Stopgap measure does not solve fundamental problem that millions can’t afford the healthcare they need, experts say
Some of the millions of Americans who collectively owe billions of dollars for medical expenses have seen their debt forgiven in recent years, and there has been a dramatic uptick in aid this year.
But the relief still only covers a small fraction of the outstanding balance and is just a stopgap measure that does not solve the fundamental problem: people in the US get into serious financial trouble because they can’t afford the healthcare they need, experts say.
It has just gone past 06:30 in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia where polls have now opened.
Here are some of the key voter issues shaping the US midterm elections:
The economy: Despite Trump’s 2024 campaign pledge to tackle affordability issues, the economy consistently ranks as voters’ top concern.
Iran: Trump’s decision to go to war with the Tehran regime has exacerbated economic worries. Iran’s retaliatory decision to close the strait of Hormuz has driven up gasoline prices for US motorists. It also represents a breach of his pledge to end the US’s supposed addiction to “forever wars”.
Immigration: Enforcement and closing the border remains a signature issue for Trump. He repeatedly boasts of the impact of his closure of the southern border as one of his biggest achievements, making comparisons with the performance of Joe Biden.
AI and datacenters: AI has emerged as a key campaign issue, with surveys showing a majority of voters holding negative views on it, even as Trump champions its development and attempts to rename it “super intelligence”.
All the flights landed safely with the situations now being monitored by local security forces; Warsaw Modlin airport has resumed operations
Back to Poland, Warsaw Modlin airport says it has resumed operations after an earlier bomb threat – but a part of the airport where the London flight was parked remain closed and is being checked by security forces.
Ukraine’sZelenskyy has said his talks with Merz and Germany’s president Steinmeier will focus on “diplomatic coordination” on air defence and energy sector.
“These will be the priorities of today’s talks. We all have an interest in security, stability, and protecting the rules-based international order. And we must work together to turn these principles into concrete decisions and actions.”
Elsinore is in contention for 12 Bifas, including for Scott’s highly praised performance, while Clio Barnard’s I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning, Ashley Walters’ Animol and Mike Leigh’s Tender Loving Care are also recognised
Elsinore, the drama in which Andrew Scott plays the actor Ian Charleson as he takes on Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the last months of his life, before he died of Aids in 1990, has emerged as the leading contender for the British independent film awards (Bifas).
The film, which is directed by Simon Stone and co-stars Olivia Colman, Billie Piper and Johnny Flynn, received 12 nominations, including best British independent film, best director for Stone and best lead performance for Scott. Elsinore has collected rave reviews since its premiere at the Telluride film festival in September, with the Guardian’s Benjamin Lee describing it as “a devastating movie [that] is a reminder of Charleson’s strength and the many men like him and it implores us to remember them too”. Scott is also already being tipped as the favourite for the best actor Oscar – and he would be the first out gay actor to win.
The U.S. launched limited strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran fired at a U.S. aircraft, a senior U.S. official told CBS News.
Rachel Apa’s father, Steve Apa, told the New York Times his daughter was in Central Park, two miles from the end of the race, when she collapsed. It was Rachel’s first marathon and she was running as part of the Parkinson’s Champions team in honor of her late grandfather, who suffered from the disease.
Virgin Media O2 is to cut thousands of jobs in an £800m cost-cutting drive as the telecommunications company aims to tackle its £22bn debt pile.
VMO2, which is jointly owned by Liberty Global and Telefónica, said £300m of the savings target will come from job cuts that will reduce the company’s employee wage bill by 30% over the next two years.
One motion considers reining in political spending while another proposes to municipalize the grid in sign of anger with datacenters and high bills
Two citizen-led ballot initiatives seek to rein in Michigan’s powerful electric utilities as residents say politicians have failed to address pressing issues around controversial datacenters, high energy rates and poor electric reliability.
On Tuesday, voters statewide will consider a nation-leading ban on political donations by the state’s deeply unpopular regulated utilities. At the same time, organizers in Ann Arbor, one the state’s largest cities, are proposing to banish utility giant DTE Energy by municipalizing the grid. It would establish a public power company to deliver energy.
Other overnight strikes targeted power plants across Ukraine, damaged hospitals and wounded scores of people
Russia has bombed a humanitarian hub in southern Ukraine, killing at least 31 people and leaving dozens missing, as part of a wave of strikes across the country.
Other overnight Russian strikes targeted power plants across Ukraine, damaged hospitals and wounded scores of people, as the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, warned that the US was distracted by its midterm elections.
Test 17 Thanksgiving sides on a quiet weeknight before the holiday, from casseroles and potatoes to salads, biscuits, rice, glazed carrots, and roasted squash soup. Use the trial to check flavors and plan oven space.The post 17 Thanksgiving side dishes…
Despite limited new strikes on Iran and ongoing attacks on ships near the Strait of Hormuz, Trump says on eve of U.S. elections that a peace deal "could happen."
Democrats are hoping to seize control in the Capitol and rein in the president’s power. Plus, a peacock that loves admiring itself in the mirror a little too much
Good morning. Americans are heading to the polls today in US midterm elections widely seen as a referendum on Donald Trump’s second presidency and a chance for opponents to rein in his power. The party holding the White House typically loses congressional seats at midterm elections and Democrats are hoping the president’s nose-diving popularity can be exploited.
Meanwhile, the US Department of Justice in California has charged six more people with alleged voter fraud crimes, an escalation of the administration’s campaign against election integrity. However, in a blow to Trump, the supreme court has ruled against attempts to force California election officials to segregate and not count ballots from people the justice department claims are non-citizens.
Where have our reporters been covering the crucial midterm races? We have a dispatch from Shrai Popatin New Hampshire, where Republicans were hoping to flip a Senate seat but now worry Trump may be dragging them down, and David Smithhas been in Austin, where James Talarico is making an extraordinary bid to break the Texas Democrats’ losing streak. Lauren Gambino has been in Los Angeles, casting her eye over Xavier Becerra’s California shoo-in to be governer, while Joseph Gedeon offers this analysis from Detroit of how Israel is at the heart of Haley Stevens’s extraordinary reversal to back Abdul El-Sayed’s Republican opponent in Michigan.
Where can you find the Guardian’s election coverage?This explainer has everything you need to know about how winners are called, how states count ballots and Trump’s election denialism. We also have an hour-by-hour rundown of when polls close around the US, and this valuable guide to the candidates and races that will decide the elections.
We will be live blogging the election and results round-the-clock. You can join my colleagues on the live blog here.
It is polling day in the US, so Jonathan Freedland is chatting to the humour writer Alexandra Petri of the Atlantic to run through this election cycle’s most effective ad campaigns, surprising alliances and embarrassing gaffes
The US has been voting for senators, members of the House of Representatives and state governors in the midterm elections. Here are the results in full
Casseroles can bring everyone back for another helping. These 13 recipes cover cheesy pasta, chicken, rice, potatoes, meatballs, and a tater tot breakfast bake, with easy options for family dinners and potlucks.The post 13 casserole recipes that made my Mother-in-law…
Britain’s most polluting power plant could soon power the country’s largest datacentre under a £20bn deal to build AI infrastructure on the site of the Drax power plant in North Yorkshire.
The power plant’s FTSE 250 owner has struck a deal with the infrastructure investor Brookfield and and the AI infrastructure platform Radiant to develop a datacentre with an eventual capacity of more than 1 gigawatt that could begin operations by early 2028.
The prime minister wants an ‘honest discussion’ about how immigration has changed since Brexit
Q: Do you think the UK should reconsider Commonwealth membership, given other countries just keep asking us for slavery reparations?
Badenoch said she did not agree with that “because most Commonwealth countries aren’t doing this”.
China did all sorts of things. It’s not out there apologising.
The purpose of the apology is to make us look weak. It is to make this country look weak. And once we start looking weak, then we have every man and his dog making demands and sending us an invoice, which the British taxpayer has to pay.
President Trump held an event Monday at the Washington, D.C., Reflecting Pool, while Michigan Democrats assess the fallout from a cross-party endorsement.
“My Ignorance Is as Good as Your Knowledge”: Democracy gives us equal rights, which somehow keeps getting mistaken for a guarantee that every opinion deserves equal respect.
Michigan’s Senate Race Turns Even Uglier: Haley Stevens endorses the Republican she had warned would rubber-stamp Trump’s agenda.
Quick Takes: Trump’s arch uses security as an excuse for a makeover, while he can’t even be bothered to get a general’s gender right before calling him a traitor.
The Man, directed by Joseph Sargent: James Earl Jones gives this 1972 story of a Black president the dignity its TV-sized production cannot quite supply.
Jake Clemons, “Democracy”: This cover of Leonard Cohen’s song reminds me that democracy remains a promise we have every responsibility to fulfill.
Kareem’s Quote of the Day
“Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.’”
― Isaac Asimov
(Photo by Rita Barros/Getty Images)
I have been thinking about democracy, as I am prone to do in the days before elections. There are many great quotes about democracy. Two of my favorites are attributed to Winston Churchill, though only the second is verifiable as his. The first is that “the best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter,” and the second that “democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried.” The former makes me think of those segments on CNN or MSNBC where some clever reporter goes to the heart of Trump country and lets a voter in a red baseball cap twist himself into knots explaining why he’s voting for candidates who would condemn his family to poverty. The latter makes me think of January 6, when our president tried to gin up a revolution rather than concede an election he clearly lost.
And here we are again.
The Asimov quote above, about anti-intellectualism infecting democracy, comes from an essay called “A Cult of Ignorance,” which appeared in Newsweek in January 1980. Asimov was born in the Soviet Union in 1920, and his family immigrated to the United States when he was three years old. He earned a Ph.D. in chemistry at Columbia University, was a professor at Boston University, and was one of the best-selling science fiction writers of all time. He wrote or edited more than 500 books, including many that sought to explain complex scientific ideas to mainstream audiences. Intellectualism was his way of life.
If his quote seemed fitting at the time he wrote it, it seems positively prescient today. Our leaders have never been more ignorant, and never more sure of themselves in their ignorance. Political scientist Matthew Motta describes anti-intellectualism as an emotional dislike and distrust of scientists, college professors, and other experts. That is exactly the feeling our current leader and his minions have learned to channel. On the 2016 campaign trail Trump declared that “the experts are terrible.” Lines like that flattered his audience, not to mention him. He was telling them his gut instincts were as good as any credentialed analysis. If you believe that, I’ve got a supply of hydroxychloroquine and a war in Iran I’d like to sell you.
As you know, if you read this Substack or any other reasonably reliable source, respect for experience, knowledge, and science is at an all-time low in our government—and even more sadly, among our electorate. How else to explain electing to the position of the most powerful person in the world a failed real estate tycoon, game show host, and huckster whose only contribution to education in this country was starting an online university widely accused of fraud? The American people actually elected a president who ended up paying a $25 million settlement to reimburse victims of what New York’s attorney general referred to as his “sham university.”
The idea that “all men are created equal” is enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, but it goes without saying that it was never meant to imply that we are all equal in all ways. A religious zealot’s ideas about creationism are not equal to a biology professor’s ideas about evolution. A Fox News commentator’s thoughts on military leadership are not equal to those of a general who has served for forty years and learned, step by step, in war and peace, how to lead the world’s mightiest military institution. An untrained political scion’s fantasies about vaccines are not equal to a medical researcher’s data-driven analysis. JD Vance, no matter how hard he tries, is not as funny as Wanda Sykes.
Now, some people might say those are all matters of opinion. Granted, but it’s informed opinion, based on experience and empirical evidence. In sports, of course, we judge quality by results. People can argue ’til the cows come home about who was a better president, George W. Bush or Barack Obama, but no one’s going to argue Teoscar Hernández is a better baseball player than Shohei Ohtani. Day in and day out, the box scores establish the incontrovertible facts.
What “all men are created equal” means is that all men have been created not with the same gifts, but with the same rights. (Though the founders seemed to have a blind spot where Black, Native American, and other non-white Americans were concerned. Not to mention women.) But what they were getting at was that everyone should be born with an equal opportunity to succeed. In sports terms, we aren’t all born with equal skills, but we all have to play by the same rules. In that sense, the role of government is to be the referee—to make sure the rules are being applied equally to everyone. Over time, that work came about in fits and starts. Black people were freed from slavery and given the right to vote. That was a start. Then some people had a fit. Another start was when women were given the right to control their bodies. Another fit, and that right was taken away.
The true gift of democracy is that every so often we get to decide it’s time for a new start. We get to choose our leaders, and we can choose the wise, the educated, the experienced, the ethical, and the kind to lead us, or we can choose the other sort—the ignorant, the anti-intellectual, the greedy, the unethical, the unkind. It doesn’t seem like a very difficult choice. So why do we so often get it wrong?
The president has spewed vulgar and hateful rhetoric even as he reveals his disdain for his followers
Far from veering off his track, Trump in his ceaselessly vile midterm campaign statements has attained an optimal level of Trumpism. He has distilled the raw elements of misogyny, racism and nativism to the purified essence of his political philosophy.
The Republican candidates and his vice-president have followed him down the trail of “defining deviancy down”, as explained by Daniel Patrick Moynihan, in his essay in The American Scholar in 1993, about lowering the bar to make abnormal criminal behavior seem normal, coping through denial of its obvious presence, and through that process trivializing “the manifest decline of American civic life”.
Affordability and small businesses’ economic woes feature heavily in the House race for Wisconsin’s third district
After 18 years in business, Erin Klaus is closing her storefront, a handmade artisan market in downtown Eau Claire, Wisconsin, at the end of the year.
She opened Tangled Up in Hue amid a recession, during a time when downtown was “kind of a ghost town”, weathering construction and the pandemic. But the current economic crisis proved too much. She’s seen a downward trend in sales for two years, and was dipping into her own pocket from her other job, as the executive director of business non-profit Downtown Eau Claire Inc, to pay staff.
Early voting for the midterms in New York last month Ryan Murphy/AFP via Getty Images
This has been a midterm election cycle unlike any other. Wealthy donors spent staggering sums. Both parties moved to redraw congressional district lines. President Donald Trump and his allies relentlessly questioned whether the results could be trusted even before a single ballot was counted. At Trump’s direction, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit that said the federal government would contest any outcome in which Sen. Dan Sullivan, the Republican incumbent in Alaska, was not victorious.
Newsrooms, including ours, have tried to plan how we will cover an election in which the losing side refuses to accept the will of the voters. Was the Alaska lawsuit a single data point or a harbinger?
As we prepare to write about Nov. 3 and beyond, we find ourselves in the uncomfortable position of trying to game out what might happen in the future — not our strong suit. The record shows that journalists are pretty good at telling readers what happened, particularly if we have some time and some data to sift through, and much less good at forecasting the future.
Help Us Report on Key Election Issues
ProPublica’s reporters are on the lookout for what’s going right and what isn’t. We’re monitoring voter suppression and interference, election observers andpoll watchers, extremism tied to the election, and ICE activity at the polls. Have you seen something?
And yet we have to plan. Over the past few weeks we have prepared our reporters and editors to cover every scenario we can imagine. None of us have forgotten the chaos of 2020 when Trump was urged by advisers to send the military to seize voting machines in states he had lost. The Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol as lawmakers gathered to certify Joe Biden’s victory underscored the sense that literally anything was possible in the aftermath of elections.
We will have reporters on the ground in 11 key states covering voting, with even more in Washington, D.C., and others on standby. Our reporters have detailed what experts will be watching. But elections are no longer confined to Election Day (early voting and voting by mail constitute a huge share of the electorate). And our plans for covering voting stretch back many months.
Over the past year, we’ve tried to use the techniques of accountability journalism to add new facts to this pivotal moment in American history.
We have focused considerable attention on the mechanics of elections, a once-arcane issue that has become a central aspect of the MAGA movement’s argument that Trump’s 2020 loss was “rigged” by his opponents. We examined how the Trump administration depleted the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the arm of the federal government charged with safeguarding election systems. We discovered that Department of Homeland Security officials had asked CISA to obtain a voting machine and hack it without informing the manufacturer of any vulnerabilities found. The plan wasn’t acted on, but its existence made CISA employees fear they were being asked to take part in political interference. CISA and DHS didn’t respond to our questions, but a White House spokesperson said Trump “has done more than any other President to ensure we have free and fair elections.”
One of our most detailed election stories traced the career of Cleta Mitchell, a lawyer who spearheaded the legal attacks on the 2020 results. Mitchell leads a coalition of what she calls “election believers” — people who scour the voting results for errors that they believe point to larger conspiracies. Changes she’d hoped Trump could push through before the midterms, such as compelling states to turn over confidential voter information to the Justice Department, have been blocked by the courts. But she has nonetheless become the voice of a well-funded national movement, one which has the president’s ear. When Trump is weighing what to do in the aftermath of this week’s vote, our reporting strongly suggests that Mitchell will be among the people he listens to.
We asked to speak with Mitchell multiple times. She declined but told us in an email: “What we focus on is making sure the election process is accurate, transparent, and honest. The ONLY steps I’ve urged the Administration to take are those that will give the voters — ALL voters — confidence that the outcomes are correct.” A White House spokesperson said she has no official role in election policy but is an effective private advocate.
We have also spent time doing the traditional work of investigative reporting, looking closely at candidates’ records in public office. A newsroom like ours can’t cover every race, so we focus our resources on areas where we have particular expertise.
Our team in Texas has covered state Attorney General Ken Paxton for years, and we kept our focus once he announced he would run for the U.S. Senate. One story looked at his travels, revealing that only 1 in 6 of his nearly 1,000 out-of-state trips were linked to his official duties. Texas taxpayers paid $3.3 million for Paxton’s security detail to accompany him. (Paxton didn’t answer our questions, but his office said he “faced numerous security threats.”) That has become an issue in the Senate campaign.
Another opportunity arose from an investigation that was seemingly not related to the midterms: our examination of the Trump administration’s handling of the Justice Department. We began many months ago to look for promising cases that had been dropped and found out the FBI had been looking into pay-to-play allegations involving prominent Democratic and Republican members of Congress. The case included a bipartisan list of political figures such as Susan Collins, the Republican senator from Maine running in a closely contested race this year, and James Clyburn, a leading Democratic representative from South Carolina who’s also on the ballot this year.
Our first story revealed that Collins helped a little-known defense contractor win millions in federal contracts while the company’s CEO helped bankroll her 2020 reelection effort through a donation made via a shell company. Our second story revealed that the FBI was looking into interactions that Clyburn and Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died in July, had with the same contractor. Collins has denied all wrongdoing. “A donation would never cause Congressman Clyburn to increase his support for the donor’s request,” Clyburn’s office said. Graham’s communications director wrote that “any allegations of quid-pro-quo behavior … are simply false.” The FBI stopped examining the allegations after Trump purged the bureau. Our coverage likewise has become an issue in the Maine race.
We stand at a moment of uncertainty in our history as a democracy. Trump has made his willingness to smear news organizations an essential aspect of his appeal. He routinely insults reporters to their face and has attempted to ban some outlets from the White House and Air Force One because he didn’t like the stories they wrote about him. He has diverted hundreds of federal agents from their jobs fighting drug cartels and organized crime to search for evidence that noncitizens have illegally voted in federal elections. Hardly any were found.
I’m deeply reluctant to make any predictions about how all this will end. ProPublica prepared for an array of dire scenarios in November of 2024 that might arise from a close election. None of them came to pass as Trump decisively prevailed. A federal judge dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit to block the Alaska Senate race results over the weekend, and the Trump administration’s plans to appeal stand on shaky legal ground.
The one thing I know for certain is that we will keep digging into the story of what really happened in this election, whoever wins.
Experts expect some politicians on Tuesday night to claim the 2026 elections are rigged, but here's why that's not the case — and why it may be a while before some races are called.
A coalition of security firms working with Japan's National Police Agency has disrupted a botnet of more than 1.3 million Android devices across 200+ countries. "We assess with high confidence that the backdoor and botnet were intentionally developed, deployed, and operated for financial gain by Videostrong Technology," the Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) said in a blog post. The Register reports: Videostrong Technology is a hardware manufacturer based in Shenzhen, China. It builds Android devices, including home TV boxes and projectors. According to Google, Videostrong deliberately embedded the XCPE backdoor in device firmware and sold access to criminal affiliates, allowing them to install additional malware modules on devices shipped to unsuspecting customers. When buyers connected these devices to their home networks, the preinstalled backdoor allowed operators to create proxy networks and hide malicious traffic using the customers' internet connections without their knowledge.
The firmware's pre-installed management agent purported to be a standard remote-management client, according to TrendAI. It pulled updates from a GitHub page, and connected to a Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) server that gave the operator full remote control of each box, allowing them to install and remove apps, change settings, and push updates to the infected devices. Between June 3 and October 1, TrendAI documented more than 3.8 million distinct home and mobile IP addresses connected to the operation.
The coalition also disrupted the command-and-control domains used to manage the affiliate modules. "Because these affiliates each have diversified distribution channels for their modules beyond XCPE, we assess that taking down their C2 domains will sever access to at least 10 million additional compromised devices," according to GTIG. Google said it had since cut ties with Videostrong, and banned the OEM from making devices with preloaded Google apps.
Democrats are on the verge of reversing their political fortunes. The party is heading into the midterm elections Tuesday under the kind of conditions campaign consultants dream of, after two years wielding hardly more power than a strongly worded letter.
Donald Trump has spent the erratic waning years of his presidency leading his party into a political wilderness by waging a deeply unpopular war on Iran and driving the cost of living ever higher. Republicans who enjoy a governing trifecta have tried to distance themselves from the party’s decision-making and its leader, a once-animating force who has turned himself into a liability. Poll after poll says the same: Democrats are poised to take control of one or both houses of Congress — and spend the next two years thwarting Trump’s agenda.
“I really like the socialism aspects,” said Gibrel Said, a supporter of Abdul El-Sayed at his closing rally in Detroit Monday night. In the marquee contest serving as a referendum on the Democratic Party’s future, the Michigan Democratic Senate nominee espouses progressive politics and has often been associated with the the left’s agenda-setting socialists, though he doesn’t identify as one. His race has been rocked by the kind of left-versus-right identity crisis that presents a perennial challenge for Democrats.
“One, Medicare for All; two, how do we fund things that help us as constituents,” Said told The Intercept, ticking off things he appreciates about the candidate. Said, who lives in the Arab enclave of Dearborn, Michigan, especially praised El-Sayed’s willingness to buck party leadership and speak out on U.S.–Israel policy. “Instead of tiptoeing around the subject, he very adamantly says, hey there’s a genocide happening here, we shouldn’t send our money.”
Cycle after cycle, in state after state, an insurgent band of Democrats critical of the political establishment’s ties to corporate interests and its unflinching commitment to Israel has had to overcome the barriers erected by its own party’s centrist leadership. Both sides present themselves as the true representatives of working people: the centrists by arguing that more transformative ideas will scare off lower-information voters, the left by saying they represent the masses.
How much of this trickles down to actual voters? On Monday, The Intercept followed canvassers and spoke to voters in Michigan, Maine, and Texas, asking about which issues had permeated and taking the temperature of voter enthusiasm. Some rolled their eyes at the spats that have dominated the headlines, dismissing the idea that eleventh-hour backstabbing would make a difference. Others regurgitated right-wing misinformation. Many complained of too many campaign mailers.
“They’re wicked mean,” said Sharon McDonnell, a supporter of Troy Jackson, the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine. Speaking to The Intercept in the town of Yarmouth, she described one mailer that included a photo of Jackson chomping a cigar and describing him as “evil.” “It’s just nasty.”
In Maine, the party’s left flank seized power in the nominating process for the Democratic Senate candidate — then fought to hang onto it after onetime rising star Graham Platner flamed out after a sexual assault allegation (which he denies). With Jackson, a former state Senate leader, Maine now offers progressives one of two opportunities to test their message at the Senate level, where a candidate has to secure appeal statewide, not just in deep-blue House districts.
The dustup has had Democrats biting their nails and moderate party leaders making the cable news circuit to demand party discipline — this time, to scold a centrist. The party leads in the polls for 218 of the 435 seats up for grabs in the House of Representatives, but they need to perform well in seven key states — Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, and Texas, in addition to Maine and Michigan — if they want to win the Senate.
“I think she’s counterintuitively, perhaps, given people a reason to rally some more,” said Kathleen Britton, an El-Sayed supporter at the Detroit rally on Monday, of Stevens. “I really don’t think it’s gonna help Mike Rogers.”
Earlier that day, in a predominantly Black neighborhood of Detroit, a prominent Black supporter of El-Sayed preparing to knock on voters’ doors described Stevens’s endorsement as an “ego-driven statement.”
Haley Stevens “used a Black church as a prop, and we have seen that time and time again.”
Mike Bland, the executive director of the Black Men Vote PAC, highlighted that Stevens made her public endorsement of Rogers in a Black church in Detroit. He doubted that Stevens, whose criticism of El-Sayed centers primarily on his skepticism of the U.S. relationship with the state of Israel, would be able to pull Black voters to Rogers, a conservative former House representative whose campaign has repeatedly peddled anti-Muslim tropes against El-Sayed.
“How can I say this without cursing? She used a Black church as a prop, and we have seen that time and time again,” Bland said. “Black folks aren’t stupid.”
Over the past month, El-Sayed has rallied with Barack Obama and Kamala Harris, the two most prominent Black politicians in America — and hardly radicals estranged from the establishment power center. At the same time that Stevens was making her endorsement of Rogers public, El-Sayed was attending a get-out-the-vote event at another church in Detroit. The two primary foes were supposed to appear together that day with Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C.
One of the Democrats’ most coveted Senate pickups didn’t present much of an opportunity for the left in the primary, but it has still been characterized by intraparty animosity.
In Texas, where both Democratic Senate primary contenders espoused relatively moderate politics, outgoing Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, has declined to campaign with state Rep. James Talarico, though she endorsed him after he beat her in the state’s March Democratic primary.
Talarico has been performing well with Latino voters, a massive voting bloc that helped fuel his primary victory. But Crockett — who, unlike Stevens, is Black — has suggested that Talarico has not done enough to excite Black voters, a demographic she carried in the primary. On a canvassing operation targeting Black voters in the Dallas–Fort Worth area on Monday, few Black Texans who spoke to The Intercept expressed excitement for Talarico. But most had already voted for him, saying they were motivated to do their civic duty.
Black voters frequently discussed concerns over affordability, gas prices, and homelessness. Canvassers told The Intercept they had heard some of those voters express concerns over their perception of Talarico’s policies toward transgender children, at times espousing blatant misinformation, such as the idea that Talarico supported arresting parents who refused to give their children gender-affirming surgeries.
“ I don’t stand for that,” said voter Jermiah Robinson, referring to her belief that Talarico pushed “sex-change” surgery for minors. Like many voters, she cited the cost of living as her most pressing issue. Robinson said she would “want to vote for him if he stands by his words, and he’s actually like ‘Yeah, I’ll help out as far as prices and everything.’”
Talarico appears to have improved his margins with Black voters in the final stretch. According to the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas, Talarico is leading with 79 percent of the Black vote, signaling a significant increase in support from Black voters from just last month. The conventional wisdom suggests that he could barely ask for a better opponent than the scandal-plagued Republican candidate, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
In 2015, Paxton was indicted on felony securities fraud charges in Texas, in a case that dragged on for roughly nine years, and ended with Paxton being required to do community service and pay restitution. And in 2023, the Texas House of Representatives voted across party lines to impeach him as attorney general for alleged corruption and retaliation against whistleblowers.
Scandal kept rocking the race for Senate in Maine, where longtime Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins faces her toughest reelection challenge yet from Jackson. Before Jackson, who lost a race this cycle for the state’s Democratic nomination for governor, there was Platner, hailed early as a working-class champion who faced a series of personal scandals in his successful primary campaign. There was the revelation of a Nazi tattoo that he claimed not to understand until last October. There were crudely worded Reddit posts and stories of cruelty from women he’d dated. One former girlfriend’s allegations of sexual assault ultimately ended his campaign — and set off a scramble to find a replacement that progressives ultimately won by elevating Jackson.
By Monday, Mainers who spoke to The Intercept appeared exhausted by the lengthy, contentious, and expensive Senate race that has dominated the state.
“There’s a lot of fatigue. People are tired of it,“ said Charlie Dingman, who chairs the state Democratic Party. “I have had some conversations at doors with people that have led me to think that the extremely negative and extremely untruthful ads may be backfiring.”
Tyler Echard, in Norway, said he’d already cast an absentee ballot for Democrats down the ticket. He was disgusted with a deluge of political mailers and eager to stop seeing them pile up on his doorstep.
“The amount of mailers we get — just mailers, not just handed at the door but in the mail — especially from the Republican side, the amount of money is probably more than I will make in my lifetime, spent in this election,” Echard said. “At some point, we gotta get legislation because money’s just gonna run everything into the ground. I ain’t got it, so I can’t influence it.”
Frustration with the status quo in Congress could spell the end for Collins’s 30-year career in the Senate. On Monday, a University of New Hampshire poll found Jackson leading Collins by 4 percentage points. And in September, Collins found herself thrust into a scandal of her own, when ProPublica revealed that the FBI anti-corruption squad was investigating an alleged pay-to-play scheme between Collins and a donor eager to secure government contracts.
The Intercept later exposed that, alongside a series of campaign donations, defense contractors cozy with Collins had received lucrative carveouts in defense spending. (Collins has denied wrongdoing in all cases.)
But the incumbent senator has faced controversy and come out victorious before. And some Mainers doubt they’ll see change either way.
“I can’t vote for either side,” said a man, who declined to share his name with The Intercept, walking down a rural road in Norway with a hunting rifle slung over his shoulder. “You can’t trust neither of them.”
Noah Hurowitz reported from Yarmouth and Norway, Maine; Akela Lacy reported from Fort Worth, Texas; Matt Sledge reported from Detroit, Michigan.
A flash flood along the Rio Ruidoso on July 30, 2025
Three summers ago, over Father’s Day weekend, my family and I went camping in the Lincoln National Forest, just a few hours drive north of our home in El Paso, Texas. It’s a beautiful area that’s long served as a getaway for the region, with skiing in the winter, and golf and hiking in the summer. My daughter played under the trees, and I rode my bike down mountain trails that, I noticed, seemed concerningly dry.
The next evening, after we left to drive home, two fires started in forests surrounding the town of Ruidoso, New Mexico, around 25 miles away from where we’d been. I watched horrifying videos online of fire lapping the mountains behind the village’s strip malls and parking lots. The fires were eventually suppressed by a combination of human effort and the late summer monsoon season. But when the downpour of rain hit the burnt landscape around Ruidoso, it created another problem: Recurring floods then ripped through town, damaging homes and infrastructure, and leading to emergency rescues.
The following summer, the scene repeated. On July 8, 2025, monsoon rain hit a burn scar and quickly swelled the Rio Ruidoso and its tributaries. Three people — two of them children — lost their lives.
Reporter Abe Streep, a member of ProPublica’s Southwest office, and I met in Ruidoso to report on what happened. Ruidoso is a place built on tourism, with a paid (rather than volunteer) fire department staff and its own disaster manager. How could two children and a man be swept to their deaths in a place that appeared equipped to handle such disasters?
In two stories ProPublica recently published, Abe answered those questions. He found that, after the 2024 fires, experts warned the town of increased flash flooding risks. Initially, local and state leaders considered a relocation plan for some homes and businesses that would get people out of harm’s way, but the project faltered. Instead, village leaders continued promoting tourism to the town, and the mayor even chastised residents for warning of floods on social media. Abe also reported that, while local and state officials insisted the emergency response to the flood was admirable, first responders say the three deaths could have been avoided. The responders told Abe that village leadership left them understaffed and inadequately equipped to contend with the flooding.
The Village of Ruidoso did not respond to detailed written questions about its emergency response, and it has not publicly released a report on rescue efforts during the flood. Reached by phone, the fire chief, Cade Hall, disputed our reporting but declined to provide specifics. Mayor Lynn Crawford has said protecting the village includes balancing public safety with tourism, the lifeblood of its economy. But in an interview last year, Crawford said to Abe and me: “Who’s to blame? I didn’t start the fire.”
My role as a photographer was to document Ruidoso as the story unfolded — to visualize the people and place at the center of it. It’s a role I’ve had countless times in my career, but this story hit unexpectedly close to home. I could imagine my own family caught unaware in a similar situation, trying to escape the El Paso summer heat but instead navigating an unfathomable disaster.
A crumbled trailer and debris from flash flooding in Ruidoso on Aug. 1, 2025The crumbling house at the Riverview RV Park on Sept. 10, 2026
When Abe and I started reporting, we met people from the community and out of town who tried to help. I watched as New Mexico National Guard service members loaded sand bags into families’ cars, people prepared hot meals for those who had been displaced and volunteers handed out donated supplies from collection centers.
Supplies inside a Salvation Army makeshift distribution center and a sandbag distribution point facilitated by the New Mexico National Guard last summer
While we were reporting one afternoon, it started raining. Fear swept through me. Our phones lit up with flood warnings from the National Weather Service. We knew we should take them seriously.
Abe and I sought refuge in a local brewery perched high above the river basin. Before we knew it, the water from that thin little creek of Rio Ruidoso became a torrent. The rushing water rose quickly. It swept through the river valley right under the brewery, carrying what looked like trees and debris with it.
A woman watches the Rio Ruidoso rise from inside a brewery in downtown Ruidoso last summer.Two people venture close to the river as a flash flood began to subside last summer.
Still, I wanted to photograph the river up close. I left the safety of the brewery and let the heavy rain cover me as I moved closer to the river. As I made photos that afternoon and throughout the rest of the trip, questions about my own safety ran through my mind: Would the water keep rising? If it did, could I get to high ground? And, notably, would I have enough warning?
In hindsight, I realize these questions were largely about whether I could trust the systems in place to keep me and others safe. And as Abe kept reporting over the next year, the more those questions felt valid.
Last month, Abe and I traveled again to Ruidoso. The town felt lighter and less ominous. Much of the ruin had been removed or rebuilt. Grass and sagebrush sprouted on a burn scar. Tourists wandered around a lively downtown on a Friday afternoon. People seemed to be moving on from the terror of the previous year.
Downtown Ruidoso on a Friday afternoon this summerA mule deer and an elk wander behind downtown Ruidoso.New growth on a burn scar above Ruidoso
But Stephanie and Sebastian Trotter still carry the scars of the day. They lost their two children, Sebastian Rowan, 7, and Charlotte, 4, in the Ruidoso flooding.
There is now a memorial for them and Benjamin “Tim” Feagin, the third person who died, at the RV park where they had been camped. But I wanted to see for myself the places where each of them was found. I felt that making photos of those places could help people connect with the reality of their deaths as well as their lives. So, early one morning, I walked along the floodplain trying to find the locations Abe had shared with me.
I got to the bridge where a firefighter found Sebastian Rowan. There was no marker, no indication that anyone’s body had been found there.
Then I went looking for the area where Charlotte was found. I wandered under pine and cottonwood, through knee-deep grasses and wild sunflowers. Crows cawed overhead, and the early morning sun broke through the trees. I stood there for a while, admiring the beauty, awed by the sadness of the river’s trickle.
Rio Ruidoso, near where the body of Sebastian Rowan was found
Andy Burnham has denied proposing a return of free movement in talks between the UK and EU, saying any decision about the future relationship will be led by the will of the British people.
His comments came as two senior ministers expressed caution about the talk of the UK returning as a full member of the EU or single market and the consequences of a return to free movement.
Reports have suggested a vulnerable president could start a new bombing campaign. But that wouldn’t bring a deal any closer
Will Donald Trump decide to resume a large-scale war against Iran after the US midterm elections?
That question has loomed over the campaign for weeks, as officials leaked plans for a new round of joint US-Israeli military strikes that would target Iran’s underground nuclear facilities, missile arsenals and civilian infrastructure.
Here’s an hour-by-hour rundown of when polls close around the US, and some of the key races taking place
In the 2026 US midterm cycle, there are 35 Senate seats up for election, 36 governors’ races and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives up for grabs. There are also several ballot measures across the country on issues ranging from election administration to abortion access.
Democrats are looking to reclaim control of both chambers of Congress. They’ll need to gain four seats in the Senate to secure a 51-seat majority, and win at least 218 seats to take back the House.
Everything you need to know about how winners are called, how states count ballots and Trump’s election denialism
There’s no simple answer as to when US voters will know the results of the midterms.
Elections are managed locally throughout the US, and it’s different in each state. Sometimes, if a race isn’t close, there’s a near-instantaneous sense of who won. In more contested races, it can take many hours, days or even weeks.
The 2026 US midterm elections feature firebrand progressives trying to stake out new territory, moderate Republicans struggling in the shadow of Donald Trump, and a host of scandals that have made races closer than they should be.
These candidates could shape not only power in Washington, but public and political understanding of what works – and wins votes – in different places across the country. Can a Democrat win in red Kansas? Could Texas finally flip away from Republicans? Will abuse allegations or absenteeism tank incumbents? How important is capturing online attention?
And how can Republicans run away from Trump, their party’s leader, and modern architect, as his popularity wanes?
The lessons learned – and the candidates who teach them – will play into the 2028 presidential election and alter the makeup of Congress at a critical time for both parties
Why Should Delaware Care? Delaware officials have scrambled to take action after high power bills sparked consumer outrage across much of the state. Reducing the allowable profit for utilities like Delmarva Power could lower those bills, but it could also destabilize the company financially.
Delaware Public Advocate Jameson Tweedie wants state energy regulators to lower the amount of returns that Delmarva Power can earn in the state.
To do so, Tweedie last month formally requested that regulators open an investigation into the profit models of all private utilities in the state.
Tweedie — the governor’s appointee charged with advocating for the public on proposed power bill increases — said new research suggests utilities across the country earn more profit than necessary.
That means customers may be paying too much for electricity, water, sewer and gas, he said.
“At a moment where customers are being squeezed from all sides … we need to be looking at everything we can to make sure that the system is working properly,” Tweedie told Spotlight Delaware.
His request comes four months after Gov. Matt Meyer called for such an investigation. He did so as part of an ongoing effort to take action after uncharacteristically high power bills sparked outrage in Delaware, largely from customers of Delmarva Power, a subsidiary of Exelon Corp.
The state’s energy regulators at the Delaware Public Service Commission (PSC) will discuss the request for an investigation at its meeting Wednesday.
Get Involved The Public Service Commission will meet at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 861 Silver Lake Blvd. in Dover. Public comment will be at the beginning of the meeting. Information about virtual attendance is available in the meeting agenda.
While the inquiry would look into the profit structure for all regulated utilities, Tweedie primarily criticized Delmarva Power’s profits.
He is focused on Delmarva Power because it is currently requesting that regulators allow it to increase revenues by $67.8 million, which would be the largest utility increase in Delaware history. That could raise an average homeowner’s utility bill by about 4%.
Meyer said last week he supports the inquiry because Delmarva Power’s revenue and rising power bills do not back up its “supposed interest in providing affordable electricity.”
Delmarva Power spokesman Matthew Ford said the utility “welcome[s] a review of that process to identify opportunities for improvement.”
Still, the company’s regional president, Marcus Beal, said Delmarva Power’s current regulated profit structure keeps it financially healthy.
Spikes in power bills in recent years followed increases in the supply of wholesale electricity and in higher infrastructure costs.l. | PHOTO COURTESY OF NIKOLA JOHNNY MIRKOVIC, UNSPLASH
Delaware is part of the PJM grid, which has seen increased electricity prices as the development of new power plants continues to fall behind the increased demand for power in the region, in part from data centers.
Finally, Beal said power bills have increased because costs for transmission infrastructure have surged due to demand from data centers.
How do regulated utilities like Delmarva Power make money?
Regulated utilities are able to recoup the costs of infrastructure upgrades through rate increases, plus more in profit.
They can legally earn up to a 10% return on equity — which is essentially profit — on infrastructure upgrades.
It means the utility can earn about 10 cents on every dollar it invests from its bank account into poles, wires and substations. The level of profit is about the average for utilities across the country.
Beal said the company’s investors’ actual return can be “higher or lower” than 10%, but said the actual return on equity is often lower because state regulators can take months to approve rate increases.
He also argued that a return on equity is essential to attract investment. And he said that if the company were to rely more on debt to fund infrastructure upgrades, it would become less financially stable. But it’s a claim that Tweedie, the public advocate, disputed.
Beal also said that Delaware residents benefit from the financial health of Delmarva Power and its parent company, Exelon, because state pensions are invested in Exelon stock and a stable utility company attracts businesses to the state.
“So if you negatively adjust ROE [return on equity], you’re going to have cascading impacts that may have negative consequences for everyone,” Beal said.
But Tweedie argued that regulated utilities should not be more profitable than the average equity investment on the stock market, which is around 7%.
Delmarva Power is a regulated monopoly for electricity distribution, meaning it is the only company allowed to build the poles and wires across more than half of the state.
That makes Exelon, which owns several other regulated utilities, a safe bet for investors, Tweedie said, so it does not make sense for its shareholders to get an above average rate of return. He said the return may be that high partially because of precedent, rather than necessity.
Ford, Delmarva Power’s spokesman, and Tweedie both said funding infrastructure upgrades ahead of time rather than after they are already built could be one way to bring down costs.
Tweedie said state energy regulators should also look into setting the return on equity to be equal to the return on U.S. Treasuries plus 2%, among other potential reforms.
The interest rate as of Monday on a 10-year U.S. Treasury note is 4.89%
Wilmington-based artist and writer Oscar Eduardo de Paz grew up on the north side of Chicago, a community he describes as brimming with both gang violence and police violence. De Paz was 13 when he first experienced the latter.
He was taking the trash out to the dumpster when a black sedan with tinted windows sped into the alley. Two police officers exited the vehicle, guns drawn, asking what was in the garbage bag de Paz had just dumped and whether he had any drugs on him.
Hearing the commotion, de Paz’s panicked grandmother ran outside, yelling, “He’s a good boy!” Once the police officers checked the dumpster, finding only trash, they left.
Get Involved Oscar Eduardo de Paz’s exhibition “Remixing Americana” is on display at Create Magic Art Shop (419 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE 19801) Nov. 6-28, with an opening reception on Friday, Nov. 6, 5-8 p.m. Create Magic’s regular hours are noon-7 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday.
de Paz will also participate in the Shifting Perspectives: Art in America symposium at The Delaware Contemporary (200 S Madison St. Wilmington, DE 19801), on Thursday, Nov. 12, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tickets are $25.
De Paz never thought of himself the same way again. He realized that, simply because of his ethnicity, some people saw him as “a threat whose life was expendable.”
“I’m sitting there, watching the news. I have my little ones. I’m like, ‘Man, my life could have been totally different had that cop just pulled the trigger,’” de Paz recalled.
He told the story of that run-in with police in his 2024 book “A Violent Break,” which originated as an audio essay called “After Dinner.” He submitted the audio essay to a 2018 contest by the University of Delaware Center for Political Communication, which he won.
De Paz was a doctoral student at the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration at the time, a program he’d entered with the hopes of affecting change around policing, healthcare, immigration and more.
But he’d become even more disillusioned with the system while working on his dissertation about environmental justice.
“The Memory Won’t Fade, because We Mustn’t Let It (Etched in Stone)” by Oscar Eduardo de Paz. | PHOTO COURTESY OF OSCAR EDUARDO DE PAZ
De Paz noticed residents had a lack of faith in institutions like the government, universities and nonprofits, believing they could not bring about positive change. As de Paz learned more about the pitfalls of bureaucracy in his research, that belief began to rub off on him.
The “death of (de Paz’s) Ph.D.” came during the award ceremony where he performed “After Dinner.”
“After that event, someone came up to me, and they shared with me, ‘I really appreciate that you didn’t hit me over the head with your political argument. You just shared your story. I have to think of policing differently,’” de Paz recalled.
While learning about public policy had begun to make moving the needle feel impossible, art filled de Paz with a passion to change minds and start conversations.
So, when the COVID pandemic hit, de Paz decided to quit his Ph.D. and commit himself to writing and the visual arts.
“I get a lot of side-eyes,” de Paz said with a laugh. “I’m a little bit of an all-or-nothing person, and I think that’s partly because that’s what survival has taken. I was homeless at 16. I had to drop out of high school. There was no, ‘Let’s take our time.’ Maybe that’s why I paint the way I paint, too — like time will run out.”
“By Any Other Name (There is Sweetness in Silence)” by Oscar Eduardo de Paz. Thetop image shows a kid playing cowboy in front of a white picket fence, and the bottom shows a mouth sewn shut by a blue thread representing the police. | PHOTO COURTESY OF OSCAR EDUARDO DE PAZ
It’s an apt description for such a prolific artist. de Paz is constantly working in his studio at The Delaware Contemporary.
In the past six months, de Paz has painted over 40 paintings as part of a series called “Remixing Americana,” which will be on display at Create Magic Art Shop in Wilmington this month.
Each painting is divided in two, usually with a symbol from American mythology or pop culture on one half of the canvas and a more political image on the other half.
For example, in one painting, the top half of the canvas shows a football helmet. The bottom half depicts a military plane in a warzone (the billowing smoke is a collage of presidents’ hair from fake dollar bills).
In other paintings, de Paz pulls from his childhood obsession with comic books. He juxtaposes two depictions of costumed vigilantes by placing Superman alongside masked members of the white supremacist group the Patriot Front. Meanwhile, he questions Americans’ willingness to fight for liberty by placing Captain America next to a plantation house.
“Do we have the revolutionary spirit that we claim to have in this country? That’s something that I think we have to ask ourselves,” de Paz said.
Artist Oscar Eduardo de Paz talks about his painting of his 11-year-old son and an ICE agent. | SPOTLIGHT DELAWARE PHOTO BY CANNON TAYLOR
In another piece, de Paz paints his 11-year-son in a luchador mask next to a U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.
“There’s this contrast between the child’s play as a hero — saving the disadvantaged, saving those who are weaker — (and) who we claim to be heroes. They’re often enacting violence and actually, often, policing the weak and the poor,” de Paz said.
“We’re losing the image of the innocence and playfulness of them as children,” de Paz said.
“The Secret Chord (They Know No Right)” by Oscar Eduardo de Paz. | PHOTO COURTESY OF OSCAR EDUARDO DE PAZ
The experience of looking at one of de Paz’s remixed paintings is not dissimilar to the tonal whiplash one experiences while scrolling on social media. By creating collisions between iconography and stark reality, de Paz hopes to inspire the viewer to think critically about what story America has told in its first 250 years.
De Paz sees violence as “staggeringly central” to the American story, from the near-genocide of Native Americans to the societal acceptance of police violence “as a solution, versus a flaw.”
“We seem to only be leaning into it further, with increasing militarization of our streets, with rises of homophobia, anti-trans language and treatment, and a continued prison system that hasn’t shrunk, has grown, and has had such an appetite that now, it’s had to find new groups to detain in large numbers. We see that with the increase of ICE and these detention facilities,” he added.
While de Paz doesn’t provide solutions or answers in his work, he hopes it sparks rumination and discussion.
“I think to be reflective of the human experience is recognizing the light with the dark, how our social experiences come with these trade-offs,” he said. “An American story can’t be told without both halves being in conversation.”
Why Should Delaware Care? The New Castle County Council approved a pair of bills Tuesday that will take $2.6 million from the county’s agricultural preservation fund, usually reserved for preserving and protecting county farmland, to pay for a slew of looming debts, including a large required IRS arbitrage payment, tree removal and rising healthcare costs for employees.
A move last week by the New Castle County Council to reallocate millions of dollars from an agricultural preservation fund to cover an emergency payment to the Internal Revenue Service and other unforeseen expenses drew the ire of some objecting council members.
The council passed a pair of bills last Tuesday to use $2.6 million from the county’s agricultural preservation capital project, a pot of money set aside to preserve county farmland through easements and property rights purchases, to cover an unexpected debt to the IRS that must be paid by Nov. 30. The money will also be used to pay for an uptick in tree maintenance needs — a response to recent spate of storms — as well as increased employee healthcare costs.
Council members ultimately approved the reallocations in a 9-3 vote, but not before the move was called a “raid” of the agricultural preservation fund by Councilman Brandon Toole, who voted in favor despite voicing his apprehension.
Councilman Dave Carter, one of the voices opposing the decision, said his concerns were not about the specific expense, but what he called a concerning trend of increased spending without transparency.
“Many of us will remember that we had a chance to bail out this goddamn county budget with COVID money years ago, and we just […] rubberstamped as former [County] Executive [Matt] Meyer spent money like a drunken sailor,” Carter said. “That’s what happened. That’s why we’re here.”
But David Del Grande, the county’s chief financial officer, said the expenses were the result of unanticipated costs that were largely outside the county’s control, arising despite what he called “careful forecasting.”
Approximately $1.6 million of the reallocated money will go to the IRS to repay the agency for county investment earnings that exceed federal limits, Del Grande said. The other $1 million will be split evenly between the tree maintenance and employee healthcare costs.
The repayment is a result of 2021A bonds the county issued when federal interest rates were quite low, which earned more interest than the IRS allows for bond investments. Del Grande attributed this to an “anomalous” series of interest rate changes by the Federal Reserve over the last several years, particularly in 2022 and 2023.
He said he knew the county had an “issue brewing” over the summer but had not received the rebate report until Sept. 30, when the bonds were evaluated.
The county had encountered a similar situation in 2019, but was only obligated to repay around $50,000 to the IRS to rectify it that time, Del Grande said.
If the county does not make its payment by the Nov. 30 deadline, he said, the IRS could double the amount owed, among other potential penalties.
“Short-sighted” spending amid budget crisis?
Along with his vocal objections to the spending, Carter attempted to block a portion of the allocation through proposed amendments.
He suggested the council only move forward with the $1.6 million IRS payment and hold off on immediately spending the other $1 million until they could be further considered, since the tree maintenance work and healthcare costs do not have a pending deadline or credit rating implications.
But Carter ultimately withdrew his amendment, following a debate over its technical legality.
Council members Dee Durham, Kevin Caneco and Brandon Toole echoed Carter’s objections. Durham called the reallocations “short-sighted” and said she wanted the county administration to pledge not to draw the agricultural fund down any further. She said she was “very disappointed that this is the solution” presented by the county administration.
In the event the county has more revenue than expenses at the end of the fiscal year, which Durham conceded is unlikely, she pushed for the administration to use that revenue to first replenish the fund. She introduced an amendment to that effect, which was approved.
Caneco’s frustrations homed in on what he said was a lack of information about the county’s struggling financial picture.
“We’re in a budget crisis, and we still don’t have any information,” Caneco said. “All I hear is that there are going to be magical revenue streams from the State of Delaware, and guess what? We’re sitting here on Oct. 27, and I have been briefed on zero.”
During a committee meeting last Tuesday where the reallocation plan was first discussed, Toole said the amount of money being pulled from the agricultural preservation fund is two-and-a-half times the amount the county puts into it each year.
Del Grande said the leftover $2.4 million in the agricultural fund — just less than half the $5 million total that was in the account before last week — would still cover projects currently under review through 2032.
Despite these concerns, the reallocation plan passed by a vote of 9-3, with Caneco, Carter and Caneco voting against the measure.
After the meeting, Natalie Criscenzo, County Executive Marcus Henry’s spokesperson, responded to the critiques.
She said paying the IRS in a timely manner is responsible debt management that would help the county maintain its credit rating.
Criscenzo also said Henry “remains committed to protecting the county’s farmland and open space,” and that its agricultural preservation serves to bolster a similar endeavor that is already funded by the state.
County Council will receive a checkbook presentation at its next Finance Committee meeting on Nov. 17, giving members an opportunity to gauge the severity of the county’s current financial status and determine potential future budget issues before deliberations begin.
Though a lot of people are about to win – or lose – a lot of money, it’s hard to imagine any wagers as consequential as the election bet that birthed a sporting craze spearheaded by a chancer who walked and talked his way into becoming one of the greatest athletic stars of the 19th century.
The EU and the UK have completed their deal to remove Brexit checks on imports and exports of food and animal products ranging from sausages and cheese to leather goods and flowers.
It will prove a boon for British food exporters and will also mean smaller retailers in the UK such as delicatessens can return to buying smaller batches of cheese and wines, something that became impossible because of the cost of Brexit checks introduced in 2022.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from sending states lists of voters it suspects may be noncitizens or pressuring election officials to segregate or reject their ballots.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled Monday that the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security must stop distributing the lists while litigation continues. She said the government’s data may be unreliable, creating a risk that eligible U.S. citizens could be improperly flagged and disenfranchised.
The administration recently sent such lists to California and Washington, asking officials to isolate ballots from thousands of voters until their citizenship could be verified. Voting-rights and privacy groups sued, arguing the effort violated the federal Privacy Act and improperly intruded on state authority over elections.
The Justice Department maintains that its actions are intended to enforce the federal prohibition on noncitizen voting. Noncitizen voting is illegal, but documented cases remain rare.
Chutkan’s order does not prevent states from independently verifying individual citizenship through existing federal systems. It instead bars the administration from distributing its own lists or directing states to act on them.
The ruling follows several other court setbacks to the administration’s election-related efforts, including challenges involving California ballots and alleged noncitizen voters.
The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has told Andy Burnham he is looking at changing rules for British backpackers in Australia, after an increase in the number of travellers visiting popular hotspots such as Sydney.
Albanese, who met Burnham on Monday evening at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (Chogm) in the Caribbean, told reporters he wanted to discuss changing the agreement between the UK and Australia that removes a regional work requirement for British travellers.
Strikes on eve of US midterms reportedly target surface-to-air missiles being used against US assets
The US launched limited strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island late on Monday, hours after the vice-president, JD Vance, said he was optimistic that diplomatic efforts to end the war were moving in the right direction.
The strikes, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, came on the eve of crucial midterm elections in which Donald Trump’s Republican party is expected to be punished by voters for the cascading effect the war has had on the cost of living.
Around the world, virtues such as compassion and kindness are gathering dust, like old hymn books in a long-deserted church
Towards the end of the summer, the Tory-Reform defector Robert Jenrick authored an op-ed piece for the Daily Telegraph about the seemingly impossible economics of rising benefits bills because of mental ill-health. In his capacity as Reform’s Treasury spokesman, his task was to big up its plans to cut 25% of so-called welfare spending by 2030, and thereby tackle what he called the state’s “suicidal empathy”.
Straight away, I wondered where this most opportunistic politician had borrowed that phrase from, and instantly found out: a book with the same title, published this year by the Canadian academic Gad Saad, whom the dust jacket describes as having particular expertise in “the use of evolutionary psychology in marketing and consumer behaviour”. It comes with an endorsement from Elon Musk. “Western civilisation is doomed unless the core weakness of suicidal empathy is recognised and actions are taken that are hard but necessary for survival,” says the world’s richest man. “All of Gad’s books, including this one, are great.”
At the Seventh Manned Spaceflight Conference in Beijing, Chinese space officials publicly outlined the most detailed roadmap yet for landing astronauts on the Moon "before 2030." Ars Technica reports: China's lunar landings will involve a lunar-orbit rendezvous similar to what NASA did in the 1960s and early 1970s with the Apollo program. However, lacking a rocket as powerful as the Saturn V vehicle, the crew and lunar lander will launch separately to the Moon. According to slides shared on social media, the current plan involves:
- An uncrewed test of the Long March 10A rocket (a single-stick variant, with no boosters) and the Mengzhou spacecraft to low-Earth orbit. Target: early 2027
- An uncrewed test of the larger Long March 10 rocket (a core stage with two boosters) and the Lanyue lunar lander, including descent/ascent from Moon's surface. Target: 2028
- A concurrent launch of two Long March 10 rockets, one carrying uncrewed Mengzhou and the other the Lanyue vehicle; they will dock in lunar orbit. Target: 2029
- Dual launch of Long March 10 rockets, this time with crew on the Mengzhou spacecraft, leading to crewed landing mission. Target: "Before 2030"
The public release of this new information provides a timeline for gauging China's technical progress in its efforts to land humans on the Moon before 2030 and beat NASA and the United States back to the lunar surface. Notably, the plan (for now, at least) omits a mission similar to Apollo 8 or Artemis II, which involved a crew flying out to the Moon and either entering orbit or passing close by before returning to Earth. The Mengzhou vehicle should still get a workout closer to Earth with humans on board as part of missions carrying astronauts to Tiangong, China's space station in low-Earth orbit.
Guardian and Mongabay reveal approaches to officials and MPs on behalf of Vantara zoo ahead of UK-chaired Cites meeting on endangered animal imports
British government ministers were told not to engage formally with Vantara, the controversial mega-zoo run by the Indian billionaire Anant Ambani, after lobbying efforts by the private animal sanctuary in the run-up to a UK-chaired meeting on the trade in endangered species, according to documents.
This week, the UK heads a 32-country committee meeting in Geneva of Cites, the United Nations body that regulates trade in endangered species. The meeting will examine how India has responded to compliance concerns about imports of endangered animals.
Exclusive: Nonexistent precedent cited in alleged child rape case adds to dozens of AI-related errors plaguing court proceedings
A senior crown prosecutor acting in a high court case cited an imaginary legal precedent in an error that has sparked fresh concerns about AI hallucinations infecting the justice system.
Ravinder Dhillon, representing the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), referenced an entirely made-up case during a dispute over whether a child should be prosecuted for the rape of his younger sister, court documents have revealed.
The United States and China are locked in a global competition to determine who will dominate artificial intelligence and whether it will be democracies or autocracies that set the standards and values of the new digital age. The United States leads the world in the sophistication and power of its artificial intelligence models, and its innovation base and investment in research and development remain unparalleled.But AI competition is much broader than modeling alone. It encompasses a technology ecosystem that includes power generation, servers, and deployment in real-world applications. Jensen Huang, co-founder and CEO of Nvidia, has described the AI industry as a five-layer cake with energy at its base and chips, infrastructure, models, and applications above it. To win the AI race with China, the United States needs to maintain or establish an advantage in each of these layers. And to do that, the United States needs Taiwan.
Caleb Williams threw a touchdown pass on the opening drive and Jeffery Simmons delivered just what Chicago needed on defense as the Bears beat the host Seattle Seahawks 34-17 on Monday night.
Williams was extremely efficient for the Bears (6-2) against one of the NFL’s stingiest defenses, committing no turnovers, taking just one sack and throwing for 247 yards while completing 71% of his passes.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE — Newly released video shows Tennessee National Guard members pointing their handguns at 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson as he lay mortally wounded on a Memphis sidewalk after being shot during a July encounter, adding new scrutiny to a case already complicated by conflicting accounts of what happened.
The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office released police body-camera footage, surveillance video and a bystander recording Monday as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues reviewing the July 5 shooting. Johnson died at the scene from a single gunshot wound.
The released footage does not show the moment Johnson was shot. It does show Guard members shouting commands and aiming their weapons at Johnson after he was already on the ground. A Memphis police officer can be heard calling for an ambulance and asking whether the troops had medical supplies.
That missing footage is important because official accounts and Johnson’s autopsy appear to conflict.
A Tennessee National Guard report said Johnson “rounded on” two Guard members and pointed a handgun at them before both troops fired their M17 pistols. However, an autopsy provided to Johnson’s family found that he had been shot in the back, raising questions about whether the official description accurately reflects Johnson’s position when the fatal round was fired.
Authorities have said Johnson was armed and had fled after officers responded to reports of gunfire. Earlier surveillance footage shows a person firing shots across a parking lot before police began pursuing an armed man. The available video, however, does not establish what Johnson was doing at the precise moment the Guard members opened fire.
Attorney André C. Wharton, representing Johnson’s family, said the investigation should remain focused on whether the fatal shot was legally justified.
The Guard members were deployed as part of a federal crime task force created under President Donald Trump and supported by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee. The task force was involved in four fatal shootings between May and July.
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy has not yet decided whether criminal charges will be filed.
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Electrek: The world's leading EV maker is showing no signs of slowing down. BYD sold 490,168 new energy vehicles (NEVs) in October, up 11% from the prior year and the company's highest monthly total in 2026. BYD's battery electric vehicles drove the growth, with a record 305,743 units sold, up 37% year over year and marking the first time its EV sales have crossed the 300,000 mark. To put that into perspective, just over 262,500 EVs were sold in the US in the entire third quarter combined, according to Kelley Blue Book estimates. By the end of the year, BYD expects overseas shipments to reach about 2 million vehicles. "In 2027, that number is expected to rise to more than 2.5 million vehicles," adds Electrek.
The MSC Poesia cruise ship is currently detained with passengers on board at the Port of Miami, and its itinerary is currently on hold, Coast Guard officials tell CBS News.
The plan has triggered alarm among advocates for Afghans, who warn that the proposal could lead to the deportation of Afghans who could be persecuted by the Taliban.
ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spent last Friday promoting the Trump administration’s aggressive campaign against fraud in Minnesota. But when asked whether that same scrutiny should apply to an ICE prison purchase that cost the federal government hundreds of millions more than an earlier offer to the state, Bessent dismissed the question as a “waste of our time.”
The exchange highlighted a notable contradiction in the administration’s message: federal officials say they intend to follow suspicious money wherever it leads, while rejecting calls to examine a costly transaction involving their own government.
The controversy involves the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton, Minnesota. ICE purchased the vacant 1,600-bed prison from private prison company CoreCivic for about $496 million in August. However, records obtained by KARE 11 showed CoreCivic had offered the same facility to Minnesota for $75 million in 2025.
CoreCivic also has substantial financial ties to Trump-era Republican politics: the company donated $500,000 to Trump’s 2025 inaugural committee, while its PAC and employees gave nearly $785,000 during the 2024 election cycle, with about $660,000 going to Republican candidates and committees.
Asked about the roughly $420 million difference during the administration’s fraud task force event, Bessent said he knew nothing about the transaction and added that questions diverting attention from criminal fraud were “a waste of our time.”
That response came shortly after Bessent declared that President Trump had made fighting fraud “a mandate” across the entire administration. Treasury’s own release said that “wherever the money leads, the full weight of government will follow.”
No evidence has established that the ICE purchase itself involved criminal fraud. But the enormous difference between the earlier $75 million offer and the federal government’s $496 million purchase has raised legitimate questions about how taxpayers’ money was spent.
DHS and CoreCivic dispute the suggestion that the figures are directly comparable. CoreCivic says the $75 million figure was not a formal appraisal and that the federal price reflected replacement costs, renovations, security upgrades and current construction expenses. The company said independent federal appraisers determined the property’s fair market value.
The timing nevertheless makes the contrast difficult to ignore. At the same Minnesota event, Bessent, FBI Director Kash Patel and other officials repeatedly emphasized protecting taxpayers and pursuing fraud aggressively. Treasury said its anti-fraud campaign would use “every tool” available to hold wrongdoers accountable.
That standard may now invite an obvious question: if federal officials believe questionable spending deserves aggressive scrutiny, should transactions involving their own agencies receive the same examination?
Earlier Monday, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to order California election officials to set aside mail ballots from 20,000 people it alleges are noncitizens.
HONG KONG, Nov. 2, 2026 — The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) today launched the Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Toolkit (Toolkit), with support from industry participants. The Toolkit sets out a structured and comprehensive framework to guide banks in planning and advancing their PQC transition journeys.
Hong Kong skyline along Victoria Harbour. Credit: TTstudio/Shutterstock.
The Toolkit supports banks in establishing clear governance and accountability, assessing cryptographic exposure, identifying transition needs, as well as monitoring implementation progress. The Toolkit also brings together key planning considerations to facilitate an orderly and risk-based transition.
In particular, the Toolkit includes a suite of practical tools to help banks get started with practical assessment and planning, such as taking stock of their cryptographic assets and dependencies, defining transition priorities, strengthening engagements with suppliers and developing practical transition timelines accordingly.
In response to the potential cybersecurity risks associated with future advances in quantum computing, the HKMA launched the Quantum Preparedness Index (QPI) in July 2026 to assess the banking sector’s preparedness for the quantum-safe cryptography. The initial QPI score of 2.3 out of 10 indicated that, while the sector had begun addressing quantum-related developments, its overall readiness for the transition to PQC remains at an early stage. Co-developed by the HKMA and HKUST, the Toolkit aims to support banks in translating awareness into concrete actions, driving the sector towards full quantum readiness, that is, a QPI score of 10 by 2030.
The collaboration reflects HKUST’s role in advancing understanding of emerging technologies and their implications for business and society. Drawing on the multidisciplinary expertise across cybersecurity, cryptography, finance, economics, corporate governance, and technology applications, HKUST is contributing to one of the critical challenges emerging from advances in quantum computing.
Mr Arthur Yuen, Deputy Chief Executive of the HKMA, said, “The Quantum Preparedness Index has established a clear starting point for the sector. The next step is to help banks translate that understanding into clear responsibilities, informed priorities and practical plans. Through our collaboration with HKUST and the industry, the Toolkit provides a common foundation that banks can adapt to their own circumstances. Our aim is to make it easier for banks to begin the work and sustain progress throughout the transition.”
Prof. Frederik Anseel, Dean of the School of Business and Management at HKUST (HKUST Business School), said, “Preparing for the quantum era is a leadership challenge. Banks can build the knowledge and organisational capability they need even while the timing of the threat remains uncertain. Our collaboration with the HKMA and industry translates academic research and practical experience into guidance that banks can use. By starting with manageable steps and learning from trials, banks can strengthen their preparedness over time.”
The collaboration brings together the HKMA’s supervisory perspective, HKUST’s academic expertise and practical insights from the industry. Through this co-development approach, the Toolkit will be updated over time to reflect evolving technological developments, international standards and industry implementation experience.
The PQC Toolkit is available in the Fintech Knowledge Hub section of the HKMA website:
The latest and final New York Times and Siena College poll before the midterm elections also shows Abdul El-Sayed leading Mike Rogers in the US Senate race in Michigan by 11 percentage points, outside the margin of error.
The survey took place before Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens announced that she would back Rogers in the contest – a vital seat for her party to retain in their quest for control of the Senate.
The supreme court on Monday ruled against the Trump administration and its attempts to force California election officials to segregate and not count ballots from people that the justice department claims are non-citizens. The ruling follows several lower courts siding with California officials, who argued the federal government was seeking to interfere in state elections.
The court did not issue an explanation for its ruling, which is customary in cases that come to it on an emergency basis. There were no noted dissents from the justices.
The Chinese surprised the HPC community earlier this year when they took the top spot on the TOP500 list with LineShine, an all-CPU machine out of the National Supercomputing Center in Shenzhen that recorded 2.2 exaflops on the Linpack test. With the launch earlier this year of the long-delayed Sugon 8000 supercluster in Zhengzhou, the Chinese now have publicly acknowledged four exascale-class machines.
The Sugon 8000, also known as “Dengfeng,” is a 100,000-card supercluster developed by Sugon Information Industry Co., one of the country’s leading developers of supercomputers and AI clusters. The system is located at the National Supercomputing Center in Zhengzhou (also known as the Henan Supercomputing Center), and is hooked into the country’s National Supercomputing Internet.
We don’t know a lot about the technical particulars of this system, which has been delayed for years. But we know a few things. For starters, it’s based on chips made by Hygon Information Technology, a developer of X86-compatible CPUs and AI accelerators, among others. It uses Sugon’s new interconnect, dubbed scaleFabric, the “InfiniBand-like” 400G/800G RDMA network that it introduced earlier this year.
Storage for the Sugon 8000 is provided by ParaStor, the flash-based parallel file system developed by Sugon for HPC and AI training. Sugon recently submitted the ParaStore for global IO500 list, where it took first place full-node and 10-node rankings. (Glenn Lockwood recently described the ParaStor F9000 as “very WEKA-like” in his blog).
The Sugon 8000 is composed of 10,000 computing cards (Image courtesy Sugon)
Dengfeng uses Sugon’s proprietary “immersion phase-change liquid cooling” in support of “single-cabinet MW-class high power-density deployment,” according to Sugon’s July announcement. The new system is an example of China’s “HPC-AI fusion” technology, the company says. Sugon says that Dengfeng will support a range of workloads, from scientific codes requiring full FP64 all the way to running AI models in INT8 mode.
Sugon says the new system is significant because it represents an expansion beyond 1,000-card and 10,000-card cluster to 100,000-card clusters: “The official completion of Sugon 8000 (Dengfeng) offers a reference sample for 100,000-card AI infrastructure and shifts evaluation of large computing-power centers from scale stacking and performance contests toward more comprehensive system capability, with greater weight on real application efficiency and industrial economic productivity,” the company says.
Sugon says the new supercluster has already been used for 300 different applications, ranging from large AI models and drug discovery to astronomy and quantum computing. The company says 70 applications have been validated on the expansion from 10,000-card clusters, apparently paving the way for new “scientific intelligence” workloads to come to the cluster, including protein-folding simulation, trillion-atom-scale water molecular dynamics, and ultra-large-scale turbulence simulation, along with large AI models and agentic AI.
There are a lot things we don’t know about the new system. For instance, we don’t know how many processors it has, what sorts of accelerators (if any) it uses, what type of memory it uses, and how much. We don’t know how many racks the cluster is composed of, nor do we know about its specific power requirements.
We also don’t know if the Sugon 8000 will be listed on the TOP500 list when the latest edition comes out later this month at SC26. After LineShine took first place at ISC 2026 in June, it’s possible that the Chinese are more willing to share their HPC creations with the world. Unless there is a surprise announcement (which is always possible), it seems unlikely that new leadership-class American systems will debut at the top of the list when Jack Dongarra, Horst Simon, Erich Strohmaier, and Christine Harvey debut the new list on Tuesday, November 17, at SC26 in Chicago, Illinois.
China’s exascale ambitions are no secret. LineShine may be the first and only Chinese system to officially break the exaflop barrier with a published Linpack score, but with the introduction of Sugon 8000, the country now is believed to have at least four exascale machines (and maybe more). The other two that we know about include the Sunway Oceanlite cluster built by the National Supercomputing Center in Wuxi, and Tianhe-3 installed at the National Supercomputing Center in Guangzhou.
Former HPCwire Editor Tiffany Trader provided a detailed account of Oceanlite and Tianhe-3 systems in this November 2021 story. As Trader wrote five years ago, the new Sugon cluster based on X86-compatible CPUs–as well as a Hygon DCU (“like a GPU”)–had been delayed for years. That system was initially planned to use the Hygon Dhyana CPUs, which is an x86 architecture derived from AMD‘s 2016 joint venture with THATIC.
However, following the 2019 sanctions the US Government placed on THATIC and Sugon, the Chinese decided to forge ahead with their own chip development program without assistance from AMD. That’s one of the big reasons for the multi-year delay.
(The Center Square) – Los Angeles voters will decide Tuesday whether to reelect Mayor Karen Bass or give the job to City Councilmember Nithya Raman in a race that a poll says tightened dramatically in recent weeks.
National Cyber Security Centre expects attacks on critical facilities such as power stations, airports and hospitals
AI-powered malicious software is “highly likely” to be used in hacking attacks against the UK’s power stations, airports and hospitals by 2028, according to the state cybersecurity body.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said AI will probably enable a ransomware attack against critical national infrastructure [CNI] between now and 2028. The UK’s definition of CNI covers a range of facilities and services across sectors including energy, transport, defence, food, health and finance.
Snap has settled a lawsuit brought by two teenagers who alleged Snapchat was deliberately designed to be addictive and contributed to their mental health problems, avoiding a trial that was scheduled to begin this week. Snap was the last defendant to settle after Meta, Alphabet and TikTok resolved claims in the same case. CBS News reports: The teenage plaintiffs, identified in court documents as S.J. and K.D.B., had alleged in the suit that Snapchat was designed to be addictive and that using the platform from a young age contributed to their mental health issues. "We are glad to reach resolution for our clients," Mark Lanier, founder of The Lanier Law Firm and lead counsel for the plaintiffs, said in a statement to CBS News. "We believe this jury would have found the companies' conduct reprehensible."
Snap was the last social media company named in the lawsuit to settle the case, which was set for opening arguments this week. Meta resolved claims last week, while Alphabet and TikTok, the other defendants, each also resolved the allegations. Terms of the Snap settlement were undisclosed [...].
Earlier this year, a jury found Meta and Google-owned YouTube liable in a landmark social media addiction lawsuit, awarding $6 million in damages to a young woman who alleged the platforms' addictive features harmed her mental health. In August, Meta also agreed to pay up to $18 billion in settlements and introduce new child-safety measures to resolve claims from dozens of U.S. states that it deliberately designed Facebook and Instagram to addict children while misleading the public about their risks.
The 15th state Senate District is up for election in November, after Sen. Dave Lawson’s decade-long run. With the republican’s retirement, the seat is up for grabs. Nisha Lodhavia, a Democrat, political newcomer and former member of the university board of trustees, is taking a chance.
While this is Lodhavia’s first run for office, she has some experience in governance. As a member of the university’s board of trustees, her role has required her to navigate the needs of students, board members and university faculty, all while learning the intersection of public policy, education and finance.
“It’s really important when you are addressing a problem to be collaborative,” Lodhavia said. “I feel like it is really important to learn how to bring people together around a table and find solutions.”
With a leadership focus that she describes as “listen first, understand and collaborate,” Lodhavia is optimistic that the relationship-building and facilitation skills she developed in her time as a trustee will support her work if she is elected to office.
Despite her current campaign, Lodhavia insists that she is not a career politician and never dreamed of political aspirations for her future.
“When I look back retrospectively, and I think about how I ended up here, it almost looks like I planned this,” Lodhavia said.
Prior to her candidacy, she served as the president of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) at St. Ann’s Episcopal School in Middletown while her children were students, worked at various non-profits and was an adjunct math professor teaching epidemiology and biostatistics at both Delaware Technical Community College and Wesley College.
With what she has described as a “people-focused” campaign, she hopes to draw on her experience as a college professor to build relationships and to deeply understand the issues impacting the community.
She highlighted the importance of maintaining close relationships with her students and connecting on both a personal and academic level. She hopes to bring that constituent-centered mentality to her campaign.
“I feel like I am not just a professor, but I’m an advocate for these students, so I spend a lot of time getting to know them,” Lodhavia said. “I understand what their needs and challenges are, and I think that’s what’s going to help me shape policies.”
Lodhavia recalled a few stories about previous students and memories from her time in the classroom.
“They want to debrief about, you know, everything under the sun, classes, other professors,” Lodhavia said. “They need help, guidance,” Lodhavia said. “I used to say it was my morning therapy sessions with my students before class started.”
Lodhavia stated that she is not looking to push an ideology or a specific political agenda, and is instead focused on concrete issues. Her goal is about the people and to bring them together to find common-sense solutions, especially with affordability in mind.
“I’m going to prioritize affordability and health care,” Lodhavia said. “I’m going to prioritize strengthening our public schools. I’m going to prioritize workforce development. I’m going to prioritize supporting small business owners and economic growth.
“And if you think about those as all building blocks, and woven between all of that is affordability. So affordability touches all of those points.”
Lodhavia continues to assert that her professional experience has properly prepared her for political life in our divided times.
“I think that we’re very broken, and I feel like they need someone that’s not from the political world to bring us all back together,” Lodhavia said. “And I have fresh perspectives, different ideas, a different outlook, and I think I’m the right person to do this.”
She hopes her campaign and a possible Senate seat will bring unity to the community.
“Success would be representing my constituents, bringing us all together to understand that these issues are not partisan issues,” Lodhavia said. “They affect everybody, and finding common sense solutions to these issues would be success for me. Working across the aisle, and working together with whoever it takes to work with to identify and understand the issues.”
Lodhavia made one remark to students at the university, which she has continued to serve as a trustee.
“I want them to know that their vote is their voice, and their voice matters,” Lodhavia said. “Make sure you are registered to vote and make sure you go out and vote.”
This election cycle, Republican Sen. Dave Lawson is retiring from Delaware’s 15th Senate District after more than a decade in office, leaving the seat up for grabs. He has endorsed Republican candidate Emily Thompson.
Thompson thanked Lawson for the endorsement and noted that while she has no explicit policy differences, she believes being a young woman with her career background brings a different perspective.
“Emily Thompson has the experience, the values, and the heart to carry this work forward,” Lawson said. “I trust her completely.”
Thompson is a Delaware native who graduated from Wilmington University, where she earned her undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees. She has served the Delaware community for nearly ten years, focusing on child welfare, early intervention and prevention programs and public health initiatives.
“The 15th district is humongous, and it’s so different from top to bottom, and so I think it’s important to understand the pulse of the entire district,” Thompson said. “Yes, I’m in Hartly, but all the way at the top in Clayton and all the way at the bottom in Greenwood, their priorities are just as important.”
Her career began with Delaware’s Division of Corporations, then moved to the Justice of the Peace Court and child welfare. She currently oversees Delaware’s evidence-based home-visiting program.
She is a member of the Delaware Farm Bureau, the Delaware State Grange, the Delaware Standardbred Owners Association, the National Rifle Association and the Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association.
“I am really lucky to have a dual perspective,” Thompson said. “[From] working in state government and then being a farmer’s daughter and seeing what farmers need, the support that they need in the legislature to be successful, as well as my family being full of small businesses. I think those play a big role in my decision-making.”
She explained that her main objectives are supporting agriculture and small businesses, enacting strong education, early intervention and responsible government spending. Her hope is to continue to “build on a decade of progress” as the district’s population increases.
Thompson highlighted Senate Bill 35 as an important piece of legislation to her campaign. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Kyra Hoffner, examined Delaware’s code pertaining to assessments and taxation of structures on agricultural land.
“Let’s say a chicken house is being built and it’s 10,000 square feet,” Thompson said. “It’s being assessed as if it’s a 10,000 square foot home. There were some assessments that were completed that said that chicken houses had basements in them, which is just completely inaccurate, and would then increase the cost that the person is paying.”
She continued, saying newer policies lack foresight into what people in the district need. She specifically referenced House Bill 400, which increases the annual fees paid by limited liability companies (LLCs) and other businesses.
Thompson expressed disdain for this policy, explaining how it is not supportive of small businesses.
“Filing fees, corporate entity taxes and things that impact the bottom line of what a business needs to be sustainable and successful are what need to be looked at,” Thompson said.
“I think it’s important to have conversations with the people that these policies impact,” Thompson said. “I think often in lawmaking and legislation, we’re making these decisions on what we think people need, and there needs to be conversation with farmers, with those members of the agriculture community, to ask them what would be beneficial for you.”
Regarding education, Thompson hopes to raise constituents’ awareness of resources for struggling families and build on the progress already made.
“I believe every family has a stressor,” Thompson said. “It doesn’t matter what your socioeconomic status is, what the demographic of your family is, if it’s a two-parent household or a one-parent household, families have stressors, and so I think it’s just important to convey the message that it’s okay to ask for support, and it’s okay to need guidance or want guidance, and that guidance is there for them.”
When asked about the possibility of being a Republican senator in a predominantly blue state, Thompson said that it is all about getting past the label.
“I believe that at the end of the day, we are all humans, and we all need to be respectful to one another, and we all need to work together,” Thompson said. “I think where the disconnect happens sometimes is where legislators, and I’m not saying one party versus the other, legislators as a whole, in the House, in the Senate, in the state of Delaware, in the United States of America, lawmakers forget that they work for the people they serve.”
She hopes Delawareans can see fair representation and reiterates how important she believes it is to understand the district’s pulse, one of the main values of her campaign.
“This is a beautiful state, a very successful state, and I think we have the potential to continue to grow and thrive,” Thompson said.
Finally, when asked what her message was to university students, she encouraged them to dream big.
“Be whatever and whoever you want to be, and continue to make the world a better place.”
(The Center Square) - The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal on Monday by the Trump administration to segregate 20,000 California ballots for fears of noncitizen voting in the midterm elections, one day before polls close.
The Texan could pull off a historic victory in the Lone Star state, which hasn’t elected a Democratic senator since 1988
When a young, untested former school teacher stood up to address a modest gathering of local donors in Austin, the state capital of Texas, Wendy Davis felt sorry for him. “Poor kid,” she remembers thinking.
Then James Talarico began speaking. “He was like five or six sentences in and I knew that something was different about him,” recalls Davis, a former Democratic state senator. “He was as articulate and unique then as he is now. From that day, I started calling him ‘Baby Obama’.”
The US Department of Justice (DoJ) in California has charged six more people with alleged voter fraud crimes, an escalation of the Trump administration’s campaign against the state’s election processes on the eve of the midterms.
Bill Essayli, the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles and a close ally of the president, announced on Monday that his office was prosecuting six lawful permanent residents accused of unlawfully registering to vote and casting fraudulent ballots. The DoJ filed similar charges against 28 people across California last month and arranged for a dramatic on-camera arrest of one 72-year-old defendant, editing the footage into a DoJ promotional video.
Stevens’s decision sparked fierce backlash from members of the party, while Donald Trump praised the sudden switch
Democrat Haley Stevens’s shocking last-minute endorsement of Mike Rogers, the Michigan Republican Senate candidate, in the run-up to Tuesday’s midterm elections has sparked fierce backlash from members of her party.
Stevens, who narrowly lost in the Democratic primary for Senate to Abdul El-Sayed, announced her support for Rogers after a feud with the El-Sayed campaign over an outside group’s advertisement, which blamed the high cost of living on US support for Israel.
(The Center Square) – After barnstorming battleground states with rallies for more than a month, President Donald Trump returned Monday to Washington, D.C. to make his final case before Tuesday’s midterm elections.
(The Center Square) – A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer indicted in Harris County and accused of hitting a Mexican national with a vehicle appeared before a judge in Houston on Monday.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS — A federal judge has dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit seeking to force Harvard University to turn over extensive admissions records as part of an investigation into whether the school continued considering race after the Supreme Court struck down race-conscious admissions in 2023.
U.S. District Judge Myong J. Joun dismissed the case without prejudice, meaning the Justice Department may be able to file it again after correcting procedural deficiencies. Joun emphasized that his ruling did not decide whether Harvard discriminated in admissions or whether the government may ultimately obtain the requested records.
The Justice Department sued Harvard in February, seeking applicant-level information including grades, test scores, admissions decisions, race and ethnicity data, extracurricular activities and personal essays. The department said the records were necessary to determine whether Harvard was complying with the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.
Harvard maintained that it had already provided substantial information while challenging the scope and relevance of some federal demands.
Joun found that the government had not adequately demonstrated that it followed required procedures before going to court, including formally identifying a compliance violation and establishing that voluntary compliance could not be achieved.
“The Government may be able to identify a qualifying determination or cure the procedural deficiency,” Joun wrote, but he concluded that it had not yet established a sufficient basis for judicial intervention.
