, the organization is celebrating that milestone with 144 dancers, new costumes and months of preparation to bring the beloved production to life. The annual performance is a major undertaking for the dancers, instructors and volunteers who work behind the scenes to make the show possible. Rehearsals span 13 weeks, with dancers practicing four days a week for multiple hours at a time.This year’s production will feature new costumes for the Waltz of the Flowers, including a sequence with as many as 25 dancers on stage at once. The show also brings together performers across generations, including adults who have been part of the production for more than 20 years. For Artistic Director Debra Rogo, the preparation begins long before the curtains open.Rogo has been involved with the Mid-Columbia Ballet for 40 years and says planning for The Nutcracker takes place throughout the year. While organizing a production of this size requires significant time and effort, she says watching young dancers grow and develop a passion for ballet makes it all worthwhile. “It’s why I do this,” Rogo said. “It is overwhelming ina good way. To be able to share into their lives and watch them develop a love of this art form and the hard work … it makes me very proud.”Rogo’s decades of involvement reflect the lasting impact the production has had on the local dance community. For many performers, The Nutcracker is more than a seasonal performance. It is an opportunity to build skills, create relationships and become part of a tradition that continues year after year.While the dancers spend weeks rehearsing their routines, a large team of volunteers works behind the scenes to support the production.More than 100 volunteers are involved this year, helping make the performance possible. Their contributions reflect the range of people who come together to support the arts in the Tri-Cities.Randy Haven, a longtime volunteer, says the sense of community is one of the things that makes the experience so special.“The people that you hear volunteering, it’s incredible,” Haven said. He described seeing people from different backgrounds working together backstage, from employees at Hanford to parents raising large families.Haven says that shared commitment creates a family-like atmosphere among the people involved in the production. For Rebecca and Torrie, the Mid-Columbia Ballet has been part of their lives since childhood. Both began dancing with the organization at age seven and have since returned as teachers, helping introduce the next generation to the art form.Their connection to the ballet has continued into their adult lives, creating an opportunity to share their love of dance with younger performers.Torrie now has three daughters performing in The Nutcracker, giving her the chance to watch them experience a tradition that was also part of her own childhood.Being able to see her daughters participate in the production has made the experience especially meaningful, she said.Although audiences can see productions of The Nutcracker in major cities such as New York and Seattle, those involved with the Mid-Columbia Ballet say the local performance offers something distinctive.The community atmosphere allows audiences to experience the production while supporting local performers and the people who dedicate their time to the arts.Rebecca says experiencing a live performance alongside other people is particularly meaningful in a world where so much time is spent looking at screens.She believes live art gives people an opportunity to connect with one another through a shared experience.The ballet’s production also gives local dancers the chance to perform for their community while continuing a tradition that has been part of the Tri-Cities for five decades. When to see ‘The Nutcracker’ in RichlandThe Mid-Columbia Ballet will present its 50th-anniversary production of The Nutcracker Dec. 10 through Dec. 13 in Richland.Tickets go on sale Nov. 1. Audiences can look forward to seeing 144 dancers, new costumes and the work of more than 100 volunteers come together for the holiday production.COPYRIGHT 2026 BY APPLE VALLEY NEWS NOW. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
Perot Museum plans major expansion to bring science education outdoors in Dallas
The four-acre expansion will transform an existing parking lot next to the museum into an outdoor space.
The Texans struggle defensively again in 27-21 overtime loss to Giants
Missed tackles, wide-open receivers and big play after big play led to a 27-21 overtime loss to the New York Giants on Sunday that dropped Houston to 2-5.
Chris Brown avoids prison time for brawling at a London nightclub
The 37-year-old was given an eight-month sentence, suspended for a year
Sony Awarded a Hacker $50,000 for Privately Reporting a PS5 Exploit He Found With AI — Now He's Public Enemy Number One
A hacker sparked an uproar within the PlayStation 5 homebrew scene for privately reporting an exploit to Sony and cashing in on a $50,000 reward, rather than keeping it confidential for the community.
