GDELTNew York
Goldstein: -7.8Tone: -3.4
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
Open article →GDELTHawaii
Goldstein: -4.4Tone: -3.4
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
Open article →GDELTMississippi
Goldstein: 7.0Tone: -6.4
Trump lays out the pomp for Xi but says little about the significant tensions in US-China relations
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met on Thursday for important talks on the U.S.-China relationship. They are divided on issues like the Iran war and trade, but both leaders hope personal rapport can prevent conflict. Trump emphasized their friendship, while Xi stressed healthy competition. Xi warned against falling into the “Thucydides trap,” the theory that rising powers clash with established ones. China is resisting U.S. pressure on Iran, while Xi urges Trump to handle Taiwan carefully. They also discussed AI, agreeing it should remain under human control. Some analysts say the talks appeared to focus more on ceremony than substance.
3 US news outlets return to White House after judge orders Trump to lift ban
NEW YORK (AP) — Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico returned to the White House hours after a federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s ban of the three news outlets. The judge said early Thursday that the news outlets must have their access restored. But reporters from all three outlets said they were still blocked early Thursday before access was granted a few hours later. Then some CNN and MS NOW journalists were denied entry to cover an evening event. The back-and-forth was the latest in an extraordinary showdown between Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes. Trump announced he was banning the outlets Friday, assailing what he called “fake news.” The outlets argued they were singled out over the content of their coverage.
Israel's Netanyahu, at UN, calls accusations of genocide in Gaza 'the biggest lie of the century'
Allegations of Israeli genocide in Gaza are not only false but “the biggest lie of the century" — so says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He told that to world leaders in a defiant speech that asserted his nation’s right to wage war against Iran. It was not heard by scores of delegates who trooped out before he started speaking. His voice rising in emphasis, Netanyahu said attacking Iran “was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make." He denounced as “moral cowards” the mass of delegates who walked out of the U.N. General Assembly when he took the podium to speak.
Netanyahu says Mamdani endangers Jewish New Yorkers by spreading lies about Israel's actions in Gaza
NEW YORK (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accusing Mayor Zohran Mamdani of endangering Jewish New Yorkers with his criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. In a speech at the United Nations on Thursday, Netanyahu said the New York City mayor has spread lies about Israel. Mamdani has long been a vocal critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and has called Netanyahu a “war criminal” who is “the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.” The prime ministers comments, made during the United Nations General Assembly, were the latest in a series of rising tensions between the two leaders.
Trump administration turns to Supreme Court as third-country deportations are thrown into question
WASHINGTON (AP) — A ruling to halt deportations of people to countries other than their own has thrown a core immigration policy of the Trump administration into question, at least temporarily, and prompted a desperate appeal to the Supreme Court. The administration said Thursday that the appeals court ruling came Wednesday just minutes before midnight, forcing the cancellation of a flight with 70 people that was headed to three countries. It said justices needed to step in to “halt that chaos.” Plaintiffs for immigrants said they heard a deportation flight was scheduled to Burundi, Rwanda and the Central African Republic.
Powerful Hurricane Polo drenches Mexico's coast as Nolo takes aim at Hawaii
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Powerful Hurricane Polo is sending bands of heavy rain across Mexico’s Pacific coast, while a separate storm is approaching Hawaii and could bring catastrophic flooding. Polo is forecast to maintain major hurricane strength as it skirts Mexico’s coast with rain and strong winds. Forecasters warn the heavy rains could cause flooding and landslides. Farther west, Tropical Storm Nolo is forecast to become a hurricane by late Thursday and approach Hawaii's Big Island Friday night. Nolo could drop as much as a foot or two of rain on the Big Island and cause flash flooding. Maui is also likely to see extremely heavy rains through Saturday.
California Supreme Court orders Riverside County sheriff to return 650,000 seized ballots
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The California Supreme Court has ruled that a Republican California sheriff must return over 650,000 ballots he seized following a November 2025 special election that favored Democrats. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who was running for governor at the time, claimed he confiscated the ballots after a local group complained about the vote count. Local officials said the complaint was unfounded. Bianco says after Thursday's ruling he will comply with the court's ruling. Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta had challenged the seizure, arguing Bianco had no authority over election materials.
Homeland Security defends officers in immigrant's fatal car crash in Michigan
The federal government is defending its officers after a fatal crash last weekend involving an immigrant in western Michigan. The Department of Homeland Security is trying to counter any claim that officers were chasing the vehicle when Mario Coronado Juarez died Sunday in Grand Rapids. The department says officers were about a half-mile away when they saw smoke from the crash. The government says officers had stopped the enforcement action when Juarez had fled the scene. Juarez did not have U.S. legal status. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has directed state police to investigate the crash.