The ruling therefore represents a procedural setback for the administration rather than a substantive victory for Harvard on its admissions practices. The Justice Department could renew the case after completing the required administrative steps.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected the Trump administration’s emergency request to force California to set aside roughly 20,000 mail ballots associated with voters federal officials suspect may be noncitizens, handing the Justice Department another defeat in its Election Day challenge.
The court issued a brief order declining to intervene, with no justices publicly dissenting. The ruling allows California to continue processing and counting the disputed ballots under its existing election procedures.
The Justice Department had argued that ballots connected to people on its federal list should be segregated until their citizenship could be verified. Solicitor General D. John Sauer warned that once ballots were removed from identifying envelopes and mixed with other votes, any ballot later determined to have been cast illegally could no longer be identified.
California opposed the request, arguing that the federal list contained significant errors and that imposing a new ballot-segregation procedure at the last minute could disenfranchise lawful voters and disrupt an election already underway.
Those concerns were reinforced by an analysis from the UCLA Voting Rights Project, which found that 8,880 of the 20,930 names on the Justice Department list, about 42%, could not be matched to California’s voter rolls. Researchers also identified confirmed U.S. citizens and thousands of people who appeared likely to be naturalized citizens. The Justice Department disputes that analysis.
The administration had already lost before a federal district judge and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Lower courts questioned both the reliability of the federal data and the Justice Department’s authority to require California to alter its election procedures immediately before voting concluded.
The Supreme Court’s action does not resolve the broader legal dispute over the administration’s noncitizen-voter initiative. Separate litigation over federal voter lists, subpoenas and Justice Department demands remains active. But for the Nov. 3 election, California will not be required to isolate the approximately 20,000 ballots identified by the federal government.
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Techdirt: Recently, reports emerged that LG TVs are sniffing around your local network, and even listening to your local environment, even when the TV is purportedly "off." Some of those voice commands were then stored in plain text and uploaded to the internet. LG's response? To deny everything. [...] That latter point is central to a new study out of Northeastern that conducted 5,943 experiments across twelve commercial "smart" TV devices. The researchers found that most smart TVs utilize automatic content recognition (ACR), a technology that captures audio or video snapshots of viewed content and then monetizes that data to help build personalized profiles of viewers.
TV makers insist that users are supposed to be able to opt out, but the choice simply doesn't work across a large segment of TVs. Companies like Vizio simply ignored the consumer requests entirely more often than not: "We find that the advertised ACR opt-out fully suppresses ACR-attributable traffic on only four operating systems; on Samsung Tizen traffic consistent with ACR activity persists in more
than 60% of evaluated scenarios, and on Vizio SmartCast a content correlated endpoint hosted on Amazon Kinesis continues to receive traffic in 100% of opted-out scenarios."
[...] The researchers say since they can't see the precise scope of what's being collected due to encryption, they're unsure whether Vizio is technically violating its FTC agreement (not that we have a current FTC that would care if they were): "The opt-out setting has no observable effect on traffic sent to this endpoint; however, we cannot inspect the payload due to encryption so we cannot confirm whether this violates the FTC settlement." Results of whether opting out of ACR tracking actually stopped ACR tracking were all over the map. Roku, for example, ignores opt-out requests when users are watching Roku's own channels. None of the smart TV vendors track Netflix viewing for fear of violating agreements with the streaming giant. Samsung's opt out function was more likely to actually work when a user was watching antenna broadcasts.
On two Smart TV platforms, personal viewing data collected by ACR remains unencrypted, despite years of bad press and scandal on the subject. Many appear to be violating the law, but because U.S. regulatory oversight has been gutted, they see no meaningful accountability. That includes smart TV OS' like VIDAA, which is most prominently found on Hisense and Toshiba smart TVs: "VIDAA OS sends ACR data to servers run by Unruly over MQTT without encryption, so anyone on the network path between the TV and those servers can read it. Each message carries a Client ID, a permanent identifier for the TV that can't be reset, along with the time zone, the app name, the input (antenna, HDMI), the antenna channel and an audio fingerprint."
Over the course of this election, we’ve monitored key toss-up congressional races, fact-checking false claims and distortions of the facts on a host of topics. But some issues have loomed larger than others.
Before the Election Day polls open, here’s a look at the major midterm themes we’ve written about and how both parties have twisted the facts in trying to garner voters’ support.
Inflation and Gas Prices
When inflation and gasoline prices spiked in the summer of 2022, the midterm election airwaves were filled with Republican campaign ads attacking Democrats on those points, as we wrote for our “major themes” story then. With annualized inflation at 3.7% and gasoline prices at $4.27 per gallon the week of Oct. 26 — higher than the metrics when President Donald Trump’s second term began — inflation and gasoline prices are again a centerpiece of the midterm elections, with the party roles reversed.
Most of the Democratic ads blame the war in Iran and Republicans’ support for it, which is a matter for political debate, and not something for fact-checkers.
But the attacks haven’t always been on the mark, as was the case in a North Carolina ad in which Democratic Senate candidate Roy Cooper used an out-of-date quote from his Republican opponent, Michael Whatley, to portray him as out of touch on affordability issues. The economic picture was much different in July 2025 — when Whatley commented on grocery prices, gasoline prices and inflation — than they are today.
And while he isn’t on the ballot (technically), Trump has repeatedly twisted the facts on inflation and gasoline prices while stumping for Republican candidates in the run-up to the midterm elections.
Transgender Issues
In races across the country, Republicans have distorted the facts in claiming that their Democratic opponents support “sex changes” for children or taxpayer funding of such surgeries. Since Labor Day, $162 million has been spent on more than 260 ads containing the words “sex change,” according to our search of AdImpact’s ad-tracking database, with $91.5 million spent in federal Senate races alone. (A few of those ads are Democrats defending themselves from such attacks.)
In fact-checking ads making these claims in three toss-up Senate races, we found several ads that cited politicians’ votes against measures that went beyond prohibiting surgeries.
For instance, ads in Texas cited Democrat James Talarico’s 2023 vote against state legislation that broadly prohibited gender-affirming care for kids — both medications, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, and surgeries. The bill stipulated that doctors could lose their medical licenses for violating the measure. Talarico, a state representative, voted against the bill, and has said it was “overly broad.” He voted for an amendment that would have restricted the bill to banning surgeries.
It’s worth noting that gender-affirming surgeries typically take place after age 18, according to experts and studies on the prevalence of gender-affirming care.
A 2025 report by the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law’s Williams Institute estimated that more than 2.8 million people in the U.S. age 13 and older identify as transgender — meaning they identify with a gender that doesn’t match the sex they were assigned at birth.
Epstein
More than 350 different TV ads that mention Jeffrey Epstein have been aired since Labor Day, and they came from both sides of the political aisle, according to AdImpact. Numerous ads from Democratic-aligned groups claimed Republican candidates voted against releasing the Epstein files, while candidates from both parties accused each other of taking donations from the late convicted sex offender.
Ads in Alaska, Kansas and Maine, for example, misleadingly claimed Republican Sens. Dan Sullivan, Roger Marshall and Susan Collins voted to cover up the Epstein files. They — and nearly all Republican senators — voted in September 2025 to table a Democratic amendment to the annual defense budget bill. The amendment called for the Justice Department to release the Epstein files. But as we noted in stories about those ads, the Senate in November 2025 passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act by unanimous consent, meaning, of course, that Sullivan, Marshall and Collins supported it.
The bill required the DOJ to release all files related to its investigation of Epstein.
Meanwhile, in races around the country, ads from both sides attempted to link opponents to Epstein through political donations made by alleged Epstein associates — people who were either listed in Epstein’s contact list or are referenced in Epstein emails that have been publicly released. But as wepointed out in several stories, the associates were not charged with crimes, and most had tangential associations to Epstein.
Tax Cuts on Tips, Overtime and Seniors
In hundreds of ads around the country, Republican candidates and the PACs supporting them touted tax cuts for tips, overtime and older Americans that were part of Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Many other ads attacked Democrats who voted against or opposed the OBBBA, claiming they were against those popular tax cuts.
It’s true that not a single Democrat in either the House or Senate voted in favor of the OBBBA, which was signed into law by Trump on July 4, 2025. And the law did cut — though didn’t completely eliminate — taxes on tips, overtime pay and Social Security through 2028.
But many of the candidates facing these attacks say they voted against the OBBBA for other reasons — chiefly that overall tax cuts were skewed to the wealthy, and that the legislation cut funding to Medicaid and reduced spending on federal food benefits. Many Democrats say they aren’t opposed to the bill’s tax cuts for tips, overtime and older Americans. Some have even said they would work to make them permanent.
Data Centers
A rare area of bipartisan agreement among voters is opposition to data centers. But data centers don’t necessarily lead to higher electricity prices, as many ads say and many voters may think.
Signage directs people outside an early voting polling place in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Oct. 28. Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images.
We explored the issue in-depth, with experts telling us there were multiple factors determining whether a data center would raise local electric bills.
“Data centers can put either upward or downward pressure on electricity prices,” Jacquelyn Pless, an energy economist at the University of Toronto, told us. “It depends on how much it costs to serve the new demand, whether utilities can use existing infrastructure more efficiently, and who ultimately pays for any required investments.”
We found that tens of millions of dollars have been spent on midterm ads addressing data centers and electricity prices, with significant spending in Ohio, Texas, Pennsylvania and Michigan, according to AdImpact. In general, experts told us that data centers have contributed to higher prices in Ohio and other Midwestern states, though the facilities aren’t the only reason for more expensive electricity. In Texas, the issue is less clear. Price increases have been modest in the state, which has implemented low-cost wind and solar power that can stave off a large price hike.
Medicare and Social Security
It’s basically guaranteed in federal elections: There will be claims that politicians want to cut, endanger or take away Medicare and Social Security. The 2026 election cycle was no exception.
We saw Democratic ads in Wisconsin, Ohio and New York races for the U.S. House that accused Republican candidates of “gutting Medicare,” voting for “huge cuts to Medicare” and “cheering on Trump’s attack on Medicare” — exaggerated and misleading claims related to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The Republican domestic policy law made some changes to Medicare, but they are narrow and affect relatively few beneficiaries.
Some ads also could have been referring to automatic cuts a 2010 law could have triggered indirectly under pay-as-you-go rules. But as Congress has regularly done, it subsequently waived those cuts. A conservative ad attacking Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas in the New Hampshire Senate race used the PAYGO issue to make a convoluted and misleading claim about Pappas voting to “cut Medicare” by hundreds of billions of dollars.
On Social Security, we fact-checked ads from both parties that misrepresented what candidates had said or proposed regarding retirement benefits.
Rural Healthcare
The fate of rural hospitals featured in ads from both sides of the aisle this year. Most of them centered on Trump’s signature domestic policy law, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Ads from Republican outside groups touted the law’s $50 billion rural healthcare fund and heaped praise on GOP senators and representatives who voted for it, saying they “secured millions for our rural hospitals” or passed “the biggest investment ever in rural healthcare.” Other ads attacked Democrats for opposing the bill, claiming they “voted to gut rural hospitals” or opposed “vital funding” for them.
What those ads left out: The law’s cuts to Medicaid are expected to result in rural areas getting much less healthcare funding overall. The nonpartisan health policy research organization KFF estimates the law will reduce federal Medicaid funding for rural areas by $137 billion over 10 years. The cuts to Medicaid, and the potential impact on the healthcare system, were a major reason Democrats opposed the law.
Groups backing Democrats, meanwhile, ran ads in several key races citing specific numbers of rural hospitals that could close due to the law’s cuts. But experts told us that while the law is likely to impact many hospitals’ finances, it’s impossible to predict how many might close as a result.
Communism
In a speech at the first Republican midterm convention, held in September, Trump repeatedly invoked a fear of “communism” as a reason not to elect Democrats. The president said that if Democrats control Congress, it would be run by “crazed” democratic socialists, who he said are really “communists.” Trump hasrepeatedlyreferred to “Democrat communists” in midterm rallies since then.
But democratic socialists — who make up a small minority of congressional candidates — are not the same as communists.
Matthew McManus, an assistant professor of political science at Spelman College, told us that it was a “very long-standing trope” for conservatives to refer to democratic socialists as communists. “Conservative discourse intentionally, in many cases, obscures the distinctions between liberals, social democrats, democratic socialists, communists, by trying to conflate them all together and suggest that they’re all part and parcel of the same thing,” he said.
There are few democratic socialists already in Congress — Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan are two well-known Democratic Socialists of America members. The DSA has endorsed only seven congressional candidates, all for the House.
As for communists, a co-chair of the Communist Party USA told PolitiFact this summer that there are no communists in Congress and that he knows of none running for the House or Senate.
Immigration and Crime
In several key races, Republican-backed ads accused Democratic candidates of supporting soft border policies that led to an increase in crime.
In Ohio, a Republican ad blamed former Sen. Sherrod Brown for a deadly crash in April on an Ohio interstate in which an immigrant was charged with vehicular homicide. But there’s no evidence of any tie between Brown’s votes on immigration, as the ad suggests, and the suspect in this incident.
And in Alaska, an ad from Sullivan featured a mother whose 22-year-old son died from fentanyl and who claimed Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola took contributions from “liberals [who] opened our borders to the drug cartels” and then “voted with them against securing our border.” But Peltola was among a handful of Democrats who joined Republicans in support of an unsuccessful bill that sought a return to many of the hardline border policies enacted by Trump during his first term. And Peltola often bucked her party when voting on immigration bills.
Also, while these claims concern crime but not immigration, Cooper in North Carolina faced false and misleading attacks related to a COVID-19 pandemic early-release program to reduce the prison population.
Editor’s note: FactCheck.org does not accept advertising. We rely on grants and individual donations from people like you. Please consider a donation. Credit card donations may be made through our “Donate” page. If you prefer to give by check, send to: FactCheck.org, Annenberg Public Policy Center, P.O. Box 58100, Philadelphia, PA 19102.
Why Should Delaware Care? Delaware has rarely seen mass shooting scenes like the ones that occurred Saturday in Ellendale and Newark, injuring scores of people in crowded public places and killing a young girl.
A Seaford High School student’s life was cut short in the mass shooting that targeted a Halloween party in Ellendale, police reported Monday evening.
Love Cannon, 17, of Seaford was identified by Delaware State Police as the victim killed in the Saturday night shooting at an outdoor party.
The Seaford School District, which identified Cannon as a Seaford High senior and a member of the school’s cheerleading squad, will make grief counseling and support services available to students.
“We recognize that many students and staff members are personally impacted by this heartbreaking loss,” the school said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with her family, friends, classmates, teammates, and all those who are grieving.”
Cannon was also reportedly involved with Unique Leadership, a program that aims to build confidence and leadership skills in teen girls.
In a public post on Facebook, Cannon was also identified as an employee at the Sonic Drive-in in Bridgeville, where hours before the shooting she was “andy out, laughing and having fun with her teammates, family and friends.”
“Due to the reckless, selfish, disgusting behavior of an individual we lost one of our brightest, brilliant, hard-working, all-around amazing woman,” wrote Philip Speleos, the owner/operator of the restaurant. “Love achieved so much since starting here and was working hard to achieve even higher plateaus. Rather her life path was here or elsewhere , there was one thing for certain, her future is going to be a bright one.”
Speleos wrote that Cannon brought “guaranteed energy” to her job.
“Her quick wit, sass and confident mindset can never be replaced. It was an honor and privilege to work alongside such an amazing individual,” he said.
What happened Saturday?
Delaware state police troopers responded to a reported shooting near the intersection of North Old State Road and U.S. Route 113 in Ellendale about 10 p.m. Saturday.
There, troopers found multiple victims with gunshot wounds, including Cannon who was transported to a hospital with life-threatening gunshot injuries, where she died.
A 20-year-old man from Seaford was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening gunshot injuries, but is now in stable condition, police reported on Sunday.
Two 17-year-old boys from Selbyville, a 19-year-old girl from Ellendale, a 20-year-old woman from Seaford, a 20-year-old woman from Greenwood, a 20-year-old man from Seaford, and a 22-year-old woman from Laurel were taken to area hospitals with non-life-threatening gunshot injuries.
According to a preliminary investigation by DSP, an unknown suspect opened fire from a neighboring property into the crowd at the outdoor party, striking the nine victims.
The apparent scene was an empty lot next to the historic Ellendale Colored School, where a white event tent and a small tiki bar could be seen Sunday morning, according to Delaware Online/The News Journal.
The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit is actively investigating this case, and anyone who attended the party or has information relevant to the investigation is urged to contact Detective B. McDerby at 302-741-2821. Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
Bozeman voters share top concerns as Gallatin ballots come inBOZEMAN, Mont. — With Election Day getting closer, voters are heading to the polls with a range of issues on their minds.One voter said their love for the community helped get…
Andy Burnham to launch ‘structured dialogue’ on issue at Commonwealth summit in Antigua and Barbuda
Andy Burnham will ask countries affected by Britain’s role in slavery to help shape an expected formal apology, Downing Street has indicated, arguing that their input is indispensable in crafting an enduring message.
The prime minister was en route to the Commonwealth heads of government summit (Chogm) in Antigua and Barbuda, which begins on Tuesday. No 10 said he would use the event to launch a “structured dialogue” into what form an apology might take.
(Editor’s note: This story was updated Nov. 3, 2026, to make the early voting numbers clearer. An earlier version of the main graphic showed the 129,584 people who voted early in person next to an 18% figure. The 18% describes all 148,736 people who voted before Election Day, early in person or by absentee ballot. The underlying numbers did not change.)
DOVER, Del. — Early voting in Delaware ended Sunday with 129,584 people voting in person, according to the Delaware Department of Elections’ Election Voted List, obtained by Delaware LIVE. Counting 19,152 absentee ballots returned so far, 148,736 people voted before Election Day. That is 18% of registered voters, close to double the 10% in the 2022 midterm.
Registered Democrats were the most likely to vote early: 24% have already voted, compared with 21% of registered Republicans and 10% of voters outside the two major parties. Party registration shows who voted, not how they voted.
Those numbers changed little after Delaware LIVE published its seven races to watch late Sunday afternoon. Another 3,026 people voted after that, almost all in the final hours of early voting.
Whether early voting is written into the state constitution is still to be decided. It is one of eight proposed constitutional amendments that the General Assembly elected Tuesday will take up for a second and final vote.
Election Day decides the rest: 82% of registered voters had not voted as of Monday afternoon. Figure 1 shows the full breakdown.
Figure 1:Who voted before Election DayEarly voting through Sunday, Nov. 1, when it ended. Absentee ballots recorded through Monday afternoon, Nov. 2. Registered voters as of Nov. 1.
How they voted
Voters
Share of registered voters
Early, in person (final)
129,584
16%
Absentee ballot (so far)
19,152
2%
Total
148,736
18%
By party registration
Registered Democrats
78,754
24% of registered Democrats
Registered Republicans
41,148
21% of registered Republicans
Everyone else
28,834
10% of everyone else registered
(Note: Party is how voters are registered, not how they voted. In the 2022 midterm, about 10% of registered voters voted early or by absentee ballot. Sources: Election Voted List, obtained by Delaware LIVE [Nov. 2, 2026; covers early voting through Nov. 1 and absentee ballots recorded through Nov. 2]; Delaware Department of Elections, Voter Registration Totals by Representative District [Nov. 1, 2026].)
How early voting played out, day by day
Figure 2:In-person early voters each dayBy party registration, Oct. 22 to Nov. 1, 2026. The percentages show each party’s share of that day’s early voters.
(Source: Election Voted List, obtained by Delaware LIVE [Nov. 2, 2026; covers early voting through Nov. 1 and absentee ballots recorded through Nov. 2]; early voting hours from the Delaware Department of Elections[accessed Nov. 2, 2026].)
Where the seven races stand
Swipe sideways to see all columns →
Table 1:Delaware LIVE’s seven races to watchEarly voters through Nov. 1 and absentee voters through Nov. 2, by party registration, not how they voted. Smaller numbers are each party’s registered voters.
Seat
On the Nov. 3 ballot
Who has voted so far, by party registration
Registered Democrats
Registered Republicans
Everyone else
State treasurer Statewide
Colleen Davis, not running
Ted Lauzen (D) Mike Ramone (R)
78,754 of 333,488
41,148 of 199,294
28,834 of 276,849
Senate District 15 Kent
Dave Lawson, retiring after 16 years
Nisha Lodhavia (D) Emily A. Thompson (R)
2,530 of 11,190
2,426 of 14,259
1,229 of 14,900
House District 4 Sussex
Jeff Hilovsky, retiring after 4 years
Gregg Lindner (D) Dan Zitofsky (R)
4,214 of 8,328
3,818 of 9,617
2,237 of 9,135
House District 33 Kent
Charles S. Postles Jr., retiring after 10 years
Joshua Pennington (D) Morgan Hudson (R)
1,536 of 6,154
1,357 of 6,467
833 of 7,335
House District 38 Sussex
Ronald E. Gray, retiring after 14 years
Maureen Madden (D) Carlie Carey (R)
4,463 of 7,499
5,573 of 11,526
2,670 of 8,305
House District 41 Sussex
Richard G. Collins, retiring after 12 years
Ryan Stuckey (D) John Atkins (R)
2,023 of 6,544
2,334 of 9,239
1,044 of 7,761
New Castle County Council, District 3 New Castle
Janet Kilpatrick, retiring after 16 years
Kira Alejandro (D) Melissa S. Brayman (R)
3,168
1,231
1,209
(Note: Statewide totals count every voter on the list once. Delaware LIVE’s Sunday article added up the 21 Senate districts instead, which left out 537 voters with no Senate district on the list, so its statewide numbers were lower. Registered voters are as of Nov. 1. Registration totals by county council district are not published in the state’s reports. Source: Election Voted List, obtained by Delaware LIVE [Nov. 2, 2026; covers early voting through Nov. 1 and absentee ballots recorded through Nov. 2].)
Turnout by county and district
Table 2:Early and absentee voters by countyBy party registration. The smaller numbers show each share of the county’s registered voters, overall and by party.
County
Voted
Dem.
Rep.
Everyone else
New Castle
59,16913% of 441,080
38,82118% of party
9,68012% of party
10,6687% of party
Kent
23,11216% of 148,242
11,90522% of party
6,65017% of party
4,5578% of party
Sussex
66,45530% of 220,309
28,02841% of party
24,81832% of party
13,60919% of party
(Sources: Election Voted List, obtained by Delaware LIVE [Nov. 2, 2026; covers early voting through Nov. 1 and absentee ballots recorded through Nov. 2]; Delaware Department of Elections, Voter Registration Totals by Representative District [Nov. 1, 2026].)
▼ Show Table 3: all 41 state House districts▲ Hide Table 3
Swipe sideways on the table to see all columns →
Table 3:Early and absentee voters by state House districtBy party registration. The smaller number is the share of that party’s registered voters in the district. ★ marks one of Delaware LIVE’s seven races to watch.
District
County
Dem.
Rep.
Everyone else
More voters, by count
1
New Castle
2,23918% of party
11210% of party
2545% of party
Democrats
2
New Castle
1,42313% of party
887% of party
2965% of party
Democrats
3
New Castle
1,05811% of party
786% of party
1362% of party
Democrats
4 ★
Sussex
4,21451% of party
3,81840% of party
2,23724% of party
Democrats
5
New Castle
1,61116% of party
19911% of party
2665% of party
Democrats
6
New Castle
2,15625% of party
54313% of party
59610% of party
Democrats
7
New Castle
1,91623% of party
42414% of party
4748% of party
Democrats
8
New Castle
2,47826% of party
80418% of party
77010% of party
Democrats
9
New Castle
3,04829% of party
1,14720% of party
1,13014% of party
Democrats
10
New Castle
1,93625% of party
66214% of party
61610% of party
Democrats
11
Kent and New Castle
1,03318% of party
78612% of party
4436% of party
Democrats
12
New Castle
2,43825% of party
69912% of party
75111% of party
Democrats
13
New Castle
80510% of party
1896% of party
2564% of party
Democrats
14
Sussex
5,39756% of party
2,28235% of party
1,82926% of party
Democrats
15
New Castle
1,87919% of party
36911% of party
4166% of party
Democrats
16
New Castle
1,49214% of party
1326% of party
2364% of party
Democrats
17
New Castle
1,55716% of party
28110% of party
3095% of party
Democrats
18
New Castle
1,29415% of party
2098% of party
3335% of party
Democrats
19
New Castle
1,02213% of party
3248% of party
3355% of party
Democrats
20
Sussex
4,83156% of party
3,07840% of party
2,20129% of party
Democrats
21
New Castle
1,37318% of party
43110% of party
5048% of party
Democrats
22
New Castle
1,55520% of party
64911% of party
6289% of party
Democrats
23
New Castle
1,59124% of party
51114% of party
55210% of party
Democrats
24
New Castle
1,18915% of party
2879% of party
3926% of party
Democrats
25
New Castle
1,19718% of party
28310% of party
3647% of party
Democrats
26
New Castle
1,23415% of party
22411% of party
2765% of party
Democrats
27
New Castle
1,67519% of party
68714% of party
5468% of party
Democrats
28
Kent and New Castle
1,45317% of party
53813% of party
4296% of party
Democrats
29
Kent
2,46925% of party
91618% of party
78810% of party
Democrats
30
Kent
1,02220% of party
1,39518% of party
5597% of party
Republicans
31
Kent
2,02725% of party
55420% of party
5469% of party
Democrats
32
Kent
1,09616% of party
36012% of party
3826% of party
Democrats
33 ★
Kent
1,53625% of party
1,35721% of party
83311% of party
Democrats
34
Kent
1,92425% of party
1,09219% of party
80910% of party
Democrats
35
Sussex
1,16821% of party
1,26917% of party
5288% of party
Republicans
36
Sussex
1,78628% of party
1,69225% of party
87712% of party
Democrats
37
Sussex
2,21838% of party
1,97131% of party
1,19619% of party
Democrats
38 ★
Sussex
4,46360% of party
5,57348% of party
2,67032% of party
Republicans
39
Sussex
98419% of party
1,30322% of party
5709% of party
Republicans
40
Sussex
94420% of party
1,49819% of party
4577% of party
Republicans
41 ★
Sussex
2,02331% of party
2,33425% of party
1,04413% of party
Republicans
(Sources: Election Voted List, obtained by Delaware LIVE [Nov. 2, 2026; covers early voting through Nov. 1 and absentee ballots recorded through Nov. 2]; Delaware Department of Elections, Voter Registration Totals by Representative District [Nov. 1, 2026].)
▼ Show Table 4: all 21 state Senate districts▲ Hide Table 4
Swipe sideways on the table to see all columns →
Table 4:Early and absentee voters by state Senate districtBy party registration. The smaller number is the share of that party’s registered voters in the district. Only 11 Senate seats are on Tuesday’s ballot. ★ marks one of Delaware LIVE’s seven races to watch.
District
County
Dem.
Rep.
Everyone else
More voters, by count
1
New Castle
4,68224% of party
80813% of party
9949% of party
Democrats
2
New Castle
2,84914% of party
1856% of party
3453% of party
Democrats
3
New Castle
1,87710% of party
1566% of party
3283% of party
Democrats
4
New Castle
3,02621% of party
1,05810% of party
1,1349% of party
Democrats
5
New Castle
3,72823% of party
1,07813% of party
1,0929% of party
Democrats
6
Sussex
10,84656% of party
5,73938% of party
4,37928% of party
Democrats
7
New Castle
1,87613% of party
5938% of party
6415% of party
Democrats
8
New Castle
2,64623% of party
86613% of party
93510% of party
Democrats
9
New Castle
2,10215% of party
5759% of party
7476% of party
Democrats
10
New Castle
4,48825% of party
1,62218% of party
1,50511% of party
Democrats
11
New Castle
2,66615% of party
53210% of party
6385% of party
Democrats
12
New Castle
4,23922% of party
1,11114% of party
1,2059% of party
Democrats
13
New Castle
3,08916% of party
4259% of party
5645% of party
Democrats
14
Kent and New Castle
3,56120% of party
1,35714% of party
1,0847% of party
Democrats
15 ★
Kent
2,53023% of party
2,42617% of party
1,2298% of party
Democrats
16
Kent
3,21624% of party
2,05119% of party
1,47110% of party
Democrats
17
Kent
3,58322% of party
1,17919% of party
1,0628% of party
Democrats
18
Sussex and Kent
2,77623% of party
2,84620% of party
1,36110% of party
Republicans
19
Sussex
5,95442% of party
5,43334% of party
3,06720% of party
Democrats
20
Sussex
6,66248% of party
8,12841% of party
3,90125% of party
Republicans
21
Sussex
1,95319% of party
2,94820% of party
1,0388% of party
Republicans
(Note: This table leaves out 551 voters who have no Senate district on the list. They live in House Districts 2, 31 and 41 and are counted in Tables 2 and 3. Sources: Election Voted List, obtained by Delaware LIVE [Nov. 2, 2026; covers early voting through Nov. 1 and absentee ballots recorded through Nov. 2]; Delaware Department of Elections, Voter Registration Totals by Senate District [Nov. 1, 2026].)
Polls are open Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You vote at your own polling place. Delaware LIVE’s 2026 Voters Guide has your polling place and every name on your ballot. It will also have election results Tuesday night.
(About this story: 2022 figures count early and absentee votes in the race for U.S. House, the top race on that ballot, from the Department of Elections’ 2022 general election results [Nov. 12, 2022] and registration totals [Nov. 1, 2022].)
The 2026 DIAA Girls Volleyball State Tournament starts on Wednesday, November 4, and runs until the state championship game on November 16.
The full 24-team field for the 2026 DIAA Girls Volleyball State Tournament was announced on Sunday, November 1, kicking off the beginning of a jam-packed month of fall high school sports postseason tournaments.
The top-seed in this year’s tournament was claimed by the undefeated Caesar Rodney Riders. The Riders finished the regular season with 15 wins and swept Lake Forest in the Henlopen Conference Championship game to earn the top-seed and a first round bye.
The second through eighth seeds also earn a bye through the first round. Those teams include: Middletown, Padua, Newark Charter, undefeated Tower Hill, Saint Mark’s, Dover and Sussex Central.
The first round of games will be played on Wednesday and Thursday with all games scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. The second round will follow on Friday and Saturday, all but one of those games are scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. The time for Tower Hill’s round two game has yet to be announced. The higher seeds will host the matchup.
Here’s a look at the matchups for rounds one and two of the 2026 DIAA Girls Volleyball State Tournament:
Round One: (All games start at 6:00 p.m.)
No. 9 Archmere vs No. 24 Charter School of Wilmington: This game will be played at Archmere on Thursday, November 5. The Auks defeated the Forces, 3-0, earlier this season.
No. 10 Lake Forest vs No. 23 Sussex Academy: The Spartans and Seahawks will meet for the second time this season. Lake Forest won the first matchup, 3-1. The game will be at Lake Forest on Wednesday, November 4.
No. 11 St. Georges vs No. 22 Delmarva Christian Academy: The first meeting between these two teams will be held at St. Georges on Wednesday, November 4.
No. 12 Appoquinimink vs No. 21 Wilmington Friends: The Jaguars and Quakers will face off for the first time this season on Thursday, November 5, at Appoquinimink.
No. 13 Caravel vs No. 20 Concord: The first meeting between the two teams will be held at Caravel on Wednesday, November 4.
No. 14 Cape Henlopen vs No. 19 Sanford: The Vikings and Warriors will face each other for the first time this season in Lewes on Thursday, November 5.
No. 15 Smyrna vs No. 18 Mount Pleasant: Smyrna and Mt. Pleasant will play each other for the first time this season on Thursday, November 5, at Smyrna.
No. 16 Conrad vs No. 17 Delaware Military Academy: A rematch of an early October matchup, this game will be played at Conrad on Wednesday, November 4. The Red Wolves won the first game, 3-0.
Round Two: (All games start at 6:00 p.m. with the exception of Tower Hill’s matchup)
No. 1 Caesar Rodney vs Winner of No. 16 Conrad/No. 17 Delaware Military Academy: Friday, November 6, at Caesar Rodney
No. 2 Middletown vs Winner of No. 15 Smyrna/No. 18 Mount Pleasant: Saturday, November 7, at Middletown
No. 3 Padua vs Winner of No. 14 Cape Henlopen/No. 19 Sanford: Saturday, November 7, at Padua
No. 4 Newark Charter vs Winner of No. 13 Caravel/No. 20 Concord: Friday, November 6, at Newark Charter
No. 5 Tower Hill vs Winner of No. 12 Appoquinimink/No. 21 Wilmington Friends: Saturday, November 7, at Tower Hill, the game time has yet to be announced
No. 6 Saint Mark’s vs Winner of No. 11 St. Georges/No. 22 Delmarva Christian Academy: Friday, November 6, at Saint Mark’s
No. 7 Dover vs Winner of No. 10 Lake Forest/No. 23 Sussex Academy: Friday, November 6, at Dover
No. 8 Sussex Central vs Winner of No. 9 Archmere/No. 24 Charter School of Wilmington: Saturday, November 7, at Sussex Central
According to The Information, Apple is developing a $1,000 HomeView Ultra smart home hub with a 9-inch touchscreen mounted on a motorized arm that can follow users around a room and autonomously respond to its surroundings. It's also said to be experimenting with more ambitious home robots, including a wheeled robot that follows people, a smart home drone and a machine capable of folding laundry. Notebookcheck reports: According to the report, HomeView Ultra will feature a larger 9-inch touchscreen mounted on a robotic arm. This arm can automatically turn the screen toward the user. With a camera and several sensors, this smart home hub is said to be "fully aware" of its surroundings and capable of acting autonomously. This autonomy ranges from turning on the lights when someone enters the room to shooing a cat away when it jumps onto a table. These sensors are also intended to prevent the arm from hitting nearby objects with the display.
Apple is reportedly currently planning to announce this smart home hub in 2027 for around $1,000, but according to The Information, its launch could be delayed until 2028. The reason is allegedly the software, which has not yet been finalized, while the hardware is said to be ready for market already.
Individual, who also had underlying conditions, was hospitalized after being exposed to avian influenza
A Washington state resident has died after being hospitalized with “severe illness” after contracting bird flu, local health officials said on Sunday.
The individual was exposed to avian influenza, also known as bird flu, at a dairy with infected cattle in Yakima county, according to a news release. The person was subsequently hospitalized with severe illness and died on Sunday. Health officials said that the individual, whose identity had not been released, had underlying health conditions.
Family of four, two close friends and nanny also died in crash as pilot identified as 55-year-old Jeff Gregory
Family members on Monday identified a young Florida pilot as one of nine victims of a plane crash in Palm Beach county that occurred during a heavy thunderstorm.
Nathalia Filgueiras, 20, was co-pilot of the private Learjet 60 en route from Austin-Bergstrom international airport in Texas to North Eleuthera airport in the Bahamas on Sunday when it suddenly plummeted out of the sky, killing all onboard, her mother told the New York Times.
Smyrna junior Ava Elias passes the ball during the Eagles win against Milford on October 29. Photo Credit: Dave Reeder
The 2026 DIAA Field Hockey Tournament brackets for both division one and division two were released on November 2. Tournament games will begin on November 4.
The 2026 high school field hockey regular season is in the rearview mirror and thus begins the 2026 postseason for both division one and division two schools.
The Cape Henlopen Vikings claimed the top spot in the division one bracket with an undefeated regular season and a 10-0 win over Lake Forest in the Henlopen Conference Championship game. The top-seed in division two belongs to the Tower Hill Hillers who finished the regular season, 14-1. The Hillers’ only loss of the year came against the Vikings.
The division two field includes 12 teams with the top four seeds receiving a bye in the first round. The other teams receiving a first round bye include Newark Charter, Caravel and Archmere. The division one field includes only eight teams so there is no first round. The division one tournament begins with the quarterfinal round.
Here’s a look at the matchups for division two’s round one and both quarterfinal rounds for the 2026 DIAA Field Hockey Tournaments:
Division 2
Round One:
No. 5 Indian River vs No. 12 Mount Pleasant: These two teams will meet for the first time this season on Wednesday, November 4, at 2:30 p.m. Indian River will host the matchup.
No. 6 Wilmington Friends vs No. 11 Delaware Military Academy: Friends and DMA will play each other for the first time this season on Wednesday, November 4, at 2:30 p.m., at Wilmington Friends. The Quakers won the division two championship last season.
No. 7 Concord vs No. 10 Sussex Academy: The Raiders and Seahawks will match up for the first time this season on Wednesday, November 4, at 5:00 p.m. This game will be played at Odyssey Charter.
No. 8 Lake Forest vs No. 9 Ursuline: This is the first meeting between the two teams this season. The game will be played at Lake Forest on Wednesday, November 4, at 4:00 p.m.
Quarterfinals: (All games will be played on Saturday, November 7, at 11:30 a.m.)
No. 1 Tower Hill vs Winner of No. 8 Lake Forest/No. 9 Ursuline: The game will be played at Tower Hill
No. 2 Newark Charter vs Winner of No. 7 Concord/No. 10 Sussex Academy: The game will be played at Newark Charter.
No. 3 Caravel vs Winner of No. 6 Wilmington Friends/No. 11 Delaware Military Academy: The game will be played at Caravel.
No. 4 Archmere vs Winner of No. 5 Indian River/No. 12 Mount Pleasant: The game will be played at Archmere.
Division 1
Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Cape Henlopen vs No. 8 Appoquinimink: This will be the first meeting between the Vikings and Jaguars this season. The game will be played at Cape Henlopen on Friday, November 6, at 2:30 p.m.
No. 2 Caesar Rodney vs No. 7 Charter School of Wilmington: The two teams will match up for the first time this season on Friday, November 6, at 3:00 p.m. The Riders will host the game.
Milford sophomore Aiyana Atkins dribbles the ball toward the goal. Photo Credit: Dave Reeder
No. 3 Padua vs No. 6 Milford: Padua and Milford will meet in the postseason for the second year in a row when they play on Friday, November 6, at 2:30 p.m. The game will take place at Tatnall. The Pandas defeated the Buccaneers, 2-1, in last year’s postseason.
No. 4 Smyrna vs No. 5 Odessa: The Eagles and Ducks will play each other for the first time this season when they meet on Friday, November 6, at 2:30 p.m. Smyrna will host the game.
(The Center Square) – With polls opening for election day in less than 24 hours, Democrats appear primed to take back the U.S. House, according to election analysts.
Two years ago, President Trump made historic gains with Hispanic voters nationwide and won a majority of Texas Hispanics. Now, Democrats believe they could swing back.
Research shows that people are drained by meetings – and AI tools exacerbate it. A new initiative by Visit Iceland aims to remind you of what matters most.
Team say they will not release further information
26-year-old will remain in hospital for time being
The Detroit Lions have said the initial signs for Jack Campbell are “positive” after the linebacker was carted off the field and taken to hospital when he suffered a neck injury during Sunday’s win over the Minnesota Vikings.
The 26-year-old was treated for nine minutes on the field after making a tackle during Sunday’s game. Players from both teams were visibly distraught as Campbell received medical attention before he was taken for further treatment at a nearby facility.
Footage from Palm Beach County, Florida, shows a plane nosediving into the ground at full speed, cratering the pavement, and dissolving into fire and smoke. It looks unreal. So unreal that some social media users say it’s fake.
“The Video You’re All Seeing From The ‘Plane’ Crash Was 100% Ai Generated SOMEONE IS LYING TO US !!!!!! That Was Not An Airplane,” read a Nov. 1 X post sharing video of what looks like an AI detection video analysis. “Notice How The Ai Detector Only Detects Ai Generated Content From The ‘Plane.’”
Other Xposts also questioned the footage’s veracity. But the crash happened and the video has been corroborated by legitimate news outlets.
A business jet, a Learjet 60, was headed to the Bahamas from Austin, Texas, when it crashed into a neighborhood near Cresthaven, Florida, at approximately 12:51 p.m. ET, on Nov. 1. Everyone on board died, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Nov. 1.
The authorities have not said what caused the crash, but Tom Chapman, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, said Nov. 2 that the aircraft experienced turbulence and encountered ice. The incident is under investigation, he said at a press conference that day.
Timothy Monville, who’s leading the investigation into the crash for the safety board, said the federal agency has “just begun” documenting the incident.
“We have a lot of work to do on scene,” he said. “This will be a several-day process, and the biggest obstacle that we’re going to have is recovering the major wreckage from the impacted crater on the roadway.”
The crash footage has been shared by The Associated Press, CNN, CBS News and BBC. We also found its original source, Aki Kuusisto, a digital creator from West Palm Beach, who first shared the clip on Facebook.
“This was not quite what I had in mind when I installed the dash cam,” Kuusisto said in the post’s comments.
The X posts show screen recordings of the clip being submitted to Hive Moderation, an AI-detection tool. The recordings show the tool’s analysis reporting that it detected AI-generated content in the clip. Hive Moderation is an imperfect tool and PolitiFact has used it before. However, when we introduced Kuusisto’s footage to the tool, it didn’t flag it as AI-generated or manipulated.
(Screenshot of Hive Moderation analysis of the South Florida plane crash.)
Darren Linvill, co-director of the Media Forensics Hub at Clemson University, told PolitiFact people are right to be skeptical of viral videos as AI improves. But some people have grown so distrustful of AI they’re disbelieving the truth, a phenomenon known as the “liar’s dividend.”
“This is when people are so accustomed to being lied to, they don’t know the truth when it is presented to them,” Linvill said. “That is what is occurring with the video of the Palm Beach crash.”
It’s not surprising the crash was captured on camera considering how abundant personal recording devices are today.
But Linvill added that people should get their news from reliable sources. One of the X accounts that questioned the veracity of the plane crash footage, for example, has been amplified by bot accounts that promote narratives by Russian Storm-1516, a campaign that uses Russian and non-Russian influencers to promote false claims in the U.S. and other countries.
Our ruling
An X post said footage of Nov. 1 plane crash in Palm Beach County, Florida, “was 100%” generated with artificial intelligence
News outlets have shared the dash cam footage confirming the video’s veracity. An AI expert told PolitiFact that although the video is dramatic and frightening, it is authentic.
For months, Donald Trump and others accused Peltola and Democrats of recruiting candidates with the same name as her Republican opponent, Dan Sullivan, to purposefully confuse voters when they cast their ballots in November’s midterms.
SpaceX has reportedly held talks with EchoStar about acquiring Boost Mobile or gaining access to its network, potentially giving Starlink a shortcut toward becoming a full-fledged U.S. mobile carrier. Engadget reports: According to Washington Post's sources, the deal could look like SpaceX acquiring Boost Mobile outright or gaining access to its cell network, which is leased from AT&T and T-Mobile. There could be a major hitch with the deal though, since SpaceX's potential mobile service would need the green light from those major mobile carriers, according to the report. The Washington Post also reported that major cell companies, which include AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, have already turned down Musk down for access to its cell networks in order to launch a separate SpaceX service. Last month, SpaceX reportedly held talks with Crown Castle to access at least 80,000 cellular tower sites across the U.S. as it prepares to launch Starlink Mobile. "We will be building out our terrestrial networks so there's broad-based connectivity anywhere that SpaceX and Starlink are allowed to operate," Musk said during SpaceX's earnings call this week. Satellite launches plus spectrum acquisition "will pave the way for Starlink Mobile to become a major mobile carrier in the US," he said.
Douglas DePodesta says he was made ‘scapegoat’ after collapse of case against Broadview Six anti-ICE protesters
The former head of the FBI in Chicago has accused the Trump administration of pressuring him to investigate the president’s political opponents and making him a “scapegoat” after a major federal case against anti-ICE protesters fell apart.
Douglas DePodesta, who served as FBI special agent in charge from 2024 until July 2026, alleged in a federal lawsuit filed on Monday that the Department of Justice (DoJ) had engaged in “misconduct” and “malfeasance” in its pursuit of unjust prosecutions – and that he was wrongly blamed for the DoJ’s missteps and unlawfully forced out of his job.
In Kansas’ tight Senate race, ads from Democratic and Republican outside groups are accusing the other party’s candidate of having protected pedophiles. In both cases, the attacks are misleading or unsupported by the evidence.
Ads from Democratic groups misleadingly claim Sen. Roger Marshall, the Republican incumbent, helped cover up Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes by voting to keep the Epstein files under wraps while taking money from the convicted sex offender’s “associates.”
Marshall supported the November 2025 law that required the Justice Department to publicly release the files. He previously voted against a Democratic amendment calling for the files’ release, saying he opposed attaching it to an unrelated defense bill. As for the purported Epstein “associates,” they’re people whose names appear incidentally in the files but had no documented contact with Epstein, or whose interactions with him were limited. None has been accused of wrongdoing.
An ad from a Republican group, meanwhile, claims Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton, a pastor, “protected a pedophile” accused of molesting teenage boys two decades ago at a camp his church ran.
According to court records reviewed by local news outlets, the boys reported the abuse but couldn’t identify the culprit, and the church didn’t notify police. It’s unclear what role Hamilton played in that decision. The next year, a camp volunteer was caught and reported to police. Hamilton has acknowledged that the church could have handled the situation better, but there’s no evidence he knowingly protected a predator.
The Cook Political Report rates the Kansas race as one of several toss-ups that could determine control of the Senate on Nov. 3. President Donald Trump campaigned for Marshall in Kansas on Nov. 1, the president’s second rally in the state in two weeks.
Votes on the Epstein Files
Multiple Democratic-aligned groups have run ads accusing Marshall of voting to cover up the Epstein files.
“It was one of the worst child abuse scandals in history,” states an ad from WinSenate, a super PAC working to elect Democrats. “Dozens of young girls sexually trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein. Drugged, molested, and raped. And Roger Marshall helped cover it up. Marshall voted to keep the Epstein files sealed, ignoring pleas from victims and saying releasing the information was, quote, ‘not of much interest to me.’ Roger Marshall used his office to protect pedophiles.”
Another WinSenate ad makes a similar claim, interspersing images of Marshall with what appears to be a photo of an Epstein victim with her face redacted.
“She was a 14-year-old girl,” the ad’s narrator says. “He was a 65-year-old senator. She was drugged, molested, and raped. And he helped cover it up. Roger Marshall took nearly $40,000 from Jeffrey Epstein’s associates. Then voted to keep the Epstein files sealed, protecting pedophiles.”
WinSenate had spent more than $6 million on the two ads combined as of the afternoon of Nov. 2, according to the ad-tracking service AdImpact. At least two other groups backing Democrats have also airedads attacking Marshall over the Epstein files.
These ads don’t give a full account of Marshall’s votes on this issue.
In September 2025, Senate Democrats proposed an amendment to the annual defense policy bill that would have directed the Department of Justice to make the Epstein files publicly available. The amendment was killed in a mostly party-line vote, with all but two Republicans opposed to the amendment. Marshall was among those voting against it.
According to local NBC affiliate KSNT, Marshall said at the time that he supported releasing the files but opposed tying it to an unrelated defense bill, which he called a “political stunt.”
Two months later, Marshall supported a standalone bill compelling release of the Epstein files. The bill cleared the Senate with unanimous consent, which means the bill was not opposed by Marshall or any other senator.
That vote came after Trump threw his support behind the bill, after resisting calls to disclose the files for months.
Marshall’s statement that releasing the files was “not of much interest to me” came in July 2025. Asked about the issue by reporters, he responded that there were bigger priorities in his view. Here’s the full quotation:
“It’s just not my focus,” Marshall said. “I mean, I want justice to be served, but we need to be focused right now on telling Americans about this reconciliation bill that we did. It’s going to be the largest tax cut in American history, the largest decrease in spending, we’re going to secure the border, a whole lot of other things. So it’s just not of much interest to me right now.”
Lauren French, a spokesperson for WinSenate, said in an emailed statement that Marshall’s initial vote against releasing the files “was a decision to keep evidence about the sexual abuse of children locked away for months longer, while the powerful people named in it kept their secrets.”
“When survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse pleaded with Roger Marshall for justice and transparency, he turned his back on them,” she said. “Marshall voted to kill an effort to force the Justice Department to release the Epstein files, blaming technicalities and saying, ‘it’s just not of much interest to me.’ ”
We reached out to Marshall’s campaign and haven’t heard back.
Claims About ‘Epstein’s Associates’
One of the WinSenate ads also claims that Marshall “took nearly $40,000 from Jeffrey Epstein’s associates.” The claim doesn’t hold up.
The ad cites an article on a partisan website called American Journal News, which is published by Democratic operative David Brock’s True Blue Media and partly funded by a Democratic-aligned group he co-founded, American Bridge 21st Century. (He stepped away from American Bridge in 2022.)
The article cites four people whose names appear in the Epstein files and who also gave to one of Marshall’s campaigns. As we’ve written before, the mere fact that someone is mentioned in the files does not indicate that the person is implicated in wrongdoing, or even had a direct relationship with the disgraced financier.
One of the people mentioned in the article is Stephen Schwarzman, chairman and CEO of the private equity firm Blackstone. We previously wrote about a separate WinSenate ad in Maine that referred to Schwarzman as Epstein’s “business partner,” based on the fact that both men were among the initial investors in an exclusive New York City club.
As we noted at the time, they were among about 150 founding members paying $100,000 each. Aside from paying money to join the same club, it’s not clear the two men ever did business together or had a close working relationship.
The Epstein files include emails from a publicist inviting Epstein to two events Schwarzman was involved in: a 2015 event celebrating the movie “The Imitation Game” co-hosted by Schwarzman and his wife (along with former Mayor Michael Bloomberg and others) at the Schwarzman’s New York home; and a 2013 anniversary celebration for the New York Observer, which lists Schwarzman as one of more than two dozen co-hosts. Epstein was out of town for the 2015 event, and it’s unclear if he attended the other. None of the emails shows Schwarzman and Epstein corresponding directly.
A spokesperson for Schwarzman previously told us the two men had no relationship.
“It would be categorically false and reckless to claim or imply that Steve had any relationship with this despicable individual,” the spokesperson said in an email.
The article also mentions Joseph Baratta, an executive at Blackstone, who donated $6,000 to Marshall’s campaign in 2025. There’s no evidence he was an “associate” of Epstein.
We could find only one mention of Baratta in the files: a 2011 email exchange between Baratta and Peter Mandelson, the British politician who later lost his post as ambassador to the U.S. over his relationship with Epstein. Mandelson was in private practice as a lobbyist at the time, and the exchange seems to involve him advising Baratta on a Blackstone public relations matter. Mandelson forwarded the exchange to Epstein with the note “fyi He’s nice, bright guy.”
Nothing in the emails indicates Baratta and Epstein communicated directly.
“Joe never met, spoke with, or interacted with him in any way – period,” a spokesperson for Baratta told us. “Joe had absolutely no relationship with him, and it would be outrageous and patently false to suggest otherwise.”
A third supposed Epstein “associate” mentioned in the article is Joel Magerman, head of the investment bank Bryant Park Capital, who gave $11,400 to Marshall’s campaign in 2019. Again, we could find no evidence that Magerman and Epstein were associated. Magerman’s only mentions in the Epstein files are twoemails that a broker named Barry Zelin sent to multiple recipients, including Magerman and Epstein. There’s no record in the files of Magerman responding, and nothing to indicate he interacted with Epstein directly.
We reached out to Magerman through his company and haven’t heard back.
The fourth person cited in the article is a Paul, Weiss lawyer named Greg Ezring who gave $500 to Marshall’s 2020 campaign. Emails indicate that in 2014, Ezring was working on a donor-advised fund that Epstein was trying to stand up with the Gates Foundation, a deal that ultimately fell through.
Ezring was also copied on a 2013 email, which was forwarded to Epstein, about a matter involving private equity firm Apollo Global Management. The co-founder of Apollo, Leon Black, stepped down from the company in 2021 amid scrutiny for his ties to Epstein.
Nothing in the emails suggests wrongdoing or indicates that Ezring and Epstein had a relationship beyond those matters. Ezring did not respond to an email requesting comment.
And again, none of the four has been accused of any wrongdoing connected to Epstein.
French, the WinSenate spokesperson, did not answer a question about the ad’s characterization of these individuals as Epstein “associates.”
Church Camp Allegations
The Senate Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC affiliated with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, has spent more than $1.6 million on an ad alleging Hamilton covered up for a man who was accused of sexually abusing teens at a church camp two decades ago.
The accusation was first made last spring by one of Hamilton’s primary opponents. After reviewing the relevant court records, the Kansas City Star wrote that they did “not back up the core of [the opponent’s] claims.”
The Senate Leadership Fund ad opens on two boys in a darkened room with bunkbeds.
“They say there’s a special place in hell for pedophiles. But what about the enablers?” the narrator says, as an image of Hamilton appears. “What about pastor Adam Hamilton? Boys molested at Hamilton’s church camp. Victims reported the predator. Hamilton’s church swept it under the rug, then welcomed the pervert back to do it again. God will judge Adam Hamilton’s heart. You can judge his leadership. Adam Hamilton protected a pedophile. He’s unfit for U.S. Senate.”
Here’s a quick synopsis of what happened, according to the Star’s reporting. (We were unable to view the records ourselves because they were not available online.)
In 2005, teenage boys at a youth camp run by Church of the Resurrection, the church Hamilton co-founded, reported that a man had entered their rooms at night and molested them.
Camp leaders were initially “dismissive of their claims” but did an internal investigation, according to a court decision quoted by the Star. That investigation was “unable to conclusively identify the perpetrator,” according to the document, though there were rumors it was a camp volunteer named Scott Preston Moore, according to records cited by another local news outlet, the Kansas Reflector.
“Neither boy was able to make out the facial features of the suspect or positively identify the defendant due to the darkness of the room and the blinding light that had been shined directly at their faces,” according to another court filing quoted by the Star.
The church did not report the incidents to police. Hamilton’s name does not appear in documents related to the handling of the incident, the Star reported.
The following year, Moore was accused of sneaking into boys’ rooms at night, and this time identified as the culprit. Church leaders reported it to law enforcement and barred Moore from working with children or youth. Local prosecutors ultimately declined to file charges, according to the Star.
In 2010, the Star reported, a man living out of state told Hamilton that Moore had abused him decades earlier, when Moore was his babysitter. According to the Star, the man decided to report the abuse to law enforcement after speaking with Hamilton.
Shortly thereafter, police investigated a report that Moore had inappropriately touched a 16-year-old during a sleepover, according to the Star. Moore was convicted of that charge in 2013 and sentenced to a year in jail.
The Reflector reported that the incidents from 2005 and 2006 were considerations in the case that led to his conviction.
Hamilton has acknowledged the church could have handled the situation better, but has called the allegations that he protected or covered up for a predator false.
“First of all, others investigated. I was actually preaching that weekend at Church of the Resurrection,” he said in an October debate. “And I did not sign off on him going back. I should have checked to make sure that he wasn’t going back. That was a mistake on my part. But I will tell you, when he was investigated the next year, we forbade him from working with youth or children any more. He left our church angry and upset. And again, we played a critical role several years later in getting him arrested and convicted.”
Asked by CNN last month whether he would have done anything differently now, Hamilton responded, “Absolutely. We should have called the police immediately. But that was not our policies 21 years ago.”
Asked for evidence to support the ad’s claims, a Senate Leadership Fund spokesperson pointed us to a Senate Leadership Fund press release highlighting the CNN quote.
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Under the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy, the project will promote the development of more efficient artificial intelligence applications with a lower carbon footprint and lower water consumption; language models adapted to Latin American Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese; high-resolution simulation of earthquakes and tsunamis; and studies on the impact of climate change on coffee production.
Nov. 2, 2026 — The EU-LAC Supercomputing Network for AI initiative, launched during the Global Gateway Forum, aims to improve the interoperability of supercomputing resources between Latin America and Europe, and to accelerate the competitiveness of artificial intelligence and supercomputing in both regions. The project, coordinated by the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), falls within the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy and is part of the EU-LAC Digital Alliance, launched in March 2023.
The EU-LAC Supercomputing Network for AI initiative, funded with €3 million from the European Union, builds on more than 20 years of BSC’s cooperation with nearly 60 institutions in 14 Latin American countries
At a time when supercomputing and AI are key tools for innovation, scientific development and competitiveness, the project will work along four main lines: political dialogue on the federation of supercomputing resources; capacity building; the acceleration of use cases; and the integration of BELLA (Building the Europe Link with Latin America), a joint initiative that connects the science, education and innovation networks of Europe and Latin America through infrastructures such as EllaLink, a submarine fibre-optic cable linking Portugal and Brazil since 2021.
The consortium, coordinated by the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) and the BSC and funded by the European Union, also includes the following European institutions: the CINECA supercomputing centre (Italy), CSC – IT Center for Science (Finland), the Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science (Portugal), the Institute of Information Science (Slovenia), the Jülich Supercomputing Centre (Germany) and the National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology (France). The project will strengthen scientific collaboration with seven Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Uruguay.
The project includes an extensive programme of training and summer schools. As part of this, BSC will contribute its more than 20 years of experience collaborating with institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as its track record in training researchers in supercomputing and artificial intelligence. This contribution will make it possible to transfer knowledge to new teams and to strengthen a scientific community connected across both sides of the Atlantic.
“EU-LAC stems from more than two decades of joint work and from a conviction: supercomputing and artificial intelligence are more useful when they are developed together. We learn as much as we contribute from this collaboration, at a key moment when AI must include our languages and the diversity of our societies,” says Mateo Valero, Director of BSC.
This commitment to an inclusive AI that reflects the diversity of both sides of the Atlantic will also be highlighted at the upcoming Ibero-American Digital Forum, which will bring together global leaders and senior regional figures in digital governance and transformation this Tuesday, November 3, in Madrid. Centered around key themes such as Artificial Intelligence, digital rights, and cybersecurity, the event will feature a keynote address by Mateo Valero in the auditorium of the Royal Mint of Spain (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre).
AI to Reduce the Impact Of Natural Disasters and Climate Change on Coffee Production
EU-LAC Supercomputing Network for AI is not limited to connecting machines; it starts from specific challenges in the region. The four use cases are:
More energy-efficient AI applications, with tools to monitor and reduce their carbon footprint.
Language models adapted to Latin American Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese, with the possibility of incorporating Indigenous languages.
High-resolution simulation of earthquakes and tsunamis.
The impact of climate change on coffee production.
Overall, these challenges are key not only because of their scientific and technical impact, but also because they respond to social concerns. According to the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean 2025 report, drought affected up to 85% of Mexican territory. In this context, supercomputing makes it possible to simulate scenarios, anticipate risks and provide authorities with useful information in advance.
Several of these use cases build on work already under way at BSC. For example, the FIATLatam project, led by BSC and launched in December 2025 with funding from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), promotes the collaborative development of language models and AI resources that reflect the linguistic diversity, contexts and sectors of Latin American reality, including the varieties of Spanish and Portuguese. The project starts with the collection, selection and preparation of datasets in Latin American Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese, with the possibility of incorporating Indigenous languages, in order to adapt existing models such as ALIA.
Brazil and Mexico: New Infrastructures for Latin America
Over its more than 20 years of history, BSC’s partners and collaborators have included nearly 60 institutions in 14 Latin American and Caribbean countries (Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela), and the centre currently has 10 active projects. Brazil is the country with the most shared projects, followed by Chile, Colombia and Argentina.
BSC’s collaboration with the two largest countries in Latin America, Brazil and Mexico, is now central. In Mexico, BSC is supporting the development of Coatlicue, the public supercomputer that, with a planned capacity of 314 petaflops, aims to be the most powerful in Latin America. This infrastructure will be the central node of the National Supercomputing Cluster and will be installed at the National Polytechnic Institute.
In Brazil, BSC signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Laboratory for Scientific Computing (LNCC) in 2024, focused on AI research. LNCC operates Santos Dumont, the country’s most powerful supercomputer, with 27 petaflops, and will manage the new AI supercomputer that the Brazilian government unveiled in August this year, which will be available to companies, universities, scientific institutions and governments wishing to train models, carry out research and develop AI applications.
With both partners, the work focuses on the shared use of capacities, research into digital twins and the development of language models. The underlying idea is to add up rather than duplicate: to bring together the supercomputing centres of both regions so that everyone gains capacity, knowledge and technological autonomy.
One of the areas where cooperation between BSC and Latin America has produced the most tangible results is the study of the impact of climate change on health and the anticipation of outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, combining climate and epidemiological data with forecasting models.
Among other initiatives, the BSC also collaborates on the MAPHSA project, focused on documenting and protecting the pre-Columbian archaeological heritage of Colombia and Brazil by developing cutting-edge methods for the automated detection of threatened archaeological sites.
Photo courtesy of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies.
Free programs for veterans and older adults, artist funding, and statewide outreach cited in national recognition
The Delaware Division of the Arts has received a national award recognizing its efforts to make arts programs and funding more accessible to people throughout the state.
The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies presented Delaware with its 2026 Arts Access Agency Award, which honors state or regional arts agencies that expand participation, reduce barriers and extend public investment in the arts to more communities.
Division Director Jessica Ball accepted the award during NASAA’s national conference in Washington, D.C., held Oct. 7-9. The award was announced publicly Monday.
Delaware was recognized for programs that include free arts classes for older adults in libraries and senior centers, free arts programming for veterans, increased direct support for individual artists, free public exhibitions and events, and a statewide calendar connecting residents with arts and cultural activities.
The programs reach communities in all three counties.
Ball credited the Division’s staff and its relationships with community organizations and other state agencies for expanding the agency’s reach.
“I’m proud to accept this on behalf of the Delaware Division of the Arts, but I want to be clear about whose award this is: it belongs to our program officers and our staff,” Ball said.
She said staff members have built relationships throughout Delaware that help residents and organizations understand that state arts funding and programs are available to them.
“People take part when they trust you, and our team has earned that trust,” Ball said.
Bringing arts programs into communities
Secretary of State Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez said the recognition reflects the Division’s effort to bring programming directly to places Delawareans already use, including libraries, senior centers and veterans organizations.
“Delaware is a small state, but this team thinks and delivers big,” Patibanda-Sanchez said. “When the arts come to your neighborhood, they become part of everyday life.”
NASAA President and CEO Pam Breaux called Delaware a national example of how state arts agencies can broaden participation.
“Delaware exemplifies what it means to put access at the center of public arts work,” Breaux said.
She cited the Division’s continuing efforts to reach new audiences and remove barriers that can prevent people from participating in arts programs.
Juan Souki, executive director of Mid Atlantic Arts, said Delaware has demonstrated that arts access can go beyond a policy goal and become part of an agency’s regular programming.
“The Delaware Division of the Arts has shown what it looks like to make access more than a value statement,” Souki said.
Support for artists and organizations
The Division administers grants to arts organizations, community organizations and individual artists throughout Delaware. Current programs include operating support, project funding, arts education grants and artist opportunity grants.
The agency operates with funding provided through state appropriations and support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Ball has also taken on a larger national role in arts policy. She was elected in 2025 to the NASAA board of directors for a three-year term beginning in 2026.
The Arts Access Agency Award recognizes a state arts agency or regional arts organization that demonstrates an emerging or sustained commitment to expanding access to arts programs and ensuring public arts funding reaches communities throughout its state or region.
US president shares delayed results of chaotic renovation on DC site as Americans prepare to head to the polls
Donald Trump unveiled the delayed results of his $14m renovation of Washington DC’s Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool in what is expected to be his final press conference before voters head to the polls for the midterm elections.
On the eve of a consequential election day, with polls indicating that most voters feel the US president has grown too focused on building projects in the nation’s capital, he stood in front of the newly opened reflecting pool to discuss – in detail – changes to the pool’s pipe, the grass surrounding the area and granite.
While out on the campaign trail in Makerfield, Andy Burnham gave a glimpse into where he might land on Labour’s plans for immigration reform, which had already been decried by the left of the party as unfair while described on the right as electorally necessary.
Asked what he thought of Reform’s attack on “open borders Andy” – Nigel Farage’s early attempt to define him as soft on migration – the then Manchester mayor dismissed the charge as “ridiculous” and went on the defensive.
Enlightenment, the long-running desktop environment and associated libraries and frameworks, just released version 0.28.0. It brings initial support for NetBSD, support for Network Manager and a whole slew of related changes and fixes to make that possible, as well as native PipeWire support. There’s also a brand new clipboard manager, which brings with it modernisations and bug fixes for related UI elements. This release also reworks a ton code related to battery management, AC polling, and more, adding features like setting battery thresholds, ACPI power profile support, and so on. Of course, there’s also the long list of smaller fixes and changes.
You can download the release and build it yourself, or wait for your distribution of BSD variant to package it.
A little while ago, we talked about 9front’s Good Enough File System being ported to OpenBSD. A lot of progress has been made on this front lately. Aside from fixing bugs and porting over fixes from the 9front side, there’s also been a ton more substantial changes.
Some userspace tools have been done (you can now mkfs on openbsd!), but snapshot control hasn’t. I’m thinking we have a userspace ‘gefs’ program that lets you handle this, trying to keep the interface similar to the 9front ctl file.
There’s still some major hurdles to overcome, some of which have already been addressed on the 9front side, but the progress is clear. Considering OpenBSD desperately needs a more modern file system, this is great news.
A fun sidenote is that I’m actually posting this news item from OpenBSD.
First State Educate announced Monday that applications are open for the program, which helps current school board members work with their superintendents to identify district needs, develop projects and strengthen their ability to govern effectively. Applications are due Dec. 1, and a virtual orientation for prospective applicants is scheduled for Nov. 9.
Up to $2,000 is available for board-led projects addressing local education challenges, with successful ideas designed to be shared with districts statewide.
WILMINGTON, Del. — Delaware school board members looking to turn a local challenge into a practical project can apply for grants of up to $2,000 through First State Educate’s 2027 Capacity Grants program.
First State Educate announced Monday that applications are open for the program, which helps current school board members work with their superintendents to identify district needs, develop projects and strengthen their ability to govern effectively.
Applications are due Dec. 1, and a virtual orientation for prospective applicants is scheduled for Nov. 9.
Unlike a traditional education grant aimed primarily at classroom programs or equipment, the Capacity Grants focus on the work of school boards — including how members understand issues, engage their communities, evaluate district performance and make decisions affecting students.
The goal is also to make successful projects useful beyond the district where they were developed.
First State Educate says recipients will document their work, results and lessons learned so other Delaware school boards can adapt promising approaches to their own communities.
The organization’s current grant materials describe the program as an effort to move locally developed ideas “from concept to implementation” and eventually create models that can be used by other districts.
Local problems, statewide lessons
Previous grant recipients have addressed issues ranging from literacy and kindergarten readiness to emergency communications, multilingual family engagement and student participation in school governance.
In the Cape Henlopen School District, board member Dr. Alison Myers focused on Science of Reading training designed to improve board members’ understanding of literacy instruction and their oversight role.
In Christina, Y.F. Lou explored emergency communications and the needs of multilingual families, while Monica Moriak examined opportunities for greater collaboration among New Castle County school boards.
Woodbridge board members Rita Hovermale and Timothy Banks pursued projects involving kindergarten readiness and student participation in school governance.
Lou, vice president of the Christina School Board and a first responder, said the grant allowed him to investigate an issue that otherwise might have been difficult for an individual board member to pursue.
“Board members set the guardrails for how a district reaches families in a crisis, but a board member has no resources of their own to put behind a question,” Lou said.
The grant, he said, provided resources for a tabletop emergency exercise involving students and district staff and produced findings the board could use in its governance role.
First State Educate has previously funded projects that developed practical tools involving literacy governance, crisis communication, kindergarten readiness, student engagement and multilingual family communication.
More than the $2,000
The program includes more than the grant itself.
Recipients receive guidance from First State Educate as projects move from an initial idea through planning and implementation. FSE also works with Dr. James Bridgeforth of the University of Delaware to provide additional expertise and technical assistance.
The organization says recipients can receive individualized guidance, peer learning opportunities and assistance with implementation, reporting and problem-solving.
That support is intended to help board members define a manageable project, determine what success should look like and ultimately develop resources that can be shared with other districts.
Those resources could include guides, training materials, community engagement protocols, templates or reports documenting what worked — and what did not.
First State Educate Executive Director Dr. Julia Keleher has described the program as a way to give school boards the resources to move beyond identifying problems and begin testing solutions.
“Stronger governance leads to stronger outcomes,” Keleher said in announcing previous recipients. “These board-designed projects give districts new ways to understand challenges and make decisions that reflect what students and families need most.”
Who can apply
Current Delaware school board members who participate in First State Educate activities are eligible to apply.
Applicants are encouraged to work with their superintendent and other board members to identify a specific issue or opportunity that could benefit from focused attention.
Projects can address areas such as board effectiveness, family and community engagement, student achievement, literacy, STEM education, professional learning or new governance tools and systems.
Proposals do not have to be fully developed when they are submitted. First State Educate says it will work with selected recipients to refine their plans and develop appropriate measures for evaluating the work.
The application deadline is Dec. 1. Award notifications and grantee orientation are expected between Dec. 16 and Jan. 5.
TO GO BOX
What: First State Educate 2027 Capacity Grants
Who: Current Delaware school board members who participate in First State Educate activities
Grant: Up to $2,000 for projects addressing district challenges and strengthening school board governance
Chemical tests on Aratasaurus bone identify presence of heme, the organic compound that allows haemoglobin in blood to carry oxygen around body
It could be the opening of a Jurassic Park rip-off: scientists examining ancient dinosaur bones find what appear to be fossilised red blood cells, and traces of the molecule that gives the beast’s blood its distinctive crimson hue.
But that is what researchers are claiming to have discovered after analysing the hind leg bones of a small, meat-eating dinosaur called an Aratasaurus that lived and died in what is now north-eastern Brazil 115m years ago.
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: Data centers are deeply unpopular. But what if we called them something else? Axios reports that OpenAI is preparing a "PR blitz" for after the midterm elections on Tuesday, as Democrats seem likely to win back the House of Representatives, and possibly the Senate, too. The company's chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane told Axios that the midterms will be "a bit of a movie trailer for what you're going to see in 2028," when he expects AI to be "the issue" in the presidential election.
So OpenAI is to influence the AI debate moving forward, with Lehane discussing several proposals, including the development of AI "speed limits"; finding ways to help people see AI as empowering them in their daily lives; pushing the U.S. to take a role in developing global standards; and yes -- rebranding data centers as "AI compute campuses." Lehane also described the conversation around data centers (a debate that has pushed Amazon and Microsoft to say they will no longer use NDAs in their negotiations with local governments) as "good and healthy." "Communities should hold companies responsible and accountable so they really and truly get a transformative benefit from these projects," he said.
Her latest plea comes three months after urging ‘someone to come forward’ with details about Nancy Guthrie
Savannah Guthrie has issued a new plea for help on the whereabouts of her 84-year-old mother, who authorities believe was abducted in February.
On Sunday, the Today show co-host shared a photo of an old drawing made by her daughter featuring an umbrella and the words: “I know it might not seem like it but I really need my mommy.”
Defence barrister says earlier allegations about comedian’s sexual conduct ‘poisoned the wells’ of justice as trial continues
Russell Brand is not a “psychopath who rapes people and thinks it’s normal” and is respectful when women say no, a court has heard.
In his closing speech at Southwark crown court, Brand’s barrister, Ian Winter KC, questioned why Brand’s accusers had not fought back when they were allegedly raped, saying “not one of them resisted or screamed or even tried to leave”.
He now says he has enough evidence to declare that the Loch Ness Monster is only a legend built from decades of perceptions caused by natural phenomena.
Pardon the Interruption co-host to take leave of absence
Wilbon did not go into detail but cited ‘worrisome signs’
Michael Wilbon, the co-host of ESPN’s popular Pardon the Interruption talkshow alongside good friend Tony Kornheiser, announced on Monday he is taking a leave of absence because of what he described as “multiple health issues”.
Wilbon, who turns 68 later this month, wrote in a post on X that he is taking a trip to “the injured list” but added he hopes it is “not an extended one”.
(The Center Square) - With the general election just one day away, all 122 Colorado judges on the ballot are named in a former state official's request for judicial misconduct investigations.
An unusual sheriff election in Lee County, Alabama, highlights how elected law enforcement often shapes issues of public safety, immigration and gun control.
As Abdul El-Sayed’s one-time primary opponent attempts to redirect closing arguments in the Michigan Senate contest to the topics of Israel and antisemitism, the Democratic nominee has entered the final stretch of the midterms against a barrage of bigoted attacks over his own race and religion.
President Donald Trump called him a “jihadist.” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. went on a racist rant against Arabs. According to Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, a mailer went out showing El-Sayed’s face next to the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers.
“They are running the most bigoted, hateful, Islamophobic campaign I’ve ever seen,” McMorrow told a local TV outlet. McMorrow, who ran for the Democratic Senate nomination but dropped out before the August primary, is taking a far different tack than Rep. Haley Stevens, the Democratic primary runner-up who has spent the race’s final days painting El-Sayed as an angry antisemite and crossed party lines Sunday to endorse Republican contender Mike Rogers.
Rogers has sought to portray El-Sayed as anti-American and repeatedly tried to tie his opponent to the Muslim Brotherhood. He insists the attacks have nothing to do with faith. But that is exactly how many observers see them, including Muslim Republicans who have been disgusted by the rhetoric.
As the election draws to a close, the Islamophobic attacks have taken a backseat to Stevens’s claims of antisemitism — most prominently concerning a PAC ad that connected high grocery prices to U.S. spending on Israeli military aid — and a personal feud between the former primary opponents. And some of El-Sayed’s allies worry that the Muslim and Arab-baiting attacks will work. One recent poll found that 38 percent of Michigan voters said they would be less likely to vote for a Muslim candidate.
Michigan’s Muslim and Arab organizers have not been taking the attacks lying down, however. In interviews last month, two prominent leaders in Dearborn’s Arab American community described widespread excitement over the opportunity to vote for the man who would be the first Muslim in the U.S. Senate.
“It very much feels like when President Obama was running and his whole campaign was around like hope. That’s what it feels like,” Layla Elabed, the organizing director at Arab Americans for Progress, told the Intercept on October 8.
Elabed, the sister of Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., was one of the key movers in the Uncommitted movement, which urged Michigan voters to withhold their votes from Joe Biden during the 2024 primary in protest of his support for Israel’s war on Gaza. The movement succeeded in making a statement, but also drew criticism from centrist Democrats for allegedly fracturing party unity.
Elabed’s current group is an evolution of the Uncommitted movement. Its canvassers have been knocking on doors to turn out support for El-Sayed and other candidates.
“I don’t think many people in Dearborn are surprised by Haley Stevens,” Elabed told The Intercept on Monday. “Arab American Democrats in Michigan have been sounding the alarm about her for years, warning our fellow Democrats about a pattern of putting political interests ahead of the people she was elected to represent.”
She believes the same coalition that came together for Uncommitted could help push El-Sayed over the top this election.
“Abdul has been able to really take a stand on all the issues that were really important to anti-war voters and anti-genocide voters,” she said. “It’s not a coincidence that that same coalition, that same base of Democratic voters are now all coming out to support us.”
Hers is not the only group seeking to mobilize Muslim and Arab voters, who make up a sizable slice of the Michigan electorate. The Arab American Political Action Committee has also endorsed El-Sayed. Its president, Osama Siblani, said there is widespread enthusiasm for El-Sayed in areas with dense Arab populations such as Dearborn.
Siblani compared El-Sayed’s potential victory to John F. Kennedy’s pathbreaking election as the first Catholic president.
“First of all, he’s qualified. Second of all, he’s saying the right things, he has a good agenda,” Siblani. “His opponent is an asshole. In addition to all of this, he is breaking the ceiling for our community and for other communities. That is a plus.”
The goal of the Arab and Muslim-baiting attacks from El-Sayed’s enemies is clear, according to Nazita Lajevardi, an associate professor of political science at the University of Michigan.
“Islamophobia is a tried and true strategy for garnering a candidate support and swaying the vote,” she said.
“When political elites discriminate, it does mobilize people into action.”
Yet it is also possible that the attacks on El-Sayed’s identity will lead to greater turnout in places like Dearborn, she said.
“I think scholarship would tell us that when political elites discriminate, that it does mobilize people into action. Past scholarship would say yes, it would, but it’s an open question,” she said.
Elabed agreed that the attacks are nothing new. “We’ve watched it play out time and time again,” she told The Intercept. Stevens’s about-face isn’t a major development, she said, “It’s that the rest of the Democratic Party is finally seeing what our communities have been saying all along. We weren’t wrong. We just weren’t being listened to.”
Siblani expressed a similar sentiment on Monday. “I’m not surprised, I’m disgusted,” he wrote of Stevens in a text message, attaching an emoji of a person vomiting.
Stevens’s choice to jump ship for the Rogers campaign appears to have galvanized El-Sayed’s base. His campaign announced a one-day fundraising record after his fellow Democrat pulled her endorsement on Sunday.
Dover Police Arrest 18-Year-Old in Shooting That Struck Home With Child Inside
POLICE LOG – November 2, 2026
DOVER, DE — Dover Police have arrested an 18-year-old man in connection with a shooting that damaged an occupied home and a parked vehicle in the 500 block of River Road on October 27, 2026.
The shooting occurred at approximately 4:22 p.m. near River Road and Sussex Avenue. Police said gunfire struck a second-story window of a residence where a 10-year-old girl was inside. A parked, unoccupied vehicle was also struck. No injuries were reported.
Officers recovered multiple shell casings during a search of the area. Investigators initially described three male suspects wearing dark clothing.
Through their investigation, detectives identified the 18-year-old as one of the suspects involved in the shooting.
On October 30, officers took the suspect into custody during a traffic stop near East Water Street and New Castle Avenue in Dover.
The suspect was charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a person prohibited, possession of ammunition by a person prohibited, first-degree reckless endangering, discharging a firearm at a vehicle, and two counts of criminal mischief under $1,000.
He was committed to Sussex Correctional Institution (SCI) on a $29,500 cash bond.
Police have not released the suspect’s name in accordance with Delaware’s House Bill 59, which restricts the release of certain identifying information about individuals charged with crimes.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the Dover Police Department at 302-736-7111.
Scientists at the Allen Telescope Array have integrated the NVIDIA Holoscan platform to search for signals that may come from aliens — or the AI they built.
Nov. 2, 2026 — Breakthrough Listen and the SETI Institute are bringing agentic AI into the daily search for extraterrestrial intelligence. At the Allen Telescope Array in Northern California, agents can now steer the instrument, enhance and correct incoming data, and apply AI models to the incoming stream — all from a single natural language request. The NVIDIA Holoscan platform processes the massive streams of sensor data, giving agents live data to act on.
Credit: sdecoret/Shutterstock
The result is a faster, more adaptable search for potential signals from extraterrestrial life and technologies.
“As our new agentic observatories reach out into the universe, what they find may have much more in common with themselves than with the humans who created them,” said Andrew Siemion, Bernard M. Oliver chair for SETI at the SETI Institute and principal investigator of Breakthrough Listen. “But this isn’t something to fear. Rather, it’s a breakthrough in translation.”
Terabits a Second, Processed in Flight
Radio telescopes generate enormous volumes of data, creating a challenge for scientists who need to identify potentially interesting signals as observations unfold.
At the Allen Telescope Array, DAQIRI, a Holoscan platform library, enables the telescope to pull terabits per second of sensor data straight into GPU memory so observations are processed in flight rather than filling hard drives. CyberEther, a signal-processing framework developed at the SETI Institute, does the math using NVIDIA CUDA-X libraries including cuFFT and cuBLAS.
Nexus, a web-based observatory orchestrator, acts as the agent harness. It gives agents a single source of truth for instrument state, compute resources and pipelines and lets researchers monitor packet loss, read live spectrograms and rewrite signal-processing blocks — all by prompting in natural language. The system can handle 2.4 terabits per second on NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell GPUs, with inference running on premises, next to the instrument.
Put together, the system enables an agent to steer a telescope’s antennae, calibrate and focus the instrument for a clean signal, catch and fix data errors and plot the result. Agents compress what would take humans weeks or years into hours.
Science Fact, Not Fiction
The pipeline has already proven itself, achieving the first real-time AI detection of a pulsar — a rapidly spinning stellar remnant that pulses like a cosmic lighthouse — in the Crab Nebula.
Next, the team is evaluating open models including NVIDIA Nemotron for cases where data locality and turnaround matter most and for observatories that may someday run offline on the far side of the moon.
The issue runs through almost every twist and turn and has come to define the congresswoman’s political persona
For Haley Stevens, the road from Democratic Senate candidate to campaigning alongside a Republican she once called a rubber stamp for Donald Trump has been remarkably short – and the issue running through almost every twist and turn has been Israel.
Having failed to stop Abdul El-Sayed in the primary, Stevens chose to back Republican Mike Rogers on Sunday, a candidate who she previously warned would enable Trump’s agenda – apparently because the Democrat who won refuses to share her position on Israel.
DOE funding will support new analytical tools to evaluate safety, safeguards and production challenges for next-generation reactor fuels
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Nov. 2, 2026 — Sandia National Laboratories has been selected for $3.38 million in Department of Energy funding to develop analytical tools that could help advance the production and deployment of nuclear fuels for next-generation reactors.
DOE Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and NNSA Administrator Brandon Williams speaks at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in Albuquerque on Oct. 30, 2026. Photo credit: Craig Fritz.
DOE’s Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and National Nuclear Security Administration Administrator Brandon Williams recognized the selection Friday during a news conference at Albuquerque’s National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, joined by Sandia Deputy Laboratories Director for Integrated Security Missions Deborah Frincke.
The funding is part of the up to $50 million High-Performance Optimized Recycled Nuclear Isotopes for Gen IV Reactors, or HORNIG, program, administered by DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, known as ARPA-E. The program supports research into nuclear fuels made using materials recovered from used nuclear fuel and other sources, with the goal of advancing fuel technologies for next-generation reactors.
“Sandia National Laboratories has a long history of solving some of our nation’s toughest technical challenges, and its expertise will be essential to advancing America’s nuclear renaissance,” said Williams. “This investment will build on Sandia’s capabilities to help fuel developers overcome the barriers to commercial-scale manufacturing and turn promising nuclear fuel technologies into practical solutions. It’s exactly the kind of partnership we need to strengthen America’s energy security, accelerate advanced nuclear deployment, and deliver on President Trump’s vision for American energy dominance.”