Katie Fire Thunder’s campaign could help Montana seat a record number of Native women
Through grassroots organizing, political leadership and behind-the-scenes mentorship, their wins have been decades in the making.
Israel's tech scene warms to crypto payments
From blockchain expertise to evolving regulations, Israel’s tech ecosystem is helping normalize crypto payments, including for online poker and digital entertainment.
Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård on 'Wicker' sex scenes, big themes
Colman and co-star Alexander Skarsgård sat down with The Envelope to discuss the unusual (and unusually bawdy) fable of a medieval fisherwoman and the man of her wishes.
9th Circuit questions DOJ demand to set aside 20,000 California mail ballots
A panel of federal appellate judges on Sunday questioned the timing, constitutionality and authority of the Justice Department's demand
Tampa technical institute expands bilingual health care career training
Aguilas International Technical Institute has opened a larger Tampa facility, expanding bilingual career training as health care demand grows locally.
Nintendo reveals why you don't actually fight Bowser in Super Mario Bros. 1
Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto has shared some insight into why players don’t actually fight Bowser in the original Super Mario Bros. Miyamoto was present at a press conference at the end of the week to celebrate him becoming the first developer to win Japan’s Order of Culture award. During the event, he was asked to share behind-the-scenes stories about the making...
Argentina Folk Sounds, Controversy: Milo J, Cazzu, Broke Carey
Milo J, Cazzu, and more stars are embracing music and traditions of the Argentine countryside and sharing their history with the world.
NC business co-owner kills man ‘acting irrationally’ outside Zumba class, police say
A man “acting irrationally” toward patrons of a Zumba fitness class was fatally shot when he turned his attention to an armed business co-owner at the scene, according to investigators in western North Carolina. The confrontation occ…
Three giant black holes discovered in a galaxy from the dawn of time
Astronomers have discovered three actively feeding black holes inside a single galaxy more than 12.5 billion light-years away, revealing a remarkable scene from the universe’s infancy. Two of the black holes are separated by just 620 light-years and are expected to eventually merge, while a third lurks farther away. One weighs an astonishing 80 million suns, and another is growing faster than conventional theories predict.
Early voting underway in upstate New York
Early voting continues through Nov. 1 and Election Day is Nov. 3.
Hochul, Blakeman hit the campaign trail as early voting begins
Both Kathy Hochul and Bruce Blakeman’s campaigns are escalating their attacks over affordability and the governor's record.
😂 Mystery note? BVB match-winner explains bizarre moment
Did you catch the curious scene after the final whistle in the big clash between Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt? Match-winner Maxi Beier suddenly found himself holding a piece of paper shor...
Cougars picture-perfect Homecoming scene goes sideways
When the meeting between Washington State and Boise State was announced, it was immediately circled by many to be one of the better games of the revamped Pac-12 slate. Especially in the timeslot it was put in. A late October matchup at 3pm in Pullman. College football is arguably at its peak around this time […]
N.C. State fires football coach midway through his 14th season
N.C. State has fired its head football coach a day after falling to Stanford, school officials said Saturday evening in a news release.
Proposition 4 asks if voters support public funding in elections
Currently, tax dollars cannot be offered to politicians to help them run for office
Bud Selig hopes this is the moment he finally sees the Brewers win a title
Attending his first game of the year, the 92-year-old former Brewers owner and baseball commissioner participated in the first-pitch ceremony.
5 Cool Facts About The Ecto-1 Every Ghostbusters Fan Should Know
From its rarity to fun behind-the-scenes details, these are the most interesting facts about the Ecto-1 that every die-hard "Ghostbusters" fan needs to know.
