Magpie News Collector

nation

'High-ranking' Russian mobsters get 25 years for targeting journalist

By upi.com | | 10/31/2025 12:35 AM

Accepting a $500,000 contract to kill an Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad earned Russians Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov each 25 years in prison. ... Read full Story

nation

Amazon shares rise amid buoyant earnings report

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 11:48 PM

Amazon reported third-quarter earnings that exceeded expectations, which prompted a 13% rise in its share value during after-hours trading on Thursday. ... Read full Story

nation

Former teacher seeks $40M, ‘thought I had died’ when shot by a student

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 10:17 PM

Former teacher Abigail Zwerner feared death, seeks $40 million from a Richneck Elementary School official in Newport News, Va., after being shot by a student. ... Read full Story

nation

Lt. Gen. Joe McGee retires amid alleged disagreements with Pentagon

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 8:40 PM

Lt. Gen. Joe McGee retired from the U.S. military due to alleged disagreements with Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine. ... Read full Story

nation

L.A. tops Chicago in Orkin's Rattiest Cities list

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 8:20 PM

Los Angeles has beaten Chicago as America's Rattiest City, according to Orkin, which publishes the the top 50 list. Chicago has been the perennial winner. ... Read full Story

nation

Anca Faur Aldrin, 66, wife of ex-astronaut Buzz Aldrin, dies of cancer

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 7:36 PM

Anca Faur Aldrin, wife of astronaut Buzz Aldrin and the executive vice president of Buzz Aldrin Ventures, died Tuesday after a private battle with cancer. ... Read full Story

nation

Federal judge weighs ordering emergency funding of SNAP

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 7:22 PM

A federal judge in Massachusetts might order the federal government to tap emergency funds to pay for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. ... Read full Story

nation

New Trump loan forgiveness rule makes relief based on ideology

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 6:36 PM

Student loan borrowers working toward forgiveness through the PSLF program may have a hard time getting those loans forgiven, thanks to a new rule by the DOE. ... Read full Story

nation

5 arrested for deaths of Robert De Niro’s grandson and Chris Stein’s daughter

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 6:21 PM

Police arrested five people on charges related to fentanyl and the deaths of actor Robert De Niro's grandson and Blondie guitarist Chris Stein's daughter. ... Read full Story

nation

Senate to meet Thursday; won't vote to open government

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 3:48 PM

The U.S. Senate is meeting Thursday to vote at 11:45 a.m. on various bills, though the House-passed bill to reopen the government is not on the agenda. ... Read full Story

nation

Virginia's Democratic legislature passes mid-cycle redistricting plan

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 3:26 PM

Virginia's legislature took steps to join the widening state-by-state redistricting battle ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. On Wednesday, the Virginia House of Delegates passed a constitutional amendment to re-draw ... Read full Story

nation

Food banks feeling strain ahead of potential SNAP lapse

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 2:24 PM

Local food banks and pantries across the country are seeing increases in need due to layoffs and government workers being furloughed during the shutdown. ... Read full Story

nation

Surgeon general nominee Casey Means goes into labor; hearing postponed

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 2:20 PM

The Senate confirmation hearing for Casey Means, President Donald Trump's nominee for surgeon general, was delayed because the candidate went into labor. ... Read full Story

nation

Radio Free Asia shutters amid gov't shutdown, funding cuts

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 6:11 AM

After more than three decades of operation, Radio Free Asia has shuttered amid the U.S. government shutdown. ... Read full Story

nation

Senate passes bill to end Trump's tariffs on Canada

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 5:08 AM

The U.S. Senate has passed legislation terminating the national emergency declared by President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on Canada, a day after it terminated the United States' tariffs on Brazil. ... Read full Story

nation

Hegseth: U.S. strikes another alleged drug-trafficking boat, killing 4

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 3:46 AM

The U.S. military on Wednesday attacked another alleged drug-trafficking boat in the Eastern Pacific, killing four people, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said. ... Read full Story