Sandia’s project, Transuranic Reactor-fuel Pathways for Sociotechnical Analysis, Technoeconomics, and Harmonization, known as TRU-PATH, will develop an analytical platform to evaluate safety, nuclear safeguards and other considerations associated with scaling up production of advanced reactor fuels.
The research will help fuel developers identify technical requirements, economic considerations and other constraints that could affect manufacturing and deploying these fuels on a commercial scale.
While some HORNIG projects will focus on aspects of fuel design, fabrication, testing and qualification, Sandia’s work will examine the broader considerations involved in bringing these emerging fuel technologies toward practical application.
“This project is purpose-driven to look at what brings the nation the safest and most secure energy solutions,” said Frincke. “Sandia’s role focuses on designing a safety and security framework for recycling transuranic fuel and leverages our long history of nuclear research.”
Through the TRU-PATH project, Sandia researchers will support efforts to better understand how advanced nuclear fuels could be produced and deployed safely and securely. The work contributes to broader DOE efforts to advance nuclear energy technologies and strengthen domestic nuclear fuel capabilities.
Exception for care workers will allow an estimated 280,000 people and their dependants to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years
Shabana Mahmood rowed back on her most hardline plans to make care workers wait 15 years for settlement in the UK, but told MPs on Monday that many migrants would still face retrospective rule changes to make them wait a decade.
Under pressure from a cabinet backlash and health unions, the home secretary has offered a carve-out for care workers to allow them to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years.
Harrisburg, Pa. — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania is asking the public to report any interference with elections, campaigns, or voting rights ahead of Tuesday’s general election.
The New York Times and several other publishers have sued (PDF) Brave Software, accusing the browser maker of scraping their websites without permission and helping users bypass paywalls. The Verge reports: According to a complaint (PDF) filed by the companies that run New York Daily News, the Chicago Tribune, and the Orlando Sentinel, Brave Software has monetized its index of scraped websites by, in part, providing AI companies with paid access to "real-time online content from the Brave Index." The AI companies then use that index to train their models, access content to "respond to specific user queries," or both. Brave has allegedly provided "stolen copyrighted content" to "many" AI companies including Anthropic, Perplexity, Mistral, xAI, and Cohere. Brave also promotes "hundreds of top publishers" as being accessible through its "Paywall blocker" feature in its browser.
"Brave has never asked for the Publishers' permission to access their websites, much less to copy the material and provide it to users or other AI companies," the complaint says. "On the contrary, as noted above, Brave allows its users to bypass the Publishers' paywalls without their consent, and has taken other steps that prevent the Publishers from blocking Brave's access to the Publishers' websites. Brave has never compensated the Publishers for the unlawful use, copying, and distribution of the Publishers' copyrighted content." "While we believe in the ethical and responsible use and development of AI, Brave has flouted established copyright law and ignored repeated requests by The Times to stop its infringing conduct," Graham James, an NYT spokesperson, says in a statement. "We filed this lawsuit to hold Brave accountable for stealing our content to power its own products and to provide it to some of the most prominent and well resourced generative AI companies in the world."
Democratic congresswoman Haley Stevens has endorsed the Republican candidate for the Senate after a spat with her party’s own candidate in Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed. The endorsement stunned Stevens’ Democrat colleagues, with one calling it a ‘despicable betrayal’ on the eve of the midterm elections. So what will it mean for the race? Lucy Hough speaks to US southern bureau chief and host of Anywhere but Washington Oliver Laughland
Executive director of external affairs at theRefugee Council called the proposals ‘unfair and unworkable’
Downing Street has declined to say how much it cost for the plane carrying Andy Burnham and UK delegates to a Commonwealth leaders’ summit to stop in Manchester to pick him up (see 10.28am), the Press Association reports.
At the morning lobby briefing, asked if this was an appropriate use of public money, the PM’s spokesperson said:
The prime minister’s travel arrangements are made on the basis of security, operational requirements, and value for money for the taxpayer.
The prime minister’s travel arrangements reflect where he was carrying out official government business at the end of last week.
Acquisition strengthens NetApp Novus, high-performance storage, with differentiated metadata technology and a parallel file architecture purpose-built for AI
SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 2, 2026 — NetApp today announced that it completed the acquisition of PEAK:AIO, a pioneer in next-generation metadata architecture and high-performance parallel file systems. With this acquisition, NetApp can leverage metadata services and parallel namespace innovations to power the fastest storage on the planet, NetApp Novus, to support zettabyte-scale file systems for the most demanding workloads of AI clouds and GPU-as-a-service providers.
For the best AI infrastructure economics, organizations need to keep GPU resources continuously supplied with data without bottlenecks. The acquisition advances NetApp’s strategy for the next phase of AI infrastructure by bringing PEAK:AIO’s metadata and parallel file system expertise together with NetApp ONTAP, giving customers a path to AI-scale storage that combines high concurrency and massive namespace growth with the resilience, security, and operational simplicity enterprises already trust.
“AI infrastructure is reaching unprecedented scale, demanding a new approach to storage built from the ground up,” said George Kurian, Chief Executive Officer at NetApp. “By combining PEAK:AIO’s expertise in metadata services and parallel namespace innovation with the proven scale, data management capabilities, and enterprise-grade services of the NetApp Platform, we are leapfrogging the market as we deliver our next-generation, zettabyte-scale architecture to support the growth of AI clouds and GPU-as-a-service providers.”
PEAK:AIO’s technology was designed to address some of the industry’s most demanding data-intensive computing challenges, identified by leading research institutions, including Los Alamos National Laboratory and Carnegie Mellon University.
“The AI factory is only as productive as its data pipeline,” said Syam Nair, Chief Product Officer at NetApp. “By combining NetApp’s unified storage with PEAK:AIO’s metadata architecture, we separate metadata from data so performance scales out with concurrency, and we do it with open standards rather than proprietary clients. Customers can run more AI workloads, on their existing infrastructure, with the security, resilience, and simplicity of enterprise data management.”
The acquisition will bring specialized metadata services and parallel namespace technology into NetApp’s ONTAP-based data architecture, while creating a clear evolution path for existing ONTAP customers. Together, this is expected to enable the delivery of new capabilities, such as NetApp Novus, that simplify the deployment and operation of shared storage for increasingly large AI environments.
“NetApp and PEAK:AIO were built around the shared conviction that the AI era needs data infrastructure designed to scale to extraordinary levels,” said Mark Klarzynski, Chief Technology Officer and Founder at PEAK:AIO. “With the acquisition by NetApp, we can bring our innovation together with the reach, expertise, and trusted customer relationships of a global data infrastructure leader. Together, we are well positioned to help define what comes next and deliver technology that makes managing data for the AI era more practical, efficient, and accessible.”
For more than three decades, NetApp has helped the world’s leading organizations navigate change – from the rise of enterprise storage to the intelligent era defined by data and AI. Today, NetApp is the Intelligent Data Infrastructure company, helping customers turn data into a catalyst for innovation, resilience, and growth.
About PEAK:AIO
PEAK:AIO is a Manchester UK-based software-defined AI storage company. Its platform delivers high-performance AI storage from a single server to exabytes on any industry-standard hardware. PEAK:AIO is deployed at Los Alamos National Laboratory, NHS AIDE, Oxford Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Liverpool, University of Strathclyde MediForge Hub, and Zoological Society of London. Learn more at https://peakaio.com.
Minister warns weeks without lessons are putting exams at risk as unions plan nationwide strike on Thursday
Dozens of high schools across France were blockaded again on Monday as the government braced for another tense week of protests over school conditions and the high cost of living.
The protests come amid warnings that weeks without lessons are putting some pupils’ school year and final exams at risk.
We’re using our custom-made robot to open and close the iPhone Duo hundreds of thousands of times. Watch along and get your questions answered by CNET editors live.
New memory modules accelerate data throughput and offer optional Zefr testing for enhanced reliability in demanding AI workloads
FREMONT, Calif., Nov. 2, 2026 — Penguin Solutions, Inc. today announced its newest SMART Modular DDR5 Multi-Ranked Dual In-line Memory Module (MRDIMM), expanding its portfolio of memory solutions designed for AI data centers. Running at industry-leading DDR5-12800 speeds, these new MRDIMMs address growing bandwidth demand created by the exponential growth in AI inference and agentic AI workloads.
Credit: Penguin Solutions
Demonstrating Penguin’s expertise at the intersection of data center AI infrastructure and memory solutions, the SMART Modular MRDIMMs include industry-leading thermal and electrical protections and utilize an innovative architecture that multiplexes two physical ranks into a single logical rank to avoid traditional speed limitations. This significantly increases memory bandwidth compared to standard RDIMMs, helping improve memory subsystem performance for next-generation server platforms.
To ensure mission-critical stability at these unprecedented speeds, the MRDIMMs are available with Penguin’s proprietary and comprehensive Zefr high-reliability testing. This rigorous memory screening process simulates demanding real-world operating conditions to help identify and mitigate potential timing and electrical signal integrity issues, delivering dependable performance and data integrity required for mission-critical AI infrastructure.
“As AI workloads become increasingly memory-intensive, customers need greater bandwidth without compromising reliability,” said Arthur Sainio, Director of Integrated Memory Product Marketing for Penguin Solutions. “Our latest SMART Modular MRDIMMs combine DDR5-12800 data rates with optional Zefr high-reliability testing to help customers improve memory performance and support the demanding requirements of applications such as financial services.”
Key markets and applications for these advanced memory modules include:
Generative AI & LLM Inference: Accelerating processing and response times for large language models.
High-Frequency Trading: Minimizing latency and maximizing throughput for split-second financial transactions.
High-Performance Computing (HPC): Powering complex scientific simulations and data-intensive research.
Penguin Solutions (Nasdaq: PENG) is the AI Factory Platform Company. We design, build, and manage next-generation data centers for enterprises, sovereign AI initiatives, and neocloud providers.
With deep design expertise at the intersection of data center AI infrastructure and memory solutions, our Full-Stack AI Factory Platform combines differentiated infrastructure software, advanced memory, compute systems, end-to-end services, and industry-leading partner technologies to help customers accelerate deployment, optimize token economics, and maximize the return on their AI investments.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to intervene in its fight with California over more than 20,000 voters the Justice Department says may be noncitizens, seeking an emergency order requiring their mail ballots to be separated one day before Election Day.
Solicitor General D. John Sauer asked the justices to prevent the disputed ballots from being mixed with other votes while litigation continues. The government argues that once ballots are removed from identifying envelopes and counted, any ballot later found to have been cast by an ineligible voter could no longer be isolated.
The Justice Department says federal immigration records identified roughly 20,000 people who are “likely” noncitizens and may also be registered California voters. However, both citizenship and voter-registration status remain disputed, and the government has acknowledged that additional investigation is needed.
California has challenged both the accuracy of the list and the Justice Department’s legal authority to demand that ballots be segregated. A federal district judge rejected the government’s request, and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to intervene in a 2-1 decision, warning that last-minute ballot restrictions could disenfranchise eligible voters and disrupt an election already underway.
Questions about the list’s accuracy have become central to the dispute. An analysis submitted by the UCLA Voting Rights Project found that 8,880 of 20,930 names — about 42% — could not be matched to California’s voter file. Researchers also identified at least 22 confirmed U.S. citizens and said thousands of naturalized citizens may have been incorrectly flagged. The Justice Department disputes that analysis and maintains that its list is based on official immigration records.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli has publicly insisted that the individuals on the federal list are confirmed noncitizens, while separately acknowledging that investigators still need to determine whether they are actually registered California voters.
The case now places the dispute before the Supreme Court at the latest possible stage of the election. Justice Elena Kagan handles emergency applications arising from the 9th Circuit and could act herself or refer the request to the full court.
The Archdiocese of Denver and Catholic preschools said they were unlawfully excluded from Colorado's universal preschool program over their refusal to admit students from LGBTQ families.
Microsoft is scrambling to fix time-zone problems across Outlook, Power Automate, Fabric, SharePoint and other products after parts of Canada stopped observing seasonal clock changes on November 1. "The company has confirmed problems across a chunk of its software estate, leaving some customers facing incorrect times, broken schedules and a collection of workarounds while Redmond catches up," reports The Register. From the report: Outlook users have been left with the most homework. Switching to the new Canadian time zones won't automatically update existing calendar entries, meaning that meetings scheduled after November 1 are potentially an hour out of whack. Microsoft advises users to change their Outlook calendar time zone, then update upcoming events and meetings to use it. For meetings involving other people, only the organizer can make the change.
Recurring meetings come with an additional treat: changing the time zone resets any previously moved occurrences, which then have to be recreated. Anyone with a calendar full of recurring meetings may wish to put the kettle on first. Microsoft is working on an Exchange Online PowerShell cmdlet to remediate non-recurring meetings, but according to its guidance, that's not due until later this week. A fix for recurring meetings remains "in development," with an ETA yet to be confirmed.
Things get stranger with Power Automate and Fabric, where Microsoft's temporary fix involves pretending you're somewhere else entirely. Depending on the product and province, that could mean Saskatchewan, Arizona or, for Manitobans, Bogota. Because apparently time zones weren't confusing enough already. SharePoint On-Prem customers, meanwhile, have to wait until November 10 for the correct time zones to arrive, while Power Pages users could see server-formatted dates appear an hour out until a service fix lands. Microsoft's current milestone for that is December 12.
The husband, who cannot be named to protect his victim, has already pleaded guilty to a number of offences carried out at the couple’s Stockport home
Nine men have gone on trial accused of being involved in the abuse of a woman who was drugged, raped and sexually assaulted by her husband while he “lived a double life masked in respectability”.
The husband, who cannot be named in order to protect the anonymity of his victim, has already pleaded guilty to a number of offences against his wife spanning more than two decades.
Photo illustration by ProPublica. Source images: Congress and videos obtained by ProPublica.
What Happened: Citing ProPublica’s recent investigation, House Democrats are again asking the Trump administration to explain why hundreds of U.S. citizens have been held by immigration agents and how the government verifies citizenship during immigration operations.
In an October letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, California Rep. Lou Correa and 39 other legislators demanded the administration share the number of citizens that immigration agents have detained and how the government is tracking such encounters. They also asked for more information about how agents are trained to verify citizenship and legal status.
Why It Matters: ProPublica counted more than 500 Americans detained by immigration agents — almost certainly an undercount since the government is not transparently tracking the cases.
Experts told us the cases collectively show federal agents running roughshod over the constitutional rights of citizens. We found more than 100 Americans who were questioned about their citizenship, 63 Americans detained while recording, 36 Americans held for at least a day without being able to contact a lawyer or their family and roughly a dozen citizens deported, mostly children.
What They Said: “We remain concerned that the Department’s actions are violating American citizens’ constitutional rights to due process, equal protection, and freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, and request transparency regarding the Department’s actions,” the representatives wrote in their letter to DHS.
DHS has long insisted it is not arresting U.S. citizens, and it defended its immigration operations as “highly targeted.”
“These members of Congress have shown more concern for criminal illegal aliens who’ve broken our laws and destroyed any possibility of ever remaining in our country than they ever have for Rachel Morin, Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray, and the true victims of illegal alien crimes in America,” a spokesperson wrote to ProPublica.
Last month, Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, a New Mexico Democrat, introduced a bill, Justice for Citizens Wrongfully Detained by ICE Act, that would make it easier for citizens to sue immigration agents for wrongful arrests.
D-Wave’s annealing quantum computers, used in a quantum support vector machine framework, achieved the highest accuracy in the study, reaching 94.31% in simulation and 91.90% on quantum hardware.
BOCA RATON, Fla., Nov. 2, 2026 — Developing reliable machine learning models for healthcare can be challenging when only small datasets are available. This challenge motivates research into whether quantum computing approaches can learn useful patterns from limited symptom and risk-factor data.
A research team, led by Arslan Munir, Ph.D., professor in Florida Atlantic University’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science within the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and director of the Intelligent Systems, Computer Architecture, Analytics, and Security Laboratory (ISCAAS lab), evaluated quantum machine learning approaches in simulation and on quantum hardware using symptom and risk-factor data for lung cancer prediction under limited training data.
The study, published in Discover Quantum Science, a Springer Nature journal, “Inferring lung cancer under limited learning data through gate-based and annealing-based quantum techniques,” provides a common framework for evaluating different quantum machine learning methods under the same data preparation and testing conditions.
“Our goal was to examine how different quantum learning approaches perform when the amount of training data is deliberately constrained,” said Munir. “By evaluating multiple methods within a common experimental framework, we can better understand their capabilities and limitations and identify directions that warrant further investigation.”
The researchers began with a publicly available dataset containing 309 records with information such as smoking history, coughing, wheezing, fatigue and chest pain, along with a lung cancer label. To balance the cancer and non-cancer categories, they used a statistical technique that generates synthetic examples, producing an experimental dataset of 540 samples. These additional samples did not represent newly recruited patients.
An optimization-based feature-selection method narrowed the input variables to 10. The researchers then evaluated three classification methods: quantum support vector machines, quantum k-nearest neighbors and quantum boosting. In each of five evaluation rounds, the models were trained on 108 samples and tested on the remaining 432.
The study examined two major approaches to quantum computing: quantum annealing and gate-based computing. The team evaluated implementations across Qiskit, Cirq, PennyLane, OpenJij and D-Wave, enabling comparisons across several software frameworks and computational approaches.
D-Wave’s annealing quantum computers used in a quantum support vector machine framework achieved the highest reported accuracy in the main evaluation, reaching 94.31% in simulation and 91.90% on quantum hardware. Testing on hardware allowed the researchers to examine how the method performed beyond a simulated environment.
“FAU’s research highlights how D-Wave’s annealing quantum computers can be used to advance AI and machine learning,” said Catherine Potts, Ph.D., manager of technical account management at D-Wave Quantum Inc. “By applying our technology to a challenging healthcare use case, the researchers demonstrate its potential to extract valuable insights in data-constrained environments, opening new possibilities for quantum-powered AI across healthcare and other data-intensive industries.”
The study’s contribution extends beyond its highest accuracy score. By applying a common evaluation framework, the researchers examined how the choice of classification method, selected variables and computing platform affected performance. The findings offer a basis for further research into quantum machine learning for structured healthcare data.
“This study reflects Florida Atlantic’s efforts to connect quantum computing research with meaningful application questions,” said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean of FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. “Careful comparisons and testing on quantum hardware help build the evidence needed to assess where these technologies may be useful and what challenges remain.”
The researchers emphasize that the findings are preliminary. The dataset contains symptoms and risk factors rather than medical images, pathology findings, laboratory results or cancer-stage information. The reported accuracy reflects the study’s augmented dataset and evaluation procedure.
Future research will examine larger datasets from multiple institutions and explore combining symptom information with imaging or genomic data. The team also plans to investigate methods that make model predictions easier to interpret.
“These results provide a starting point for further evaluation,” said Munir. “The next step is to determine how well these approaches generalize to independent clinical datasets and whether they can offer useful support within carefully validated healthcare workflows.”
The authors acknowledge FAU and D-Wave for providing access to D-Wave’s quantum computing hardware.
FAU continues to advance its position as Florida’s first quantum university, making strategic investments in research, education and infrastructure to drive innovation in next-generation computing. Through the FAU Center for Quantum Technologies, the university brings together faculty, students and industry partners to advance quantum research and prepare the workforce for the emerging quantum economy. FAU’s investment includes the installation of a D-Wave Advantage2 annealing quantum computer on its Boca Raton campus, giving researchers and students access to leading-edge quantum technology and helping position Florida at the forefront of this rapidly evolving field.
About Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University is one of the nation’s fastest-rising public research universities, serving more than 32,000 students in South Florida. Ranked among the Top 100 Public Universities by U.S. News & World Report, Florida Atlantic is also one of only 13 institutions nationwide to hold Carnegie Foundation designations for R1 research, opportunity and community engagement. Guided by its strategic plan, “2031FAU: Where Tomorrow Begins,” the university is focused on delivering career-ready education and experiential learning, driving scholarly inquiry that creates healthier, safer and more prosperous communities, strengthening institutional excellence, and elevating its impact across South Florida and beyond. Florida Atlantic continues to advance its position as Florida’s first quantum university, integrating research, education and industry partnerships around next-generation computing technologies. Through other signature strengths in neuroscience and healthy aging, environmental, ocean and coastal innovation, and national defense and autonomous systems, Florida Atlantic expands knowledge, fuels economic opportunity and fulfills its mission as South Florida’s hometown university.
About D-Wave Quantum Inc.
D-Wave (NASDAQ: QBTS) is a leader in the development and delivery of quantum computing systems, software and services. It is the world’s first commercial supplier of quantum computers, and the first and only to offer dual-platform quantum computing products and services, spanning both annealing and gate-model quantum computing technologies. D-Wave’s mission is to help customers realize the value of quantum today through enterprise-grade systems available on-premises and via its Leap quantum cloud service, which offers 99.9% availability and uptime. More than 100 organizations across commercial, government and research sectors trust D-Wave to address complex computational challenges using quantum computing. Learn more about realizing the value of quantum computing today and how D-Wave is shaping the quantum-driven industrial and societal advancements of tomorrow: www.dwavequantum.com.
US voters will decide whether Republicans will retain control of Congress or whether Democrats will rise up to stymie Trump’s agenda
Donald Trump will still be US president on the morning of 4 November. But he could be facing a very different political landscape, depending on the results of the US midterm elections held the previous day.
As the name implies, midterm elections fall nearly halfway through a president’s term. They are often a telling referendum on the sitting president’s performance, something Trump is actively encouraging by telling voters “pretend I’m on the ballot”. In this case, voters will decide whether Trump’s Republican party can retain its grip on Congress.
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Republicans are defending a narrow majority, with Democrats needing a net gain of four seats to take control.
35 seats in the Senate. Thirty-three seats are up in regular elections, along with two special elections in Florida and Ohio to fill the remainder of terms that were vacated early. Republicans currently hold 53 seats, against 47 held by Democrats and independents who caucus with them. Democrats need to gain four seats to secure a majority.
39 governorships. Voters will choose governors in 36 states and three US territories.
Thousands of state legislative seats, as well as local offices, judicial contests and ballot measures on issues including taxes, abortion rights and voting rules.
The two FBI agents were charged with making false statements to Congress while testifying about the bureau’s role in investigating Biden’s laptop
A federal judge dismissed criminal charges against two former FBI officials who were accused of lying about their involvement in the investigation into Hunter Biden, the son of former president Joe Biden, on Monday.
Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui said prosecutors failed to show probable cause that the two former officials, Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, had knowingly made false statements.
Brent crude drops by more than 6% to $105.55 a barrel, the lowest level in more than two weeks
The oil price has fallen to its lowest level in more two weeks amid new hopes of a breakthrough to end the Iran war.
Brent crude, the international benchmark, dropped by more than 6.5% to as low as $105.55 a barrel on Monday, the lowest since 16 October, sending shares in airline companies higher and pushing down government borrowing costs.
The Trump administration’s extradition case against millionaire left-wing donor James “Fergie” Chambers, detained in Spain since July, ran into an apparent hurdle when two witnesses called before a federal grand jury announced their intention last week to refuse to testify.
Several observers familiar with the case said the grand jury is likely related to the extradition effort.
The refusal of the grand jury witnesses to testify takes on added importance because the U.S. is pursuing Chambers’s extradition based on a criminal complaint, not an indictment, according to his Spanish lawyers. The criminal affidavit, signed by a single FBI agent, includes three charges related to his support for pro-Palestine causes.
The distinction, critics of the extradition case say, highlights how the case is hung on one agent’s complaint, which remains under seal, rather than a grand jury investigation to determine if the state had sufficient evidence to indict Chambers.
“The complaint is not only vague and weak, it’s not normal,” said Aitor Martínez, one of Chambers’s Spain-based lawyers. “In 20 years of practice, I’ve never seen a U.S. extradition request based on a criminal complaint.”
Martínez pointed to a statement from a summary of the complaint contained in an international arrest order reviewed by The Intercept and directed at Spanish authorities that says, “If Chambers’ extradition to the US is granted, another charging document called an indictment will be sought from a federal grand jury.”
“In 20 years of practice, I’ve never seen a U.S. extradition request based on a criminal complaint.”
Xavier de Janon, the executive director of the U.S.-based National Lawyers Guild and who is not working directly on the Chambers case, said, “Seeking an extradition without there being an indictment puts the cart before the horse.”
“If he is extradited under a criminal complaint,” said de Janon, “he can’t even fully challenge the charges, because he hasn’t been indicted.”
The State Department referred questions to the Department of Justice, which declined to comment.
Two of the three charges underpinning the extradition request against Chambers — riot and incitement to riot — are related to allegations that he helped fund a late-2023 protest in Merrimack, New Hampshire, against an Israeli weapons manufacturer, according to the summary of the complaint contained in the arrest order. The summary says Chambers provided funds for demonstrators used to purchase materials such as smoke bombs and to help cover protesters’ legal fees.
The third charge is international money laundering related to more than $7 million he transferred to bank accounts in Tunisia, where he was living in 2024. The Trump administration, according to the international arrest order, says the money was used to fund Hamas, which is a proscribed terror group in the U.S. The order does not say he is charged with material support for terrorism.
Chambers’s family and supporters and multiple representatives of Club Africain, a Tunisian soccer club, have said the money was used to pay the club’s debts and related expenditures such as training grounds. The club’s fan base has long supported Palestinians.
Grand Jury Refusal
Two women who participated in the 2023 protest against a factory operated by the Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems recently announced their intentions not to cooperate with a November 4 grand jury hearing where they have been summoned as witnesses.
“If they are being summoned now, this suggests that the grand jury seems to be linked to Chambers’s case,” said Martínez, his lawyer. “It seems like a fishing expedition against him.”
Kira Kelley, an attorney for the two women, said, “Context clues suggest this is about Fergie.”
If the pair don’t answer questions from a federal prosector before the New Hampshire federal grand jury, they could risk a possible jail sentence for contempt.
Nonetheless, the two women — Bridget Shergalis and Sophie Ross — shared a statement with The Grayzone Thursday announcing their intention to refuse to testify. In an interview on the same day with The Intercept, the women recounted being under investigation for a year over the protest and being threatened with felony charges that carried potential sentences of decades in prison.
Shergalis and Ross said they turned down several deals for their cooperation. By the end of the ordeal, they were found guilty of misdemeanor offenses and received 60-day jail sentences.
Following that experience, said Ross, the pair decided to reject the subpoena to testify before a grand jury.
“It was an easy decision for both of us,” Ross said.
Shergalis and Ross are slated to testify on Wednesday, at which time they plan to assert their Fifth Amendment rights and decline to answer any questions from the federal prosecutor.
At that point, a hearing before a judge may be scheduled, to determine whether to hold Shergalis and Ross in civil contempt, which could result in up to 18 months of prison, according to Kelley.
Martínez, who also worked on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s defense team, said the decision by Shergalis and Ross recalled that of Chelsea Manning, who twice refused to testify against Assange before a grand jury, serving time in prison in both instances.
“It’s like Chelsea Manning, years later,” he said.
Shergalis and Ross decided to go public with their plans after speaking with organizers behind the recently-launched NSPM-7 Defendants Union, a nationwide project for protesters targeted by the Trump administration’s efforts to criminalize dissent as laid out in last year’s National Security Presidential Memorandum-7. The document, part of a broader effort to paint left-wing activism as terrorism, directs the FBI to go after “violent and terroristic activities” associated with “anti-fascism.”
The NSPM-7 Defendants Union is centered around signing a pledge to follow practices such as not cooperating with law enforcement, adopting collective legal strategy when possible, and publicly announcing those strategies — a goal that runs against the secrecy surrounding federal indictments.
While secrecy benefits prosecutors before a grand jury, said Shergalis, “It’s good for all of us to be as transparent as possible.”
“We’re seeing NSPM-7 result in unprecedented levels of prosecution against protesters.”
Shergalis, Ross, and Chambers have each signed the pledge, and the grand jury decision appears to be the first public test case of the union’s ideas.
“We should celebrate people across the country deciding to assert their legal rights boldly against the federal government and its NSPM-7 policy,” said de Janon, of the National Lawyers Guild. “We’re seeing NSPM-7 result in unprecedented levels of prosecution against protesters.”
“This Is Bad Faith”
Meanwhile, Chambers remains imprisoned in Madrid, as the Spanish courts decide whether to grant the U.S. extradition request or not.
Chambers has applied for asylum in Spain and, if his application is granted, he would be released and the U.S. extradition request would be denied. He cannot be extradited until the asylum case runs its course.
A self-described communist and anti-imperialist, Chambers is heir of the Cox family, owners of Atlanta-based telecom giant Cox Enterprises. As part of a settlement in which his family severed ties with him at the time, he sold stock back to them in mid-2023 worth about $250 million.
Since then, he has been funding an estimated 100 humanitarian and left-wing projects in 20 countries, according to his partner, actress and activist Stella Schnabel, including aid projects in the Occupied Gaza Strip.
“I believe this is part of the persecution against pro-Palestine protest.”
As for the Trump administration’s case, Martínez, the Spanish attorney, underscored how the criminal complaint against Chambers raises charges related to the protest against the New Hampshire factory for Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms manufacturer, but leaves out how federal prosecution efforts ended up with minor convictions for Shergalis, Ross, and other activists.
“The people who carried out the acts received a minor sentence,” he said. “They leave this out. This is bad faith.”
“Why don’t they tell this to Spain?” he said. “It’s likely that Spain won’t turn someone over based on actions that got 60-day sentences.”
Martínez said Chambers’s opposition to the Israeli genocide in Gaza is the real reason behind the case. “I believe this is part of the persecution against pro-Palestine protest. The U.S. has even sanctioned the International Criminal Court because of this.”
Of Chambers’s case, Martínez said, “This is one more attack.”
Lawyers for Massachusetts mother who killed children argue new trial would violate double jeopardy rules
Lindsay Clancy returned to court on Monday in an attempt to dismiss the charges that she murdered her three young children.
The hearing Monday was the second time the Massachusetts mother has been in court since her trial ended with a deadlocked jury in September after jurors were unable to agree on a verdict.
The two former FBI officials, Nicole Floris and Bradley Benavides, were accused of falsely suggesting to Congress that they weren't aware of the federal investigations surrounding Hunter Biden.
Residents would welcome the development, but the president’s past false promises cast doubt on the proposal
On a Monday afternoon in late September, Donald Trump gathered Iowa Republicans in the Oval Office to make a big announcement: the firm Mesabi Metallics would invest $15bn to make the midwestern state the site of the largest steel mill in the country.
One month later, and just days before the midterm election, word has spread in the small town of Wever, population 142, that the mill will be built somewhere nearby. And that’s been about it – no shovels in the dirt, workers on a job site or machinery on the dirt roads leading down towards the Mississippi River.
Marvell has agreed to acquire optical components maker Lumentum in an all-stock deal with an implied enterprise value of $115 billion. "AI infrastructure is undergoing a fundamental architectural shift toward optical connectivity, creating an opportunity that comes along once in a generation," said Marvell Chairman and CEO Matt Murphy. "The companies that move first and help define this transition will set the standard for decades to come." CNBC reports: Through the acquisition, Marvell said it can combine electrical and optical technologies to meet accelerating and shifting AI connectivity demands across regions and systems. Companies are increasingly relying on optical connections to piece together chips used to run and train large language models. Lumentum shareholders will receive 4.5 Marvell shares for each Lumentum share under the agreement. The deal is expected to close during the first half of 2028. Marvell's takeover marks one of the most significant bets on AI in 2026 and comes despite recent concerns over the long-term sustainability of infrastructure spending.
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to intervene in its effort to force California to set aside mail ballots from thousands of people it claims are not U.S. citizens.
Supermarket chains in at least seven European countries have said the temperatures of refrigerators and freezers in some of their shops soared overnight to as high as 50C (122F), echoing a cyber-attack last month that caused millions of euros of damage in France.
Retailers in Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden reported problems with their refrigeration systems on Monday, and several companies confirmed they had been hacked.
Lawyers file opposition to Trump’s request, telling supreme court justices they do not need ‘to bail out this president’
E Jean Carroll’s lawyers are fighting Donald Trump’s efforts to toss her $83m damages verdict in the US supreme court, telling the justices that they do not need “to bail out this president from the consequences of his repeated litigation choices”.
Jurors delivered Carroll the huge award on 26 January 2024, less than one year after the journalist and author won $5m in her sexual abuse and defamation case against Trump. The president has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing in relation to Carroll.
Trust admits Danielle Brown’s baby would have survived had she not been sent home from RVI days earlier
A seven-months-pregnant woman whose unborn baby had died was sent home from hospital with a booklet for bereaved parents and told to book a slot to give birth.
Danielle Brown, 31, had been discharged from hospital with pre-eclampsia, a potentially life-threatening pregnancy complication. She returned to hospital days later where scans revealed that her daughter, Maisie, had died at about 29 weeks.
“From a global allocation perspective, actually, it’s quite terrible to have everybody have a bunch of the world’s limited supply of DRAM sitting in their own computer and being used 5% of the time,” Altman said. “You want maximum utilization in the cloud if you’re trying to deal with this very supply-constrained environment. And somehow many people’s intuition is the opposite of that.”
Watchdog writes to Nigel Farage’s party to ask what action it is taking to comply with the Equality Act
The official equalities watchdog has written to Reform UK to raise concerns after an undercover TV documentary showed councillors and candidates for the party expressing racist and misogynistic views, with one of the party’s MPs complaining about ingrained sexism.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said it had written to Nigel Farage’s party in the wake of revelations in ITV’s Undercover: A Year in Reform, which was broadcast in October.
Scientists say the “cat’s head” shape of the nebula was likely sculpted over time by the intense ultraviolet radiation and winds from massive stars in the Carina Nebula.
Supermarkets across Europe have experienced temperature-control meddling
The fake nuclear threats to Ukraine came as Russia resumed its attacks on the southern city of Kherson, just hours after the end of a ceasefire during which hundreds of people were evacuated from the nearby Kremlin-controlled town of Oleshky.
Kherson’s military administration said a Russian drone hit a hospital at 7.40am. Video footage showed wrecked rooms, with windows blown out, doors broken, and debris on the street. Nobody was hurt, officials said.
Forty-nine organizations from 15 countries join forces to share experimental facilities, theoretical resources and quantum computing technologies, with the aim of gaining a better understanding of one of the pillars of the Standard Model.
Nov. 2, 2026 — The Galicia Supercomputing Centre (CESGA) and the Galician Institute of High Energy Physics (IGFAE) will play a key role in HADRON-2030, a European initiative that brings together experimental and computational knowledge and capabilities in the field of the strong interaction, one of the pillars of the Standard Model of particle physics.
The project, coordinated by the French CNRS, brings together 49 beneficiary organizations from 15 countries, supported by a further 86 participating institutions. Its main goal is to open the network’s infrastructures to researchers, who will be able to access facilities such as CERN, GSI/FAIR or GANIL and choose the most suitable site for each piece of research.
Galicia will contribute its quantum computing and analogue simulation resources through the IGFAE-CESGA Quantum Computing Lab, offering remote access to CESGA’s quantum computer and quantum emulation resources, as well as to IGFAE’s analogue quantum simulator, currently a unique facility in Spain.
HADRON-2030 also includes training for PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, engineers and technical staff. It is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe program under Grant Agreement No. 101292522.
Some sources suggest owners have terminated contract but others close to Farage say Reform leader has resigned
Nigel Farage will no longer write a regular column for the Telegraph, becoming the latest prominent rightwing figure to leave the title’s roster under its new ownership.
The Reform UK leader wrote for the broadsheet as recently as last week, condemning the first budget of Andy Burnham’s premiership and pledging to “scrap benefits for foreigners, abolish net zero targets” and “slash foreign aid”.
Voters in Alaska are going to the polls to cast their ballots in key races, and the state's unique ranked choice voting system is back in the spotlight.
(The Center Square) – Incumbent Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is running for his fourth term in office in a close race against State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump said Monday he would consider using presidential pardons to protect Elon Musk, White House staffers and other allies if Democrats gain congressional power and launch investigations after the midterm elections.
Speaking on Miranda Devine’s “Pod Force One” podcast, Trump said he would act if Democrats targeted Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX who has become one of the Republican Party’s largest financial supporters. He also raised the possibility of issuing preemptive pardons to people serving in his administration. Axios first reported the remarks.
The comments come as House Democrats prepare for the possibility of obtaining subpoena power. Democratic lawmakers have discussed investigations into the Trump administration’s relationships with corporations and wealthy supporters, including Musk, whose political spending this cycle has exceeded $400 million. Axios reported that Democrats are examining potential conflicts involving companies and executives with unusually close ties to the administration.
Musk has responded aggressively to those plans. In October, he warned Democrats considering investigations that he would uncover who was “pulling the strings” behind them and retaliate politically.
A presidential pardon, however, would not prevent Congress from investigating Musk or administration officials, issuing subpoenas or holding public hearings. Presidential clemency applies to federal criminal offenses; it does not erase Congress’ constitutional oversight authority or protect someone from state prosecutions.
Trump did not identify specific alleged crimes for which Musk or his aides might require pardons. His comments instead portrayed potential clemency as protection against what he considers politically motivated investigations.
The administration has already taken steps to prepare for congressional scrutiny. In August, the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel argued that executive privilege can extend in some circumstances to communications between Trump and private outside advisers, a theory that could become the subject of court battles if Democrats pursue subpoenas.
Former US representative, health secretary and state attorney general is a shoo-in after a stunning comeback victory in primary
It was Tuesday, and the man poised to be the next governor of California wanted to talk about Donald Trump.
Xavier Becerra had come to Guelaguetza restaurant in Los Angeles to talk about Trump’s attacks on voting in the state, but instead found himself answering questions about a presidential provocation of a different order.
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: Supermarket chains in Sweden, Belgium and Luxembourg have said the temperatures of their refrigerators and freezers in dozens of stores rose overnight, prompting fears of a cyber-attack similar to one that caused millions of euros of food losses in France. Sweden's Coop chain told the daily Aftonbladet on Monday that six of its stores had been affected, while ICA said it was "aware that a limited number of stores were affected by an incident overnight which impacted their refrigeration and freezer systems".
The Dutch retailer Ahold Delhaize, which last month reported a cybersecurity incident to police in the Netherlands, said an "IT incident" had hit fridges and freezers in dozens of its supermarkets in Belgium and Luxembourg. A company spokesperson, Sarah De Meester, said the supermarket chain had established that temperatures in the cooling systems had increased, adding that the incident was being investigated. Belgium's Le Soir newspaper reported that dozens of stores and supermarkets were affected, including five Spar outlets, multiple Shop & Go convenience stores attached to Q8 service stations, and a number of smaller Proxy Delhaize minimarkets. "We started mobilizing technicians at 1am," Stephan Moelans, the chief executive of Sabcobel, which specialises in refrigeration system installations, told the paper. "We spent all night and morning disconnecting the affected installations from the grid."
@lostintheether I mainly do diagnosis by substitution as I always have a working Xr bms, battery and controller, same with the Pint on hand.
Bms repairs are usually limited to replacing the small caps and little mosfets, the big power mosfets are a real pain to replace.
For me controller repairs are limited to the power mosfets, Xr wire harnesses sometimes have broke wire(s).
If you need parts id, let me or Lia know and we can probably help you.
Arsenal are three points clear at the top of the Premier League table. But given the team in second are Manchester City, who are likely to be facing at the very least a major points deduction, perhaps more significant is that they are five clear of Brighton in third. The season of domination that many anticipated from the champions appears to be coming to pass.
Liverpool challenged them on Sunday. There was a 20-minute spell before half-time when they swarmed all over Arsenal, and Anfield felt at least like it did in the golden years of Jürgen Klopp, when it buzzed with an energy that could overwhelm visitors. But Arsenal got through that, reset at half-time, and navigated the second half with relative comfort. For the second league game running, they denied Liverpool a shot on target.
This is an extract from Soccer Desk, a newsletter from the Guardian US. Subscribe for free here.
An easy way to unveil the corporate interests and tech billionaires behind the ads
Welcome back to How We Win, a Guardian opinion series with leading thinkers, offering bold ideas for America’s political future. Last week, Katie Phang argued that the Epstein files are a midterms sledgehammer. Today’s edition was written by Judd Legum, the founder and author of Popular Information. Sign up for future editions here.
An unprecedented influx of cash from tech billionaires and corporate interests has been injected into the midterms to sway the election.
We don’t have to accept the world as it is. There are several ways we can combat dark money, as the balance of power shifts in Washington.
Haley Stevens had assured top Democrats on Saturday night that she would vote for El-Sayed. On Sunday morning, she announced she would instead endorse Mike Rogers.
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
Yi He, co-founder of Binance, has said that its top priority is to “ensure the environment is secure, after which users can withdraw their funds and Binance can resume operations.”
She rejected comparisons with collapsed rival FTX, writing on X:
Every action has a motive. Look at some fraudulent exchanges that absconded, P2P platforms, and commercial banks: their ledgers are opaque; once the website is shut down, they simply abscond with the funds, the company is liquidated or goes bankrupt, and all they need to do is give you an arbitrary excuse. As for how much money was actually in the account and where it went, there is no way to know.
These kinds of closures happen without any warning—they just disappear. There is no real operation, no one comes out to explain what happened, and it is even less possible for withdrawals to be opened.
Case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, in Los Angeles comes four months after first trial ended with a hung jury
A 30-year-old man accused of starting the deadly Palisades fire is being retried for arson this week, four months after his first trial ended with a hung jury.
Federal prosecutors say Jonathan Rinderknecht, a former Uber driver, is responsible for the January 2025 wildfire, which killed 12 people and ravaged thousands of buildings in the Pacific Palisades.
Republican John Sununu tries to distance himself from unpopular president in race against Chris Pappas that has gone from ‘toss-up to ‘lean Democrat’
Chris Pappas is stopping himself from getting too excited ahead of Tuesday’s midterm election.
“I take nothing for granted,” said the four-term US representative and Democratic nominee for New Hampshire’s open Senate seat. “This is a very purple, competitive state. Elections are never in the bag here.”
Will New Zealand’s election change its foreign policy?Expert commentjon.wallace
The current coalition has sought closer relations with the US and rowed back climate commitments. What would change under a coalition of the left?
On 7 November, New Zealanders go to the polls in what looks set to be a closely contested general election. As elsewhere, anxiety about the cost of living has dominated the campaign.
International affairs tend to feature at the bottom of voter concerns. However, like many US citizens voting in this year’s midterm elections, some New Zealanders blame international events like the war in Iran for the higher costs that are their top priority.
New Zealand’s foreign policy is therefore at stake in this election. And a change of government could substantially reshape the country’s position on key issues.
The foreign policy reset
Since 1996, New Zealanders have voted in a Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system which normally produces a coalition government.
In 2023, New Zealand formed its first three-party coalition government under MMP. The centre-right National Party, led by Christopher Luxon, was joined by the right-libertarian Act Party and right-wing populist New Zealand First Party, led by Winston Peters. Peters took on the role of foreign minister – a role he had held twice before.
As a small, open, Pacific economy, recent New Zealand governments have generally sought balance in foreign policy. On the one hand they have nurtured the increasingly important trade relationship with China, building on a long history of openness to engagement with Beijing (China has been New Zealand’s largest trading partner since 2017). On the other hand, governments have sought security and other partnerships with the US and other IP4 countries like Japan, Australia and South Korea.
However, after the 2023 election the coalition announced a ‘reset’ in foreign policy, aligning New Zealand more closely with the US and Australia.
This has not meant total alignment with Washington. The coalition has supported Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression. It has stressed the importance of free maritime movement, including in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. And it has stated its support for the international justice system.
Wellington’s response to US pressure on Canada, Mexico and Denmark – and the multilateral system in general – has been muted.
But the government has also expressed interest in joining AUKUS Pillar II – an Australia–UK–US security initiative – and deepened military cooperation with the US. It has near-doubled defence spending, while weakening engagement on humanitarian issues and climate security.
Meanwhile, relations with China have cooled. China has shifted to making public comments on New Zealand’s foreign policy – particularly its AUKUS discussions. And in May Beijing imposed travel bans on New Zealand MPs that visited Taiwan, something that New Zealand politicians have done without consequence since 1972.
Seeking a closer relationship with Washington, the coalition has maintained a ‘softly-softly’ approach to the dramatic changes in foreign policy during the second Trump administration. Wellington’s response to US pressure on Canada, Mexico and Denmark – and the multilateral system in general – has been muted. And, though government policy is to support a Two-State Solution, the conflict in Gaza and the US-Israeli war against Iran have exposed foreign policy faultlines.
In 2025, New Zealand declined to recognize Palestinian statehood, diverging from partners like Australia, the UK, Canada and France. In March, released emails showed Prime Minister Luxon wanted to show ‘explicit public support’ for the US war against Iran.
But closer security alignment with Washington has not exempted New Zealand from a higher 12.5 per cent rate of US tariffs, leading to a 13 per cent decrease in exports to the US in the first year. And it has not shielded the country from the impact of the US–Iran war. Many New Zealanders blame these factors for increasing prices at home – as do some coalition government ministers.
What a change in government might mean
Crucially, New Zealand’s reset was not put to voters at the last election in 2023. This time, some parties have set out some foreign policy positions in advance.
The Labour Party pledged in 2024 not to join AUKUS Pillar II. And the party says it would recognize Palestine statehood and enforce sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The National Party, meanwhile, has pledged to continue to invest in defence, seek new trade relationships, and boost the medicine budget of the government’s pharmaceutical agency by cutting foreign aid outside of the Pacific.
Climate is the area of greatest division. The coalition’s interventionist approach against climate litigators risks leaving New Zealand in breach of its climate obligations. That could threaten its trade relationship with the EU. In contrast, parties like Labour promise to prioritize compliance with climate commitments and relationships with the EU, as well as Canada and ASEAN. Labour also says it would express greater support for multilateral institutions like the World Health Organization (WHO). (Under the current coalition, New Zealand has abstained from or rejected significant global health measures).
Labour has been the most proactive about publicising foreign policy commitments in its election campaign. But a clear strategy from either of the largest parties is still lacking. The stances of smaller parties, who will serve as coalition partners, are even more opaque.
Power favouritism increases vulnerability
Throughout the campaign, polling has shown a finely balanced race. A small percentage of undecided voters could yet install a left-wing coalition led by the Labour Party – or maintain the status quo.
Were the coalition re-elected, New Zealand’s foreign policy would likely extend the first term’s agenda. Peters would probably remain in post as foreign minister. And the relationship with China will continue to be delicate, especially following recent events. In July, Peters directed remarks at a left-wing Chinese-New Zealander in Parliament that were condemned as racist at home and prompted a formal protest by Beijing.
The pursuit of positive US relations would also probably continue under any new government. But it will need to be refined.
The policy is predicated on the belief that Washington is a reliable security partner in the Indo-Pacific. But US attention is fixed on the Middle East and its commitment to its alliances less sure than ever – leaving New Zealand potentially vulnerable.
Europe and the IP4 have acknowledged the need for enhanced Pacific security engagement to compensate. But the US will still need to be involved to counter China’s influence in the region. The challenge is to engage Washington without relying exclusively on it.
Informed consent at the ballot-box
As a small economy, New Zealand is more vulnerable to shocks. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the war in Iran have contributed to higher inflation, trade disruption, and a weaker New Zealand dollar.
It can help New Zealand to retain a level of strategic ambiguity in its foreign policy. But this must be balanced with the right of voters to have their say in how the country positions itself and understand the trade-offs involved.
To ensure that voters can make informed decisions, political parties need to be clearer about their foreign policy positions. Parties should define the principles and red lines they will use to guide relations with the US and China, spell out their positions on security alliances, and more clearly articulate what they see as New Zealand’s role in the Pacific.
These positions need not be fixed or undermine strategic ambiguity. But parties should outline their policies clearly enough for voters to evaluate them. If either party believes another ‘reset’ in foreign policy is necessary, they should make an argument for it and win New Zealanders’ consent at the ballot box.
Combines two of the fastest-growing enablers of AI, bringing together complementary electrical and optical technologies to address increasingly complex connectivity requirements across next-generation AI infrastructure
SANTA CLARA, Calif. and SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 2, 2026 — Marvell Technology, Inc. and Lumentum today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Marvell to acquire Lumentum in an all-stock transaction. Under the terms of the agreement, Lumentum stockholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of 4.500 shares of Marvell common stock for each share of Lumentum common stock they own.
Credit: gguy/Shutterstock
The transaction has an implied enterprise value of $115 billion for Lumentum, representing approximately $1,132 per share of Lumentum common stock and a premium of approximately 23.9% based on each company’s unaffected closing share price as of October 28, 2026, the last trading day before market speculation regarding a potential transaction began. Post-closing, current Marvell stockholders will own approximately 67% of the combined company on a fully diluted basis, while Lumentum stockholders will own approximately 33%.
The AI infrastructure industry is at an inflection point. Rapidly growing bandwidth requirements and the physical limitations of copper-based connectivity are accelerating the transition toward optical technologies. As AI infrastructure scales to increasingly complex architectures, particularly scale-up and scale-in, the industry is shifting from discrete, modular components toward highly integrated optical solutions that require much closer co-design of electrical and optical technologies to deliver greater bandwidth, performance and energy efficiency.
The combination brings together best-in-breed technology to meet this need, joining Marvell’s strengths in electrical and optical interconnect, network switching, custom XPU and XPU attach and advanced semiconductor technologies with Lumentum’s expertise in high-performance lasers, optical transceivers, optical circuit switching (OCS) and specialized compound semiconductor manufacturing. Following closing, the combined company is expected to offer a highly complementary portfolio spanning leading-edge CMOS, silicon photonics, compound semiconductors, advanced packaging and manufacturing capabilities. The combination is intended to enable deeper integration and co-design across the electrical and optical signal chain, positioning Marvell to deliver highly optimized connectivity solutions across a wide range of distances, from distributed data centers to connections within advanced semiconductor packages.
“AI infrastructure is undergoing a fundamental architectural shift toward optical connectivity, creating an opportunity that comes along once in a generation,” said Matt Murphy, Chairman and CEO of Marvell. “The companies that move first and help define this transition will set the standard for decades to come. By bringing together two leaders with highly complementary technologies, exceptional talent and specialized manufacturing capabilities, we intend to help shape the next era of AI connectivity and create exceptional stockholder value.”
“Joining Marvell creates a company uniquely positioned to capitalize on a market opportunity of $550 billion and generate significant, sustainable stockholder value,” said Michael Hurlston, President and CEO of Lumentum. “Surging AI data traffic requires rapid hardware innovation, and this combination enhances our ability to deliver next-generation solutions at scale. Together with Marvell, we will meet our customers’ complete interconnect needs, spanning scale-across and scale-out today to scale-up and scale-in domains tomorrow. By offering extreme co-design around our customers’ demanding requirements, we will help them achieve faster time to market, accelerated innovation cycles and category-defining performance.”
Compelling Strategic and Financial Rationale
The combination is expected to deliver substantial strategic and financial benefits:
Creates a category leader in AI connectivity: Combining Marvell’s electrical and optical interconnect, switching and custom silicon technologies with Lumentum’s high-performance lasers, optical transceivers and OCS capabilities will create a comprehensive connectivity portfolio spanning scale-across, scale-out, scale-up and scale-in. Upon closing, the combined company anticipates being positioned to address customer connectivity requirements across a broad range of distances and topologies, from distributed data centers to advanced semiconductor packages.
Enables end-to-end extreme co-design and accelerates customer innovation: As AI infrastructure becomes increasingly complex, customers require higher levels of integration and optimization across digital, analog and optical technologies. By bringing together complementary technologies and engineering expertise across the signal chain, the combined company expects to be positioned to develop highly-optimized, pre-validated optical solutions designed to improve bandwidth, performance and power efficiency, accelerate customer time to market and support high-volume production.
Combines highly specialized manufacturing capabilities and enhances R&D resources: Lumentum brings advanced compound semiconductor manufacturing and process technologies, including indium phosphide (InP), as well as high-speed and high-power laser capabilities. After closing, the combined company plans to bring together leading-edge semiconductor design, advanced packaging and specialized manufacturing capabilities to enable deeper heterogeneous integration, strengthen strategic supply and accelerate the development of next-generation optical technologies.
Creates significant long-term stockholder value: The combination brings together two of the fastest-growing companies enabling AI infrastructure and expands the combined company’s total addressable market to $550 billion and enhances the combined company’s ability to serve customers in emerging scale-up and scale-in markets. The transaction is expected to enhance the combined company’s long-term revenue growth, non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating margin profile, provide line of sight to more than $1 billion in annual run-rate cost synergies and is expected to be accretive to Marvell non-GAAP earnings per share in year one post-close.
Transaction Structure and Terms
Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, Lumentum stockholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of 4.500 shares of Marvell common stock for each share of Lumentum common stock held at the time of closing, implying pro forma ownership of approximately 33% of the combined company for Lumentum stockholders on a fully diluted basis.
Following closing, Matt Murphy will continue as Chairman and CEO of the combined company. As part of the transaction, three members of Lumentum’s Board of Directors, including Lumentum CEO Michael Hurlston, will join Marvell’s Board, which currently consists of seven directors.
The transaction is expected to close in the first half of calendar year 2028, subject to approval by Marvell and Lumentum stockholders, receipt of regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Marvell Reports Preliminary Revenue for the Fiscal Third Quarter 2027 and Lumentum Issues Fiscal First Quarter 2027 Results
In connection with today’s announcement, Marvell today reported preliminary revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2027 consistent with previously provided guidance, maintaining the midpoint of its prior guidance while narrowing the expected range to plus or minus 2%, compared with the original range of plus or minus 5%.
Lumentum today separately reported financial results for its first fiscal quarter of 2027. Lumentum’s financial results can be found on the Investors section of the Lumentum website at http://investor.Lumentum.com.
Advisors
Qatalyst Partners is serving as lead financial advisor and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC are serving as financial advisors to Marvell. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is serving as legal advisor to Marvell, and FGS Global is serving as strategic communications advisor. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Evercore are serving as financial advisors to Lumentum, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is serving as legal advisor and Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher is serving as strategic communications advisor.
About Marvell
To deliver the data infrastructure technology that connects the world, Marvell (NASDAQ: MRVL) is building solutions on the most powerful foundation: our partnerships with our customers. Trusted by the world’s leading technology companies for over 30 years, we move, store, process and secure the world’s data with semiconductor solutions designed for our customers’ current needs and future ambitions. Through a process of deep collaboration and transparency, we’re ultimately changing the way tomorrow’s enterprise, cloud and carrier architectures transform—for the better.
About Lumentum
Lumentum (NASDAQ: LITE) is a global leader in optical and photonic technologies that power the networks and infrastructure behind AI, cloud computing and next-generation communications. Built on decades of photonics innovation, Lumentum delivers high-performance lasers, modules and optical subsystems that enable scalable, energy-efficient data center connectivity, advanced telecom networks, industrial manufacturing and sensing applications. Headquartered in San Jose, California, the company operates R&D, manufacturing and sales facilities worldwide. Learn more at www.lumentum.com.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — North Carolina set a new midterm early-voting record this year, with more than 2.8 million people casting ballots before Election Day, including mail ballots. That represents roughly 36% of the state’s registered voters and significantly exceeds turnout at the same stage of the 2022 midterms.
Registered Democrats accounted for about 38% of ballots cast, while unaffiliated voters made up roughly 35%. Republicans accounted for about 26%, meaning Democrats and unaffiliated voters combined for approximately 73% of the early vote.
The strongest surprise may be the unaffiliated vote. North Carolina’s unaffiliated registration has grown steadily and now represents about 40% of registered voters statewide. During the final four days of early voting, unaffiliated voters outnumbered both Democrats and Republicans.
Saturday, the final day of in-person early voting, was also the busiest, with roughly 249,000 people voting. Overall early turnout was about 30% higher than in the 2022 midterms.
Still, the partisan breakdown should not be interpreted as an election forecast. Party registration does not reveal how someone actually voted, particularly among unaffiliated voters, and Republicans in North Carolina have historically cast a larger share of their ballots on Election Day.
The state’s Nov. 3 ballot includes the open U.S. Senate race between Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley, a North Carolina Supreme Court contest, all 14 U.S. House seats, state legislative races and three proposed constitutional amendments.
North Carolina polling places will be open Tuesday from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. Voters casting ballots on Election Day must use their assigned precinct.
A record number of Australians are turning their backs on the Melbourne Cup, with more than two-thirds surveyed saying they have low or zero interest in the annual horse race.
Support for the Melbourne Cup has been sliding consistently for a number of years, but the Guardian Essential poll found just 9% of Australians said they had high interest in the race now – nearly half the proportion in 2025.
Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., speaks following her endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers Michigan’s Senate race on Nov. 1, 2026, in Detroit. Photo: Emily Elconin/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Michigan Democratic Senate primary loser Rep. Haley Stevens on Sunday released a video that will place her in an ignominious legacy of establishment Democrats who act against the collective good.
And, like others on the list, she did it for the sake of one thing only: Israel.
In the video — filmed on her phone, in her car, and at an awkward angle — Stevens announced her endorsement of Republican candidate Mike Rogers against the Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. Stevens had previously called Rogers a “rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s dangerous agenda.”
Stevens’s defection follows a pathetic effort to suggest that El-Sayed must make greater overtures to Israel supporters.
“I don’t belong in Abdul’s campaign,” said Stevens about El-Sayed, the candidate who currently enjoys 95 percent of Democratic voters’ support in Michigan, according to polls.
Stevens’s defection follows a pathetic, Islamophobic, and chaotic effort over the last weeks to suggest that El-Sayed must make greater overtures to Israel supporters.
Stevens now follows in the footsteps of other conservative Democrats who have shown an extreme disregard for the welfare of people in this country and beyond.
We might recall former Sen. Krysten Sinema of Arizona, who left the Democratic Party while still in office and notoriously delivered a dramatic thumbs down and curtsy when voting against a raised minimum-wage provision during the height of the Covid pandemic. Sinema and fellow then-Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia also joined with Republicans to effectively tank major voting rights legislation in 2022.
And, of course, there is the entire Senate career of conservative pro-Israel fanatic, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, who still remains a nominal Democrat. Fetterman offers a consistent master class in dangerous extremism and should be seen as a profound political liability by his own party.
It is, after all, so-called moderates like Stevens who are the radicals. As writer Eoin Higgins noted, an array of Democrats have revealed themselves more willing to see Republicans win than allow the party’s left-wing flank — or, more to the point, criticism of Israel’s genocide — to gain further ground.
And while there is little political agreement between the right and left wings of the Democratic Party on a whole array of issues, defeating Republicans, particularly Donald Trump’s Republican Party, was at least the stated goal of even the most conservative of Democrats.
To so openly fail on even those basic electoral terms should be the very definition of a political liability for a party.
Stevens had perhaps thought she could rely on this pattern. Numerous powerful Democrats and Israel apologists like Reps. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., were slow to get behind El-Sayed and have continued to pick fights over his policies on Israel.
Stevens’s Rogers endorsement was not, however, met with the tolerance that Democratic rightward lurches have typically enjoyed. In a bellwether moment, another strong supporter of Israel, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called her endorsement of the Republican candidate “a despicable betrayal.”
The condemnation is the correct response of a party leader to a member taking active steps to thwart a crucial Senate race. It may not mark a shift for Schumer away from his own reliable conservatism and support for Israel’s genocide, but it nonetheless reflects a shifting political landscape when a figure like Schumer sees greater political expediency in standing with a progressive, Israel-critical, Muslim candidate, than with the radical centrist wrecker with whom Schumer is more ideologically aligned.
Stevens’s theatrics are unlikely to make a significant difference to Tuesday’s election results. Voters who elevate support for the Israeli state over human lives in Palestine and in the U.S. were already not going to vote for El-Sayed.
In a close race like this, pulling any support away from the Democratic candidate reveals the extremism of the purported center.
It’s unclear, then, who would be swayed by Stevens’s erratic actions two days before the election. In a close race like this, however, pulling any support away from the Democratic candidate reveals the extremism of the purported center.
We can welcome what looks to be a long overdue shift in political common sense and hope that positions like Stevens’s are seen as a liability before they reach their most extreme iterations.
Yet it shouldn’t take so-called centrists quite literally choosing Trumpian Republicans over progressive and left-wing Democrats to make clear who the real threat to the Democratic Party is — if winning elections and delivering policies to improve the lives of constituents is, in fact, their goal.
It certainly is for El-Sayed. He has dismissed Stevens’s performance as a distraction.
“None of this matters,” he told reporters on Sunday, and insisted instead on speaking about the state of schools, healthcare, and the cost of food for Michigan residents.
Nov. 2, 2026 — On Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, at the EU–Canada Summit in Montréal, Canada officially became the 39th participating state of the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (JU), joining forces with European partners to strengthen Europe’s supercomputing capabilities.
Canada’s adhesion is a new step towards bringing together many different partners to strengthen Europe’s supercomputing capabilities, advance science and boost the innovation potential of enterprises. This membership comes at a time when the European Union (EU) and Canada are seeking to build a deeper and more integrated relationship, with unparalleled trade access, shared values and complementary economic strengths.
Canada has joined EuroHPC JU, a European funding agency created under EU law, which pools European and national resources to procure supercomputing infrastructure and invest in research in supercomputing technologies, software and competences. Along with EuroHPC JU’s other Participating States, Canada will be able to access European HPC, AI and Quantum compute resources provided by the JU. Canadian scientists will also be able to collaborate with European counterparts on leading edge European scientific and technological projects in artificial intelligence (AI), HPC and Quantum. This initiative will support the EU’s mission of achieving strategic autonomy in HPC, AI and quantum computing, and help build a world-class supercomputing ecosystem in Europe.
The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario said: “Advanced computing power is critical to turning ambitious ideas into scientific breakthroughs and economic opportunities. Joining EuroHPC JU will deepen Canada’s partnership with Europe and open new opportunities for Canadian researchers and innovators to access world-class supercomputing, AI and quantum computing resources. This collaboration will help advance cutting-edge research, strengthen our collective technological capabilities and ensure Canada and Europe remain at the forefront of emerging technologies.”
Roberto Viola, Director-General, Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT), European Commission, stated: “I am proud to see EuroHPC membership extended to Canada, opening up new opportunities for researchers, businesses and government. EuroHPC membership will advance common work on some of the key areas of our time: supercomputing, AI infrastructure and quantum computing. The excellent cooperation with Canada, reflected in the EU-Canada Digital Partnership, continues to build secure and world-class digital capabilities together.”
Anders Jensen, EuroHPC JU Executive Director added: “Canada’s adhesion to the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking reflects the growing importance of international partnerships in developing a sovereign European world-class supercomputing ecosystem. By joining forces, Europe and Canada will reinforce their technological strengths and advance scientific excellence and innovation. We warmly welcome Canada to our community and look forward to working together to further strengthen our collective capabilities and ambitions.”
Polls will open statewide on Tuesday, Nov. 3, for the 2026 midterm elections.
Learn more about how to vote in the election, where your polling place is, and navigate any questions you may have in Spotlight Delaware’s election voting explainer below.
What does the process of voting include?
Who can vote in the election?
Any registered Delaware voter can vote in the general election. Additionally, you must be:
A United States citizen
A resident of Delaware
18 years old on or before Nov.3.
The deadline to register to vote in the election already passed on Oct. 10.
If you’re in line when the polls close — stay in line. You still have the right to vote.
Where do I vote?
Registered voters should have received a postcard in recent weeks detailing where to find their polling precinct. There are several hundred polling places open across the state today.
If you missed that notification, you can also find your polling place by visiting ivote.de.gov and entering your address at the bottom of the page. Alternatively, go to bit.ly/de-polling-places to see all available polling places in your area.
Any government document with your name and address
If you do not have one of the forms of ID, you can sign an affidavit of affirmation that you are the person listed on the election district record.
Can I still vote by absentee ballot?
Voters have until noon today — Monday, Nov. 2 — to request an absentee ballot via the ivote.de.gov portal if they will be unable to make it a poll on Election Day.
All absentee ballots must be returned to the Department of Elections by 8 p.m. Tuesday to be counted though. Delaware will not count any absentee ballots returned after the close of polls.
If you miss the deadline to request an absentee ballot, you should report to your designated precinct to make sure that your vote is counted.
Notify Spotlight Delaware at tips@spotlightdelaware.org with as much detail regarding the issue that you can, including where, when and what you observed.
Please include contact info, even if you wish to remain anonymous in our reporting, so that we can follow up and learn more about the situation.
We are monitoring any problems at the polls during the 2026 election season and will investigate issues noticed by voters.
What time will results be issued?
Results from Delaware’s September primary election began to be posted about 30 minutes following the close of polls. Most races had been called by 10 p.m., but particularly close races may take longer.
Spotlight Delaware will have a homepage tracking the results of the election by races of note, while our Live Blog will be offering real-time commentary as well.
Grocery chains in European nations say temperatures in some stores' fridges and freezers soared over 100 degrees just weeks after a similar incident in France.
The war is pushing Iran closer to Russia Expert commentthilton.drupal
A flurry of diplomatic meetings and positive statements suggest Tehran sees closer cooperation with Moscow as key to its short-term survival and long-term deterrence.
The US-Israeli war with Iran is fundamentally changing how Tehran views Russia. Moscow was previously perceived by some in Tehran as an unreliable partner that benefited disproportionately from Iran’s support. But Russia is now increasingly seen as an important partner to ensure Iran’s military survival, post-war reconstruction and long-term deterrence.
Positive meetings
In October alone, senior Iranian and Russian officials held three high-level meetings, reflecting the growing importance both governments attach to the partnership.
On 8 October, Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian met Russian president Vladimir Putin in Turkmenistan on the sidelines of regional summit meetings. They emphasized the mutual political will to deepen ties across virtually every sector, including trade and economic cooperation.
On 19 October, Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov travelled to Tehran for the first since the war began on 28 February. He met President Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Supreme National Security Council head Mohsen Rezaei. They discussed energy, transport and broader bilateral relations. The meetings emphasized the need to advance the comprehensive strategic partnership signed in January 2025, continuing economic and investment cooperation despite the challenges posed by the war.
After the meetings, Araghchi stated: ‘never in our history have Iran and Russia worked as closely as now.’ Pezeshkian thanked Russia for its support during the war. Security chief Rezaei also emphasized Tehran’s determination to strengthen strategic cooperation with Moscow, indicating that Iran’s security leadership also supports closer relations.
On 27 October, Pezeshkian visited Moscow to attend the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, where he again held talks on bilateral cooperation with Putin. Pezeshkian thanked Putin for ‘backing and assistance’ in both political and economic matters. Putin said that bilateral trade increased by 10.4 per cent during the first eight months of 2026.
Putin also reaffirmed Moscow’s commitment to ongoing projects, including the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Russia’s state-owned nuclear corporation, Rosatom, announced it would increase the number of its construction workers at Bushehr to 200. Rosatom had evacuated its staff after the outbreak of the war.
Outside of this nuclear development, the substance of these meetings was not significantly different to previous high-level exchanges. What stands out, however, is the increasingly positive tone of public statements by senior figures across Iran’s political and security establishment. This suggests a more favourable assessment of Russia’s strategic value, although it does not necessarily indicate a fundamental change in the views of all Iranian decisionmakers.
Moving beyond scepticism
This enthusiasm contrasts with earlier doubts within Tehran about the benefits of investing in Moscow as an ally. Elements of the Iranian leadership have long held a deep-seated scepticism towards Russia.
This scepticism had grown since late 2022 as some in Tehran questioned the returns on its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Iran has supplied Russia with thousands of drones, including Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 models, along with other military assistance. Iran has publicly denied involvement in the conflict, but admitted it had sent drones to Russia before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Iranian officials told Reuters months into the war that Tehran had agreed to supply more drones and missiles.
Influential voices in Tehran have often questioned the strategic alliance with Moscow.
Leaked contract documents indicate that Russia agreed to pay approximately $290,000 per drone for a bulk purchase of 2,000 Shahed-136 drones, although the extent to which these payments were completed remains unclear. Iran has also reportedly helped to establish production facilities in Russia, enabling Moscow to domestically manufacture a modified version of Iran’s Shahed-136 drone named Geran-2.
However, influential voices in Tehran have often questioned the strategic alliance with Moscow. One former IRGC naval commander said ‘There is a view that Russia sought to drag Iran into that [Ukraine] war … so it would not be alone and the pressure of sanctions would increase on Iran.’ In 2022, the US and EU imposed additional sanctions on Iran over its sales of drones to Russia. During Lavrov’s previous visit to Tehran in February 2025, Iranian commentators warned that Moscow might use Iran as a bargaining chip in negotiations with Washington over Ukraine.
Critics of closer relations have also argued that Russia was benefiting disproportionately from Tehran’s support, without providing comparable assistance in return. In particular, Tehran felt Russia did not significantly come to its aid during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June 2025. Russia failed to deliver advanced weapons systems that Iran said it had purchased before the war, such as SU-35 fighter jets.
Support for closer cooperation
The US-Israeli war appears to have prompted a reassessment of Russia’s value to Tehran. According to several reports, Russia provided Iran with intelligence on US military positions, satellite imagery for targeting, and weapons components. It is difficult to assess the real battlefield impact of Russian support. However, despite President Donald Trump’s statement that Moscow and Beijing have not been helping Tehran, the evidence suggests otherwise.
Such support is likely to have strengthened the position of those within Iran’s security establishment who have long advocated closer ties with Moscow. For this group, who were supported by the late former president, Ebrahim Raisi, the war has vindicated their longstanding argument that closer cooperation with Russia could deliver tangible strategic benefits. These include helping Iran circumvent sanctions, overcoming diplomatic isolation and countering Western pressure.
Closer cooperation with Russia will likely be increasingly seen as a strategic necessity.
The increasingly positive statements from senior political officials such as Pezeshkian and Araghchi suggests that support for closer cooperation with Russia is becoming more widespread across the Iranian political spectrum, including among those once sceptical of close alignment with Moscow.
As Tehran prioritizes military survival, deterrence, and reconstruction in the coming months, closer cooperation with Russia will likely be increasingly seen as a strategic necessity rather than merely as a means of circumventing sanctions and resisting Western pressure. The partnership is acquiring a more immediate security rationale, serving both Iran’s current military requirements and its longer-term strategic objectives.
Consequences
In the short term, technical assistance and weapons components could help Iran withstand the conflict by sustaining capabilities degraded by months of fighting. Russian expertise could help Tehran rebuild its air defences, missile infrastructure, and defence industry. Russian intelligence could help Iranian forces track US military assets and inform operational decisions.
Russian support will be particularly valuable in the event of renewed military escalation. It could improve Iran’s ability to anticipate attacks, preserve its military capabilities and impose costs on its adversaries. However, it is unlikely to fundamentally alter the balance of power in Iran’s favour.
In the medium term, assuming the war comes to an end, Iran-Russia cooperation will likely continue with the aim of rebuilding Iran’s military capabilities. This would likely focus on air defence, drones and missile technology.
Russian support … is unlikely to fundamentally alter the balance of power in Iran’s favour.
While Russia’s capacity to meet Iran’s demands will remain constrained by its war in Ukraine and pressure on its defence industry, even selective transfers of technology and expertise would help Tehran address its vulnerabilities and accelerate the restoration of its deterrent capabilities. For example, Russia could provide replacement components for the S-300 missile defence system as well as electronic warfare technology.
In the longer term, the most consequential outcome could be the institutionalization of military cooperation between Iran and Russia. Iranian policymakers will remain wary of Russia’s tendency to prioritize its own interests and the absence of a binding security guarantee. But the relationship is likely to become increasingly central in future military planning, procurement and defence-industrial cooperation. This will likely increase Iran’s ability to withstand US military and economic pressure, albeit without being a game changer in the balance of power.
The war may not have transformed Russia into a reliable security guarantor for Iran, but it could make Moscow a more enduring component of Tehran’s security strategy. This will ensure the partnership is harder to reverse, no matter who is in power.
Prospect to hold workplace sessions and recruit members under agreement with tech company
Trade unions are expected to make further inroads into big tech companies in the UK after new rights for unions to access workplaces came into force, with Google UK signing an agreement on Monday.
The Prospect union has reached an agreement with Google to begin organising among about 7,000 workers across its UK operations, including YouTube but excluding DeepMind.
NEW YORK, Nov. 2, 2026 — Dyssonance AI, a post-LLM research lab founded by quantum physicist and ex-DeepMind executive Jennifer Prendki, is coming out of stealth at just the right time, when band-aid fatigue is rampant, and the industry is eager for more reliable and robust architectural models. Rooted in the natural and physical sciences, Dyssonance’s team brings a physics-based approach to intelligence that derives hypotheses and provisional conclusions from raw data, much like the human brain does. The platform is now live and the waitlist is growing.
In line with the company’s ethos of challenging the status quo, it will reveal its technology through a Meta Murder Mystery experience, showing guests firsthand how the system reasons in real time. An exclusive group of 30 AI advisors, investors, journalists and researchers will gather in a landmark Tribeca building to find and observe different clues and tensions (dissonances), leading to varying belief states that affect their conclusions, something Large Language Models (LLMs) can’t do.
On- and off-Broadway actors from Broadway Murder Mysteries will help bring the entire experience to life, from the platform to the penthouse.
“We could have run through a deck, like most other companies, but having a room full of people interpret clues and find dissonances in the story is a much better way of showcasing our technology,” said Prendki, founder and CEO of Dyssonance AI. “A language model predicts the next word. Our system is built to infer who knows what and who believes what. When it notices something nobody has said out loud, I want people to wonder, ‘How did it know that?’”
How Does Dyssonance AI Differ from an LLM?
The human brain dislikes uncertainty and aims to reduce tension by resolving decisions quickly. Dyssonance AI identifies tensions and inconsistencies in the information it encounters and offers solutions based on inferred reasoning and what it calls synthetic intuition.
The platform is built to hold several conflicting beliefs at once and self-verify through factual reasoning as it learns something new, while LLMs need to be asked the right questions to make accurate predictions.
Because it doesn’t rely on tokens, Dyssonance AI uses significantly fewer resources than LLMs—which require immense amounts of electricity to train and run—it costs the end-user much less.
“While at DeepMind, I realized something that should be obvious to a physicist: ‘ground truth’ is a myth. Data is not reality; it is an observation of an event, which is incomplete and approximate. Intelligence cannot simply memorize from data. It has to infer the underlying state of the world that could have produced those observations. That makes intelligence a physics problem, not an information problem. And there is nothing artificial about it,” Prendki said. “Language models are just one piece of the puzzle. That’s why I call our work the physics of intelligence, and why I call us an intelligence company.”
“I built Dyssonance AI from first principles, and where I landed happens to look remarkably similar to how the brain works; it’s multi-faceted and requires an astonishingly low amount of energy to power,” Prendki said. “Our physics-based approach can accomplish abstract reasoning that LLMs never will.” She added: “When you think about it, if we keep relying on people writing better prompts to highlight relevant context, this begs the question, ‘where is the intelligence really coming from?’”
A Platform, API and Agents that ‘Think Through’ Data Instead of Merely Memorizing
Dyssonance AI is launching a platform, an API and multiple agents. The agents include a command-line agent for developers and another agent for observability and inspection, both currently in beta.
The company’s framework is based on common-sense reasoning layers that gut-check data through evidence, existing knowledge and advanced logic. Built to infer human thought, context or underlying intent, the technology is incentivized to find coherence and tensions (dissonances) to solve problems and reach conclusions.
The company already has users and a waiting list across key verticals, such as Enterprise, Finance, Legal, Security, Tax and Trading. It also sees huge opportunities in Healthcare and other fields where ambiguity makes interpretation and judgment as important as knowledge.
“Enterprises are looking for systems capable of exercising judgment and reasoning under uncertainty, especially when information is incomplete or contradictory—which is actually how the world works,” said Carlos Lozano, head of product at Dyssonance AI. “But LLMs are unable to operate reliably in ambiguous situations. As a result, we end up telling agents what to do using agent harnesses. The problem is that ‘agent harness’ is an oxymoron: we want AI to have agency but then constrain it because we don’t trust it.”
Who Is Jennifer Prendki, Founder of Dyssonance AI?
Prendki trained as a particle physicist and earned her doctorate at the Sorbonne. She then spent nearly 20 years building and leading machine learning and data science teams, including as chief data scientist at Atlassian and in leadership roles at Walmart Labs (now Walmart Global Tech) and Figure Eight. She most recently led AI data at Google DeepMind.
At Dyssonance AI, she developed Continual Reasoning Under Uncertainty, a method that lets AI systems form and update beliefs as they deal with incomplete, unclear and changing information. Her time in AI at Google gave her direct insight into what works and what doesn’t, so she built Dyssonance AI with a strong focus on ethics, privacy and security.
How Can People Join the Waitlist?
The platform is live today for its first wave of customers in key verticals such as Enterprise, Finance, Legal, Security, Tax and Trading, and new customers can join the waitlist. The company’s website features articles, blog posts, research papers and use cases. It plans to host an event every six months to showcase its technology and highlight new customers, features and functionality.
About Dyssonance AI
Dyssonance AI is a post-LLM research lab founded by Jennifer Prendki, a quantum physicist who previously led AI data at Google DeepMind. Unlike LLMs, which predict the next word, its platform uses a physics-based approach to intelligence that models thought and builds stateful, common-sense reasoning layers incentivized to find coherence and tensions (dissonances). For more information, visit dyssonance.ai.
Ryanair has said it is considering implementing pay freezes, setting the scene for a confrontation with unions as the airline tries to offset soaring fuel costs driven by the Middle East conflict.
The airline is also considering reducing crew numbers on flights and increasing the use of AI, in a cost-cutting drive.
Mandatory evacuations in Arizona and New Mexico with Pagosa Springs warned of potentially ‘catastrophic’ deluge
Heavy rainfall produced flash flooding and mandatory evacuations in a swath of the south-west on Sunday, including in a Colorado tourist town bracing for its main river to rise to historic levels, as weary residents in the normally arid region deal with another drenching.
Officials in Pagosa Springs, a town of more than 2,000 in the Rockies located near ski resorts and known for its hot springs, warned of potentially “catastrophic flooding” as the San Juan River was forecast to crest at more than 20ft (6.1 meters) late on Sunday night.
The number of game pages being created per-day on Itch has doubled, the indie games site announced Saturday on Bluesky. When asked why, they responded: "take a guess."
As the gaming news site Aftermath puts it, "the surge has been almost entirely down to AI-created garbage racing onto the platform as the popularity of vibe-coded theft, copycats and machine-built slop explodes."
Back in 2024, when the spectre of AI-'created' video games was still in its infancy, indie platform itch.io decided that the best it could do to combat this growing threat was, like Valve has done with Steam, institute a voluntary 'AI' filter when adding new projects to the site. By November 2026, as itch buckles under the weight of new AI-generated 'games' pouring onto the site, that filter is proving about as robust as a wet paper bag.... Shopfronts are being deluged by this shit, and it's making it a terrible user experience for customers.
And while in Valve's case there's a compelling case for stronger human moderation of the store, I'm not sure that's a viable option for a relatively tiny, community-run platform like itch... [A]t time of writing I visited the latest releases section and there was still a huge number of clearly AI-generated titles (or titles making extensive use of AI in their visual assets) which made no use of itch's voluntary tag system.
The issue here isn't that these games are making money--itch themselves say in a reply that while the number of projects listed has doubled, "the number of downloads and purchases has not"--it's that an inability to combat this surge makes the site worse for every single person using it. It gets harder to find real games, for example, and it also makes the shopfront look like a clearance rack.
Trump called Democratic candidate a ‘jihadist’ as El-Sayed’s defeated primary opponent backs Republican Mike Rogers. Plus an Australian fish worth its weight in gold
What did Stevens do? Her endorsement came in a video posted to X after she attended an event with Rogers at the predominantly Black Perfecting church in Detroit on Sunday. Stevens’s endorsement was the culmination of an escalating feud between the former primary rivals – primarily over support for Israel – that has roiled one of the most fiercely contested Senate contests of the cycle.
What did Trump say? The president bashed El-Sayed, a practicing Muslim, in brazenly racist terms, saying that Congress would have to “get a special metal detector for Abdul” if he were elected. “If you vote for this jihadist lunatic that wants to destroy you, you’re crazy. Mike Rodgers is apple pie. And you know what this country needs? A little apple pie. We don’t need the communists or jihadists, the Muslim Brotherhood. We need apple pie.”
When heating costs rise, dinner still needs to fit the grocery budget. These 17 budget-friendly recipes cover pasta, rice, soups, chili, casseroles, and slow-cooked mains for busy, cold-weather nights.The post 17 budget-friendly dinner recipes ready when the heating bill starts…
The owner of Cadbury and Toblerone has demanded that a small vegan chocolate brand remove its products from shelves in a trademark dispute over the use of the word snowball.
Mondelēz International has written a legal letter to Moo Free accusing it of trademark infringement by selling its White Choccy Snowballs – gluten-free biscuit-flavoured rice balls covered in dairy-free white chocolate.
Ibstock, which has cut production by a fifth, criticises government for delay in help for housing sector
Sales at the UK’s largest brickmaker plunged by more than a fifth over the summer, as it criticised the government for not introducing fresh help for the housing sector faster.
Leicestershire-based Ibstock said on Monday that sales slumped by 22% below its expectations in the three months to the end of September, prompting it to slash production levels by a fifth.
Millions of Americans gained an hour of sleep this weekend when the time change commonly known as daylight saving ended for 2026, meaning clocks "fell back."
In recent months, a number of California billionaires and their apologists in the media and in government have come out swinging against the ballot measure. I’m not a billionaire, but I’m a Californian wealthy enough to know that they have no valid reason to fight the proposition. For multimillionaires like me, paying a 5% tax would not change our lives materially, and if we can afford this as people well below the billionaire line, certainly those at the very top can too.
George Zimmer, a member of Patriotic Millionaires, is the chairperson, CEO and founder ofGeneration Tux, an online rental platform for tuxedos and suits. He is also the founder, former CEO and chair of the Men’s Wearhouse
Many are challenging their detention using habeas corpus filings only to be arrested again, in violation of court orders
Immigrants who have been granted release from detention after winning habeas corpus petitions in court are being re-arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The Guardian has identified at least 20 cases nationwide relating to people who were detained after being released on habeas corpus petition in the last year, according to court records, attorneys and media reports.
As governments urge public to prepare for cyber-attacks and natural disasters, US focuses on military preparation
Governments around the world are spearheading new campaigns to encourage the general public to be prepared for a host of emergencies that could disrupt essential services, including cyber-attacks and natural disasters. The United States, however, is taking a different approach: focusing on military preparation, as opposed to the general population.