Senate rejects resolution to halt the Iran war as gas prices upend midterms
WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite increasing political anxiety over Iran war, senators narrowly rejected a war powers resolution. Thursday's vote was the 14th time the Senate sought to halt President Donald Trump’s military action. More Republicans are breaking with the president over the war, which has been largely blamed for the spike in fuel prices and become a flashpoint in the midterm election. As resolutions, the measures do not go to the president’s desk for his signature, but largely stand as a statement from the Congress. The Senate vote is likely to be the last chance for lawmakers to go on record about the war ahead of November. It comes after the House has three times voted to end the war.
Deaths of students at the University of Mississippi cast spotlight on kratom
A drug task force in Mississippi is urging people to avoid kratom after authorities found packages of the substance while investigating the deaths of two University of Mississippi students. Lafayette County Metro Narcotics issued the warning Tuesday, though it said it had no “confirmed information” that kratom contributed to either death. Kratom has come under increasing scrutiny over the past decade from U.S. health officials and states. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends against using it. An industry group says the FDA and states that have banned kratom are conflating the natural product with synthetic and chemically manipulated ones.
Open article →GDELTNew York
Goldstein: -2.1Tone: -6.4
Trump lays out the pomp for Xi but says little about the significant tensions in US-China relations
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met on Thursday for important talks on the U.S.-China relationship. They are divided on issues like the Iran war and trade, but both leaders hope personal rapport can prevent conflict. Trump emphasized their friendship, while Xi stressed healthy competition. Xi warned against falling into the “Thucydides trap,” the theory that rising powers clash with established ones. China is resisting U.S. pressure on Iran, while Xi urges Trump to handle Taiwan carefully. They also discussed AI, agreeing it should remain under human control. Some analysts say the talks appeared to focus more on ceremony than substance.
3 US news outlets return to White House after judge orders Trump to lift ban
NEW YORK (AP) — Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico returned to the White House hours after a federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s ban of the three news outlets. The judge said early Thursday that the news outlets must have their access restored. But reporters from all three outlets said they were still blocked early Thursday before access was granted a few hours later. Then some CNN and MS NOW journalists were denied entry to cover an evening event. The back-and-forth was the latest in an extraordinary showdown between Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes. Trump announced he was banning the outlets Friday, assailing what he called “fake news.” The outlets argued they were singled out over the content of their coverage.
Israel's Netanyahu, at UN, calls accusations of genocide in Gaza 'the biggest lie of the century'
Allegations of Israeli genocide in Gaza are not only false but “the biggest lie of the century" — so says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He told that to world leaders in a defiant speech that asserted his nation’s right to wage war against Iran. It was not heard by scores of delegates who trooped out before he started speaking. His voice rising in emphasis, Netanyahu said attacking Iran “was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make." He denounced as “moral cowards” the mass of delegates who walked out of the U.N. General Assembly when he took the podium to speak.
Netanyahu says Mamdani endangers Jewish New Yorkers by spreading lies about Israel's actions in Gaza
NEW YORK (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accusing Mayor Zohran Mamdani of endangering Jewish New Yorkers with his criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. In a speech at the United Nations on Thursday, Netanyahu said the New York City mayor has spread lies about Israel. Mamdani has long been a vocal critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and has called Netanyahu a “war criminal” who is “the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.” The prime ministers comments, made during the United Nations General Assembly, were the latest in a series of rising tensions between the two leaders.
Trump administration turns to Supreme Court as third-country deportations are thrown into question
WASHINGTON (AP) — A ruling to halt deportations of people to countries other than their own has thrown a core immigration policy of the Trump administration into question, at least temporarily, and prompted a desperate appeal to the Supreme Court. The administration said Thursday that the appeals court ruling came Wednesday just minutes before midnight, forcing the cancellation of a flight with 70 people that was headed to three countries. It said justices needed to step in to “halt that chaos.” Plaintiffs for immigrants said they heard a deportation flight was scheduled to Burundi, Rwanda and the Central African Republic.
Powerful Hurricane Polo drenches Mexico's coast as Nolo takes aim at Hawaii
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Powerful Hurricane Polo is sending bands of heavy rain across Mexico’s Pacific coast, while a separate storm is approaching Hawaii and could bring catastrophic flooding. Polo is forecast to maintain major hurricane strength as it skirts Mexico’s coast with rain and strong winds. Forecasters warn the heavy rains could cause flooding and landslides. Farther west, Tropical Storm Nolo is forecast to become a hurricane by late Thursday and approach Hawaii's Big Island Friday night. Nolo could drop as much as a foot or two of rain on the Big Island and cause flash flooding. Maui is also likely to see extremely heavy rains through Saturday.
