Level Headlines

Level Headlines with Dominick Wernicke and Tarah Wernicke: the news on the level. Thursday quick-hit edition, about five minutes.

The AP, NBC News, Fox News and CBS project Democrats will control both the House and the Senate when the new Congress meets in January. Democrats have at least 54 Senate seats, with two races still too close to call: in Mississippi, Democrat Scott Colom leads Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by about 1,100 votes (counties certify by Nov. 13), and in Alaska, Mary Peltola leads Sen. Dan Sullivan by a few hundred votes, with ranked-choice results due Nov. 18. CBS estimates House Democrats could land between about 251 and 268 seats, a range that can still move.

Speaker Mike Johnson will not seek to stay on as the top House Republican; he keeps his Louisiana seat. Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan are both seeking the minority leader job, with a vote planned Nov. 10.

Also: day four of rescue work at Komyshuvakha in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, where 43 bodies have been recovered and about 33 people may still be trapped; U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi remain set for Nov. 10-11; and Tehran calls the U.S. reply to its Hormuz plan "unconvincing" as President Trump tells the Financial Times he has no immediate plan for new strikes.

In Setting It Level: the post saying Chili's customers got chemical burns after a margarita mix-up. Our rating: TRUE. Health officials say an employee at a Chili's in Forest City, North Carolina, mistook an unlabeled degreasing chemical for sugar; three customers and two workers were hurt, and the restaurant's permit was suspended, then reinstated after a cleanup.

New members get their first seven days free: https://levelheadlines.com/members

Chapters:
0:00 Cold open and intro
0:32 Congress: what's settled and what isn't (Mississippi, Alaska, House range)
1:36 Mike Johnson steps aside
2:03 Ukraine: Komyshuvakha and Abu Dhabi talks
2:33 One line on Iran
2:55 Setting It Level: Chili's margarita chemical burns (True)
3:47 Free trial
4:10 Check a post and close

Sources (AP, NPR, CBS News, Al Jazeera, AFP, Axios, NBC News, Fox News, Ukrainska Pravda, WLOS) and the full daily brief: https://levelheadlines.com/briefs/2026-11-05/

Episodes and daily brief: https://levelheadlines.com
Check a post or screenshot: https://levelheadlines.com/check
Corrections: https://levelheadlines.com/contact

Facts first, then how each side sees it. Music: original, code-generated for Level Headlines. AI use: research summaries and transcript cleanup only; the voices are the hosts'.

