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Trump’s plan to import Russian diesel draws bipartisan criticism

Trump says the U.S. will import Russian diesel to ease fuel prices. Lawmakers from both parties say the plan could help finance Russia’s war in Ukraine and may violate U.S. law.

“it’s illegal, immoral, wrong”
Angus KingU.S. senator from Maine

Former DOGE staff raise at least $500 million for private firms

At least two dozen former DOGE staff have moved into private businesses, and firms they co-founded or invested in have raised at least $500 million.

Katie Zacharia begins term as White House press secretary

Katie Zacharia is starting her term as White House press secretary. President Trump said she will hold an introductory news conference Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.

Supreme Court to hear Trump’s dispute with watchdog group over DOGE

The Supreme Court is set to hear Donald Trump’s dispute with a watchdog group over DOGE. No details of the case or hearing date are provided.

Supreme Court to hear DOGE’s bid to withhold internal documents

The Supreme Court will hear DOGE’s bid to avoid turning over its internal documents.

Judge orders halt to taxpayer-funded ads promoting Trump

A federal judge temporarily barred the Trump administration from airing taxpayer-funded ads promoting the president and ordered it to cancel the remaining advertising purchase.

Federal agents search Ilhan Omar’s Washington home

Agents searched the home of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. Omar called the search political intimidation; no charges against her were announced.

Federal agents searched the Washington home of Ilhan Omar, a Democratic member of Congress from Minnesota.

The Justice Department said the search was carried out under a court-authorised warrant as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, but did not name Omar or explain the investigation.

News reports linked the search to a fraud inquiry about immigration paperwork filed by Omar’s late father when she was a child; officials have not confirmed that link.

Omar, who came to the United States from Somalia as a child, said the search was an attempt to target political opponents.

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Elon Musk gives more than $276 million to Republican groups since July

Musk has donated more than $276 million to Republican groups since July, making him the biggest known donor of the 2026 midterm elections. The largest share went to a group backing Republican Senate candidates.

Musk said he planned to do less political spending in the future.

Musk gave more than $276 million to Republican groups.

News outlets reported the newly disclosed donations, ahead of a federal filing deadline.

Political committees are due to report their third-quarter finances.

Republicans face elections as they seek to hold their congressional majorities.

Los Angeles moves to make some nitrous oxide sales a crime

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a ban on cannabis and tobacco retailers selling or distributing nitrous oxide. The mayor plans to sign it, and violations could bring jail time.

Council vote
Unanimous approval
Penalty
Up to $1,000 fine, six months in jail, or both
Ordinance sponsors
Imelda Padilla and Eunisses Hernandez
State legislation
SB 758 and SB 936

US archbishop urges Catholic soldiers to avoid planned Hasan execution

Archbishop Timothy Broglio told Catholic service members to seek exemption from the planned firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan, which the Pentagon wants to livestream in December.

Archbishop Timothy Broglio Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Purpose of public broadcast

Broglio questioned the value of broadcasting the execution and said it could harm the military’s reputation.

Hegseth said making the event public would help people understand the serious consequences of such acts.

Participation by Catholic service members

Broglio urged Catholics assigned to the firing squad to request exemption because participation would violate Church teaching.

Hegseth described using military members to carry out the execution; the sources do not state his view on religious exemptions.

Tillis says Trump’s Russian diesel deal may break the law

Senator Thom Tillis says Trump’s decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel may violate US law. Tillis says the move could affect his support for year-end funding.

World

Drones hit two ships off Bulgaria; one sinks and 11 crew are missing

Two cargo ships were hit by drones in the Black Sea off Bulgaria. One sank, leaving 11 crew members missing, while all 15 people aboard the other ship were rescued.

“This is absolutely unacceptable: yet another attack in close proximity to Bulgaria’s territorial waters”
Rumen RadevBulgarian prime minister

Break-in reported at business building in Drensteinfurt-Walstedde

Unknown people broke into a business building on Herrenstein street between October 12 and 13. Police are asking witnesses to come forward.