California Supreme Court orders Riverside County sheriff to return 650,000 seized ballots
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The California Supreme Court has ruled that a Republican California sheriff must return over 650,000 ballots he seized following a November 2025 special election that favored Democrats. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who was running for governor at the time, claimed he confiscated the ballots after a local group complained about the vote count. Local officials said the complaint was unfounded. Bianco says after Thursday's ruling he will comply with the court's ruling. Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta had challenged the seizure, arguing Bianco had no authority over election materials.
Homeland Security defends officers in immigrant's fatal car crash in Michigan
The federal government is defending its officers after a fatal crash last weekend involving an immigrant in western Michigan. The Department of Homeland Security is trying to counter any claim that officers were chasing the vehicle when Mario Coronado Juarez died Sunday in Grand Rapids. The department says officers were about a half-mile away when they saw smoke from the crash. The government says officers had stopped the enforcement action when Juarez had fled the scene. Juarez did not have U.S. legal status. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has directed state police to investigate the crash.
Senate rejects resolution to halt the Iran war as gas prices upend midterms
WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite increasing political anxiety over Iran war, senators narrowly rejected a war powers resolution. Thursday's vote was the 14th time the Senate sought to halt President Donald Trump’s military action. More Republicans are breaking with the president over the war, which has been largely blamed for the spike in fuel prices and become a flashpoint in the midterm election. As resolutions, the measures do not go to the president’s desk for his signature, but largely stand as a statement from the Congress. The Senate vote is likely to be the last chance for lawmakers to go on record about the war ahead of November. It comes after the House has three times voted to end the war.
Deaths of students at the University of Mississippi cast spotlight on kratom
A drug task force in Mississippi is urging people to avoid kratom after authorities found packages of the substance while investigating the deaths of two University of Mississippi students. Lafayette County Metro Narcotics issued the warning Tuesday, though it said it had no “confirmed information” that kratom contributed to either death. Kratom has come under increasing scrutiny over the past decade from U.S. health officials and states. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends against using it. An industry group says the FDA and states that have banned kratom are conflating the natural product with synthetic and chemically manipulated ones.
Open article →GDELTWashington D.C.
Goldstein: 1.5Tone: -6.4
Trump lays out the pomp for Xi but says little about the significant tensions in US-China relations
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met on Thursday for important talks on the U.S.-China relationship. They are divided on issues like the Iran war and trade, but both leaders hope personal rapport can prevent conflict. Trump emphasized their friendship, while Xi stressed healthy competition. Xi warned against falling into the “Thucydides trap,” the theory that rising powers clash with established ones. China is resisting U.S. pressure on Iran, while Xi urges Trump to handle Taiwan carefully. They also discussed AI, agreeing it should remain under human control. Some analysts say the talks appeared to focus more on ceremony than substance.
3 US news outlets return to White House after judge orders Trump to lift ban
NEW YORK (AP) — Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico returned to the White House hours after a federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s ban of the three news outlets. The judge said early Thursday that the news outlets must have their access restored. But reporters from all three outlets said they were still blocked early Thursday before access was granted a few hours later. Then some CNN and MS NOW journalists were denied entry to cover an evening event. The back-and-forth was the latest in an extraordinary showdown between Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes. Trump announced he was banning the outlets Friday, assailing what he called “fake news.” The outlets argued they were singled out over the content of their coverage.
Israel's Netanyahu, at UN, calls accusations of genocide in Gaza 'the biggest lie of the century'
Allegations of Israeli genocide in Gaza are not only false but “the biggest lie of the century" — so says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He told that to world leaders in a defiant speech that asserted his nation’s right to wage war against Iran. It was not heard by scores of delegates who trooped out before he started speaking. His voice rising in emphasis, Netanyahu said attacking Iran “was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make." He denounced as “moral cowards” the mass of delegates who walked out of the U.N. General Assembly when he took the podium to speak.
Netanyahu says Mamdani endangers Jewish New Yorkers by spreading lies about Israel's actions in Gaza
NEW YORK (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accusing Mayor Zohran Mamdani of endangering Jewish New Yorkers with his criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. In a speech at the United Nations on Thursday, Netanyahu said the New York City mayor has spread lies about Israel. Mamdani has long been a vocal critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and has called Netanyahu a “war criminal” who is “the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.” The prime ministers comments, made during the United Nations General Assembly, were the latest in a series of rising tensions between the two leaders.