Level Headlines with Dominick Wernicke and Tarah Wernicke: the news on the level. Tuesday quick-hit edition.It's Election Day. Every House seat and 35 Senate seats are on the ballot, NPR reports more than 59 million ballots were cast before today, and the first polls close at 6 p.m. Eastern (3 p.m. Pacific) in parts of Indiana and Kentucky. In close races the count can take days, and a slow count is normal. If you're in line when polls close, stay in line.Also: the Supreme Court's unsigned order rejecting the administration's request to set aside ballots from about 20,000 Californians it flagged as likely noncitizens, what a U.S. official called limited "defensive strikes" on Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz, and the Russian strike on an aid site and shelter in Komyshuvakha, Ukraine. (Update since recording: we said at least 31 killed, per AP. AFP now reports Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, saying 33 were killed and more than 50 people may still be trapped.)In Setting It Level: the post saying bagged lettuce stays crisp for up to 16 days because of a "chemical bath." Our rating: Missing Context. Processors do wash cut greens in chlorinated water, but that's to cut down on germs; cold storage and packaging that controls the air in the bag are what keep it crisp, according to the FDA and USDA's Agricultural Research Service.New members get their first seven days free: https://levelheadlines.com/membersChapters:0:00 Cold open and intro0:30 Election Day: what's on the ballot and when polls close1:17 Supreme Court and California ballots1:59 U.S. strikes near the Strait of Hormuz2:27 Russian strike on an aid site in Ukraine3:03 Setting It Level: bagged lettuce "chemical bath" (Missing Context)4:01 Free trial, checking a post and what's nextSources:- NPR, Nov. 3: https://www.npr.org/2026/11/03/nx-s1-5992757/election-day-live-updates-key-races- The Washington Post, Nov. 3 (poll closing times): https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2026/11/03/polls-close-state-key-races-watch/- Al Jazeera via The Daily Take roundup, Nov. 2 (435 House / 35 Senate seats): https://dailytake.ca/2026/11/02/- AP, Nov. 2 (Supreme Court, California ballots): https://apnews.com/article/midterm-elections-immigration-voter-fraud-trump-48998968a23a4af2f59eaea3dba4d2f3- SCOTUSblog, Nov. 2: https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/11/trump-administration-asks-supreme-court-to-intervene-in-california-ballots-dispute/- CBS News, Nov. 2: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-rejects-trump-california-mail-ballots-alleged-noncitizens/- NBC News, Nov. 2: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/rejects-trump-effort-target-alleged-noncitizen-voters-california-midte-rcna606607- AP, Nov. 2 (Strait of Hormuz strikes): https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-trump-netanyahu-israel-war-b4519ef86bafe2672e0855d7a48ce309- AP, Nov. 2 (Komyshuvakha strike): https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-cyberattacks-emergency-apps-717372f7bbf4e8a805bc918f06f9730f- AP, Nov. 3 (toll rises to 31): https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-humanitarian-attack-drones-power-264da8725dc2bb1f0039a698a59af9fc- AFP, Nov. 3: https://www.afp.com/en/ukraine-says-russian-strikes-dash-peace-hopes-after-26-killed- FDA, cut leafy greens temperature control: https://www.fda.gov/food/retail-food-industryregulatory-assistance-training/program-information-manual-retail-food-protection-recommendations-temperature-control-cut-leafy- USDA ARS, "Safer salad in the bag": https://www.ars.usda.gov/news-events/news/research-news/1999/safer-salad-in-the-bag/Links:- Episodes and daily brief: https://levelheadlines.com- Check a post or screenshot: https://levelheadlines.com/check- Corrections: https://levelheadlines.com/contactFacts first, then how each side sees it. Music: original, code-generated for Level Headlines. AI use: research summaries and transcript cleanup only; the voices are the hosts'.

