Supreme Court lets Trump administration use revamped federal voter eligibility database for now
NEW YORK (AP) — The Supreme Court on Friday lifted restrictions on a controversial federal voter database before November’s elections, granting President Donald Trump a temporary win in his aggressive campaign against noncitizen voting.
The court's three liberal-leaning justices publicly dissented from the decision.
The emergency order allows states, for now, to use the Trump administration's revamped version of a Department of Homeland Security program, called Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, in their efforts to verify the eligibility of voters on their rolls. It's a program that has drawn scrutiny for its use of voters' sensitive personal data and its tendency to wrongly flag some eligible voters as noncitizens.
States' use of the SAVE program is voluntary, limiting the ruling's impact on the midterm elections. Existing law also blocks most states from systematically purging voters from their rolls within 90 days of an election, said David Becker, an election law expert who leads the Center for Election Innovation and Research. He said DHS itself has admitted the data is not perfect.
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat who has refused to participate in the SAVE program, said the ruling will have no effect in her state because it “does not force states to change the way we run our elections.”
Xi says he'll see Trump again soon as he wraps up US visit with a look at the Constitution
WASHINGTON (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up his state visit to Washington on Friday by announcing that he will meet President Donald Trump two more times before the end of the year, doubling the number of face-to-face discussions between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies in 2026.
The promise of more meetings to come capped off a three-day state visit that has been criticized by some in the U.S. for being heavy on pomp and light on substance, though Trump said they discussed the war in Iran. The two leaders have made a show of working to preserve harmony, but there were no major breakthroughs this week on issues such as trade or the safety of artificial intelligence.
Some trade analysts were struck by how few tangible accomplishments seemed to come from the meeting. Little was announced outside of the promise of more meetings and Washington and Beijing agreeing as Xi landed in the U.S. to extend their trade truce only a few months until January.
“A lot of pomp and circumstance or sound and fury but signifying nothing. There’s just not a lot there,” said Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics at the Cato Institute.
“Another summit without tangible results merely allows China to run out the clock on Trump’s second term without significant concessions,” said Jeff Moon, a former U.S. trade official and diplomat in President Barack Obama's administration who runs the China Moon Strategies consultancy.
Iran proposes a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in 7 days if the US meets its conditions
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Iran has offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume talks on its nuclear program in seven days if the United States lifts its naval blockade of Iranian ports, waives sanctions on Iranian oil sales and observes a ceasefire that would include Lebanon.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi detailed the proposal to reporters outside the U.N. Security Council on Friday, saying it would also restart stalled talks with the U.S. on Iran's nuclear program.
“The seven-day timeline will start as soon as the United States accepts this plan,” he said.
Araghchi said initial steps would take about four to five days to complete, and the strait would be open on the sixth day. “And on day seven, the talks with the U.S. will be started for the final deal on mutually agreed subjects,” he said, referring to the nuclear program.
Iran's disruption of the strait — through which a fifth of the world's traded oil and gas transited before the war — has emerged as its main point of leverage. The effects have been felt far beyond the Middle East and posed political problems for President Donald Trump and his Republican Party ahead of November's midterm congressional elections.
Nor'easter to lash the East Coast with strong winds, flooding and heavy rain
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The powerful nor’easter headed to New England intensified Friday, generating storm-force winds and creating massive waves along the East Coast that forecasters warned could create dangerous conditions through the weekend.
Tens of millions of people are in the path of the storm, which has already canceled concerts and prompted people on islands near Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to head to the mainland in the days ahead of the nor’easter’s arrival. Dangerous flooding was expected along the Mid-Atlantic coast, particularly near New Jersey and Delaware starting Friday and heading into Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
“The heaviest rain is probably going to be from coastal Jersey, Long Island, up to Rhode Island, and eastern Massachusetts,” said Brian Hurley, senior national forecaster with NWS' Weather Prediction Center, adding that the storm was expected to weaken later Saturday.
A voluntary evacuation had been issued in some low-lying areas of Manasquan, a coastal New Jersey borough, while the governors of New Jersey and New York declared states of emergency in advance of the storm.
“We’re definitely seeing at the high end of moderate and maybe the low end of major flooding,” said Manasquan Mayor Mike Mangan. “That may not mean a lot to people, but that means there is going to be a lot of water in the streets for a long time.”
Hurricanes in the Pacific threaten Hawaii and Mexico with floods and high surf
HILO, Hawaii (AP) — People on Hawaii’s Big Island are preparing for another potentially life-threatening and catastrophic storm as Hurricane Nolo is expected to bring flash floods and extreme surf as it churns just south of the islands through the weekend.
Nolo was expected to strengthen to a major hurricane on Saturday. Its maximum sustained winds increased to 105 mph (165 kph) Friday. The storm’s center was located about 185 miles (300 kilometers) south of Hawaii’s southernmost point.
Forecasters warned parts of the Big Island could see rainfall totals up to 15 inches (38 centimeters), with a possibility of up to 25 inches (64 centimeters). That was down from an earlier forecast that called for up to 35 inches (89 centimeters).
“People are going to want to kind of shelter in place on the Big Island, be in their safe place, certainly by later today, tonight, well into Saturday," Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, said Friday. “Don’t venture out if you don’t have to into the dangerous flooding environment, but also high winds. We can have trees and power lines down.”
Heavy rainfall also was possible on Hawaii's other islands, the hurricane center said. Maui also could see heavy rainfall and potential life-threatening flooding and mudslides, forecasters said.
Trump said he would campaign in midterm battlegrounds. He's starting in deep red states instead
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — President Donald Trump vowed to campaign in 35 of the most competitive battleground races in the final sprint to November's midterm elections.
Instead, he will begin October by stumping in Alabama and Oklahoma, two of the most Republican states in the nation. His events are sure to draw enthusiastic crowds of fans, but his choice of destinations is a reminder of his deep unpopularity in much of the country during a campaign season he's sought to make all about himself.
Trump will hold rallies next week in Durant, Oklahoma, and Mobile, Alabama, where he is sure to draw crowds, but he has also raised eyebrows.
While organizers insist the rallies are in locations with media markets that span state lines and they will help bolster b