Trump administration turns to Supreme Court as third-country deportations are thrown into question
WASHINGTON (AP) — A ruling to halt deportations of people to countries other than their own has thrown a core immigration policy of the Trump administration into question, at least temporarily, and prompted a desperate appeal to the Supreme Court. The administration said Thursday that the appeals court ruling came Wednesday just minutes before midnight, forcing the cancellation of a flight with 70 people that was headed to three countries. It said justices needed to step in to “halt that chaos.” Plaintiffs for immigrants said they heard a deportation flight was scheduled to Burundi, Rwanda and the Central African Republic.
Powerful Hurricane Polo drenches Mexico's coast as Nolo takes aim at Hawaii
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Powerful Hurricane Polo is sending bands of heavy rain across Mexico’s Pacific coast, while a separate storm is approaching Hawaii and could bring catastrophic flooding. Polo is forecast to maintain major hurricane strength as it skirts Mexico’s coast with rain and strong winds. Forecasters warn the heavy rains could cause flooding and landslides. Farther west, Tropical Storm Nolo is forecast to become a hurricane by late Thursday and approach Hawaii's Big Island Friday night. Nolo could drop as much as a foot or two of rain on the Big Island and cause flash flooding. Maui is also likely to see extremely heavy rains through Saturday.
California Supreme Court orders Riverside County sheriff to return 650,000 seized ballots
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The California Supreme Court has ruled that a Republican California sheriff must return over 650,000 ballots he seized following a November 2025 special election that favored Democrats. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who was running for governor at the time, claimed he confiscated the ballots after a local group complained about the vote count. Local officials said the complaint was unfounded. Bianco says after Thursday's ruling he will comply with the court's ruling. Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta had challenged the seizure, arguing Bianco had no authority over election materials.
Homeland Security defends officers in immigrant's fatal car crash in Michigan
The federal government is defending its officers after a fatal crash last weekend involving an immigrant in western Michigan. The Department of Homeland Security is trying to counter any claim that officers were chasing the vehicle when Mario Coronado Juarez died Sunday in Grand Rapids. The department says officers were about a half-mile away when they saw smoke from the crash. The government says officers had stopped the enforcement action when Juarez had fled the scene. Juarez did not have U.S. legal status. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has directed state police to investigate the crash.
Senate rejects resolution to halt the Iran war as gas prices upend midterms
WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite increasing political anxiety over Iran war, senators narrowly rejected a war powers resolution. Thursday's vote was the 14th time the Senate sought to halt President Donald Trump’s military action. More Republicans are breaking with the president over the war, which has been largely blamed for the spike in fuel prices and become a flashpoint in the midterm election. As resolutions, the measures do not go to the president’s desk for his signature, but largely stand as a statement from the Congress. The Senate vote is likely to be the last chance for lawmakers to go on record about the war ahead of November. It comes after the House has three times voted to end the war.
Deaths of students at the University of Mississippi cast spotlight on kratom
A drug task force in Mississippi is urging people to avoid kratom after authorities found packages of the substance while investigating the deaths of two University of Mississippi students. Lafayette County Metro Narcotics issued the warning Tuesday, though it said it had no “confirmed information” that kratom contributed to either death. Kratom has come under increasing scrutiny over the past decade from U.S. health officials and states. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends against using it. An industry group says the FDA and states that have banned kratom are conflating the natural product with synthetic and chemically manipulated ones.
Open article →GDELTWashington D.C.
Goldstein: 1.5Tone: -5.1
Trump says US and Iranian officials met Tuesday, shortly after warning he may 'annihilate' Iran
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — President Donald Trump says U.S. and Iranian officials met for about three hours Tuesday, shortly after he threatened in his address to the U.N. General Assembly that he may “annihilate” the Islamic Republic if a deal isn’t reached soon to end the nearly seven-month war. Trump told reporters about the meeting but offered few details about the talks. Earlier Tuesday, the U.S. president in his address to the world body made the case that he’s shown fortitude while other leaders have equivocated as he defended his decision to start a war with Iran. Trump says he has a “big decision” to make on whether a deal will be made with Iran.
FACT FOCUS: Trump made multiple false and misleading claims in front of the UN General Assembly
President Donald Trump made myriad false and misleading claims during his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, many of which he has repeated frequently throughout his second term in the White House. They covered topics such as U.S. munitions supply, drug seizures and the economy.
