THE BIG STORY

Boris Johnson has been forced to request a Brexit delay after MPs blocked a vote on his deal

It was the one thing the British prime minister said he would not do. No matter what, Boris Johnson said he would not go back to the European Union to extend the Brexit deadline beyond Oct. 31.

This weekend, he found himself asking for such an extension. The move came after Johnson’s government hustled for an 11th hour deal with the EU, and arranged a historic Saturday sitting of Parliament to get it approved.

At that sitting, a twist: MPs voted instead to approve an amendment that delays voting on the deal until after the approval of the withdrawal agreement bill actually required to enact it.

Johnson found himself in the unusual position of sending multiple letters to the EU — one formally requesting an extension, as he is required to do by law, and another asking the EU to hold off on granting the extension.

👉 This dramatic saga is taking its toll — MPs have been on the receiving end of abuse from protesters on both sides of the Brexit debate.

STAYING ON TOP OF THIS

Bernie Sanders returned to the campaign trail with AOC, a giant crowd, and a defiant campaign

On Oct. 2, Sen. Bernie Sanders had a heart attack. A little over two weeks later, he returned to the campaign trail in front of more than 25,000 of his supporters in New York City. It was the largest crowd for any campaign in the Democratic primary so far.

A defiant Sanders took the stage to AC/DC’s “Back in Black,” as his campaign sought to push back any talk of the candidate’s health or age. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York City representative and progressive icon, delivered a forceful endorsement.

Read Ruby Cramer’s report from a gigantic rally.

Kena Betancur / Getty Images

SNAPSHOTS

President Donald Trump was surprised people thought it was shady to host the G7 summit at his own resort. The decision had been criticized by Republicans as well as Democrats. The president said the US will host the summit at another site.

A black security guard was fired for telling a student not to call him the n-word. Last week, Marlon Anderson told a disruptive student not to call him the n-word, then was fired due to a zero-tolerance policy. After hundreds of students, teachers, and community members protested Anderson’s firing, the Wisconsin school district is reviewing its policy.

Johnson & Johnson is recalling 33,000 baby powder bottles after a sample turned up positive for asbestos. The company is facing a slew of lawsuits from women claiming the talcum products caused them to develop cancer.

Meghan Markle has spoken candidly about the pressures of being in the public eye. In an emotional interview with UK broadcaster ITV, the Duchess of Sussex spoke publicly for the first time about her struggles with intense media scrutiny following her wedding, pregnancy, and the birth of her first child.

PUSHED TO THE LIMIT

Massive protests in Lebanon were sparked by a WhatsApp tax

For some time, Lebanese people from various religious backgrounds have been furious over the crumbling state of Lebanon and what they say is cronyism at the highest levels of government.

Their anger boiled over on Thursday after Prime Minister Saad Hariri's government unveiled austerity measures that included a plan to place a $0.20 tax on calls made via WhatsApp.

It’s crucial to say: these protests weren’t just about the WhatsApp tax, only that the tax appeared to be the final trigger of building frustration. This weekend, demonstrators took to the streets to demand the resignation of the government over corruption and the state of the country's economy.

Even though the WhatsApp tax proposal was scrapped, protesters remained on the streets waving flags and chanting. In some instances, clashes have broken out with security personnel and demonstrators.

We’ve collected photos of the intense protests sweeping Lebanon.

Patrick Baz / Getty Images

SURROUNDED BY FAMILY

This bride had four grandmothers as flower girls and the photos are the cutest thing

Lyndsey Raby, from Tennessee, got married in September. For her wedding, she had five of her close friends as bridesmaids.

But when it came time to recruit flower girls, inspired by Pinterest, she went a different route: she asked her grandmothers if they would do the honor. Raby tapped her 90-year-old great-grandmother, her husband’s grandmother, and two of her own grandmothers to be the flower girls.

The results are the sweetest photos of Raby surrounded by the love of generations, and it is so, so sweet. Look:

I hope you're firmly rooted in your own gentle ways today,

Elamin