nation

Trump says U.S. will ‘immediately’ begin testing nuclear weapons

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 2:42 AM

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that the United States would "immediately" begin testing its nuclear weapons arsenal. ... Read full Story

nation

Congressional hopeful Kat Abughazaleh indicted for anti-ICE activities

By upi.com | | 10/30/2025 1:23 AM

A federal grand jury indicted House of Representatives hopeful Kap Abughazaleh for conspiracy and interfering with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ... Read full Story

nation

Dictionary.com declares ‘6-7’ the word of the year

By upi.com | | 10/29/2025 11:54 PM

Generation Alpha's perhaps meaningless slang term "6-7" has been declared word of the year for 2025 by Dictionary.com, which itself struggled to define it. ... Read full Story

nation

Congressional Budget Office estimates an up-to-$14B shutdown cost

By upi.com | | 10/29/2025 11:21 PM

The longer the federal government shutdown lasts, the more it will cost the U.S. economy, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates at up to $14 billion. ... Read full Story

USA Government

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art

Susan Cianciolo at Cibrián

by Contemporary Art Daily | Nov 01 2025

auto

German Police Find Wood Brakes Installed On Mercedes Bought At Auction

by carbuzz.com | Nov 01 2025

basketball

Trae Young injury: Hawks star point guard to miss four weeks with sprained MCL in right knee

by CBS Interactive Inc | Nov 02 2025

beauty

13 Major Hair Transformations Celebrities Still Regret

by The List | Mar 03 2025

connecticut

Trump ordered to pay SNAP benefits; CT officials still want to help

by CT Mirror | Oct 31 2025

finance

My girlfriend, a widow in her 40s, pays off her credit card after every transaction. Is that weird?

by MarketWatch.com | Nov 01 2025

food

This Classic Breakfast Cereal Only Has 4 Ingredients (It's Not Cheerios)

by The Daily Meal | Nov 01 2025

golf

Ryder Cup: U.S. and European Golfers Face a Challenge at Bethpage Black

by NY Times | Sep 25 2025

how_to

How to Use AI to Help Plan Your Thanksgiving Dinner

by CNET | Nov 01 2025

knowledge

New Study: Birds Are Most Likely to Poop on This One Type of Car (Yes, Really—This Was an Actual Study)

by Reader's Digest | Oct 31 2025

music

Mariah Carey Announces ‘It’s Time’ for Christmas 2025 in Ad With Sephora

by Billboard | Nov 01 2025

new_jersey

NJ Spotlight News special edition — ‘Painting Community’: October 31, 2025

by NJ Spotlight | Oct 31 2025

people

Katy Perry breaks a fan's heart: she rejects a marriage proposal because she is dating Justin Trudeau

by marca.com | Nov 02 2025

retirement

Two-thirds of Americans back Trump's $1,000 baby savings plan proposal, new survey finds

by Fox News | Sep 30 2025

technology

US firm’s new weapon autonomously conducts precision strikes, offers electronic warfare power

by Interesting Engineering | Nov 02 2025

Word of the Day

arbitrary

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 2, 2025 is:

arbitrary • \AHR-buh-trair-ee\ • adjective

Arbitrary describes something that is not planned or chosen for a particular reason, is not based on reason or evidence, or is done without concern for what is fair or right.

// Because the committee wasn’t transparent about the selection process, the results of the process appeared to be wholly arbitrary.

// An arbitrary number will be assigned to each participant.

See the entry >

Examples:

“The authority of the crown, contemporaries believed, was instituted by God to rule the kingdom and its people. England’s sovereign was required to be both a warrior and a judge, to protect the realm from external attack and internal anarchy. To depose the king, therefore, was to risk everything—worldly security and immortal soul—by challenging the order of God’s creation. Such devastatingly radical action could never be justified unless kingship became tyranny: rule by arbitrary will rather than law, threatening the interests of kingdom and people instead of defending them.” — Helen Castor, The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV, 2024

Did you know?

