Quick Hits

• Meta has agreed to pay $17 billion and add child-safety measures to Facebook and Instagram to settle claims from 47 states and end a landmark trial over teen social media addiction (MPR News).
• A deadly Himalayan flood has left more than 1,300 people missing and at least 273 confirmed dead in Nepal and China, with search-and-rescue efforts continuing (Al Jazeera).
• The mail-in voting fight is escalating: the Supreme Court issued its latest ruling on mail-in ballots (Tangle) as Democratic-led states renewed their challenge to President Trump's executive order restricting mail-in voting through the U.S. Postal Service (MPR News).
• The Seattle Seahawks were sold to Khosla Group for a record $9.6 billion — the highest price ever paid for an NFL franchise and the second-highest valuation in North American sports history (Al Jazeera).
• A federal judge denied Minnesota's bid to extradite an ICE officer from Texas, clearing the way for his release; he is charged with shooting a man and lying about it during the immigration crackdown in Minnesota (MPR News).

Top Stories

• Meta settlement: MPR News reports the agreement ends a landmark trial over teen social media addiction, with the company paying 47 states and committing to new child-safety features on Facebook and Instagram.
• Mail-in voting: Tangle covered the Supreme Court's newest mail-in ballot ruling, with founder Isaac Saul noting it was the first time in seven years he did not write a "My take" section. MPR News separately reports a coalition of Democratic-led states renewed efforts Wednesday to block the Postal Service from implementing Trump's executive order.
• AI-driven hacking: OpenAI said it detected malign activity months before the attack on Hugging Face, and that AI agents collaborated and delegated work during the hacking, calling themselves a "collective" (Al Jazeera).
• Iowa governor's race: Tangle reports Democratic nominee Rob Sand has consistently held a narrow polling lead over Republican Zach Lahn.
• Cultural passings: MPR News reports character actor Tim Curry — Dr. Frank-N-Furter in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" — died at 80; Al Jazeera reports Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, whose hallucination-inspired polka dots and "Infinity Mirror Rooms" made her famous, died at 97.

Left Perspective

MPR News coverage emphasized accountability and community recovery stories:

• Target pulled a children's Halloween costume from shelves Monday and apologized after social media backlash over a garment critics said evoked racist minstrel caricatures.
• Minneapolis held its first listening session Tuesday evening on hiring the next police chief; residents said they want someone they can trust who understands the city's history.
• MPR News profiled the first Annunciation Catholic School students — described by the outlet as mass-shooting victims — heading to high school, including 14-year-old Endre Gunter, who has returned to football practice.
• Advocates are pushing for the medical release of terminally ill prisoners, citing Scott Knutson, 61, who uses a wheelchair at the Faribault prison and is incarcerated for a nonviolent crime.
• In local sports, the A's beat the Twins 4-2 as Gage Jump struck out nine in 6 1/3 innings.

International View

• Nepal floods: Al Jazeera's field report from Nepal says about 180 people have been killed there and roughly 1,400 are missing, with families searching for relatives and the toll expected to rise significantly — figures that differ from the outlet's combined Nepal-China count of 273 dead and more than 1,300 missing.
• Israel's right in conflict with itself: Al Jazeera reports the sunken ship Altalena has fueled a rivalry between Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir, each claiming to be heir of the Irgun militia's legacy. An Al Jazeera opinion essay argues Israel is not heading for civil war, while another contends Ben Shapiro's new film recycles anti-Muslim tropes.
• West Bank schools: Palestinian children returned to school in Masafer Yatta facing the threat that Israeli demolition could leave their schools unstanding, Al Jazeera reports.
• Sports: Czech pair Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik won the US Open mixed doubles, their first Grand Slam title as a team; Fenerbahce's Champions League qualifying win over Lyon was marred when midfielder Guendouzi was attacked by Lyon fans after mocking them at the final whistle.

Underreported

• Cross-ideological surveillance fight: Civil liberties and conservative legal groups are jointly asking the federal judge overseeing the conspiracy case against Minnesota anti-ICE activists to order the government to turn over documents that could show spying — a rare left-right alliance over free speech (MPR News).
• License-plate surveillance: Tangle examined what Flock cameras actually do, at a moment when, in the outlet's words, "everyone is talking about" how dangerous they are.
• Celestial event: MPR News notes a near-total lunar eclipse is approaching with the Americas in prime viewing position, after the region missed this month's total solar eclipse.
• State fair season: MPR News devoted multiple pieces to the Minnesota State Fair's opening day — gates at 7 a.m., $20 tickets for ages 13-64 — with dry, 80-degree weather forecast for the first two days; Al Jazeera also circulated video of a lightning bolt striking Mecca's clock tower.

Sources

MPR News (lean left):

• Meta reaches $17 billion settlement with states
• Democratic-led states renew challenge to Trump mail-in voting restrictions
• Judge denies Minnesota bid to extradite ICE officer from Texas
• Legal groups press feds to release more info on spying
• Target faces renewed backlash over Halloween costume
• Minneapolis police chief listening sessions
• Annunciation students head to high school
• Advocates push for release of terminally ill prisoners
• Tim Curry dies at 80
• A's beat the Twins 4-2
• Near-total lunar eclipse coming
• Minnesota State Fair opening day

Tangle (center):

• The Supreme Court's latest mail-in ballot ruling
• Rob Sand on Biden and Harris campaigning with him
• I found the cameras tracking my car

Al Jazeera (center):

• More than 1,300 missing in Nepal and China after deadly Himalayan flood
• 'Swept away': Nepal families search for relatives
• Seahawks sold to Khosla Group for record $9.6 billion
• OpenAI says it detected malign activity months before Hugging Face attack
• Sunken ship sparks fight on Israel's right
• Israel is not heading for civil war (opinion)
• Ben Shapiro's anti-Muslim film is nothing new (opinion)
• Palestinian children return to school under demolition threat
• Yayoi Kusama dies at 97
• Czech pair wins US Open mixed doubles
• Chaos mars Fenerbahce's win over Lyon
• Lightning bolt strikes Mecca's clock tower

Note: No right-leaning outlets appear in today's supplied article set; the Right Perspective section is omitted accordingly.