Level Headlines with Dominick Wernicke and Tarah Wernicke: the news on the level. Monday full-length edition.Two days before the election, a Democrat in Michigan endorsed the Republican. Rep. Haley Stevens, who lost the August Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed, was uninvited from a Sunday church event with him, went to a different Detroit church with Republican Mike Rogers, and endorsed him. We look at how the left (NPR, CNN), the right (Fox News) and the wires (AP, NBC News) covered it, and where they agree.Also: a federal judge dismisses the Justice Department's lawsuit over Alaska's "second Dan Sullivan," the limited truce in Ukraine's Kherson region, ACA open enrollment and higher marketplace prices, $15 billion in farm aid promises, Iran's talks through mediators, Halloween weekend mass shootings, protests in Europe, and the New York City Marathon.In Setting It Level: the post saying Walmart now sells milk made without a cow for $3.59. Our rating: True. Walmart lists Strive "Freemilk" (32 oz) at $3.59; its whey protein is made by Perfect Day through fermentation with the fungus Trichoderma reesei, and the FDA had no questions about the company's safety conclusion.New members get their first seven days free: https://levelheadlines.com/membersChapters:0:00 Cold open and intro0:31 Top story: a Michigan Democrat endorses the Republican3:13 Setting It Level: Walmart's cow-free milk (True)4:14 Rapid round: Alaska, Ukraine, ACA, farmers, Iran, shootings, Europe, NYC Marathon6:17 Free trial, checking a post and where to find us7:09 What we don't know yet, corrections and outroSources:- NPR, Nov. 1: https://www.npr.org/2026/11/01/nx-s1-6020993/michigan-senate-race-abdul-el-sayed-haley-stevens-mike-rogers- CNN live coverage, Nov. 1: https://www.cnn.com/2026/11/01/politics/live-news/midterm-election-congress- Fox News, Nov. 1: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/haley-stevens-appears-alongside-gop-rival-mike-rogers-detroit-church- AP (via WPXI), Nov. 1: https://www.wpxi.com/news/politics/michigan-democrats/KUH7IQVCJM4BTOBH5IC7HQM4FA/- NBC News, Nov. 1: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/haley-stevens-endorses-gop-mike-rogers-michigan-senate-race-el-sayed-rcna606831- AP News in Brief (via 10TV; Alaska, Kherson, ACA, farmers, Iran, shootings, Europe, NYC Marathon): https://www.10tv.com/article/syndication/associatedpress/ap-news-in-brief-at-1204-am-edt/616-cae2137e-ab2d-48bc-ba12-8b2235f24ef7- Anchorage Gazette, Alaska ruling: https://anchoragegazette.com/article/judge-dismisses-federal-lawsuit-challenging-alaska-senate-race-certification/- Election Law Blog, Alaska ruling: https://electionlawblog.org/2026/breaking-federal-district-court-dismisses-action-from-federal-government-seeking-to-block-certification-and-segregate-ballots-in-alaska-u-s-senate-race-if-dan-sullivan-loses-next-stop-ninth-circu/- DW, Kherson/Oleshky truce: https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-six-day-localized-ceasefire-in-oleshky-comes-to-end/live-79815409- Walmart.com, Strive Freemilk listing: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Freemilk-White/5092391092- Perfect Day, Strive Freemilk launch: https://perfectday.com/newsroom/strive-nutrition-launches-the-first-full-line-of-sustainable-milk-alternatives-enriched-with-perfect-day-animal-free-whey-protein/- FDA, GRAS Notice GRN 863 response letter: https://www.fda.gov/media/136751/download- Daily brief, Nov. 2: https://levelheadlines.com/briefs/2026-11-02/Links:- Episodes and daily brief: https://levelheadlines.com- Check a post or screenshot: https://levelheadlines.com/check- Corrections: https://levelheadlines.com/contactFacts first, then how each side sees it. Music: original, code-generated for Level Headlines. AI use: research summaries and transcript cleanup only; the voices are the hosts'.

