A University of North Florida poll released last week found 61 percent of likely Florida voters want state and local officials to prioritize the environment, even if economic growth is curbed. Registered Republicans backed the environment 48 percent to 35 percent. In the U.S. Senate race, Republican incumbent Ashley Moody leads Democrat Angie Nixon 49 percent to 45 percent, down 8 points for Moody since July. Moody and her affiliated committees held about $7.1 million on 1 Oct, against about $4.5 million for Nixon, though Nixon outraised Moody by nearly $2 million in the third quarter.
Kathleen Kennedy, former president of Lucasfilm, has been appointed head of ceremonies and content for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, according to LA28 chairperson Casey Wasserman. She replaces Peter Rice, who remains executive producer and has moved to Netflix, organizers said. Kennedy left Lucasfilm in January 2026. The Olympic opening ceremony is set for 14 July 2028 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium, and the closing ceremony for 30 July 2028 at the Coliseum. The official Games slogan is "Stars Align".
Xreal has reduced the price of its Aura smartglasses to $1,099 through the end of the year, down from the $1,279 preorder price announced last month. Customers who preordered at the higher price will be refunded the difference automatically, according to Xreal general manager Ralph Jodice. The glasses weigh 95 grams, run Android XR on a tethered compute puck, and will ship in mid-November in the United States, Canada and South Korea, with Japan following on 2 Nov. Xreal and Google describe the device as offering more than 150 dedicated XR experiences.
Cyclone Arnab made landfall on India's eastern coast in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, 28 Oct, as a very severe cyclonic storm with winds of 125 to 135 km/h and gusts up to 150 km/h. At least three people have died in the state, and officials say two of the deaths were caused by a falling tree that led to electrocution. The storm later weakened to a severe cyclonic storm after its centre moved inland. Authorities evacuated nearly 100,000 people from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha before landfall, and more than 12 million people live along the expected path.
France and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé has apologised to China and its people after a clip of him discussing a meme that shows his face on a Chinese dictator went viral. The image is widely read as a reference to Mao Zedong. Three Chinese sponsors, Dongpeng, Mengniu and Milkground, have ended their deals with him. China Media Group has said it will suspend broadcasts of LaLiga and other matches involving Mbappé, and LaLiga has expressed deep regret over the hurt caused to Chinese fans.
Jordanian jets hit militant hideouts in southern Syria on Monday, causing at least seven civilian deaths, including three children and a woman, and reportedly eliminating around 20 Islamic State fighters and a weapons depot. The raids were a retaliation for a funeral attack on St George’s Church in Karak that killed nine people. Syria responded by closing the Nassib border crossing, launching an investigation, and condemning the strikes as a breach of sovereignty. Jordan arrested three male suspects – two brothers and their brother‑in‑law – linked to the church attack.