Is it 'killer robots' or 'super intelligence'? At the UN, leaders see both
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — World leaders are painting quite different views of the future of artificial intelligence at the United Nations, with colorful phrases such as killer robots and super intelligence. At Tuesday's General Assembly, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of the potential dangers of AI, calling for more oversight. He emphasized that life-and-death decisions should not be left to machines. On the other hand, Donald Trump rejected global controls on AI, referring to it as “super intelligence.” The UN Security Council plans to address AI controls, with major AI figures participating in the discussion.
‘You should not be here,' Trump tells CNN at UN as standoff with media outlets persists
NEW YORK (AP) — A tense moment between President Donald Trump and CNN's Kaitlan Collins is a stark reminder of how the conflict between the administration and some news outlets has escalated in just a few days. Trump began his United Nations visit Tuesday by telling Collins,: “You should not be here.” CNN is one of three outlets banned from White House grounds, but it had been admitted to the U.N. as regularly credentialed media. CNN, along with MS NOW and Politico, has filed a joint lawsuit asking a judge to find the administration’s move unconstitutional. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
Trump administration to remove 760,000 Affordable Care Act enrollees over fraud claims
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance and White House officials are announcing plans to remove 760,000 Affordable Care Act enrollees from public healthcare exchanges. They allege these individuals were fraudulently enrolled or do not exist. On Tuesday, Vance said this move would save $2.2 billion, ensuring subsidies go to those who need them. The Trump administration is also suspending new brokers from signing up enrollees for six months, citing fraud concerns. The announcement was made at the White House with Dr. Mehmet Oz and other officials. As of early 2026, about 19.2 million Americans are enrolled in ACA marketplace plans.
Hayden Panettiere died from an overdose involving fentanyl. She had just gone to rehab, coroner says
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — A coroner has determined that actor Hayden Panettiere died from an accidental overdose of several drugs including fentanyl. A report later released Tuesday to The Associated Press says the 36-year-old actor had been to drug rehab in Malibu, California, a few weeks before her death. Panettiere was found unresponsive in an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, on Aug. 16. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office says a combination of fentanyl and its chemical byproduct, as well as the anti-anxiety medication alprazolam, was found in Panettiere’s system. Her father told the coroner's office she was going to spend her birthday five days later in Greenville, then fly to Ukraine to see her daughter.
Nolan Wells' family pushes back after grand jury declines to recommend charges in his death
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A grand jury has found there wasn’t evidence to bring charges in the death of Nolan Wells. The Black college student was found dead after a July 4 boating trip and party on an island off the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The district attorney overseeing Wells’ case announced the decision late Monday. Wells' family swiftly questioned the findings. The report comes after months of speculation about how Wells disappeared from the party and why the friends who took him to the island left without him. The grand jury found no evidence of criminal conduct and said Wells' death was consistent with drowning, even if autopsies couldn't determine the cause of death.
Judge sets hearing for Venezuelan man shot by ICE and police in Texas release some video from scene
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The attorney for a Venezuelan man shot by a federal immigration officer in Texas says he's back in an ICE detention center after being taken to a hospital for a second time. Wilber Rafael Garces Perez was being held Tuesday at a federal center in South Texas. His attorney says Perez was making a DoorDash delivery Sunday in Austin when immigration officers in an unmarked vehicle sideswiped his car and forced it to stop. Perez was shot and taken to a hospital. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.
Hurricane Polo churns off Mexico's Pacific coast as 'one of the strongest storms ever'
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Polo is gaining strength as it moves along Mexico's southwestern coast as a Category 5 cyclone. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center reports Polo is an “extremely dangerous” storm with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph. It was centered Tuesday about 215 miles south of Zihuatanejo, Mexico, and nearly stationary over the Pacific Ocean. Mexican authorities have suspended classes in some areas, and the U.S. Embassy issued a weather alert. Heavy rain could cause flash flooding and mudslides in Guerrero and Michoacán states. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Odalys is in the Pacific Ocean but far from land, and Fay has weakened to a tropical depression in the Atlantic.
‘Looksmaxxing’ influencer known as 'Clavicular' is charged with rape in Massachusetts
BOSTON (AP) — The social media influencer known online as “Clavicular” has been charged with raping a 17-year-old girl at his family’s Cape Cod home. The girl told police in Massachusetts that he knew she was 17, gave her vodka and instructed her to tell his livestream viewers that she was 18 and drinking water. She said she became heavily intoxicated, fell asleep and awoke the next morning to Peters raping her. Clavicular’s given name is Braden Peters. The 20-year-old is a prominent figure in the online “looksmaxxing” trend, which focuses on improving physical appearance. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Oct. 14.
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