Level Headlines with Dominick Wernicke and Tarah Wernicke: the news on the level. Friday full-length edition.The last big economic report card before Tuesday's midterms: the Commerce Department says the U.S. economy grew at a 3.4% annual rate in July through September, beating the 3.2% economists polled by Reuters expected. The same morning, the Fed's favorite inflation gauge rose to 3.6%, and the savings rate fell to 3.8%, the lowest in nearly four years. We look at how the left (CNN, NPR), the right (Fox News, Fox Business) and the wires (AP, Reuters) covered it, and where they agree.Also: final results in Israel's election, the latest on Spain's train crash, a truce in Oleshky, Ukraine, the "second Dan Sullivan" allegations in Alaska, Flávio Bolsonaro's "president-elect" letter, Alphabet's worst day ever, and remembering Patrick Stewart.In Setting It Level: the meme saying Breyers Cookies & Cream isn't actually ice cream. Our rating: True. It's labeled "frozen dairy dessert," because it doesn't meet the FDA's 10% milkfat standard for ice cream.New members get their first seven days free: https://levelheadlines.com/membersChapters:0:00 Cold open and intro0:29 Top story: growth up, prices up3:04 Setting It Level: is Breyers Cookies & Cream ice cream? (True)4:13 Rapid round: Israel, Spain, Ukraine, Alaska, Brazil, markets, Patrick Stewart6:44 Free trial, checking a post and where to find us7:41 What we don't know yet, corrections and outroSources:- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, GDP advance estimate, Q3 2026: https://www.bea.gov/news/2026/gdp-advance-estimate-3rd-quarter-2026- AP, Oct. 29: https://apnews.com/article/economy-gdp-ca48d86b723cc52fe14d142ee033316a- AP (via SCMP), Oct. 29: https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3372628/us-economy-grows-faster-expected-34-3q-driven-consumers-ai-investment- CNN (via KESQ), Oct. 29: https://kesq.com/money/cnn-business-consumer/2026/10/29/last-snapshot-of-the-us-economy-before-midterms-shows-stronger-growth-but-higher-inflation/- AP, inflation: https://apnews.com/article/consumer-prices-inflation-gasoline-energy-trump-c32cfa8b85ae53ceb7b1cc557d3b7400- Fox News post (via hannity.com embed): https://hannity.com/media-room/trump-economy-roars-q3-gdp-grows-3-4-beating-forecasts-days-before-2026-midterms/- Fox Business: https://www.fox.com/watch/clip/fmc-dar4bo17jpniopiq/u-s-gdp-grows-at-3-4-in-q3-beating-expectations- NPR, Oct. 29: https://www.npr.org/2026/10/29/nx-s1-6021008/economy-gdp-inflation-midterms-voters-affordability- AP news summary (Israel, Spain, Ukraine): https://www.dailyrecordnews.com/ap_news/us/ap-news-summary-at-6-45-a-m-edt/article_ce33e190-43d3-5d27-847f-a122fa12310d.html- The Times of Israel: https://www.timesofisrael.com/election-committee-director-rejects-claims-of-widespread-fraud-as-baseless/- Reuters world news summary (Ukraine, Brazil): https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/international/3999256-reuters-world-news-summary- AP news summary (Alaska): https://www.dailyrecordnews.com/ap_news/us/ap-news-summary-at-10-29-a-m-edt/article_fb03c109-11a0-525f-8de0-49e06fb02673.html- CNBC, Oct. 29: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/29/alphabet-google-microsoft-msft-shares-today-earnings.html- AP, markets: https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-ai-oil-fed-1b5c71d31b4ce1e46b0db47b33141f6b- AP, Patrick Stewart: https://apnews.com/article/patrick-stewart-dies-8b38054ff74d4187a32158d78e345ad7(Full source list in the YouTube description.)Links:- Episodes and daily brief: https://levelheadlines.com- Check a post or screenshot: https://levelheadlines.com/check- Corrections: https://levelheadlines.com/contactFacts first, then how each side sees it. Music: original, code-generated for Level Headlines. AI use: research summaries and transcript cleanup only; the voices are the hosts'.

Level Headlines with Dominick Wernicke and Tarah Wernicke: the news on the level. Thursday quick-hit edition.

Israel's election is still undecided. With about 93% of ballots counted, the BBC reports Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc on track for 53 seats and Gadi Eisenkot's opposition bloc for 48; 61 of 120 are needed to govern. Arab-led parties are on course for 19 seats, and up to 480,000 absentee ballots, including soldiers' votes, are being counted. Netanyahu stays on as caretaker prime minister during coalition talks.

Also: a high-speed train crash south of Madrid that the regional leader says killed 69 people (officials call that number provisional), the Fed holding rates steady in a 10-2 vote, and Flávio Bolsonaro landing in Miami after losing Brazil's election.

In Setting It Level: the viral claim that Alo, Nike, Patagonia, The North Face and others are "now facing lawsuits" over BPA in their activewear. Our rating: Missing Context. The Prop 65 notices from the Center for Environmental Health are real, but they went out in 2022 and 2023 and are about missing warning labels, not proof that anyone was harmed.

New members get their first seven days free: https://levelheadlines.com/members

Chapters:
0:00 Cold open and intro
0:28 Israel's election: still no majority
1:27 Spain train crash, the Fed and Bolsonaro
3:01 Setting It Level: activewear BPA lawsuits (Missing Context)
4:02 Free trial, checking a post and outro

