ROOMIER PLANE SEATS
Two Democratic senators are pushing for legislation to change the Federal Aviation Administration's standards around seat sizing and spacing on aircrafts. Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Tammy Baldwin have introduced a new bill, which would also require the FAA to set new standards for aircraft evacuations that are more realistic in case of emergencies. The agency currently requires passengers to be able to evacuate within 90 seconds of an emergency. Advocates worry this may not be enough time given the cramped conditions.
BRAIN STUDY
It turns out the shape and size of our brains could have a lot to do with how our brains actually function. A new study published in the journal Nature challenges the idea that our thoughts, behavior and feelings are based on interconnected neurons communicating with each other. The study doesn't dispute the theory but found that the unique shapes and curves in each of our brains impact our thoughts and behavior. One of the researchers compares the brain to a pond saying the shape of a pond affects the waves and ripples created by a pebble. The study's lead author said the findings offer new opportunities to understand the effects of diseases such as dementia and stroke.
The Justice Department has secured a $9 million settlement with Ameris Bank over allegations that it avoided underwriting mortgages in predominately Black and Latino communities in Jacksonville, Florida, and discouraged people there from getting home loans.
Israel pounded the Gaza Strip with airstrikes on Thursday, including in the south where Palestinians were told to take refuge, and the country's defense minister told ground troops to “be ready” to invade, though he didn’t say when.
Addressing the nation from the Oval Office, President Joe Biden has made his case for major U.S. backing of Ukraine and Israel in a time of war.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Thursday that inflation remains too high and that bringing it down to the Fed's target level will likely require a slower-growing economy and job market.
According to a new survey from the Federal Reserve, income inequality grew during the pandemic.
Cheddar News checks in with your coast-to-coast weather forecast for Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.
The suspect accused of orchestrating the killing of iconic rapper Tupac Shakur will be arraigned Thursday on a murder charge. Duane Davis is expected to plead not guilty to murder with the use of a deadly weapon.
Authorities say a U.S. marine was killed Wednesday night in an incident at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
A Russian-American journalist working for a U.S. government-funded media company has been detained in Russia and charged with failing to register as a “foreign agent,” her employer said Thursday.
Lawyer Sidney Powell pleaded guilty to reduced charges Thursday over efforts to overturn Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 election in Georgia, becoming the second defendant in the sprawling case to reach a deal with prosecutors.