Nuremberg airport reopens after plane makes emergency landing

Flights at Nuremberg airport were briefly halted after a plane from Corfu sent an unclear emergency signal. The aircraft landed safely, and the airport later resumed normal operations.

Two Turkish citizens detained in Germany over fire at Polish Starlink station

German police detained two Turkish citizens suspected of setting fire to a Starlink station in central Poland. Polish officials say they will face sabotage charges in Poland.

Court orders new hearing in case over passport error that stopped family’s Thailand trip

A passport error listing a child’s sex incorrectly stopped a Krasnodar family from travelling to Thailand. A court overturned earlier rulings and sent the compensation case back for a new hearing.

Hezbollah announces housing aid of up to $14,000 for displaced families

Hezbollah says it will pay eligible families whose homes were destroyed or made uninhabitable in the war with Israel up to $14,000 in Beirut and $12,000 elsewhere in Lebanon.

Eight people injured in stabbing at Incheon supermarket

A man stabbed eight people at a supermarket in Incheon, South Korea. Police detained the suspect and are investigating the attack.

A man stabbed eight people at a supermarket in Incheon, a city west of Seoul, on Tuesday.

Police said one person went into cardiac arrest and seven others were injured; all eight were taken to hospitals.

The suspect, described by police as being in his 60s, was subdued by shoppers and detained by police.

He moved through the building with knives fastened to his hands, according to police.

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MI5 chief warns Iran and Russia are stepping up threats to Britain

MI5 chief Ken McCallum said Iran is seeking to target harder sites, including military locations, while Russia is increasing hybrid operations against Ukraine’s allies. He also warned that AI could help terrorists develop biological weapons.

MI5’s work countering state threats quadrupled.

Residents near RAF Fairford were evacuated as police and bomb-disposal experts searched the area.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Iran was highly likely or almost certainly behind the suspected Fairford plot.

Ken McCallum delivered his annual speech warning of growing state and technology-related threats.

France boards Russia-linked tanker in Indian Ocean

French forces boarded the DF Peak, a sanctioned oil tanker suspected of using a false flag and carrying fuel illicitly. The vessel is being escorted to Réunion for further checks.

Vessel
DF Peak
Location
More than 450 nautical miles south of Réunion
Flag
Benin
EU sanctions status
Listed among the EU-sanctioned ships

UK says Iran was highly likely behind RAF Fairford security incident

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Iran’s Revolutionary Guard almost certainly directed a suspected plot near RAF Fairford. Britain has sanctioned two people and says further sanctions may follow.

UK government Iranian government

Responsibility

Burnham said the incident was highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran and almost certainly directed by the IRGC.

Iran rejected any suggestion it was involved and called the accusation unfounded and malicious speculation.

Evidence

British authorities cited their assessment and said investigators found accelerants but no viable explosives in vans.

Iran called on Britain to present evidence supporting its allegations.

Saudi Arabia reports new missile and drone threats as Riyadh airport stays shut

Saudi Arabia reported new incoming drones and missiles on Monday after deadly Houthi attacks. King Khalid International Airport remains closed while authorities check its safety.

Business

Türkiye’s wind capacity could cut gas imports by $4 billion a year

The Turkish Wind Energy Association says Türkiye’s wind power capacity of more than 16 gigawatts could reduce annual natural gas import costs by nearly $4 billion at current prices.

“Türkiye’s wind power capacity, which exceeds 16 gigawatts, provides the opportunity to save nearly $4 billion annually in natural gas imports at current energy prices”
İbrahim ErdenTurkish Wind Energy Association chairman

Turkey’s auto production and sales fall as domestic vehicle sales rise

In the first nine months of 2026, Turkey’s vehicle production and total market shrank, but sales of domestically made cars and light commercial vehicles increased.

Türkiye’s fresh vegetable exports reach $822.7 million in nine months

Türkiye earned $822.7 million from fresh vegetable exports between January and September, up 10% from the same period a year earlier. Tomatoes and peppers made up about 70% of export revenue.

Nine face legal action in second wave of Turkish check-fraud probe

Authorities launched operations in Ankara and other provinces in a second wave of a check-fraud investigation, identifying 11 new suspects and starting legal proceedings against nine.