Sources:
- BBC News, Oct. 28–29: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cmdx3knq1xexo
- Reuters (via Arab News), Oct. 29: https://www.arabnews.com/middle-east/netanyahu-set-to-remain-caretaker-after-inconclusive-israeli-election-3008786
- The Times of Israel, Oct. 28: https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-vows-to-stick-with-far-right-partners-as-eisenkot-seeks-path-to-bring-change/
- ABC News (Australia), Oct. 29: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-29/herzog-netanyahu-israel-election/107321418
- BBC News, Oct. 28–29: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm8xz7pkd0jjo
- CNA (Reuters) · CBC (AP), Oct. 29: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/spanish-rescuers-search-victims-train-crash-death-toll-rises-69-6502846
- CNA (Reuters) · CBC (AP), Oct. 29: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/spain-search-questions-train-crash-9.7400725
- Federal Reserve statement · CNBC, Oct. 28: https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20261028a.htm
- Federal Reserve statement · CNBC, Oct. 28: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/28/fed-interest-rate-decision-october-2026.html
- AP, Oct. 28: https://apnews.com/article/inflation-warsh-interest-rates-federal-reserve-c06793b0c50641444701d5d098ccc2c8
- NBC News (Reuters/AP) · AP, Oct. 28: https://www.nbcnews.com/world/brazil/flavio-bolsonaro-arrives-miami-election-defeat-rcna606099
- NBC News (Reuters/AP) · AP, Oct. 28: https://apnews.com/article/brazil-election-flavio-bolsonaro-ecuador-argentina-9fc1f409ed993403736dbae07bd74bd8
- BBC News, Oct. 28: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6kglwe4lxwzo
- Center for Environmental Health · California AG Prop 65 notices: https://ceh.org/latest/press-releases/new-testing-shows-high-levels-of-bpa-in-sports-bras-and-athletic-shirts/
- Center for Environmental Health · California AG Prop 65 notices: https://oag.ca.gov/prop65/60-day-notice-2023-01319
- Center for Environmental Health · California AG Prop 65 notices: https://oag.ca.gov/prop65/60-day-notice-2023-01853

Links:
- Episodes and daily brief: https://levelheadlines.com
- Check a post or screenshot: https://levelheadlines.com/check
- Corrections: https://levelheadlines.com/contact

Facts first, then how each side sees it. Music: original, code-generated for Level Headlines. AI use: research summaries and transcript cleanup only; the voices are the hosts'.

Level Headlines with Dominick Wernicke and Tarah Wernicke: the news on the level.

Israel's election ends with no majority for either bloc. With about 85% counted, the Central Elections Committee has Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc at 53 seats, Gadi Eisenkot's bloc at 48 and Arab parties at 19, a historic high; 61 are needed to govern. Turnout was 77.7%, up from about 71% in 2022, and about 600,000 special ballots, mostly soldiers', are still being counted. We compare how The Guardian, Fox News and the AP covered it.

Just the Facts: a local ceasefire around Oleshky, Ukraine; reports that Flávio Bolsonaro has left Brazil for the U.S.; a Qatari draft deal for Iran (per one official briefed on the talks); Houthi missiles aimed at Riyadh; Ebola in DR Congo; record midterm ad spending; the Supreme Court on immigration judges; and U.S.-Canada trade talks.

In Setting It Level: the viral claim that rainwater is no longer safe to drink anywhere in the world. Our rating: Missing Context. A real 2022 study found PFAS in rain above the latest U.S. EPA advisories, but those advisory levels dropped sharply over about 20 years, and rainwater levels have stayed roughly the same since the early 2000s.

New members get their first seven days free: https://levelheadlines.com/members

Chapters:

0:00 Cold open and intro

0:28 Israel's election: no majority for either bloc

3:00 Setting It Level: "rainwater isn't safe to drink" (Missing Context)

4:16 Just the Facts

6:13 Membership and checking a post

7:07 What we don't know yet, corrections and outro

Sources:

- The Times of Israel, live blog (partial count): https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-october-28-2026/

- i24NEWS, live results and turnout: https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/politics/artc-israeli-mk-eitan-ginzburg-b

- AP, Israel election: https://apnews.com/article/israel-election-netanyahu-eisenkot-latest-782c69f4a5389da8073b1c27aafa606f

- Xinhua, world roundup Oct. 28: https://english.news.cn/20261028/0e9e573e5d7745a583910364241c9a9f/c.html

- The Guardian, Israel coalition talks: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/28/israel-election-exit-polls-suggest-netanyahu-eisenkot-blocs-tied-ntwnfb