With an influx of global messaging regarding emergency preparedness, the Guardian spoke with emergency experts about the Pentagon’s latest initiative and the state of US disaster preparedness at large.
At more than $52m, the race has become the most expensive in US history, but residents are fed up with flooding
Aida Havel mulled her fate over coffee after working the early voting polls all day in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. “We are trapped,” she concluded.
The Dare county commission candidate lives about 50 miles (80km) south, on Hatteras Island on the state’s Outer Banks.
A historian says that colonial-era documents suggest the "King of the Pirates" and his violent crew got an assist from Thomas Jones, the namesake of Jones Beach.
The Jojo Rabbit director blamed the dismal numbers for his film of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel on ‘obsolete’ reviewers’ notices, adding that he works ‘for the people’ – whose Rotten Tomatoes ratings are much higher
Taika Waititi has launched a furious broadside at “critics” following the disastrous commercial performance of Klara and the Sun, his new film adapted from a Kazuo Ishiguro novel.
In a post on social media, Waititi wrote: “This Halloween, let’s spare a thought for those sad lost souls who couldn’t achieve their dreams of becoming artists, and thus settled, and became critics.”
The USMNT striker scored his first goal since the World Cup in a losing effort against Paris FC. Could it lead to something more?
Before this weekend, the last time Folarin Balogun scored was in the United States’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina at this past summer’s World Cup. In the immediate aftermath, the outlook for Balogun seemed rosy; an ascendant player who could muster a goal in tense games. At half-time against Bosnia, US fans weren’t just wondering how far his team could advance – they were sizing Balogun up against some of the world’s best strikers.
But for most of the ensuing four months, Balogun has been in limbo. His breakout World Cup was overshadowed by a red card in that same game against Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by a scandal of which he wanted no part. Just as it seemed a summer move away from Monaco could get his club career on track, he broke off a possible deadline-day move to Everton after a lengthy visit to the training grounds and a medical he felt was improperly handled.
Singer hit No 1 with pop-rock band in 1968 and scored three more Top 10 hits with them, before solo career featuring collaborations with Paul Weller
Steve Ellis, the singer who found fame as the frontman of 60s pop-rockers Love Affair, has died aged 76. A message on social media announced that Ellis died “peacefully” on 30 October, after “complications from a chronic illness”.
With his stirring, heartfelt croon, Ellis gave voice to one of the most enduring hits of the 1960s: Everlasting Love, which topped the UK chart in 1968.
Maria Montserrat Alvarado, a 39-year-old U.S. media executive, becomes the new head of Vatican communications this week, the first laywoman to head a Vatican "ministry."
Unknown hackers have targeted Ukraine’s nationwide emergency alert mobile app, sending residents in Kyiv a warning that they were at risk of an imminent nuclear strike.
The app reported a high possibility of nuclear radiation late on Sunday. It also wrongly warned of a chemical threat to the Ukrainian capital and street-to-street fighting. The messages were written in English with spelling mistakes, as well as in Ukrainian.
Disruption to winds above Arctic threatens to alter weather patterns across parts of continent in coming weeks
The stratospheric polar vortex over the northern hemisphere is facing the prospect of an unusually early weakening. Forecast models suggest it could weaken significantly over the next 10 days, when it would typically be strengthening.
A major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event is possible. This could influence weather patterns in the following weeks, increasing the likelihood of persistent areas of high pressure across the mid-latitudes and colder conditions weeks later.
Sites like Kalshi and Polymarket offer faux populism as elites reap the benefits – and voters risk being misled
Online betting is a bit like Donald Trump.
The prediction markets – platforms where users bet on whether events will occur – pretend to be populist, pushing the nabobs aside and representing the “wisdom of the crowd”. “This data is bottom-up, not elites-driven,” a Kalshi spokesperson told Reuters. But in fact, the markets are controlled by a few, skillful traders.
Republicans are focused on a race that could flip the Senate – and where an Alaska Native is favored
Days before Alaskans get to vote, the federal government is already trying to overturn the result.
Last week, at Donald Trump’s behest, the justice department sued to block the certification of Alaska’s US Senate race, if the Republican incumbent narrowly loses; a judge dismissed that suit on Sunday, though the administration said it planned to appeal. On Wednesday, Trump demanded that Mary Peltola, the Alaska Native Democrat whom polls favor to win, be removed from the ballot and prosecuted. Piling on, Alaska’s Republican governor has since ordered an investigation into Peltola’s campaign.
Journalists such as Jim Acosta and Scott MacFarlane are now competing against their former employers for eyeballs
On Tuesday, for the first time in more than 20 years, Jim Acosta, a former CNN stalwart, will not be working for a mainstream television network on election night.
Acosta, who left CNN last year after nearly 18 years at the network, is putting on his own live broadcast at the University of Virginia that will air on YouTube and his Substack platform.
In state where driving is part of life, president’s pledge to lower prices at the pumps cuts little ice
Behind the granite countertops of Fuel City, a gas station in Dallas where taxidermy deer flank the entrance and hot tacos are served 24/7, Alina Cardenas sees first-hand that Texans are stretched thin.
Drivers are filling up less, she said, while ringing people up for cigarettes and beer, and fewer people are buying a full tank. Some stop once they’ve reached $10 or $20 worth of gasoline.
Election workers in Los Angeles County process ballots for the state’s primary in June. Mario Tama/Getty Images
As Americans head to the polls on Tuesday, voting experts are watching to see how the Trump administration’s unprecedented efforts to assert more federal control over elections will play out.
The president has justified these steps by claiming, without evidence, that American elections are beset by fraud and that illegal voting is tipping the scales in favor of Democrats.
Help Us Report on Key Election Issues
ProPublica’s reporters are on the lookout for what’s going right and what isn’t. We’re monitoring voter suppression and interference, election observers andpoll watchers, extremism tied to the election, and ICE activity at the polls. Have you seen something?
Courts have thwarted most of the administration’s plans to date, but Trump and his top deputies have kept up the pressure. Most recently, they’ve threatened to prosecute election officials who don’t reject ballots from people that the federal government has identified as likely noncitizens.
The administration hasn’t explicitly ruled out sending federal agents to the polls or seizing ballots or voting machines.
Election experts say the cumulative effect has been to ramp up anxiety about the midterms and to erode voters’ trust in the system.
“The administration has been creating a lot of noise, a lot of confusion, a lot of doubt,” said Ben Hovland, whom Trump fired as a commissioner for the bipartisan Election Assistance Commission earlier this year. He said he worries that this will make voters “sit it out” and “throw their hands up.”
“Paper Trail” Podcast
Learn more about this story on ProPublica’s podcast “Paper Trail.”
In an emailed response to questions, a DHS spokesperson said Immigration and Customs Enforcement “is not planning operations targeting polling locations,” adding that the agency would only arrest people at the polls to address a safety threat as part of “intelligence-driven targeted enforcement.”
The DHS and the Justice Department “are laser focused on identifying, prosecuting and removing aliens who vote and dilute the votes of U.S. citizens,” the spokesperson added. “Our message to aliens who vote in American elections is clear: we will find you, arrest you, and you will face the consequences — including criminal charges and deportation.”
Before and on Election Day, it’s typical for the major political parties to mount poll-watching operations, but both Democrats and Republicans say they’ve expanded these activities in this pressurized midterm.
Republicans will focus on issues such as voter eligibility and voter-roll accuracy, according to Ally Triolo, the Republican National Committee’s election integrity communications director. Democrats will concentrate on voter intimidation and other hurdles to voting, Angelo Fernández Hernández, a Democratic National Committee spokesperson, said.
Here are five issues that voting rights experts say they’re watching as this year’s election unfolds:
People arrive to vote early on Oct. 27 in Coral Gables, Florida.Lynne Sladky/AP Images
1. Will There Be Federal Interference?
An incident in Leon County, in the Florida Panhandle, illustrates the widespread anxiety about law enforcement at the polls.
Mark Earley, the county’s supervisor of elections, told ProPublica he was “furious” when two marked U.S. Customs and Border Protection vehicles parked outside the county’s busiest early voting location last month, after he’d been repeatedly reassured by the administration that agents would not do this.
He reported the sighting to the FBI, then learned that the agents, who were headed out of state, had just stopped by to try to vote themselves. The episode generated a flurry of newscoverage.
“Given the negative media coverage regarding federal agents at the polls, it shows pretty bad judgment that they showed up in their official vehicles,” Earley said.
It’s against the law for federal law enforcement to be near polling places.
Nick Brown, Washington’s attorney general, leads a group of Democratic state officials and voting rights advocates who have been planning how to respond if, indeed, there is real federal interference. The group has “war-gamed” how to react if government agents attempt to commandeer voting equipment or ballots.
“We’ve seen the tension and chaos that’s in the air,” Brown said. He called the federal government “the biggest challenge to smooth elections right now, which is not the way it’s supposed to be.”
A DOJ spokesperson said “the best preparation for any election official is following federal law.”
It’s routine for DOJ monitors to watch over polling places, and the agency has assured states that, in the midterms, its observers will follow the law and not interfere with voting or election administration. Still, state officials remain concerned. During Wyoming’s primary election, poll workers said they felt uneasy when DOJ monitors asked about their training and to inspect voting systems. The state’s governor criticized these actions as “a bit aggressive” and “irregular.”
Workers prepare ballots to be scanned for counting in Orange County, California, on Oct. 28.Apu Gomes/Getty Images
2. What Effect Will Noncitizen Voter Challenges Have?
The Trump administration’s multipronged effort targeting alleged noncitizen voters has already led to eligible voters being improperly removed from the rolls. Voting rights groups fear this will block some U.S. citizens from being able to vote when they show up on Tuesday.
Federal officials have made clear they plan to go after anyone they think is committing voter fraud.
On the first day of early voting in Texas, Aaron Reitz, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas, posted a YouTube video announcing his intentions. “If you violate federal election law,” he warned, “I will hunt you down and prosecute you.”
This threat came days after the DOJ sued California, seeking to block the state from counting mail ballots from more than 20,000 voters it claims are “likely” noncitizens. The administration had obtained the state’s public voter rolls, which the DHS had blended with its own immigration information and third-party data.
In a court filing, California called the claim that there are 20,000 noncitizens on its voter rolls “specious.” Los Angeles County analyzed a sampling of the likely noncitizen voters that the federal government claimed were registered there. Many weren’t registered in the county or had never voted, the analysis showed. Some said on their voter registration forms that they were born in the United States.
Asked about the case, the DOJ told ProPublica, “Federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections, and the Department has a duty to enforce it.”
A federal judge has rejected the DOJ’s motion for an emergency order that would have barred California from counting the 20,000 voters’ ballots. (A federal appeals panel later backed that decision.) On Thursday, the administration sent grand jury subpoenas to California officials demanding records about their response to allegations of noncitizens on the state’s rolls. Late Friday, a federal judge issued a restraining order blocking the DOJ’s demands, calling them an “intimidation plan” that would interfere with legal voting.
Last week, the DOJ wrote a letter threatening to sue Washington state if officials there refused to review a list of 400 voters it believes to be noncitizens within 24 hours. U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters late last month that the department was considering additional actions, saying there were “a number of states that we’re looking at.”
In a letter responding to the DOJ, Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs called the government list of 400 names “not reliable,” saying it included U.S. citizens, people who aren’t registered to vote and duplicate entries. “Time and time again,” Hobbs wrote, “DHS claims about noncitizen voter registration turn out to be greatly exaggerated or false.”
Sam Trepel is Rule of Law program director at States United Democracy Center and a former attorney for the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. She said the agency’s actions involving California and Washington were a “disturbing use of prosecutorial authority.”
Trepel worries that the DOJ may try to seize ballots cast by voters identified as likely noncitizens, before or after the election, which would “put their votes at risk and undermine trust more broadly.”
Voting rights advocates also worry that the government’s efforts to target noncitizen voters could frighten eligible voters to the point that they won’t show up.
“A voter could say, ‘Well, maybe I don’t want to put myself on the target list here, maybe I won’t register, or maybe I won’t vote,’” said David Janovsky, acting director of The Constitution Project at the watchdog group Project on Government Oversight.
Equipment for early voting is prepared at the Travis County Clerk’s Office in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 14.Jay Janner/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images
3. Will There Be Problems at the Polls?
States often change laws and rules related to voting.
Since 2024, Republican-led states have taken a number of steps that experts say will make it more difficult for some of their residents to cast ballots and have them count.
A North Carolina law, for example, requires voters to provide proof of identification when sending mail-in ballots. Under new rules, ballots now come with two envelopes, both of which must be sealed. Ballot rejections have skyrocketed, Democracy Docket reported, because voters aren’t sealing the inner envelope.
Texas and other states have cut back on the number and location of polling places, especially in areas favoring Democrats. In hotly contested Tarrant County, which includes Fort Worth, the number of polling sites was slashed by almost a third. This could increase the risk of long lines and voter confusion on Election Day.
Voting rights groups such as the Texas Civil Rights Project are tracking two issues involving the state’s voter registration systems. A software error at the Texas Department of Public Safety stopped several hundred thousand new voter registrations from being forwarded to local election officials, preventing them from being added to the rolls. A separate state system for updating registration information wasn’t processing changes for several weeks, leading to more backlogs. Counties say they’ve been able to address these problems.
Every election features some issues with voting equipment.
So far, there have been isolated complaints involving touch-screen voting machines — including one from Dolly Parton’s sister in Tennessee — spawning fears that machines have been “rigged” to switch votes.
ES&S, the company that makes the machines garnering the complaints, told ProPublica that the company hadn’t received widespread reports. Election experts say occasional problems with touch-screen machines don’t signify tampering or manipulation. Any attempt to tamper with programming would surface during testing by election officials and be corrected, they said.
A poster at the King County elections headquarters in Washington. Last month, officials in several states, including Arizona, received envelopes with an unknown white powder. Arizona eventually deemed the material nontoxic, but Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said “the fear it caused was real.”David Ryder/Getty Images
4. How Secure Will the Election Be?
Incidents in the run-up to the midterms have ratcheted up election officials’ concerns about the potential for both cyber and physical attacks.
Last month, officials in several states, including Arizona, received envelopes with an unknown white powder. Arizona eventually deemed the material nontoxic, but Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said “the fear it caused was real.”
In 2024, false bomb threats, thought to be from foreign actors, caused widespread evacuations of vote-counting sites across the country. The disruptions were brief, however, in part because a message board funded by the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, alerted election officials that the FBI had deemed the threats not credible.
Trump, however, has dismantled CISA since retaking the presidency, leaving states and local election officials to grapple with both physical and cyber threats on their own. Electionnonprofits have stepped up to try to fill the gap, and states, with CISA’s help, have enhanced their own cyber defenses.
Derek Tisler, counsel and manager for the elections and government program at the Brennan Center for Justice, said the federal government’s absence has weakened the defenses.
“States acting on their own just do not have the same power,” he said.
A voter at a polling site in Anchorage, Alaska, on Oct. 27. The Justice Department has sued the state, seeking to block it from certifying the result of its Senate race if the Republican incumbent doesn’t win. The suit claims the system is unfairly rigged against Sen. Dan Sullivan, because another Alaska man named Dan Sullivan also qualified for the general election ballot.Nathaniel Wilder/Bloomberg via Getty Images
5. Where Will Postelection Challenges Come From?
Election lawyers fear that actions by the Trump administration in the run-up to the midterms suggest the government will aggressively pursue postelection challenges if the results are not to the president’s liking.
Late last month, the DOJ sued Alaska, seeking to block the state from certifying the result of its Senate race if the Republican incumbent doesn’t win. A federal judge threw out that lawsuit on Sunday, but the administration is expected to appeal.
Trump has said he personally ordered the lawsuit to be filed. It claims the system is unfairly rigged against Sen. Dan Sullivan, because another Alaska man named Dan Sullivan also qualified for the general election ballot. The New York Times reported last week that campaign aides to Democratic Senate nominee Mary Peltola orchestrated the candidacy of the second Dan Sullivan after a monthslong, statewide search to recruit someone with the same name.
Nonetheless, the DOJ’s case is unusual, both because federal law prohibits the government from interfering with an active election and because challenges typically come after voting is complete. Postelection challenges are most often brought by losing candidates in state courts.
“This is using the federal government to interfere with our election process in a way that I think is pretty troubling on multiple levels,” said Brown, the Washington attorney general.
In response to ProPublica’s questions, the DOJ pointed to Blanche’s statement about the lawsuit on social media, which said the agency “does not seek to stop any ballot from being cast or to stop the certification of Alaska’s election.” (The lawsuit calls it “vital” that the state not certify “any election result that may be impacted by voter confusion” and asks the judge to prevent Alaska from doing this.)
Some election lawyers have suggested that if the GOP suffers significant losses, Trump could try to pressure Republicans in Congress to block new members from being seated. Several lawyers, including Derek Muller, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame, say that the incoming Democratic majority would be able to fend off such an effort; courts, too, are likely to stymie it, though it might cause a short delay, according to Muller.
Brown said he and other attorneys general are also planning how to respond if local election officials or boards refuse to certify election results, based on their own claims of fraud or claims by the administration.
“I worry tremendously about what they might do,” Brown said.
Nine people died when a business jet crashed in Miami, Florida, on Sunday. Onlookers captured footage showing a large crater engulfed in flames at the site of the crash
Anxiety over ICE at the polls is a double-edged sword for the Trump administration: There’s the fear that federal immigration agents will illegally descend on voters, and there’s the threat that by boosting awareness of that fear, activists and journalists will help the federal government carry out the work of voter intimidation.
“Even just rumors of [ICE at the polls] are going to spread fear. That’s not what we want,” said Daniela Padilla, deputy director at Texas for All, a statewide coalition of organizations working on democracy and justice issues. “Even your reporting around, ‘We’re watching for ICE at the polls’ — it could scare voters.”
“The biggest threat that we face in Texas this year is voter suppression.”
In Texas, a 40 percent Latino state where a longtime Republican grip on power now finds itself in question, there are real concerns that Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents could pop up in targeted communities to make people afraid to go out and vote on Tuesday. But while the possibility of election interference has been discussed as one of several “big ticket items” of this year’s midterms, Padilla said, “the biggest threat that we face in Texas this year is voter suppression.”
That suppression can take many forms. In Tarrant County, for example, where local officials closed 92 polling locations, reports from early voting indicated some election officials wrongly turned away eligible voters. More than fearing ICE would actually approach the polls, Padilla and several organizers working on election integrity and voting rights in Texas told The Intercept they were worried that journalists amplifying the Trump administration’s stated plans to “surround the polls” with ICE and federal agents could function as an inadvertent form of voter suppression.
Federal and state law prohibits federal immigration agents from being inside polling sites and bar any form of voter intimidation. Those laws haven’t stopped the Trump administration and its allies from threatening to deploy ICE and military personnel around the country during elections. In August, the Department of Justice announced that it planned to send at least 1,000 federal monitors to oversee midterm voting, prompting multiple states to assert they would not let them inside polling locations. As states like Maine prepared to respond to the federal presence at the polls, the DOJ claimed to Newsweek it “never said” it would send federal law enforcement to the polls.
“The Trump administration has been spreading fear for months, refusing to say that they will not send ICE to the polls,” said Emily French, policy director at Common Cause Texas. “I think that the main function of this discussion around ICE at the polls from the Trump administration is scaring people into staying home on Election Day.”
According to Brianna Brown, executive director of the Texas Organizing Project, disinformation efforts are a common voter-suppression tactic in Texas. “So we’re trying to reassure people it’s safe to vote,” she said.
Texas is home to one of the most dramatic potential Senate upsets in the country, with Democratic state Rep. James Talarico leading in the polls over the state’s scandal-plagued Republican attorney general Ken Paxton in a race that could see Texas end up with a Democratic senator for the first time since the ’90s. And the 32 million-person state has enough voter suppression strategies even without ICE in the picture, Brown said, pointing to a 2021 bill that banned drive-through voting, weakened protections for disabled voters, and gave more power to poll watchers appointed on behalf of a candidate or political party.
“Texas is just like a perfect storm,” Brown said.
When ICE showed up at a polling site in San Antonio in May — marking the first known case of ICE at the polls in the country during this year’s primaries — the county sheriff kicked the agents out. Even then, it did not appear that the federal agents were targeting someone in the process of voting; they had arrived at the scene shortly after state police, with whom they work closely, pulled someone over in the polling site’s parking lot.
That day, staff at the Texas Organizing Project and a group of civil and voting rights organizations working as part of the Texas Election Protection coalition helped coordinate outreach to the local sheriff to get ICE removed from the site.
The state coalition is part of a nationwide effort to protect this year’s elections from interference — federal or otherwise. In Texas, the Lawyers’ Committee and several other groups including the Barbara Jordan Leadership Institute, Common Cause Texas, and the Texas Civil Rights Project have been training people to help make sure voters know their rights on Election Day and that they report any instances of voter intimidation — whether an eligible voter is wrongly turned away or someone spots ICE — to a national hotline.
“We want to inform people, but we don’t want to scare them from coming to the polls,” said Khanay Turner-Osborne, executive director of the Barber Jordan Leadership Institute. She said she hasn’t heard much concern about ICE showing up around polling sites in Tarrant County, where she’s based and where people can vote at any polling site in the county. But still, for voters in hotspots of ICE activity and other forms of voter suppression, the group has told them to consider voting at a different eligible site, she said.
The group wants to help people prepare, Turner-Osborne said. “But I don’t want it to be in a way that deters people from voting.”
The rapid adoption and use of artificial intelligence is having a transformative effect on GPU designs, with accelerators nowadays being optimized for lower-precision formats such as FP16, BF16, and FP8 since these formats provide the computational throughput required for both AI training and inference.
However, many traditional high-performance computing (HPC) applications have to use FP64 (double-precision) arithmetic to ensure numerical accuracy, stability, and convergence. This presents a problem for organizations that wish to support both AI and scientific computing on shared accelerator infrastructure.
Fortunately, organizations do not have to choose between AI acceleration and native FP64 performance.
Why Native FP64 Performance Remains Essential
AMD Instinct MI430X
FP64 remains necessary for many demanding scientific applications, such as quantum chemistry, molecular simulations, electromagnetic simulations, computational physics, and numerical linear algebra; in large-scale iterative and direct solvers, small numerical errors can build up and affect convergence and, in some cases, spoil the simulation results.
While some applications can use mixed precision to boost performance, others need double precision for most calculations.
Methods like Ozaki emulation let organizations use lower-precision hardware to run higher-precision calculations. However, they cannot serve as universal replacements for native FP64 capabilities.
Understanding Ozaki Emulation and its Performance Limitations
The Ozaki method achieves higher-precision matrix calculations through a series of lower-precision operations. It breaks down high-precision values into lower-precision components, processes them using high-throughput hardware, and then combines the results to achieve the required accuracy.
This method is appealing because modern AI accelerators provide excellent throughput at lower precision. For certain dense linear algebra operations, Ozaki emulation can reach FP64 accuracy. This does not mean it reproduces all the numerical properties of native IEEE FP64 arithmetic.
Although it has potential, Ozaki emulation involves trade-offs that can limit application-level performance.
Computational overhead is a major issue. While native FP64 hardware can carry out double-precision operations directly, Ozaki emulation must perform several calculations at lower precision and include extra accumulation steps. Depending on the required accuracy and the decomposition methods used, this extra work can considerably reduce the performance benefit of lower-precision hardware.
Memory and data movement also pose challenges. When values are broken down and intermediate results are stored, the demand on memory capacity, bandwidth, and cache resources rises. In memory-bound high-performance computing applications, this data movement can cancel out improvements in computational throughput.
Workload suitability is also important. Dense matrix multiplication can use optimized matrix engines and efficient data reuse, while sparse computations, irregular memory accesses, and communication-intensive applications may achieve only much smaller gains.
Ultimately, the degree of numerical accuracy depends on the decomposition methods, precision formats, and accumulation strategies; since different implementations can produce different error characteristics, validation must be specific to each application.
Native FP64 Versus Emulation: Evaluating Real-World Performance
To compare native FP64 with emulated precision, users must look beyond peak arithmetic performance.
An accelerator that has very high FP16 or BF16 throughput might seem to beat native FP64 hardware when using emulation. Still, such a comparison can be deceptive if it ignores decomposition overhead, extra memory traffic, substantial additional memory capacity requirements, and the cost of achieving the necessary numerical accuracy.
Organizations should use application-level benchmarks to assess both methods, the benchmarks being those that measure sustained throughput, time to solution, memory utilization, communication overhead, and energy efficiency.
Numerical accuracy and convergence are equally important; a matrix multiplication kernel that attains FP64-equivalent accuracy under certain conditions does not ensure that the whole scientific application will exhibit the same numerical behavior.
A simple example puts these issues into perspective. When emulating a double-precision floating-point matrix calculation, the “base” memory (i.e., the memory required when using hardware FP64) can be computed by taking the matrix size, multiplying it by itself, and then by 3 and then by 8 bytes. For a matrix size of 4,096, hardware FP64 would then need (4096^2)*3*8 bytes, which is 384MB. The extra memory needed to get full accuracy using software emulation would be about 849 MB. This means that instead of 384 MB of storage, emulation would take 384 + 849, or roughly 3.21x more memory than HW FP64.
If the matrix size is larger, say 32,768, the required base storage would be 24 GB, and emulation would need 52 extra GB (3.17x more storage).
Energy consumption also matters; depending on the hardware and workload, more lower-precision operations can use more energy than fewer native FP64 operations.
Bottom line: Ozaki emulation is valuable when the throughput benefits of reduced precision outweigh its overhead. Native FP64, on the other hand, provides a more robust way to run applications with extensive double-precision needs.
AMD’s Approach: Native FP64 Performance Without Mandatory Emulation
AMD’s architecture supports demanding scientific workloads alongside emerging AI applications.
AMD Instinct GPUs offer native FP64 support, enabling HPC applications to run double-precision operations without special emulation. Moreover, lower-precision formats let organizations speed up AI and mixed-precision workloads.
Its flexibility means applications can choose the level of precision that matches their requirements rather than being constrained by the hardware.
Another important factor to take into account is the software ecosystem. AMD ROCm is an open software platform for GPU computing which includes compilers, development tools, and optimized numerical libraries. These features enable organizations to port, develop, and optimize scientific applications while using native FP64 and lower-precision acceleration.
EDA: An Illustrative Example
The value of this approach can be seen in electronic design automation (EDA). Semiconductor design workflows include computationally intensive tasks such as circuit simulation, electromagnetic analysis, power integrity analysis, and numerical optimization.
Because many of these applications rely on precise numerical calculations, large sparse systems, and iterative solvers, numerical stability and convergence are essential to reliable results.
Native FP64 execution can be used for these workloads to avoid the overhead and implementation complexity of precision emulation. Furthermore, high memory bandwidth and capacity help handle the large, irregular datasets encountered in EDA simulations.
At the same time, lower-precision acceleration can benefit AI-assisted design optimization and other new EDA techniques; by supporting both capabilities on the same accelerator platform, semiconductor companies gain more flexibility to run either traditional simulation or AI-improved design processes.
A Final Word: Precision Flexibility Will Define Future HPC Systems
Ozaki emulation shows how innovative numerical techniques can increase the usefulness of lower-precision AI accelerators. For appropriate workloads, it provides a valuable way to use high-throughput matrix hardware.
Its effectiveness depends on workload characteristics, numerical requirements, and computational overhead; therefore, it cannot be used everywhere as a substitute for native double-precision arithmetic.
As AI and traditional HPC systems converge, organizations will need accelerator architectures that can efficiently support multiple precision formats.
For any organization experiencing these problems, the most important thing is to choose systems that deliver reliable application-level performance without unnecessary concessions in precision. Native FP64 will still be essential to achieving this objective.
To learn more about FP64 Performance of AMD Instinct products and the Limits of Ozaki Emulation, visit the AMD booth #3028 at SC26.
Autumn, we’ve been expecting you. After a September that seemed to miss the memo about changing seasons, October made up for it with serial storms and nights that drew in faster than you could say “fall back”. Time to hunker down and, whisper it, even put the heating on – or at least fire up an electric heater if you’re still holding out on the radiators.
But while you were drawn to the indoor pleasures of heaters, hot casseroles and hotter coffee, you’ve also had your eye on party season, or at least been thinking about venturing into those corners of your wardrobe that haven’t seen daylight since March. From a clothes steamer to breathe new life into your threads, a pencil skirt and sheer silk shirt to update your wardrobe, to a vitamin C serum to keep your skin glowing all winter, these were your favourite things in October.
Exclusive: Gap between NHS claim and trusts’ comments described as ‘very misleading’ by senior health official
More than two dozen hospital trusts the NHS claims have benefited from Palantir’s medical data platform are not using all or most of the AI-powered technology, the Guardian can reveal.
The 29 hospital trusts that NHS England publicly lists as “realising benefits” from the controversial £330m federated data platform (FDP) have said the system is not live or they are not using any of its applications. The apparent gap between the NHS claim and the trusts’ understanding was described as “very misleading” by one senior health official.
We cannot let the billionaire class take unprecedented risks with our future
America is a divided country in crisis. Despite the sunny economic forecast coming from the Trump administration, millions of Americans are struggling to find and keep jobs, getting crushed under the rising cost of living, and losing health insurance when they need it the most.
Meanwhile, via corporate consolidation and political corruption, the billionaire class is getting richer faster than ever before: a 40% increase in wealth in just the last two years. Today, the combined wealth of nearly 3,000 global billionaires equals one-fifth of the entire world’s yearly output. Nearly 1,000 billionaires live and do business in the United States.
Quitobaquito Springs, a rare Sonoran Desert oasis imperiled by border wall construction, is located within 200 feet of the U.S.-Mexico border in Organ Pipe National Monument outside Ajo, Arizona. Anna Watts
Lorraine Eiler stood in the blazing August sun, surrounded by reporters, to offer a warning. The Trump administration was racing to erect a second border wall across Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, southwest of Tucson. If the bulldozers came, she said, they were bound to disturb the final resting places of her family and Hia-Ced O’odham tribal ancestors.
“People used to live here,” the 89-year-old said.
Fifteen days later, her fears were realized.
ProPublica has confirmed that Native American remains were unearthed in Organ Pipe amid soil overturned by border wall contractors.
The discovery, unreported until now, was made on Sept. 8, the National Park Service said in a statement. “Following established protocols, the University of Arizona conducted an assessment and confirmed that the remains are human and align with tribal cremation practices,” the agency said.
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act governs the steps agencies must take following an inadvertent discovery of Native American remains on federal land. Those steps include halting any activity that contributed to the discovery until tribal communities are consulted.
“The National Park Service is committed to respecting tribal rights and traditions,” the agency went on to say, adding that it was “working diligently to identify the culturally affiliated tribe and ensure the respectful return of the remains, so the tribe may observe their religious and cultural practices.”
Eiler was alerted to the discovery by a cultural affairs specialist with the Tohono O’odham Nation, a larger tribe whose reservation is east of Organ Pipe, and later by the Organ Pipe superintendent’s office. Her family discussed what to do next. Ultimately, they decided to hold off on reburying the newly unearthed remains until construction in the area stops, fearing the work will disturb more sites.
“Who knows what more will come up,” Eiler said in an interview. “They’re going to find remains wherever they dig.”
Hia-Ced O’odham elder Lorraine Eiler stands in the shade of a giant saguaro cactus in Organ Pipe National Monument in 2022.Roberto “Bear” Guerra
Customs and Border Protection contractors have bulldozed a wide swath of vegetation parallel to the international divide. The agency has fashioned staging areas for heavy equipment by knocking down, uprooting and attempting to transplant select specimens of the monument’s native plants. Eiler was told the remains were found by a park service archaeologist near the base of a saguaro cactus that was still standing.
In a statement, CBP said it was advised of the discovery six days after it was made, that its cultural resource specialists examined the area and found no other remains, and that “no additional construction has occurred at this location to date.”
The discovery comes amid tensions between the Department of Homeland Security and tribal communities in the Sonoran Desert. In April, border wall contractors bulldozed through a large, well-marked earthen etching, known as the Las Playas Intaglio, that was believed to be at least 6,500 years old. (CBP said the incident was accidental.)
Soon after, the department awarded a $1.3 billion contract for construction of a 62-mile border wall across the entirety of the Tohono O’odham Nation. The tribe is fighting the project in federal court and has erected “no trespassing” signs to keep border wall contractors off its land. As ProPublica recently reported, DHS has responded by deploying masked federal agents as escorts for its work crews and conducting aerial surveillance of tribal members. The head of CBP has justified the need for a wall by describing the reservation as “one of the most dangerous smuggling and trafficking corridors on the Southwest border.”
Verlon M. Jose, the tribe’s chairman, expressed gratitude that the park service had notified his office of the discovery, but mourned the fact that it was necessary.
“When you have mass destruction and disturbance of land taking place where there are clearly sacred sites, cemeteries and other areas of cultural importance, these types of discoveries are bound to happen,” Jose said in a statement. “Every time this happens it is a wound to the heart of all members of the Tohono O’odham Nation — these are our ancestors, our family members — whose remains are being desecrated.”
U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva, who appeared with Eiler and the chairman at the August news conference, blasted the government for failing to heed their warnings. “Tribal leaders and elders have warned DHS about the devastating consequences of bulldozing through their ancestral lands, beginning with the destruction of the Las Playas Intaglio,” she said in a statement. “For months, those warnings have fallen on deaf ears. Now, we are seeing exactly what they feared: sacred sites destroyed and ancestral burial grounds desecrated.”
James T. Watson, curator of bioarcheology in the Arizona State Museum at the University of Arizona, analyzed the remains recovered in Organ Pipe in the field.
While he was not authorized to discuss the details of his findings without park service approval, Watson said in an email that he confirmed the remains were human. The evidence suggested they were cremated in a manner consistent with precolonial practices in the region dating back 1,500 years, he wrote.
Under NAGPRA, the graves protection act, Native American remains inadvertently uncovered on park service lands must be immediately secured, Watson explained, and the superintendent of the jurisdiction must notify “all relevant lineal descendants” with “potential cultural affiliation or ancestral ties to the land.”
“Work in the immediate discovery area must remain suspended for at least 30 calendar days,” he wrote, while the park service consults with tribal representatives “to determine the disposition and physical treatment of the remains.”
Workers clear desert flora to make way for construction of a double border wall in Organ Pipe National Monument.Anna Watts
In a region as rich with archaeological sites as the American Southwest, the inadvertent disturbance of Native American remains occurs with some regularity. What sets the discovery in Organ Pipe apart are the extraordinary powers the Department of Homeland Security wields to expedite wall construction in the borderlands.
Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Congress passed the Real ID Act, which included a provision empowering the secretary of DHS to waive any law that might slow border wall construction. In the two decades since, DHS has invoked its powers 66 times, with 60 of those instances occurring under President Donald Trump’s two administrations.
When DHS uses this authority, it typically waives dozens of laws at a time. That was the case in 2019 when the department set its sights on Organ Pipe. A waiver issued by then-acting Secretary Kevin K. McAleenan set aside more than 40 of the nation’s most stringent environmental and cultural resource protection laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act and others. Also on that list was the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, the landmark 1990 law that acknowledged the nation’s long history of desecrating Native American burials and required that ancestral remains and cultural objects be returned to tribes.
In an internal 2019 report obtained by The Washington Post, park service officials identified nearly two dozen archaeological sites in Organ Pipe as at risk of damage or total destruction by government contractors.
Of particular significance is a desert oasis known as Quitobaquito Springs. Less than 200 feet from the international border, the springs provide one of the only reliable sources of groundwater and shade for miles around, and they were a longtime gathering place, grazing site and home for O’odham families.
“Archaeological evidence of human presence at Quitobaquito extends back thousands of years, at least to Archaic times,” the survey found, adding that the springs represent the “only known Hia C-ed O’odham village site in the United States.”
A park service report in 2024 noted that a cemetery at Quitobaquito holds the remains of at least two families, including Eiler’s, and 34 graves. Throughout the region, remains of 5,500 ancestors that were displaced have been made available for return to the Tohono O’odham Nation, according to ProPublica’s NAGPRA database.
“This sort of incident has happened numerous times across our homeland, and it’s always alarming to hear about a case from an O’odham point of view,” said David Martínez, a professor of American Indian and transborder studies at the University of Arizona and a member of the Hia-Ced O’odham and Akimel O’odham tribes, as well as the Gila River Indian Community.
“Those remains shouldn’t have been disturbed in the first place,” he said. “While there are protocols existing today to properly care for these remains, ultimately, whatever either the government or the corporate world is pursuing to build, we know that at some juncture that construction will continue, and it always leaves us feeling, I think, a little hollow.”
Today, Quitobaquito lies in the shadow of the border wall erected during Trump’s first term. Its construction required detonating explosives in the national monument, blasting apart an area called Monument Hill and outraging tribal leaders. According to Eiler, the remains recovered in September were not found at the springs, though government work crews are working in close proximity to the site.
This year, DHS hired Sundt Construction, an Arizona-based company, to build a second wall in the monument. The $443 million contract was finalized in May. (Sundt directed questions concerning the discovery of human remains on its job site to CBP.)
According to CBP, the 2019 waiver for Organ Pipe is still in effect, years after completion of the project that prompted it. A second waiver, exempting DHS from many of the same laws and applying to the national monument as well as a wildlife refuge to the west, was issued by Homeland Security’s then-Secretary Kristi Noem last year.
“Unfortunately, there is no end date to the effectiveness of the waivers,” said Dinah Bear, a Tucson-based lawyer who served for 25 years as a senior attorney in the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality under both Democratic and Republican administrations. What’s more, she added, “there’s nothing in the statutory language that ties the waivers to a particular project.”
The Department of Homeland Security’s waiver powers have been central to a high-profile legal fight over the department’s efforts to build a border wall through Big Bend National Park in West Texas, with a federal judge overseeing the case recently ordering a temporary halt to the project.
Borderlands advocates in Arizona are hoping for similar interventions. In Congress, Grijalva is preparing legislation to void existing waivers that have allowed DHS to disregard laws designed to protect tribal sovereignty, sacred sites and environmentally sensitive lands.
In the meantime, construction on the border continues. For Eiler, it’s not just the destruction in Organ Pipe that’s troubling. She sees the disturbance of tribal graves resulting from wall construction as reflective of a wider pattern of destruction across the border.
“It’s sad because it’s not only happening down there,” she said. “It’s happening all over the United States, and nobody’s saying much about it.”
The federal Office of Refugee Resettlement is supposed to care for migrant children who arrive in the country alone. But new policies are stranding kids in shelters and undermining their mental health.
Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use disorder, call Delaware’s Substance Abuse Hotline (Northern Delaware: 800-652-2929 / Southern Delaware: 800-345-6785).Local nonprofitaTAcK Addictionis an additional resource for support groups, foodand housing assistanceand more. Its resource center is located at 210 Peoples Plaza, Newark, DE 19702.
For a play about substance use disorder, “The White Chip” is anything but sobering for the majority of its runtime.
The sardonically comedic script follows its central character, Steven, as he recounts his experiences with alcoholism. It flies through decades of absurd experiences, from participating in theater at a Latter-day Saint summer camp to sneaking onto a golf course to spread his father’s ashes.
Get Involved New Light Theatre is hosting four free performances of “The White Chip” across Delaware.
Sat., Nov. 7, 2 p.m. at Route 9 Library (3022 New Castle Ave., New Castle, DE 19720)
Thurs., Nov. 12, 6 p.m. at Delaware Technical Community College Dover Campus (100 Campus Drive, Dover, DE 19904)
Sat., Nov. 14, 4 p.m. at Delaware Technical Community College Georgetown Campus (21179 College Drive, Georgetown, DE 19947)
Sun., Nov. 15, 5 p.m. at Lewes Public Library (111 Adams Ave., Lewes, DE 19958)
Even the script’s production notes encourage silliness.
“It’s a play about life in the theater, so don’t shy away from theatricality,” advises the playwright, Sean Daniels. He wrote the script over a decade ago, drawing from his experiences as a theater-maker struggling with alcoholism.
Delaware’s New Light Theatre took Daniels’ advice to heart during its first production of “The White Chip” at OperaDelaware Studios in March. The production returns Nov. 7-15 with four free performances across the state.
“We threw the kitchen sink at this thing in terms of theatrical conventions,” co-director Charlie DelMarcelle said. “There’s puppets. There’s shadow work. There’s music. There’s weird costume stuff. There’s some interesting and goofy staging. There’s a really active sound design that gets cartoonish at some points.”
“The White Chip” uses hand puppets with mini Solo Cups to simulate a college party. | PHOTO BY LENA MUCCHETTI, COURTESY OF NEW LIGHT THEATRE
New Light Theatre depict an inebriated Steven (Owen Corey) jumping off a roof during a house party using a projector and shadow puppetry. | PHOTO BY LENA MUCCHETTI, COURTESY OF NEW LIGHT THEATRE
“The White Chip” features some creative staging, like this makeshift bed. | PHOTO BY LENA MUCCHETTI, COURTESY OF NEW LIGHT THEATRE
For example, during a scene at a college toga party, the cast used their hands as puppets to mime characters guzzling their drinks and vomiting them back up.
“The early days of addiction are sometimes marked by absurdity and things that feel funny and ridiculous. That’s part of why (Steven) doesn’t take it seriously,” lead actor Owen Corey said. “If we give it an art form that doesn’t take itself seriously, like hand puppets chugging little, baby Solo Cups, it’s truthful to what the script is asking of us.”
“The White Chip” is typically performed by three actors — one as Steven and the other two playing his friends, family members, co-workers and more.
But DelMarcelle chose to add a fourth actor, Trice Baldwin-Browns, to embody both Steven’s mother and father. Until the climax of the play, Baldwin-Browns sits at a table, physically distanced from the other actors to symbolize Steven’s emotional distance from his parents as he struggles on his own.
Trice Baldwin-Browns plays Steven’s mother and father by shining one of two lights on herself depending on who is speaking. | PHOTO BY LENA MUCCHETTI, COURTESY OF NEW LIGHT THEATRE
Steven’s mother (Trice Baldwin-Browns) is distanced onstage from her son (Owen Corey) until the climax of “The White Chip.” | PHOTO BY LENA MUCCHETTI, COURTESY OF NEW LIGHT THEATRE
“The White Chip” is not the first instance of DelMarcelle getting experimental onstage to explore the subject of substance use disorder.
His one-man show, “A Shadow That Broke the Light,” was inspired by his younger brother Joey’s death by heroin overdose in 2014. Afterward, DelMarcelle and his brother, Adam, began interviewing others who had lost loved ones to overdose.
“A Shadow That Broke the Light” took the form of a monologue that was repeatedly interrupted by a timer, which symbolized the frequency of daily overdose deaths in the United States.
When the timer ran out, DelMarcelle would pause his monologue to hang a sheet of paper on a clothesline surrounding the set. Adam made the paper from the donated clothing of people who had died by overdose.
The play’s 2023 Philadelphia run made an impression on Lena Mucchetti, New Light Theatre’s artistic director. When she began searching for directors for “The White Chip,” DelMarcelle instantly came to mind.
‘Laughter in the recovery rooms’
The actors in “The White Chip” use physicality to highlight the script’s humor. | PHOTO BY LENA MUCCHETTI, COURTESY OF NEW LIGHT THEATRE
New Light Theatre has made a tradition of partnering with nonprofit organizations to raise funds and bring awareness to social issues, but the theater company hadn’t explored substance use disorder until Mucchetti read “The White Chip.”
“The playwright often talks about how, when you see someone in addiction or recovery in a show, it’s, like, a dark church basement, and everyone’s very serious,” she said. “You don’t get to see the full spectrum of humanity, of the joy in the recovery community, the laughter in the recovery rooms.”
The cast of “The White Chip” includes Owen Corey, center, who plays Steven, and Anna Faye Lieberman, left, and V. Sterling, right, who play most of the other roles in the script. | PHOTO BY LENA MUCCHETTI, COURTESY OF NEW LIGHT THEATRE
For both runs of “The White Chip,” New Light Theatre has partnered with atTAcK Addiction, the Delaware nonprofit founded by the Keister family after their son’s accidental overdose.
atTAcK Addiction raises awareness about substance use disorder and provides housing programs, support groups, Narcan training and more. The nonprofit also operates a resource center and food pantry in Newark.
During the initial run, New Light Theatre hosted talkbacks moderated by representatives from atTAcK Addiction. A Dover therapist’s comment that the show “could be life-saving” for her clients inspired the show’s second, statewide run.
It’ll be New Light Theatre’s first community tour. But it helps that “The White Chip” doesn’t have an elaborate set. All that needs to be transported is four actors and some props.
Thanks to the tour’s sponsors, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services and Highmark Health Options, New Light Theatre is able to offer all four performances for free.
“That was the point of this tour, to make it super accessible to folks, to think of it as a sort of preventative healthcare measure and not just entertainment,” Mucchetti said.
‘Neuroscience to a bad habit’
DelMarcelle said several of the people he interviewed for “A Shadow That Broke the Light” never ran obituaries for loved ones they lost to overdose out of a sense of shame.
By bringing “The White Chip” to a broader audience, the cast and crew at New Light Theatre are hopeful that they can reduce the stigma around substance use disorder.
The play shows that anybody can struggle with addiction, and some, like Steven, hide their problem incredibly well. As DelMarcelle put it, there’s no one way a person with substance use disorder looks or acts like.
Steven (Owen Corey) gifts himself liquor on Christmas Day. | PHOTO BY LENA MUCCHETTI, COURTESY OF NEW LIGHT THEATRE
In Steven’s case, he’s a highly successful theater-maker who becomes dependent on alcohol to socialize and tap into his creativity.
DelMarcelle is familiar with Steven’s struggles. He, too, used to self-medicate with alcohol. He believed if he went to therapy or took medication for his anxiety, the “engine” that drives his creative output would be compromised.
“There’s something essentially incredibly scary and vulnerable about making art, presenting yourself publicly to other people,” DelMarcelle said. “A lot of theater people … are actually incredibly introverted, very private, and alcohol and drugs can take some of that edge off.”
He added that the assumption that “somehow, people have full control over their addiction” and could “just stop” if they truly wanted to is particularly harmful because it ignores factors like physiological predispositions to addiction and the chemical dependence that can develop with regular drug and alcohol use.
In line with the play’s experimental nature, New Light Theatre’s production of “The White Chip” features several dance numbers. | PHOTO BY LENA MUCCHETTI, COURTESY OF NEW LIGHT THEATRE
Steven (Owen Corey) passes out on actor Anna Faye Liberman. | PHOTO BY LENA MUCCHETTI, COURTESY OF NEW LIGHT THEATRE
Actors Anna Faye Lieberman and V. Sterling explain beliefs about the afterlife in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, colloquially known as Mormonism. In “The White Chip,” both the central character and the playwright are former members of the church. | PHOTO BY LENA MUCCHETTI, COURTESY OF NEW LIGHT THEATRE
“There’s a neuroscience to a bad habit,” Corey said, adding that most people are “dopamine addicts” who can learn from the play, whether they have substance use disorder or not.
DelMarcelle’s advice to anyone struggling with addiction is to be “strong enough and vulnerable enough” to ask for help, then self-compassionate when stumbling on the road to recovery,
It’s a road that, as “The White Chip” emphasizes, can be full of humor and heart.
“Addiction really thrives in isolation, and one of the antidotes to that is building community. (We need to be) checking on our people, being there for people, understanding that, for folks who are struggling with addiction, it is like any other disease. It is a chemical, biological thing happening in their body,” Mucchetti said. “I also hope that (the play) highlights for folks how many different resources there are out there, and that there is a lot of hope in recovery. A lot of hope and a lot of joy are possible on the other side of it.”
Why Should Delaware Care? Both nationally and locally healthcare is changing. Reductions to federal subsidies are set to hit early next year, the state passed laws to change how providers are paid for care, as well as the state introducing its first surgeon general.
Leaders from across Delaware’s healthcare arena met on Thursday for an all-day summit to discuss challenges facing industry professionals and how the state is bracing for federal changes to Medicaid that could see thousands of Delawareans go without coverage.
The summit was held in Dover by the Delaware Healthcare Association, a lobbying organization that represents the state’s hospital systems.
During the all-day event, Delaware’s congressional delegation, its first surgeon general, as well as a panel of hospital presidents discussed an evolving healthcare landscape both locally and nationally.
During one of the early presentations, Dr. Neil Hockstein, the state’s first surgeon general, laid out his vision for how his role would address public health in Delaware.
Since taking the role earlier this summer, Hockstein has discussed how he believes smartphones and social media are today’s public health priorities.
Hockstein, who for decades was a head and neck surgeon, said he believes there needs to be better protections for children on social media, like schooltime bans, notification limits and stronger age-verification functions.
He pointed to other nations that have implemented social media bans, but said compliance is often very low. Hockstein added there can be some social consequences for not being on social media for kids, saying “no parent wants their kid to be the only kid off social media.”
But he also discussed on Thursday how technology could be used to benefit the healthcare industry and reduce inefficiencies within patient treatments, such as pre-approvals for care.
He said the state has been working toward more centralized communication between healthcare providers, like hospitals, and payers, most often insurers. But Hockstein added patients are often cut out of their care once it comes to waiting for approvals or other communications between organizations.
“We can track our pizza, but a patient can’t figure out if their MRI is authorized,” Hockstein said.
While he said technology like artificial intelligence may help to alleviate some communication gaps, without a connected healthcare communication infrastructure, the bots would be “incredibly efficient at being inefficient.”
Federal officials discuss Medicaid cuts
A separate panel with Delaware’s congressional delegation — U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester and Chris Coons, as well as U.S. Congresswoman Sarah McBride — discussed looming cuts to Medicaid funding that are set to impact not only patients but also healthcare providers.
Coons said as the Medicaid reductions were being passed, Delaware’s lawmakers were sounding the alarm that the cuts would impact more than a quarter of the state’s population, including those with disabilities and in nursing homes.
“It’ll have real costs,” Coons said. “People will choose between rent and healthcare.”
Signed into law in July by President Donald Trump, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act imposes drastic cuts and stricter work eligibility requirements for Medicaid clients. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the cuts will leave 10 million people uninsured by 2034.
The cuts are estimated to pull close to $1 trillion from the program over the next decade. For some, Blunt Rochester said, the consequences would be dire.
“People will be sicker, they will be poorer, and some people will die,” Blunt Rochester said.
Separately, McBride discussed hikes in premiums for patients who enroll in Delaware’s open marketplace.
Earlier this fall, the Delaware Department of Insurance announced rate changes for health plans purchased through the open marketplace, also known as Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare plans. The adjustments are connected, in part, to reductions in health insurance subsidies at the federal level.
Plans for two of the state’s primary insurers, Highmark and AmeriHealth Caritas, will both jump by double-digit percentages in 2027, according to the announcement.
The ACA marketplace makes up only a small percentage of insured Delawareans. Most are either covered by a governmental plan like Medicaid or Medicare, while others receive private coverage through their employer.
Still, a jump in rates represents additional financial strain for patients who are often left to cover the entirety of their coverage plans without additional support from the government or an employer, such as small business owners.
McBride said for some, navigating those costs may be too much to manage. But she also pointed to other ways to pay for care they may need, like hospital financial assistance or other cheaper ACA plans.
Still, she said shopping around for coverage would not address what she called a “cost crisis.”
Delaware hospital leaders discussed the challenges facing their industry at a panel last week during the Delaware Healthcare Association’s annual summit. | PHOTO COURTESY OF DHA
Hospital executives discuss public perceptions
The final panel of the day saw leadership from the state’s six hospital systems discuss an evolving landscape for hospitals and the counterweight of operating businesses, while also working to best serve patients.
Kyle Benoit, Bayhealth’s chief operating officer, said many in society feel as though hospitals put “profits over patient care.” He said as a result, hospital leaders need to do more to engage with the community and address their own “shortcomings.”
While hospitals may not be the only sectors of the healthcare industry contributing to rising costs, Benoit acknowledged that when patients need care, it is often the hospitals they are dealing with.
“But often, when the patient gets a hospital bill or when they call for an appointment, they see us,” Benoit said.
“You want us to run a smart business,” Schwartz said.
But she also called the current business model of healthcare “broken” and said hospitals need to work toward a system that rewards providers for keeping patients healthy.
Why Should Delaware Care? Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings is tasked with enforcing the rights of humanity as the beneficiary of OpenAI’s nonprofit foundation. Her team at the Delaware Department of Justice is using that authority to investigate the safety of operations at the nonprofit and at the for-profit company it controls.
The Delaware Department of Justice has sent an investigative subpoena to OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, a year after state officials approved the company’s for-profit restructuring with a slate of safety commitments.
The subpoena follows a July incident in which a swarm of OpenAI bots broke into the servers of the separate AI company, Hugging Face. The hack raised alarms from Silicon Valley to Washington, D.C., particularly because of how the bots autonomously worked together to carry it out. Safety advocates argued that such coordination was a sign of the threat that AI could pose to humanity.
DOJ officials told Spotlight Delaware they held an initial briefing with OpenAI after the hack, then followed up. Last month, they issued the demand for records related to the San Francisco company’s “safety and governance issues.”
The state officials, who spoke with Spotlight Delaware in late October on the condition of anonymity, declined to elaborate about the details of the probe.
But, on Friday, one source with knowledge of the subpoena called it “very broad,” with a scope that goes beyond safety.
The source, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Delaware is seeking records about decisions made by OpenAI executives and board members, as well as their calendars, board meeting minutes, and briefing materials.
Also sought are “board member voting records regarding any model or agent performance issues they’ve reviewed,” the source stated.
The subpoena, which could be a precursor to a wider lawsuit, marks the first compulsory regulatory action taken by Delaware authorities against OpenAI since they signed off on its corporate restructure a year ago – an approval that DOJ officials said came with more than a dozen safety commitments from company leaders.
Because of the Delaware approval — and a parallel one from California — OpenAI transformed from a nonprofit company to a hybrid entity that included OpenAI Group PBC, a for-profit public benefit corporation, in late 2025.
Today, OpenAI Group PBC is one of the world’s most valuable private companies. CNBC reported last month that investors set its value at $1.25 trillion.
The Delaware officials did say the DOJ is acting under its authority to regulate OpenAI’s controlling shareholder – the nonprofit OpenAI Foundation.
Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings | SPOTLIGHT DELAWARE PHOTO BY JOSE IGNACIO CASTANEDA PEREZ
Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings – who leads the state DOJ – has the authority to represent the beneficiaries of any nonprofit to ensure it is following its mission, the officials said. OpenAI’s certificate of incorporation describes the mission, in part, as ensuring “that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.”
“Humanity can’t go into the (Delaware) Court of Chancery to enforce their rights. So that’s the Attorney General,” one DOJ official said.
The state officials also linked their authority to probe OpenAI to its safety commitments made last year, including one that directs the board of the for-profit entity to disregard financial interests when acting on issues of safety.
OpenAI did not respond to requests to comment on this story.
Delaware’s probe follows similar investigations launched by other states during the past two months. Some are investigating the hack of Hugging Face. Others are focusing on safety issues related to ChatGPT’s interactions with children.
The Delaware subpoena also comes after a year in which concerns about AI’s threats to human safety have surged to the forefront of public conversations, even outside of Silicon Valley.
In the past two months, in particular, warnings from industry experts of societal doom have followed instances of bots – or AI agents – breaking their human-imposed rules.
Early in 2026, one AI agent retaliated against a software engineer by publishing an article online that was critical of him, according to a February report from Fast Company. The bot apparently took offense that the engineer had not added its computer code into a program under development
In June, OpenAI’s agents hacked into Australian government health websites, prompting the country’s leaders to hold hearings with executives from OpenAI and its competitor Anthropic, earlier this month.
A month after the Australia hack, an Anthropic AI agent sent a false tip about a murder investigation to the Philadelphia Police Department.
Asked about the incidents of rogue AI agents, one Delaware DOJ official said “everybody’s looking into that right now, and that includes us.”
The official said the DOJ is concerned about safety at all of the frontier AI labs, which include OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI, Google DeepMind, and Meta AI.
Each of those companies is spending billions of dollars annually to advance the capabilities of AI — and to unlock the unprecedented wealth that could be generated if the technology ultimately commandeers swaths of the economy.
Like OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta are legally domiciled in Delaware – as is Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google Deepmind.
State DOJ officials said they do not have the same authority over those other AI companies, however, because they do not have structures with a nonprofit controlling company.
Still, one official noted that Delaware can regulate all AI companies from a consumer protection approach, or potentially under the state’s criminal law.
“Anthropic does business in Delaware just like it does business in every state in the country and every country in the world, and Delawareans are interacting with Claude, right?” the official said, referencing Anthropic’s chatbot, Claude.
Last week, Anthropic announced it would soon publicly list its shares on the Nasdaq stock exchange — a move that could make it among the most valuable companies ever in the world.
While the DOJ decided to make its OpenAI probe public, the officials said, “that doesn’t mean that we’re not doing other stuff that we can’t talk about.”
While Delaware and other states are probing several frontier AI companies, some within the field argue that safety can only come from an international set of rules.
Among the most prominent advocates is the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, a California organization that calls for a worldwide ban on the development of artificial superintelligence – a theoretical form of the technology that could outperform humans in any task, including the development of AI.
When reached for comment, Donald Gauvreau, a spokesman for the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, said Delaware’s and other states’ probes of AI labs have the potential to show the public what AI executives truly believe about safety.
“My understanding is that Delaware’s approval of OpenAI’s restructuring came along with safety commitments. The Hugging Face attack occurred while those commitments were in force; either they lack teeth, or OpenAI has some explaining to do,” Gauvreau said.
Delaware pushes AI development elsewhere
The state DOJ probe comes just as others in Delaware advocate for a measure that would create a new type of company run entirely by AI agents.
In June, Spotlight Delaware broke the story about proposed legislation that would create artificial intelligence companies, and would temporarily remove certain existing regulations to allow them to operate.
It also would allow the owner of the AI-run company to largely avoid liability if it does harm.
Supporters say the proposal would allow Delaware to test how autonomous AI businesses operate, and provide lawmakers with key data to develop rules governing their use within the state’s prominent corporate franchise.
But since the Hugging Face attack, prominent public officials have expressed various levels of skepticism.
During a conference at the University of Delaware last month, Vice Chancellor Travis Laster of the Delaware Court of Chancery said the attack made him question whether the threat of a financial loss is enough to force AI agents running a company to act appropriately.
“I’m less persuaded that the economic model of resource husbandry is sufficient in itself,” he said.
Sen. Stephanie Hansen (D-Middletown). | SPOTLIGHT DELAWARE PHOTO BY JACOB OWENS
Two weeks after Laster’s remarks, Delaware Sen. Stephanie Hansen (D-Middletown) also cited the Hugging Face attack when discussing the safety of AI-run companies. During a meeting of Delaware’s AI Commission, Hansen said she became concerned that the proposal could “cause the same sort of AI rogue problems.”
She suggested the state hire an outside third-party consultant to review the measure.
Delaware’s AI company proposal also attracted suspicions from at least one member of Congress. In a statement last week, Rep. James Comer (R-Kentucky) announced he had requested records from Gov. Matt Meyer’s administration about the state’s “assessed risks of this initiative, as well as the forces driving Delaware and other states to adopt such proposals.”
“This information could inform possible federal legislative efforts to limit such state AI regulatory initiatives,” Comer said in the statement.
Dozens of robots took on more than 3,000 steps up one of China's most famous peaks, many carrying eggs and watermelons in a race organizers billed as a test of real-world machine endurance, state media showed.
Why Should Delaware Care? Government works best when its citizens are knowledgeable and engaged. Delaware’s government has scores of commissions, working groups, agencies and legislative committees. All must hold meetings that are open to the public. Below we highlight a few of those meetings that are happening this week.
Below are some of the most important or interesting public meetings happening around the state this week.
Tuesday is Election Day
Sussex County celebrates Return Day on Thursday
State planners discuss townhomes near Lewes on Wednesday
The 2026 midterm elections are here
After a busy several months of campaigning across Delaware, the 2026 general election will take place on Tuesday.
While there are 77 seats up for grabs in federal, state and county races in Tuesday’s general election, there are a handful of races that will draw outsized attention due to their close electorate, campaign spending or controversial candidates.
Democrats are aiming to protect their incumbents and flip at least one Republican seat in the state House of Representatives, which would give them a two-thirds supermajority that would allow them to amend the state Constitution without bipartisan support.
That fact has become a cause for Delaware Republicans as they look to protect their seats and find at least one flip of their own.
Spotlight Delaware will be reporting on how the day unfolds through our Election Day Live Blog. You can stay up to date with those latest happenings and more through the Spotlight Delaware Election Center.
��Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. across the state. You can check your voter registration and find your designated polling location here.
Candidates come together for Return Day
A more than 200-year-old Delaware tradition will return to Georgetown on Thursday, as residents, candidates — both winners and losers alike — and other state and local leaders gather for Return Day.
Held on the Thursday after Election Day on even-numbered years, Return Day celebrates the tradition of Sussex County residents — who once had to cast their ballots in Georgetown, the county seat — returning to hear the results from those elections read aloud.
Its official beginnings are a bit unclear and could date back to as early as 1792, but Return Day celebrations have grown into much more of a spectacle than simply listening to election results being read aloud.
The day features a parade of winning and losing candidates riding together in convertibles, an ox roast with free sandwiches, and even a ceremonial hatchet burying where Democratic, Republican and Independent Party leaders proverbially put the campaigning behind them by literally burying a hatchet in a box of sand.
�� Return Day festivities will begin at 8:30 a.m. in Georgetown, and the parade will step off at 1:30 p.m. For more information, click here.
Planners discuss Lewes-area townhomes
A state board will review a more than 400-unit townhouse project near Lewes on Wednesday.
The proposal, dubbed Vintners Reserve, includes 370 market-rate townhomes and 67 income-restricted townhomes that will be part of Sussex County’s affordable housing program.
It is located on farmland just north of Route 9 and west of Route 1, next to Nassau Valley Vineyards. Delaware’s Preliminary Land Use Service, a state board that coordinates early reviews of developments, will give feedback on the project at its next meeting.
Vintners Reserve would only be the third development built under the Sussex County Rental Program since the program began in 2008. Sussex County Council reformed the program in June to try to attract more developments.
�� The Preliminary Land Use Service (PLUS) will meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday inside the Haslet Armory, located at 122 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Dover. For more information, including on virtual attendance, click here.
"Police continue to blindly trust Flock cameras above and beyond the evidence in front of their own eyes," reports Jalopnik.com.
"After incorrectly connecting Rosalyn Crump's car to a shooting that had occurred the previous day, police had her car towed and impounded as evidence, reports Moneywise..."
According to WWBT 12 On Your Side, Richmond, Virginia, police didn't have a license plate number for the suspect's car, making it impossible to search Flock's records for that plate. Flock cameras collect more than just license plate information, so police searched for a make, model, color, and approximate model year. Based on this extremely vague description, police zeroed in on Crump's 2012 Hyundai Elantra. Around 2 a.m. they started looking through the windows with flashlights to see what was in plain sight, which isn't technically a "search" — at least, not one that would require a warrant... [Crump was asleep, but left her home to speak to the police officers to tell them they had the wrong car. But they didn't believe her.]
Other body cam footage shows an officer expressing doubt that Crump's car is the right one, since child seats and other items inside seem inconsistent with a shooting. Another officer replies, "Don't be surprised if they would have set that up like that." Instead of believing the evidence, or Crump, or interviewing witnesses who could have corroborated her story, police called Seibert's Towing to impound the car...
[Later] Police identified a similar-looking car that seemed to be actually connected to the shooting, and released Crump's Elantra. Nobody actually told Crump this until four days later. Seibert's told Moneywise that police didn't actually release the car until then. Either way, they didn't tell her that Seibert's had ripped the front bumper off during the towing process — leaving the car undrivable — until she arrived to pick it up. Seibert's took responsibility for causing the cosmetic damage, and was willing to cover the $2,212.30 bill to paint and replace the bumper cover, fog lights, and wheel liners. Then Crump asked for a full mechanical inspection, which revealed damaged tie rods and ball joints, jacking the bill beyond $6,000. Seibert's says it didn't cause this damage. Regardless of how it occurred, Seibert's insurer and Crump agree that her Hyundai is now a total loss due to the cost of the repairs it needs. It had been drivable, if mechanically worn, before police ordered it towed, damaging it for nothing more than a case of mistaken identity.
The president of Seibert's towing told Moneywise that while they'd originally offered $2,200 to repair the bumper damage, Crump must now negotiate with their insurance company. Crump has now resorted to a GoFundMe campaign to attempt to raise $17,100 for rental car expenses, a new car, and the expenses of moving to a different neighborhood. 130 donors have already contributed $7,431.
Reached for comment, the Richmond Police Department told local newscasters they "understand that Ms. Crump did not ask to become part of this investigation," and that they recognize the "frustration of having a vehicle towed and subsequently damaged." But they also said they were following a "credible" lead, which is their responsibility. The department "appreciates Ms. Crump's cooperation" (and "sincerely hopes the remaining concerns about her vehicle can be resolved.")
The city of Richmond has "already started backing away from Flock before Crump's story aired," reports Moneywise. "Mayor Danny Avula has decided not to renew Richmond's license plate reader deal with Flock, which ends June 30, 2027. As of September, the city had 99 Flock readers on its streets."
They note that the Institute for Justice, a public interest law firm in Arlington, Virginia, "has tallied at least 27 cases since 2018" of similar police errors. "In each case, a license plate reader mistake led police to stop, jail or point guns at drivers who'd done nothing wrong. More than half came in 2023 or later."
In a downpour against the Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay decided throwing was for losers. They were proved right
I don’t think I’m being cheeky when I say that passing is the most exciting part of football. A solid hit is nice, and a big run can thrill you, but this is a quarterback-centric game. When a QB is bad, teams usually lose and fans get bored. So, Sunday’s performance by Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had me positively gobsmacked. I wouldn’t say their 16-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons was thrill-a-minute, but it certainly was historic. By completing a grand total of zero passes out of a paltry three attempts, Baker Mayfield led the Bucs to the first game with no passing offense since the Buffalo Bills beat the New York Jets 16-12 on 29 September 1974. If you are miraculously old enough to remember the NFL before the advent of the forward pass in 1906, first off, congratulations on being over 120 years of age. Please email me your full diet and exercise regimen. You’re probably on your feet (if standing is still something physically possible), cheering a bit of hard-nosed, classic football. The rest of us young whippersnappers still grinding through our first century are holding our noses.
Of course, Mayfield – a former No 1 overall pick – can throw. As recently as 2024 he threw for 41 touchdowns and 4,500 passing yards in a season. But Sunday’s game was played in pouring rain that led to farcical moments like this, and Tampa Bay clearly decided that the ground game was the only way to go. That the Bucs could score at all, let alone 16 points, is a credit to Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell running as though their lives depended on it. Irving finished the day with 170 rushing yards and one touchdown, while Gainwell had 140. Combined with Mayfield, they rushed 56 times for 324 yards – the most ever in a single game for the Bucs. They more than made up for Mayfield’s borderline irrelevance in the pocket. Mayfield made himself useful blocking for his runners, but otherwise, I probably could have started at QB for the Buccaneers and the game would have been the same, other than the high likelihood of me suffering at least one gruesome injury.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump confirmed Sunday that he discussed Iran with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the United States weighs continued diplomacy against renewed military action following months of conflict.
Trump described Saturday’s conversation with Netanyahu as “very good” and confirmed Iran was discussed. Reporting from U.S. and Israeli sources indicates Netanyahu has been pressing Washington for faster military action, while Trump has so far preferred allowing negotiations with Tehran to continue. Oil prices fell Monday partly on expectations that another round of strikes might still be avoided.
Diplomatic efforts remain active. Iranian negotiators spent several days meeting Qatari mediators in Doha, with a draft proposal now circulating between the parties. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has described the diplomatic movement positively while warning that Iran is also prepared to defend itself if attacked again. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Trump prefers a negotiated resolution and has not made a final decision on additional strikes.
Trump previously said the United States would not launch another attack before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, but he has not ruled out military action afterward. Netanyahu, meanwhile, has publicly suggested that renewed operations against Iran could become necessary.
Tucker Carlson Raises Nuclear Strike Alarm
Against that backdrop, conservative commentator Tucker Carlson made a far more explosive claim Sunday, alleging that Netanyahu is personally pressuring Trump to authorize a nuclear strike against an underground Iranian nuclear facility known as Pickaxe Mountain.
Carlson claimed, citing unnamed sources, that Netanyahu calls Trump regularly about the issue and that Trump could decide by Nov. 7 whether to use a nuclear weapon. Carlson further alleged that conventional U.S. weapons cannot destroy the deeply buried facility and warned that a nuclear strike could trigger a wider global conflict.
Those claims remain unverified. Carlson provided no documents, intelligence assessments or named sources demonstrating that Netanyahu has requested a nuclear attack or that Trump is actively considering one. The White House, Netanyahu and the senior U.S. officials Carlson named have not confirmed his account.
There is also no public confirmation that Iran is currently enriching uranium beneath Pickaxe Mountain. Satellite analysis has shown continued construction at the site, but analysts have not established that enrichment is occurring there. Carlson’s assertion that nuclear weapons represent the only viable military option likewise was not accompanied by an independent technical assessment.
Trump himself said in an Oct. 15 interview that he would not use nuclear weapons against Iran, saying they were unnecessary. That does not rule out conventional military action, but it directly conflicts with the most alarming interpretation of Carlson’s claim.
For now, the verified picture is substantially narrower: Trump and Netanyahu are discussing Iran, Netanyahu favors a tougher approach, U.S. military options remain available, and negotiations are continuing. Carlson’s nuclear-war scenario is a serious allegation, but at this stage it remains an allegation rather than an established plan.
Yousef Jabareen says he is ready to join forces with opposition bloc to oust Benjamin Netanyahu after winning record number of seats in Knesset
The leader of Israel’s main Palestinian coalition, which holds the balance of power after Tuesday’s elections, has said the country is facing a historic opportunity to change direction.
Yousef Jabareen, the head of the Joint List, said he was ready to join forces with the “Change” bloc to oust Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition, and to wrest control of the Knesset.
Survey finds UK government’s decision to impose trade ban was not a decisive factor in how Israelis voted in election
The UK government’s decision to impose a ban on trade in goods from illegal settlements was not decisive in how Israelis voted in their general election, but a majority think the Israeli government’s settlements policy should change if it is going to lead to further sanctions, a new poll of Israelis shows.
There had been fierce criticism of the UK foreign secretary Ed Miliband’s decision in September to impose a trade ban and wider sanctions on illegal settlements, with some claiming it would drive Israeli voters into the arms of Benjamin Netanyahu.
Despite the US president’s ratings being at rock bottom, undoing his legacy will be difficult, not least because the Democrats are in disarray
The stats and polling all suggest one thing: the Republicans are set for a hammering in the midterms. Donald Trump has the lowest approval rating of any US president going into a midterm election since Harry Truman. And it’s still dropping. The Democrats are projected to win by a margin of 11 percentage points, the largest swing by any party in almost 20 years. It is possible that the Democrats flip the Senate and secure a large majority in Congress. Those majorities would make a material difference, perhaps finally establishing oversight of the policies Trump has brought in during his second term: immigration enforcement, trade disputes, gutting the federal workforce, the Iran war, to say nothing of his own family’s corruption. The tide seems to be turning, and one question is on everyone’s mind: is the Trump era really ending?
“Nobody wants to jinx it,” wrote David Wallace-Wells of the New York Times, but: “All the signs we have suggest that, historic or not, these midterms are likely to mark the end of a political era.” What that gives way to is a much more complicated picture in which the US will be delivered from Trump himself, but remain a country riven and undermined by what he has unleashed. By the time he is gone, Trump will have been president for eight years, and a toxic force for more than 12. That is a long time even for a normal politician. Under one who shatters norms and forces himself into the centre of everything, Trump’s effect is as if he were president for decades.
From the blog It's FOSS
Gregory Kurtzer is no stranger to the Linux world. He created CentOS, and when Red Hat messed it up, he started Rocky Linux as the community replacement. He also co-founded CIQ, the company offering enterprise support around Rocky. His latest project has nothing to do with rebuilding another Linux distro, though. He has built an entirely new operating system kernel, and he didn't write most of the code himself. An AI agent did.
Meet Ginux, Linux userspace without Linux underneath... It's an independent, Rust-first x86-64 kernel. Which simply means it is NOT a fork of the Linux kernel. It has its own memory management, scheduler, process model, filesystems, networking, and device support, all written from scratch.
The most interesting part is that even though it is not Linux, it is Linux-compatible. Ginux implements the Linux ABI (the binary interface compiled programs use to talk to the kernel), so existing Linux binaries can run on it unmodified. In the project's own terms, Linux is a "personality" that Ginux exposes, not the kernel running underneath...
Right now, Ginux runs only in a QEMU virtual machine, with no physical hardware profile, no GPU or NVMe support, and no independent security audit.
Earlier, President Trump predicted the war with Iran is "going to end soon," without offering any details, as Qatari mediators return to Tehran to push for a deal.
The Washington Post reports:
Tens of thousands of South Koreans had their financial data exposed online in recent weeks after at least nine major banks there suffered cyberattacks that suggested a dark future for online security. One man, a 26-year-old living in southern China, was allegedly behind the attacks, according to an investigation by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Traces left online and failure to secure his own systems allowed investigators to piece together the man's name, age, location and what he allegedly did. The clues revealed that the devastating assault on some of Asia's most sophisticated financial institutions was the work of an amateur. The attacks were launched with help from a few artificial intelligence chatbots, CrowdStrike found, before asking one to help sell the stolen data online and draft a fake résumé touting cybersecurity skills...
The hacker who broke into the South Korean banks had access to Anthropic's Claude, but because the U.S. firm's tools generally refuse to take illegal actions, free Chinese models were also used, including DeepSeek, CrowdStrike found. "The models are interchangeable," said Meyers, the CrowdStrike executive.
The Post calls it "part of a wave of AI-enabled hacking that is advancing across the world, triggering alarm inside national governments as well as multinational companies."
"Basically any pedestrian, non-hacker can take these frameworks and start leveraging them to go after different targets," said Adam Meyers, senior vice president of counter adversary operations at CrowdStrike. The company has tracked an increase in the speed with which cyberattacks can move once inside a target's networks, as seasoned hackers and rank amateurs alike get a boost from AI tools. "Anyone can be a super-hacker now," Meyers said... Many cyber experts still expect the security reckoning to intensify as AI tools that can find and exploit software bugs become more widely distributed and understood.
[Last] Monday, The Post reported that cybersecurity researchers from the start-up Cathedral who set out to test Anthropic's security found that they could access internal messages and meeting transcripts. Cathedral reported its findings to Anthropic, which said it resolved the newly discovered problems... Security experts say it's unlikely that any hacker is forgoing the use of AI tools right now.
Even in America, critical infrastructure like energy and water companies need to be "immediately and comprehensively" tested for exploitable bugs, according to Snehal Antani, chief executive of cybersecurity company Horizon3. He tells the Post the government might need to fund that remediation, and even form "a public and private partnership to accelerate incident response."
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA — Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan’s campaign account on X was temporarily suspended Friday night after the platform flagged it under rules governing inauthentic or impersonating accounts, adding another unusual twist to Alaska’s already chaotic U.S. Senate race.
The account, @DanSullivan_AK, disappeared Friday before being restored Saturday morning or early afternoon. Sullivan’s campaign said X informed it that the account had violated rules against “inauthentic accounts.” X did not publicly explain what triggered the suspension.
The incident comes amid an extraordinary dispute involving another Senate candidate with almost the same name. Retired Petersburg teacher Dan J. Sullivan is also on the ballot alongside incumbent Dan S. Sullivan, Democrat Mary Peltola and Republican Gerald Heikes. The second Sullivan has denied running to intentionally confuse voters.
Sullivan’s campaign and Republican officials accused Peltola’s allies of reporting the senator’s X account as fake, but they provided no public evidence establishing that claim. Peltola’s campaign denied involvement, calling the allegation “silly and unsubstantiated.”
The controversy over the two Sullivans has escalated sharply since reporting showed Democratic operatives explored recruiting candidates with the incumbent senator’s name. The Justice Department has issued more than 40 subpoenas and document-preservation requests as part of an investigation, though authorities have not publicly identified any criminal charges against Peltola or her campaign.
A separate Trump administration lawsuit seeking to block certification of the election under certain circumstances was dismissed Sunday. A federal judge ruled that investigating individual ballots cast for the second Sullivan would be infeasible and conflict with Alaska’s secret-ballot protections.
The temporary X suspension underscores how the unusual same-name controversy has spilled beyond the ballot itself just days before Election Day.
Binance now says it's replenished 90% of assets stolen last week in a $6.3 billion security breach, its customers still "rushed to move funds off the platform" when it reopened Sunday, CNBC reports, and Binance "said it recorded $3.64 billion in net outflows after reopening withdrawals on Sunday."
The exchange processed $4.65 billion in withdrawals and $1.01 billion in deposits between 6 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. UTC on Nov. 1, Binance said in a post on X. The resulting net outflows represented 2.1% of Binance's $171 billion in total assets, based on its latest available proof-of-reserves data as of Oct. 28. Binance said withdrawal volumes had declined and were stabilizing following an initial spike, while deposit volumes remained substantial.
The exchange began restoring withdrawals in phases at 6 a.m. UTC on Sunday, with services resuming across all 15 networks and assets included in the initial phase by 12:36 p.m. UTC. It said testing was continuing for the remaining networks and assets.
Binance founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao sought to reassure users following the breach, writing on X that "98% choose to stay!" He said most of the net outflows occurred within the first couple of hours after withdrawals resumed.
President again took aim at progressive Senate candidate and lauded Haley Stevens for endorsing Mike Rogers
Donald Trump railed against Democratic US senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed at a campaign event in Iowa Sunday, repeatedly referring to the Michigan progressive as a “jihadist”.
Trump’s comments aimed to influence a neck-and-neck race that will play an outsized role in determining which party controls the senate after Tuesday’s midterm elections.
Stack Overflow's senior VP of community says predictions of their demise "make for compelling headlines, but they confuse a change in how people access knowledge with the disappearance of the knowledge — and the company — behind it.
AI has changed developer behavior. In our recently released 2026 Developer Survey, 64% of respondents said they visit Stack Overflow less frequently for simple questions. But developers also report asking more advanced questions and visiting the site to verify AI-generated answers. Stack Overflow remains a place where people can challenge assumptions, compare approaches, and validate solutions.
But it's also important to understand that our public Q&A site is only one part of Stack Overflow, the company. The knowledge created on the Q&A site helps power the AI ecosystem itself. Stack Overflow's human-validated content is used to train and improve models, strengthen retrieval systems, and make AI assistants and other tools more reliable. Developers and technologists may encounter an answer through a different interface — such as their IDE — but the underlying knowledge may still have begun the same way it did in the past: with a developer sharing what they learned on Stack Overflow.
We're also building for what comes next. We recently launched the beta of Stack Overflow for Agents, an API-first knowledge exchange where agents can share knowledge and verify solutions. We also brought back Developer Story, giving developers a verifiable way to showcase their expertise, accomplishments, and contributions beyond a traditional résumé. And we have much more planned and in development to give people compelling new reasons to visit the site beyond Q&A.
Several years ago, we pivoted aggressively toward the enterprise. In September, we launched the next generation of Stack Internal, our governed AI context layer for companies. It captures and curates organizational knowledge, adds provenance and trust signals, and brings in subject-matter experts when validation is needed. The goal is straightforward: to make sure employees and AI agents are working from accurate, current, permission-aware information — not confidently acting on whatever context happens to be nearby.
That is the thread connecting everything we do: making human knowledge useful and trustworthy, whether it is being consumed by another developer, an enterprise team, or an AI agent. Stack Overflow is not standing still, and it is not disappearing. We are evolving from a website people visit for answers into knowledge infrastructure that supports developers, companies, and AI systems wherever they work. Reports of our death are, indeed, exaggerated.
At the end of 2022, the four largest US cities – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston – all had Black mayors. It was a historic alignment made possible by the aftereffects of the Black Lives Matter civil rights movement and the unprecedented wave of protests following the killing of George Floyd in 2020.
Six years on, only one of those mayors remains: the embattled Karen Bass of Los Angeles, who is facing a strong challenge from a younger, even more progressive challenger. Bass’s opponent is Nithya Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, although the group is considering rescinding its endorsement over her refusal to explicitly embrace the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.
Endorsement was met with backlash from the party, condemning Stevens for her ‘betrayal’
Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who lost the Michigan Democratic Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed, endorsed his Republican rival, Mike Rogers, in an extraordinary rebuke of her party’s nominee on the eve of the midterm elections.
Her endorsement came in a video posted to X after she attended an event with Rogers at the predominantly Black Perfecting church in Detroit on Sunday. Stevens’ endorsement was the culmination of an escalating feud between the former primary rivals – primarily over support for Israel – that has roiled one of the most fiercely contested Senate contests of the cycle.
26-year-old injured making tackle in fourth quarter
Linebacker treated for nearly 10 minutes on field
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell sustained a neck injury and was taken to a local hospital after being injured during the fourth quarter of his team’s 19-15 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
“Thoughts and prayers are with Jack and his family,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said after the game. “He’s being taken care of. We don’t have any new information. We’ll keep you updated as this thing goes. But we are thinking about him. We are thinking about him.”
An arrest warrant has been obtained for a 16-year-old male shot in the shooting that occurred on Main Street Saturday night at approximately 11:13 p.m. The incident resulted in six people shot, one of which is confirmed to be a university student.
The defendant, also a victim of the shooting, was found by Newark Police Department (PD) in possession of a loaded firearm during last night’s investigation. The warrant has charged the defendant with possession of a firearm by a person under 21, carrying a concealed deadly weapon: a firearm and breach of release.
The defendant was arraigned earlier today and given $60,100 cash bail. He remains hospitalized in Newark Police custody.
The investigation remains open and the shooter remains at large.
Shots were fired on the south sidewalk of East Main Street and Choate Street. Dozens of Halloween-goers dressed in costumes crowded the downtown strip.