Donning black robes and a powdered wig to learn about arbitrary might seem to be an arbitrary—that is, random or capricious—choice, but it would in fact jibe with the word’s etymology. Arbitrary comes from the Latin noun arbiter, which means “judge” and is the source of the English word arbiter, also meaning “judge.” In English, arbitrary first meant “depending upon choice or discretion” and was specifically used to indicate the sort of decision (as for punishment) left up to the expert determination of a judge rather than defined by law. Today, it can also be used for anything determined by or as if by chance or whim.

'High-ranking' Russian mobsters get 25 years for targeting journalist

Amazon shares rise amid buoyant earnings report

Former teacher seeks $40M, ‘thought I had died’ when shot by a student

Lt. Gen. Joe McGee retires amid alleged disagreements with Pentagon

L.A. tops Chicago in Orkin's Rattiest Cities list

Anca Faur Aldrin, 66, wife of ex-astronaut Buzz Aldrin, dies of cancer

Federal judge weighs ordering emergency funding of SNAP

New Trump loan forgiveness rule makes relief based on ideology

5 arrested for deaths of Robert De Niro’s grandson and Chris Stein’s daughter

Senate to meet Thursday; won't vote to open government

Virginia's Democratic legislature passes mid-cycle redistricting plan

Food banks feeling strain ahead of potential SNAP lapse

Surgeon general nominee Casey Means goes into labor; hearing postponed

Radio Free Asia shutters amid gov't shutdown, funding cuts

Senate passes bill to end Trump's tariffs on Canada

Hegseth: U.S. strikes another alleged drug-trafficking boat, killing 4

Trump says U.S. will ‘immediately’ begin testing nuclear weapons

Congressional hopeful Kat Abughazaleh indicted for anti-ICE activities

Dictionary.com declares ‘6-7’ the word of the year

Congressional Budget Office estimates an up-to-$14B shutdown cost

USA Government

Susan Cianciolo at Cibrián

German Police Find Wood Brakes Installed On Mercedes Bought At Auction

Trae Young injury: Hawks star point guard to miss four weeks with sprained MCL in right knee

13 Major Hair Transformations Celebrities Still Regret

Trump ordered to pay SNAP benefits; CT officials still want to help

My girlfriend, a widow in her 40s, pays off her credit card after every transaction. Is that weird?

This Classic Breakfast Cereal Only Has 4 Ingredients (It's Not Cheerios)

Ryder Cup: U.S. and European Golfers Face a Challenge at Bethpage Black

How to Use AI to Help Plan Your Thanksgiving Dinner

New Study: Birds Are Most Likely to Poop on This One Type of Car (Yes, Really—This Was an Actual Study)

Mariah Carey Announces ‘It’s Time’ for Christmas 2025 in Ad With Sephora

NJ Spotlight News special edition — ‘Painting Community’: October 31, 2025

Katy Perry breaks a fan's heart: she rejects a marriage proposal because she is dating Justin Trudeau

Two-thirds of Americans back Trump's $1,000 baby savings plan proposal, new survey finds

US firm’s new weapon autonomously conducts precision strikes, offers electronic warfare power

Word of the Day

10 Odd & Fun

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2.Ohio man forgets winning lottery ticket at home, wins another $500,000

3.Watch: Lost dog found 5 years later, 520 miles from home

4.Ozzy Osbourne pumpkin mosaic breaks Guinness World Record

5.Watch: Deer rescued from between bars of metal fence in Virginia

6.Ohio State marks mascot's 60th by breaking a world record

7.Watch: Utah man drops 1,917-pound pumpkin onto his Geo Metro

8.Watch: Dog rescued after fall from San Francisco cliff

9.Please, Please, Please Do Not Wear Any Of These Wildly Offensive Halloween Costumes This Year

10.Watch: Dog reunited with owner 7 years after burglary in Florida