- Fox News, Netanyahu defies exit polls: https://www.foxnews.com/world/netanyahu-defies-exit-polls-vote-shifts-his-favor-majority-remains-elusive

- Fox News, record turnout: https://www.foxnews.com/world/israelis-vote-record-numbers-first-national-election-since-oct-7-hamas-massacre

- AP news summary (Oleshky, Bolsonaro, Supreme Court): https://www.dailyrecordnews.com/ap_news/us/ap-news-summary-at-3-49-p-m-edt/article_242080c2-deb0-5337-946b-ae1db65c3253.html

- Reuters world news summary (via Devdiscourse): https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/international/3998366-reuters-world-news-summary

- Reuters via Al-Monitor, Qatar draft deal: https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/10/qatari-mediators-present-iran-new-deal-end-war-official-says

- World Watch digest, Oct. 28: https://worldwatch.media/en/digest/2026-10-28

- AP, midterm ad spending and Texas: https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-texas-talarico-paxton-venezuela-2f949ea7aa0f34757f8efab3f78b700d

- Reuters (via StreetInsider), Canada trade talks: https://www.streetinsider.com/Reuters/Morning%2BBid

- Stockholm University, PFAS in rain: https://www.su.se/english/news/articles/2022-08-19-its-raining-pfas-even-in-antarctica-and-on-the-tibetan-plateau-rainwater-is-unsafe-to-drink

- Environmental Science & Technology study (PMC): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9387091/

Links:

- Episodes and daily brief: https://levelheadlines.com

- Check a post or screenshot: https://levelheadlines.com/check

- Corrections: https://levelheadlines.com/contact

Facts first, then how each side sees it. Music: original, code-generated for Level Headlines. AI use: research summaries and transcript cleanup only; the voices are the hosts'.

The Quick Hit Edition with Dominick Wernicke and Tarah Wernicke: the news on the level in about five minutes.

Israel votes in its first national election since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack. The Central Elections Committee says almost 45% of voters had cast ballots by 2 p.m., which AP says is the highest turnout by that hour in 50 years. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, and polls show neither bloc reaching the 61 seats needed to govern. Exit polls come tonight; official results are due by Nov. 4.

New members get their first seven days free: https://levelheadlines.com/members

In Setting It Level: the viral claim that plant-based burgers use binders found in laxatives and wallpaper paste. Our rating: Missing Context. The ingredient, methylcellulose, is real, but the FDA lists it as generally recognized as safe and it's under 2% of the patty.

Also: a Brazil follow-up (Trump called the vote "another rigged election" without citing evidence, and Flávio Bolsonaro effectively conceded minutes later), the Justice Department's third case against former FBI Director James Comey (a charge filed by prosecutors, not a grand jury indictment), and Anthropic's filing to go public.

Chapters:0:00 Cold open and intro0:30 Israel votes with record turnout1:18 Brazil follow-up1:44 Comey charged a third time2:18 Anthropic files to go public2:48 Setting It Level: plant burgers and "wallpaper paste" (Missing Context)3:41 Membership, check a post, and outro

Sources:- AP, Israel turnout: https://apnews.com/article/israel-election-netanyahu-eisenkot-latest-782c69f4a5389da8073b1c27aafa606f- BBC, Israel election: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3j47l4kdez4o- Reuters, Israel results graphic: https://www.reuters.com/graphics/ISRAEL-ELECTION/RESULTS/akvelybkapr/- The Jerusalem Post, live updates: https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/2026-10-27/live-updates-912992- Israel election results page: https://thestateofisrael.com/election-2026/results- Reuters via Investing.com, Trump on Brazil: https://www.investing.com/news/world-news/trump-says-without-citing-evidence-that-brazil-election-looks-rigged-4973515- Politico, Trump on Brazil: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/26/trump-brazil-election-bolsonaro-rigged-01135566- The Washington Post, Bolsonaro concedes: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/10/26/brazilian-challenger-effectively-concedes-defeat-day-after-election/- AP, Lula's term: https://apnews.com/article/brazil-election-lula-bolsonaro-annul-contested-voting-0ef0b7b949fea74ff119c3f81453416b- NBC News, Comey: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/former-fbi-james-comey-charged-third-time-trump-national-security-rcna342963- BBC, Comey: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckly0xqjnlwvo- AP, Comey: https://apnews.com/article/comey-trump-fbi-director-prosecution-8479bdbf1bcdeeae313b453a3cd0c544- Anthropic S-1 (SEC): https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2130357/000162828026067168/anthropicpbc-sx1.htm- CNBC, Anthropic IPO: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/26/anthropic-ipo-live-updates-ai-s-1-filing.html- Euronews: https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/26- TODAY, plant burgers: https://www.today.com/food/do-impossible-beyond-meat-burgers-really-contain-laxatives-t173061- eCFR 21 CFR 182.1480 (FDA GRAS): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-182/subpart-B/section-182.1480- PubChem, methylcellulose: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Methylcellulose