According to a press release from Newark PD, the conditions of the adult victims are described as follows:
“A 19-year-old male who sustained a gunshot wound to his back. He remains hospitalized in serious condition. A 20-year-old male who sustained a gunshot wound resulting in a collapsed lung. He remains hospitalized in serious condition. A 21-year-old female who sustained a graze wound to her leg. She was treated and released from the hospital,” the press release stated.
The press release continued with three juvenile victims:
“A 15-year-old male who sustained a gunshot wound to his back. He remains hospitalized in critical condition. A 15-year-old male who sustained a gunshot wound to his foot. He remains hospitalized in serious condition. A 16-year-old male who sustained multiple gunshot wounds. This juvenile remains hospitalized in serious condition.”
The 20 year old victim was revealed to be a student at the university, according to a follow up press release by Newark PD.
In response to the incident, the university has suspended classes on Monday, Nov. 2.
“Our whole community is shaken by last night’s shooting on Main Street,” President Laura Carlson, Interim Provost William Farquhar and Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Ellen Herbst wrote in an email to the university community.
“There will be no classes, in person or virtual, and no exams or assignments due Monday,” the email continued. “With the University closed Tuesday for Election Day, classes resume Wednesday, Nov. 4.”
Students have raised additional concern over racist sentiments surrounding the incident, including activity on anonymous social media apps such as YikYak. The university’s Black Student Union released a statement in response.
“In the wake of a horrific shooting on Halloween night, individuals within the UD community chose to platform hate against Black individuals,” the statement read. “BSU will not stand for this.”
“I am appalled that social media feeds are featuring racist and stereotyped comments and misinformation,” Carlson said in an additional email to the university community. “There is no place, ever, for this at UD.”
In a statement sent to The Review, Rick Deadwyler, Vice President for Public Affairs at the university, spoke of the incident.
“We are deeply concerned about the shooting on Main Street Saturday night, which has impacted our entire community,” Deadwyler wrote. “We are grateful to the Newark Police Department, which is leading the investigation. We will continue to communicate confirmed information, which will be shared on a dedicated alerts page (udel.edu/about/alerts) and updated as we learn more.”
Traci Murphy, the executive director at Coalition for a Safer Delaware, gave her advice to students.
“Call your mom,” Murphy, who is also a parent to a university freshman, said. “She’s worried. She’s glad you’re okay, but there are moms today who are sitting at a hospital bedside. And my heart breaks for those moms. We all deserve to have our children come home.”
Coverage will be updated as more information becomes available.
Toyota's EV sales have jumped 127% through September, reports Electrek:
Including Lexus, Toyota sold 309,766 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) globally through the first nine months of 2026, up 127.4% from the same period last year. Except for January (+87.5%), Toyota's EV sales have more than doubled every month this year compared with 2025...
While its EVs are catching on, Toyota Motor's global sales fell for the third straight month in September. Toyota sold 860,107 vehicles in September, down 2.2% from the previous year. The company said that although overall demand remained steady, sales in China fell, leading to lower overall sales than last year. Through September, Toyota sold 7.51 million vehicles globally, down 3.4%. In China, Toyota's sales plunged nearly 20%, marking its eighth consecutive month with lower sales. Toyota said the overall market in China "remained weak due in part to rising gasoline prices, while the market for gasoline vehicles and hybrid vehicles was particularly affected," resulting in lower sales. In the first nine months of 2026, Toyota sold just over 1.05 million vehicles in China, 18.9% fewer than in the same period last year... After the US, China is Toyota's second-largest market.
SystemD creator Lennart Poettering left Red Hat for Microsoft in 2022, but 10 months ago left to co-found Amutable a company that aims to build cryptographically verified Linux systems that stay trusted over time.
It's FOSS calls it "a read-only, image-based system where every machine produces signed reports of its own state" — and signups are now open for a private preview:
Before announcing this Linux-based implementation, Amutable had released two open source tools. tine, a Buck2-based build system that composes OS images; available under MPL-2.0, and Quarry, a TUF-based tool that distributes those images to machines; available under Apache-2.0. What Amutable Foundations brings to the table is a service where Amutable runs the images, update repositories, control plane and vulnerability fixes for organizations and individuals who operate their own systems.
No license has been stated for those company-run parts, and the preview announcement does not say how much of Foundations beyond tine and Quarry will be open source. Software and configuration both ship as signed images, and a machine boots only what is signed. Because there is no package manager and no SSH or interactive shell, a change means giving every machine in your fleet a new signed image.
Its images are reproducible, come with a software bill of materials (SBOM) and are built from pinned inputs of whichever distribution you pick, with tine being able to import packages from Fedora or CentOS Stream. Each machine sends a signed report that records what it booted, from the firmware and boot loader up to the kernel and OS, plus the configuration it runs... Amutable's control plane verifies reports from systemd-report, an experimental command in systemd 260 that the company helped build. It compares each one with the declared state and flags machines that deviate. A rollout only continues while machines can show they are in a good state...
Amutable is signup formlooking for teams that manage Linux fleets and need to show what state each machine is in. It expects to start bringing the first 'design partners,' as it calls them, on board over the coming weeks.
British prime minister has now agreed to structured dialogue on reparatory justice but issue remains off formal Chogm agenda
British officials reportedly insisted that discussions of reparations for slavery should not be on the agenda of the Commonwealth leaders’ summit in Antigua and Barbuda – and even warned that Andy Burnham would not attend the meeting if the subject was formally included, according to a leading Caribbean political figure.
Ralph Gonsalves, a former prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines and a senior figure in the reparatory justice movement Repair Campaign, welcomed Britain’s decision to enter structured dialogue on reparations, but said the UK had come “kicking and screaming” to the conversation.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, who's supported El-Sayed's campaign, specifically referred to comments made by Republican surrogates, including President Trump and GOP Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas
Chad Ryland kicked a winning 42-yard field goal in overtime after missing a PAT that would have won the game with six seconds left in regulation, and the Arizona Cardinals rallied for a wild victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. The Cardinals beat Dallas for the fifth consecutive time and improved to 5-0 at AT+T Stadium, the home of the Cowboys that opened in 2009.
By Vil Ramunno and George Rotsch, Contributing Journalists,DelawareLIVE News
DOVER, Del. — When David Sokola won his first state Senate race in 1990, Mike Castle was governor.
“I was first elected back in 1990 during the Castle Administration,” Sokola said in January, when he announced he would retire.
He is one of 13 members of the Delaware General Assembly, six Republicans and seven Democrats, who won’t be back when lawmakers return in January. Some have held their seats for years without a challenger. Rep. Ronald E. Gray, who represents the Bethany Beach area, didn’t have an opponent in any of his last three elections. Sen. Dave Lawson, a retired state trooper, has held his western Kent County seat since 2010.
Delaware LIVE is watching seven races for open seats on Tuesday’s ballot. Four of them, all House seats held by Republicans, could also decide something bigger: whether one party has enough votes to amend the Delaware Constitution, which requires two-thirds of both the Senate and the House. Democrats currently have two-thirds in the Senate. However, they are one seat short in the House.
What to know
Several of the people leaving ran for years with no opponent. In recent elections, only one candidate was on the ballot for their seats. This year, every race on our list has both a Democrat and a Republican.
Many lawmakers face no opponent. Of the 38 lawmakers running again for their seats, 18 have no opponent on Tuesday’s ballot.
One race came down to seven votes. In September’s Republican primary for House District 33, Morgan Hudson beat Matt Bucher 1,017 to 1,010.
What’s at stake
The Delaware Constitution is the state’s highest law. Amending it takes a two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate, twice: once by the current General Assembly and again by the next one, after an election. Amendments passed this way don’t go to voters.
Table 1:What it takes to amend the Delaware Constitution
Chamber
Votes needed
Democrats in office now
Republicans in office now
Senate
14 of 21
15
6
House
28 of 41
27 (1 short)
14
(Votes needed are two-thirds of each chamber, under Article XVI of the Delaware Constitution. Seats held as of Oct. 31, 2026, before Tuesday’s election, from the General Assembly’s House and Senate member lists.)
Going into Tuesday, Democrats have enough votes in the Senate and are one short in the House. Those numbers aren’t locked in. Every House seat and 11 of the 21 Senate seats are on the ballot, so either party can gain or lose ground. Four of the races on our list, House Districts 4, 33, 38 and 41, are seats Republicans hold now.
The Delaware LIVE seven races to watch
At the top of the ballot, U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, a Democrat, faces Republican Michael Katz, a doctor and former state senator. Below are the seven races we’re watching. Table 2 shows all of them at a glance, including how many people in each party have voted so far. These numbers show who has voted, not who they voted for.
Swipe sideways to see all columns →
Table 2:The seven races, and who has voted so farEarly and absentee voters as of Sunday afternoon, Nov. 1, by party registration, not how they voted. Smaller numbers are each party’s registered voters.
Seat
On the Nov. 3 ballot
Voted so far, by party registration
Dem.
Rep.
Everyone
else
State treasurer Statewide
Colleen Davis, not running
Ted Lauzen (D) Mike Ramone (R)
76,769 of 332,771
40,343 of 199,647
28,061 of 277,468
Senate District 15 Kent
Dave Lawson, retiring after 16 years
Nisha Lodhavia (D) Emily A. Thompson (R)
2,465 of 11,196
2,378 of 14,279
1,203 of 14,939
House District 4 Sussex
Jeff Hilovsky, retiring after 4 years
Gregg Lindner (D) Dan Zitofsky (R)
4,181 of 8,310
3,757 of 9,600
2,209 of 9,186
House District 33 Kent
Charles S. Postles Jr., retiring after 10 years
Joshua Pennington (D) Morgan Hudson (R)
1,503 of 6,130
1,334 of 6,481
815 of 7,398
House District 38 Sussex
Ronald E. Gray, retiring after 14 years
Maureen Madden (D) Carlie Carey (R)
4,450 of 7,503
5,525 of 11,562
2,644 of 8,335
House District 41 Sussex
Richard G. Collins, retiring after 12 years
Ryan Stuckey (D) John Atkins (R)
2,004 of 6,519
2,302 of 9,253
1,030 of 7,787
New Castle County Council, District 3 New Castle
Janet Kilpatrick, retiring after 16 years
Kira Alejandro (D) Melissa S. Brayman (R)
3,098
1,207
1,166
(Note: Years in office are counted from the year each member was first elected. Party is how voters are registered, not how they voted. Statewide totals add up all 21 state Senate districts. Registration totals by county council district are not published in the state’s reports. Registered voters are as of Oct. 1. Ballots are as of Sunday afternoon, Nov. 1; Election Day votes are not included. Sources: Delaware Department of Elections, Election Voted List, obtained by Delaware LIVE [Nov. 1, 2026]; Voter Registration Totals by Senate District and Representative District [Oct. 1, 2026]; and the candidate list [Oct. 30, 2026].)
State treasurer
Democrat Ted Lauzen vs. Republican Mike Ramone
Treasurer Colleen Davis, a Democrat, is not on the ballot. She won the office in 2022 with 53.6% of the vote.
Ted Lauzen of Wilmington is campaigning as a financial expert. He is an investment manager, a former Marine combat pilot and the board treasurer of the Delaware YMCA, according to his campaign. At an Oct. 8 forum hosted by the Wilmington Rotary Club, he said the treasurer’s main job is to protect public money as the state’s fiduciary, and he pledged to make public how the office chooses banks and investment partners. He won the Sept. 15 Democratic primary with 45.3% of the vote over Mike Miller and Michael Alexander Smith.
Mike Ramone of Newark is campaigning as the best chance for transparency and accountability for the voters’ money. He represented the 21st District in the state House from 2008 to 2024 and led House Republicans as minority leader. He has owned businesses for more than four decades, according to his campaign. At the same forum, he said the treasurer should be an independent watchdog on state spending, since Democrats control the governor’s office and both chambers of the General Assembly. He was the Republican nominee for governor in 2024 and lost to Democrat Matt Meyer, 56.1% to 43.9%. He had no primary opponent.
Why it matters: It’s the only statewide office on Tuesday’s ballot with no incumbent. As of Sunday afternoon, 76,769 registered Democrats and 40,343 registered Republicans had voted early or by absentee ballot statewide.
Senate District 15: western Kent County
Democrat Nisha Lodhavia vs. Republican Emily A. Thompson
Republican state Sen. Dave Lawson is leaving after four terms. He was first elected in 2010 and had no opponent in 2022. In 2020, he won with 55.3% of the vote.
Nisha Lodhavia taught at Delaware Technical Community College’s Terry Campus and at Wesley College, and raised her two daughters in Camden-Wyoming, according to her campaign. She is running on lowering costs, public schools, health care, small businesses and farming. She had no primary opponent.
Emily A. Thompson lives on her family’s farm in Hartly and has worked in state government for nearly a decade, overseeing programs for children and families, according to her campaign. She holds a doctorate in prevention science from Wilmington University. She is running on supporting farms and small businesses, early education for children, and responsible government spending. Lawson endorsed her. She had no primary opponent.
Why it matters: This seat hasn’t had a contested general election since 2020. Republicans have about 3,100 more registered voters, but as of Sunday afternoon, more registered Democrats (2,465) than registered Republicans (2,378) had voted.
House District 4: Long Neck, Oak Orchard and Angola
Democrat Gregg Lindner vs. Republican Dan Zitofsky
Republican state Rep. Jeff Hilovsky is leaving after two terms. He was elected in 2022 as the first legislator to serve this district after redistricting moved it to Sussex County.
Gregg Lindner led a media and marketing business operating in the United States and Latin America and served on an elected school board, according to his campaign. He ran for this seat in 2024 and lost to Hilovsky, 58% to 42%. He is running on roads and schools, controlled growth and public education. He had no primary opponent.
Dan Zitofsky is a Navy veteran of the Persian Gulf War and a retired New York City police officer who responded on 9/11, according to his campaign. He is running on making large developments pay for roads, drainage and emergency services before residents move in. He had no primary opponent.
Why it matters: Lindner is running for this seat again, this time with no incumbent in the race. Republicans have about 1,300 more registered voters, but as of Sunday afternoon, more registered Democrats (4,181) than registered Republicans (3,757) had voted.
House District 33: Kent County
Democrat Joshua Pennington vs. Republican Morgan Hudson
Republican state Rep. Charles S. Postles Jr., a poultry grower and former Milford School Board president, is leaving after five terms. He was first elected in 2016 and had no opponent in 2022 or 2024.
Joshua Pennington of Magnolia has spent several years in nonprofit work advocating for people with disabilities, according to his campaign. He grew up in Bowers, where his family has served with the Bowers Volunteer Fire Company, and he was a cadet there. He is running on supporting first responders, people with disabilities and seniors, education and mental health. He had no primary opponent.
Morgan Hudson of Milford is vice president and head of human resources at her family’s construction cleaning business, manages rental properties, is vice chair of the Kent County Board of Adjustment and is president of the Frederica Senior Center board, according to her campaign. She is running on small businesses, family farms, seniors, education, health care and public safety. She won the Sept. 15 Republican primary by seven votes, 1,017 to 1,010, over Matt Bucher.
Why it matters: Of the districts on our list, it has the smallest gap between registered Republicans and registered Democrats: Republicans are ahead by about 350 voters. As of Sunday afternoon, more registered Democrats (1,503) than registered Republicans (1,334) had voted.
House District 38: Bethany Beach to Fenwick Island
Democrat Maureen Madden vs. Republican Carlie Carey
Republican state Rep. Ronald E. Gray, an engineer, is leaving after seven terms. He was first elected in 2012 and had no opponent in 2020, 2022 or 2024. The district includes Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, Selbyville and Ocean View.
Maureen Madden of Dagsboro retired from federal service after nearly 23 years at NASA and more than seven at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), where she was a deputy director of a satellite research center, according to her campaign. She is running on slowing overdevelopment, affordable housing and adding voting and reproductive rights to state law and the state constitution. She had no primary opponent.
Carlie Carey grew up in the district and graduated from Indian River High School, according to her campaign. She and her husband opened a farm-to-table restaurant in Fenwick Island and sold it in 2022. She now owns a ceramics studio and works on the couple’s 16-acre farm. She is running on supporting small businesses, protecting the environment, and affordable, reliable energy. Gray endorsed her. She had no primary opponent.
Why it matters: As of Sunday afternoon, 5,525 registered Republicans and 4,450 registered Democrats had voted, the largest gap in favor of registered Republicans among the seven races. Still, a larger share of registered Democrats (59%) than registered Republicans (48%) has voted.
House District 41: Sussex County
Democrat Ryan Stuckey vs. Republican John Atkins
Republican state Rep. Richard G. Collins, a farmer and former insurance business owner, is leaving after six terms. He was first elected in 2014. In 2024, he won with 64.4% of the vote.
Ryan Stuckey was born in Sussex County, was raised by a single mother and owns a coffee shop on Main Street, according to his campaign. He says he served on a planning and zoning commission and rewrote local rules to control development and protect forests. He is running on roads, schools and slowing development. He had no primary opponent.
John Atkins campaigns through a Facebook page and does not have a campaign website. He won the Sept. 15 Republican primary with 48.7% of the vote, 67 votes ahead of Doug Conaway.
Why it matters: Collins won this seat by 28 points in 2024. As of Sunday afternoon, more registered Republicans (2,302) than registered Democrats (2,004) had voted.
New Castle County Council, District 3
Democrat Kira Alejandro vs. Republican Melissa S. Brayman
Republican Councilwoman Janet Kilpatrick, first elected in 2010, is retiring after 16 years. She had no opponent in 2022. The district covers the Pike Creek, Hockessin, Yorklyn and Newark areas.
Kira Alejandro of Yorklyn has worked for about a decade in specialty coffee and small local businesses and has never held elected office. At an Oct. 7 forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of New Castle County, she said she would protect people on fixed incomes from county tax increases, wants a pause on approving new data centers, and takes no money from developers, land use attorneys or corporations. She won the Sept. 15 Democratic primary with 68.8% of the vote over Kyle R. Grantham.
Melissa S. Brayman of Pike Creek is director of administration and finance at the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce and has never held elected office. At the same forum, she pledged to vote against any new county tax increase, said she opposes data centers in residential areas but would not back a pause if defending it costs taxpayers money, and said she has not taken money from developers. She had no primary opponent.
Why it matters: At the forum, both candidates named affordability as the county’s most urgent problem. As of Sunday afternoon, 5,471 people in the district had voted: 3,098 registered Democrats, 1,207 registered Republicans and 1,166 everyone else.
What happens next
When the new General Assembly meets in January, at least 14 of its 62 seats will have a new lawmaker. That includes the 13 departing members’ seats plus House District 23, because Rep. Mara Gorman is running for Sokola’s Senate seat instead of her House seat.
Lawmakers will then decide whether to give final approval to eight proposed amendments to the state constitution that the current General Assembly has already passed once. They cover topics including early voting, absentee voting, marriage and the death penalty. Each one needs a two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate again, so it matters whether either party has enough seats to pass or block them on its own.
Voting Tuesday
Polls are open Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You vote at your own polling place. Not sure which districts you’re in or where to vote? Delaware LIVE’s 2026 Voters Guide has your polling place and every name on your ballot. It will also have election results Tuesday night.
(About this story: Election results, candidate filings and voter registration totals are from the Delaware Department of Elections. Lawmakers’ years in office are from the Delaware General Assembly and its caucus websites. Candidate backgrounds are from each candidate’s campaign website and from Delaware LIVE’s coverage of the Oct. 7 League of Women Voters of New Castle County forum and the Oct. 8 Wilmington Rotary Club forum. Early-vote counts are from the Election Voted List, obtained by Delaware LIVE [Nov. 1, 2026].)
"David Durman, a nontheistic humanist, recently secured a religious exemption from using AI in the workplace," reports TechCrunch.
Durman, a University of Kentucky administrator, told TechCrunch that humanism centers on "human well-being and flourishing, both individually and collectively ... and implores a person to try to improve both their well-being and their flourishing as well as the others around them."
He believes that using the technology runs counter to his beliefs. "The way we become moral actors for ourselves and for others is through the active application of our minds, and the diminishing of that [through AI use] is going to necessarily have a negative impact on our ability to do so," he said, reflecting on how overreliance on AI might affect critical thinking...."
[Humanism] tends to appeal to people who are skeptical of a god or other supernatural power yet still seek a scientific and moral framework to ground themselves in. [Alexandria Huiskens, staff attorney at the American Humanist Association, told TechCrunch] "Concern about AI and human dignity can run through several different faiths and traditions, whether that's Catholic teachings, or Universalism, or Humanism, and we want Humanists or nontheists to know that they fall into these categories — that they are also protected by the law at work...."
In Durman's administrative role, in which he supports researchers applying for grants, he has not been required to use AI at work. Like many workers across fields, some of his colleagues and leadership have recommended that employees try out these tools, so he sought to secure his exemption now, in case the suggestion becomes a mandate in the future. "I hope that if [others] have similar feelings, that they feel encouraged to pursue some kind of resolution," Durman said.
A University of Kentucky spokesperson told TechCrunch they "determined that an accommodation could be provided while allowing the employee to continue performing the essential functions of their position." (They added that "As technology and job responsibilities evolve, accommodations may be reviewed to ensure they remain reasonable and workable.")
Aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom international airport and was headed to the Bahamas when it crashed
All nine people have died who were aboard a business jet that crashed in a Florida neighborhood on Sunday, Sean Duffy, the US transportation secretary, said. The aircraft erupted in a massive fireball that appeared to just miss homes before crashing near a busy roadway.
Duffy posted on X on Sunday that the Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach county at 12.50pm and called it a “horrific tragedy”. The Federal Aviation Administration is sending a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the cause, he said.
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA — A federal judge on Sunday dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit seeking to delay certification of Alaska’s U.S. Senate election if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan loses, rejecting the Justice Department’s proposed investigation into ballots cast for another candidate with a nearly identical name.
U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason ruled that the government’s requested remedy was not workable and would conflict with Alaska’s secret-ballot protections. The Justice Department wanted ballots cast for retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. separated so investigators could determine whether voters mistakenly intended to support Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.
Gleason said the government provided no practical method for identifying and segregating those ballots while preserving voter secrecy. Alaska ballots are separated from identifying information before counting, meaning election officials cannot later match individual ballots to voters.
The judge also warned against imposing major election changes just days before Election Day, noting that such an order could create confusion and discourage participation. The lawsuit was filed Oct. 22, after early voting had already begun and months after the Alaska Supreme Court ruled Daniel J. Sullivan was legally entitled to appear on the ballot.
The case stems from allegations that Democratic operatives helped recruit Daniel J. Sullivan as a spoiler candidate against the Republican incumbent. Recent reporting has raised questions about possible coordination involving people connected to Mary Peltola’s campaign, which Peltola denies. Legal experts have said recruiting a spoiler candidate is generally not illegal by itself, although separate fraud or campaign-finance violations could still be investigated.
The Justice Department has indicated it plans to appeal, while a separate federal criminal investigation into the alleged ballot-stacking effort remains active.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN — Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens stunned her own party Sunday by endorsing Republican Mike Rogers for Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat less than 48 hours before Election Day, abandoning Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed after repeatedly saying she would support him following their bitter primary.
The endorsement immediately detonated inside Democratic circles, prompting senior members of Stevens’ own staff to resign and drawing unusually harsh condemnation from party leaders. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who backed Stevens during the Democratic primary, called the decision a “despicable betrayal.”
Stevens narrowly lost the August primary to El-Sayed but initially pledged to support the Democratic nominee. As recently as last week, she publicly reaffirmed that position. On Sunday, however, Stevens appeared alongside Rogers at Perfecting Church in Detroit before posting a video formally endorsing him.
“Our Democratic nominee for Senate said I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away,” Stevens said. “And he’s right. And that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today.”
That explanation followed days of escalating tensions over Israel and an advertisement produced by an outside progressive group that tied U.S. support for Israel to higher grocery costs. El-Sayed said the ad was not produced by his campaign and that he disagreed with its contents. Stevens nonetheless demanded that he more forcefully condemn it.
El-Sayed later said he did not want Stevens joining a planned unity event because the dispute had become a distraction. Stevens seized on that exclusion as justification for abandoning the Democratic nominee entirely and backing Rogers, a Republican aligned with President Donald Trump.
The reaction from Stevens’ own operation was immediate. Her longtime chief of staff, Justin German, resigned along with multiple other staff members, saying they were “shocked and heartbroken” by her decision and would continue supporting El-Sayed and Democrats across the ballot.
The Michigan Democratic Party responded just as forcefully. Party Chair Curtis Hertel said Stevens “is not a current member of the Michigan Democratic Party, nor will she be in the future.” Rep. Jamie Raskin said there was “a great sense of betrayal,” while other Democratic lawmakers reacted with disbelief and anger.
Progressive activists were even harsher, accusing Stevens of attempting to sabotage the candidate who defeated her and arguing that the endorsement should end her future within Democratic politics. Mediaite documented widespread accusations of “betrayal” across progressive social media.
Schumer’s denunciation was especially notable because he had supported Stevens in the primary. After El-Sayed won, however, Schumer endorsed him and emphasized that Senate Democrats remained united behind the nominee despite disagreements over Israel.
The stakes extend well beyond the personal feud. Michigan’s open Senate seat is being vacated by Democrat Gary Peters and is central to the battle for control of the chamber. More than 1.8 million Michigan voters had already cast ballots before Stevens’ endorsement.
El-Sayed largely dismissed the controversy Sunday, saying he was focused on Michigan voters rather than Stevens. “At the end of the day I actually don’t think about Haley Stevens,” he told reporters while campaigning with Democratic leaders.
Stevens insists she remains a Democrat and says her decision was about opposing what she considers hateful rhetoric. But her endorsement of Rogers after promising to support the Democratic nominee has produced one of the most extraordinary intraparty ruptures of the 2026 campaign, and one that her own staff and party leaders are openly describing as a betrayal.
Judges hail Sofia Demetriades’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto as full of insights, poetry and maturity
A teenage violinist has won the BBC Young Musician competition 2026, in the first all-female final in the competition’s 48-year history.
The judges, Joanna MacGregor, Ben Gernon and Errollyn Wallen, hailed Sofia Demetriades’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto as full of insights, poetry and maturity.
The Justice Department argued that Daniel J. Sullivan's name on the ballot potentially diverted voters, and the Democrat running in the race would benefit as a result.
"On a Git commit basis, the Linux 7.4 merge window has been the busiest on record," writes Phoronix," with 19,671 commits since Linux 7.3:
As of this morning in Linux Git ahead of v7.4-rc1, the kernel source tree is up to 41,605,120 lines. That's from 5,193,578 blank lines, 4,993,604 lines of comments, and 31,417,938 lines of detected code. Or nearly half a million lines of code added during the Linux 7.4 merge window, ignoring comments and blank lines [as detected by cloc ].
A historical graph of commits shows a clear spike for Linux 7.4, which Phoronix argues shows the definite recent uptick due to AI/LLM activity."
With Linux kernel maintainers being "completely overwhelmed" due to both AI generated bug reports and patches/fixes, the Git commit activity has been surging as a result... The upward trend has continued building the past several kernel releases. Typically the merge windows saw 13~14k commits or less and now we are pushing 20k....
Linux 6.14: 10,034
Linux 6.15: 13,568
Linux 6.16: 13,805
Linux 6.17: 12,289
Linux 6.18: 12,910
Linux 6.19: 13,229
Linux 7.0: 12,468
Linux 7.1: 13,963
Linux 7.2: 14,395
Linux 7.3: 16,267
Linux 7.4: 19,671
And "we could still see a few more trickle in today for Linux 7.4 ahead of the expected Linux 7.4-rc1 kernel release later in the day."
UPDATE:
"People are expecting 7.4 to be the next long-term support release," Linus Torvalds wrote today in his weekly state of the kernel update, saying that's also "another independent reason why some releases tend larger than others. So it may not *just* be the flood of AI patches."
The Register reports:
Torvalds also seems not to be completely convinced that all AI submissions are entirely helpful, by describing this release as "Large, and full of fixes for issues found by AI (and more and more the patches have been suggested by AI too, although they often get rewritten)."
Incumbent Dan Sullivan says he will accept election results after ‘unprecedented intervention’ by Trump’s DoJ
A judge has dismissed the Donald Trump-backed lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska’s US Senate race if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan loses.
Trump said on 23 October that he had ordered the justice department to file the lawsuit in a move that voting rights experts called an “unprecedented intervention” by the federal government with control of Congress in the balance.
@mirhannes check ebay. Ive seen a few here in the us for 180 bucks witch isnt that harsh. They pop up frequently and i just bought one for 120 from a seller.
The following is the full transcript of the interview with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, a portion of which aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Nov. 1, 2026.
The following is the transcript of the interview with David Becker, CBS News election law contributor and the executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Nov. 1, 2026.
From malfunctioning voting machines and registration disputes to suspected fraud and intimidation, voters have several ways to document concerns and seek help from state, federal and political party officials.
DOVER, Del. — When Delaware voters head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3, most will cast their ballots without difficulty. But what happens when something doesn’t seem right?
Voting machines that stop working. Registration records that don’t match. Voters turned away. Questions about whether ineligible individuals are voting. Allegations of intimidation or interference.
Concerns about these issues have surfaced in previous elections, raising questions about election security, voter access and accountability.
While an allegation does not establish wrongdoing, legitimate concerns deserve examination, not dismissal.
Election integrity requires ensuring that every eligible voter can cast a ballot while preventing illegal voting or misconduct from compromising the process.
Just as important, voters need to know how to report problems, who is responsible for investigating them and how to preserve evidence.
When voting machines fail
Malfunctioning voting machines can create long lines, delays and questions about whether voters will have an opportunity to cast their ballots.
Delaware has contingency procedures, including the use of paper ballots when voting machines are unavailable.
Ballot shortages and other disruptions present additional challenges that election officials are responsible for resolving.
A machine failure does not automatically mean fraud has occurred. However, repeated problems, unexplained delays or irregularities involving ballots deserve examination.
When voters are turned away
Registration disputes are another potential Election Day problem.
A voter may be told their name is missing from registration records, their information does not match or they are at the wrong polling location.
Delaware has procedures for handling registration discrepancies, identification questions and provisional ballots.
A documented example occurred during Delaware’s 2024 primary election, when the Department of Elections acknowledged a clerical error affecting 764 voter registration records.
The error involved party affiliations recorded incorrectly during automatic voter registration. State officials said they corrected the problem and that no voters were prevented from voting because of the error.
The incident demonstrated that administrative mistakes can occur — and why identifying, correcting and explaining them matters.
What about illegal voting?
Concerns about election integrity also include allegations that unregistered individuals are voting, someone is impersonating another voter or a person is attempting to vote more than once.
Delaware law prohibits fraudulent voting, including impersonation and knowingly casting multiple ballots.
But suspicion alone does not establish a violation.
Someone being unfamiliar at a polling location does not mean that person is ineligible. Registration disputes also do not necessarily indicate fraud.
Credible allegations require investigation and evidence before conclusions can be reached.
Intimidation and interference are serious offenses
Threats, harassment, coercion and attempts to interfere with voting can violate Delaware law.
The Delaware Department of Justice has identified voter intimidation, interference with election officers, impersonating law enforcement and improper questioning of voters among activities that may constitute election offenses.
Delaware also restricts certain campaign activities within 50 feet of polling place entrances.
These protections apply to voters of every political affiliation.
What is Delaware doing?
Attorney General Kathy Jennings, Gov. Matt Meyer and State Election Commissioner Anthony Albence outlined the state’s Election Day preparations in an Oct. 30 announcement.
The preparations include trained election officers, statewide investigators, attorneys available to assist election officials and coordination with law enforcement.
The Department of Justice’s Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust will help investigate allegations of voter intimidation and criminal interference.
The Department of Elections and Department of Justice also plan to jointly staff a voter hotline at 302-739-4277.
But preparation alone is not enough. Public confidence depends on how effectively problems are addressed and whether officials explain what happened.
What should voters do if something goes wrong?
Voters who encounter problems at their polling place should notify an election officer and seek assistance.
State guidance identifies several circumstances in which additional procedures may apply:
Voting machines unavailable: Paper ballots may be used.
Missing registration records: Provisional ballot procedures may be available.
Registration discrepancies: Election officers can review applicable records and procedures.
Voters in line at 8 p.m.: Those already in line are entitled to vote.
Suspected fraud or intimidation: Concerns can be reported to election authorities. Immediate threats should be reported to 911.
The statewide voter hotline is 302-739-4277.
Why documenting an incident matters
An important step in addressing suspected election irregularities is creating an accurate written account.
A telephone call can alert authorities to an immediate problem, while a written report provides a record that investigators can review afterward.
An incident report should identify the polling location, date and approximate time of the incident, individuals involved, potential witnesses and a factual description of what occurred.
Supporting information may include lawfully obtained photographs, documents or communications. Voters should observe restrictions on recording inside polling places and avoid interfering with voting or compromising ballot secrecy.
Reports should distinguish between something personally witnessed and information received from someone else.
People submitting complaints should retain copies, supporting materials, email correspondence and any acknowledgment from election officials.
For formal administrative complaints covered by the federal Help America Vote Act, Delaware has additional requirements. These complaints must be submitted in writing, signed, sworn and notarized. An ordinary email or online issue report does not automatically satisfy those requirements.
Where can voters report concerns?
The Delaware Department of Elections oversees polling locations, voting equipment, registration records and election administration.
Its county offices can also receive concerns about election procedures.
The Delaware Department of Justice investigates potential violations of state law, while federal authorities may investigate violations of federal voting rights laws.
The U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division maintains a reporting system at civilrights.justice.gov/report and a toll-free number, 800-253-3931.
Reports involving threats or violence should be directed to emergency services when immediate assistance is needed.
Both political parties offer additional contacts
Delaware’s two major political parties also provide ways for voters and election observers to contact their organizations about election concerns.
The Delaware Republican Party can be reached through DEGOP.gop and its published headquarters number, 302-668-1954. A separate number, 302-397-8074, has been supplied as a Republican election-integrity contact, although Delaware LIVE has not independently confirmed its current hotline designation.
The Delaware Democratic Party can be reached at 302-328-9036 and through DelDems.org. Its website identifies that number as its state headquarters contact.
At the national level, the Republican National Committee operates Protect the Vote, an election-integrity initiative involving election observers, volunteers and legal efforts.
A similarly named website, protectthevote.org, redirects to a nonpartisan Election Protection organization and is not affiliated with the RNC.
Political party reporting channels provide additional points of contact but do not replace complaints submitted directly to government election authorities.
Delaware LIVE wants to hear from voters
Voters who believe they have witnessed a problem or irregularity at their polling place can also contact Delaware LIVE at Editor@DelawareLIVE.com.
Readers are encouraged to include the polling location, approximate time, a factual description of what occurred and any supporting information.
Delaware LIVE may follow up on credible reports as part of its Election Day coverage, seeking independent confirmation and responses from appropriate election officials.
Contacting the newsroom does not replace reporting concerns to election authorities or law enforcement.
Accountability matters
A fair election protects eligible voters from being denied their ballots while ensuring that only legally qualified individuals vote.
It also protects election workers from harassment and requires credible allegations of misconduct to receive appropriate scrutiny.
Not every equipment failure is fraud. Not every registration discrepancy is an attempt at illegal voting. But legitimate concerns should not be ignored simply because officials believe their preparations are adequate.
Written documentation, timely reporting and transparent investigations all contribute to public confidence.
Delaware voters deserve an election system that is fair, responsive and accountable.
The ultimate measure of election integrity is not whether officials promise a secure election, but how effectively they address problems when they occur.
TO GO BOX: Election Day problems and reporting contacts
Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026
Polling hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Delaware election and DOJ voter hotline: 302-739-4277
New Castle County elections: 302-577-3464 | votencc@delaware.gov
Kent County elections: 302-739-4498 | votekc@delaware.gov
Sussex County elections: 302-856-5367 | votesc@delaware.gov
State Election Commissioner: coe_vote@delaware.gov
The following is the transcript of the interview with Rep. Mike Lawler, Republican of New York, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Nov. 1, 2026.
MPs say Shabana Mahmood’s new rules risk staff shortages in health and social care and second Windrush scandal
Shabana Mahmood will announce sweeping new rules on Monday on how long legal migrants must wait for settlement in the UK, with most likely to wait a decade and some up to 15 years.
Ministers – including the housing secretary, Angela Rayner – had raised concerns about the effect the rules would have on care workers already in the UK who would be likely to face a 15-year wait for settlement, also known as indefinite leave to remain (ILR).
Residents of Villa Vie Odyssey, which remains stuck in Cambodia, have been informed the cruise ship is now under control of its lender, CBS News has learned.
Dr Marta Shahbazi was travelling to a conference to receive award for scientific excellence in developmental biology
An “inspiring” University of Cambridge scientist died in the Spanish train collision on Wednesday that killed at least 69 people.
Dr Marta Shahbazi, 41, an affiliate associate professor at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute and a group leader at the city’s Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), was travelling on one of the trains involved in the crash near Urda in Toledo province.
Dozens of people were injured and at least six people died in mass shootings as gun violence broke out at nightlife districts in half a dozen cities across the country over the Halloween weekend – including six people injured here…
(The Center Square) - A federal judge in Alaska on Sunday dismissed a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Justice Department seeking to delay certification of Alaska's U.S. Senate race if an alleged spoiler candidate remains on the ballot.
Murphy, 53, started feeling numbness in his arm while attending his son’s hockey game on Saturday, according to the Connecticut senator’s chief of staff, Allison Herwitt. A hospital visit confirmed that Murphy had experienced a stroke.
Cryptocurrency exchange has begun to allow withdrawals after theft believed to have come from North Korea
Investors have pulled $3.6bn (£2.7bn) in funds from the cryptocurrency exchange Binance as it recovers from a record hack in which billions were stolen from customer accounts.
The platform was hit by a $6.3bn theft on Thursday, which has since been described as the biggest heist in history. Experts identified North Korea as the probable culprit.
New electricity generating capacity would enable north-east to attract investment for large-scale AI infrastructure
National Grid has taken a step towards building Britain’s biggest electricity substation on Teesside, which could supply power to a vast neighbouring datacentre as the UK races to expand its AI infrastructure.
Last week, the company agreed to purchase 29.5 hectares (73 acres) of land at Dorman Point on a site owned by Teesworks, a local private-public partnership. The deal was first reported by Sky News.
With affordability a major election issue, the incumbent is trying to ward off her democratic socialist challenger
At the end of 2022, the four largest US cities – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston – all had Black mayors. It was a historic alignment made possible by the aftereffects of the Black Lives Matter civil rights movement and the unprecedented wave of protests following the killing of George Floyd in 2020.
Six years on, only one of those mayors remains: the embattled Karen Bass of Los Angeles, who is facing a strong challenge from a younger, even more progressive challenger. Bass’s opponent is Nithya Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, although the group is considering rescinding its endorsement over her refusal to explicitly embrace the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.
Voting is particularly high in states with tight Senate races that could determine which party controls the chamber
US citizens are casting ballots in record numbers ahead of the midterm elections on Tuesday, another potential indication, analysts say, of voter dissatisfaction with Republicans and Donald Trump.
Voting was particularly high in states that feature tight Senate races that could determine which party controls the chamber.
The following is the transcript of the interview with Sen. Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Nov. 1, 2026.
Third day of indirect talks as Qatar tries to negotiate release of $6bn in Iranian assets that could lead to waterway’s reopening
Officials from the Gulf states are “braced for the worst” as they wait for Washington’s response to an Iranian proposal that could reopen the strait of Hormuz before the US midterm elections on Tuesday.
Indirect talks in Doha ran into a third day on Sunday with Qatar trying to negotiate the release of more than $6bn in Iranian assets, which could lead to the reopening of the strait of Hormuz and the restart of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme.
Which senior politician has argued that “Brexit did deep damage” and that the government seeks “not to turn back the clock but to look toward a new and stable, future relationship?”
It was not Andy Burnham, who has been the torchbearer for thinking the unthinkable on Brexit since he became prime minister. Instead, these are the words of the former chancellor Rachel Reeves, in a lecture six months ago.
CNBC reports:
A month after President Donald Trump ordered that "super intelligence" replace the term artificial intelligence within executive branch departments and agencies, his leading tech allies, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, followed suit on earnings calls. Their fellow tech CEOs were less eager to do the same... SpaceX and Tesla adhered to Trump's wishes on earnings calls last week after Musk, earlier in October, changed the name of his rocket company's AI division to SpaceXSI. Speaking on Tesla's call about his work on humanoid robots, Musk said, "Some of them look very impressive, but they're not really using any kind of advanced AI or SI." Zuckerberg was equally compliant on Meta's earnings call on Oct. 21, emphasizing his company's "goal of delivering personal superintelligence to everyone." However, Meta was already using the term, having created a unit called Meta Superintelligence Labs last year....
[Some other tech CEOs are holding out.] Amazon CEO Andy Jassy peppered his call with use of "AI" on Thursday, uttering the abbreviation well over a dozen times in his introductory remarks. A day earlier, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said one of the company's three points of focus is "designing AI to empower people." And Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai was seconds into his quarterly earnings commentary when he said the search giant's "AI investments are driving increased usage and overall user growth...."
Trump's preferred term is seeping into other correspondence and documents. Microsoft's annual report, filed last week, included eight mentions of "super intelligence," starting at the top of the letter to shareholders...
IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, who didn't attend Trump's September lunch, used "SI" alongside "AI" during his company's earnings call last week.... Lip-Bu Tan, CEO of chipmaker Intel, said Thursday the supply shortage the chip industry is navigating has been "driven by the unprecedented demand for super intelligence."
Some in the tech industry have been explicit in their support of Trump's terminology ahead of their forthcoming earnings reports next month. Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora repeatedly referred to "SI" on CNBC, and posted on X on Sept. 30, "The meeting at the WH on SI was an epic moment...." Like Arora, [Nvidia CEO Jensen] Huang took to X after last month's AI meeting to praise the "White House Accord on Super Intelligence."
Voters are turning against the Republicans. But the clearest possible message is needed to safeguard democracy
The psychologist Jennifer Freyd identified a pattern often used by perpetrators: deny, accuse, and reverse victim and offender. More than one observer has noted that Donald Trump employs that pattern politically. With polls suggesting Republicans are likely to lose the House and perhaps the Senate too in the midterms, the man who refused to accept Americans’ democratic verdict in 2020 is hawking a narrative of cheating Democrats who will steal seats via illegitimate votes.
The January 6 insurrection showed how acute the peril to American democracy had become. It is more so now. This time, Republican efforts to undermine the results began well in advance. In 2020, Mr Trump’s vice-president, Mike Pence, the attorney general, William Barr, and others refused his most outrageous demands; now the justice department is supine. And the supreme court’s gutting of the Voting Rights Act, which safeguarded against the worst kinds of racial discrimination, means that states no longer require pre-approval for decisions that could well tilt a race. Districts have already been redrawn.
In updated arrest figures released on Sunday, the Metropolitan police said 320 people were detained outside the building in Battersea, south London, for allegedly expressing support for an organisation banned under the Terrorism Act.
Kremlin says Kyiv is ‘simply ignoring’ US wishes days before midterm elections after reported strikes on two oil sites
Ukraine has resumed its attacks on Russian oil refineries in defiance of pressure from Donald Trump ahead of the US midterm elections, as a ceasefire in the occupied town of Oleshky ended on Sunday night.
Russian state media said on Sunday Ukrainian long-range drones had set fire to the Kstovo refinery in Nizhny Novgorod oblast overnight, soon after a major strike against another big refinery in Samara oblast, owned by the Russian state energy giant Rosneft.
Exclusive: Plan to allow students from bloc pay same fees as Britons contingent on entry to industrial programme, officials say
Ministers are prepared to spend as much as £450m a year to give students from the EU discounted university fees, the Guardian has learned, but only if Brussels allows the UK access to its Made in Europe industrial programme.
The UK government has drawn up plans to allow students arriving from the continent pay the same fees as British students, sources say, and is willing to spend hundreds of millions of pounds compensating universities to do so.
(The Center Square) – Just days before Election Day, Harris County officials agreed to stop running discriminatory “get out the vote” ads. Convicted felons also were arrested for voting in Harris County.
Inside Higher Ed reports:
In September, Emory University removed a dozen license plate-reading cameras from its campus in Atlanta and declined to renew its contract with Flock Safety, the company that sells and operates the automatic license plate readers and other mass-surveillance technology. For the coalition of Emory students and employees who had spent months pushing the university to "de-Flock," this was a victory... "We made it very clear that these cameras were unneeded surveillance considering we already have regular security cameras," [said Tony Torres, a sophomore biology major]...
Through campus protests, petitions, meetings and teach-ins during the spring and summer, DeFlock Emory broadcast their concerns about the devices: Opaque data-sharing agreements could leave undocumented students vulnerable, the cameras could be hacked, institutions could use them to retaliate against student protesters and they could make students who fear being surveilled less likely go to class, see their friends or seek medical attention when they need it.
Such concerns aren't unique to DeFlock Emory. College students across the country — including at Indiana University Bloomington, the University of Florida and the University of North Georgia — are mobilizing to de-Flock their campuses. And like Emory, other institutions are nixing their contracts. Cornell University announced last week it had not renewed its contract with Flock Safety and would be removing the cameras. Pennsylvania State University officials also announced earlier this month plans to end their contract with Flock.
An Emory spokesperson told Inside Higher Edthat eliminating Flock's cameras "retains institutional control over our safety infrastructure."
But the article also includes a quote from media/technology studies professor Torin Monahan at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He's spoken with campus police officers about how they're using Flock's cameras, and learned police departments have upgraded surveillance efforts in recent years. "They have an elaborate arsenal in place of high-tech surveillance equipment that really seems overpowered for what their day-to-day needs are, and also incredibly expensive."
The point about the controller being collateral damage is what gets me. Losing the wrist guards is one thing, but a controller going down with you means the whole ride ends early no matter how you land. That year off sounds like the hard part, though. Coming back after that long is its own kind of hurdle — muscle memory and confidence don't return at the same speed. Hope the next fall, whenever it comes, is a gentler one.
Youth-led protests end with street violence in cities across France, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal and Albania
French officials have opened an investigation into the attempted murder of a police officer and Germany’s interior minister has called for harsh penalties after peaceful and mainly youth-led protests across Europe ended in violence.
In Portugal, police – some with dogs – cleared protest camps with baton charges, while security forces in Switzerland were attacked with paving stones.
Led by Congress party, India’s opposition alliance channels anger over removal of 130 million names from voter roll
Thousands of opposition supporters have gathered in Delhi as protests against the Narendra Modi government continue to gather momentum.
Led by the Congress party, India’s opposition alliance has brought together supporters from across the country, amid growing anger over a large-scale revision of the country’s voter roll that has seen 130 million names erased.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said that officials must "lead by example" amid what he called "dangerous" campaign rhetoric that's escalated as Election Day approaches.
Why Should Delaware Care? Delaware has rarely seen mass shooting scenes like the ones that occurred Saturday — injuring scores of people in crowded public places.
Delaware saw one of its most violent days in recent memory Saturday as mass shootings on Halloween night at opposite ends of the state left one teen dead and 13 more young people wounded.
An outdoor party in rural Ellendale — about 7 miles south of Milford — became the scene of Delaware’s worst act of gun violence in recent memory. Nine people were shot by an unknown assailant, and one 17-year-old girl died from her injuries.
An hour later, the Halloween festivities in downtown Newark — home to the campus of the University of Delaware — were shaken Saturday night by a shooting near Main Street that left six people injured and hundreds of young revelers fleeing through city streets, police reported.
Both incidents were the worst mass shooting in Delaware in seven years by count of victims, according to data compiled by the Gun Violence Archive. The largest number of victims ever recorded in a Delaware shooting was six, in a 2019 Wilmington incident.
Ellendale shaken by shooting
Delaware state police troopers responded to a reported shooting near the intersection of North Old State Road and U.S. Route 113 in Ellendale about 10 p.m. Saturday.
There, troopers found multiple victims with gunshot wounds, including a 17-year-old girl from Seaford who was transported to a hospital with life-threatening gunshot injuries, where she died. She was not immediately identified by police as they try to notify her family.
A 20-year-old man from Seaford was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening gunshot injuries and is in stable condition, police reported on Sunday.
Two 17-year-old boys from Selbyville, a 19-year-old girl from Ellendale, a 20-year-old woman from Seaford, a 20-year-old woman from Greenwood, a 20-year-old man from Seaford, and a 22-year-old woman from Laurel were taken to area hospitals with non-life-threatening gunshot injuries.
According to a preliminary investigation by DSP, an unknown suspect opened fire from a neighboring property into the crowd at the outdoor party, striking the nine victims.
The apparent scene was an empty lot next to the New Hope Recreation and Development Center, where a white event tent and a small tiki bar could be seen Sunday morning, according to Delaware Online/The News Journal.
The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit is actively investigating this case, and anyone who attended the party or has information relevant to the investigation is urged to contact Detective B. McDerby at 302-741-2821. Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
Newark sees unprecedented bloodshed
The shooting in Newark took place along its busy Main Street about 11:13 p.m. Saturday – a time when thousands of costumed University of Delaware students and locals were on city streets in the popular bar district for the holiday.
According to videos of the incident circulating on social media, multiple shots can be heard being fired. That sent hundreds of bystanders fleeing throughout Newark, leading to at least one person being struck by an oncoming car. That individual was able to walk away, according to the video.
As of Sunday morning, no suspects have been arrested or publicly identified by the Newark Police Department, which cordoned off the scene near the intersection of East Main and Choate streets. The shooting reportedly occurred on the sidewalk across the street from the popular Klondike Kate’s bar and restaurant.
In an interview with NBC10, witness Landon Singleton recounted seeing victims lying in the driveway of Trader’s Alley and ran to provide assistance. He found three victims with gunshot wounds to their leg, back and stomach, respectively.
Seeing that one of the victims did not have anyone rendering aid, he removed his shirt, balled it up and pressed it against his wound to try to stem the bleeding.
“He squeezed my hand, kind of like his last hope,” Singleton said.
On Sunday, police detailed that one of the victims — a 15-year-old boy shot in the back — is in critical condition.
Four more — a 19-year-old man shot in the back, a 20-year-old man shot in the chest who suffered a collapsed lung, a 15-year-old boy shot in the foot and a 16-year-old boy who suffered multiple gunshot wounds — remain in serious condition.
A 21-year-old woman, who sustained a graze wound to her leg, was treated and released from the hospital.
The Newark Police Department is asking the public for assistance in identifying the suspects or the circumstances that precipitated the shooting, and are asking anyone who has video footage or photos related to the incident to submit it through a secure link.
Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Paige Klein at 302-366-7100 ext. 3480 or by email at pklein@newark.de.us.
The incident has unnerved a college city that rarely sees such violence – particularly in the crowded Main Street corridor.
Intentional shootings in Newark, which has its own city police department along with the University of Delaware Police Department, are exceedingly rare. One of the last such incidents occurred in 2023.
While the shooter has yet to be identified, Newark police did report Sunday that the 16-year-old boy who suffered multiple gunshot wounds was charged with possession of a loaded firearm by a person under 21, carrying a concealed firearm without a license and breach of release — suggesting that he already faced other charges.
He was arraigned by a judge at Justice of the Peace Court 3 and was given $60,100 cash bail. The defendant remains hospitalized in Newark Police custody.
Officials react to violence
On Sunday morning, Gov. Matt Meyer condemned the acts of violence during a busy holiday in the state.
“No family should have to receive the call that someone they love has been shot. Today, people in Newark and Ellendale are facing pain and fear that no one should have to endure. My heart is with those injured, their loved ones and every Delawarean who has been impacted by these tragedies. I condemn these senseless acts of violence, and gun violence in all its forms,” he said in a statement. ” Every Delawarean deserves to feel safe in their community. This is not normal. We must never accept gun violence as a part of life in Delaware.”
Attorney General Kathy Jennings said that she has assigned prosecutors to investigations into both shootings, adding, “Nobody should have to worry about their kids getting home on Halloween. It’s unacceptable.”
Congresswoman Sarah McBride said Sunday morning that she was “heartbroken to wake up to the news of last night’s shooting.”
“What should have been a night of Halloween fun and celebration was instead shattered by senseless gun violence. My heart is with the six people who were injured, their loved ones, and the entire Newark community,” she said in a statement that was released before the details of the Ellendale incident were known. “Those responsible for this violence must be held accountable.”
Reps. Mara Gorman and Cyndie Romer, whose districts include the University of Delaware campus, added in a statement that “Main Street is the heart of our community, and no one should ever have to fear for their safety while walking through our town.”
“In our time serving our community, reducing gun violence and fighting for common-sense public safety measures has always been a deeply personal commitment. We can never accept gun violence as normal in our hometown,” they said.
Before being elected, Gorman was a lead volunteer with the Delaware chapter of Moms Demand Action, a gun safety organization.
U.S. Sens. Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester, Lt. Gov. Kyle Evans Gay, Newark Mayor Travis McDermott and more also shared their thoughts and prayers for those affected by Saturday’s shootings.
Generative AI was recently banned in America's two largest school districts, just weeks after OpenAI launched ChatGPT for Teens.
But forging ahead, tech-backed nonprofit Code.org — now renamed CodeAI — has named OpenAI the "Lead Partner" for its 2026 Hour of AI (which last year replaced its signature event, "the Hour of Code"). Long-time Slashdot reader theodp explains:
In August, OpenAI announced a new signature partnership with CodeAI to "prepare the first AI generation", explaining that "through the Hour of AI, OpenAI and CodeAI will introduce millions of students to the basics of using AI thoughtfully and responsibly." The updated Hour of AI website also listed OpenAI's investor/partner Microsoft as one of two "supporters" for the Hour of AI. Now, Microsoft is calling all K-12 teachers around the globe to register for What's working now: Making AI literacy joyful for every learner, a November 17th Microsoft Teams webinar where it will unveil its Minecraft-branded "Hour of AI experience."
"Discover how AI literacy can be engaging, approachable, and joyful for students... and hear practical ideas from educators bringing AI learning into their schools and classrooms."
Speakers include a marketing lead for Microsoft's AI training initiative plus the head of marketing for Microsoft Minecraft Education.
Police say six people were shot Saturday night in the area of Main and Choate streets in Newark. Chilekasi Adele speaks with a witness who helped apply pressure to a victim's gunshot wound. For video licensing inquiries, contact: licensing@veritone.com
Beginning in 1910, a city long associated with beer and bratwurst elected three Socialist mayors who made parks, public housing and sanitation priorities of city government, the benefits of which are still recognized in Milwaukee today.
I’ve just released 1.3.1-beta3 in quick succession. It has an additional fix for smooth handling of IMU Sample Rate reconfiguration. This wasn’t causing anything noticeable or at least I never noticed and didn’t get it reported, but better set this straight.
Seven decades after the first reported sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects, a scientific council is investigating records and video released by the government of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs), to possibly answer the question: Are we alone?
With elections to choose all 435 House members, a third of our Senators, and 36 governors, "Sunday Morning" looks at why – with rising costs and a historically unpopular president – this year's midterms may upend expectations.
AI is taking First Nations art and turning it into “Temu slop”, the Pitjantjatjara artist Sally Scales has said.
Scales, the chair of the National Gallery of Australia’s First Nations advisory group, says the technology is undermining the agency of First Nations artists and the authenticity of their work and represents a “a theft” of cultural knowledge.
Looking back decades from now, historians will see that at the top of this shameful list is Trump’s utter abuse of his pardon power. It started on the first day of his second term, when he pardoned more than 1,500 insurrectionists who, on 6 January 2021, had stormed the US Capitol.
In state that has become ‘ground zero’ for discrimination against south Asians, experts say they are seeing voters motivated to fight back
Last winter, while Pooja Sethi was canvassing to become the Democratic candidate for the Texas house of representatives, she received a text from a staff member alerting her to a post on X. The Turning Point USA influencer Savanah Hernandez – a Trump supporter known for creating videos that target immigrants – had posted a photo of Sethi’s campaign banner with the caption: “Welcome to politics in Texas.”
Let the crock pot handle the long cooking while you take a breather. These 17 easy dishes include tender pork, hearty casseroles, comforting soups, and simple chicken dinners for a busy day at home.The post 17 easy crock pot dishes…
Today’s crop of smooth talkers tap directly into a specific evolutionary vulnerability. Here’s how to defend yourself
Recently, I was alone in a bar waiting for a friend. To pass the time, I started chatting to a stranger. He had an easy, confident way of speaking, which I admired. We discussed topics I know little about: the instability of modern economies, the feasibility of commercial space travel, the likelihood of a coup in Russia. I found myself leaning in and asking questions: I felt as if I could learn a lot from this person. We eventually got to psychology, which is more my wheelhouse. I brooded about how easy it’s become for people to accept strange ideas. “Some people will believe anything,” he observed. “Some people even believe the Earth is round!”
It’s increasingly difficult to ignore how fragmented and bizarre our beliefs have become. We live in our own echo chambers, defined by the channels, feeds and influencers we follow. As a result we can arrive at very polarised conclusions about vaccines, the climate, gender, geopolitics, the shape of the Earth and everything else. Disagreements on topics like these frequently damage relationships, alienate friends and estrange loved ones.
A truce has cooled the trade conflict, but neither country has done anything to limit the outbreak of new hostilities
Donald Trump’s trade wars have largely fallen off the headlines. Fears of new tariffs flare up from time to time when the US president goes off the rails – for instance, threatening to end US trade with countries with which it has a deficit unless the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates. But the sense that the world’s two largest economies are plowing ahead into an overt economic conflagration has taken a back seat to other, more salient fears, about Trump ending American democracy, AI killing us all and stuff like that.
The sense of calm is misleading. Under the radar, the world is marching toward an economic war of potentially epic proportions, one that, history suggests, could well spill over into the real thing.
Cost of living has loomed over this election cycle as workers and unions champion candidates fighting for higher wages and tackling rising prices
For millions of Americans heading to the polls on Tuesday, affordability is a constant and worsening issue, and it’s been a prevailing concern this election cycle.
In Lorain county, Ohio, Gina Jones and her co-workers at the Lorain county job and family services have been on strike since February 2026, the longest public sector strike in Ohio history and on pace to break the US record for longest public sector strike.
From the cheesecake factory discourse to the double Dan Sullivans, campaign season has been ridiculous
Chances are, as you’re reading this, your bunker is fully stocked, your doors are locked, and you’re peeking at your computer screen through gaps between your fingers.
After all, it’s election day on Tuesday. Once again, democracy will be tested – like Beavis & Butthead taking the SATs. I’m not looking forward to it, and I’m sure you aren’t either.
Dave Schilling is a Los Angeles-based writer and humorist
Cryptocurrency exchange says 90% of losses covered as FBI blames North Korean state-sponsored group TraderTraitor
The cryptocurrency exchange Binance has started to allow its customers to withdraw their funds from the platform, as it recovers from a record $6.3bn (£4.7bn) hack.
The exchange was hit by the theft on Thursday, which has since been described as the biggest heist in history, with experts identifying North Korea as the likely culprit.
The Guardian reports:
Meta staff discussed deploying a "whisper strategy" to undermine the influential US academic whose work has inspired a global social media crackdown, according to court documents. Employees at the parent group of Facebook and Instagram sought to discredit Jonathan Haidt, the social psychologist and author of The Anxious Generation, a book that helped tip the debate about online safety towards more stringent measures such as the under-16 ban in Australia.
Minutes of internal meetings contained in a recent legal filing in the US showed that staff discussed how to "get the academic community to disavow Haidt". They appear in a document titled "Well-being Meeting Sound-check Notes", which refers to discussions of how Meta could "turn other academics against Haidt" and to a "whisper strategy" aimed at achieving that goal. It also mentions "debunking" his work. Minutes from a meeting on 8 March 2023 mention "Curtiss", an apparent reference to Meta's then vice-president of research, Curtiss Cobb. It states: "Curtiss's goal for this work: how do we get the academic community to disavow Haidt. Can't co-opt them, so how do we enrage them ... so the media finds him not credible."
It then adds: "Not thinking about this as a loud strategy. A below-the-line campaign...."
The minutes were produced before Haidt published his book in 2024 and discuss responding to a Substack post written by the academic in which he reviews "a bunch of articles".
"It is not clear whether Meta acted on the ideas outlined in the minutes."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks at the start of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting on Oct. 30, 2026, in Atlanta.Photo: Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images
Imperial ambitions are ever-shifting under President Donald Trump. Greenland, Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba are oftentimes spoken about as one continuous train of complete victories and soon-to-be-complete-victories. With the midterms fast approaching, and the date for an apparent telegraphed return to the Iran war on its heels, talk of easily overthrowing regimes has returned, if it ever truly left.
At a rally in Florida last Friday, Trump laid out his grand vision, which he promised would come to pass once the Islamic Republic is neutralized as a threat to the world: “We’re going to come back from Iran. Those beautiful ships will pass Cuba. We’ll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast. They’ll raise up their hands, and then we’re going to send Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the descendant of Cuban immigrants who left under President Fulgencio Batista (though Rubio later tried to claim his parents fled Castro, who came to power three years later), has long put overthrowing the Communist government in Havana at the top of his agenda, with the hope of replicating the relative ease of kidnapping Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January. Rubio turned some heads last Friday when he publicly posted on X that those seeking “to create positive change in Cuba” could “seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discrete [sic] partnership with the CIA.”
The post was widely met with bewilderment (Bloomberg’s White House correspondent wrote: “Checked like four times that this was real”), but U.S. officials and members of Congress also shared the post, elevating the public call for collaboration. Recruiting in public might come across as strange and out of character to a public that imagines the CIA recruiting secret agents and informants through clandestine channels or hidden websites, as the agency had done to try and recruit agents inside Iran under Bush and Obama.
But public appeals of this kind are not wholly new. Under the Biden administration, the CIA recruited collaborators inside Russia via a public Telegram channel, as well as publishing videos on social media hoping to recruit Chinese, Iranian, and North Korean assets.
This kind of overt recruitment stems from the difficulties Western intelligence agencies face against adversaries who have built sophisticated surveillance networks of their own. A CIA official told ABC News in May 2025, “in today’s world of [universal technical surveillance], we can’t recruit sources the same way that we did 20 years ago, probably the same way you did 10 years ago.” This has not only affected intelligence operations targeting Beijing, but also Tehran and Havana, where both the U.S. and Israel’s lack of on-the-ground connections and limited official presence has led the CIA and the Mossad to try to recruit willing informants online.
While these limitations may govern the particulars of this strategy, those in power in their respective countries may not see it as evidence of constraints, but instead as evidence of the power of their new strategy: boasting about their national power, rather than keeping it behind closed doors where it supposedly remains useless. After all, what is the use of a deterrent if nobody knows it was you?
The scale of these public appeals, despite having started under Biden, has exploded under the second Trump term, but these moves were arguably preceded by Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to bring the Mossad’s operations much more into the public sphere. The Israeli prime minister’s bragging about numerous cyberattacks targeting Iran’s nuclear program in the late 2010s began to precipitate a shift in public discussion of the Mossad’s work, with many Netanyahu allies, like then-Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, praising the fact that Iran could now “know it is exposed and that Israel can reach anywhere in the Islamic Republic.” A former deputy director of the Mossad said after the unveiling of Iran’s stolen nuclear archive that Netanyahu’s move “goes against our nature,” and that “the prime minister insisted on publicizing this.”
Netanyahu’s pick in 2021 for the director of the Mossad, David Barnea, has been credited with institutionalizing that change, shifting the secretive intelligence agency’s operations toward appealing to larger masses, and reportedly concerning Mossad veterans who were shocked by the publicizing of agents inside Iran. Casting Israel as a superpower capable of exerting its power anywhere has become a popular refrain under Netanyahu. In an interview with “60 Minutes,” one Mossad officer said of the 2024 pager attacks in Lebanon, which injured more than 2,000 people, that “they are walking proof of our superiority all around the Middle East,” with another officer saying the operation’s complexity and success demonstrated “the world is our stage.”
The U.S. has also gotten in the habit of flexing its superpower status under Trump, declaring the nation’s intent to conquer places like Greenland and Canada, to steal the natural resources of Venezuela and Iran to fill American coffers, and to openly and unabashedly place the Western Hemisphere under a Washingtonian protectorate known as the “Donroe Doctrine.” Rubio declared in Greece in early October, speaking in terms of civilizational battle against the backdrop of the Acropolis, that “we choose the unapologetic pursuit of national power.”
Openly siccing the CIA on foreign adversaries and ICE on domestic ones has been part of that strategy of embracing imperial fervor at home and abroad. Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater and a private security contractor who remains influential in Trump world, said he was “jealous” of the pager attacks and publicly urged the CIA to take a lesson from the Mossad, saying “we should be getting those kinds of results.”
While both countries have openly sought deep intelligence penetration in adversarial nations, there are limitations to the power of clandestine and overt operations, even by superpowers and wannabes. While the CIA asserted its power in May by openly having its director meet with Cuban officials in Havana to demand “fundamental changes” in return for relief from economic strangulation, the agency’s history of attempts to overthrow the Communist Cuban government are as storied as they are unsuccessful. Earlier hopes for Iran to be as quick and as clean as taking control of Venezuela’s government were dashed early on in the conflict, with the war that was supposed to only take a few weeks now all but certain to extend past the midterm elections for another devastating round.
Even if the war with Iran ends so easily that American ships are able to go through Cuba on the way back ready for more, both outside analysts and even internal U.S. intelligence assessments do not see as easy a way to overthrow the Communist state. The New York Times reported in August that American intelligence sources indicate it could be a situation closer to Iran, where even if Raúl Castro (who has held no official position in the country since 2021) were captured, “few pragmatic officials” are likely to take power in his stead.
While Cuba’s military lacks the kind of advanced equipment Iran has, and shows of readiness (like with Venezuela) are no indication of a country’s actual willingness to fight a protracted campaign, Cuba’s military structure is similar to Iran’s in that it is based on decentralization and redundancies in leadership. In addition, Cuba has a political power structure that, also similar to Iran, is not actually based around a single individual, despite popular claims to the contrary.
Despite Trump’s constant bluster about the miracle of being able to take out Maduro without a single American death, the brazenness of that operation, and the openness with which the negotiations with Iran have been deceptive, appear to have had lessons for the Cuban leadership. President Miguel Díaz-Canelsaid in June: “All these elements create a lot of distrust in the Cuban people when it comes to conducting any type of negotiation. We continue to express our willingness for dialogue, but it has to be a dialogue between equals, without pressure and with respect for our sovereignty.” American officials have yet to internalize that sentiment. Discussing Cuba in March, Trump joyfully mused: “Whether I free it, take it, I think, I could do anything I want with it.” At the time, he was saying similar things about Iran.
The Newark Police Department (PD) is investigating a shooting that occurred on Main Street Saturday night at approximately 11:13 p.m. which resulted in six people shot.
Shots were fired on the south sidewalk of East Main Street and Choate Street. Dozens of Halloween-goers dressed in costumes crowded the downtown strip.
Following the incident, there was heavy police presence near the scene from Newark PD, the University of Delaware Police Department and Delaware State Police. Officers were seen examining debris near the area.
As of 1 a.m. Sunday, a spokesperson for Newark PD stated that no information on victims or suspects was available, and noted that there are no reports of fatalities.
The university’s emergency alert system notified the university community of police activity at 11:29 p.m. Saturday night, and of the ongoing investigation at 1:41 a.m. Sunday morning.
In a statement sent to The Review, Rick Deadwyler, Vice President for Public Affairs at the university, spoke of the incident.
“We are deeply concerned about the shooting on Main Street Saturday night, which has impacted our entire community,” Deadwyler wrote. “We are grateful to the Newark Police Department, which is leading the investigation. We will continue to communicate confirmed information, which will be shared on a dedicated alerts page (udel.edu/about/alerts) and updated as we learn more.”
Coverage will be updated as more information becomes available.
Clocks "fall back" one hour tonight to end Daylight Saving Time — though many Americans want to end the twice-yearly clock change, reports Axios.
But the U.S. Congress "remains deadlocked about how to make that happen."
The clocks are falling back despite a bipartisan House vote in July to make daylight saving time permanent and Trump's subsequent push for Senate action... While most Americans want to end the twice-yearly clock changes, they don't necessarily favor Trump's solution. Gallup found 48% of Americans support permanent standard time the entire year, compared with 24% who prefer permanent daylight saving time, as Trump wants... In 1974, the U.S. experimented with year-round daylight saving time but reversed course amid concerns about children going to school in the dark>.
Experts still debate whether permanent DST is good for people. Supporters argue that permanent daylight saving time would provide more afternoon and evening sunlight, encouraging outdoor activities. But sleep experts warn that darker mornings and lighter evenings can disrupt sleep cycles, while permanent daylight saving time could force millions of children to travel to school in the dark. The bottom line: The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says it prefers permanent standard time because it better aligns with natural sleep cycles.
"Hawaii and most of Arizona don't observe daylight saving time, so their clocks won't change," the article points out, adding that eliminating it for the rest of America "still faces opposition in the Senate and isn't expected to be considered by the end of the year.
But "the upcoming midterms could change the balance of power in Congress, potentially shifting the debate."
@lemur not to bring a sub back from the dead, but you know where i can find the xr bms files. I had a old xr bns i pulled the hex from with no lock but it got messed up somewhere. I have a brand new pint bms and when i try to push the hex the ow does nothing, does not turn on, no light, nothing. Im guessing the hex is bad because the old error was the board wouldnt turn off....guess i found the root issue. If you could point me in the right direction i would be greatful since i cant ride if no power lol.
Using a fake DOB or leaving the field blank when making an online account can offer protection from identity theft
You get a call from your bank saying there has been suspicious activity on your account. They read out your name, address and date of birth so you are happy it is a legitimate caller.
But you are talking to criminals who have used your date of birth as part of a web of verifying information to convince you they are someone else.
What started out as a special dinner date between Jade Benning, a Nashville chef, and Blaise Taylor, an assistant football scout, at her Nashville apartment ended in her call to a friend — and his call to 911.
Should generative AI be used for videogame development? Brandon Stirrup, a strategy manager at Xbox, claims Xbox is already using AI, reports Engadget. And he also says that those who say they aren't are merely "pretending."
Stirrup deactivated his social media account shortly after (though his posts have been archived elsewhere), igniting conversations about what role generative AI actually has or should have in game development. In some ways, it would be unsurprising to learn that Xbox is using AI to the extent that Stirrup implies. Xbox recently announced the formation of Xbox Labs at least in part as a response to a rising trend of AI-coded game ports; the announcement heavily implied that the new team would use AI as well but didn't say it outright. Xbox owner Microsoft is also a major player in AI development... Developers including Capcom, Square Enix, Sega, Nexon and Activision have all either used AI in their games or pledged to do so. Fortnite developer Epic Games has been particularly up-front about its AI use, and CEO Tim Sweeney has aggressively promoted it on social media...
On the other hand, there are large pockets of the game industry vocally opposed to generative AI. Notably, these tend to be smaller, independent studios without shareholders to impress by touting the cost-savings of AI. These studios include Tunic publisher Finji, Stardew Valley developer ConcernedApe and Clickolding developer Strange Scaffold, among many more. Due to the sheer number and variety of game studios, it's impossible to say just how much of the industry actually uses AI at this point, but claims that "everyone" is using it are clearly false.
There's a similar divide among players about whether generative AI should be embraced or avoided at all costs. While some simply accept AI as part of games going forward, others have pledged to avoid games that use the technology outright due to its environmental costs, labor issues or pure aesthetic preference. That's led to the popularity of tools like a browser extension that makes Steam's AI disclosures more visible and grassroots efforts by developers to implement labels certifying their games as AI-free... Many players and developers alike justify the use of AI in generating code, even if they're opposed to it in other areas.
"Gaming is the only industry slow-walking the transition," Xbox's Stirrup allegedly said, "because users have negative sentiment. Everyone else accepts reality."
"Gaming is the only industry pretending to not use AI."
A public spat has cast Democratic tensions in the spotlight as the close US Senate race draws to a head
Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s tightly fought US Senate race, wants Democratic congresswoman Haley Stevens to stay away from his campaign events.
“I don’t want any distractions,” El-Sayed told reporters after a campaign rally, according to the New York Times. “It seems as though other folks are more interested in making this race about things that it’s not about.”
"We've now replenished 90% of the stolen assets, and we're committed to covering the remaining 10%," Binance co-CEO Richard Teng posted on X, adding that "Our users will not bear the financial impact of this incident."
"Binance said it was able to replace the funds taken in the record hack by using company money to buy new tokens," reports NBC News:
The remaining 10% consists of tokens that are less liquid, meaning they may take longer to buy, it said in a statement posted on X... Binance said it has set aside around $6.34 billion of company funds internally to cover the losses. The money spent re-buying tokens came from using part of its $1 billion Secure Asset Fund for Users, a bitcoin reserve it holds to protect customers in the event of security breaches, as well as some of its Futures Insurance Fund, and the company's own corporate treasury, it said on X.
NBC News reports that the FBI blames the breach on a North Korea-sponsored group known as TraderTraitor:
Members of [TraderTraitor] were observed by law enforcement converting stolen assets into the cryptocurrency ethereum, the FBI said in a statement, adding that it expects "further laundering" of the assets through the use of related technology... After the hack, the exchange stopped allowing customers to withdraw their funds, but it said Saturday it was still on track to reopen withdrawals Sunday.
CNBC reports:
The world's largest crypto exchange initially said the hack may involve "a compromised DevOps engineer's laptop, which allowed an attacker to gain access to a service container and submit unauthorized withdrawal transactions." However, Co-CEO Richard Teng later said the attack involved a more complex process rather than the misuse of a single engineer's permissions.
The New York Times describes what happened when Binance first spotted "a multibillion-dollar deluge of digital coins" pouring out of its accounts:
As the news spread, Binance's top executives put together an informal war room on Wea, the company's internal messaging system, with about 100 participants, including specialized cryptocurrency tracers and security personnel. They eventually transitioned to a mass conference call, with 100 boxes on the screen, where employees took turns muting and then unmuting, communicating in a mixture of English and Chinese. Among them was He Yi, Binance's co-chief executive, who is seven months pregnant, and worked through the night from her base in Abu Dhabi, taking a call at 3 a.m. local time....
Much of the drama played out in public. Almost all crypto transactions are recorded on the blockchain, a ledger of money movements that anyone can look up. That meant crypto analysts could see funds leaving Binance in real time... North Koreans have targeted crypto companies for years, using the proceeds of those thefts to fund its nuclear program, according to Western officials. The hackers have developed increasingly complex strategies to steal crypto and launder the proceeds, a painstaking endeavor that can take months to complete. In a blog post on Friday, Chainalysis said the attackers had deployed "laundering patterns we have not seen before," conducting thousands of transactions over a short period, probably with the help of automation.
At the same time, Binance's colleagues in the industry mobilized to intercept some of the laundered crypto. Certain digital coin issuers can freeze funds, allowing them to halt a money-laundering operation in its tracks. Soon after the hack, Tether and Circle, two major issuers, announced that they had frozen stashes of their own coins that the hackers had seized from Binance, a combined total of more than $2 billion in crypto. Binance is now working to gain access to those funds, the company said. But $2.4 billion in crypto is already "beyond any issuer's reach," according to [blockchain intelligence firmm] TRM.
The article also includes President Trump's reaction when asked Friday about the breach. "I've always felt it was a little bit dangerous. But they say they have it pretty much under control. We'll see."
Prime minister says shake-up is vital to restore tribunal crippled by years of political disputes
Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, has vowed to see through a contested overhaul of the country’s constitutional court, declaring that “in certain matters, there can be no compromise”.
In a prime-time television address on Saturday night, Tusk was defiant, despite overnight protests that saw riot police drafted to protect the court’s building, saying the shake-up was vital to restore a tribunal crippled by years of political disputes.
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA — Alaska’s Republican-led state government is asking a federal judge to dismiss a Trump administration lawsuit seeking to interfere with certification of the state’s U.S. Senate election, calling the Justice Department’s demands legally unsupported and practically impossible.
The Justice Department wants Alaska to halt certification under certain circumstances if Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan loses and votes cast for another candidate, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., could have affected the outcome. Federal attorneys have also asked that ballots cast for the second Sullivan be separated for possible investigation.
Alaska officials say that cannot realistically be done because ballot secrecy prevents election workers from tracing processed ballots back to individual voters. The state warned that attempting to identify voter intent would violate privacy protections and disrupt election administration.
The state also argues its ballot clearly distinguishes the candidates: the incumbent appears as “Dan S. Sullivan,” identified as a Republican and incumbent, while the other candidate appears as “Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.” without a party affiliation. The Alaska Supreme Court previously ruled that Daniel J. Sullivan was legally entitled to remain on the ballot.
The dispute intensified after reporting that Democratic operatives explored recruiting candidates with Sullivan’s name. Election-law experts say such tactics may be politically deceptive but are generally not illegal by themselves, and the new allegations do not necessarily strengthen the federal government’s case.
Peltola’s campaign, the ACLU and other voting-rights groups have also asked U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason to dismiss the lawsuit.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS — Republican U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton appears to have abandoned plans to close his “Come and Take It” campaign tour at the Alamo, shifting his final Election Day-eve appearances to other parts of Texas instead.
Paxton’s campaign originally announced that its 18-day bus tour would conclude Nov. 2 at the historic San Antonio landmark. The Alamo was central to the tour’s branding, with Paxton using imagery from the Texas Revolution and the slogan, “When they come after Texans, Ken Paxton goes after them.”
By Saturday, however, the campaign’s public schedule listed Monday events in Conroe and Allen instead. The Conroe stop is scheduled for 11 a.m., followed by an evening event in Allen, roughly 300 miles from San Antonio. Paxton’s campaign had not publicly explained the change.
The Alamo Trust told Texas Public Radio it was unaware of plans for a Paxton rally on its grounds. The historic site generally prohibits political campaign events, raising questions about where or how the planned finale could have taken place.
Paxton’s closing tour has undergone several other changes, including cancellations or rescheduling of stops in El Paso, Tyler, Texarkana and Mission. One Tyler event was canceled after Vice President JD Vance scheduled appearances elsewhere in Texas.
Paxton is running against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. John Cornyn. Election Day is Nov. 3.
Benvenuto Cellini and Ryan Moore quickened clear to win the $5m Breeders’ Cup Turf
17.48 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, Grade One, 5½f
We’re on to the turf next, and the most obvious barrier to a European clean sweep on the grass in the form of Wesley Ward’s Bacio. He is already familiar to European racing fans as the winner of both the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap at Royal Ascot and the Nunthorpe at York in August.
Tensions had flared after Stevens gave a precondition for her appearance: El-Sayed must denounce an ad attributing rising costs to US support of Israel
Located further west than the Hawaiian islands, Unalaska is closer to Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul than Washington DC. Most visitors arrive on flights from Anchorage, which cost at least $1,600 round trip and are prone to cancellation, due to the region’s unpredictable storms and fog.
But Unalaska is by no means a backwater. It has been the country’s most productive seafood port by volume for more than two and a half decades, and when its crab and pollock seasons are open, thousands of deckhands and processors arrive from elsewhere to work tough but well-paying jobs on boats offshore and in seafood plants crowded in the city.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN — A Michigan man has been arrested and charged with threatening to kill FBI Director Kash Patel and another person associated with him, federal prosecutors announced Friday.
Anthony Daniel Palazzolo, 42, of Chesterfield Township, is accused of sending a Facebook message on Oct. 8 saying he had “put a hit out” on the unnamed associate and that Patel was also dead, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court.
Prosecutors say the threats continued even after FBI agents interviewed Palazzolo. According to the complaint, he later contacted a Detroit FBI agent and threatened to come to the bureau’s office and use deadly force against FBI, Secret Service and other government officials.
Palazzolo is charged with interstate communications involving threats, a felony that carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison. He appeared before a federal magistrate judge Friday and was temporarily detained pending a Nov. 2 detention hearing. He had not entered a plea as of Saturday.
The case comes amid heightened concerns about threats targeting public officials ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Federal authorities have also been investigating suspicious letters mailed to lawmakers and election offices around the country, some containing unidentified substances.
The Justice Department emphasized that the complaint contains allegations only and that prosecutors must prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
CNN reports:
The popular theory that comets were crucial in kick-starting life on Earth billions of years ago may not hold up, according to new computer simulations that counter decades of scientific thinking. The finding suggests the fragile organic molecules supposedly carried by the icy objects would have been destroyed on impact, upending an established origin of life theory that dates back to at least 1961 [with earlier versions postulated in 1908]...
Early in its history — over 4 billion years ago — Earth may have experienced a period of heavy bombardment from more than 100,000 comets larger than 100 meters (328 feet), according to the new study, published Wednesday in the journal Scientific Reports. Those impacts, however, were mostly too heavy for life-starting molecules to withstand. The team used the latest models of comet formation and evolution to simulate this early planetary period 100,000 times. "Given what we know about surface environments on the early Earth, on average, our simulations found that there were no successful impacts," said lead study author Richard Anslow, who conducted the research while completing his doctorate at the Institute of Astronomy of the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom... "The typical velocities of these comets when they impact the Earth meant that actually very few, if any, would have been able to deliver intact organic molecules, so comets actually don't seem to be as useful for prebiotic chemistry as was previously thought," Anslow said.
More precisely, 54% of the simulations showed no impact at all, while the remaining 46% had at least one and a "tiny minority" returned up to three collisions, Anslow said. "We can't rule out confidently that there was never a successful impact — there could have been one of these fluke impacts." However, such flukes had to occur in a "perfect location" that already met several important conditions, including the presence of liquid water and other chemicals needed to support life. That combination makes the overall process unlikely, he added.
The article notes his argument that even if a successful impact occurred, it's unlikely an important chemical like hydrogen cyanide (HCN) could survive the impact, and would've dissolved in an ocean impact. Plus, "many other precursor molecules are also needed, such as compounds that contain phosphorus and sulfur, but these are not routinely found in comets, Anslow said."
An alternative cosmic source of organic material could have been asteroids, which typically struck Earth more slowly and in greater numbers. Anslow pointed to recent findings on samples from asteroids Bennu and Ryugu, which contain the majority of protein-building amino acids. The recent study also raises another intriguing possibility: While Earth may not have had the ideal conditions to foster HCN from comet impacts, ancient Mars might have been better suited. "Because Mars is much smaller than Earth and further away from the sun, the typical impact velocity of comets is much lower, so while these impacts on Earth were destroying most of the HCN, this wasn't the case so much for Mars," Anslow said. This idea could add another dimension to the long-standing question of whether the red planet once supported life.