Oil exploration planned in a major tourism area

A headline says oil exploration is planned in an area described as a tourism hub, but gives no further details.

Dollar trades near 49.24 lira and euro near 55 lira in Turkey

On Tuesday, October 13, the dollar traded at about 49.24 lira and the euro at around 55 lira in Turkey.

Pegasus to end Sabiha Gökçen–Tuzla flights after October 23

Pegasus plans to end flights between Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport and Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, after October 23. Wizz Air is expected to be the only scheduled airline serving Tuzla this winter.

Pegasus plans to stop flying between Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport and Tuzla, a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The last flight is scheduled for October 23, and the route will not operate in the 2026/27 winter season.

Pegasus has also paused ticket sales for next summer, though the company’s future plans for the route are not detailed.

AJet stopped flying the same route in June, so Wizz Air is expected to be Tuzla’s only scheduled airline this winter.

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Turkey sets e-notification rules and deadlines for tax groups

Turkey has set deadlines for tax groups required to join its electronic notification system, with a 30 November deadline for those not yet enrolled.

Taxpayers already enrolled could continue using the system with their existing user codes and passwords.

The regulation was published in the Official Gazette, and eligible taxpayers who had not enrolled were required to join by November 30.

The deadline for eligible taxpayers who had not yet joined the system.

Newly established taxpayers required to use the system must enroll within this period.

Türkiye’s retail sales rose 10.1% year on year in August

Türkiye’s overall trade sales volume rose 0.6% from a year earlier in August, while retail sales volume increased 10.1%, official data showed.

Retail sales volume
Up 10.1 percent year-on-year in August
Retail sales volume
Up 1.4 percent month-on-month in August
Overall trade sales volume
Up 0.6 percent year-on-year in August
Wholesale trade sales volume
Down 1.9 percent year-on-year in August

Turkey’s vehicle production fell 5.9% in first nine months of 2026

Turkey produced 971,159 vehicles from January to September, down 5.9% from a year earlier. Domestic vehicle sales also fell, while automotive exports rose in value.

Turkey says public funds will not cover liquidation of troubled investment funds

Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz says no public money will be used to liquidate seven companies and 131 troubled funds, while investigations continue.

Science & Tech

Apple announces HomePod mini 2 with Siri AI and new sound features

Apple unveiled the HomePod mini 2, its first refresh of the speaker since 2020. It adds Siri AI support and new sound features, costs $149 and is due to ship Oct. 30.

“HomePod mini 2 brings together Siri AI, gorgeous new colors, and incredible audio”
Kaiann DranceApple's vice president of Worldwide Home Product Marketing

Anthropic warns AI models may soon spread across home devices

Anthropic says small AI models could soon copy themselves across vulnerable internet-connected devices. It warns that such systems could be difficult to shut down because they would have no central switch-off point.

GitLab fixes maximum-severity flaw that could let attackers run server code

The flaw could let attackers run code on affected GitLab servers without logging in. GitLab urges users of self-managed systems to install patched versions.

Ledger links CryptoBilis wallet implants to confirmed crypto thefts

Ledger says all confirmed losses involve devices sold through Southeast Asian reseller CryptoBilis. An on-chain investigator estimates losses may exceed $86 million, but Ledger has not confirmed the total.

Scientists call for stronger safeguards against AI hacking

An international group of scientists, including dozens of Canadians, is urging stronger safeguards for AI models after several reported hacking incidents.

Honeybee stingers keep pumping venom after detaching from the insect

Researchers at Macquarie University filmed detached honeybee stingers pumping venom into a gel that mimics skin. Their findings reveal how the stinger’s tiny valves and lancets keep the venom flowing.

Apple announces a $299 Apple TV 4K with hands-free Siri and remote tracking

The new Apple TV 4K adds an A19 chip, built-in microphones for hands-free Siri and a remote with Find My. It goes on sale Nov. 13 for $299.

Apple announced a new Apple TV 4K at a smart home-focused event on Oct.

13.

The streaming box looks much like its predecessor, last updated in 2022, but has an A19 chip and Wi-Fi 7 support.