Facts first, then how each side sees it. Music: original, code-generated for Level Headlines. AI use: research summaries and transcript cleanup only; the voices are the hosts'.

Links:- Episodes and daily brief: https://levelheadlines.com- Check a post or screenshot: https://levelheadlines.com/check- Corrections: https://levelheadlines.com/contact

Dominick Wernicke and Tarah Wernicke on two weekend elections with two upsets: Lula wins a fourth term in Brazil after losing the first round, and in Serbia, President Aleksandar Vučić concedes to a student-backed list.Our top story: with 100% counted, Brazil's electoral court has Lula at 51.79% to Senator Flávio Bolsonaro's 48.21%, a margin of about 4.4 million votes. We cover the last-minute two-hour voting extension, Bolsonaro's refusal to concede and his plan to ask for an annulment, the electoral court's response, and how outlets on the left, the right and the center covered it, plus where they agree and disagree.In Setting It Level, we check the viral claim that scientists have identified the likely cause of the largest honey bee die-off in U.S. history. Our rating is True. USDA researchers linked the collapse to viruses spread by Varroa mites, and nearly all the mites screened carried a marker for resistance to amitraz.Just the Facts covers:- Serbia: Vučić concedes; the Student List wins 52.54% and 139 of 250 seats.- Ukraine: talks among Ukraine, the U.S. and Russia are planned for the first half of November in Abu Dhabi.- Middle East: Saudi Arabia intercepts more Houthi missiles and drones; Riyadh's main airport reopens its terminals.- France: protest turnout of about 410,000 per the Interior Ministry, near 800,000 per the CGT union; housing marches in Portugal.- Venezuela: opposition leader María Corina Machado returns after 10 months abroad.- Weather: two storms cut power to more than 150,000 homes across northern Europe.We close with what we don't know yet: whether Bolsonaro formally files to annul the result, who will lead Serbia's new government, and the exact date of the Ukraine talks. What to watch: the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 3.Facts first, then how each side sees it. New episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Full episodes are free; members get extras, and new members get their first seven days free.Chapters:0:00 Cold open and intro0:31 Top story, side by side: Lula wins a fourth term in Brazil3:52 Setting It Level: the honey bee die-off claim (True)5:12 Just the Facts: Serbia, Ukraine, the Middle East, France, Venezuela and weather7:08 Check a post yourself, and membership8:02 What we don't know yet8:33 Corrections and outroLinks:- Daily brief and episodes: https://levelheadlines.com- Check a post or screenshot: https://levelheadlines.com/check- Membership (7-day free trial): https://levelheadlines.com/members- Corrections: https://levelheadlines.com/contactSources for every story are listed in the show notes and the daily brief at https://levelheadlines.comMusic: original, code-generated for Level Headlines.

Dominick Wernicke and Tarah Wernicke on the widening split between President Trump and Ukraine's President Zelensky, as Trump's envoy sits down with Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.

Our top story: Trump says Zelensky "doesn't know what he's talking about" and that it may be "time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine." Zelensky told U.S. senators some U.S. decisions are "hard to explain between friends," and Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the claim that Ukrainians were dying because the U.S. withheld intelligence "scandalous." We cover Tuesday's talks in Oslo, Steve Witkoff's arrival in St. Petersburg, and how outlets on the left, the right and the center covered it, plus where they agree and disagree.