While the authors closely analyzed how HCN could have survived comet impact, the chemical may have undergone reactions before the icy bodies entered Earth's atmosphere, said Queenie Chan, an associate professor of Earth sciences at Royal Holloway University of London, who was not involved with the study. This process could have created biologically important compounds, such as those protein building blocks, that are less volatile and more likely to survive.
Shootings on Friday night in California and Michigan at Halloween Spirit stores, a retailer selling costumes and decor, killed two people, authorities said.
In a 20-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles in Miami dismissed the suit with prejudice, ruling that President Trump did not prove the defendants made defamatory statements with actual malice.
e foot position @rc's reply describes, feet closer to the hub, gives a quicker ankle-based turn, so maybe test that on your left side specifically. The regular short-session idea is also solid, since your feet and ankles build tolerance gradually rather than all at once. At 57 with good balance, the left side just needs its own repetition, not a different technique.
BBS-era "door" games are preserved by the site Break Into Chat, along with their history. Now the site's actually traced the origins of several ANSI art screens in the 1980s and "how different people later transformed the original images," starting from one of the most popular bulletin board systems in St. Louis, Missouri.
Slashdot reader Kirkman14 writes:
"Fire Escape" was curator of the authoritative list of bulletin board systems in St. Louis's area code and sysop of the area's most popular board. Like many sysops of that time, Fire Escape enlivened her bulletin board by finding and repurposing older ANSI art. Eventually her BBS had 18 different logon screens in its rotation, many of which featured flames or mushroom clouds or made liberal use of red and yellow.
Break Into Chat follows the trail:
Some, maybe even most, of Fire Escape's logon screens had actually been adapted from old school "public domain" ANSI art drawn in the late 1980s and early 1990s by folks such as Michael C. Ling, Lora Ruffner (aka "Ebony Eyes") and Violet Stymacks.... Stymacks was unusually generous with her ANSI art. When she first began drawing, she combed through Fidonet node lists looking for bulletin boards with interesting or inspiring names. When she found one, she would draw an ANSI screen that fit the board's theme, then send it to the sysop. Eventually, sysops began seeking her out, too. By late 1990, she claimed that 500 bulletin boards were using her screens. Three years later, that total had tripled, according to Boardwatch . I believe it — I have located more than 1,100 of her pieces so far. She was so prolific that it would be surprising if she hadn't reused or remixed her own work over the years...
[D]id they intend for other people to do so? Or would they have considered such borrowing or adapting as "ripping" or just plain "stealing"? These questions have dogged the BBS, ASCII art, and ANSI art scenes from the beginning. A freelance writer named Patrick Grote grappled with this ethical dilemma in 1990. He had begun to publish archives of ANSI art that he had collected from various public messageboards and networks. But what were people allowed to do with the ANSI screens in these collections? Was it okay to modify them? "Tough call," Grote said. "I know some people copyright their screens by inserting a little '(C)' on it," Grote wrote in a README file included in these collections. "Is this 'true' copyrighting? I would say yes, but then again, I don't feel like having any legal action taken against me for using an ANSI screen. In my opinion, I would say leave the ones that say '(C)' alone, but make every effort to contact the artist and ask for permission...."
When I corresponded with Fire Escape this year, she admitted her memory wasn't what it used to be, but felt certain that she had not asked any artists for permission because she didn't know who they were or how to reach them. "I figured if anyone had an issue, I'd just remove the screen," she said.
"But no one ever said anything about it."
The 35-year-old was charged after police searched properties in Shankill Road and Edwina Street areas
A man has been charged under the Explosives Act and Firearms Order after police searched properties in Belfast.
The 35-year-old was charged with offences including two counts of possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances, and possession of a prohibited weapon (discharge of electricity or noxious gas).
Concord junior Francis Willie leaps into the air to make the catch, helping the Concord Raiders defeat the St. Elizabeth Vikings, Saturday afternoon. Photo Credit: Dave Reeder
The Concord Raiders (6-2, 3-0 Class 1A-D1) defeated the St. Elizabeth Vikings (2-6, 0-3 Class 1A-D1), 7-6, on October 31 and are tied with Brandywine for first place in Class 1A District One standings.
WILMINGTON, Del. — The Raiders broke from their huddle and took their positions with the ball on the St. Elizabeth 40-yard line and less than two minutes remaining in the second quarter. Senior quarterback Declan McNulty stood alone in the backfield and took the fourth down snap, needing seven yards to continue the Raiders’ second offensive possession of the game.
McNulty went into his drop and surveyed the field. He peaked left, but returned his eyes to the right side where the majority of his receivers were running their routes. McNulty fired a high pass toward the middle of the field for junior receiver Francis Willie and Willie rose above the defensive back in front of him. Willie secured the catch as the defender tried to swipe it out of his hands and turned toward the endzone running untouched for the Raiders first and only touchdown of the game.
Willie’s 40-yard touchdown grab and junior Derrick Hoon’s extra point were the difference in Concord’s 7-6 win over St. Elizabeth, Saturday afternoon.
“All week in practice I just do it and I haven’t been able to get an opportunity, I was out for two weeks, so to bounce back and get that touchdown that was incredible,” Willie said postgame.
The Raiders earned an extra possession before halftime forcing a fumble on the ensuing kick-off after the touchdown, but the Vikings defense forced a turnover on downs holding Concord to the single score. Concord finished the first half with three offensive possessions after it looked like they may only get one shot on the offensive side of the ball.
St. Elizabeth started the game with possession and held the ball for over 15 minutes of game action. The Vikings ran 20 plays on their opening drive — all of them runs — and marched 80 yards downfield for a game-opening score. Viking players Isaiah Coleman, Mi’Cah Hamilton, Ethan Valentine and Christopher Cerasari all carried the ball during the drive with the junior quarterback Cerasari leading the group with 38 rushing yards and the opening touchdown.
Cerasari scored on a quarterback sneak and gave the Vikings a lead with a little more than nine minutes remaining in the second quarter.
Cerasari’s legs were a big part of the Vikings’ offense in the second half as well as they tried to regain the lead. Cerasari rushed for over 70 yards in the second half and helped the Vikings encroach into Raider territory, but the Raider defense held firm, never letting the Vikings enter the red zone. Cerasari finished the game with over 110 rushing yards.
“We just had to be more physical, you know,” Raider sophomore Colton Biddle said about the team’s halftime adjustments. “Coaches came in there [said] we had to be more physical, play with a higher intensity and that’s what we came out and did.”
The Viking defense was similarly stout against the Raider offense. The Vikings held the Raiders running game to short gains and tackled well in the secondary keeping the Raiders’ passing attack in check.
The Viking defense made a couple crucial stops late in the fourth quarter returning possession back to their offense for a chance at a game winning drive, but with little time remaining in the game the Vikings’ offense was forced into obvious passing situations. St. Elizabeth attempted seven passes in the final three minutes and all fell incomplete. Biddle broke up four of those pass attempts.
“I just knew what they were gonna do and I just stayed with my head, kept the intensity up and yeah I just had to put on for my team,” Biddle said after the game.
The Raiders have two games left to play this season and both are against district opponents. Concord will play Dickinson at home next Saturday and then travel to Brandywine High School for a Friday night matchup against the Bulldogs. Both the Raiders and Bulldogs are 3-0 in District One play this season, meaning should both teams win next week, their Week 10 matchup will determine the winner of District One. The winner of each district earns a top-seed in that class’ DIAA Tournament bracket and is guaranteed at least one home game in the tournament.
Concord’s next game against Dickinson will start at 10:30 a.m.
The Vikings also have two district opponents remaining on their schedule, McKean and A.I. duPont. St. Elizabeth’s next game against A.I. duPont will be on Friday, November 6, at 6:00 p.m. The game will be held at A.I. duPont High School.
BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA — A surge in federal immigration arrests across California’s Central Valley is fueling accusations of voter intimidation in a closely contested congressional district where Latino voters make up a large majority of the population.
Federal immigration agents have increased operations in and around Bakersfield and nearby communities in recent weeks. Preliminary Department of Homeland Security data reviewed by Reuters showed arrests in Bakersfield climbing to nearly 10 per day in mid-October, while agents arrested at least seven people over several days in Wasco. The White House directed the enforcement surge, according to a U.S. official cited by Reuters.
The activity is occurring in California’s 22nd Congressional District, where Republican Rep. David Valadao faces Democrat Randy Villegas. Villegas called the timing a “very clear attempt” to intimidate voters, while Valadao acknowledged the fear within immigrant communities and said enforcement should focus on people who pose public-safety threats.
There is no public evidence establishing that the raids were ordered specifically to reduce voter turnout. However, immigrant-rights groups say the operations are discouraging some U.S. citizens from leaving home or participating in the election because they fear encounters with federal agents could expose undocumented relatives.
The enforcement push comes amid broader Trump administration efforts targeting alleged noncitizen voting. Courts have recently restricted some of those efforts after challenges argued that unreliable federal data could improperly target naturalized citizens and eligible voters.
The United Farm Workers told Reuters that many farmworkers detained during the Central Valley operations had no criminal records, and some reportedly possessed legal work authorization.
Companies like Google, Netflix, TikTok, and Meta may soon owe the French government, reports Tom's Hardware:
France has approved a proposed tax that aims to tax the amount of internet data per gigabyte sent to French users in the country... According to minutes released by the National Assembly, members voted 11-10 in support of the motion on October 30 — which now means the new law has been added to the country's next budget, despite major opposition from the government side and the finance committee rapporteur. The latest amendment, introduced by socialist lawmaker Laurent Lhardit, could see content providers pay €0.055 (roughly $0.06) to the government for every gigabyte of content distributed to French users. With approximately 154 million users and counting in France, the proposal's authors say such a tax could generate around €10 billion ($11.2 billion) in annual revenue for the government.
The said proposal, though yet to be passed as it must survive further parliamentary scrutiny, aims at companies that generate substantial internet traffic as opposed to taxing their advertising revenue, profits and subscriptions. Its explanatory notes particularly mention Google, Meta, Netflix, Amazon, and content delivery network Akamai as major potential contributors. Notably, TikTok and other similar platforms could fall under this broader scope depending on how these rules are applied. Internet service providers, including Orange Free and Liad, would be required to measure the volume of data and identify the companies responsible for sending it to French users. The Data will then be collected and submitted quarterly to France's tax administration under the supervision of telecommunications watchdog Arcep.
The measure becomes law if it clears the remaining stages of France's budget process, the article points out, "with parliament scheduled to vote on the budget's first section in early November."
"VideoLAN, the French nonprofit organization behind the VLC media player, warned that the proposed levy could cost it more than €1 million annually," reports CircleID. "Its response illustrates how traffic-based taxation could affect organizations distributing large volumes of data without corresponding commercial revenue."
Residents of nearby villages line highway waving flags to greet the evacuees’ convoy from the Russian-occupied city
Evacuees from Russian-occupied Oleshky have been reunited with their families after crossing into Ukrainian-held territory on Saturday.
The major rescue operation began on Friday and was carried out under the most significant truce since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine four and a half years ago.
The Hubble Space Telescope "will plunge back into the atmosphere in the early-to-mid-2030s," reports Ars Technica.
So now NASA has released a Request For Information (RFI) "asking commercial companies for ideas on how to reboost, service, or a controlled disposal of Hubble."
Specifically, NASA is looking for information about companies' current and near-term capabilities for capturing Hubble and boosting it to an altitude of at least 373 miles (600 km), enhancing the telescope's performance, or guiding Hubble to a controlled reentry. "The requirement includes that the boost and/or servicing mission must not harm the HST and that this mission is expected to occur by 2032," NASA wrote in the RFI. The contractor would be responsible for providing the launch vehicle, servicing spacecraft, mission operations, and "crew if applicable."
NASA is not committing to buying a Hubble rescue mission, but officials want to know who might be interested in mounting such a mission, how much it would cost, and which companies would have a realistic shot at reaching Hubble before it falls out of orbit and burns up on reentry. Orbital dynamicists currently predict that it will likely happen in 2033 or 2034 without intervention, but reentry forecasts can change based on solar activity... A reboost to NASA's requirement of 373 miles (600 km) would likely keep Hubble in orbit for at least 25 more years.
"NASA last raised the orbit of Hubble in 2002," the article points out, "when the Space Shuttle Columbia visited the observatory for a servicing mission."
The final shuttle servicing flight in 2009 did not reboost the telescope's orbit, and with the retirement of the shuttle fleet two years later, Hubble has steadily lost altitude with no way to stave off eventual destruction... NASA's newer flagship observatories, sometimes described as successors to Hubble, are not actually one-for-one replacements. Hubble is tuned to observe the Universe in visible and ultraviolet light, while the Webb and Roman telescopes peer deeper into the infrared Universe. Astronomers will likely have to wait for the launch of NASA's Habitable Worlds Observatory in the 2040s for an improvement on Hubble's visible and ultraviolet vision.
Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., speaks during a primary night watch party at the Hotel Saint Regis Detroit on Aug. 4, 2026.Photo: Finn Gomez/Getty Images
Halloween weekend is the last chance for centrist Democrats to stop the nightmare they fear most: Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed, who could be the first Muslim in the Senate.
The Michigan Democrat’s campaign came under pressure from party moderates days out from the general election to denounce an ad produced by The Young Turks presenter Cenk Uygur and his Rebellion PAC. El-Sayed and his campaign were not involved in the production or distribution of the ad, which tied rising domestic prices to U.S. financial backing of the Israel military. But on Thursday, the campaign made the conciliatory gesture of distancing itself.
For centrists, it still wasn’t enough.
Rather than take the win, Haley Stevens, the House member who lost to El-Sayed in Michigan’s Democratic primary for Senate in August, used that condemnation on Friday as a springboard for a scathing denouncement of her former opponent, framed as a “celebration” of her magnanimous decision to campaign for El-Sayed this weekend alongside Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C. — and laying out conditions for her support with just a few days to go.
In the statement, in which Stevens assigned herself the role as spokeswoman for Michigan’s Black and Jewish communities — Stevens herself is a white Protestant — she all but called El-Sayed an antisemite and a bigot attempting to cozy up to the worst of the far right.
“I have learned from Democratic Party leaders and emissaries, as reported in the news media, that Dr. El-Sayed has heard the deep concerns of the Jewish community and is now, for the first time in this campaign, formally condemning that ad for what it is,” Stevens wrote. “That is why I accepted Congressman Clyburn’s invitation to appear with Abdul on Sunday.”
Stevens’s eleventh-hour ratfuck came after her fiancé Jason Turkish, a political donor who supported incumbent Maine Republican Susan Collins this cycle, as well as other politicians of both parties, announced he’d vote for the Republican candidate, Mike Rogers, on Tuesday. On Friday night, Turkish told TMZ that his fiancee might join him if El-Sayed didn’t accede to her list of demands.
Establishment Democrats see El-Sayed, and the politics he represents, as an existential threat. It’s not his rather anodyne liberalism in domestic policy — his policy portfolio isn’t far from that of party stalwart Elizabeth Warren — but El-Sayed’s opposition to Israel’s genocide of Palestinians that’s the issue. It’s a major problem for the entrenched, centrist Democrats who have controlled the party for decades and have tamped down any dissent on this issue.
Recent polling is likely motivating efforts to ding the El-Sayed campaign. Senate polling from The New York Times/Siena University this week showed South Carolina in a dead heat — an absolute shocker — with Minnesota comfortably in the Democratic corner. CNN polling published on Thursday gave Democrats leads in Texas and Michigan and toss-ups in Maine and Kansas.
With a Senate majority on the horizon, centrists need to enforce discipline and regain control. AIPAC is down, but not out; the lobbying group still has a hold on the party, even as voters are moving away from pro-genocide policies.
Taking El-Sayed down would be a show of force to keep donors and the party’s right wing happy. If Democrats can win the Senate without him, it would be all the better.
But the effort may be backfiring as a faction of party elites, led by popular former President Barack Obama, are putting their muscle behind the El-Sayed campaign. Obama has been a steady presence in Michigan, and Clyburn will rally for the candidate on Sunday at the aforementioned event that Stevens was set to attend.
Anger is also spreading among party members in the state.
“I have no idea what the hell Haley Stevens is doing,” Mallory McMorrow, the Michigan state senator who placed third in the August primary, told CNN Friday night. “This is a moment where we have to recognize the stakes.”
Stevens — who also demanded El-Sayed pull an ad showing far-right broadcaster Tucker Carlson saying he would “never” support the Republican in the race, Rogers — seems undeterred.
Given an inch by the campaign’s willingness to publicly mend fences, Stevens took it several miles, using that ad as a way of implying that El-Sayed was, at best, disinterested in the concerns of Black Michiganders.
This last-minute blitz comes after months of attacks on El-Sayed by centrist Democrats, both before and after his primary win. The smears have been normalized and facilitated by a number of Democrats eager to stay on good terms with the party’s powerful but increasingly marginalized pro-Israel wing. El-Sayed’s connection to the streamer Hasan Piker, who helped get out the vote in the primary, has been a direct and implied slam on the campaign for over half a year from other members of the party.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Thursday called opposition to Israel’s existence as an apartheid ethnostate “more than concerning, it’s wrong,” on Donny Deutsch’s podcast, adding, “This new person in Michigan, we’ll see if he gets elected to the Congress.” On CNN Wednesday, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker — a consistent pro-Israel voice — declined to directly endorse El-Sayed by name.
Right-wing Democrats aren’t stupid. They know their influence over the party is at a historic low. The genocide in Gaza has pushed the base away from supporting Israel, perhaps permanently. Supermajorities of Democrats oppose the occupation and sympathize with Palestinians.
But the party’s donor class still backs Israel to the hilt and is fomenting a war-on-terror-style Islamophobic bigotry toward Muslims. As Perry Bacon noted on Thursday in The New Republic, party elites attacked then-candidate for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani throughout 2025, then picked up where they left off with El-Sayed, the next prominent Muslim Democrat running for office, in 2026.
The same Democrats who indulge in the attacks on El-Sayed are making hay out of rejecting more openly bigoted attacks from the likes of President Donald Trump and Rogers. Rep. Dan Goldman — an outgoing pro-Israel Democrat who jumped on the Condemn El-Sayed bandwagon earlier this week — called Republican attacks on El-Sayed “Islamaphobia” [sic] on Thursday; Booker did the same. And Pelosi, just days after her comments on Deutsch’s show, urged Democrats to vote for El-Sayed.
Voters don’t seem very interested in the back and forth. In a Marist poll of Michiganders released October 21, 95 percent of the state’s Democrats said they support El-Sayed. There’s no split in the party at the state level with respect to the nominee; the fight is at a higher, ideological level with a national stage.
As for El-Sayed, he seems done with Stevens and focused on the election. That rally on Sunday? Stevens isn’t wanted there, Politico reported, as the El-Sayed campaign is making clear it would be a distraction. In a statement released Friday evening, the candidate said he is intent on fighting for affordability, defeating the GOP, and making sure the Senate seat stays blue.
With a Senate majority on the horizon, centrists will look to enforce discipline and regain control.
“That should be the priority for all of us right now,” El-Sayed wrote. “So while Congresswoman Stevens seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago, let’s all focus on the task at hand: that’s beating Mike Rogers, holding Trump accountable, and getting money out of politics, putting money in pockets, and passing Medicare for All.”
Washing his hands of the wrecker behavior Stevens is engaging in at the final stretch of the campaign is a smart move for El-Sayed. After Tuesday, the Democratic Party should do the same for anyone who indulged in and encouraged it and present a united front against Trump. There’s no room for anyone more interested in keeping their increasingly untenable right-wing ideology beyond voters’ reproach — even if that means losing.
Order says local officials can’t be forced to separate or stop counting ballots that the government deems to be disputed
A federal judge has barred the justice department from threatening or coercing election workers to stop processing ballots.
The temporary restraining order issued by the US district judge Trina Thompson in the northern district of California late Friday also bars the justice department from demanding local election officials segregate or not count ballots that the federal government deems may have been illegally cast by immigrants, something that is exceedingly rare.
Returning to movie screens after his service in World War II, Jimmy Stewart was nervous about appearing in Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" – a film now acknowledged as one of his very best.
Protesters in Paris have begun marching from Porte de Bagnolet, with demonstrations also taking place in Lille and Lyon.
Crowds of people have gathered in Paris for the protests, where two French student unions have called for a blockade of schools and universities on Tuesday and Thursday.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said 13 were Disney employees and four were Universal Studios employees among those arrested during a law enforcement sting.
Met alleges demonstrators ‘meeting to purposefully commit a crime’ in largest such gathering under Burnham
Almost 140 people have been arrested at the largest mass demonstrations under Andy Burnham’s premiership opposing the proscription of Palestine Action.
Hundreds of people gathered outside the US embassy in Battersea, south London, holding signs that read: “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.” Demonstrators also held a vigil in support of the group outside the US consulate in Edinburgh.
Demonstrations also taking place in Germany, where officers fire teargas to disperse crowds as evening falls
Clashes have erupted in Paris, Marseille and other cities after tens of thousands of demonstrators, some in Halloween fancy dress, marched across France in a third wave of protests over the cost of living and deteriorating public services.
The interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, said about 150 planned demonstrations around the country had passed off peacefully, but police had encountered an “extraordinary” level of violence from some rioters as the rallies ended.
Legal challenges to Donald Trump’s proposed memorial arch are mounting even as its construction is imminent
The legal challenges to Donald Trump’s proposed memorial arch are mounting, with the District of Columbia and Virginia suing in federal court on Saturday as the administration says construction could begin as early as next week.
There are now three lawsuits calling for a halt to potential work on a monument that would rise 250ft (76 meters) on a patch of grass off the bridge that spans the Potomac River, connecting the city with the Arlington national cemetery. That would make the arch 100ft taller (30 meters) than the Statue of Liberty is from its base to the top of the torch.
Slashdot reader ElectricVs shares this report from American Buildout, a new site covering "the intersection of data centers, energy and power, finance, and Main Street."
Dozens of unexplained drones flew over and near U.S. nuclear facilities between February 2024 and March 2026, according to records the Nuclear Regulatory Commission made public this week. In all, facility operators filed 67 reports of drones over or near 28 sites in 17 states. They include the Three Mile Island site near Middletown, Pennsylvania., where Constellation Energy plans to restart Unit 1 as the Crane Clean Energy Center. In one incident, about five drones flew roughly 100 feet above the [970-megawatt] reactor building at River Bend Station in Louisiana.
The story was first reported by the publication The Liberation Times. The NRC published the documents on its website in response to the publication's freedom of information request... Every entry carries the status "Closed Unresolved."
"Most of the incidents happened after dark," the article points out, "and none of the records identifies a drone operator. About half of the incidents, 33 of 67, occurred in an eight-week window between Dec. 3, 2024, and Jan. 24, 2025." (Virginia's Surry Power Station experienced five different incidents in December of 2024, including one involving "at least eight drones in two waves.") 100 miles west of Chicago, "drone activity" continued for more than two hours at the Byron Nuclear Station, where two separate drones were reported. In Waterford, Connecticut, "security observed four drones flying back and forth..."
The article notes a 2024 paper from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission citing a 2019 analysis that "concluded U.S. plants had no risk-significant vulnerabilities that adversaries could exploit with commercially available drones to cause radiological sabotage, or theft or diversion of special nuclear material."
Three women contacted police after Jacobs’ May arrest
One alleged the Packers star threatened to kill her
Lawyers call allegations ‘uncorroborated’ and ‘old’
As police investigated the battery case involving Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs following a May altercation with his then-girlfriend, multiple other women contacted them to detail their own allegations against him.
Those accounts were included in evidence regarding Jacobs’ battery case that the Hobart/Lawrence Police Department released on Friday night in response to a public records request. Green Bay TV station NBC 26 first reported the records’ release.
Earlier The Drive reported a police chief "had to direct his staff to disconnect the power cords from Flock cameras in Plymouth, Minnesota after Flock Safety ignored and failed to respond to the department's notice the city was canceling its service.
"But in other instances Flock's gone and reinstalled cameras without permission," The Drive reported this week:
On September 29th the city of Dayton, Minnesota posted a community update on its Facebook page alerting residents that Flock had installed and put into service two cameras against the City's direction without authorization... "The City notified Flock on September 18, 2026, that the program was on hold, and no work orders were to be completed. Unfortunately, the City's direction was not followed, and the camera was placed back into service without authorization." The statement continued and noted, "Following the report, City staff reviewed locations throughout the community to determine whether any additional cameras had been reinstalled, and one additional location was identified. The Police Department has been notified, and both cameras will be removed promptly...."
The Minnesota cities of both St. Paul and Crystal told Kare 11 that they removed the Flock cameras themselves following their respective city council votes in August and September respectively. The cameras are stored and are still waiting to be picked up by Flock. Crystal Chief of Police Pete Underthun told Kare 11, "Once we made this decision, I personally went to the locations and removed the cameras and poles myself." Chief Underthun noted, "We are still working with the company to close out our contract and for them to pick the cameras up from our garage."
Record number of early votes cast, with Democrats outnumbering Republicans in states which collect that information
There has been a surge of early voting for the US midterm elections, with millions more Americans going to the polls compared with the last such election amid a series of tight contests that will determine control of Congress.
More than 50.5m early votes have been cast across the US as of Saturday morning, according to an analysis by the University of Florida. This is already nearly 5m more votes than the total number of early votes made in the last midterm elections, in 2022.
(The Center Square) – Prediction markets spent three weeks heavily favoring Flávio Bolsonaro to be Brazil's next president. That collapsed Sunday night. Tuesday, the same markets take on the U.S. Senate.
On the Bering Sea, Unalaska is the US’s most productive seafood port, employing thousands of workers. But Trump’s cuts, and his disastrous war with Iran, have caused chaos – and put Republican control of Congress at risk
It was less than 17 hours until the start of Alaska’s lucrative Bering Sea crab season, and Oystein Lone was standing on a dock in the city of Unalaska, preparing to embark in rough conditions.
The problem wasn’t the next day’s forecast of 60mph gusts, which would kick up white-capped swells and make crabbing, already one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States, even more hazardous. Nor was it the question of whether there’d be enough red king, tanner and snow crabs to go around – state regulators had, in fact, announced higher quotas for the season.
Reddit's stock plunged 29.22% on Friday, reports CNBC, its worst drop since becoming a public company in 2024.
Thursday Reddit reported a sales growth that was weaker than previous quarters, and also forecast weak sales for the quarter to come (below analysts expectations):
The report comes as the company has seen a shift in its search referral traffic with the rise of Google's AI Overview. In an interview with CNBC, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said search-referral traffic from Google went "down meaningfully in this quarter" due to AI... Multiple analysts downgraded the stock following Reddit's disappointing results, with Citizens noting that "search changes highlight the problem with selling content to Google" and that as referral problems worsen, uncertainty around user growth amid the login requirement switch "puts more pressure on user monetization."
Reddit's CEO also said that forcing users to login will help the company's advertising business. "Reddit is the last platform to provide basically unfettered logged-out access, and that's largely because of me. I've been holding that line."
"I think users will probably go through the same understanding that I have, which is that it's a sign of the times. It's an evolution of how these platforms work."
British Heart Foundation describes ‘exceptionally challenging’ trading after Oxfam’s retail profit reportedly fell 23% amid rise of platforms such as Vinted
Profits at some of the UK’s best-known charity shops have plummeted as they face a number of pressures, including from online secondhand clothes platforms, prompting claims that a key part of the sector’s fundraising model could be under threat.
According to unpublished accounts seen by the Financial Times, Oxfam’s retail profit fell 23% to £4.9m in the last financial year, compared with £6.4m in the previous year.
Stevens has demanded El-Sayed condemn an outside group's ad and apologize for comments he made about Israel. El-Sayed said Stevens is "intent on relitigating" their primary.
Tucked away in John Healey’s budget is decision to ringfence preventative projects where future savings outweigh initial cost
It merited the briefest of mentions in John Healey’s speech and just one paragraph in the 166-page budget document, but some believe it could revolutionise not just public spending but the very process of government itself: a new focus on long-term outcomes.
The idea in the broad sense is very simple. Any spending deemed to be “preventative” – that is, the initial outlay will be more than made up for by future savings – will from now on be ringfenced, meaning it cannot be raided for more immediate needs.
Legal experts welcome judge’s rejection of firing of James Comey’s daughter prosecutor but warn an appeal is likely
A recent legal ruling against an effort to fire the star-prosecutor daughter of a former FBI chief targeted by Donald Trump could send a strong message about politicized firings – and influence other judges weighing similar cases, legal veterans said.
Judge Jesse Furman ruled this week that the Department of Justice’s firing of assistant US attorney Maurene Comey without cause was unlawful. Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James Comey, successfully litigated numerous high-profile cases during her tenure at the southern district of New York, including guilty verdicts against Ghislaine Maxwell and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
But select Democrats, too, are being accused of having ties to the late sex offender as country prepares to vote
In races across the country, Democratic candidates or groups that support them have released ads accusing Republicans of protecting pedophiles by voting against legislation to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
The ads appear intended to evoke an emotional response by accusing candidates of “protecting” Epstein, a notorious pedophile accused of running a sex-trafficking ring involving minors.
5 full weeks since I broke my foot on a short ride. I REALLY miss riding. I've considered standing on this thing but its a recipe for disaster. Can't make turns without the front of my foot.
Meta's smart glasses face new questions from two U.S. Senators, reports Gizmodo.
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden and Massachusetts Sen. Edward Markey "are requesting that Meta provide more information before Thanksgiving on whether it conducted detailed human rights due diligence and safety testing on the product before releasing it," reports Gizmodo. The Senators also requested information from Meta about " how it evaluated the privacy risks posed by the glasses, and what kinds of safeguards are currently in place."
"Although Meta identified risks to bystander privacy and vulnerable populations before launching its glasses in 2021, it nevertheless launched a product tailor-made for invading the privacy of its users and bystanders," [the senators wrote in a letter Thursday...] The glasses have also been spotted on ICE agents during raids, and have raised potential surveillance concerns. The surveillance fears were even reportedly raised by the New York Police Department's counterterrorism unit in a memo issued earlier this year....
"Meta's own disclosures confirm that imagery processed through its glasses' visual AI features may be retained and used to train AI systems, including with the assistance of human reviewers," the senators' letter states, calling the practice an invasion of privacy. "Retaining that material for AI development, thereby extending the period during which it can be accessed, disclosed, or misused, exploits people's highly sensitive information for Meta's commercial benefit."
The civilians traveled by bus and plane through Russia and Belarus before returning to Ukraine, following a deal brokered by U.S. first lady Melania Trump.
A search is underway for three armed men who broke into a mansion in Toronto belonging to a real estate CEO in the early morning hours Thursday and attacked and injured the family inside, authorities said.
Days before Election Day, Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa is stepping into the ring for a critical voting bloc in the Lone Star State: Hispanic men.
I've had my Pint-x for two months now and it's been running flawlessly. I ride it to and from work every day and I put it through it's paces almost every weekend. Yesterday I came home from work and stopped on the hill in front of our mail box, and as I was getting the mail the board cut-off underneath me. I haven't been able to get it to turn on since. The weird thing is the wheel doesn't seem to be in full free-spin, it's like it's still getting power to the motor somehow. No lights, no response. help please
The administration’s efforts have raised concerns among experts about potential disruptions after election day
Donald Trump is waging a brazen effort to interfere with voting in this year’s midterm elections, escalating concerns that the federal government will try to slow down certification of election results – a strategy that could create chaos when the new Congress is seated next year.
Experts are certain the administration’s efforts to subvert America’s elections will not work. And some have bemoaned “fearmongering” about far-fetched scenarios that are unlikely to go anywhere in court.
Shift in dealings with Washington not likely to reset once Trump leaves Oval Office, former PM says
The UK and other European nations must draw closer together as the US becomes a less-reliable partner, Keir Starmer has said in his first significant political intervention since leaving No 10.
The former prime minister warned European leaders of the threat posed by Russia, among others, and said the shift in relations with Washington during Donald Trump’s presidency was not likely to reset once he leaves the Oval Office. He accused them of being caught out by these new realities twice already.
According to documents obtained by the Guardian, officials accused Cambridgeshire force of breaching US-UK deal by handing over case of woman strangled by US pilot
Ministry of Defence officials have privately accused a UK police force of wrongly handing over the investigation of an American fighter pilot who strangled a British woman to the US military, according to documents obtained by the Guardian.
Cambridgeshire police allowed the US military police to quickly take control of the investigation into Capt Jacob Wulfson after he had been accused of sexuallyassaulting Sarah Steele in his Cambridge flat.
Environmental Defense Fund analysis shows administration handed out $950m and Clean Air Act exemptions
It’s a good time to be a coal plant in the US. The Trump administration has given support to almost half of the nation’s coal plants, helping them to continue operating despite economic and regulatory headwinds, according to a new analysis by the Environmental Defense Fund.
The analysis, which looked at the 184 operating coal plants that are connected to the grid, found that 90 received support from the Trump administration through “cash handouts, free passes to pollute, and requirements to stay online past their retirement dates”.
Guardian readers share their concerns and disillusionment with the political climate under Trump as elections loom
Millions of Americans will head to the polls on 3 November in elections that will determine control of the Republican-held House of Representatives and Senate, as well as the governorships of 36 states.
The midterms come amid mounting public frustration over issues ranging from the rising cost of living and immigration to the climate crisis, artificial intelligence, big tech and the US’s overseas wars. Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 36%, according to a New York Times/Siena poll conducted this month.
The teams are in Rome for the U.S. college basketball season opener — an event dubbed the Eternal City Tip-Off and created to honor the U.S.-born pope.
The 15th amateur to challenge Littler in Netflix stream on Friday evening, Sherrock was ‘lost for words’ after winning £501,000 prize
The name of the programme was Beat Luke Littler and Fallon Sherrock did just that.
On one of the biggest nights of the year for British TV and Netflix, there was much at stake: not just £501,000 to any of the 20 amateur challengers who managed to beat Littler in a single leg of darts, but also the jeopardy of whether audiences would choose to watch the streamer’s first UK live entertainment event – or the final of BBC juggernaut The Celebrity Traitors.
Keep early arrivals nibbling without crowding the dinner table. These 17 Thanksgiving appetizers include dips, cheeseballs, pinwheels, shrimp, croquettes, and shareable bites for the stretch before carving.The post 17 Thanksgiving appetizers for the long wait between hellos and the carving…
Almost 40% of British singles have used AI for romantic advice, from writing messages to assessing potential partners
After Sam’s ex joked that her sister found him ugly, he turned to AI. Google Gemini had a look at the photo and politely disagreed. AI has been his wingman ever since, aiding his dating life by giving pep talks and vetting his messages.
The 27-year-old from Stoke-on-Trent is not the only AI-assisted romantic – a survey of 3,000 British singles published this month by Match Group, the owner of the Tinder and Hinge platforms, found 39% had used AI in their dating lives.
The first lady has been praised for ‘singlehandedly’ brokering a ceasefire in a Ukrainian city – though she might have had some help
Haters be damned: Donald Trump just keeps on winning. He won the inaugural Fifa peace prize last year and was presented with the completely real, totally not made-up “Man of the Century” award at a recent rally. The president has also spent the greater part of a decade claiming he was once crowned Michigan’s Man of the Year: a fantastic achievement considering there is no such award and Trump has never lived in Michigan.
But despite his many trophies, there is one honour that has proved elusive: the Nobel peace prize. Trump holds a bit of a grudge about that, recently terming Norway a “shithouse country” for passing him over for the award. In response, the country’s tourism board highlighted some of its nicest public lavatories with the tagline: “Norway makes shit houses great again!”
Lance Wallnau has gathered supporters to talk about Charlie Kirk and school boards – with no mention of GOP
One of Donald Trump’s most influential Christian nationalist backers has privately shied away from rallying supporters for the Republican party before the midterms, instead urging them to focus their attention elsewhere – including emulating El Salvador and Poland, finding a successor for Charlie Kirk and even focusing on their own diets.
At the “As One” weekend for paying “partners” in the Dallas-Fort Worth area earlier this month, Lance Wallnau, one of the first prominent rightwing evangelicals to back Trump in 2015, spoke across three sessions about the virtues of El Salvador’s prison system, school boards and the movement’s future. The midterms, then little more than three weeks away, were not mentioned once.
After canceling events in 2025, US cities including Henderson, Kentucky, are reviving public Day of the Dead events
Julia, a 19-year-old born in the US, and her parents, undocumented immigrants from Mexico, enjoyed attending the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration each year in Henderson, Kentucky, and selling aguas frescas, horchatas and a sweet bread traditionally eaten on the Mexican holiday.
Last year, her family also built an ofrenda, or altar, featuring flowers and a violin, to honor her grandfather, who played the instrument and died in 2023 in Mexico.
Door duty pulls you away from the snack table. Keep bites within reach. These 15 Halloween party recipes include savory nibbles, cheese-board favorites, cookies and individual sweets for guests to graze on all evening.The post 15 Halloween party food ideas…
When costumes and candy plans crowd the evening, dinner needs to be easy to serve. These 13 Halloween recipes range from soups and casseroles to pizza, rice, and skillet mains for a filling meal before trick-or-treating.The post 13 delish Halloween…
Millions will vote to decide which party controls Congress – which will have a huge impact on Trump’s final years in office
US voters will soon deliver a national verdict on the second presidency of Donald Trump. On 3 November, millions of Americans will vote in midterm elections to decide control of the House of Representatives and Senate, as well as the governorships in 36 states and state legislatures across the country. The results could have a huge impact on Trump’s final two years in office.
Our reporters have interviewed nine voters across the country and the political spectrum about extremism in US politics, their confidence in the US voting system, what they hope Congress will tackle first and their views of the president’s secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth.
The tech mogul’s midterm donations backing Republicans have made him the largest single-cycle political donor in modern US history
Elon Musk has poured so much money into US politics this midterms election cycle that his donations could fund half a dozen SpaceX rocket launches or buy thousands of Tesla Cybertrucks. At the Tesla Diner in Los Angeles, Musk could order more than 31.9m cheeseburgers with the money he has spent on the midterms.
Musk, the world’s richest person, has funnelled at least $445.77m into Republican-aligned political action committees (Pacs) and groups since last year, according to US Federal Election Commission data as of 29 October. The contributions have made him the Republicans’ most prominent financial backer and the largest single-cycle political donor in modern US history.
Experts say the proposed program prioritizes parents in ‘traditional families’, ignoring the flexibility needed that all families need to support themselves
Erica Hall and her husband knew that raising kids wouldn’t be cheap.
They intentionally had their children five years apart because paying for two in daycare would have been too expensive. When her first child was born, Hall had to self-fund her maternity leave by drawing on savings. And recently, Hall was laid off from her tech job, leaving her at a crossroads.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration is preparing to deport a group of Afghan immigrants through Pakistan, potentially returning some to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan despite warnings that individuals with ties to former U.S. allies could face persecution.
More than 150 Afghans are expected to be removed in what could become one of the largest single deportations of Afghan nationals since the 2021 U.S. withdrawal, according to Reuters and The New York Times. Dozens are being held in Louisiana, with the first flight reportedly possible as early as Monday.
A U.S. official told Reuters the deportations would occur through Pakistan because Washington does not maintain diplomatic relations with Afghanistan’s Taliban government. Pakistan has itself expelled more than 2 million Afghans to Afghanistan since 2023.
AfghanEvac, a coalition that assisted Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal, says some detainees are relatives of people who worked alongside American forces and could face Taliban retaliation. The organization says detainees have received conflicting information about whether Pakistan is their final destination or merely a transfer point before Afghanistan.
Advocates also say the group includes people who may have persecution or torture claims that should be evaluated before removal. Human Rights First has been challenging the administration’s broader policy of deporting immigrants to third countries without sufficient notice or an opportunity to raise country-specific safety concerns.
The Department of Homeland Security declined to confirm the planned flight, citing operational security. The administration says its broader deportation campaign is intended to improve domestic security.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 30, 2026 — BTQ Technologies Corp., a quantum technology company focused on accelerating the transition from classical networks to the quantum internet, has announced that MIMIQ, its large-scale quantum emulator developed by wholly owned subsidiary QPerfect, is now available to users of qBraid, a platform that gives developers access to a range of quantum devices and simulators, through qBraid’s managed API.
Standard state-vector simulators run into a memory wall at a few dozen qubits, because memory requirements double with every qubit. MIMIQ pairs optimized state-vector emulation with Matrix Product State (MPS) techniques, a compressed representation of quantum states that sidesteps this barrier as long as entanglement stays limited. MIMIQ can simulate up to thousands of qubits and millions of gates. (Leonteva et al., Comparative Benchmarking of Utility-Scale Quantum Emulators).
The integration brings that scale to qBraid’s community of more than 35,000 developers. For five consecutive years, qBraid has also been the official development platform of MIT’s iQuHACK, the university’s annual quantum hackathon. With MIMIQ, developers can:
Validate algorithms at sizes closer to real hardware before using QPU time
Study noise effects and test error correction protocols at scale
Explore circuits beyond the reach of exact statevector emulation using Matrix Product State (MPS) with controlled truncation error.
Users submit circuits to MIMIQ from qBraid Runtime through qBraid’s managed API, with no MIMIQ infrastructure to set up. The Provider Plugin that connects the two is open source under the Apache License 2.0 and builds on QPerfect’s open-source mimiqcircuits-python library.
“Quantum computing requires more than advances in hardware. Developers need the software infrastructure to design, test, and validate increasingly complex quantum algorithms,” said Olivier Roussy Newton, CEO of BTQ Technologies. “By bringing MIMIQ to qBraid’s developer community, we’re expanding access to large-scale quantum emulation and supporting the development of the broader quantum computing ecosystem. This collaboration reflects our strategy of building the infrastructure needed to advance quantum computing from research toward practical applications.”
“At QPerfect, we build the full software stack quantum teams need to get from algorithm to hardware, and emulation at scale is one essential step on that path. Developers are designing circuits too large for exact statevector emulation, and they need to test them before hardware time is available. qBraid’s community already builds and tests quantum software on the platform, and MIMIQ is now a few lines of code away for them. We’re excited to see what they build,” said Philippe Blot, CEO of QPerfect.
“Developers on qBraid are increasingly working at scales that exact simulation can’t reach, and many of them now build alongside AI agents that design, test, and iterate on circuits for them. MIMIQ gives both a place to run those circuits before they ever touch hardware, through the same SDK they already use for every other device on qBraid. We’re excited to bring QPerfect’s emulation technology to our community,” said Ryan Hill, CTO, qBraid.
See It at Q2B Chicago
Learn more at Quantum Developer Day, hosted by qBraid on Dec. 7, 2026, at the Microsoft Innovation Hub in Chicago, and at Q2B26 x Chicago Quantum Summit, Dec. 8–10, 2026.
About qBraid
qBraid is a cloud platform for quantum software development, used by more than 35,000 developers across over 100 countries and 2,000+ universities and research institutions, alongside national labs and enterprise teams. Through a single open-source SDK, qBraid gives developers access to quantum hardware from leading providers, high-performance simulators, and on-demand GPU and CPU compute, with integrated agentic tooling that lets AI agents run quantum workloads directly on the platform.
About QPerfect
QPerfect, a wholly owned subsidiary of BTQ Technologies, is a French quantum computing company based in Strasbourg, led by a team of scientists and engineers recognized for their pioneering work in neutral atom physics, quantum optics, and quantum software engineering, and specializing in quantum computing and quantum design automation. Founded in 2023, the deeptech company has received the i-Lab Grand Prix and provides powerful technology to enable researchers, developers, and manufacturers to realize the full potential of quantum computers.
At the core of QPerfect’s innovation is the Quantum Logic Unit (QLU), a multi-layered framework designed to accelerate quantum development. Its flagship product, MIMIQ, forms the first layer of the QLU and offers a cutting-edge platform that executes quantum algorithms with unmatched speed, accuracy, and flexibility — surpassing existing simulators and current quantum computers. For more information, please visit https://qperfect.io.
About BTQ Technologies Corp.
BTQ Technologies Corp. (Nasdaq: BTQ | Cboe CA: BTQ) is a quantum technology company focused on accelerating the transition from classical networks to the quantum internet. Backed by a broad patent portfolio and deep technical expertise, BTQ is developing a full-stack, neutral-atom quantum computing platform spanning hardware, middleware, and post-quantum security solutions for finance, telecommunications, logistics, life sciences, and defense.
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA — The Justice Department has issued grand jury subpoenas and records-preservation demands as it expands a criminal investigation into allegations that Democrats helped recruit a second candidate named Dan Sullivan to appear on Alaska’s U.S. Senate ballot.
The investigation follows reporting that people connected to Democratic candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee explored recruiting candidates who shared the Republican incumbent’s name. Retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan ultimately qualified for the ballot alongside Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, Peltola and another Republican candidate.
Peltola has denied knowing about or participating in the recruitment effort, saying Thursday, “I am not interested in tricking voters.” The scope of the federal investigation remains unclear, and prosecutors have not publicly identified what federal crime they believe may have been committed or named Peltola as a criminal target.
U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman said Friday that federal authorities had deployed additional law-enforcement resources to Alaska following the allegations. When pressed about possible criminal violations, however, he said investigators were not assuming that a crime had occurred.
Election-law experts note that recruiting spoiler candidates is a longstanding political tactic used by both parties and is generally legal unless accompanied by separate violations such as campaign-finance fraud or false filings.
President Donald Trump has called for Peltola to be prosecuted and removed from the race, while Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has ordered a separate state investigation. No criminal charges have been filed.
I’ve just gotten back into writing my board after quite some time. I got this notification through Float Control and thought maybe they had changed the software to allow remote control headlight I’ve done what Float Control suggests but it doesn’t seem like it’s changed. Can anybody confirm if this is an actual thing that I can do with the GTV power kit?
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA — A federal judge barred the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security from threatening or coercing election workers over the processing of ballots, delivering another legal setback to the Trump administration’s effort to intervene in California’s midterm election.
U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson issued a temporary restraining order Friday prohibiting federal officials from threatening criminal prosecution or pressuring state and local election officials to reject, withhold or segregate ballots based on the administration’s allegations that certain voters may be ineligible. The order remains in effect through Nov. 16, with another hearing scheduled for Nov. 13.
The ruling came after federal prosecutors warned California election officials about potential legal consequences for processing ballots belonging to noncitizens. Thompson found the government’s actions likely violated the Voting Rights Act’s prohibition against intimidating, threatening or coercing people assisting voters. She also concluded the government was likely acting beyond its constitutional or statutory authority.
Separately, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Justice Department’s request to force California to segregate ballots connected to roughly 20,000 people the administration says may not be citizens. California officials dispute the reliability of that list and warn it likely contains eligible U.S. citizens.
The 2-1 appeals court majority said there was no feasible way to identify and separate the targeted ballots without risking severe disruption to California’s election system and potentially disenfranchising lawful voters. One of the two judges in the majority, Mark Bennett, was appointed by Trump.
The Justice Department maintains that federal law prohibits noncitizen voting and says its actions are intended to protect legitimate ballots.
This will be my first time with VESC, but have successfully built a quart-style battery and ffmwheel'ed a pint previously so I have some basic knowledge. My questions are mostly related to the BMS and safety features:
How should over-charging protection be implemented? If I go down a big hill on a full battery how do I prevent cell damage? Does the VESC controller receive a signal from the BMS for this and initiate pushback? Or the BMS just cuts power?
Same question for under-voltage. Does the VESC controller receive a signal from the BMS for this and initiate pushback? Or the BMS just cuts power?
If controller can't communicate with the BMS, then is over/under voltage pushback based on total pack voltage rather than worst-case individual cell voltage?
I see some people are bridging the positive terminals on the BMS. What is the purpose of this? Is it required?
Thanks for any help, and please direct me to any more suitable forum to ask these questions.
Presidents, civil rights leaders and America’s favorite humorists disagreed about plenty. On the importance of citizens showing up, their message was remarkably similar.
By George D. Rotsch, Publisher of Delaware LIVE
WILMINGTON, Del. — Americans have never needed much encouragement to complain about politics.
Will Rogers made a career out of it.
“I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts,” the beloved humorist famously observed. The line, attributed to Rogers in a later Saturday Review quotation, still sounds surprisingly current.
But behind the jokes, arguments, campaign signs and partisan disagreements is a responsibility Americans across generations have repeatedly been reminded not to ignore:
Vote.
Not because everyone agrees. Not because every voter loves every candidate. And certainly not because politics suddenly becomes pleasant.
Americans vote because choosing the people who govern them is one of the fundamental privileges — and responsibilities — of citizenship.
The future is in voters’ hands
Dwight D. Eisenhower put it simply in 1949:
“The future of this Republic is in the hands of the American voter.”
Eisenhower, the general who commanded Allied forces in Europe during World War II before becoming president, went further in that speech. Americans, he argued, should stop treating politics as something that belongs only to politicians and stop assuming one vote does not matter.
His point was straightforward: Self-government requires citizens to participate in governing themselves.
Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered a similar warning during a 1944 radio address.
Roosevelt argued that Americans were unlikely to lose the right to vote because someone simply took it away. The greater danger, he said, was Americans surrendering its power by choosing not to use it.
That idea may be especially relevant in an era when political frustration sometimes becomes an excuse for staying home.
Not voting is also a choice.
It simply leaves the decision to everyone who does vote.
A powerful instrument
For millions of Americans, the right to vote was not always guaranteed in practice.
That history was central to President Lyndon B. Johnson when he signed the Voting Rights Act in 1965.
Johnson called the vote “the most powerful instrument ever devised by man” for confronting injustice.
His message was directed particularly toward Black Americans who had been systematically denied access to the ballot, but the broader lesson survives: A legal right acquires its political power only when citizens exercise it.
Martin Luther King Jr. made much the same argument during the civil rights movement, repeatedly linking voting with the ability of ordinary citizens to turn demands for change into political action.
The ballot is different from almost every other tool available to citizens.
You can complain about your taxes.
You can yell at the television.
You can argue with your neighbor.
You can post something online.
But voting is the moment when opinion becomes a decision.
A ‘crown jewel’
Republican President Ronald Reagan approached the question from another direction.
“The right to vote is the crown jewel of American liberties,” Reagan said while advocating an extension of the Voting Rights Act in 1981.
That sentiment helps demonstrate how deeply the principle crosses ideological lines.
Roosevelt was a Democrat.
Eisenhower and Reagan were Republicans.
Johnson was a Democrat.
King challenged leaders in both parties.
Yet all recognized essentially the same principle: The legitimacy of representative government ultimately rests with the people who choose it.
And there is something wonderfully American about that.
A president’s vote counts once.
A billionaire’s vote counts once.
The person standing beside you in line whose political opinions drive you absolutely crazy gets one, too.
So do you.
You don’t have to love politics
Perhaps one reason Americans sometimes tune out elections is that politics can feel exhausting.
The advertisements are relentless. The arguments are predictable. Candidates sometimes seem more interested in explaining why the other person is terrible than why they themselves deserve the job.
Will Rogers would probably have found plenty of material.
Another old political saying captures the problem neatly: “Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.”
The phrase has long been attributed to critic George Jean Nathan, although research suggests its precise origin is uncertain, and versions of it were circulating by the 1920s.
The authorship matters less than the point.
Choosing not to participate does not remove politics from your life.
Elected officials will still make decisions about schools, roads, taxes, public safety, business regulations, energy, health care and countless other issues.
The only question is whether you participate in choosing them.
Your neighbor doesn’t have to be wrong
There is another reason to vote that sometimes gets overlooked.
Voting does not require believing that everyone who disagrees with you is ignorant, dishonest or dangerous.
In fact, the American system was built around the assumption that citizens would disagree.
Sometimes loudly.
An election gives Americans a peaceful way to settle those disagreements for the moment and then return later and reconsider the decision.
The winner governs.
The loser gets another opportunity.
Citizens continue arguing.
And the country continues.
That process is imperfect, frequently frustrating and occasionally messy.
It is also extraordinary.
The simplest argument… So why vote?
Roosevelt might say because a right unused can lose its meaning.
Eisenhower might say because the future of the republic belongs to the voter.
Johnson might remind us that the ballot can change society.
Reagan might call it one of our most precious liberties.
And Will Rogers would probably make us laugh about whichever candidates we elected.
Different generations. Different political philosophies. Different ways of saying essentially the same thing.
You don’t have to agree with your neighbor.
You don’t have to belong to a political party.
You don’t have to believe your candidate is perfect.
You don’t even have to enjoy politics.
Learn about the people asking to represent you. Make your own decision.
Then participate.
Because democracy ultimately depends on ordinary Americans deciding that their voice is worth using.
TO GO
What: Learn more about the history and importance of voting in America
Why it matters: Voting allows citizens to choose their representatives, hold government accountable and peacefully decide the direction of their communities and country.
Learn more: The Eisenhower Presidential Library, Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library maintain speeches and historical materials documenting presidents’ views on voting, citizenship and representative government.
Early voting sites are open Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. More than 128,000 Delawareans have already voted.
(Numbers reflect votes cast as of Friday afternoon, Oct. 30, 2026.)
DOVER, Del. — This weekend is your last chance to vote early in Delaware. Early voting sites are open Saturday, Oct. 31, and Sunday, Nov. 1, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can vote at any early voting site in your county. To find the closest one, check Delaware Live’s 2026 Voters Guide.
More than 128,000 Delawareans have already voted early or by absentee ballot. This weekend, you can join them.
Most of them are older. Nearly 2 out of 3 who have voted so far are 65 or older this year. Voters ages 18 to 29 this year make up just 4% of those who have voted. See Table 1. For turnout by county and party, see Table 2.
Table 1: Early and absentee voters, by age*
Age in 2026
Voted as of Oct. 30
Share of all who voted
65 and older
81,890
64%
45 to 64
32,739
26%
30 to 44
8,575
7%
18 to 29
4,805
4%
All voters
128,009
100%
(Source: Delaware Department of Elections, Election Voted List, obtained by Delaware LIVE [Oct. 30, 2026]. Ballots as of Friday afternoon, Oct. 30.)
Table 2: Early and absentee voters, by county and party*
Swipe sideways to see all columns →
Party
registration
Registered voters Oct. 1, 2026
Voted as of Oct. 30 (% of registered)
New Castle County
Democrats
209,850
32,347 (15%)
Republicans
82,007
8,085 (10%)
Everyone else
148,897
8,520 (6%)
Kent County
Democrats
54,672
10,173 (19%)
Republicans
38,791
5,698 (15%)
Everyone else
55,075
3,760 (7%)
Sussex County
Democrats
68,249
25,705 (38%)
Republicans
78,849
21,845 (28%)
Everyone else
73,496
11,876 (16%)
Statewide
Democrats
332,771
68,225 (21%)
Republicans
199,647
35,628 (18%)
Everyone else
277,468
24,156 (9%)
All voters
809,886
128,009 (16%)
(Sources: Delaware Department of Elections, Election Voted List, obtained by Delaware LIVE [Oct. 30, 2026], and Voter Registration Totals by Political Party [Oct. 1, 2026]. Ballots as of Friday afternoon, Oct. 30.)
What the numbers show
Sussex is far ahead. In Sussex, 38% of registered Democrats and 28% of registered Republicans have voted, more than double New Castle’s 15% and 10%.
Both major parties are turning out. About 21% of registered Democrats and 18% of registered Republicans have voted. Voters registered with neither party are furthest behind, at 9%.
Sunday, Nov. 1
Early voting, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Last day.
Tuesday, Nov. 3
Election Day. Vote at your own polling place, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Check Delaware Live’s 2026 Voters Guide to find your polling place, your early voting site and every name on your ballot.
*About these numbers: These figures come from the state’s Election Voted List of everyone who has voted early or by absentee ballot. Party is how voters are registered. “Everyone else” means all other parties and no party. Age is the age a voter turns in 2026, based on birth year. Two voters were listed twice, once for an absentee ballot and once for early voting, and are counted once. Registered voter totals are from the state’s Oct. 1 report. Percentages were calculated by author and may not add to 100% because of rounding.
Once again, it is time for HPC Career Notes, our monthly feature that’s designed to keep you up-to-date on the latest career developments for individuals in the HPC community, including promotion, new company hires, and accolade. Check in each month for an updated list and you may even come across someone you know, or better yet, yourself!
Michael Garland and Nathan Bell
Nathan Bell (l) and Michael Garland
Nvidia’s Michael Garland and Google’s Nathan Bell were awarded the SC26 Test of Time Award for their SC09 presentation on sparse computing, which was based on their paper titled “Implementing Sparse Matrix-Vector Multiplication on Throughput-Oriented Processors.”
Sparse matrix-vector multiplication is an important operation in computational science, as it appears repeatedly in methods for solving large-scale linear systems and eigenvalue problems across scientific and engineering applications. However, sparse matrices remain a challenge for parallel hardware, such as GPUs.
Rather than treating all sparse matrices in the same way, Garland and Bell considered different sparsity patterns and the data formats best suited to them, which can reduce the execution and memory divergence caused by irregular matrix structures. Their results demonstrated that sparse computation can be mapped successfully onto GPU architectures. In their study, Garland and Bell showed that sparse matrices could be run with high levels of memory bandwidth utilization on the Nvidia GeForce GTX 285.
Garland, who is currently is a senior director of programming research at Nvidia, will look back on the paper and the ensuing work in his SC26 presentation titled “Twenty Years of Sparsity on GPUs.”
Caira Anderson
Caira Anderson, a doctoral student in the Center for Applied Mathematics at Cornell University, has completed a three-month graduate fellowship practicum at the Mathematics and Computer Science (MCS) division of Argonne National Laboratory studying computational methods and software for large-scale scientific simulation.
Caria Anderson
Anderson, who is a recipient of a DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (CSGF), chose Argonne for her practicum because of its strength in applied mathematics, scientific computing, and HPC software
“MCS is a natural fit for my interests in numerical methods and scientific software,” Anderson said. “I was excited by the chance to learn how solver methods are developed, tested, and used in large-scale scientific computing applications.”
Anderson’s thesis work focuses on numerical methods for the linear ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) eigenvalue problem, which is used to study the stability of plasma equilibria in application areas such as fusion energy, per Gail Piper’s writeup on the Argonne site. During her practicum, Anderson studied the performance of a fully implicit Runge–Kutta (IRK) time-stepping method implemented in PETSc, Argonne’s suite of software for scientific computing.
While she focused on numerical methods and scientific computing, Anderson also has been exploring AI tools, such as Claude. “For this kind of work, AI can be useful as a coding and reasoning aid, but I feel it is still important to understand the mathematical formulation, verify the implementation and test the results carefully,” she said. “In my experience, AI tools are most useful when they support that process rather than replace it.”
Wei Jia Ong
Wei Jia Ong
Wei Jia Ong, a staff scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), was named a 2026 recipient of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science Early Career Research Program award.
With support from the award, Ong will pursue an integrated approach to understanding the origins of p-nuclei, a type of stable nuclei with an excess of protons. “P-nuclei are extremely interesting because they cannot be made by neutron-capture reactions, which is how more than 99% of stable nuclei are made in stars,” she said, according to a story by LLNL’s Ashley Piccone on the LLNL website.
While scientists approximately understand the mechanisms behind neutron capture and the formation of neutron-rich isotopes, how and where p-nuclei are made is still a topic of contention.
The Early Career Research Program provides five-year awards to exceptional early-career researchers at U.S. academic institutions, National Laboratories, and Office of Science User Facilities to stimulate new research directions in mission critical areas supported by DOE’s Office of Science.
“Winning this award is an incredible honor, and I have to thank the vast number of colleagues who helped me develop the ideas and improve the proposal,” said Ong. “I can’t wait to see what we find!”
Michael McQuade, Matt Long, and Quan Nguyen
(l to r) Michael McQuade, Matt Long, and Quan Nguyen
HPC software developer Parallel Works made several personnel moves in the past month, including the promotions of Michael McQuade to VP of engineering, Matt Long to lead mission engineering, and Quan Nguyen to director of engineering.
As VP of engineering, McQuade will lead the continued development and advancement of Parallel Works Activate platform. McQuade has helped develop that product as director of engineering.
As director of mission engineering, Long will oversee the teams that deploy, operate, and support customer HPC and AI environments. He will focus on strengthening customer engagement, optimizing infrastructure performance and ensuring organizations can reliably execute demanding computational workloads.
Nguyen, meanwhile, will help to lead development of the Activate platform as the eirector of engineering. Previously, he served as engineering team lead.
“Most HPC and AI projects don’t stall because the hardware isn’t there,” said Matthew Shaxted, CEO of Parallel Works. “They stall because no one owns the integration, the tuning and unexpected failures. That’s what mission engineering is for, and it’s why we’re putting experienced leaders in charge of it.
“Michael, Matt and Quan have dedicated years to helping researchers and engineers overcome complex HPC and AI challenges with world-class solutions,” Shaxted continued. “These promotions position them to expand that impact, bringing their expertise and innovative approaches to an even broader range of customers.”
John McKillop
John McKillop
Storage software provider Hammerspace has appointed John McKillop, a sales executive with a quarter of a century experience in tech sales, to the position of vice president of Americas sales.
McKillop previously was the senior vice president of global sales and senior vice president of Americas sales at storage vendor Quantum. Prior to that, he was chief revenue officer at Openprise, where he helped helping enterprises optimize go-to-market operations through data orchestration, automation and AI.
“What attracted me to Hammerspace is the combination of differentiated technology, an exceptional team and the momentum already underway,” McKillop said. “The market opportunity is enormous, and Hammerspace is uniquely positioned to capture it. My focus is on accelerating that growth by scaling our sales organization, expanding our strategic partnerships and helping more customers realize the value of AI anywhere.”
“We’ve experienced phenomenal growth this year,” said Hammerspace is excited to bring McKillop on board, said Hammerspace’s Chief Business Officer Tony Asaro. “He has a great track record of success, scaling sales organizations and building the partnerships needed to turn market leadership into sustained revenue growth,” he said.
Wahid Bhimji and Shashank Subramanian
Shashank Subramanian (l) and Wahid Bhimji
Wahid Bhimji and Shashank Subramanian, two members of the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC)’s Real-Time Synchrotron Imaging Analysis Team, have received the at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Director’s Awards for exceptional achievements in science.
Bhimji and Subramanian received the Director’s Award “for foundational work building the Advanced Light Source (ALS) imaging superfacility, culminating in the delivery of real-time, AI-driven analysis of microtomography experiments leveraging DOE’s high-performance networks and computing infrastructure,” LBNL said in a press release.
According to LBNL, the collaboration between ALS and NERSC has “dramatically accelerated” and improved the process where massive amounts of data captured at the ALS are analyzed at NERSC and returned to ALS researchers in near-real time. The lab says that its success could also pave the way for similar integration between experimental facilities and HPC resources underpinning the U.S. Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission project, particularly its American Science Cloud initiative.
“It’s a great honor to receive this award; it’s the culmination of the work of many people across NERSC and ALS, over many years, to enable real-time HPC workflows for science,” said Bhimji. “These approaches now form the foundation of efforts in the American Science Cloud and Genesis Mission which could further enable transformative science in the coming years.”
Rekha Rao
Rekha Rao (center) receiving her award in Munich in July 2026
Sandia National Laboratories recently announced that Rehka Rao is the first employee to receive dual fellowships, including for the Society of Rheology and the International Association for Computational Mechanics.
She is the first Sandia employee to ever be elected a fellow of the IACM. She also served as the first female president of the U.S. Association for Computational Mechanics, Sandia tells us in a press release.
Rao accepted her IACM fellowship at the World Congress on Computational Mechanics in Munich, Germany, which brought 5,000 researchers together from around the world in July. “Being the first Sandia fellow at IACM and getting international recognition was just really amazing,” Rao said. “Especially because this is not only for my service but also for my technical achievements.”
Rao will receive her fellowship recognition from the Society of Rheology in late October.
Rao discovered her passion for research and problem-solving during her undergraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley. She has spent her entire career at Sandia, having joined in 1990 with a doctorate in chemical engineering, specializing in computational fluid dynamics.
After starting out in nuclear waste disposal, she moved to engineering sciences. Much of her career has focused on deterrence work, including the B-61 nuclear bomb.
“Every time they build a new encapsulated part, they will run the models to make sure the molds fill well with minimal defects,” Rao said. “You have specific foam parts that need to be high-quality structural supports. We have developed multiphysics models to understand the fluid flow, solidification, and aging. Electronic components are encapsulated, so the foam must survive drop or bumps. These models help do that.”
Peter Shor
Peter Shor
Zapata Quantum has appointed Peter Shor and other notable scientists to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Shor is the MIT mathematician whose landmark 1994 algorithm, now known as Shor’s algorithm, showed how quantum computers could solve a major computational problem far faster than the best-known classical methods, helping launch the modern field of quantum computing.
“Quantum computers will only be as useful as the applications we run on them. As hardware matures toward fault tolerance, it’s critical that we discover and develop new algorithms to truly unlock the power of this new technology,” said Dr. Shor. “I’m excited about the work Zapata is doing in this area and look forward to helping guide those efforts.”
In addition to Dr. Shor, other distinguished scientists joining the SAB include Alexandru Paler, Associate Professor of Computer Science at Aalto University in Finland; Simon Devitt, Professor and Director of the Centre for Quantum Software and Information (QSI) at the University of Technology, Sydney; and Artur Izmaylov, Professor of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry at the University of Toronto.
“Dr. Shor’s work is the reason this entire field exists,” said Sumit Kapur, CEO of Zapata Quantum. “His discovery of quantum algorithmic advantage is the foundational proof point the industry has been built upon, and having his guidance regarding our scientific direction is strong validation of our approach.”
Mark Long
Mark Long
Supermicro appointed seasoned finance executive Mark Long as senior vice president and chief financial officer. Long will report directly to the computer maker’s CEO, Charles Liang.
Long has more than three decades of experience across the technology sector, including a stint at Western Digital, where he led financial management, investor relations and corporate strategy as CFO and chief strategy officer. He also served as co-founder and partner of Prime Impact Capital, a technology-focused investment firm. Long also was a senior vice president of strategy and corporate development at Hitachi Global Storage Technologies.
“I am honored to join Supermicro as it continues to build on its leadership in AI and high-performance infrastructure,” Long said. “Charles has built a remarkable company, and I look forward to partnering closely with him and the executive team to scale the business effectively and efficiently – strengthening our financial foundation while supporting continued innovation, growth, and long-term value creation for shareholders.”
Weikuan Yu
Weikuan Yu
Florida State University Professor of Computer Science Weikuan Yu will serve as a director within the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure at the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF program director for at least one year starting in Fall 2026.
In the role, Yu will collaborate with researchers and other program directors to help manage NSF programs and oversee federal research investments related to his expertise in AI, powerful computing systems, large-scale data management and computing infrastructure.
Yu joined FSU’s Department of Computer Science in 2015 and has served as associate chair for research and held the Mainline Information Systems Endowed Professorship. He also led the Department of Computer Science as chair for three years.
“It’s a great honor to represent FSU at the national level and contribute to federal investments in advanced cyberinfrastructure and national AI research resources,” Yu said. “This opportunity comes at an especially exciting time, as AI is rapidly reshaping science, technology and society. The role gives me an opportunity to step back and look more broadly at where our research community is heading, particularly how national computing, AI and data infrastructure can enable scientific discovery and serve the larger research community.”
Terry Benzel
Terry Benzel
Terry Benzel was voted as IEEE Computer Society’s 2028 president, the group announced recently. Benzel is the managing director of the Information Sciences Institute (ISI) at the University of Southern California and an IEEE Fellow recognized for leadership in cybersecurity experimentation.
A long-time IEEE CS volunteer, Benzel has contributed through conferences, publications, technical communities, governance, and strategic initiatives, the group says. In addition to being the society’s current vice president, she represents the society on the multi-society CLEAR (Community-Led Ethics for Accountability in Research) Task Force and leads the society’s Ethics and Integrity initiative. An IEEE Fellow, Benzel has received numerous IEEE CS honors, including the Golden Core Recognition, Outstanding Service Award, Outstanding Community Service Award, and Continuing Service Award.
Benzel garnered 2,539 votes, compared with 1,305 votes cast for Saurabh Bagchi, a professor at Purdue University, and chair of its computer engineering division whose research contributions lie in reliable and secure computing and co-founder of startup KeyByte LLC.
Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award Winners
Ernest Orlando Lawrence
The Department of Energy announced nine recipients of the prestigious Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award for their exceptional contributions to research and development supporting the department’s missions in science, energy, and national security. Ernest Orlando Lawrence was a Berkeley Lab scientist who won the 1939 Nobel Prize in Physics for his invention of the cyclotron.
“From achieving fusion ignition to advancing critical materials and high-performance computing, these scientists and engineers are tackling some of our nation’s most complex challenges and translating groundbreaking research into real-world capabilities,” said Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “Their work strengthens our nation’s energy security, drives American innovation, and ensures the United States remains at the forefront of scientific discovery.”
The winners include:
Eric J. Schelter, University of Pennsylvania, in Atomic, Molecular, and Chemical Sciences. Schelter was honored for “fundamental chemical studies of energy-critical metals leading to new methods for their selective and sustainable separations.”
Patrick Chain, Los Alamos National Laboratory and New Mexico Consortium, in Biological and Environmental Sciences. Chain was honored for his “pioneering work in genomics and microbiome science, including discoveries of new bacterial-fungal interactions and revolutionizing the field by democratizing access to advanced bioinformatics tools.”
Samuel W. Williams, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in Computer, Information, and Knowledge Sciences. Williams was honored for his “pioneering contributions in performance modeling, hardware/software design optimization, and novel computer architecture for high-performance computing, enabling modeling of complex computational solutions, and increasing analysis speed, simulation accuracy, and computational efficiency.”
Thomas Epps, III, University of Delaware, in Condensed Matter and Materials Sciences. Epps was honored for his “fundamental contributions to chemistry and materials science with applications in the chemical upcycling of polymeric waste, generation of high-performance materials from biomass feedstocks, and development of membranes for lithium-ion battery technologies.”
Gregg Beckham, National Laboratory of the Rockies and University of Colorado Boulder, in Energy Science and Innovation. Beckham was honored for his “transformative research in the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass and waste plastics via biology, chemistry, and engineering, yielding building blocks for sustainable fuels, chemicals, and materials.”
Andrea L. Kritcher, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in Fusion and Plasma Sciences. Kritcher was honored for her “exceptional design efforts leading to the first-ever achievement of fusion ignition in the Laboratory, which is of major scientific impact to institutional and national missions, the private sector, and fusion interests within academia.”
Charles C. Polly, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, High Energy Physics – Polly was honored for his “exceptional scientific and technical contributions to low-energy precision measurements in particle physics, most notably leadership of the experimental measurement of the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon with the Muon g-2 experiment.”
Michael Reed, Nevada National Security Site, in National Security and Nonproliferation. Reed was honored for his “vital contributions to national and international nuclear emergency response through the Advanced Visualization & Integration of Data (AVID) software, which broke existing paradigms by simultaneously fusing all radiological data into a single interface connected seamlessly to world-wide expertise.”
Lijuan Ruan, Brookhaven National Laboratory, in Nuclear Physics. Ruan was honored for her “outstanding leadership and ingenuity in the design, construction, and operation of novel detector systems in the STAR experiment, transforming dilepton final states into precision probes of heavy ion collisions.”
DOE will honor the recipients at a hybrid award ceremony in Washington, D.C., on November 13, 2026. The ceremony will be broadcast live online.
One of the closing ads from Democrat James Talarico in the Texas Senate race says that Crystal Mason received a five-year prison sentence for illegal voting “because of Ken Paxton’s crackdown on voters of color.” But there’s more to the story.
Although her vote ultimately did not count, Mason, a Black Texas resident, was convicted and sentenced by a state judge in March 2018 for illegally casting a provisional ballot in the 2016 general election. At the time, she was on supervised release following a felony conviction for tax fraud in 2011. That made her ineligible to vote under state law.
Her conviction and sentence came after Paxton, Talarico’s opponent and the state’s Republican attorney general, announced a voter fraud initiative in early 2018 involving “enforcement and education.”
However, the case against Mason, who was charged in February 2017, was investigated and prosecuted by the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office — not Paxton’s office, as the ad may suggest to viewers. The judge didn’t provide an explanation for the five-year sentence.
The penalty for illegally voting in Texas, a second-degree felony, was up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Attempting to vote illegally, a different charge, is a state jail felony, punishable by up to two years in state jail.
Mason tells a shortened version of her story in the Talarico campaign ad encouraging Texans to vote. The ad has aired on television in Texas but has mostly run on digital and streaming platforms, according to AdImpact, which tracks political advertising.
In the ad, Mason says she “didn’t do anything wrong” by casting the provisional ballot, which she correctly notes was “never counted.” Then Talarico says, “Crystal was sentenced to five years in prison because of Ken Paxton’s crackdown on voters of color, putting politics before people.”
A transcript of the bench trial proceedings — which lasted one day — shows that local prosecutors representing the state did ask for a “stern sentence” for Mason “to send a message to illegal voters.” It’s not clear to what extent that, or Paxton’s efforts to combat voter fraud in the state, influenced the ruling by Republican State District Judge Ruben Gonzalez. No explanation was provided for the five-year sentence, according to the transcript.
In defense of the ad, the Talarico campaign pointed to news articles that said Mason was convicted amid a focus by Paxton on illegal voting. A March 2024 NPR article about Mason’s case said the “state’s election policing efforts have been led” by Paxton. Another article from the Texas Monthly in May 2024 said her conviction “came at a time” when Paxton “was spearheading an aggressive crackdown on voter fraud.” And a March 2018 Washington Post article said Mason’s attorney believed her sentence was a result of rhetoric about prosecuting voter fraud from Paxton’s office.
But, as we said, Paxton’s attorney general’s office did not prosecute the case against Mason. That was done by the district attorney’s office in Tarrant County, where Mason lived and submitted the ballot.
Mason said she went to vote in November 2016 not realizing she was ineligible due to being on supervised release after serving time in prison for tax fraud. But being on supervised release meant that her prison sentence wasn’t complete, and, therefore, she couldn’t vote under Texas law.
The HuffPost reported in July 2019 that when a poll worker, Jarrod Streibich, couldn’t find her name on the voter rolls, he told her she could complete a provisional ballot, which allows a person to vote while election officials determine if the ballot is able to be counted.
Streibich, who was also Mason’s neighbor, told the HuffPost that after she finished the ballot and left the polling location, he remembered that she was a felon on supervised release and that her vote shouldn’t count. He reported what happened to a Republican election judge who then notified the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office. That office, led by the county’s district attorney at the time, Sharen Wilson, a Republican, investigated and brought charges against Mason in February 2017. That led to her being convicted a year later.
Mason ended up being sent back to prison for an additional 10 months for violating the terms of her supervised release. She was later released while her case went through a series of appeals that lasted years. Then, in March 2024, the Texas Second Court of Appeals overturned Mason’s conviction, ruling that there was evidence that Mason didn’t knowingly cast an illegal vote. The Court of Criminal Appeals let that ruling stand in September, when it dismissed the prosecution’s petition for review.
It is the case, as the ad suggests, that people of color were often the target of such prosecutions by the Texas attorney general’s office led by Paxton, according to a 2021 analysis done by the American Civil Liberties Union.
The ACLU found that at least 72% of the election fraud cases brought by the state between 2015, when Paxton became attorney general, and 2021, targeted Black and Latino people. The report also said that 45% of the prosecutions targeted Black and Latino women.
But the analysis was based on prosecutions by Paxton and his office, which would not include the case against Mason.
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Anthropic, the creator of Claude, filed to go public on the US stock market on 26 October. The company's filing statement contains a 92-page risk factor document in which it acknowledges the dangers that AI poses to society and human beings, and factors that could negatively affect Anthropic's business. Johana Bhuiyan, senior tech reporter for the Guardian, breaks down the document and explains why Anthropic's IPO could be a real test for the AI boom
What the AI race is a contest over, and why the cheapest capable model may win
In part 1 of this series, I looked at where the US and China stand after two decades of investment. This installment asks the question the public debate tends to skip: when people say “winning the AI race,” what does winning mean?
There Is No Single Finish Line
The AI race gets described as though there were one finish line: one model, one moment when someone crosses first and the outcome is settled. The United States and China are not running toward the same point. If China is racing toward nine o’clock and the US toward two o’clock, both can run as fast as they possibly can and still not compete for the same prize. The useful question is what each side is trying to get, and what happens to the rest of the world once they get it.
Five Things Being Contested
One of ASML’s DUV machines. Image courtesy of ASML.
Frontier model capability. This is the headline contest: which model scores highest on the hardest benchmarks. The US leads, narrowly. Stanford’s 2026 AI Index put the gap between the leading US and Chinese models on the Arena leaderboard at about 2.7% as of March. In mid-October, the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index scored the best closed model at 58 and the best openly downloadable model at 46. The pattern is consistent: close on conversation, wider on hard reasoning and long autonomous tasks.
Chip manufacturing. The US holds a wide and, for now, structural lead: advanced chip fabrication sits in a small number of facilities the US and its allies control. Part of that lead is policy. The Institute for Progress estimates that with no H200 exports, the US would hold a 21 to 49 times advantage in AI compute produced in 2026, and that unrestricted exports of Nvidia‘s H200 could cut it to roughly 1.2 to 6.7 times. Commerce approved about 10 Chinese buyers in May, but Reuters reported no deliveries as Beijing steered its companies toward Huawei. That substitution is not one for one. Huawei’s Ascend 910C trails the H200 in computing power and memory bandwidth, and Epoch AI estimates Huawei’s 2026 output at about 880,000 H100-equivalents against about 23 million for Nvidia, under 4%. The tightest constraint is high-bandwidth memory, which China cannot yet make in volume. Huawei is pushing anyway. In September it pulled its Ascend 960DT forward to early 2027, a chip Bernstein estimates will roughly match the H200 with more than twice its interconnect bandwidth, and said a 256,000-card cluster is being deployed. How large the US lead stays depends on Washington’s export decisions and China’s memory production as much as on chip design.
Research volume and open-source distribution. China leads here, and this may be the contest that decides what the rest of the world runs on. Chinese models accounted for about 41% of downloads on Hugging Face over the past year, ahead of US models, and the summer brought a run of Chinese releases: Moonshot‘s Kimi K3, Alibaba‘s Qwen3.8, DeepSeek V4.1-Flash, and models from Z.ai and Xiaomi. In October, Anthropic reported that Z.ai’s open-weight GLM-5.3 came close to its restricted Mythos Preview model on cyber-exploit tests, while NIST’s Center for AI Standards and Innovation put it about four months behind the US frontier. DeepSeek and Huawei have also released open tools for programming Huawei’s chips, aimed at reducing dependence on Nvidia’s CUDA software.
A note on terms. An open-weight model publishes its trained parameters, called weights, so anyone can download it, run it on their own hardware, and modify it. Many people call these open-source models, though the training data and code usually stay private. A closed model, such as those from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, can only be used through the company’s own service.
(gguy/Shutterstock)
The trade between the two is simple. Closed models are more capable, and open models are much cheaper. DeepSeek’s open-weight V4-Pro costs $0.66 per million input tokens and $1.98 per million output tokens off-peak (a token is about three-quarters of a word), against $5 and $25 for Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.7 and $5 and $30 for OpenAI’s GPT-5.5. That makes DeepSeek roughly 8 to 15 times cheaper. On SWE-bench Verified, a widely used test of fixing real software bugs, Opus 4.7 solves 87.6% of the problems; DeepSeek reports 80.6%, and an independent US government evaluation measured 74%. Put simply, the open model solves fewer of the hardest problems for about a tenth of the price.
Open models also reach what the best closed models could do only recently. Epoch AI puts the lag at about four months. So a buyer can pay a premium for the top of the range now, or give up some capability on the hardest tasks at a fraction of the cost and expect open models to reach today’s frontier within months. Many will take that trade for customer service, document processing, and routine coding, where the cheaper model already does the job. Open models are not only a Chinese story, either: hosting companies offer OpenAI’s open-weight gpt-oss-120b for well under a dollar per million tokens.
Capital. Stanford’s AI Index puts US AI investment in 2025 at about $286 billion against about $12 billion for China, roughly 23 times. China answers with state capital. Bloomberg reported in June that Beijing has drafted a five-year, roughly $295 billion plan for a national AI data-center grid, funded by state bonds, requiring at least 80%domestic technology and interconnected by 2028. That is about $59 billion a year, less than any one of the largest US cloud companies spends: Oracle, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and Alphabet together are expected to spend about $800 billion on capital projects in 2026, according to research by Columbia Business School’s Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh. The Chinese plan’s strength is coordination, bringing state debt, land, power allocation, and domestic chips together under one national grid.
Talent. This trend favors China and compounds over the longest horizon, which makes it the hardest to reverse quickly.
(miss.cabul/Shutterstock)
What the Summit Did and Did Not Settle
The most visible diplomacy of the fall was the Trump-Xi summit in Washington, which ended September 25. According to news reports of the readouts, it extended the trade truce to January 10, 2027, eased tariffs on about $30 billion of non-sensitive goods in each direction, and opened a dialogue on AI risks with a channel for AI-related incidents. Rare-earth talks will continue, and advanced chips did not feature. The leaders are expected to meet again at APEC in November and the G20 in Miami in December. The diplomacy is moving on its own track, and the competition in chips, models, and power is moving faster.
So What Does Winning Mean?
If you get to nine o’clock and I get to two o’clock, and we both got there as fast as we could, what did either of us win? People who study this closely suggest there may be no single winner in the sense the phrase implies. The more plausible outcome is an asymmetric split. The US likely keeps its lead in frontier capability and chip manufacturing, while China leads in research volume, open-source distribution, and the compounding effect of a much larger talent base.
Asymmetric does not mean inconsequential. One framing among analysts is that if China wins, it will look like procurement and not like conquest. It will look like a government IT office in Jakarta, Lagos, or São Paulo choosing the system that is good enough, priced aggressively, translated into the local language, and bundled with financing and support, the way much of the world ended up on Chinese telecom infrastructure over the past decade. Infrastructure adoption rarely announces itself. It accumulates one procurement decision at a time until the alternative is gone.
The stake, then, is a slow decision made country by country and company by company over the next decade about whose infrastructure the world’s economy runs on. Infrastructure carries the values, incentives, and leverage of whoever built it. A government or company that depends on another nation’s AI stack has handed that nation influence that is very hard to take back.