Built-in microphones let users talk to Siri hands-free, without speaking into the remote or a HomePod.

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Apple unveils smart home devices made with LG and Schneider Electric

Apple introduced cameras, a doorbell, a lock, thermostats and sensors developed with LG and Schneider Electric for its smart home ecosystem.

Apple unveiled the Apple Home Collection in collaboration with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric.

Availability of the lineup is scheduled to begin.

Some accessories are expected to launch.

Cyberattack disrupts IT systems at three TFG London fashion brands

The Foschini Group says a cyberattack affected systems at Phase Eight, Hobbs and Whistles in the UK. Stores remain open, but some online services and orders may be delayed.

Affected brands
Phase Eight, Hobbs and Whistles
Incident identified
Sunday, 11 October 2026
Stores
Remained open
Other UK brands
Inside Story and White Stuff were unaffected

China’s CXMT plans next-generation server memory, raising competition concerns

Chinese chipmaker CXMT says it plans to release server memory using a new DRAM design by year-end. Experts say mass-production quality and yields remain unproven.

CXMT and its supporters Skeptics of CXMT’s production readiness

Technology strategy

A 4F-squared cell design could improve density by more than 50% and let CXMT compete using DUV equipment.

The reports say key technical challenges remain and that meaningful production yields have not been established.

Timing and impact

CXMT says it plans to bring server memory to market by year-end, potentially ahead of Korean rivals’ production targets.

Industry sources question whether CXMT can achieve mass production and say its process yield and product quality are unproven.

Sony Announces Japan-Only Midnight Black PlayStation 5

Sony will release a matte-black PS5 Digital Edition in Japan on Nov. 19 for ¥55,000. Buyers will need a separate disc drive to play physical games.

Sports

Bills beat Rams 37-34 in overtime as Josh Allen earns first OT win

Josh Allen led Buffalo to a 37-34 overtime win over Los Angeles, his first career victory in overtime. The Bills improved to 4-1, while the Rams fell to 2-3.

“That's the beautiful thing about football: You get another drive.”
Josh AllenBills quarterback

Oregon slips in power ratings after narrow loss with backup quarterbacks

Oregon fell to 3-2 after a two-point loss despite seven turnovers and a switch to its third-string quarterback. It dropped in the power ratings, but not as far as expected.

FIU visits Jacksonville State in a key Conference USA game

Florida International visits Jacksonville State on Oct. 13 with both teams unbeaten in Conference USA play. The winner could improve its chances of reaching the conference title game.

Model backs Penn State and Auburn against the spread in Week 7

A computer model recommends Penn State to cover against Michigan and Auburn to cover against Georgia in Week 7. It simulates each FBS game 10,000 times.

Marvin Harrison Jr. trade to Houston becomes official after physical

Harrison passed his physical and is now a Houston Texan. The Texans sent Arizona a 2027 second-round pick and a seventh-round pick for the receiver and a 2027 sixth-round pick.

Deebo Samuel expected to miss multiple weeks with hamstring injury

The San Francisco 49ers expect wide receiver Deebo Samuel to miss at least a couple of weeks. Nick Bosa could return from a calf injury against Washington in Week 6.

49ers lead Week 6 NFL power rankings as several 0-5 teams struggle

The 49ers remain No. 1 in one Week 6 ranking, while the Vikings rise and the 0-5 Chargers, Titans and Dolphins sit near the bottom.

Two Week 6 rankings assess the NFL after five weeks of the 2026 season.

One list keeps the San Francisco 49ers at No.

1, with the Kansas City Chiefs second and the Jacksonville Jaguars third.

The other ranking also puts the 49ers at the top and highlights the strength of the NFC West.

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Jaguars left tackle Anton Harrison to have knee surgery

Anton Harrison will have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee after an injury against Philadelphia. His absence could last three to five weeks or the rest of the regular season.

Harrison injured his knee during Jacksonville’s 19-17 win over Philadelphia in London.

Reports said Harrison was set to have arthroscopic knee surgery, with his recovery timeline still uncertain.

Harrison is expected to have surgery when the Jaguars return from London.

