Trump cancels rallies in Kansas and Iowa, opting for telerallies to reach more voters, RNC says
ROCK HILL, S.C. (AP) — President Donald Trump has canceled weekend rallies in Iowa and Kansas, opting instead to do telerallies with GOP candidates. His party said the telerallies could reach more voters in nearly two dozen states in the final days of a midterm election that could cost the GOP control of Congress. Earlier Thursday, the president traveled to South Carolina for the second time in a month, a sign of Republican anxiety about Darline Graham’s ability to fend off a robust challenge from Democrat Annie Andrews for a critical U.S. Senate seat. The Republican National Committee says Trump telerallies are planned for nearly 20 states, and more may be announced.
Netanyahu’s party claims election 'stolen' as results show him losing majority
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his party have amplified claims that the country's election was “stolen” by Arab-led parties. Final results confirmed on Thursday that Netanyahu's bloc has lost its majority in parliament. The opposition accuses Netanyahu of demonizing the Arab population after a strong showing by Arab-led parties. If the opposition teams up with those parties in a rare and politically risky move, they could form the next government. The elections committee has asked the Shin Bet intelligence service to investigate alleged election interference by unspecified “foreign entities.” Netanyahu's Likud party targeted Arab-led parties even before the vote, despite lacking specific evidence.
Patrick Stewart, legendary actor of ‘Star Trek’ and 'X-Men' fame, dies at 86
Patrick Stewart, the classically trained stage actor who scaled the Shakespearean canon and added gravitas to a “Star Trek” franchise and the “X-Men” films, has died. He was 86. A spokesperson said Stewart died Wednesday in Los Angeles, following “a brief and poignant journey” with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy Body Dementia. Stewart was best known as Professor Charles Xavier from the “X-Men” and Captain Jean-Luc Picard from “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” but he spent more of his career onstage than in the X-Mansion or on the USS Enterprise.
Strong growth and inflation paints mixed picture of economy days before midterm elections
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy posted strong growth in the July-September quarter yet inflation remained stubbornly high last month, government reports showed Thursday, painting a mixed picture less than a week before midterm elections in which the uncomfortably high cost of living has become a central issue. Strong consumer spending and soaring investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure were the key drivers of growth in the third quarter. Whenever unemployment is low, like now, consumers often spend at a healthy clip, and wealthier consumers are increasingly spending the fruits of their stock market gains. Yet economists worry that persistently high prices are eroding Americans’ ability to keep spending.
Peltola denies knowing about Alaska spoiler candidate as Justice Department escalates investigation
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola denies that she knew anything about an effort to put another candidate on the Alaska ballot with the same name as the Republican incumbent. Peltola told voters in Juneau Thursday night that she "knew nothing about any other candidate on the ballot except for me and the incumbent.” Peltola is running against Sen. Dan Sullivan. A person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that subpoenas seeking grand jury testimony or documents, along with records preservation demands, were issued after The New York Times reported that Peltola’s campaign appeared to be involved in recruiting Dan J. Sullivan Jr. as part an alleged effort to confuse voters.
El-Sayed and Stevens to make rare joint appearance as Democrats seek unity in Michigan Senate race
DETROIT (AP) — Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed will campaign in Detroit alongside former primary rival Rep. Haley Stevens. This marks their first public appearance together in months. They will be joined by South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn at a get-out-the-vote event. Democrats have struggled to unite behind El-Sayed after he narrowly defeated Stevens in the primary. Tensions rose when Stevens' fiancé said this week he would vote for Republican Mike Rogers. Stevens later confirmed her support for El-Sayed but urged his campaign to address concerns.
Spain reckons with second deadly train crash of the year ahead of national election
URDA, Spain (AP) — Spain faces fresh concerns about rail safety after a second high-speed train crash this year killed 69 people. Search teams using sniffer dogs continued to look for victims on Thursday morning a day after the collision in central Spain. One more body was found overnight. The collision Wednesday involved a RENFE train striking a stationary IRYO train in Toledo. This crash comes just weeks before a national election, adding pressure on Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government. Spain's transport minister said human error caused the latest crash. Unions pushed back against the minister. Three days of national mourning started Thursday.
Man pleads guilty to federal hate crimes in deadly firebomb attack on Colorado demonstrators
DENVER (AP) — An Egyptian man has pleaded guilty to federal hate crime and other charges for a deadly firebombing attack on demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado, last year. Mohamed Soliman is already serving life in prison after pleading guilty to state charges last spring. Prosecutors on Thursday accuse Soliman of carrying out the June 1, 2025, attack on the demonstrators because they were Jewish. The demonstrators were marching in support of hostages taken in the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel when Soliman lit and threw two Molotov cocktails. The attack killed one person and injured a dozen others. Soliman is scheduled to be sentenced in January.
DoorDash offers $17 billion for Instacart in what would be a big consolidation for grocery delivery
DoorDash is offering $17 billion to buy Instacart to supercharge its grocery delivery business in what would be a big consolidation in grocery delivery. DoorDash said the Instacart brand name and app will remain, and Instacart shoppers can continue fulfilling orders for Instacart. Instacart customers will now have access to 50,000 additional stores covered by DoorDash. Instacart, founded in 2012, specializes in grocery and convenience store delivery in the U.S. and Canada. DoorDash was founded a year later as a restaurant delivery business but expanded to grocery delivery in 2020.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico ask court to make Trump access order permanent
Three news outlets are telling a federal court that the White House is defying a judge's orders by refusing to let them return to covering President Donald Trump. CNN, MS NOW, and Politico say the president is retaliating against them for reports he dislikes. A judge previously ordered the administration to cancel its ban on the outlets. The outlets' attorney says the White House continues to block reporters from covering Trump in key locations. The filing asks the court to make previous orders permanent. The news organizations argue that the president is practicing “viewpoint discrimination” forbidden by the First Amendment.