The Hugging Face Development
That split may not hold as cleanly as it appears. On September 3, Nvidia announced it will acquire Hugging Face, the platform where developers find, share, and run open-source AI models, for $12.93 billion, its second-largest deal after a roughly $20 billion asset and licensing agreement with Groq in December 2025. Hugging Face reportedly brings in about $150 million a year, so the price reflects strategic position more than earnings. Nvidia expects to close in the first half of 2027, pending regulatory approval, and Jensen Huang has said Hugging Face will remain open to the entire AI ecosystem, with no requirement to use Nvidia compute.
If it closes, it complicates the argument that China leads distribution. A US company at the center of open-source hosting, alongside the best available compute, would put American industry on both ends of the market: the frontier tier, and the distribution rails the inexpensive, everywhere tier runs on. Regulators will weigh chips and distribution under one roof. Nvidia’s last deal of comparable size, the $40 billion Arm acquisition, was abandoned in 2022 after regulators in several countries challenged it. Nvidia’s own filing lists the risk that regulators could bar Chinese models from the site, which could push Chinese developers toward domestic platforms such as Alibaba’s ModelScope and split open-source distribution in two.
The Commodity-Hardware Precedent
An earlier era of high-performance computing offers a useful precedent, and we lived it. Enterprise IT and supercomputing treat a processor in opposite ways. In a corporate data center, one hardened HPE or Dell server may carry hundreds of jobs, so it is built for reliability: high availability, N+1 redundancy, disaster recovery. Once it is stable, the team posts guards around it and touches it only for security upgrades, hoping nothing breaks. In a supercomputer, one processor may be one of a thousand working on a single job. In the CPU-cluster era, we built those machines from racks of inexpensive commodity servers, nicknamed pizza boxes for their thin, stackable shape, in place of a few exquisitely engineered machines from HP, Dell, Cray, or SGI. Each node was a worker. With proper checkpointing, if one got tired and sat down, the others picked up its work, and if one won the lottery and left for good, we sent it to the graveyard without much regret. It had already earned its keep by getting us to answers faster.
HPE Cray system installed at Stony Brook University
That allowed a different strategy: build the most capable supercomputer possible for the money. A lower price for a set amount of performance meant we could scale larger and reach answers sooner on the same budget. Once a system was running and producing answers, we started again immediately, hunting the next bottleneck in the network, cache, memory, compute, or parallel storage. Find it, break the system, fix it, get more performance for the price, then break it again, without stopping. At Gulfstream, that loop showed up as faster and more accurate engineering answers and quicker production, in a business where the goal is to fly higher and faster than anyone else.
The GPU and AI-chip world may be heading toward the same logic, which is why price-performance may end up a more decisive metric than peak benchmark performance. Huang said in May that GPUs Nvidia sold four or five years ago are now rising in price, and in August he described A100s, first shipped in 2020, as mission-capable through 2029. If durability and secondary-market value make older, cheaper compute economical for a large share of workloads, the same logic applies with more force to compute that was cheaper from day one.
This is also where the hallucination question resolves. A model does not need to match the best frontier model on its hardest tasks to be good enough. Its error rate needs to fall below what the specific workflow can tolerate. For a first-pass literature review, customer-service routing, or routine coding, many non-frontier models clear that bar at a fraction of the cost. For a cancer-treatment protocol or a nuclear engineering calculation, the bar stays far higher, and narrowly scoped domain-specific AI has the advantage over any general-purpose model. An AI trained only on vetted, authoritative nuclear engineering literature will hallucinate far less on nuclear questions than one trained on the entire internet, because the good source material is all it has to draw from. In naval nuclear power, an operator does not act on a single gauge he cannot cross-check against a second, independent indication. AI used for high-stakes work needs the same discipline: knowing where every answer came from and how much that source can be trusted.
The contest between general frontier capability and narrow, high-integrity domain capability will likely shape the next phase more than any single benchmark. It points toward specialized, verifiable agents built on clean, authoritative data and coordinated by higher-level agents, each layer improving the reliability of the one below it. That compounding is why neither country can afford to fall far behind. Once a system built this way starts improving its own tools and training data, the gap between leader and follower grows.
Part 3 covers the fronts running just behind the frontier-model race, robotics and physical AI and cybersecurity, and the engineering answers to the water, noise, and land concerns driving opposition to data centers.
About the Author: Larry Patterson works where high-performance computing, AI, and energy meet. A former Navy reactor operator aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65), he founded and led Gulfstream Aerospace’s Scientific Research and Innovation SuperComputing Center from 2005 to 2020, where power, cooling, and cloud strategy were daily decisions. He has worked with the nuclear division of Continuum Dynamics. He is founder and CEO of HEAT Holdings, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business developing patent-pending ways to finance nuclear power and AI compute together, with every source of data behind each deal rated for quality.
Big tech stocks falter as investors question whether billions being poured into AI can generate returns quickly enough
A sell-off of tech stocks that began earlier this month and gained steam with disappointing earnings from leading tech companies drove US markets down by hundreds of billions of dollars Friday. In total, the decline has knocked nearly $1tn in value off the tech-heavy Nasdaq exchange in one week and erased about $2tn in a month.
The S&P 500, the index of the 500 most valuable companies in the US, fell by more than 1% Friday, losing hundreds of billions of dollars in market value. It was on track to erase its gain for October, even though it set its all-time high during the same month. The weakness for technology stocks dragged the Nasdaq composite down even further, more than 3%, also erasing hundreds of billions in value. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell less.
just picked up an xr+ and have had a ton of fun learning the basics and i have been changing the intensity setting slowly up in custom settings in the app and was wondering what does it specifically do? i know how the tilt setting and the carve setting change things, but cant really find anything online specifically saying what the intensity setting does lol. thanks for any responses!
The weekend’s marquee matchup sends top-ranked Salesianum (6-1) to face third-ranked Middletown (3-4) in a game that could reveal plenty about both teams heading toward the playoffs. Image create on 10/30 using AI
No. 1 Salesianum faces Middletown, Smyrna looks to strengthen its championship credentials, and Sussex Central meets Caesar Rodney in a critical downstate showdown.
Delaware’s high school football season enters its final stretch this weekend, with several important matchups that could help determine district standings, playoff positioning and which teams are building momentum for a postseason run.
The spotlight will be on three games featuring some of the state’s highest-ranked programs: Salesianum at Middletown on Friday night, Sussex Central at Caesar Rodney on Friday and Smyrna at St. Georges Tech on Saturday morning.
According to MaxPreps’ Oct. 29 rankings, Salesianum and Smyrna hold the top two positions statewide, while Middletown remains No. 3 despite a challenging season. Caesar Rodney and Sussex Central are ranked 10th and 11th, respectively.
The weekend includes 13 varsity games Friday, Oct. 30, and nine more Saturday, Oct. 31.
Salesianum at Middletown: No. 1 Faces a Dangerous Rival
Friday, Oct. 30 | 7 p.m. | Middletown High School
The weekend’s marquee matchup sends top-ranked Salesianum (6-1) to face third-ranked Middletown (3-4) in a game that could reveal plenty about both teams heading toward the playoffs.
Salesianum has established itself as one of Delaware’s leading championship contenders, posting impressive victories over Smyrna, Hodgson Vo-Tech and Appoquinimink. The Sals defeated Appoquinimink 42-7 in their most recent outing.
Middletown’s record is deceptive. The Cavaliers have faced one of Delaware’s most demanding schedules, including games against several highly ranked opponents. Their losses include a narrow 21-19 setback against Sussex Central and a 32-21 defeat to Smyrna.
For Salesianum, a victory would further strengthen its standing as the state’s top-ranked team. For Middletown, upsetting the Sals would provide a signature victory and demonstrate that its difficult schedule has prepared the Cavaliers for postseason competition.
The question: Can Middletown turn its experience against elite competition into an upset of Delaware’s No. 1 team?
Smyrna at St. Georges Tech: Eagles Look to Maintain Momentum
Saturday, Oct. 31 | 11 a.m. | St. Georges Tech, Middletown
Second-ranked Smyrna (6-1) travels to St. Georges Tech (4-3) with an opportunity to continue its impressive season and solidify its position among Delaware’s top Class 3A contenders.
The Eagles have been one of the state’s strongest teams, with their only loss coming against Salesianum, 32-26. Smyrna has demonstrated its offensive strength throughout the season, including a commanding 40-7 victory over Caesar Rodney.
St. Georges Tech, ranked No. 14 statewide, has experienced a more uneven season but remains capable of challenging quality opponents.
The recent history between these programs adds intrigue. St. Georges defeated Smyrna twice in 2024 before the Eagles answered with a decisive 44-12 victory in 2025.
For Smyrna, the objective is maintaining momentum and avoiding a late-season setback. For St. Georges, a victory over the state’s second-ranked team would be a major accomplishment and provide a significant boost to its postseason outlook.
The question: Can St. Georges slow down Smyrna’s high-powered offense and produce one of the weekend’s biggest upsets?
Sussex Central at Caesar Rodney: Downstate Rivals Battle for Position
Friday, Oct. 30 | 7 p.m. | Caesar Rodney High School, Camden
Two evenly matched downstate programs meet Friday night when Sussex Central (5-2) travels to Caesar Rodney (5-2) in a contest with important implications for Class 3A District 2.
Caesar Rodney enters ranked No. 10 statewide, one position ahead of Sussex Central.
The Golden Knights are looking to rebound from a 19-7 loss to Cape Henlopen last weekend. Earlier this season, Sussex Central demonstrated its ability to defeat top competition with a 21-19 victory over Middletown.
Caesar Rodney has also established itself as a postseason contender but faces the challenge of slowing a Sussex Central team eager to regain its winning momentum.
With both programs carrying identical records, the outcome could have an important effect on district positioning and playoff prospects.
The question: Which downstate contender can gain the upper hand in a closely matched Class 3A showdown?
Other Games Worth Watching
Several additional contests deserve attention across the state.
Milford (4-3) travels to St. Mark’s (2-5) at 7 p.m. Friday, hoping to end a three-game losing streak. The Buccaneers opened the season with four consecutive victories but have struggled recently, including a 51-12 loss to Lake Forest last weekend.
Lake Forest (6-1), ranked sixth statewide, visits Laurel (3-4) at 7 p.m. Friday. The Spartans are seeking to extend their strong season as postseason competition approaches.
Hodgson Vo-Tech (2-6) travels to fourth-ranked Appoquinimink (4-3) at 7 p.m. Friday, while ninth-ranked Cape Henlopen (6-1) hosts Dover (2-5) at the same time.
Saturday also features fifth-ranked Howard (6-1) at Wilmington Friends (4-2), another matchup involving a highly ranked team seeking to strengthen its playoff position.
With the regular season winding down, every victory becomes increasingly important. This weekend’s results should help clarify which teams are ready to make a serious run at a Delaware state championship.
To Go Box
What: Delaware high school football, Oct. 30-31, 2026
Featured Friday games:
Salesianum at Middletown — 7 p.m.
Sussex Central at Caesar Rodney — 7 p.m.
Featured Saturday game:
Smyrna at St. Georges Tech — 11 a.m.
Other Friday games:
Newark Charter at Early College — 6 p.m.
Washington at Seaford — 6 p.m.
Sussex Tech at Indian River — 6 p.m.
Milford at St. Mark’s — 7 p.m.
Hodgson Vo-Tech at Appoquinimink — 7 p.m.
Odessa at Polytech — 7 p.m.
Delmar at Woodbridge — 7 p.m.
Dover at Cape Henlopen — 7 p.m.
Lake Forest at Laurel — 7 p.m.
Delaware Military Academy at Red Lion Christian — 7:30 p.m.
Just was taking a ride on the Schuylkill River Trail and saw a OneWheel rider with a newborn baby strapped to his chest. Dude has a helmet for himself and the baby is just in regular baby clothes in a chest baby carrier. I don’t care how good of a rider or how many miles you have. If that board fails for any reason and you nosedive, your baby is going to be a watermelon on that pavement. Shame.
Photo: Here are 10 events worth considering this weekend. Image created on 10/30 with AI.
From trick-or-treating and haunted attractions to live music, community walks and a major film festival, Delaware offers a full weekend of activities Oct. 30-Nov. 1.
DELAWARE — Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, giving Delaware residents a full weekend to enjoy fall festivals, community celebrations, outdoor activities and live entertainment.
From Wilmington’s Trolley Square to the beaches of Sussex County, events scheduled for Oct. 30 through Nov. 1 offer something for nearly every age and interest.
Families can spend Saturday collecting treats from Hockessin businesses, exploring Fifer Orchards or celebrating Halloween in Milford. Those looking to support a good cause can participate in Wilmington’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s or Milford’s Run for the Arts.
For evening entertainment, Frightland brings Halloween scares to Middletown, while singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega closes the weekend with a Sunday performance at The Queen in Wilmington.
Here are 10 events worth considering this weekend.
1. Walk to End Alzheimer’s — Wilmington
Hundreds of walkers, families and supporters are expected to gather along the Wilmington Riverfront for the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s, supporting research, care and services for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers.
The morning includes a Promise Garden ceremony recognizing people affected by the disease, followed by a 2-mile community walk. Registration is free, although donations and fundraising are encouraged.
TO GO: Saturday, Oct. 31. Registration at 8 a.m.; Promise Garden ceremony at 9 a.m.; walk at 9:15 a.m. Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park, Rosa Parks Drive, Wilmington. Information and registration: Alzheimer’s Association.
2. Halloween in Hockessin: Candy Corn Trail — Hockessin
Hockessin businesses are turning Halloween into a townwide celebration, with 48 local shops, restaurants and organizations participating in a daytime trick-or-treat event.
Organized by the Hockessin Business Association, the Candy Corn Trail invites costumed children and their families to visit participating businesses throughout the community. Locations include Lantana Square, Valley Road, Old Lancaster Pike and Lancaster Pike.
The free event gives families an opportunity to enjoy Halloween while supporting neighborhood businesses.
TO GO: Saturday, Oct. 31, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Participating businesses throughout Hockessin. Information and participating-business map: Town Square Delaware LIVE.
3. Ladybug Dark Bloom Music Festival — Wilmington
Wilmington’s Trolley Square neighborhood will host the inaugural Ladybug Dark Bloom Music Festival, a free Halloween celebration combining live music, art and seasonal entertainment.
The all-ages event features women-led musical performances, local artists, vendors and a creative atmosphere inspired by autumn, Halloween and Día de los Muertos.
The afternoon festival offers a family-friendly alternative to traditional Halloween activities.
TO GO: Saturday, Oct. 31, noon-6 p.m. Trolley Square, Wilmington. Free admission. Information: Town Square Delaware LIVE.
4. Run for the Arts 5K — Milford
Runners and walkers can combine fitness, Halloween fun and support for the arts during the ninth annual Run for the Arts 5K and 1-mile fun walk in downtown Milford.
Organized by the Mispillion Art League and Seashore Striders, the event benefits local arts programming, including exhibitions, classes and community events. Halloween costumes are encouraged.
TO GO: Saturday, Oct. 31, 9 a.m., with race-day registration beginning at 7:30 a.m. Bicentennial Park, 206-218 NE Front St., Milford. Registration is $25 in advance through 10 p.m. Friday or $30 on race day. Information: RunSignup.
5. Fifer Orchards Fall Fest — Camden-Wyoming
Families looking for traditional fall activities can visit Fifer Orchards for pumpkins, apple picking, a corn maze and outdoor farm attractions.
The festival also features seasonal favorites such as apple cider, cider doughnuts, kettle corn and farm-fresh food. Saturday is the final Halloween-weekend opportunity to enjoy the festivities.
TO GO: Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., with visitors exiting by 5 p.m. Fifer Orchards, 1919 Allabands Mill Road, Camden-Wyoming. Admission is $18 online or $24 at the gate; some activities cost extra. The festival is closed Sunday. Information: Fifer Orchards.
6. Frightland Haunted Attractions — Middletown
One of Delaware’s best-known Halloween attractions continues its season with haunted houses, a haunted hayride and other spooky experiences.
Frightland offers multiple themed attractions, including Zombie Town, and is geared toward visitors seeking a more intense Halloween experience. The haunted attraction remains open into early November, but Halloween night is likely to be a popular time to visit.
TO GO: Saturday, Oct. 31, beginning at 6 p.m. Frightland, 309 Port Penn Road, Middletown. Saturday ticket booth hours and admission deadlines vary by schedule. Tickets are approximately $55 for Saturday admission. Information: Frightland.
7. Haunted Dover Lantern Tour — Dover
History and Halloween come together during the Haunted Dover Lantern Tour at First State Heritage Park.
Participants follow interpreters through the historic Dover Green while hearing stories of ghostly encounters, local legends and unexplained events connected to Delaware’s capital city.
The lantern-lit walking tour lasts approximately one hour and offers a different way to experience Dover’s historic district after dark.
TO GO: Friday, Oct. 30, 7:30-8:30 p.m. First State Heritage Park, 43 The Green, Dover. Tickets are $15 per person, and advance registration is required. For last-minute availability, call 302-739-9194. Information: Visit Central Delaware.
8. Milford Halloween Trick-or-Treat and Community Activities — Milford
Milford families have several opportunities to celebrate Halloween, including traditional neighborhood trick-or-treating and activities organized by local community groups.
The Carlisle Fire Company is hosting an open house during the day and a Truck or Treat event in the evening, featuring fire department vehicles and treats for children.
Milford’s official trick-or-treat hours are scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, giving families a designated time to visit participating homes.
TO GO: Saturday, Oct. 31. Carlisle Fire Company open house, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Truck or Treat, 6-8 p.m. Citywide trick-or-treating, 6-8 p.m. Locations throughout Milford. Information: City of Milford.
9. Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival — Lewes and Rehoboth Beach Area
Film lovers can begin a week of international cinema as the 28th annual Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival opens Sunday.
The festival, running Nov. 1-8, features 113 films representing more than 32 countries, including documentaries, international features, short films and special presentations.
Screenings take place at several venues in the Lewes area, and the festival offers opportunities to see films that may not receive wide commercial theatrical releases.
TO GO: Sunday, Nov. 1, through Sunday, Nov. 8. Screening times vary. Venues include Cinema Art Theater, 17701 Dartmouth Drive, Lewes, and other nearby locations. Individual tickets are $15 for members and $18 for general audiences. Information, showtimes and tickets: Rehoboth Beach Film Society.
10. Suzanne Vega at The Queen — Wilmington
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega closes the weekend with a Sunday evening concert at The Queen in downtown Wilmington.
Known for songs including “Luka” and “Tom’s Diner,” Vega will perform material spanning her career, along with songs from her 2025 album, “Flying With Angels.”
The performance features longtime guitarist Gerry Leonard and cellist Stephanie Winters.
TO GO: Sunday, Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m. The Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington. Tickets and information: The Queen Wilmington.
Plan Your Weekend
With activities spread across New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties, Delaware residents have plenty of opportunities to enjoy the final weekend of October.
Many Saturday events are outdoors, and several offer free admission. Visitors should check event websites for last-minute schedule changes, ticket availability and weather-related updates before leaving home.
Whether the weekend plans involve raising money for a community cause, taking children trick-or-treating, exploring a haunted attraction or enjoying a night of music, Delaware’s Halloween weekend offers a range of ways to celebrate the season.
Food Bank of Delaware, Synergy Consultants, First Ascent Design and GGA Construction receive top honors, while retired VanDemark & Lynch President Stephan Lehm earns the prestigious Marvin S. Gilman Bowl for more than 50 years of leadership and community service.
WILMINGTON, Del. — Four Delaware organizations were celebrated for business excellence Thursday, Oct. 29, but one of the most memorable moments at the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards luncheon came when a longtime business leader received an unexpected honor.
Stephan “Steve” Lehm, retired president of VanDemark & Lynch, was surprised with the prestigious Marvin S. Gilman Bowl, recognizing more than five decades of contributions to Delaware’s business community and his commitment to philanthropy.
The presentation was part of the Chamber’s 28th annual Marvin S. Gilman Superstars in Business Awards luncheon at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington.
The event also honored four organizations representing different sectors of Delaware’s economy: the Food Bank of Delaware, Synergy Consultants & Psychotherapy Practice, First Ascent Design and GGA Construction.
Each was recognized for business leadership, strong management practices and contributions to the communities they serve.
Lehm honored for a lifetime of leadership and service
For more than 50 years, Lehm has helped shape Delaware through his professional work in civil engineering and his commitment to community service.
As president of VanDemark & Lynch, a Delaware engineering firm, Lehm built a career connected to the state’s development and growth.
His contributions, however, have extended well beyond his professional responsibilities.
The Marvin S. Gilman Bowl, established in 2008, honors individuals who have made exceptional contributions to Delaware’s small-business and nonprofit communities.
Unlike the annual Superstars awards, the recipient of the Gilman Bowl is kept secret until the presentation, making Lehm’s recognition a surprise during Thursday’s luncheon.
“From civil engineering to philanthropy, Stephan Lehm’s work is everywhere in Delaware, even if most people never see his name on it,” said Brett Smith, Marvin S. Gilman’s grandson. “He has spent more than 50 years building this state and giving back to it, leading with the kind of quiet generosity my grandfather admired most.”
The award reflects the values associated with Gilman, a respected Delaware homebuilder whose business philosophy emphasized integrity, innovation and giving back to the community.
Lehm joins a distinguished group of previous recipients whose leadership has helped strengthen Delaware’s economy and nonprofit organizations.
Previous honorees include Charles S. McDowell in 2025, Lawrence J. DiSabatino in 2024, Pamela W. Cornforth in 2023 and Timothy U. Boulden in 2022.
The award recognizes individuals whose influence extends beyond their businesses and whose service has created lasting benefits for Delaware.
The Chamber presented its 2026 Superstars in Business Awards to four organizations selected from different employee-size categories and the nonprofit sector.
Food Bank of Delaware: Fighting hunger and creating opportunity
The Food Bank of Delaware received the Superstar award in the nonprofit category for its statewide efforts to fight hunger while helping residents achieve greater financial stability.
Working with more than 600 community partners, the organization distributes millions of pounds of food annually to Delaware families and individuals facing food insecurity.
Its work extends beyond emergency food assistance through workforce development programs that provide job training and opportunities for economic independence.
The award recognizes the Food Bank’s combination of direct community assistance and long-term efforts to address the underlying causes of poverty.
Synergy Consultants: Making mental health services more accessible
Synergy Consultants & Psychotherapy Practice received the Superstar award for businesses with one to 10 employees.
The outpatient mental health practice provides therapy and support to individuals, couples and families dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and significant life changes.
The organization also helps train future mental health professionals and participates in wellness and community outreach programs.
Its recognition demonstrates how smaller organizations can make important contributions to health care and the quality of life in Delaware communities.
First Ascent Design: Helping organizations grow
Wilmington-based First Ascent Design was honored in the category for businesses with 11 to 40 employees.
The digital marketing agency provides branding, website development, digital advertising, search engine optimization and content marketing services.
During its 11 years in business, First Ascent has worked with nearly 300 businesses, nonprofits and educational institutions.
Its work helps organizations strengthen their brands, reach customers and compete in an increasingly digital marketplace.
GGA Construction: Building Delaware’s future
GGA Construction received the Superstar award in the category for businesses with 41 to 150 employees.
With offices in Middletown and Rehoboth Beach, GGA specializes in commercial construction projects throughout Delaware and the surrounding region.
Its portfolio includes health care facilities, educational institutions, hotels, restaurants, senior living communities, multifamily housing and recreational facilities.
The company was recognized for its management practices, leadership and contributions to an industry that plays an important role in Delaware’s economic development.
Four more organizations recognized for excellence
In addition to the Superstar winners, the Chamber honored four organizations with Awards of Excellence for demonstrating notable performance and leadership.
The recipients were:
Sunday Breakfast Mission — Nonprofit category, recognizing its work assisting people experiencing homelessness and other hardships.
Integrity Nursing LLC — Businesses with one to 10 employees, recognizing its work in health care services.
Delmarva Central Railroad — Businesses with 11 to 40 employees, recognizing its role in regional transportation and commerce.
AKA Advisory — Businesses with 41 to 150 employees, recognizing its professional services and business leadership.
The additional awards highlight the diversity of Delaware’s small-business community, from health care and professional services to transportation and nonprofit assistance.
An award rooted in Delaware’s business heritage
Established in 1998, the Marvin S. Gilman Superstars in Business Awards honor the legacy of a respected Delaware entrepreneur who believed that successful businesses should combine sound management with ethical leadership and community involvement.
As president of Gilman Development Company, Marvin Gilman led one of Wilmington’s respected homebuilding firms.
The annual awards program recognizes businesses and nonprofit organizations that have operated for at least three consecutive years and have 150 or fewer employees.
In 2008, the Chamber’s Small Business Alliance expanded the program by establishing the Marvin S. Gilman Bowl to recognize individuals whose professional leadership and community involvement reflect Gilman’s principles.
Together, the awards celebrate both organizational achievement and individual contributions to Delaware’s business community.
Celebrating the people behind Delaware’s economy
The luncheon brought together organizations with different missions but a shared commitment to leadership and service.
For the Food Bank of Delaware, that mission is helping families overcome hunger and poverty. For Synergy Consultants, it is expanding access to mental health services. For First Ascent Design, it is helping businesses and nonprofits strengthen their presence in the marketplace. And for GGA Construction, it is building the facilities that support Delaware’s economic and community growth.
Lehm’s recognition added a personal dimension to those achievements.
His more than 50 years of professional contributions and philanthropy underscore a central message of the Superstars program: Business leadership can have an impact far beyond an organization’s daily operations.
Whether through creating jobs, providing essential services, developing infrastructure or supporting charitable causes, this year’s honorees demonstrate the many ways Delaware businesses and their leaders contribute to the First State.
To Go: Learn more about Superstars in Business
What: Marvin S. Gilman Superstars in Business Awards, presented by the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce and its Small Business Alliance.
When: The 28th annual awards luncheon was held Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026.
Where: Chase Center on the Riverfront, Wilmington.
Special honoree: Stephan “Steve” Lehm, retired president of VanDemark & Lynch, received the 2026 Marvin S. Gilman Bowl.
2027 applications: Expected to open in spring 2027. Eligible organizations must have operated for at least three consecutive years and have 150 or fewer employees.
BPG Sports officially unveiled Sprinturf Performance Park on Thursday, Oct. 29, the new name for the former Kirkwood Sports Complex at 1220 River Road.
Newly renamed Sprinturf Performance Park combines state investment and BPG Sports management as Delaware looks to attract more regional and national tournaments
NEW CASTLE, Del. — For generations of Delaware soccer players and families, it has simply been Kirkwood.
Now, a $10 million investment is transforming the longtime youth sports complex south of New Castle into a centerpiece of Delaware’s growing effort to attract tournaments, athletes and sports-tourism dollars from across the region.
BPG Sports officially unveiled Sprinturf Performance Park on Thursday, Oct. 29, the new name for the former Kirkwood Sports Complex at 1220 River Road.
The 65-acre, county-owned complex has undergone significant improvements, including the conversion of four natural-grass fields to synthetic turf and the addition of lighting. The broader capital program also includes renovations to the facility’s indoor turf arena.
The complex now advertises five lighted synthetic-turf fields and seven natural-grass fields, providing space for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and other sports.
But the changes represent more than a facelift for a 34-year-old soccer complex.
They are also part of a larger effort by Delaware and private sports operators to turn the state’s athletic facilities into economic-development engines capable of bringing thousands of traveling athletes and their families to Delaware.
$4 million in state funding
Of the approximately $10 million investment at the Kirkwood property, $4 million came from Delaware’s Sports Tourism Investment Fund, according to reporting surrounding Thursday’s unveiling.
The fund was established to support capital projects that can attract sporting events and visitors to Delaware. State budgets have allocated $10 million annually to the Sports Tourism Capital Investment Fund in recent years.
Gov. Matt Meyer used Thursday’s event to argue that developing facilities on this scale requires cooperation between government and private operators.
“The reality is, with public funding alone, there’s no way we can do things like this across our county,” Meyer said at the event, according to WDEL. “It takes a strong, private partner.”
The state’s rationale is economic development.
Delaware tourism officials estimate that out-of-state visitors attending sporting events generated $231.4 million in spending at venues, hotels, restaurants and entertainment businesses, according to information presented at the unveiling.
The idea is straightforward: A weekend soccer, baseball or lacrosse tournament can bring hundreds or thousands of families into Delaware, many of whom need hotel rooms, meals, gasoline and entertainment during their stay.
BPG building a statewide sports network
The Kirkwood project also highlights the increasingly large role of Wilmington-based BPG Sports in Delaware’s youth and amateur sports business.
BPG Sports, an affiliate of the Buccini/Pollin Group, manages or operates a growing portfolio of sports facilities that includes Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, DE Turf in Frederica, Sprinturf Performance Park, WSFS Bank Sportsplex, Sports at the Beach near Georgetown and the planned Delaware Indoor Track facility.
That makes the Kirkwood investment part of a broader statewide network rather than a standalone project.
BPG describes itself as a full-service sports management company involved in athletic facilities, clubs and sporting events. Its facilities stretch from New Castle County through Sussex County.
The Sprinturf agreement adds another component.
Sprinturf entered into a multiyear agreement with BPG Sports to become the naming-rights partner for the New Castle complex and the official turf partner across BPG Sports’ portfolio.
Stephen Cavalier, senior vice president and general manager of BPG Sports, said the company had previously used Sprinturf products and viewed the broader partnership as a way to maintain consistent standards across its facilities.
Kirkwood soccer remains
For families who have spent years playing recreational soccer at Kirkwood, perhaps the most important part of the announcement is what is not changing.
The Kirkwood recreational soccer program is expected to remain at the complex.
Cavalier said during the unveiling that the existing Kirkwood Soccer Complex recreational league will continue to have a home at the facility.
Cavalier also has personal ties to Kirkwood, having played youth soccer at the complex himself.
But youth sports have changed significantly since Kirkwood opened more than three decades ago.
Travel sports, rankings and increasingly large regional tournaments have created greater demand for facilities that can host multiple games regardless of weather and continue competition into the evening.
“It has moved into a more competitive format,” Cavalier said during Thursday’s event. “These large-scale events are really what drive tournaments, and rankings, and things like that. Having facilities like this, we can host them.”
Sprinturf says the New Castle facility attracts more than 1.5 million visitors annually and hosts 15 large-scale tournaments each year, in addition to recreational programs, travel clubs, adult leagues and school teams. Those attendance figures come from the company and have not been independently verified.
A new experience for families
Families returning to the complex will notice more than artificial turf.
Two former fields were removed to make room for expanded parking as the facility prepares for larger events.
Tournament parking also represents a change for users. BPG Sports has introduced paid parking through ParkMobile, with parking enforcement at the site during applicable events.
Those changes illustrate the balancing act facing the revamped facility: maintaining Kirkwood’s traditional role as a community sports complex while developing the infrastructure needed to compete for larger tournaments.
More sports-tourism investment coming
The strategy is unlikely to end at Kirkwood.
Delaware Tourism Director Jessica Welch said during Thursday’s event that officials are particularly interested in indoor sports facilities that can attract visitors during months when outdoor tournaments are less practical.
“We want people to come here in January, February, and March, in those off-season, shoulder-season months,” Welch said. “So the indoor facilities are the ones that we are looking at.”
That could make the Kirkwood transformation an early chapter in a much larger Delaware sports-tourism buildout.
For local soccer families, however, the change is more immediate.
The Kirkwood name may no longer be on the entrance, but soccer will continue to be played on River Road — now on a complex designed to bring considerably more of the sports world to Delaware.
To Go Box
What: Sprinturf Performance Park at Kirkwood
Where: 1220 River Road, New Castle, DE 19720
Facility: 65-acre multisport complex with 12 outdoor fields and an indoor turf arena
Sports: Soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and other field sports
Business is booming for two biggest US oil companies, with both benefiting from higher prices and record production
ExxonMobil and Chevron reported better than expected quarterly results on Friday as the oil majors benefited from higher prices and record production.
The boon for oil companies has simultaneously been a major pain point for consumers, who say the higher cost of living, especially gas prices, will affect how they vote in the upcoming midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.
Early voting for the midterm elections in Los Angeles this month Grace Hie Yoon/Anadolu via Getty Images
Ahead of next week’s midterm elections, President Donald Trump has systematically demolished institutional guardrails that prevented him from overturning the 2020 presidential election, ProPublica’s reporting has shown.
Our reporters have spent much of this year covering Trump’s efforts to exert more federal control over elections. Here are five takeaways from their reporting.
1. The Trump administration has sought greater federal control over elections.
In April, Doug Bock Clark and Jen Fifield reported on Trump’s efforts to “take over” the midterm elections, detailing how the administration has discarded or diminished endeavors across the federal government to protect the voting process or block foreign interference. Those efforts have included cutting staff on election-related teams at federal law enforcement agencies and finding ways to exert greater federal control over voting.
Our reporting led by Peter Elkind revealed that the Trump administration harnessed Homeland Security Investigations’ personnel, technology and legal authority to try to back up Trump’s unproven claim that illegal voting by noncitizens is tilting elections toward Democrats. Administration officials insisted the effort spearheaded by HSI was producing meaningful results. Our analysis of Justice Department data found, as of May, 41 alleged noncitizens were charged with voting illegally or other election-related crimes. Earlier this month, CBS reported 156 people have been charged since the beginning of the second Trump administration.
“Paper Trail” Podcast
Learn more about this story on ProPublica’s podcast “Paper Trail.”
As part of that effort, the Justice Department has demanded states turn over unredacted voter rolls, which contain confidential information on millions of Americans and have historically been managed by states. Since September 2025, the department has sued 30 states and the District of Columbia for the confidential data. Wary of federal overreach, state officials — including some Republicans — have fought back, and so far every DOJ lawsuit that’s been decided by a federal judge has been dismissed. (The Trump administration has appealed most of its losses to federal appeals courts and has said it will consider taking its fight to the Supreme Court. A Justice Department spokesperson said its “attorneys are skilled, principled advocates who argue every case honestly and in good faith.”)
In a March executive order, Trump instructed the U.S. Postal Service to create new regulations for mail voting. The rules would have put the Postal Service in the unprecedented role of deciding whether to send or deny the delivery of voters’ mail-in ballots. The Supreme Court in September blocked the rules, at least until after November.
The Trump administration has said its actions will make U.S. elections fairer and more secure — and keep those prohibited from voting, such as noncitizens, from doing so. Spokespeople for the DOJ and Department of Homeland Security emphasized that their departments are focused on ensuring elections are free and fair, and that they are working closely with the states to achieve those goals. Contentions to the contrary, they say, are false.
2. Trump has pushed out career officials — and is coordinating with a conservative grassroots organization to transform elections.
At least 75 nonpartisan career officials who’d held roles at federal agencies related to election integrity and safety have been fired or left the government.
Two dozen Trump appointees — including many from the election-denial movement — have been hired. Ahead of the midterms, current and former government officials and election security experts have expressed concerns that once-fringe actors who’ve espoused debunked conspiracy theories about elections are now in positions to control the narrative around the voting process. (A DHS spokesperson said it hires “experts with diverse backgrounds who go through a rigorous vetting process.”)
At least 25 administration appointees have close ties to Cleta Mitchell, a lawyer who leads Election Integrity Network, a grassroots conservative group focused on transforming America’s voting system. This month, Clark profiled Mitchell — and detailed how, despite not holding a formal role in the White House, she’s played a key role in shaping the Trump administration’s elections agenda. The White House has appointed her associates to help hunt for noncitizen voters and investigate accusations of voting fraud in 2020. (Mitchell declined multiple requests to speak with ProPublica, but wrote in an email: “You’re my opponent. … You’re never going to write in any objective, non-judgmental way about the election integrity movement.”)
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Mitchell, who played a role in helping Trump challenge his loss in the 2020 presidential election, has been leading efforts to pass state and federal iterations of the SAVE Act. The 2026 version of the bill, known as the SAVE America Act, would require voters nationwide to provide proof of citizenship to register and present a photo ID to vote, and would compel states to turn over their voter rolls to DHS. Trump has repeatedly called the measure his top legislative priority, but it has been blocked in the Senate.
In July, Trump also pushed out the remaining members of the bipartisan Election Assistance Commission, a four-member board designed to be evenly split between Republicans and Democrats that sets standards for state voting systems. (At the time, a White House official wouldn’t confirm the moves but said the president “reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned with the important task of securing America’s elections and ensuring every legal vote is counted.”)
3. Trump officials asked a cybersecurity agency to secretly acquire a voting machine — and hack it.
A few months into Trump’s second term, political appointees at DHS asked its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to procure a voting machine, hack it and report the findings so they could be given to the White House, two former administration officials with knowledge of the request told Clark and Andy Mannix.
CISA employees told the political appointees their request was impossible, in part because the agents capable of pulling off such an operation had just been laid off by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. (One of Trump’s first actions when he returned to the White House was to dismantle the agency’s election security work.)
Though not acted on, the request shows how the Trump administration has tried to use the agency for its own ends while draining it of resources for one of its critical missions: protecting the nation’s voting systems. Since CISA became an agency in 2018, it has come to provide crucial support to thousands of local election officials grappling with increasingly sophisticated attacks.
But some state election officials said CISA provided them with little help as they planned for the 2026 midterms. And other state authorities told Clark and Mannix that they no longer trusted the agency and feared it had been compromised by the Trump administration. (A DHS spokesperson told us in April the “claim that DHS has a broken partnership with states and made our elections less secure is simply false.”)
DHS did not respond to questions for our October investigation, but a DHS spokesperson previously told ProPublica that the changes at CISA were in response to “a ballooning budget concealing a dangerous departure from its statutory mission,” which included “electioneering instead of defending America’s critical infrastructure.” A White House spokesperson declined an interview request but said, “President Trump has done more than any other President to ensure we have free and fair elections.”
4. The White House floated an idea that would’ve shut down virtually all mail-in voting.
The White House initially proposed a change for the Postal Service that would’ve been even more disruptive than the rule the Supreme Court rejected in September.
As Fifield and Elkind reported, the Trump administration suggested all ballots be delivered through certified mail, meaning voters would need to be home to sign for delivery of their ballots. The Trump administration dropped this plan after the USPS said it would be too difficult to execute. It instead proceeded with the executive order that would’ve forced postal workers to serve as gatekeepers, deciding which ballots would be delivered and which wouldn’t.
In an emailed statement, White House spokesperson Lauren Bis denied the administration had interfered improperly with the Postal Service, an independent agency whose governance structure is specifically designed to protect it from political influence.
The Supreme Court’s order in September means that voting by mail can proceed as planned for the midterms, with states left to decide the rules for mail-in ballots.
5. The Postal Service’s cost-cutting measures have led to delays and more rejected ballots in rural areas.
Amid the increased attention on the Postal Service’s role in elections, a ProPublica analysis found that delays resulting from the agency’s cost-cutting measures in recent years have endangered the validity of ballots cast in rural areas.
The Postal Service has consolidated processing of first-class mail into regional hubs, and the agency cut the frequency of mail pickups in half at many post offices 50 miles or more from those processing plants. The changes often added a day or more to delivery time and pushed back postmarking, an official mark confirming an envelope has been received by the Postal Service.
Across five states where the best data was available — Washington, California, Ohio, North Carolina and Oregon — the delays during this year’s primary elections have had the most substantial effect in areas that voted for Trump in 2024.
Postal Service leaders say such delays are less likely in the Nov. 3 general election because of “extraordinary measures” the agency puts in place for these votes, when there’s typically far more turnout.
GREAT BEND, KANSAS — Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall and his former medical practice were sued Thursday in a proposed class action alleging they charged patients an unlawful 18% annual interest rate on unpaid medical bills.
The lawsuit, filed in Barton County District Court, accuses Marshall and Heartland Regional OBGYN of violating Kansas usury law by routinely charging interest above the state’s statutory limit. Kansas law generally caps contractual interest at 15% annually unless another law specifically authorizes a higher rate.
Lead plaintiff Meischa Zimmerman alleges Marshall’s practice sued her over a $3,596 bill related to the delivery of her child and added 18% annual interest. According to the complaint, subsequent debt-collection proceedings led to her arrest three times after she missed court appearances. The allegations have not yet been adjudicated.
The lawsuit follows earlier reporting that Marshall’s practice filed roughly 700 debt-collection lawsuits against former patients. A Kansas City Star review cited by the complaint found Marshall’s 18% rate was higher than rates used by approximately 150 other medical practices whose records were examined.
Plaintiffs are seeking class-action status, restitution and damages. Marshall declined to comment directly when contacted by Kansas Reflector, referring questions to his staff.
The filing comes days before Marshall faces Democrat Adam Hamilton in Kansas’ Nov. 3 Senate election, where Marshall’s previous medical-debt collection practices have become a major campaign issue.
NEW CASTLE, DE — Delaware State Police have identified 30-year-old Elizabeth Ramirez Tellez of Wilmington as the woman who died following a two-vehicle crash Wednesday morning in New Castle.
The crash occurred October 28, 2026, at approximately 8:45 a.m. at the intersection of West Basin Road and Washington Avenue.
According to investigators, Ramirez Tellez was driving a Hyundai Elantra southbound on West Basin Road in the left-turn lane approaching Washington Avenue.
At the same time, a Chevrolet Tahoe driven by a 21-year-old man from New Castle was traveling northbound on West Basin Road in the right lane.
Police said both vehicles entered the intersection at the same time for reasons that remain under investigation.
The front of the Chevrolet Tahoe struck the passenger side of the Hyundai, causing the Hyundai to crash into a traffic signal pole.
Ramirez Tellez was transported to an area hospital, where she died from her injuries.
The driver of the Tahoe was also taken to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The roadway was closed for approximately four hours while investigators examined the crash scene and crews cleared the wreckage.
Delaware State Police have not released additional information about what caused the collision.
The Delaware State Police Troop 2 Collision Reconstruction Unit continues to investigate.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has video footage of the collision is asked to contact Master Corporal R. Kunicki at 302-365-8417.
Information may also be provided through Delaware Crime Stoppers at 800-847-3333 or by sending a private Facebook message to Delaware State Police.
College student here, I ride my pint x pretty much everywhere, but it’s so heavy and the carry handle is honestly pretty uncomfortable, so I was wondering if there are any alternative options for carrying it? I have wtf rails if that makes a difference.
Why Should Delaware Care? Delaware has one of the smallest state legislatures in the nation, which gives each legislative seat an outsized significance. With the state’s legislature and governorship firmly under Democratic control for 20 years, voters will decide this year whether to give Democrats a new supermajority power.
While there are 77 seats up for grabs in federal, state and county races in Tuesday’s general election, there are a handful of races that will draw outsized attention due to their close electorate, campaign spending or controversial candidates.
Democrats are aiming to protect their incumbents and flip at least one Republican seat in the state House of Representatives, which would give them a two-thirds supermajority that would allow them to amend the state Constitution without bipartisan support.
That fact has become a cause for Delaware Republicans as they look to protect their seats and find at least one flip of their own.
Every election cycle has its surprises, but these are the five statehouse races that we’ll be keeping a close eye on Tuesday night.
Democrat Nisha Lodhavia, left, is trying to flip the 15th Senate District after years of Republican control by Sen. Dave Lawson, but newcomer Emily Thompson will seek to protect Republican numbers. | PHOTOS COURTESY OF LODHAVIA/THOMPSON CAMPAIGNS
Senate District 15
Of the 11 State Senate races on ballots this year, there is really just one race that pundits in both parties are watching: District 15, which hugs the Maryland border from Cheswold to Harrington in Kent County.
That seat is open this year following the retirement of longtime Republican Sen. Dave Lawson, and the race to succeed him in the 21-member chamber has become the most expensive local race of the year.
Two newcomers, Democrat Nisha Lodhavia and Republican Emily Thompson, have raised or are supported by more than $200,000 in the campaign.
The district’s voter registration split favors Republicans by more than 1,300 voters, and voters there overwhelmingly chose President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, but Democrats view the district as the only real potentially flippable Senate seat, and Lodhavia holds a roughly 2-1 fundraising advantage over Thompson in the race.
Both Lodhavia and Thompson said affordability, from housing costs to electricity bills and rising business costs, is the No. 1 issue they hear about from voters on the campaign trail. But beyond just hearing those concerns, each has tried to convince voters that they are better equipped to bring solutions.
Lodhavia pointed to her decades of community service experience — she currently serves on the University of Delaware Board of Trustees — as proof that she is a seasoned solver of complex problems.
A self-described moderate, Lodhavia said she would not be afraid to reach across the aisle to search for bipartisanship. The problems facing the 15th District affect people across party affiliation, so the solutions should also come from a place of common ground, she said.
When it comes to addressing affordability concerns, Thompson homed in on electricity costs, burdens on the district’s farmers and helping small businesses.
She said the state should focus on generating its own energy in order to bring down importing costs. To help out farmers plagued by rising operating costs, Thompson said she would support creating tax exemptions for certain agricultural structures. She also said she would oppose any fee increases proposed by the Department of Corporations in order ease the burden on small businesses.
Either Democrat Ayanna Khan-Flowers, left, or Republican Jamar Money will bring new representation to the Middletown-Odessa-Townsend corridor after years of representation by Rep. Kevin Hensley. | PHOTOS COURTESY OF KHAN-FLOWERS/MONEY CAMPAIGNS
House District 9
After years of trying to flip District 9 in the Middletown-Odessa-Townsend corridor, Democrats have perhaps their best odds yet after longtime incumbent Republican Rep. Kevin Hensley is retiring.
Hensley was among the last two Republican state legislators representing a New Castle County district and has held the seat for 12 years despite the area now giving Democrats a roughly 2-1 registration advantage.
The district also features two political newcomers in Democrat Ayanna Khan-Flowers and Republican Jamar Money. Outside fundraising has boosted the candidacy of Khan-Flowers, the founder of the Delaware Black Chamber of Commerce and winner of a three-way September primary, with $15,000.
On the campaign trail, Khan-Flowers said affordability is the top concern she’s heard from residents, from back-to-back school tax increases in the Appoquinimink School District to rising utility bills for residents on fixed incomes. Seniors have also raised concerns about healthcare access, with some having to travel out of state to see specialists, and others frustrated by poor planning around growth and increased traffic.
Khan, who has lived in the district for 15 years, also added that parents want stronger educational resources, more special education support and better teacher retention. If elected, Khan said her priority would be increasing education resources, an issue she has already begun discussing with legislative leadership.
“I’ve been a servant leader in this community long before my name was on the ballot, so you know this is what I do,” she said.
Her opponent, Middletown resident and longtime educator Jamar Money, echoed hearing many of the same concerns, especially about property taxes after the county’s reassessment and the school district’s increases. He also said roads and services haven’t kept up with the area’s growth.
Like Khan, Money named education as his first priority. But the former public school teacher, who now teaches college, said if he was elected his focus would be providing schools with more funding for teacher retention, so the district can remain competitive. He also wants to make sure classrooms are getting the most of the dollars that are already being allocated.
“We’re not getting the return on investment as far as academic performance,” he said.
Democratic Rep. Alonna Berry, left, will look to protect her seat after winning a close special election last year, while Gene Dvornick is looking to return the Milton-Lewes district to Republican control. | PHOTOS COURTESY OF BERRY/DVORNICK CAMPAIGNS
House District 20
The House seat in District 20 may be Republicans’ best shot of flipping a seat of their own and thwarting Democrats’ push for a supermajority.
That’s because the Lewes and Milton-area district has the narrowest Democratic registration advantage anywhere in the state with fewer than 1,000 voters. A Republican held the seat as recently as 2020, but redistricting helped to shift the voter advantage toward Democrats in the 2022 election.
Incumbent Rep. Alonna Berry won a special election last year by just 117 votes following the resignation of Stell Parker Selby, but she easily won a pitched primary election last month that will give her campaign momentum heading into Election Day.
Republican Gene Dvornick, the town manager for Georgetown, the Sussex County seat, brings a strong resume to the race and has raised enough funding to at least keep the race close into the dying days.
Both Berry and Dvornick said they have consistently heard concerns from voters about growth in the rapidly growing area, and a need for infrastructure to keep pace.
Berry also said voters are focused on the challenges accessing healthcare in Sussex County, while Dvornick said residents want to ensure the amount of realty transfer tax – the tax a buyer pays when purchasing their home – generated in the 20th district is being reinvested by the state into local community, instead of being spent in New Castle County.
Dvornick cited his “strong financial background” and 20 years spent balancing fiscal and infrastructure needs as Georgetown town manager as well-preparing him for elected office.
Meanwhile, Berry said she has brought a practical approach to “expanding healthcare access, improving road safety, and advocating for accountability and smart growth,” over the past year, which she would continue if reelected.
Republican Rep. Mike Smith, right, has long been able to defy Democratic registration advantages in his Hockessin-Pike Creek district, but new questions about an impending high-profile job has opened an opportunity for Democratic newcomer Alex Green. | PHOTOS COURTESY OF GREEN/SMITH CAMPAIGNS
House District 22
The other New Castle County House seat held by a Republican that has bedeviled Democrats is District 22.
Rep. Mike Smith, a pro-business Republican with a reputation for constituent services, has bucked the nearly 1,900-Democratic voter advantage in the Pike Creek and Hockessin area for more than a decade.
He faces a challenge from Democratic newcomer Alex Green, a land surveyor and local volunteer, but perhaps his biggest challenge is questions about his own impending job. Earlier this month, the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce announced that it has selected Smith as its next president and CEO.
How Smith would manage representing more than 20,000 constituents and the needs of Delaware’s business community, which has long been among the most active lobbyists in Legislative Hall, remains to be seen.
Smith holds a campaign war chest of more than $80,000, along with outside support, that makes a Democratic flip a tall task though.
Green said the news of Smith’s new job, which he called a conflict of interest for the representative, took his grassroots campaign to new heights. He has attempted to leverage voters’ concerns about Smith’s impending chamber position through conversations when door-knocking as well as targeted advertising, he said.
The cost of living has been top of mind for many voters, Green said. And it has been challenging, he said, to address some of those concerns with voters when the Democratic Party has long held statewide majorities.
Instead, Green said he has worked to convince voters that issues key to his campaign, education and healthcare, are things that are worth paying for.
As Smith rounds out what he said will be his final campaign for the statehouse, he said he has prioritized daily door-knocking and meaningful conversations with voters that have been key throughout his time in office.
He, too, said voters have told him that affordability is a top concern. He has leaned on the relationships he has built with constituents over the years, which have created a level of trust where voters know he will work for them and to address their concerns in Dover.
District 41 covering the Millsboro-Dagsboro-Selbyville area has been considered safe Republican territory, but concerns around past convictions by Republican candidate John Atkins, right, has posed the question of whether Democrat Ryan Stuckey could flip the district. | PHOTOS COURTESY OF STUCKEY/ATKINS CAMPAIGNS
House District 41
No race in Tuesday’s election may draw more attention than House District 41, but that is less about the political calculus and more about who is running.
The Sussex County seat that includes Millsboro, Dagsboro and Selbyville, left open by the retirement of Republican Rep. Rich Collins, features a match-up between former Republican Rep. John Atkins and Democratic newcomer Ryan Stuckey.
The district, which has a more than 2,500-Republican registration advantage, would typically be considered a longshot by Democrats, but Atkins’ nomination has spurred unforeseen interest in the race.
Atkins has a checkered past of domestic violence convictions, but he has said those incidents are safely in his past after he committed himself to his faith. However, Atkins’ candidacy has led some Republicans to pledge to vote for his opponent, a Democrat who supports gun rights and has put solving Sussex’s infrastructure woes at the top of his platform.
Stuckey is benefiting from roughly twice as much campaign fundraising and outside support in the last few weeks of the campaign, but the prospects of a flip in the deeply red district are still considered by many insiders to be a longshot.
Both Atkins and Stuckey said they are hearing from voters primarily about concerns with traffic and overdevelopment in the Millsboro area.
Atkins said his opponent, Stuckey, has allowed more development in Dagsboro as a member of the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission, while he has “never stopped working for the people” since he represented the district in the early- to mid-2000s.
Atkins added that he has the advantage of better name recognition, because of his previous tenure as a state representative, which would also allow him to be “ready on day one” in Dover.
Stuckey, however, said he has been effective at “rewriting laws to control development” as a Planning Commissioner, and has stayed better focused on the local issues than Atkins, who he said is focused on national talking points, like gender politics and socialism.
“I just try to stay focused on the issues,” he said. “At the end of the day, we all want the same things. We all want to know that the things we love about this place are going to stay that way.”
Atkins said his final campaign push is to continue knocking on doors, and trying “to turn Republicans and conservative Democrats and conservative Independents out.” Stuckey similarly said he is door-knocking and talking with voters at poll sites before Nov. 3.
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA — Louisiana health officials are warning residents not to use untreated tap water for nasal rinses, contact lenses or certain medical devices after two serious Acanthamoeba infections were reported this year, including one fatal case.
The Louisiana Department of Health said the two patients with severe infections both had weakened immune systems and reported using tap water for nasal irrigation. However, officials stressed that tap water has not been confirmed as the source of either infection.
Louisiana has recorded 10 Acanthamoeba infections since 2024. Eight involved Acanthamoeba keratitis, a serious eye infection that can cause permanent vision loss. Seven of those patients wore contact lenses, and five reportedly lost their sight permanently.
Acanthamoeba is found naturally in soil, freshwater, swimming pools and some indoor water systems. It is different from Naegleria fowleri, the organism commonly called the “brain-eating amoeba.”
State officials advised residents to use distilled, sterile or previously boiled water in neti pots and other sinus-rinsing devices. The same precautions apply to continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, equipment. Tap water should also not be used to clean or store contact lenses.
“Although these infections are rare, they can have devastating consequences,” state epidemiologist Theresa Sokol said.
Officials emphasized that drinking tap water does not pose a known risk for Acanthamoeba infection.
In the spring of 2005, the United Nations convened more than 100 of the world’s top scientists in the medieval town of Oviedo, Spain. They were there to finish writing a paradigm-shifting report about a technology that they hoped could help stop climate change.
To celebrate the report’s impending completion, the meeting’s hosts handed out bottles of cava, Spanish sparkling wine, with tongue-in-cheek labels stating that they were to be opened only by those who truly believed it could work.
Belief was necessary because the technology — carbon capture and storage, or CCS — had barely been tested. The idea was simple: strip carbon dioxide from smokestacks before it could flow into the air and warm the planet. Then pump it into a porous part of the Earth’s crust and leave it there. Forever.
The experts in Oviedo had stacks of papers proving that parts of the process worked. But major questions remained about how much space exists inside the Earth to store the CO2, how effectively it could be monitored and whether the poisonous, concentrated gas would reliably stay underground.
Tasked with wrangling roughly three dozen of those scientists toward consensus was Sally Benson, a geoscientist from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab who was co-leading the report’s chapter on underground storage of carbon. After a quarter-century of studying how fluids and gases move beneath Earth’s surface, she was an unimpeachable authority on the subject. She was also a savvy and diplomatic leader, skilled at managing rooms full of big egos and big tempers. It was proving handy in a process that had at times devolved into unruly debate.
The scientists had clashed for years over what the report should say, first at a meeting in Canada, then in Norway, Australia and Brazil. The evidence was scant. Three large-scale experiments were underway, but only one — a Norwegian operation that captured carbon from a natural gas field and pumped it under the bed of the North Sea — had rigorously tested permanent storage. There, the injected CO2 astonished engineers when it floated 700 feet upward through a series of geologic formations. To their relief, it hit a ceiling of shale that kept it underground, and the project was deemed a success. But with so little to go on, the scientists warned in their first draft that any broad statement about leakage risk would be “almost meaningless.”
The researchers were in Oviedo only because Saudi Arabia and other oil-exporting countries had pressured the U.N. to write the report despite the paucity of evidence, according to U.N. officials and records. The oil, gas and coal industries had spent years casting doubt on climate change while quietly fretting that policies to address it would one day put them out of business. The industry, documents show, saw CCS as a way to forestall that outcome, allowing the world to keep burning fossil fuels while simply burying the pollution underground. A U.N. report would bring the technology into the mainstream.
In turn, the U.N. hoped such a report would draw the oil-producing nations into its search for climate solutions. So despite objections from some nations and environmental organizations, which warned that the report would distract from the imperative to phase out fossil fuels, the U.N.’s preeminent climate science authority, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, went ahead. And for the first time, it invited a large contingent of industry researchers to join the scientists in writing the report, as well as several representatives from environmental groups. Benson’s chapter included authors and editors from Shell, Chevron and Saudi Aramco.
The process that followed would make some of the chapter’s scientists uneasy. The IPCC’s procedures stated that reports should assess the existing research on a topic based on peer-reviewed literature and that exceptions must be reviewed and clearly cited.
Bert Metz, one of the highest-ranking U.N. officials at the meeting, was pressing the group to come up with more definitive language about CCS’ potential. The report would be better if it could offer hard numbers, even where none existed in the literature: Precisely how many gigatons of storage capacity did the planet likely have? How long would a well-designed reservoir hold the CO2 injected into it? More than a year? A thousand years?
With so little evidence to work with, David Keith, a Canadian physicist, proposed a workaround: The authors could conduct an “expert elicitation,” taking an anonymous survey about what they expected the evidence to eventually show.
At first, not everyone was willing to go along. Some scientists worried that making what amounted to educated guesses would mislead the public, they told Drilled and ProPublica. Benson and Metz, though, both argued that on such an important matter informed advice was better than nothing.
In the end, the group agreed to take the survey and to keep it off the record — they would “burn it afterward,” Keith recounted, making no mention of it in the official report. When the meeting concluded, some of the scientists popped their bottles of cava in celebration.
“It’s not the hard science that you would prefer, obviously,” Metz would later tell Drilled and ProPublica.
Five months later, the IPCC published its special report, which would help legitimize CCS for a generation.
The 431-page document portrayed CCS as a potential savior for the climate that could enable countries “to continue to include fossil fuels in their energy mix.” It stated that using CCS could lower the cost of stabilizing global CO2 concentrations by at least 30% and that if fully supported by policy, it could account for as much as 55% of the world’s efforts to limit climate change through this century.
It acknowledged that there were still gaps in research and experience with the technology — offering extensive detail deep within its pages about the challenges and uncertainties of piecing together separate but proven steps in the CCS process. But its summary stated that “there are no major technical or knowledge barriers” to storing captured CO2 underground.
All of those assertions, however, rested on the critical determinations made by the scientists handling the storage chapter.
Benson’s group wrote that the planet offered vast CO2 storage capacity. Storage sites that were well selected and well managed, they said, were likely to retain 99% of the carbon pumped into them for at least 1,000 years.
Illustration by Chris W. Kim for ProPublica
A Consequential Decision
The scientists’ conclusions that day in Spain have had profound, compounding consequences.
The special report has been cited in thousands of academic papers, in legislative testimony and in media coverage validating carbon capture and storage as a realistic solution to global warming.
When climate forecasters built models, their calculations assumed CCS would work. When governments and corporations began making so-called “net zero” pledges, promising to subtract as much CO2 from the atmosphere as they add, they assumed CCS would work. When policymakers gave energy companies billions of dollars in public funds to develop “clean coal,” they assumed CCS would work.
These presumptions shifted the world’s discourse from how to limit carbon pollution to how to remove it from the atmosphere after the fact.
Enthusiasm for the technology has only grown. This spring, California embarked on one of the world’s largest carbon burial endeavors yet. While President Donald Trump eviscerated most programs addressing the climate, he has expanded subsidies for CCS. There are more than 100 applications for storage sites pending in the U.S. alone. U.N. analyses suggest that to achieve environmental goals, a CCS industry the size of the entire global oil production industry would have to be built by 2050.
But 21 years after Oviedo, a staggering gap lies between expectations for the technology and its operational reality. Since 1996, just 12 large-scale geological storage projects have been constructed. Collectively, they bury less CO2 than a single power plant can emit in a year, according to our analysis of sites listed in an International Energy Agency database. Seven of them have faced technical, financial or performance issues. An investigation by Drilled and ProPublica found there’s reason to doubt carbon capture and storage will ever succeed at the scale needed to offer a significant climate solution.
History is full of audacious technological leaps — moments when visionary engineering solved seemingly intractable problems. Scientists told Drilled and ProPublica that they have devoted themselves to studying CCS in that spirit, hoping a grand techno-fix could help the world solve the climate crisis without a painful overhaul of the global energy system.
But that ambition did not exist in isolation. It was bankrolled in large part by companies that stood to profit from its success.
Industry documents show that oil company executives have long seen CCS as a way to hedge against climate regulation, greenwash their brands and preserve their core business. Internal Exxon documents obtained by Drilled and ProPublica show that in 1988, the company determined that any climate research Exxon supported should serve the dual purposes of protecting the value of its oil, gas and coal while preserving the company’s business options; the company would eventually become one of the world’s major funders of CCS research.
Later, the American Petroleum Institute would write in internal communications that the industry’s “license to operate” depended on companies lowering climate pollution, and CCS, it wrote, “enables the use of petroleum and natural gas by providing an opportunity to capture and/or offset emissions.” And at a 2023 prominent oil industry conference in Houston, the CEO of Occidental Petroleum, Vicki Hollub, would explain that a novel form of CCS that sucks carbon directly from the air “is going to be the technology that helps to preserve our industry over time.”
For many university faculty, the rewards for studying the industry’s favored climate solution have been numerous, opening opportunities, funding papers and raising their profiles. Benson is a clear example. When the IPCC was awarded in 2007 with the Nobel Peace Prize for its climate work, she and her co-authors were recognized among the scientists who contributed. When Stanford University sought a new director for its ExxonMobil-funded climate research center, it tapped her. When President Joe Biden prioritized climate policy, he brought Benson into the White House.
Keith, the Canadian physicist, benefited from oil industry interest in a different way: He developed technology to capture CO2. Occidental Petroleum paid more than $1 billion to buy the company he founded.
There is no evidence that Benson, widely described by colleagues as scrupulous, skewed her scientific findings to suit the interests of her industry patrons, and Benson has described CCS’ flaws in her publications.
However, in speeches, presentations and even congressional testimony, she has been a dogged champion of CCS technology, time and again describing it as safe and ready for large-scale deployment, despite having a ringside view to its many setbacks.
She has frequently referenced the most affirmative statements from her group’s work in Oviedo as evidence. But the methodology Benson and her co-authors used to reach those conclusions 21 years ago has not been generally understood. When Drilled and ProPublica told prominent climate researchers about the expert elicitation process, several were disconcerted to learn that there was so little scientific basis for the report’s conclusion that 99% of CO2 was likely to remain underground.
A survey, said Oliver Geden, a vice chair of the IPCC’s forthcoming climate assessment, was “an inappropriate way of assessing the literature.”
Authors “are not supposed to do original research. They’re supposed to just collect what’s out there,” said Roger Cooke, who was a lead author on a subsequent IPCC report. Cooke said expert elicitation, done rigorously, can be valuable, but “just asking a bunch of experts to give their best guess is one of the worst things you can do.”
In a detailed written response, Benson said she did not believe that the survey undertaken in 2005 violated IPCC norms and said the group’s leadership was aware of the process. She disputed that the approach amounted to an informed guess and said that “there was an enormous amount of data” to draw on. The group was trying to agree on the best language to synthesize evidence detailed deeper in the report. She rejected the notion that her research or career were influenced by industry funding, writing that she has worked “tirelessly for 30 years on CCS and other climate solutions” in a sincere effort to combat an escalating planetary crisis. And, she offered, she views CCS as one valuable tool among many needed to address climate change.
Keith said the goal of the expert elicitation was not to seek precision, but to provide a sense of the orders of magnitude of the capacity and risks, “because that’s what’s relevant to public policy.” He said even sites with problems haven’t leaked large amounts of CO2 and that the report’s broad statements “have stood the test of time.” The chapter authors’ confidence in CCS doesn’t suggest “that a bunch of us are tools of the fossil fuel industry.”
The IPCC declined to comment on specific questions about how the report came about. “We are not in a position to comment on individual recollections,” a spokesperson wrote about the expert elicitation. However, they said that the group’s process was in keeping with the organization’s procedures at the time and that it reflected contemporaneous understanding of the technology. The IPCC did not directly respond to the assertion that the authors conducted what amounts to new research during the writing process, and it did not provide requested records that would detail the scientists’ vote. “The IPCC’s role is to assess the full range of available scientific knowledge,” the statement said. Metz referred to the IPCC’s response.
Chevron, Shell and Saudi Aramco did not respond to requests for comment.
Drilled and ProPublica spoke with more than 100 experts on carbon capture, climate modeling and influence in academia, including a dozen people who attended the Oviedo meeting. We compiled records of geologic storage tests and surveyed an extensive body of peer-reviewed literature. This investigation is part of a broader examination into how fossil fuel industry funding of climate research has shaped climate policy, solutions and public understanding. It follows our report in June about a BP-funded program at Princeton University and the oil company’s role in crafting one of the program’s most influential climate papers.
Since Benson and her co-authors met in Oviedo, weather catastrophes have multiplied, oceans have acidified and the amount of carbon in the atmosphere has soared. In September, the U.N. released an urgent new report declaring that the race to avert disruptive warming has been all but lost. It concluded that “overshoot” — the notion that temperatures will rise above the world’s adopted goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming — is now a certainty.
Carbon capture and storage, it said, is one of the only ways to bring those temperatures back down.
Sally Benson, fourth from the left, and others tour the In Salah carbon dioxide injection site in Algeria in 2005.Photo courtesy of Robert Socolow
Looking at a Failure and Calling It Triumph
Just a few days before the meeting in Oviedo, BP put Benson and a handful of other scientists on a chartered flight from London to Algeria. Their destination: the world’s second major geologic carbon storage experiment, in the Sahara.
The British oil giant, along with the state-owned oil companies of Algeria and Norway, had begun to drill for gas at a new field named for a nearby oasis called In Salah. Most natural gas comes out of the ground as a cocktail of methane and CO2. The CO2 must be stripped out and is usually vented into the sky. But at In Salah, the companies saw an opportunity to try out a greener process — one that could become big business.
Earth’s crust is a layer cake of rock. Some layers, like sandstone, contain honeycombed pores capable of holding CO2, while others, like mudstone, can act as impermeable seals, trapping the buoyant gas underground.
That layer cake is impossible to precisely chart from the surface, but engineers sent sound waves into the ground and interpreted what echoed up into rough maps. They learned their target sandstone reservoir sat below a 3,000-foot-thick brick of mudstone they believed would be impermeable. They also learned the sandstone was “tight” — less honeycombed than they had hoped — but still capable of holding gas. So they had begun to inject the CO2.
The plane landed on a sand-strewn strip circled by jeep tracks and rocky plateaus. A photograph shows Benson, medium height, her blond bob tucked beneath a hard hat, standing in the desert alongside a BP-funded physicist from Princeton named Robert Socolow and seven other men in front of a well that was pushing CO2 under the desert. In Salah had been operating for less than a year but seemed to be going smoothly.
Afterward, Benson traveled to Oviedo to finish drafting the special report, which listed In Salah among key sites that “indicate that it is feasible to store CO2” underground at significant scale.
That assessment has not held up.
Energy companies had first begun pumping CO2 into the ground commercially in the 1970s, when they realized it would loosen up stubborn crude oil, sometimes doubling an oil field’s output. They called it “enhanced oil recovery,” and though they didn’t try to lock the CO2 in place, much of it seemed to stay underground.
The idea to use carbon injection as a climate fix came a few years later from an Italian physicist named Cesare Marchetti, who suggested disposing of carbon deep in the ocean or underground. In the 1980s Exxon tried, and gave up on, efforts to develop the idea. And it wasn’t until 1996 when the first large-scale CCS project — the operation in the North Sea — began.
In a recent interview inside her narrow, fluorescent-lit office at Stanford University’s earth sciences building, Benson said it was shortly after that that she first heard of CCS. A colleague at the Department of Energy had sent her a slide deck by Princeton’s Socolow about the technology. “I was like, ‘I think this is nuts,’” she told Drilled and ProPublica.
“I just couldn’t really picture it working at scale.”
But, as both an idealist and a pragmatist, she was drawn to the potential for science to solve difficult environmental problems. She made a crude calculation of how much CO2 might fit beneath California and was surprised by the answer: a lot. At least in theory. And it changed her mind.
As Benson became one of CCS’ leading experts and champions, she increasingly found herself in rooms full of oil industry veterans. In 2000, she helped establish a partnership between the Department of Energy and companies including Chevron, Texaco and BP. That program had a focused mission: make large-scale geological storage an operational reality by 2015.
In 2002, Benson was asked to sit on the advisory council of a new BP and Ford Motor Co.-funded climate research center at Princeton University. At a summit there the following year, Benson expressed concern that focusing on leaks could undermine public support for CCS, according to meeting records and the account of another person in attendance.
“Need to present optimistic estimates,” the minutes recapping her presentation say.
By 2007, Benson was helping to run her own industry-funded research center. A few years earlier, ExxonMobil CEO Lee Raymond, a thunderous voice of climate denial, had put up $100 million of the company’s money to fund climate and energy work at Stanford University. With another $125 million from three other companies, Stanford’s Global Climate and Energy Project became one of the best-funded climate research centers in America.
The donation came with strings: ExxonMobil and the other sponsors had veto power over which research projects received funding.
Students and activists protested the funding structure, accusing ExxonMobil of retracing the path of tobacco companies, which paid for scientific work on obscure causes of cancer as a distraction from their culpability.
Benson defended the arrangement ardently and often. ExxonMobil and the other sponsors approved every grant that Stanford recommended, never exercising their veto power, she said. Reporting by Drilled and ProPublica did not contradict that assertion. Benson also pointed to the fact that the program funded an array of research, including on renewable energy.
In an interview and written response, Benson said researchers who take funding from oil companies are motivated not by corporate agendas, but by genuine interest in the work. The funding underwrites the inquiry, she said, not its conclusions. Where there’s “alignment,” she added, the industry support can be “amazingly catalytic and helpful.”
In response to a request for comment, Stanford University directed Drilled and ProPublica to former law school dean Paul Brest, who led a committee that reviewed energy research funding at the school. Brest said that faculty have a right to seek any funding they choose, so long as sponsors cannot direct the work.
Most important to Benson was that scientists and their students have the opportunity to research matters of great consequence. She has published more than 50 papers on geologic carbon storage since joining Stanford, most of them highly technical evaluations of CCS that reiterated its importance to reducing emissions, and many underwritten by ExxonMobil and other industry sources. “I don’t know anybody else,” she told Drilled and ProPublica, “who would eventually provide, you know, $225 million of funding” to study climate solutions.
But whether researchers intended to serve their funders’ agenda on CCS or not, some say the effect has been undeniable. “It seems like a credible solution because you have credible people at credible institutions working on it,” said Naomi Oreskes, a Harvard historian of science and an expert in corporate influence.
Benson was still getting settled into her new job at Stanford when the project in Algeria ran into major problems.
On a 118-degree day in 2007, In Salah’s inspectors heard CO2 whistling through the top of an abandoned oil well nearly a mile from the nearest injection site. Engineers had believed it would take years before the CO2 plume could spread so far underground, but the gas had cracked through the sandstoneand found a new path.
To stop the leak, workers poured cement into the well, plugging it permanently. But soon a second problem arose: Satellite data revealed the desert floor above the injection sites had bulged. When project engineers again used sound waves and other tools to map the layers underground, they arrived at an alarming discovery: Pressurized CO2 had sent cracks a quarter of the way up through the 3000-foot-thick layer of mudstone. If it breached the rest, it could leach into the pan-Saharan aquifer, acidifying a source of drinking water millions of people depend on.
BP and its partners eventually summoned Benson and the other science advisers to London. The dangerous gas, they could now see, was moving in ways they had predicted it could not. Nonetheless, the advisers suggested that injection proceed temporarily to see whether it could safely be done under lower pressure and with careful monitoring.
But the Algerians had had enough. In 2011 BP and its partners stopped injection, and in 2012 they quietly scrapped the project.
Benson would later describe In Salah as a technical failure but a triumph of detection. “It was monitored and people found a problem,” she told Drilled and ProPublica.
“Then,” she added, they “learned from it.”
MIT professor Charles Harvey likens small-scale geologic storage to putting a pea on a bridge, then assuming it can scale. “But will this bridge collapse if I set an aircraft carrier on it? Yeah. It probably will.”Illustration by Chris W. Kim for ProPublica
More Problems, More Dependence
As she did in Oviedo, Benson still maintains that the fundamental mechanics of CCS are well enough understood to know that it can work.
As proof that geologic formations can handle high-pressure gas, she points to the natural gas industry, which injects large amounts of its product back underground for temporary storage.
She also points to enhanced oil recovery. Over the last 40 years, American companies have injected 100 times more CO2 into drilling fields as a way to extract more oil than they have into what CCS industry insiders call “dedicated” CO2 storage reservoirs. There are few reports of accidents or leaks at these sites.
Unlike dedicated CO2 storage, though, enhanced oil recovery is less likely to cause pressure to build up underground, because the CO2 pumped in fills space left by the oil that’s forced out. (These sites also can result in a net addition of CO2 in the atmosphere, since they wind up producing still more oil.)
The record of the industry’s largest CCS sites — ones designed solely to help the climate — has been far more troubled.
Around the time In Salah shut down, the world’s third large project — a Norwegian site named Snøhvit several hundred miles north of the Arctic Circle — also met critical obstacles. When injection began in 2008, engineers had calculated the site would have an 18-year capacity. But they had radically overestimated how much CO2 it could absorb and had to relocate the project after just three years.
In the U.S., a decadelong effort to build a “clean coal” power plant outfitted with CCS proved impossible within a reasonable budget and was abandoned in 2015 — but not before the government had spent $378 million in taxpayer money. Benson was on the project’s advisory board for part of that time.
That year in Canada, Shell opened a $1 billion carbon capture and storage facility — also largely paid for by the country’s taxpayers — connected to open-pit oil sands mines. The industry routinely promises that plants like this one, called Quest, capture at least 90% of emissions. But at Quest, once the energy required for the capture process itself is accounted for, the capture rate instead has hovered around 68%, according to a report by the research group Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. It has also caused hundreds of microearthquakes.
Shell did not respond to a request for comment.
As one carbon storage project struggled after another, Benson and other academic researchers continued to insist they could flourish.
In a keynote speech at a 2018 conference in Sweden, Benson showed a slide with a map of CCS facilities across the world, most of which were enhanced oil recovery sites. Her map included In Salah, which had shuttered. And it included another project, in Australia, which had yet to open. “The operations have been very good at all of these projects. And they’ve gone well in terms of safety,” she said.
She also showed a slide pointing to the 2005 U.N. special report’s statement that an “appropriately selected,” well-managed reservoir would likely retain 99% of its carbon for more than 1,000 years. “This was an expression that if you find the right site, the CO2 should be permanently stored,” she said.
In a written response, she said she continues to cite the 21-year-old special report’s conclusions on leakage because “the methodology was sound then and remains so.” Benson said that she is careful to qualify her characterizations and show evidence in her presentations, and that during her presentation in Sweden she did so. She did not directly address the status of projects portrayed in her map.
When the Australian project, called Gorgon, did open the following year, it turned out to be the biggest CCS fiasco yet. Australia had allowed Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell to drill a major new natural gas field there with the requirement that the companies buried at least 80% of the CO2 that came out of the ground with it. It was billed as the world’s largest CCS operation.
Instead, it has been plagued by clogged injection wells and underground pressure spikes. In their operating year ending in 2025, the companies were able to inject just a quarter of the CO2 collected there. Since they vent the remainder, Gorgon, once billed as a model for climate solutions, became the largest single source of industrial carbon pollution on the continent.
“Like any pioneering endeavour, it takes time to optimise a new system to ensure it performs reliably over 40-plus years of operation,” a Chevron spokesperson wrote in an emailed response. “We realise that people refer to the challenges at Gorgon in an attempt to discredit CCS, however, as we have shown, we can capture and store greenhouse gas at scale.” Shell and ExxonMobil did not respond to requests for comment.
Illustration by Chris W. Kim for ProPublica
An Idea Takes Root
While operators struggled to prove CCS could be viable, the world became dependent on it working.
As soon as the IPCC published the 2005 report, climate modelers that help assess the most economic ways to limit global warming began folding CCS into their calculations.
They projected not only that CCS could stop billions of tons of emissions from reaching the sky, but that it could suck old carbon pollution out of the atmosphere. They adopted a theory that supposed vast fields of switchgrass or fast-growing willow could absorb carbon into their stalks and leaves, and when those plants were harvested and burned for electricity, their emissions, too, would be captured and buried.
The modelers incorporated this subtractive approach so prodigiously that, on paper, they could reverse climate change. Global temperatures could overshoot targets in the short term, so long as enough carbon was eventually sucked back out of the air to bring those temperatures back down.
World leaders embraced the wiggle room this theory provided them. When they signed the U.N. Paris Climate Agreement in 2015, pledging to keep warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, they counted on these so-called negative emissions among the key tools that could make it possible. In 2018, when the IPCC published a special report on how to reach that goal, 89 out of its 90 scenarios included using large-scale CCS.
Now, in its latest report, the U.N. says that it is virtually impossible to still get to a 1.5 C future — or anything close — without removing carbon from the atmosphere. There are several ways to do that — reforestation and the use of minerals spread on fields to absorb carbon, for instance. But these methods are either small scale or even less proven than CCS.
By 2015, the tantalizing idea of “negative emissions” was showing up in new, mainstream ways. “Net zero” pledges to one day offset carbon emissions began rolling in from most of the world’s nations, as well as cities like Omaha, Nebraska; the band Coldplay; ice cream chains; funeral homes; and even ExxonMobil.
But real-world CCS projects have not met the moment.
To scale the technology as much as U.N. analyses suggest is needed to limit warming to 2 C would require not only a technological feat but almost unimaginable resources, Drilled and ProPublica found. Carbon dioxide injection would have to almost immediately increase by more than 400 times. That would require more than 2,000 new geological waste sites to be established — a new large-scale CCS project put into operation every four days, on average, for the next 25 years.
To move the CO2 to those sites would require 68,000 miles of specialized pipeline in the U.S. alone. Globally, at least 85 custom-built tankers would be needed to carry the high-pressure gas safely across oceans. Just four exist.
And if all of that were accomplished, the effort would come at an almost inconceivable cost: tens of trillions of dollars.
Illustration by Chris W. Kim for ProPublica
“Fuck, OK, It’s Harder Than We Thought”
At Benson’s office at Stanford, in a building where rocks painstakingly collected from field sites fill cabinets in the halls, the Society of Petroleum Engineers hosts Friday socials — beer and snacks provided — and the adjacent courtyard is named after the oil company Arco.
Inside, propped on a stack of boxes, is a framed copy of Biden’s keystone climate legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act. On it, national climate adviser Ali Zaidi scrawled in blue sharpie, “Thank you, Sally, for helping truly transform our energy & climate future!”
Benson returned to Stanford after a nearly two-year stint in Biden’s White House as the head of the energy division of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, where she says she provided periodic scientific advice as the act was being pushed through Congress. One of the most ambitious climate policy efforts in history, it offered a large set of incentives for CCS, which the fossil fuel industry had lobbied for intensely.
But even while oil industry leaders have pushed the world to embrace CCS, behind closed doors, they have remained skeptical of its potential as a climate solution.
In 2007, as ExxonMobil funded Benson’s center at Stanford, its former CEO Raymond told a room full of industry leaders that carbon storage might be considered “kind of the Holy Grail.” Executing it, though, would be “a whole different animal” than injecting carbon underground for enhanced oil recovery. “You can’t assume that’s going to happen. And the cost is going to be very, very significant.”
A 2011 internal slide deck from BP stated that while carbon storage would allow fossil fuels to remain the world’s dominant source of energy, “the pace of CCS development has been slow and the future pace remains uncertain.” And in a 2018 internal presentation, ExxonMobil predicted hardly any CCS would be deployed by 2050, even as it modeled that global CO2 emissions from energy production would continue to skyrocket.
Yet the industry saw brand value in encouraging CCS anyway. An ExxonMobil document from 2021 describes a public relations campaign to persuade the political and financial “elites” to “believe ExxonMobil is committed to helping solve climate change,” in part by proving its efforts on CCS will “play an indispensable role” in a greener economy.
For her part, Benson still has faith in the technology’s viability, despite the failures. “These are big projects, right? The idea that everything goes exactly according to plan, especially for these first-of-a-kind projects — it’s unrealistic.”
When ProPublica and Drilled reviewed that same data, however, and excluded the enhanced oil recovery projects, we found just eight operating large-scale carbon burial projects on that list (10 using the group’s more recent data), and half the increase in annual injections that Benson stated.
Experts interviewed for this story insisted — often in an anguished timbre — that CCS simply must work because decades of delay have foreclosed other paths to a stable climatic future.
But just because the world now needs CCS to work doesn’t mean it can.
“It’s always some issue,” said Glen Peters, a senior researcher at the Cicero Center for International Climate Research in Oslo, Norway. “I think there’s been a lack of willingness for the community to say, ‘Fuck, OK, it’s harder than we thought.’”
The latest CCS effort got underway this spring, in California, when the oil company California Resources Corp. began injecting CO2 beneath the state’s Central Valley.
California — long a vanguard of environmental policy — has embraced the technology. In 2021, as it was formulating a plan for how the state should reach its climate targets, the California Air Resources Board invited Benson to give a presentation on the role CCS could play.
“The fraction of CO2 retained underground is likely to be very high,” she told the board, again pointing to the 2005 special report: “This study said 99% over 1,000 years.”
The board set the ambitious goal of burying more than 100 million tons of CO2 a year by 2045, more than all the carbon that has ever been geologically stored around the world combined. Since it opened in May, the new project has injected just 7% of its advertised capacity, but California Resources Corp. is now seeking permits for eight more CCS projects across California, and other oil and gas companies have proposed four more, including two that Stanford is directly involved with.
California Resources Corp., in a written response, said the company is injecting the amount it had planned for early operations and will increase to capacity as the project develops.
Could California truly be burying 100 million tons of CO2 a year by 2045? For the first time, in an interview, Benson was hesitant to commit. “I think it’s very challenging,” she said. “That’s a lot of infrastructure, a lot of money, a lot of projects.”
Asked a second time, she once again demurred. “Oh gosh. If we really set our mind to it. If we could wave a wand.”