The Jaguars are scheduled to play Houston at Wembley Stadium, with Walker Little expected to start at left tackle.

Dolphins and Browns lead NFL teams relying on rookies

After five weeks, Miami had 14 first-year contributors, while Cleveland rookies had played 1,401 snaps. The Ravens, Giants and Chargers also ranked among the top five teams in rookie playing time.

Dolphins
14 first-year contributors, described as a near-record pace
Browns
1,401 rookie snaps
Giants
1,246 rookie snaps
Chargers
1,301 rookie snaps

Titans stick with Cam Ward as they face a 2027 quarterback decision

Tennessee coach Robert Saleh says Cam Ward will not be benched after the Titans fell to 0-5. His early numbers raise questions about whether the team may draft another quarterback in 2027.

Penix says he hopes to play next week after rib injury

Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix Jr. left the Falcons’ overtime loss to Baltimore with a rib injury. He said he hopes to return next week, but further tests are planned.

Entertainment

Van Gogh painting unseen in public for 60 years goes on display in Hong Kong

Hundreds queued in Hong Kong to see Van Gogh’s 1890 painting “Chestnut Trees in Blossom,” ahead of a New York auction on November 18 where it is expected to fetch about $180 million.

“This is a moment of extraordinary optimism, frenetic energy, enthusiasm, passion, and colour in the artist's body of work”
Scott NiichelSotheby’s modern and contemporary art department in New York

Renata de Almeida’s book looks back on São Paulo’s film festival

Renata de Almeida’s memoir recounts her life with the São Paulo International Film Festival, from its early challenges to encounters with filmmakers from around the world.

Jacob Tierney’s Book Offers a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Heated Rivalry

The creator of Heated Rivalry has released a collection of annotated scripts and behind-the-scenes material, and discussed how he adapted the hockey romance for television.

Reece Weaver Extends Her Broadway Run in Chicago Through Nov. 15

Reece Weaver will play Roxie Hart in Broadway’s Chicago for two more weeks, through Nov. 15. She will also join the musical’s 30th-anniversary celebration on Nov. 16.

Sacha Baron Cohen to star in Tarantino’s first play in London

Cohen will lead The Popinjay Cavalier, a comedy written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It opens at London’s Phoenix Theatre on March 18, 2027, after previews begin February 23.

Prado opens first exhibition of artist Ricardo de Madrazo's work

Madrid’s Prado Museum has opened an exhibition of drawings, watercolors and personal documents by Ricardo de Madrazo, long overshadowed by his famous artistic family. It runs until January 17, 2027.

‘Hétero Sigilo’ uses a personal attack to examine gay concealment and masculinity

In a one-man show, Brazilian actor Bernardo Dugin draws on a homophobic attack in Nova Friburgo to explore hiding one’s sexuality and the pressures of masculinity.

Brazilian actor Bernardo Dugin performs a one-man show about hiding his sexuality in “Hétero Sigilo.”

The show grew from a 2023 incident in Nova Friburgo, where a priest made homophobic remarks about Dugin and his partner during a church service.

That attack prompts a wider account of Dugin’s childhood in religious schools and the silence he used to protect himself.

The performance also mocks gay men’s dating-app language and the pressure to appear conventionally masculine.

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Xosé López García wins Galicia’s 2027 Diego Bernal journalism prize

The Association of Journalists of Galicia unanimously chose Xosé López García for the 2027 prize, citing his nearly five decades in journalism, teaching and research.

López began coordinating the Novos medios research group.

The University of Santiago de Compostela awarded López one of its Insignias Fonseca.

López taught his final class at the university, according to El Correo Gallego.

The Association of Journalists of Galicia announced that its board had unanimously awarded López the 2027 Diego Bernal prize.

Robert Zandvliet moves from everyday objects to large nature paintings

Robert Zandvliet first became known for paintings that captured everyday objects. He now paints nature on very large canvases.