Jonathan Lipnicki didn’t warn his family about ‘Primetime’ nude scene: ‘I’m sure they were quite surprised’
‘Jerry Maguire’ child star Jonathan Lipnicki tells EW that he didn’t warn his family about his full-frontal nude scene in ‘Primetime’ before they went to see the film, which stars Robert Pattinson as ‘To Catch a Predator’ host Chris Hansen.
NC state auditor steps into political spotlight with new election oversight
A state auditor is often seen as a behind-the-scenes role, but North Carolina state auditor Dave Boliek has bursted onto the political scene in the past year with newfound control over how elections are run in the state. Boliek, whose job usually oversees monitoring taxpayer dollars and the elimination of waste and fraud throughout the state, was granted the power to appoint members to the state board of elections and the county-level election board chairs.
Hochul and Blakeman tout tax policy in closing days of governor's race
Both candidates in the race for governor have continued to campaign hard on affordability.
Daytona Beach businesses say $20 parking fee is driving customers away
A county spokesperson said staff have been directed to explore potential options.
Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski sets World Series velocity record on his first pitch
Misiorowski threw 1,115 pitches 100 mph or higher this year.
Hochul and Blakeman hold dueling campaign events ahead of early voting
Early voting starts on Saturday.
5 things to know about The Promenade at Sunset Walk's Trunk-or-Treat
For the 7th year, an Osceola County entertainment destination rocks out its trunk-or-treat festivities, free of charge.
Director Lee Chang-dong returns with 'Possible Love'
“Possible Love” marks Lee Chang-dong's first release in eight years.
Director Lee Chang-dong returns with 'Possible Love'
“Possible Love” marks Lee Chang-dong's first release in eight years.
Director Lee Chang-dong returns with 'Possible Love'
“Possible Love” marks Lee Chang-dong's first release in eight years.
Southeast High School students conduct real-world research in Bradenton
Southeast High School’s research program gives Bradenton students hands-on science experience and connections that can shape future opportunities.
Trump exempts some Canadian imports from his 50% tariffs
Plywood sheets, packing crates and some machinery are among the exempted products
California seeks to set boundaries around deepfake political ads
From California to Maine, deepfake political ads are influencing midterm elections across the country
Rising costs weigh on middle-class voters as election nears
Affordability is the buzzword of this election season and at the top of voters’ concerns
'A Talent for Murder' stars Helen Mirren, Alden Ehrenreich
“A Talent for Murder” is now playing in theaters nationwide
'La Bola Negra': A dedication to love and life
“La Bola Negra” is now playing in theaters and will stream on Netflix Dec. 2.
'La Bola Negra': A dedication to love and life
“La Bola Negra” is now playing in theaters and will stream on Netflix Dec. 2.
Woodruff makes Brewers' World Series roster as he returns from shoulder injury
Woodruff took the place of Chad Patrick on Milwaukee’s 13-man pitching staff as the Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays submitted their World Series rosters Friday before playing Game 1 in Milwaukee.
Liev Schreiber has choice words for Apple TV reporter
Liev Schreiber appeared to be scolding an interviewer Tuesday during the red-carpet premiere for his new Apple TV series, "Nocturne." A bystander captured a behind-the-scenes snippet of the 59-year-old, who
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.
Trump administration sends mixed signals on curbing Ukraine’s Starshield access
Recent efforts to throttle Ukraine's access to satellite systems have created a blame game of sorts among Trump administration officials and their allies
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.
Hakeem Jeffries eyes speaker role as Democrats seek House control
Jeffries could become the first Black American to hold the role.
Cincinnati firefighters respond to fire at building in Avondale
Cincinnati firefighters rushed to the scene of a fire at a business in Avondale on Thursday night.
Calvert, Kim locked in a blockbuster battle for CA's 40th congressional district
When California voters approved mid-decade redistricting last fall, it set the stage for a cutthroat game of musical chairs in the state’s 40th congressional district.
Small donors helping to fuel New York's grassroots campaigns
As candidates finish the final leg of their campaigns heading into Election Day, there’s a surge of big donors pouring millions into both state and national races.