In Setting It Level, we check a viral post claiming rubber shoes block the earth's "healing electrons" and that walking barefoot on grass for 20 minutes "destroys inflammation." Our rating is Misleading. The 2015 paper the post cites is a review, not a clinical trial. Its authors disclose ties to an earthing company, and most of the studies it covers were small and used grounding mats, not walks outside.

Just the Facts covers:
- Brent crude hits a five-month high, plus claimed Houthi attacks on Saudi energy sites and reported tanker mine strikes near the Strait of Hormuz.
- Yemen: the death toll from the Houthi attack on a government training camp rises to 58.
- Alberta voters choose to stay in Canada in a non-binding referendum, according to CBC News projections.
- Kenya: cult leader Paul Mackenzie is convicted on 191 murder counts.
- Gaza: the World Food Programme cuts aid by about a third.
- France: partial curfews after weekend protests.

We close with what we don't know yet: what comes out of Witkoff's meeting with Putin, whether a Trump–Putin–Xi meeting happens, and whether the Houthi attacks on Saudi oil sites happened as claimed.

Facts first, then how each side sees it. New episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Full episodes are free; members get extras.

Chapters:
0:00 Cold open and intro
0:29 Top story, side by side: Trump, Zelensky and the Ukraine talks
4:38 Setting It Level: the barefoot "grounding" claim (Misleading)
6:20 Just the Facts: oil, Yemen, Alberta, Kenya, Gaza and France
8:14 Check a post yourself, and membership
8:56 What we don't know yet
9:36 Corrections and outro

Links:
- Daily brief and episodes: https://levelheadlines.com
- Check a post or screenshot: https://levelheadlines.com/check
- Membership: https://levelheadlines.com/members
- Corrections: https://levelheadlines.com/contact

Sources for every story are listed in the show notes and the daily brief at https://levelheadlines.com

Music: original, code-generated for Level Headlines.

Tarah Wernicke is back in the chair with Dominick Wernicke.

Our top story: President Trump has put a new Russia sanctions law on hold, two days before it was set to kick in. The law gave the administration 30 days to impose 100% tariffs on the top five buyers of Russian crude, 500% tariffs on Russian goods and sanctions on Russian entities. Trump signed an executive order waiving them, which the law allows if the president certifies it's in the national interest. Secretary of State Marco Rubio calls it a 60-day pause. We lay out what's confirmed, how outlets on the left, the right and the center covered it, and where they agree and disagree.

In Setting It Level, we check a viral meme claiming a "UFO speech" in which Trump announces aliens have visited Earth for 1,000 years. Our rating is False. Government UFO files really are being released, but they contain no conclusive evidence of alien life, and we found no record of any such announcement or a planned speech.

Just the Facts covers:

- The deadly grass fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta.

- At least 2,400 arrests after protests turned into riots across France.

- Russia's overnight air attack on Ukraine and Ukraine's strike on St. Petersburg.

- The hack that exposed data on about 7 million California students.

We close with what we don't know yet: what the White House is getting from Russia, a possible Trump–Putin–Xi summit, and what caused the Alberta fire.

Facts first, then how each side sees it. New episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Full episodes are free; members get extras.

Chapters:

0:00 Cold open and intro

0:34 Top story, side by side: Trump waives the Russia sanctions law

4:32 Setting It Level: the "UFO speech" meme (False)

6:50 Just the Facts: Canada, France, Ukraine and California

8:31 Check a post yourself, and membership

9:16 What we don't know yet

10:08 Corrections and outro

Links:

- Daily brief and episodes: https://levelheadlines.com

- Check a post or screenshot: https://levelheadlines.com/check

- Membership: https://levelheadlines.com/members

- Corrections: https://levelheadlines.com/contact

Sources for every story are listed in the show notes and the daily brief at https://levelheadlines.com

Music: original, code-generated for Level Headlines.