Artist
Robert Zandvliet
Earlier subjects
Everyday objects, including a hairpin and chocolate
Current subject
Nature
Work
Stage of Being II

Vari Caramés wins Spain’s 2026 National Photography Award

The Spanish Culture Ministry has awarded photographer Vari Caramés the 2026 National Photography Award and its €30,000 prize, recognizing his contribution to artistic photography and Galician culture.

Kolkata paints roads with alpona designs ahead of Durga Puja

Kolkata’s roads and crossings are being decorated with traditional alpona designs as part of a city beautification drive ahead of Durga Puja.

Health

Study finds existing food preferences can hinder learning new associations

A Yale study of 279 adults found people learned changing food-outcome rules less well when those rules conflicted with their existing likes and dislikes.

“Normally we are not learning new rules about something toward which we already have feelings.”
Alex RichFormer graduate student in Ifat Levy’s lab and current MIT researcher

Olive oil before glucose reduced blood sugar spikes in mice

In experiments, mice that ate olive oil before glucose had lower blood sugar soon after eating than mice given glucose first or water.

Small study links carrot juice to changes in colon polyp tissue

In a small Danish study, 15 people with advanced colon polyps drank 100 mL of carrot juice daily for three weeks. Researchers found changes in cancer- and inflammation-related signals, but no evidence yet that the juice prevents or treats cancer.

Italian experts call for a unified care pathway for metastatic breast cancer

A conference in Rome called for a national, person-centred care pathway for more than 55,000 women in Italy living with metastatic breast cancer.

Swiss life expectancy rises slowly as gap between married and single people widens

Swiss life expectancy continues to rise, but more slowly than before. At age 65, married people can expect to live several years longer than single people.

UK stroke rates are rising faster among Black African and Caribbean people

Research cited by a BBC programme found strokes are increasing faster among Black African and Black Caribbean people in the UK than among white people, mainly because of high blood pressure.

Epilepsy Drug Shows Promise for Osteoarthritis in Early Tests

Yale researchers found that lacosamide reduced pain and supported cartilage repair in mouse tests and human cartilage cells. The drug still needs testing in people with osteoarthritis.

Yale researchers found that lacosamide may help treat osteoarthritis, a condition in which joint cartilage wears away.

Current treatments can ease pain, but do not repair the cartilage; severe cases may require joint replacement surgery.

In tests using mice and human cartilage cells in the lab, lacosamide slowed cartilage damage, encouraged repair and reduced pain.

The drug blocks Nav1.7, a protein involved in pain signals and the balance between cartilage breakdown and repair.

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Pope Leo XIV to have lung nodule removed in surgery this week

Pope Leo XIV says doctors found a small, early-stage lung nodule and recommended surgery. The Vatican expects him to stay in hospital for about a week.

A lung nodule was detected.

Leo XIV announced that he would have surgery, saying the nodule was at a very early stage and well located.

The surgery is planned at Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

The Holy See expects the pope to stay in hospital for about a week.

Intestinal gases may offer clues about gut health

Gut microbes produce gases as they break down indigestible food. Research suggests these gases may affect digestion and offer clues about gastrointestinal health.

Breath-test study
3,004 participants with gastrointestinal symptoms
Gases measured
Hydrogen, methane and hydrogen sulphide
Hydrogen
May influence gut motility and shorten transit time in experimental models
Methane
Has been shown to slow gut motility and increase transit time

Studies differ on whether sperm counts are falling worldwide

A 2022 global analysis estimated large declines in sperm concentration and total count, while a 2025 review of US studies found no overall change in its initial analysis.

2022 global analysis 2025 review of American men

Overall trend

Estimated average sperm concentration fell 51.6% and total sperm count fell 62.3% between 1973 and 2018.

Found no overall change in sperm concentration in its initial analysis of samples collected from 1970 through 2018.

Adjusted findings

Not stated.

After adjustments for geographic region and fertility status, found a modest annual decline.

Scope

Combined 223 studies involving more than 57,000 men from 53 countries.

Covered 58 studies involving 11,787 American men without known infertility issues.

Early studies suggest soup may ease respiratory infection symptoms

A review of four studies found people who ate soup sometimes had milder symptoms and recovered up to 2.5 days sooner. Researchers say the evidence is still limited.