I'm annoyed. I changed my tire recently cuz I wanted to ride again. I had to take a break cuz I banged up my knee. So at the time I fell my board was pretty charged already but when I turned it on after not riding for a month. I get the fucking battery over charged error as soon as I turn it in. Not even moving. I'm so annoyed. Idk what to do about it. I can't even ride 3 feet without it beeping at me. Anybody know anything I can do?
The Christina School District wants to hear from students, teachers, parents and community members as it continues to debate the fate of the district's school resource officers.
Delawareans will go to the polls Tuesday to vote for U.S. Senate, representative in Congress, attorney general, state treasurer, state auditor and several local legislative races.
Hey guys, completely new to the scene here. I bought a used pint from marketplaces and managed to revive the battery from 10v, only for it to work for a few days and it was a BLAST! I’m totally in love even though it only took me about a mile each charge. ( 2/15 cells were down to 1 volt after removing it for second time) so I bought a Nexus pint plus molicel P45B battery that should get up to 16 miles.
After some reading I found out I can’t utilize the extra range without a OWIE chip so I bought their v3 plug and play unlock chip but after doing even more research I am not sure if it will work, some say it the firmware chip won’t accept the new battery or that the chip will only give you battery monitoring but not the ability to use the extra amps in the battery at all unless the firmware is downgraded. But with even MORE research I’m seeing some people say I can’t downgrade the firmware because of the kind of hardware the board has?? Hoping I didn’t just screw myself and hoping that somebody can give me a little Insight. Thanks!
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy lost ground in an internal Republican poll after airing a controversial advertisement featuring Democratic opponent Amy Acton’s estranged mother, though the survey does not prove the ad caused the shift.
The Republican firm’s earlier polling showed Acton narrowly ahead, 47% to 45%. A follow-up survey of 800 likely voters conducted Oct. 23-26 found Acton leading 50% to 42%, an eight-point margin and a six-point swing from the previous poll. The margin of error was 3.46 percentage points.
The ad featured Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, calling her daughter a liar and disputing parts of her childhood story. Acton says she has not spoken to her mother in nearly five decades and that her stepfather sexually abused her as a child while Arthur failed to protect her. Court records and contemporary reporting support key elements of Acton’s account, while her brother has also corroborated it.
The commercial drew criticism from Democrats and Republicans, but Ramaswamy initially defended it and announced plans to spend $4 million airing it statewide. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance also defended Ramaswamy amid the backlash.
Ramaswamy said Thursday that the ad’s run had ended. Advertising data showed his campaign ultimately spent about $1 million on the spot rather than the originally announced $4 million.
Other polling has shown a narrower race, underscoring that a single survey should not be treated as evidence that the controversy alone changed voter preferences.
After riding my friend’s one wheel for about a month now, I had so much fun, I got really comfortable really fast, and I’m already pushing the speed limit on it (I believe it’s the pint x), had fun with it off road on dirt, I fell a couple of times but they were on dirt thankfully.
My main reason for wanting one is for college. I go to college, FIU, next year and I want a one wheel. It’s different, convenient, fast, cool, and small. Now me asking is more of me asking at what point is it overkill as I go up a model. There’s no budget in this question, but if it’s something i literally won’t use for my purpose I want to save money.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA — Salim Said, a major participant in Minnesota’s Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in federal prison for helping steal roughly $44 million from a program intended to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Said co-owned Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis, which prosecutors said falsely claimed to serve as many as 6,000 meals per day. FBI surveillance showed only about 40 people collecting food daily. A jury convicted Said in 2025 on 21 counts, including wire fraud, bribery and money laundering.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel also ordered Said to pay more than $44 million in restitution. Prosecutors said he used fraud proceeds to purchase a $1.2 million home, commercial real estate, luxury vehicles and other property. Said apologized at sentencing after previously denying wrongdoing at trial.
Republican lawmakers have sought to connect the scandal politically to Rep. Ilhan Omar because she held her 2018 primary victory celebration at Safari Restaurant and later sponsored pandemic-era legislation expanding access to federal meal programs. However, there is no evidence that Omar participated in, knew about or benefited from Said’s fraud, and she has not been charged in connection with Feeding Our Future.
The broader scheme involved more than $250 million in fraudulent claims and has produced dozens of convictions. Feeding Our Future founder Aimee Bock received nearly 42 years in prison earlier this year.
Even though Republicans outnumber them, one in three Sussex Democrats has already voted, with Sussex Republicans next highest at nearly one in four.
(Numbers reflect votes cast as of 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. Early voting continues through Sunday, Nov. 1.)
DOVER, Del. — One in three registered Democrats in Sussex County had already voted by Wednesday, the highest share of any group in Table 1, according to Department of Elections records obtained by Delaware LIVE.
That stands out in a county where Republicans outnumber Democrats. Sussex has about 10,600 more registered Republicans than Democrats, but more Democrats have voted so far, 22,480 to 17,905. See Table 1.
Statewide, Delaware had 809,886 registered voters as of Oct. 1, the state’s most recent count. By Wednesday, 104,746 of them had voted early or by absentee ballot, about 13%.
Table 1: Delaware early and absentee voters, by county and party
(Nov. 3, 2026 general election. Ballots cast as of 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28. Party is how voters are registered, not how they voted. “Everyone else” means registered as neither Democrat nor Republican.)
Swipe sideways to see all columns →
Party
registration
Registered voters Oct. 1, 2026
Voted as of Oct. 28 (% of registered)
New Castle County
Democrats
209,850
25,831 (12%)
Republicans
82,007
6,380 (8%)
Everyone else
148,897
6,585 (4%)
Kent County
Democrats
54,672
8,337 (15%)
Republicans
38,791
4,553 (12%)
Everyone else
55,075
2,982 (5%)
Sussex County
Democrats
68,249
22,480 (33%)
Republicans
78,849
17,905 (23%)
Everyone else
73,496
9,693 (13%)
Statewide
Democrats
332,771
56,648 (17%)
Republicans
199,647
28,838 (14%)
Everyone else
277,468
19,260 (7%)
All voters
809,886
104,746 (13%)
(Sources: Delaware Department of Elections, Election Voted List, obtained by Delaware LIVE [Oct. 29, 2026], and Voter Registration Totals by Political Party [Oct. 1, 2026]. Registered voter totals are as of Oct. 1; registration closed Oct. 10. “Everyone else” includes voters with no party and voters registered with other parties or categories. Percentages calculated by the author.)
What the numbers show
In every county, a higher share of Democrats than Republicans has voted early or by absentee ballot. Statewide, 17% of Democrats have voted, compared with 14% of Republicans.
Republicans are showing up too. Republicans make up 25% of registered voters but 28% of the people who have voted so far. And Sussex Republicans are voting at a higher rate than Democrats in New Castle or Kent.
Sussex is far ahead of the other counties. Nearly 23% of all Sussex voters have voted, compared with 11% in Kent and 9% in New Castle.
Voters with neither party are furthest behind so far. People registered as neither Democrats nor Republicans make up 34% of registered voters but only 18% of the people who have voted.
What the numbers don’t show
These records show who voted, not how they voted. A Democrat or Republican can vote for any candidate in November. And many voters, of every party, wait until Election Day.
How it compares with 2024
In 2024, by the end of early voting, 43% of registered Sussex voters had voted early in person, compared with 19% in New Castle, as Delaware LIVE reported Oct. 19.
This year, with four days still left, 20% of Sussex voters and 7% of New Castle voters have already voted early in person, not counting absentee ballots, based on the state’s early voting count as of 3 p.m. Wednesday. Sussex is again far ahead.
There’s still time
Early voting ends Sunday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. Find sites and hours in our early voting guide, and everything on your ballot in the 2026 Voters Guide.
The Delaware Blue Coats home stadium, the Chase Fieldhouse. Photo Courtesy of the Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau and Moonloop Photography
The Delaware Blue Coats will start their 2026-2027 season with two home games on November 6 and 7, during the NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament.
WILMINGTON, Del — The NBA season has just begun and, for many fans in Delaware who support the Philadelphia 76ers, it’s shaping up as an exciting year. Lebron James and Jaylen Brown joined the team in the offseason creating an incredible starting five alongside former NBA MVP Joel Embiid, two-time All-Star Tyrese Maxey and All-Rookie first teamer VJ Edgecombe.
As much as that core will carry the lionshare of production, the team’s depth will be critical to supporting the teams’ superstars. That’s where the Delaware Blue Coats play their role.
Last season, five players that appeared in a game for the Blue Coats also appeared in a game with the 76ers. Players like Justin Edwards and Marjon Beauchamp even started for the 76ers and made significant contributions helping the team reach the playoffs and defeat the Boston Celtics in the first round.
This year the Blue Coats roster features three two-way players — two-way players are players signed to two-way contracts meaning they can spend a certain amount of time with the NBA affiliate before having to return to the G League team — Caleb Love, Rayan Rupert and Tacko Fall in addition to a couple returners from last season, forwards Saint Thomas and Marcus Bagley. Former University of Delaware standout Jameer Nelson Jr. is also on the Blue Coats roster after spending time with the G Leagues’ Stockton Kings and Austin Spurs in recent seasons.
The Blue Coats season opener is also their home opener, welcoming the Capital City Go-Go (Washington Wizards affiliate) into Wilmington for a two-game, weekend homestand on November 6 and 7. The Blue Coats stay at home to host the Maine Celtics (Boston Celtics affiliate) the next weekend, before beginning their first road trip to play two games against the Long Island Nets (Brooklyn Nets affiliate) on November 16.
All of these games are a part of the league’s G League Tip-Off Tournament which lasts from November 6 until December 18. The tournament acts as an introduction to a new season of G League basketball and breaks the teams into four different regions. The teams within the regions play each other and the team with the best winning percentage in the region advances. The other four teams that make up the eight team field will be the four teams with the highest winning percentage regardless of region, according to the NBA G League website. The teams that advance will play at-least two games at the 2026 NBA G League Winter Showcase before a champion is decided.
The Blue Coats will play in the East region and host seven G League Tip-Off Tournament games. The 2026 NBA G League Winter Showcase will take place in Orlando. The Salt Lake City Stars (Utah Jazz affiliate) were the champions last season.
Following the showcase, the Blue Coats will begin their 36-game regular season slate with a two-game homestand against the Wisconsin Herd (Milwaukee Bucks affiliate) December 27 and 29. Their regular season concludes on March 26, at home against the Long Island Nets. The Blue Coats finished the 2025-2026 season with an 18-18 record in the regular season.
The Blue Coats will host multiple promotional nights throughout the season, including two Education Day games on February 17 and 25. These nights welcome students from local elementary schools to experience a Blue Coats gameday. Last season, the Blue Coats set an attendance record during an Education Day event, according to a Blue Coats press release. The team will also host a Trading Card Night during their February 27 game against Cleveland Charge (Cleveland Cavaliers affiliate).
The full promotional schedule for the 2026-2027 season can be found on the team’s Facebook account.
To learn more about the team or how to purchase tickets to a game click here to check out the team’s official website.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA — Federal investigators examined Rep. Ilhan Omar’s 2009 marriage during the Obama administration and reportedly found evidence suggesting the marriage may have been fraudulent, according to current and former officials cited by The New York Times.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security opened the inquiry in 2016 while Omar was running for the Minnesota Legislature. Investigators reportedly examined whether her marriage to British citizen Ahmed Nur Said Elmi was arranged to obtain immigration benefits. Prosecutors ultimately did not bring charges, reportedly concluding that a potential marriage-fraud offense had exceeded its five-year statute of limitations.
Importantly, the report does not establish that Elmi was Omar’s brother, despite some right-wing outlets presenting that allegation as confirmed. Officials cited by the Times reportedly said investigators found information suggesting a possible sibling relationship, but no court, government agency or publicly available documentation has established that Elmi was Omar’s brother.
Omar has consistently denied both marriage fraud and the sibling allegation and has never been charged over the marriage.
Independent fact-checkers have also been unable to substantiate the brother claim. Snopes reiterated this week that the allegation remains unsupported by conclusive evidence, while PolitiFact’s previous examination found circumstantial questions surrounding the marriage but “no smoking gun” demonstrating that Omar married her brother.
The renewed attention comes as the Trump administration conducts a separate investigation into Omar’s immigration history.
Brussels or Beijing? The EU’s ‘Made in Europe’ plans will force the UK to choose Expert commentjon.wallace
Either way, the UK will be forced to pay a price.
The EU’s Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) is pushing the UK toward an economic confrontation with China it would rather avoid. The IAA plans to introduce new ‘Made in Europe’ obligations, conditioning access to certain public subsidy and procurement schemes on the use of sufficient local, European, content. This is intended, in part, to protect European industry from cheap, high-quality, Chinese goods such as hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs).
The UK government, seeking closer economic integration with the EU, wants ‘Made in Europe’ provisions extended to include its firms. But key EU member states are conditioning any extension on the UK aligning with EU economic security measures.
A 15 October Franco-German paper said that ‘Made in Europe’ treatment for the automotive sector should only be extended to the UK and a small group of other partners on the condition of both reciprocity and ‘dynamic alignment with EU conditions related to third countries’ investments and on relevant EU trade defense measures’.
In practical terms, France and Germany want the UK to impose tariffs on Chinese EVs to prevent the further erosion of their manufacturers’ UK market share. They also want the UK to impose stricter conditions on foreign direct investment into key manufacturing sectors to prevent Chinese firms from qualifying for future EU subsidies or procurement schemes via their UK-located operations.
With the next EU–UK summit scheduled for 20 November, this creates a problem for Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s new government. Much of the media reporting has focused on the question of whether the UK will agree to impose tariffs on Chinese vehicles. But the focus on investment is arguably more consequential, given the UK’s desire to attract Chinese automotive manufacturing facilities to Britain.
The UK’s China problem
Until now, the UK’s preferred approach to China has been one of cautious pragmatism. It has demonstrated a willingness to intervene with tariffs or other restrictions in the event of acute economic or national security concerns. See, for example, the decision to impose permanently high tariffs on certain steel products or the blocking of a proposed £1.5 billion investment in offshore wind by the Chinese firm Ming Yang.
However, the UK has continued to court Chinese investment in the automotive sector and deepen trade ties in what it considers non-sensitive areas. And, though it has made a commitment to the US to strengthen supply chain security in respect of steel and pharmaceuticals as part of the 2025 Economic Prosperity Deal, there has so far been limited evidence of substantive implementation.
The UK’s reluctance to fully align with either the EU or US approach to China is understandable, given its relative size and economic weight. It wants increased trade and investment and relies on Chinese renewables for its decarbonization objectives.
But the UK can certainly not afford to be shut out of EU procurement and public subsidy schemes. The EU’s proposed safeguard on hybrid vehicle imports – which would restrict imports above specified quota levels – will also create its own pressures, as Chinese vehicles risk being diverted onto the UK market.
It is therefore less of a question of whether the UK will align itself with EU economic security measures than how.
The price to pay
One route would be for the UK to replicate EU measures wholesale. This would see the UK replicate EU tariffs on EVs and the new hybrid safeguard. And it could potentially include future interventions targeting chemicals, plastics, batteries and wind turbines.
The UK would also need to consider equivalent restrictions on foreign investment, reflecting proposed IAA conditions relating to ownership limits, joint ventures, workforce localization and local content in key manufacturing sectors.
Yet this approach is not straightforward. The UK does not necessarily have the legal tools available to replicate EU measures and has historically been cautious about breaching its international obligations.
China would also be incentivized to retaliate. That could mean anything from initiating its own tariff measures against UK exports to imposing restrictions on rare earths or battery inputs.
Beijing may have a greater incentive to make an example of the UK than escalate its confrontation with the EU.
The UK is not the only country in the region facing pressure from the EU to impose more stringent controls on Chinese trade and investment as a condition for access to the EU market. Turkey, Morocco and Switzerland are in a similar position. China will be wary of a negative precedent being established and keen to demonstrate that aligning with EU restrictions comes at a price. Indeed, Beijing may have a greater incentive to make an example of the UK than escalate its confrontation with the EU.
An alternative would be for the UK to pursue similar outcomes more slowly, using traditional trade defence tools. An anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles, for example, would take around a year to conclude but could provide the government with some breathing space. A safeguard investigation, potentially justified by rising Chinese imports and the risk of trade diversion from the EU, could offer a quicker route.
Neither would guarantee the outcome the EU wants. And both would need to satisfy the relevant legal requirements. But they would at least allow the UK to argue that it was responding to evidence of harm to its own industry, rather than simply implementing EU demands.
A safeguard also has the benefit, or not, of generally applying to imports regardless of origin, allowing the UK to argue it is not singling out China. It also remains possible that Brussels will attach more importance to the political signal of alignment than to the precise form of the measures adopted.
Yet this still leaves open the question of Chinese investment into UK manufacturing. This is of particular importance in the automotive sector. And it will prove more difficult to address without compromising the government’s wider economic objectives.
—
Watch: David Lubin on what the 2026 Bund Summit in Shanghai tells us about China’s economic engagement with the rest of the world.
The government could also seek to demonstrate progress by announcing new economic security tools, such as a proposed anti-coercion instrument. It could also introduce specific restrictions on foreign investment, or repackage existing initiatives, such as new cybersecurity-related restrictions. Such announcements might demonstrate goodwill towards Brussels but they would not automatically satisfy EU demands for alignment on specific measures.
The most likely outcome is that the UK seeks to navigate a course through these competing demands, giving the EU just enough of what it wants, while delaying implementation, hoping to avoid the worst response from Beijing. Delay may buy time with Brussels. But Beijing will likely view any such commitment as setting a precedent and retaliate against the UK accordingly.
There will be a price for the UK to pay either way. The only question is how successfully the government can minimize it.
Russia-Ukraine war: Who will break first?
3
November 2026 — 12:00 TO 13:00 GMT
Anonymous (not verified)
Chatham House and Online
Hear from Arseniy Yatsenyuk, former prime minister of Ukraine, as he discusses mounting military and economic pressures on both sides, and how Kyiv can sustain the defence of its sovereignty.
Hear from Arsenyi Yatsenyuk, former Prime Minister of Ukraine as he discusses mounting military and economic pressures on both sides, and how can Kyiv sustain defence of its sovereignty.
The Russia–Ukraine war is placing mounting pressure on both countries as battlefield attrition combines with growing economic strain. Russian aerial attacks continue to test Ukraine’s infrastructure and economy, while Moscow faces its own financial pressures and Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries and military industry. The question is whether either side can sustain the fight or whether these pressures could change the war’s trajectory.
This event discusses
How is the character of the Russia–Ukraine war changing?
How are Russian aerial attacks affecting Ukraine’s economy and population?
How could changes to US sanctions affect Russia’s calculations?
What resources does Russia have to continue the war, and who is enabling it externally?
How can Ukraine meet its growing funding requirements?
What pressures on the Kremlin could shift the course of the war?
In the District 22 state House race, Democratic newcomer Alex Green is challenging Republican incumbent Michael Smith, who is seeking his fifth term in the legislature.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed Army Gen. Brett Sylvia, the Pentagon’s top military strategist, from his position on the Joint Staff, according to officials familiar with the decision.
Sylvia served as director for strategy, plans and policy, known as the J5, a powerful position responsible for advising the Joint Chiefs of Staff on military strategy and coordinating planning with allies. The Pentagon has not publicly explained why Sylvia was removed or announced his replacement. ABC News reported that he was pushed out earlier this week.
Sylvia previously commanded the Army’s 101st Airborne Division and became the second officer removed from the J5 position this year. His departure comes amid a broad reshaping of senior military leadership under Hegseth.
At least 26 generals and admirals have reportedly been removed or pushed into retirement during Hegseth’s tenure. Hegseth has also directed the Pentagon to reduce the roughly 800 general and flag officer positions across the military by 20% by Jan. 1, 2027.
Some administration officials have argued the military became too focused on diversity initiatives and other policies they characterize as “woke.” Critics, including Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, have described the repeated removals as a “purge” that could weaken institutional experience within the armed forces.
The leadership change comes as the Pentagon continues managing major overseas commitments, including heightened military operations and planning involving Iran and the Indo-Pacific.
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA — President Donald Trump called Wednesday for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mary Peltola to be prosecuted and removed from Alaska’s ballot following reports that Democratic operatives helped recruit another candidate named Dan Sullivan to complicate Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan’s reelection bid.
The New York Times reported that people connected to Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee explored recruiting candidates with the same name as the incumbent. Retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan eventually entered the race and appears on the ballot alongside Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, Peltola and Republican Gerald Heikes. Alaska Public Media independently reported details of the recruitment effort based on the Times investigation.
Trump called the episode “voter fraud at the highest level” and said Peltola should face criminal consequences. Legal experts cited by Alaska media, however, said recruiting a spoiler candidate is not itself illegal, although critics across the political spectrum have described the tactic as deceptive or unethical.
Peltola’s campaign has denied involvement with either Sullivan campaign, while the Times report says former campaign staff and internal communications point to coordination before the current campaign organization was formally created. Peltola has remained in the race.
The controversy comes as the Justice Department separately seeks to block Alaska from certifying a Peltola victory under certain circumstances because of potential voter confusion involving the two Sullivan candidates. Alaska officials and outside election-law experts have challenged that lawsuit’s legal basis.
CHILLICOTHE, OHIO — Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio said Wednesday that Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed should be “nowhere near Washington,” tying his criticism directly to El-Sayed’s Muslim faith and saying political leaders should recognize Jesus as the source of salvation.
Speaking at a campaign rally with President Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. Jon Husted, Moreno attacked El-Sayed while promoting Republican Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers. Moreno asked whether El-Sayed understands that Americans’ rights “come from God Almighty” and that “Jesus came here for our salvation,” before saying El-Sayed should not serve in Washington.
El-Sayed, who was born in Michigan, would become the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. His religion has increasingly become a focus of Republican attacks during the campaign. Trump recently called him a “jihadist,” while Sen. Ted Cruz used the term “jihadist leprechaun” and suggested El-Sayed might endanger Americans if elected. El-Sayed has repeatedly denied allegations connecting him to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Moreno’s remarks contrast with the Constitution’s prohibition on religious qualifications for federal office. Article VI states that no religious test may be required as a qualification for any federal office or public trust.
Rogers has also criticized El-Sayed but has said his objection concerns El-Sayed’s alleged ideology rather than his religion, telling CBS News, “This is about the way you think, not the way you pray.”
The comments came during the final week of campaigning before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
MADISON, WISCONSIN — Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany declined to sign an election-integrity pledge circulated by Wisconsin Business Leaders for Democracy, while Democratic opponent David Crowley signed it and later received the group’s endorsement.
The pledge asked candidates to commit to accepting certified election results, cooperating with election officials, discouraging intimidation and violence, and refraining from knowingly spreading false claims about elections. Wisconsin Business Leaders for Democracy describes itself as a bipartisan organization supporting free and fair elections.
Tiffany’s decision drew renewed attention to his actions after the 2020 presidential election. During an Oct. 21 debate, Tiffany defended his objections to the results by citing privately funded election grants sometimes called “Zuckerbucks.” More than 200 Wisconsin municipalities received roughly $10 million from the Zuckerberg-funded Center for Tech and Civic Life to help administer voting during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tiffany also supported efforts to challenge absentee ballots and voted against counting electoral votes from Pennsylvania and Arizona. However, during the 2026 debate he explicitly said he would certify the 2028 presidential election “regardless of who the winner is.”
Crowley has made Tiffany’s 2020 actions an issue in the governor’s race, arguing that Wisconsin’s next governor must be willing to certify election results regardless of party. Tiffany, meanwhile, maintains that his objections concerned election procedures rather than an attempt to disregard legitimate votes.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Immigration and Customs Enforcement is now the least favorably viewed federal agency measured by Pew Research Center, with public opinion of ICE deteriorating over the past year.
A Pew survey conducted Sept. 28 through Oct. 4 found that 56% of U.S. adults have an unfavorable opinion of ICE, while 35% view the agency favorably. That gives ICE a net favorability rating of negative 21 points — considerably worse than the Internal Revenue Service, which stands at 37% favorable and 46% unfavorable.
Views remain sharply divided by party. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 67% view ICE favorably and 23% unfavorably. Among Democrats and Democratic leaners, just 9% have a favorable opinion while 84% view the agency unfavorably. Even so, ICE’s standing declined within both groups compared with 2025.
Separate polling suggests that support for abolishing ICE has also increased. A July Economist/YouGov survey found 48% of Americans supported eliminating the agency while 40% opposed the idea. An earlier YouGov survey reported by Axios in March found 50% supported abolition and 39% opposed it.
Reason columnist Ilya Somin argued that ICE’s declining popularity could strengthen efforts to abolish the agency, while acknowledging that public opinion alone does not determine whether an agency or policy is effective.
The latest numbers come amid continued controversy over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement and deportation policies.
Photo – Researchers at UD, including Willett Kempton and Rodney McGee, helped make this technology more affordable and practical.
University of Delaware professor Willett Kempton helped pioneer vehicle-to-grid technology nearly 30 years ago. Now Ford says a UD-developed communications standard is part of its new affordable electric truck platform.
NEWARK, Del. — Technology developed at the University of Delaware is playing a role in Ford Motor Co.’s effort to bring bidirectional power — the ability for an electric vehicle to send electricity back to a home or the electric grid — to a new generation of lower-cost electric trucks.
Ford said Tuesday, Oct. 27, that its 2027 Fathom electric truck will use SAE J3068 with LIN-CP, a communications technology standard developed at the University of Delaware, as part of an electrical architecture intended to make bidirectional charging less expensive.
The connection puts decades of Delaware research led in part by University of Delaware professor Willett Kempton into a vehicle Ford expects to sell for a starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $28,350.
Ford says the truck will be capable of supplying a projected 10 kilowatts or more of alternating-current power to a home without requiring the separate wall-mounted inverter used by some earlier systems.
Delaware professor helped pioneer the technology
Kempton and University of Delaware colleagues pioneered vehicle-to-grid, or V2G, technology nearly three decades ago. The idea is relatively simple: Instead of an electric vehicle battery only drawing power from the grid, a properly equipped vehicle can also return power when electricity is needed.
The technology could turn millions of parked vehicles into distributed energy-storage resources.
“Whether it could scale cost-effectively was an open question, and we’ve proven that it can — with the right combination of policies, standards and technology,” Kempton said earlier this year after completion of a Delaware V2G pilot project.
Kempton is a professor of marine science and policy and electrical and computer engineering at UD and is nationally recognized for his work on electric vehicles and vehicle-to-grid systems.
Ford’s announcement provides one of the clearest indications yet that some of the technology developed in Delaware could move beyond research projects and limited demonstrations toward mass-market vehicles.
Ford develops lower-cost system
Ford said cost has been one of the primary barriers preventing bidirectional power from becoming widely available.
Electric vehicle batteries store electricity as direct current, while homes typically use alternating current. Earlier systems often depended on additional external equipment to convert and manage that electricity.
Ford says the Fathom will instead incorporate its inverter into the vehicle’s electrical system, allowing the truck to produce AC power without a separate wall-mounted inverter.
The company said the approach uses fewer multifunctional components and is designed to lower the cost of the vehicle and supporting home equipment.
The truck’s communications architecture is where Delaware enters the picture directly.
Ford said Fathom uses SAE J3068 with LIN-CP, describing it as an existing communications technology developed at the University of Delaware that also helps reduce the cost of the vehicle’s charger.
That distinction is important: UD did not design Ford’s new truck or its entire bidirectional electrical system. Ford says it developed the Fathom hardware and software architecture after acquiring startup Auto Motive Power in 2023.
But the automaker is incorporating a communications approach developed through UD’s work into a production vehicle designed specifically around lower cost.
Delaware research moves from laboratory to electric grid
The Ford announcement follows years of cooperation involving UD, Ford, Delmarva Power and PJM Interconnection.
In 2024, the partners demonstrated vehicle-to-grid technology in Newark using Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles from Delmarva Power’s fleet.
The vehicles could continue performing their normal utility work while also providing grid services when they were parked and plugged in. Multiple vehicle batteries could be connected electronically and managed as a single resource known as a virtual power plant.
UD researchers also helped develop standards needed for vehicles, chargers and utilities to communicate safely and inexpensively.
Rodney McGee, director of UD’s Center for Transportation Electrification, previously led an SAE committee working on standards that incorporate LIN-CP signaling for low-cost AC charging, V2G operation and vehicle backup power.
Research suggests financial benefits for vehicle owners
The research reached another milestone this year.
A University of Delaware and Exelon/Delmarva Power report released in April found that the V2G-equipped vehicles used in the pilot successfully provided services in actual electricity markets.
Researchers calculated that, based on electricity-market prices from 2021 through 2025, a V2G-enabled passenger electric vehicle could potentially earn as much as $3,359 annually by providing grid services.
Heavier vehicles such as delivery trucks, fleet vehicles and school buses could potentially earn more than $9,000 per year because of their larger batteries.
Those figures are research estimates based on historical market conditions, not guaranteed payments for consumers.
The pilot also found no measured reduction in battery health after a year of market operation, according to UD.
The potential financial benefits are particularly significant for commercial fleet operators, school districts and utilities that could eventually use parked electric trucks and buses to generate revenue while helping stabilize the electrical grid.
A truck becomes more than transportation
For consumers, Ford is initially emphasizing two applications.
Its Home Power Management system is intended to allow customers to charge a truck when electricity is less expensive and then use some of the battery’s energy to power their homes when rates are higher.
The truck can also provide backup electricity during an outage.
Both applications require additional Ford home equipment, although Ford says its new Home Power Station is expected to cost roughly half as much as the company’s first-generation bidirectional charger. Backup operation will require an additional Home Backup Power Panel.
For Delaware homeowners concerned about rising electricity costs and reliability, the technology could eventually offer another way to manage household energy expenses.
However, actual savings will depend on electricity rates, equipment costs, vehicle usage and the availability of utility programs.
Delaware could play a role in national expansion
The larger opportunity — sending power into the electric grid and being compensated for grid services — remains more complicated.
Utilities and regulators must establish interconnection rules governing how vehicles operating as power resources connect safely to the grid.
Ford formed a working group in July with five major utilities, including Exelon, the parent company of Delmarva Power, to develop more standardized interconnection procedures before Fathom reaches customers in 2027.
That puts Delaware in an unusual position.
UD researchers helped pioneer V2G technology. Delaware was the first state to change its laws to permit electric vehicles to provide services to the electric grid. Ford vehicles have already been used in a Delmarva Power V2G demonstration, and Exelon is now participating in Ford’s effort to prepare utilities for broader deployment.
The next question: When will Delaware drivers benefit?
What remains uncertain is how soon ordinary Delaware customers will be able to use a vehicle such as the Fathom not only to power their homes but also to sell services into the electric grid.
Although Delaware has helped lead the research, broader consumer participation will depend on utility interconnection requirements, regulatory approvals, available compensation programs and the cost of compatible equipment.
Ford says Fathom arrives in 2027.
For Kempton and the University of Delaware, the launch could mark an important transition for an idea that began as university research decades ago: from proving that electric vehicles could support the electric grid to helping make the technology affordable enough to reach everyday drivers
TO GO BOX
What: Ford Fathom electric truck with bidirectional power capability.
When: Expected to launch in 2027.
Starting price: $28,350 MSRP, according to Ford.
Delaware connection: Ford says the truck uses SAE J3068 with LIN-CP, a communications technology developed at the University of Delaware.
What it can do: Supply electricity to a home, provide backup power during outages and potentially support electric grid services where utility programs allow.
Why it matters: UD researchers, Delmarva Power, Ford and PJM have demonstrated V2G technology in Delaware. Ford’s new truck could help bring some of that technology into broader consumer use.
AUGUSTA, MAINE — Maine election officials are preparing for an unusually large federal presence ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm election, updating law-enforcement training and emphasizing restrictions designed to prevent voter intimidation or interference at polling places.
The Justice Department plans to send election monitors to Portland, Lewiston and South Portland as part of a nationwide deployment of roughly 1,000 monitors. DOJ officials say the monitors will observe for potential violations of federal law, take notes and report concerns, but will not interact with voters or interfere with voting.
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said Maine will enforce state rules governing observers. Training materials distributed to law enforcement also cite federal statutes restricting armed federal civil or military officers from polling locations.
Concerns intensified after complaints that individuals were aggressively filming and questioning voters near an early-voting location in Lewiston. Bellows said voters should be able to cast ballots without being watched, questioned or harassed because of their race or ethnicity.
Federal election monitoring itself is not unprecedented. Bellows noted that monitors were present during Maine’s 2024 congressional elections and said similar observers will be deployed across all 50 states this year. She said properly conducted monitoring should not affect voters’ experience.
The heightened preparations come as Maine hosts competitive U.S. Senate and House races that could affect control of Congress.
ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND — The Justice Department sued Anne Arundel County Public Schools on Tuesday, alleging the district violated federal parental-rights and student-record laws through policies governing transgender students.
The complaint alleges the district allowed students to use different names, pronouns and gender identities at school without automatically notifying their parents. Federal officials argue those practices violate the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, or PPRA.
The lawsuit highlights one anonymous family whose daughter allegedly began using a male name at school. According to the complaint, her parents discovered the change after receiving emails using that name and later encountered difficulty obtaining related education records. Those claims have not been proven in court.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools disputes the allegations and says it complies with both FERPA and PPRA. The district said it had been communicating with federal officials in good faith and called the decision to pursue litigation regrettable.
The district also revised its gender-identity policies before the current school year. Under the revised rules, parental wishes regarding a student’s preferred name, pronouns and bathroom use take precedence when parents and students disagree.
The lawsuit is part of a broader Trump administration effort to challenge school policies involving transgender students and parental notification.
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — Republican investor and former Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback announced Tuesday that he is running for president in 2028, launching a national campaign just months after losing the Republican primary for governor.
Fishback, 31, founded the investment firm Azoria and previously worked as a consultant for the Department of Government Efficiency during President Donald Trump’s second administration. He entered Florida’s 2026 governor’s race as a challenger to Trump-backed Rep. Byron Donalds but lost the Aug. 18 Republican primary.
His political profile rose during the governor’s race through a nationalist and anti-immigration platform. Fishback called for restrictions on H-1B visas, limits on institutional investors buying homes, opposition to large artificial-intelligence data centers and elimination of property taxes.
Fishback has also attracted controversy over statements made during the campaign. A political group aligned with Sen. Ted Cruz criticized him over remarks it characterized as antisemitic, including Fishback’s assertion that “White genocide is real.” Fishback disputed accusations that he was promoting antisemitism.
PolitiFact has separately fact-checked several of Fishback’s claims in 2026, rating two False and one Half True, including statements involving Congress and Israel, college-graduate underemployment and the effects of AI data centers.
Fishback’s entry adds another declared Republican to the early maneuvering for the 2028 presidential contest, which remains more than two years away.
Tonight’s Board Matters discussion will examine the Science of Reading, student data and how school boards can turn research into action
WILMINGTON, Del. — Improving Delaware students’ reading skills will require more than changes inside individual classrooms, according to First State Educate, which is putting a spotlight Wednesday night on the role school boards can play in strengthening literacy outcomes.
First State Educate will host its October Board Matters webinar at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, bringing together state and local education leaders for a discussion about literacy, evidence-based reading instruction and the governance decisions that can influence student achievement.
The online event will feature Kathy Kelly, associate secretary of academic excellence at the Delaware Department of Education, and Dr. Amy Trauth, a member of the Christina School District Board of Education.
The discussion comes as Delaware schools continue working to improve reading proficiency and expand the use of instructional approaches grounded in the Science of Reading.
School boards have an important role in that effort because they approve budgets, establish district priorities, monitor academic performance and help determine how resources are directed toward classroom instruction.
From research to boardroom decisions
First State Educate said the webinar will focus on how board members can better understand literacy challenges and use student data and academic research when evaluating district programs and investments.
Topics are expected to include the Science of Reading, evidence-based instructional practices and ways boards can hold school systems accountable for improving student outcomes.
The Science of Reading generally refers to a large body of research examining how children learn to read and which instructional practices are most effective. Delaware has increasingly emphasized evidence-based reading instruction as part of broader efforts to improve literacy performance.
For school boards, that can translate into decisions about curriculum, professional development, staffing, intervention programs and how districts measure whether students are making progress.
Building stronger education governance
The webinar is part of First State Educate’s Board Matters series, which is designed to give Delaware school board members access to information, research and experts that can help them make more informed governance decisions.
The organization has increasingly focused on strengthening school board leadership as one component of improving Delaware’s public education system.
First State Educate also is developing a broader statewide literacy initiative focused on expanding evidence-based reading instruction and helping school leaders translate research into classroom practice.
The organization argues that improving literacy requires cooperation among educators, administrators, school boards, families and community leaders — with governing boards playing an important role in establishing priorities and tracking results.
Wednesday’s discussion is open not only to school board members but also to educators, parents and community members interested in Delaware’s literacy efforts.
TO GO
What: First State Educate Board Matters webinar, “Improving Literacy Starts With Leadership”
When: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28
Where: Online via Zoom
Featured speakers: Kathy Kelly, associate secretary of academic excellence at the Delaware Department of Education, and Dr. Amy Trauth, Christina School District Board of Education
Topics: Science of Reading, evidence-based literacy instruction, student performance data and the role of school boards in improving academic outcomes
atTAcK addiction presented atTAcK addiction’s highest honor, the Medal of Honor, to Joanna Champney, director of the Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, at the organization’s Oct. 22 Be a Hero Gala. Image created on 10/28 and was edited with AI.
Joanna Champney receives organization’s highest award as Delaware records sharp decline in overdose deaths
NEWARK, Del. — Delaware’s progress in reducing fatal drug overdoses — and the people working on the front lines of addiction treatment, recovery and prevention — took center stage as atTAcK addiction honored community leaders at its 11th annual Be a Hero Gala.
About 240 people attended the Oct. 22 event at the Executive Banquet Center near Newark, where Joanna Champney, director of the Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, received the organization’s Medal of Honor, its highest recognition.
Champney was recognized for her work expanding access to addiction treatment and recovery services, increasing the availability of naloxone and helping lead Delaware’s response to the opioid epidemic.
The recognition comes as Delaware has recorded a significant reduction in overdose deaths. State figures show accidental drug intoxication deaths declined from 527 in 2023 to 314 in 2025, a decrease of more than 40%.
“Recovery doesn’t end when treatment ends,” Champney said while accepting the award on behalf of her DSAMH colleagues and the Delawareans they serve.
Champney has led DSAMH since 2021, overseeing the state-supported system of substance use disorder treatment, services for people with serious mental health needs and the Delaware Psychiatric Center. The division also manages federal funding, including a $38 million State Opioid Response grant.
She also co-chairs Delaware’s Overdose System of Care, which brings hospitals, emergency medical services, treatment providers and state agencies together to coordinate care for people experiencing overdoses or opioid use disorder.
Champney was appointed by Gov. Matt Meyer in 2025 to co-chair the Delaware Prescription Opioid Settlement Distribution Commission with Attorney General Kathy Jennings. The commission recommends and awards funding for treatment, prevention, recovery and other programs addressing the opioid crisis.
The gala also recognized Delawareans whose work ranges from direct outreach and recovery support to theater, volunteerism and efforts to reduce the stigma surrounding substance use disorder.
Corey Ryan, senior outreach coordinator with Oxford House Delaware, received the Medal of Valor for his work serving people in recovery, building collaborations and advocating for policy changes while maintaining his own recovery.
New Light Theatre received the Persistence Award for its production of “The White Chip,” a biographical play about one man’s experience with alcohol use disorder and recovery. The company staged nine performances in Wilmington in March with atTAcK addiction as its community partner and plans free performances in New Castle, Dover, Georgetown and Lewes in November.
Dana Timmons of Springboard Delaware received the Blue Heart Award for work with atTAcK addiction’s Sussex County Chapter connecting people in Kent and Sussex counties with treatment and recovery services.
Michael Clemons and Jesse Valeri, both affiliated with Impact Life, received Courage Awards. Clemons, a former intern at atTAcK addiction’s Glasgow Resource Center and a person in long-term recovery, was recognized for turning his recovery experience into service. Valeri, a treatment engagement specialist, was honored for leadership in helping people affected by substance use disorder.
Shayla Beaulieu of Oxford House Delaware received the Unsung Hero Award, while longtime atTAcK addiction volunteer Karen Godfrey received the Distinguished Service Award.
Timothy’s of Newark received special recognition for its annual We Are Stronger Together fundraiser, which supports atTAcK addiction while raising awareness and working to reduce stigma associated with substance use disorder.
Alyssa Hayes and Carolyn Thompson received Outstanding Volunteer Awards for their work at the organization’s Resource Center and community activities.
Scholarships were presented to Jennifer Calton, Chase Garrison, Samantha Jenkins, Brian Lawson, Lindsey Ogden and Francine Muti.
“So many people across our state are giving their all to help individuals access treatment and recovery services for substance use disorder and to fight the stigma associated with the disease of addiction,” said Dawn Hess-Fischer, president of atTAcK addiction. “We are proud to honor this group of leaders who are making a difference.”
The Be a Hero Gala is one of several annual events atTAcK addiction uses to recognize people working in addiction prevention and recovery and to raise awareness about substance use disorder. The organization also operates community programs and a Resource Center and provides naloxone, drug-testing supplies and connections to treatment and recovery resources.
Previous recipients of the Medal of Honor include former Gov. Jack Markell and former first lady Carla Markell, former Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, Jennings, former Attorney General Matt Denn, state Sen. Stephanie Hansen, former state health officials Rita Landgraf and Dr. Karyl Rattay, and former ChristianaCare President and CEO Dr. Janice Nevin.
TO GO
What: Learn more about atTAcK addiction, addiction treatment and recovery resources, volunteer opportunities and upcoming events
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA — Police departments across California are rapidly expanding drone programs, prompting growing opposition from residents and privacy advocates concerned about warrantless surveillance, data retention and increasingly automated policing.
Nearly 60 California law enforcement agencies now operate drone programs, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Cities including San Francisco, Berkeley, Santa Ana and Stockton are considering or expanding “Drone as First Responder” programs that allow unmanned aircraft to reach incidents before officers arrive.
California law requires local approval for police acquisition of certain “military equipment,” including drones, but the state does not have a comprehensive law specifically governing law-enforcement drone surveillance. That has left cities developing their own policies while navigating Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches.
The privacy concerns are not hypothetical. The ACLU sued Sonoma County after documenting hundreds of warrantless drone flights over private property during code-enforcement investigations. The county settled the lawsuit last month and agreed to require warrants or consent for many residential inspections and impose tighter restrictions on retained footage.
Meanwhile, Santa Ana approved $682,900 for a drone program, while Stockton expanded a contract with surveillance company Flock Safety by $3.15 million. San Francisco police received a $9.4 million private donation last year to expand drone and surveillance technology.
Police officials argue drones can shorten response times and help officers assess dangerous situations before arriving. However, a 2026 UC Berkeley study found improved response times but no evidence that first-responder drones reduce police shootings, overall use of force or increase case-clearance rates.
Fightin’ Blue Hen quarterback, Nick Minicucci, warming up before UD’s game against Missouri State on October 20. Photo Credit: Dave Reeder
The University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens (4-4, 2-2 CUSA) defeated the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (3-5, 2-2 CUSA), 35-21, on October 27, ending their seven game road losing streak.
The University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens and Western Kentucky Hilltoppers combined for 631 yards of total offense and 49 total points in the first half of their game, Tuesday night. The offensive totals would suggest the half’s most impactful plays were orchestrated by the offensive players, yet the most significant play came from Delaware defensive lineman Trace Scott III.
Hilltopper quarterback Brock Glenn dropped back to pass from the UD 32 yard line, following a Blue Hen touchdown that tied the game a possession earlier. Glenn surveyed the field on second and eight, looking to his right for a receiver to come open. Glenn never saw Scott coming from the left side. Scott sacked the redshirt junior for a loss of eight yards and followed that with another sack on the next play, forcing the Hilltoppers into the first punt of the game with just under three minutes remaining in the first half.
Scott’s defensive play broke a back and forth offensive flow and helped the Blue Hens defeat the Hilltoppers, 35-21, in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It’s Delaware’s first win in Bowling Green since 1981.
The Blue Hen offense took over from their own ten yard line after the Scott defensive effort and embarked on the half’s final scoring drive.
Minicucci started the drive with a 12-yard completion to receiver Donovan Lewis and followed that with a pair of completions to running back Kaderris Roberts that put Minicucci atop the Delaware record book. Minicucci completed 18 straight passes to begin the game breaking UD’s former single game high of 16 set by former quarterback Zach Marker in 2023.
Minicucci’s first incompletion came on the next play on a throw to Lewis, but the senior signal caller didn’t let the incompletion bother him. He followed his only incompletion of the first half with two deep passes to junior receiver Sean Wilson totaling a combined 59 yards. The final play of the drive was a Minicucci shovel pass to running back Jo Silver who ran it eight-yards into the endzone for the go-ahead score.
“I was seeing everything very clear,” Minicucci said in a postgame interview with CBS Sports Network following the game. “I watched a ton of film, so I knew exactly what they were running and I mean we just executed. Shout out to the o-line, to all the boys for just doing their jobs because that’s what we preach everyday. Do your job.”
Minicucci finished the first half with 301 passing yards, three touchdown passes, and a completion percentage over 95 percent. Wilson led the Blue Hens in receiving at the half with six catches for 113 yards and one of the Blue Hens’ three receiving touchdowns in the frame. Roberts hauled in the first touchdown on UD’s first offensive possession and Silver grabbed the go-ahead score that put UD ahead, 28-21, at halftime. Fellow backfield member Viron Ellison Jr. scored Delaware’s only rushing touchdown on a five-yard rush that tied the score with a little over seven minutes remaining in the second quarter.
The offensive fireworks gave way to the defenses in the second half.
The Western Kentucky defense stopped Delaware on its opening drive of the third quarter forcing the Blue Hens to punt for the first time in six quarters. The Blue Hen defense forced the Hilltopper offense off the field after three plays and WKU’s defense did the same to the Blue Hens on their ensuing possession.
The Hilltoppers drove into Blue Hen territory, but were held out of the red zone and attempted a 42-yard field goal which was no good.
The Blue Hen offense took over at their own 24 yard line after the missed field goal and moved the ball to the Western Kentucky 40 yard line in five plays. On the sixth play of the drive, Minicucci threw a deep pass down the right numbers to Wilson who was a step ahead of the Hilltopper defender. Wilson secured the catch and his momentum took him into the endzone for a 40-yard score.
Those were the only points scored in the second half.
The Hilltoppers had chances to cut into the Delaware lead, but failed to overcome the Blue Hen defense.
WKU drove into the red zone for the first time since the first half after Glenn completed a 29-yard pass to freshman receiver Jonathan Stafford Jr. to end the third quarter. On the first play of the fourth quarter, defensive end Brandon Gorham pressured Glenn forcing him out of the pocket. Gorham continued to pressure as Glenn ran toward the sideline and in an attempt to make a play for his team Glenn threw the ball toward his receiver. Sophomore safety AJ Graham saw the throw, jumped the pass and caught the first interception of his collegiate career, ending the Hilltopper threat.
Delaware’s defense finished the second half allowing 187 yards of total offense and one conversion on third down rebounding from a first half in which they allowed 290 yards of total offense.
The Blue Hens also recorded three sacks for the first time since losing to Virginia on September 26. Scott set a career-high with his pair in the second quarter and fifth-year defensive lineman Dominick Brogna did the same with his sack. It’s the first time this season Delaware earned three sacks against a conference opponent.
The offense finished the game with 495 yards of total offense, 414 of which came from the right arm of Nick Minicucci. Minicucci’s 414 passing yards moved him into fourth place on Delaware’s career passing yards list and his four passing touchdowns put him only four away from becoming UD’s all-time career passing touchdowns leader. Wilson paced the receiver room with his nine catches, totaling 183 yards and two touchdowns. Silver led the Blue Hens with 49 rushing yards.
“Everyone on our team is just, we’re just fully bought in,” Minicucci said in the CBS Sports Network interview. “You love your culture and the people who lead and the people who talk and it’s just it’s an honor to play for this team and to play for coach Carty and to do it with my best friends, with my brothers. It’s the best feeling in the world.”
Delaware’s win breaks a seven game road losing streak that lasted over a calendar year — the Blue Hens last road win was against FIU on September 20, 2025 — and increases their conference record to 2-2.
The Blue Hens have four more Conference USA (CUSA) games remaining on their schedule and sit a game and a half behind Liberty and Jacksonville State in the CUSA standings. Delaware’s next two conference opponents — Kennesaw State and FIU — have a combined conference record of 1-5, meaning UD could pick-up a pair of crucial conference victories before facing New Mexico State (3-4 overall, 2-1 CUSA) and Jacksonville State (5-2 overall, 3-0 CUSA) to end their season.
UD’s game against Kennesaw State will be a road matchup on Saturday, November 7, at 3:00 p.m.
CARY, NORTH CAROLINA — Jonathan Miller, the Libertarian nominee for North Carolina Senate District 16, was arrested Monday after an hours-long standoff with Cary police that began when officers attempted to conduct a welfare check following alarming social media posts.
Police said officers went to Miller’s home around 8:26 a.m. after posts from his X account referenced suicide and a possible confrontation with law enforcement. Cary Police Chief Terry Sult said Miller was armed with a holstered revolver when officers approached and fled into nearby woods after being ordered to keep his hands away from the weapon.
Miller continued posting during the pursuit, at one point saying he had “six shots and the high ground.” He also called WRAL during the standoff and acknowledged that he had been depressed and suicidal the previous night. Police eventually surrounded Miller and took him into custody shortly after 3 p.m. No shots were fired and no injuries were reported.
Miller, 46, faces charges including communicating threats, resisting an officer, going armed to the terror of the people and felony possession of a firearm by a felon.
He remains on the Nov. 3 ballot against Democratic incumbent Sen. Gale Adcock and Republican Philip Hensley. The North Carolina Libertarian Party thanked Cary police for resolving the situation without violence.
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA — Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for governor Tuesday, crossing party lines in Alaska’s four-way race to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
Murkowski said Kreiss-Tomkins, a former state legislator commonly known as JKT, has demonstrated a willingness to work across political divisions. “Our future is too important to be hamstrung by partisan divisions,” she said, adding that Alaska needs cooperation on energy costs, economic growth and the state’s fiscal challenges.
Kreiss-Tomkins is running with independent lieutenant governor candidate Zac Johnson against Republicans Dave Bronson, Treg Taylor and Bernadette Wilson. President Donald Trump endorsed Wilson earlier this month. Alaska’s general election is scheduled for Nov. 3.
Murkowski also criticized the Dunleavy administration, telling KTUU that state officials had left federal funding opportunities unused. Her endorsement follows similar support for Kreiss-Tomkins from several current and former Republicans, including Murkowski’s father, former Republican Gov. Frank Murkowski.
The endorsement continues Murkowski’s history of occasionally supporting candidates outside her party. She backed Democrat Mary Peltola in the 2024 U.S. House race, though this year she has endorsed Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan over Peltola in Alaska’s Senate contest.
Alaska uses a top-four election system in which voters may rank candidates in order of preference.
NEWNAN, GEORGIA — Prominent Georgia Republican donor Edwin Brant Frost IV was sentenced Monday to 15 years in federal prison for operating a Ponzi scheme that caused more than $76 million in losses to more than 300 investors.
Frost, 69, pleaded guilty in May to wire fraud after the collapse of his company, First Liberty Building and Loan. Prosecutors said Frost promoted the business as a conservative, Christian lender offering short-term “bridge loans” to small businesses and promised investors returns ranging from 8% to 18%. As loans increasingly defaulted, Frost used money from new investors to make payments to earlier investors.
Federal investigators said Frost diverted at least $5 million for personal use, including more than $2 million in credit-card payments, a $230,000 Maine vacation-home rental, jewelry, rare coins and a $20,800 Patek Philippe watch. More than $570,000 in investor money also went toward political contributions.
Victims described losing retirement savings and suffering severe financial hardship. Chief U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May imposed a sentence one year longer than prosecutors requested and ordered Frost to pay $76.45 million in restitution, followed by three years of supervised release.
Frost apologized at sentencing and said he accepted responsibility for his actions. Questions remain over whether political organizations and candidates that received contributions funded with investor money will return those funds.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal grand jury declined Tuesday to indict former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson after Justice Department prosecutors sought criminal charges related to her testimony before the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
The proposed charges were not immediately disclosed publicly. However, the Justice Department had been investigating whether Hutchinson lied to Congress during her 2022 testimony, allegations she has denied. Republican lawmakers have challenged portions of her account, particularly testimony that she was told Trump tried to grab the steering wheel of the presidential SUV after being told he could not go to the Capitol. A Secret Service driver later disputed that specific account while confirming Trump strongly wanted to travel to the Capitol.
Hutchinson, who served as an aide to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, also testified that Trump wanted armed supporters allowed closer to his Jan. 6 rally and resisted calls to intervene as violence unfolded at the Capitol. Trump denied key portions of her testimony and repeatedly attacked her credibility.
The failed indictment adds to a series of setbacks for the Justice Department in politically sensitive cases involving people Trump has publicly criticized. Reuters reported that political experts have raised concerns about the administration’s use of federal law enforcement against perceived opponents, while the administration has defended its prosecutions as legitimate enforcement actions.
Hutchinson has maintained that her congressional testimony was truthful.
Photo: Among the evening’s featured speakers was Dashaun Howell, an alumnus of UrbanPromise’s after-school camps and StreetLeader program. Image created on 10/27 using AI.
Annual gathering draws 440 supporters as alumni and volunteers demonstrate how mentoring, education and faith-based programs can shape lives beyond the classroom.
WILMINGTON, Del. — UrbanPromise Wilmington used its annual banquet last week to celebrate not only the young people it serves today, but also the lasting impact its programs have on students, families and the broader Wilmington community.
About 440 community members, supporters and local leaders attended the Oct. 22 event at the Chase Center, where students, alumni, volunteers and board members shared stories about the organization’s work with Wilmington children and teens.
Among the evening’s featured speakers was Dashaun Howell, an alumnus of UrbanPromise’s after-school camps and StreetLeader program.
Howell told attendees that his experience with UrbanPromise helped shape the direction of his life. Today, he works as a union bricklayer and leads a nonprofit that mentors young men.
His work focuses on helping young men explore their identity and faith, set goals, manage money, care for their health and build respectful relationships.
For UrbanPromise, Howell’s story offered an example of what the organization hopes happens when young people receive sustained academic support, mentoring and leadership opportunities.
UrbanPromise Wilmington describes its mission as equipping children and young adults through Christ with skills for academic achievement, life management, personal growth and servant leadership.
The organization serves more than 300 young people each year, ranging in age from 4 to 18, through educational programs, enrichment activities, mentoring and Christian discipleship.
Board member and volunteer Justine Kinnaird also spoke about the educational challenges facing many Wilmington students.
Before retiring, Kinnaird spent 15 years as a special education teacher. She said her experience exposed disparities between urban and suburban schools and strengthened her desire to make sure UrbanPromise students have access to strong academic support.
At UrbanPromise, Kinnaird works on literacy instruction, student assessment and improvement planning.
“My partner teachers are very committed to helping their students achieve academic success,” Kinnaird said.
UrbanPromise cited a 2024 survey showing a 19% English language arts proficiency rate among Wilmington students, underscoring what the organization views as the continued need for intensive literacy support and mentoring.
The banquet also featured a student celebration program, giving supporters a chance to see some of the young people participating in UrbanPromise programs.
The organization works with families, volunteers, donors and community partners in an effort to provide students with academic support while also building leadership skills and personal confidence.
The annual banquet serves as an opportunity for UrbanPromise Wilmington to bring those groups together and demonstrate how its programs extend beyond after-school activities.
For Howell, that impact is now being passed to another generation through the young men he mentors.
UrbanPromise said stories like his illustrate the organization’s broader goal: helping young people develop the skills and relationships they need to build stable, productive futures and eventually invest in others.
To Go Box
Organization: UrbanPromise Wilmington
Mission: Provides educational programs, mentoring, enrichment activities, leadership development and Christian discipleship for Wilmington children and teens.
Who it serves: More than 300 young people annually, ages 4 to 18.
How to participate: Volunteer, donate or learn more about the organization’s programs.
Russia–Africa Summit: Moscow is engaging more with Africa, but its delivery is limitedExpert commentthilton.drupal
Russia’s footprint in Africa has expanded in recent years, but engagement beyond security remains uneven. The summit alone is unlikely to change this.
The third Russia–Africa Summit, which was initially announced to take place in Libya, will now take place in Moscow on 28–29 October. The summit is being portrayed as a test of Russia’s growing influence across Africa.
Once again, considerable emphasis is being placed on how many African leaders will be attending the gathering. The Kremlin says 22 African heads of state are attending, a slight increase on the 17 that attended the summit’s second edition in St Petersburg in 2023. That marked a significant decrease from the 43 leaders that were present at the inaugural summit in Sochi in 2019. Then, the Kremlin attributed the lower turnout to ‘outrageous’ Western pressure.
Attendance at the summit, however, is a poor measure of durable partnerships. This is particularly the case as the constraints of Russia’s partnership have become harder for African governments to overlook.
While Russian engagement with Africa has expanded in recent years, its economic delivery remains limited and the outcomes of its security role in the Sahel have been uneven. The summit may therefore lead to new agreements, but with the war in Ukraine still constraining Russia’s resources, it is unlikely to change these fundamental dynamics.
Summit priorities
Russia’s interest in Africa reflects its own priorities. These include countering Western influence, building non-aligned partnerships and advancing multilateral reform. Expanding defence sales, securing minerals access and mitigating the impact of sanctions are also priorities.
Moscow has pursued these objectives partly by using the BRICS grouping, which includes South Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia. It has also maintained its own bilateral political, security and economic relationships.
African governments see Moscow as one of several partners.
The summit, which will be accompanied by an economic and humanitarian forum, speaks directly to Moscow’s interests while also responding to African priorities. It is expected to promote new payment systems, reform of global financial institutions, stronger African representation at international organizations and opposition to unilateral sanctions. It will also discuss trade and investment, food and energy security, nuclear energy, technology and security cooperation.
The summit is expected to produce a joint declaration, a separate declaration on AI cooperation, and an action plan for 2027–2029.
Russia’s deepening footprint
Security has been one of Russia’s main focuses in Africa. Since 2023, Africa Corps – the Russian state-controlled paramilitary force that replaced the Wagner Group – has expanded its presence. It has deployed beyond Mali, the Central African Republic and Libya to Burkina Faso and Niger. There are also reports pointing at possible deployments in Togo, which signed a military cooperation agreement with Moscow in 2025.
As insurgent attacks persist in the Sahel, Russia has deepened its ties with the Alliance of Sahel States (Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger), pledging military and technical support. The three states have increasingly turned to Russia for security and diplomatic support following their break from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and amid deteriorating relations with Western partners. Russia is also pursuing a parallel security cooperation agreement with ECOWAS, which will cover the broader region.
Diplomatically, Moscow has expanded its network of embassies on the continent, with planned missions bringing the total to 49. Russia has also sought to extend its diplomatic reach to the Horn of Africa amid rising tensions there, offering to mediate between Ethiopia and Eritrea on the margins of the summit in Moscow. The proposal signals Moscow’s ambition to position itself as a security interlocutor beyond the Sahel, although it remains an offer rather than a confirmed mediation effort.
Russia has also sought to deepen its economic footprint in Africa. Russian agricultural exports to Africa grew 35 percent in value in the first half of 2026, to $2.9 billion, with wheat shipments reaching record volumes.
It has signed intergovernmental nuclear cooperation agreements with at least 15 African states. For example, Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear corporation, signed an agreement to build a nuclear power plant in Ethiopia.
Russia is also working with the African Union. At a July 2026 consultation in Addis Ababa, both sides committed to annual high-level political consultations and to launch sectoral dialogues.
Limited returns
However, despite Russia’s deepening involvement in sectors such as energy and agricultural exports, trade between Africa and Russia is estimated at $27 billion in 2025, well below the $40 billion target announced by Putin in 2019. It also pales in comparison to the EU’s €355 billion ($395 billon) and China’s $348 billion of recorded trade with Africa in 2025.
In June, Russia’s foreign ministry acknowledged at a forum in St Petersburg that previous summits had produced more declaration than deals. It promised this third summit will be different.
Agreements on nuclear power are yet to translate into completed projects. Egypt’s El Dabaa plant is still under construction. Ethiopia’s nuclear power plant is still at a prospective stage.
Even in defence, the picture is not favourable. Russian global arms exports declined by 64 percent in 2021-2025. Russia ranked third, behind the US and China, in major arms supply to Africa during the same period.
Russia’s increased security role in the Sahel has also failed to deliver reliable security guarantees. Annual deaths linked to violent extremism in the Sahel have increased from an average of 927 in 2016–2019 to an average of 10,470 in 2022–2025.
In April 2026, a coalition of Tuareg separatists and al-Qaeda-linked jihadists killed Mali’s defence Minister and forced Africa Corps personnel to withdraw from the northern city of Kidal. Russian-backed forces subsequently regained control of Kidal in October, but the episode has exposed the limits of their security model.
Even in defence, the picture is not favourable.
Russian-linked actors have sought to offset the costs of the war through security-for-resources arrangements, including control of and revenue from African gold mines; the US Treasury reports that gold and other African resources have helped Russia evade sanctions and fund its military efforts in Ukraine.
There is also the question of the extent to which Russia can sustain its security commitments in Africa while its resources and attention remain stretched by the war in Ukraine.
Recruiting for the Ukraine war
Russia’s recruitment of African citizens to fight in Ukraine has become a reputational liability. A recent investigation cited by African media outlets estimated that more than 3,000 African citizens from 40 countries were recruited into Russia’s armed forces between October 2022 and June 2026, often through deception and promises of civilian jobs. Bloomberg reported this week that Moscow has been widening its recruitment drive in countries including Zimbabwe, Burundi and Sierra Leone.
African countries including Kenya and South Africa have sought to stop the recruitment of their citizens. During a visit to Moscow in April, Kenya’s foreign minister Musalia Mudavadi said that Moscow and Nairobi had agreed that Kenyan nationals would no longer be enlisted by Russia’s ministry of defence. Russia’s embassy in Nairobi had denied any involvement in recruitment.
An Afrobarometer survey of citizens across 38 African countries in 2024–2025 found that the perception of Russian influence was far less positive than that of China, the US, the EU and others, and 72 per cent of those who had heard of the Ukraine war wanted their country to remain neutral in it.
From rhetoric to delivery
The pattern of African engagement with Russia is best understood as diversified non-alignment. African governments see Moscow as one of several partners with whom they can pursue their interests in trade, security and greater representation in international forums.
With Russia’s capacity constrained by the war in Ukraine, which continues to drain resources and diplomatic bandwidth, the real test is whether Moscow can convert political declarations and security interests into concrete, deliverable commitments in other fields.
Ultimately, Russia’s standing as a partner will depend on its ability to provide sustained economic benefits, reliable security partnerships and tangible outcomes for African countries. The summit will indicate the scale of Moscow’s ambitions; the years that follow will reveal how far it can realistically meet them.
Photo illustration by Jovelle Tamayo/ProPublica. Source images: Nick Oxford for ProPublica, courtesy of Mike Faulkner, and obtained in an open records request from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
In June 2023, staff at an Oklahoma regulatory agency were fed up. The state isn’t known for cracking down on oil and gas companies for polluting the environment, but for over a year, the staff had been building a case to punish Citation Oil & Gas, one of the nation’s largest privately owned oil companies.
About 30 miles north of the Texas border, toxic wastewater was gushing from the ground outside the small city of Ardmore. In the mile-wide oil field known as the Bayou, an oily sheen glistened on creeks and long streaks of salt scarred the land. The so-called purges, bubbling up among stands of oak and walnut trees, also threatened drinking water sources, drawing attention from the Environmental Protection Agency, according to a federal report.
State investigators pinned the blame on Citation’s injection wells, which pump wastewater from oil production back underground at high pressures and volumes in order to produce more oil. But this injection came with risks.
Days earlier, the agency had asked Citation to cut injection pressures in half. The company refused, prompting staff at the oil division of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, the state’s oil and gas regulator, to recommend an official punishment through the agency’s court system.
“This will be an important case to get some of these purges stopped and particularly concerning Citation’s operations,” Danny Ray, an agency manager at the time, emailed his colleagues.
He restated the urgency three days later in an email to oil division leaders and Citation officials: “We consider this an emergency situation that needs to be addressed promptly.”
A salt scar in a southern Oklahoma oil field known as the Bayou in 2022Obtained in an open records request from the Oklahoma Corporation CommissionAn old well releases a stream of wastewater in the Bayou in 2022.Obtained in an open records request from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission
To stop the flow of wastewater, the agency temporarily shut down the Bayou’s 22 injection wells — all but three of which were owned by Citation — kicking off a yearlong fight over the terms under which injection could restart.
Under state rules, companies must not pollute, and oil and gas regulators at the Corporation Commission can revoke injection permits and issue fines to those that violate regulations.
But agency leadership ultimately did not follow staff guidance to punish Citation through the commission’s administrative law court. Instead, in April 2024, state officials, including the oil division’s then-Director Robyn Strickland, would allow Citation to restart injection at higher-than-recommended pressures.
In fact the commission has no record of ever fining or completing an enforcement case against Citation, the company named more than any other in the agency’s database of pollution reports and other rule violations, listed more than 1,000 times over the past decade. That’s hundreds more incidents than any other operator, including comparably sized companies. In recent years, purges linked to Citation include some of Oklahoma’s longest, most damaging oil field pollution events.
Current and former employees at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission describe top agency officials as wary of going after habitual violators like Citation. Citation has become Oklahoma’s second-largest well owner after taking over collections of aging, low-producing wells from oil giants that have largely left the state for more lucrative oil fields in Texas and elsewhere; the company acquired its Bayou wells in 2010. Regulators treat Citation gently, current and former agency employees say, because the company holds onto aging wells that are worth little — wells that could easily become a financial liability for the state if Citation were to sell or walk away from them.
A spokesperson for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission declined to answer questions about the regulatory agency’s handling of Citation’s record, noting the possibility of future enforcement actions or litigation involving the company.
“The OCC Oil and Gas Conservation Division must remain mindful of its regulatory and adjudicatory responsibilities and avoid making public statements that could potentially affect future proceedings or legal considerations,” spokesperson Jack Damrill said in an email.
Strickland has since left the agency for a job as chief projects officer for the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, a quasi-governmental organization that often advocates for industry interests. She did not respond to requests for comment.
A Citation executive declined to comment in response to written questions.
Regulators in other jurisdictions have at times come down hard on Citation, which owns wells in 11 other states. In 2017, the company settled with the U.S. Department of Justice for $2.25 million over allegations of underpaid royalties from drilling on federal land in Wyoming, though the settlement did not rule that the company was liable in the case. And in 2025, Utah reached a $700,000 settlement with the company after a crude oil and wastewater spill. Texas and Colorado have also fined Citation in recent years for violations.
“Citation has been the thorn in my side for a long time,” said a current manager at the Oklahoma agency who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect their job. “They just operate however they want. They’ve had major pollution issues, and you can’t really touch them.”
A Citation Oil & Gas oil well in the Bayou. The company is named more often than any other in Oklahoma’s database of oil field pollution incidents and other rule violations.Nick Oxford for ProPublica
Preparing a Case for Punishment
In November 2023, five months into the wells’ shutdown, Citation was getting antsy. Its officials had repeatedly demanded permission to restart their wells and had even challenged the state through the commission’s court to prove the connection between the Bayou purges and its operations. Regulators and company officials packed into a small conference room in the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s Oklahoma City headquarters to discuss how that might happen. More than a dozen others joined via video.
On the state’s side, a team of consultants took the lead, displaying a report with evidence that tied Citation’s injection to the wastewater that gushed to the surface in the Bayou. The state had hired the environmental engineering firm Halff earlier that year on a $550,000 contract to investigate the fast-growing number of oil field wastewater eruptions around Oklahoma. The consultants and agency staff presented a unified front in identifying the problem: Citation’s nearly two dozen Bayou injection wells were operating at unsafely high pressures, according to a video recording of the meeting obtained by The Frontier and ProPublica. Over the years, the injected wastewater had shattered underground rock layers, allowing the toxic fluid to spread uncontrollably.
“You definitely have overpressurization,” Carolyn May, Halff’s director of environmental remediation, told Citation officials as she presented her team’s calculations, which were based on well records, field data collected by agency staff and a standard set by the federal government. “It’s allowing that rock to fracture.”
The consultants were meant to serve as independent experts to mediate any disagreements within the agency over what to do about the wastewater eruptions, according to current and former commission officials.
In the meeting, May and agency staffers ticked off a number of problems with Citation’s wells that regulators had overlooked for years. Not only had they allowed the company to inject wastewater at excessive pressures, regulators had also given out more than a dozen exemptions to testing and well-construction standards that endangered groundwater. Several wells had checkered compliance records; agency documents noted that one had been in “perpetual violation” of its permit for “nine years running,” injecting tens of millions of gallons of wastewater beyond the legal limit.
Citation’s active wells weren’t the only issue, they said. Nearby were dozens of abandoned, unplugged wells that offered the pressurized wastewater open pathways to reach shallow freshwater sources and the surface. May singled out a handful of those wells that especially troubled her team, and oil division deputy director Mike McGinnis suggested that Citation permanently plug them.
May noted that imaging below the surface by agency staff showed a distinct plume of highly polluted wastewater rising from deep underground, where injection took place. This posed a threat to the freshwater sources beneath the Bayou, she said — water that some residents rely on for drinking and cooking. “That’s our primary concern here.”
The consultants were not alone in this fear. Earlier in 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency had warned of “potential endangerment to underground sources of drinking water” in the Bayou from oil field injection. Groundwater tests taken near the purge sites showed evidence of oil field wastewater pollution, including high levels of salt, bromide and the carcinogen benzene, which exceeded the EPA drinking water standard by five times.
For its part, Citation came to the meeting armed with a very different argument: the pollution was caused by a combination of historic oil drilling and recent rainfall — not by the company.
It was a claim the company had repeatedly made, especially in the months since the agency had shut down its wells. To bolster its case, the company’s consultants had produced a series of detailed reports citing the area’s history of oil production, along with Citation’s own water testing data. Oil drilling began in the Bayou in the 1920s, a time of lawless extraction, and for decades, companies would simply dump their wastewater into large, unlined pits, allowing the fluid to seep into the ground. Old pollution that saturated the land was being flushed to the surface by rainfall, the reports argued. Each one concluded that there was no link between Citation’s injection and the Bayou pollution.
At the meeting with regulators, company representatives reiterated these arguments. Jeff Lewis, a Citation engineering manager, assured the agency that the company’s data indicated that its wells were not behind the Bayou purges and that it could safely inject at pressures higher than Halff had recommended. He proposed that the company restart injection on its deeper wells because they were separated by layers of rock from the abandoned wells that Halff identified as likely pathways for the wastewater to surface.
Agency staff did not buy this. In prior internal meetings and emails, staff and consultants had criticized Citation’s water sampling practices as biased in favor of the company’s conclusion that rainfall was causing old pollution to resurface. There was no question that old pollution covered the Bayou, but in recent purges, wastewater had pushed to the surface in significant volumes, covering creek beds in layers of snow-white salt. Old pollution would not be this forceful, according to internal documents written by agency staff.
“A purge is created by pressure and is not due to old pits,” Ray, the agency manager, wrote in a memo distributed months earlier within the oil division that urged agency leaders not to allow Citation to restart injection.
May, the agency’s consultant, echoed these rebuttals during the meeting and said the state’s evidence pointed to an injection problem. She concluded her presentation with a warning: Citation must change its injection practices in the Bayou.
“If y’all want to start injecting again,” she told company representatives, “I think we’re going to have to look at those pressures and the volumes very carefully.”
The meeting ended without a resolution.
An injection well in the BayouNick Oxford for ProPublica
“They Wore Us Out”
Over the next four months, Citation and state regulators would continue to debate the terms of restarting the Bayou. Neither side budged. By the time they gathered for another face-off in March 2024, oil division leaders appeared weary of fighting.
May and the Halff geologists from the consulting firm began by again insisting that Citation substantially reduce pressures in order to be allowed to restart a handful of wells. But even as they presented their case, Citation representatives including Lewis, the engineer, and Bob Redweik, a company vice president, repeatedly spoke over them. After more than two hours of disagreement, Redweik and Citation’s attorney ended the meeting abruptly. “We’re not going anywhere,” Redweik said.
Several top oil division officials attended, including Strickland, McGinnis and commission attorney Tyler Trout. They remained largely silent throughout.
The next week, Trout tried to end the impasse by passing along a memo from Citation.
“In an effort to reach an agreement and move this situation forward,” Trout wrote to top oil division officials and May, “would we consider meeting Citation in the middle as far as recommended injection pressures are concerned?”
May stood firm. “From Halff’s standpoint, our recommendations aren’t going to change,” she responded, adding that it would ultimately be up to agency leaders.
In early April, the agency went with a compromise, approving a plan to bring seven of Citation’s 19 Bayou injection wells back online. The company would be able to inject at pressures higher than Halff had recommended, though less than Citation had requested.
Current and former employees say that the decision to restart injection came from the top of the oil division, including Strickland and McGinnis, among others — bypassing staff who objected to the plan. Like Strickland, McGinnis did not respond to requests for comment.
“They wore us out,” said an agency manager who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect their job.
Before injection restarted, three oil division officials chosen by Strickland conducted a walkthrough of the Bayou with Halff and Citation, according to an email from Strickland. The rest of the division was left in the dark. That same day, a pollution abatement manager noted in an email to the commission’s general counsel that agency critics of the plan had not been invited.
Around the time agency leaders allowed Citation to restart injection in the Bayou, staff were drafting an extensive contempt case against the company for rule violations in other parts of the state, according to public records obtained by The Frontier and ProPublica. Field staff and consultants were still turning up considerable problems related to Citation’s injection, including excessive pressures at the sites of destructive eruptions of wastewater. The staff complaint called for the agency to issue fines and to terminate well permits. But oil division leaders never signed the paperwork for the case.
There was ongoing trouble in the Bayou as well. Weeks after Citation restarted injection, field staff discovered a “severely contaminated” private water well nearby that had been polluted by oil field waste. Testing showed high levels of salt as well as the “highest levels of bromide that we have ever sampled,” according to internal emails, referring to another chemical constituent of oil and gas waste that poses a public health risk. (The landowners declined to comment because of an ongoing lawsuit against Citation, but according to court records, they do not drink from the well. The company, which has fought the family’s claims, says in a court filing that it has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars addressing the pollution on their land as part of a plan approved by the commission.)
By the end of 2024, oil division leaders had allowed six more Citation wells back online, bringing the total to 13. And the next spring, the agency closed the Bayou investigation, along with several others related to Citation, without taking further action.
Collection of New Complaints
In the year and a half since the Bayou case closed, several of the oil division staff who had pushed agency leaders to punish Citation have left the agency, as have a handful of senior leaders. Staffers told The Frontier and ProPublica they grew frustrated with the agency’s unwillingness to crack down on repeat corporate offenders that agency staff had spent months — at times, years — investigating.
Tracy Case, an attorney for the oil and gas division, admitted as much at a national conference for oil regulators in Oklahoma City in May. “I’ve been there 11 years doing this and we’ve never pursued what we call our ‘bad actors,’” she said, according to a recording of a meeting obtained by the news outlets. She explained that the oil division is extremely short-staffed while dealing with hundreds of potential enforcement cases at any one time. An agency spokesperson declined to comment on behalf of Case.
Less than a third of the roughly 750 enforcement cases filed by the oil division in the agency’s administrative law courts since 2023 have resulted in punishment so far, according to a review by The Frontier and ProPublica. The average fine given out by the agency was about $1,700. The most common punishment was a $500 fine, combined with using company insurance money to plug unused wells.
Neither the Oklahoma Corporation Commission nor Halff responded to questions about whether the consulting firm still has a role at the state agency.
At the Bayou, nearly all of Citation’s wastewater injection wells are back on, many operating at pressures beyond Halff’s recommendations. And industry data indicates that Citation has ramped up oil production to pre-shutdown levels even as evidence of new purges continues to emerge. In September, fresh layers of salt — residue of the wastewater — covered the dirt near yellowish puddles of standing water. Nearby, streaks of oil shone on the ground. The preceding weeks had been hot and dry, with hardly any rain.
In early October, an agency field staffer requested that Citation install a specialized well in the Bayou to pump out polluted groundwater, according to a report in the agency’s incident database.
A slew of new pollution complaints against Citation have continued to appear in that state database, including more than 60 spills and leaks at well sites over the past year. Among the complaints were three purges that blew out in southern Oklahoma over the last three months. All those investigations remain active, according to state records.
Another ongoing complaint against Citation originated about 10 miles east of the Bayou, where a rancher named Mike Faulkner noticed an unusual amount of salt water gurgling to the surface and flowing down a creek on his land in April. Nearby, dozens of Citation wells pump wastewater underground.
Rancher Mike Faulkner measures the water quality on his property in June.Nick Bowlin/The Frontier
In response, Citation once again blamed the pollution on old drilling practices, according to an email from one of the company’s engineers to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
Nevertheless, the agency told the company to temporarily shut down some of its nearby injection wells, and, according to Faulkner, the purge on his land dried up for the first time in years.
“That tells me that they know the why and the how of that saltwater purging,” he said in July.
The agency also instructed Citation to install monitoring wells to test for pollution and to build a pit with a rock dam on Faulkner’s land to catch the polluted water, along with a fence to keep the cattle out.
Faulkner’s land was scarred by salt water and contaminated by oil after a Citation well blew out in June.Courtesy of Mike Faulkner
But in the months since, the agency has given Citation multiple extensions on the deadline to build the dam and the fencing. In September, Faulkner learned that the agency granted Citation yet another extension — until December, seven months after his initial pollution report.
As of October, he said, the wells where the state had asked Citation to pause operations are injecting — at reduced pressure.
Faulkner said he is fed up with Citation’s yearslong pattern of degrading his pastures. But he blames state officials for their unwillingness to rein in the company.
“They’re like a spoiled kid,” he said. “They’ve just gotten away with it for a long time.”
DENVER, COLORADO — Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters is preparing to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn her criminal convictions stemming from a 2021 breach of Colorado election equipment, continuing a legal fight that has drawn national attention from President Donald Trump and his allies.
Peters’ attorney, Peter Ticktin, said her legal team is working toward a December deadline to petition the Supreme Court. The move follows the Colorado Supreme Court’s Sept. 21 decision declining to hear her appeal, leaving intact seven convictions related to unauthorized access to Mesa County voting systems.
A jury convicted Peters in 2024 after prosecutors said she used another person’s security credentials to allow an unauthorized individual access to election equipment during a software update. Peters maintained she was attempting to preserve election records while investigating unsupported claims of voting-machine manipulation following the 2020 election.
The Colorado Court of Appeals upheld her convictions earlier this year but overturned her nearly nine-year prison sentence, finding that the sentencing judge improperly considered some of Peters’ protected political speech. Democratic Gov. Jared Polis subsequently commuted her sentence, and Peters was released June 1 after serving roughly 600 days.
Trump has repeatedly defended Peters and previously attempted to pardon her, although presidential pardon authority does not extend to state criminal convictions. Peters continues to dispute the legitimacy of her prosecution.
In the District 27 House race, Republican Mary “Penny” Kubin is challenging Democratic incumbent Eric Morrison, who is seeking his fourth term in Dover.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Justice Department is attempting for the third time in little more than a year to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey, this time over an alleged disclosure of national defense information dating to 2016.
Court documents unsealed Monday accuse Comey of transmitting and conspiring to transmit sensitive information to a New York Times reporter. Prosecutors filed a criminal information rather than obtaining a grand jury indictment as the 10-year statute of limitations approached. The Justice Department says the procedure can preserve the government’s ability to prosecute while it continues seeking an indictment.
Comey’s attorneys argue the maneuver is legally invalid because the applicable law requires an indictment within 10 years. They have asked a federal judge to dismiss the case. The alleged disclosure was investigated twice previously, including by prosecutor John Durham, and both investigations ended without charges.
Comey maintains his innocence and described the latest case as an abuse of the Justice Department. President Donald Trump, who fired Comey in 2017 and has repeatedly attacked him publicly, called the former FBI director a “dirty cop” while saying he knew little about the new prosecution.
An earlier case accusing Comey of lying to Congress was dismissed after a judge determined the prosecutor who brought it was unlawfully appointed. A separate prosecution alleging Comey threatened Trump through a social-media post remains pending.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump announced Monday that he will offer a $1 million reward to anyone whose information about voter fraud leads to an arrest and conviction, extending the offer to both past elections and the upcoming 2026 midterms.
Trump unveiled the proposal on Truth Social, saying anyone reporting fraud would receive the payment after those responsible are convicted. The White House has not explained where the money would come from, who would administer the reward program or whether congressional authorization would be required.
The announcement comes one week before the Nov. 3 midterm elections and amid a broader administration focus on election-related offenses. Trump has repeatedly argued that fraud poses a significant threat to U.S. elections and continues to claim widespread fraud affected the 2020 presidential contest.
Documented cases of illegal voting and registration fraud do occur, but research and election investigations have not found evidence of widespread voter fraud capable of changing national election outcomes. NBC News noted that the conservative Heritage Foundation has documented more than 1,600 voter-fraud cases over roughly four decades, representing a small fraction of the billions of ballots cast during that period.
The reward also follows increased federal scrutiny of voter rolls and election procedures. The administration has pursued investigations involving potential noncitizen voting and challenged state election practices in court.
Trump has not said when the reward program would formally begin or provided a process for submitting claims.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) says he plans to renew his impeachment effort against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth when Congress returns after the November midterm elections, if Hegseth is still in office.
Massie said Monday that the impeachment resolution will be a “week one” issue when lawmakers return for the lame-duck session beginning the week of Nov. 9. The Kentucky Republican plans to invoke a privileged resolution, a procedure that could force House leaders to address the matter within two legislative days.
The resolution contains eight articles accusing Hegseth of “high crimes and misdemeanors.” Among the allegations are violations of the 1973 War Powers Resolution involving military operations against Iran, as well as alleged unlawful actions connected to Venezuela, Yemen, the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. Massie has also accused Hegseth of failing to sufficiently protect civilians during wartime and retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly over protected speech.
Massie originally introduced the articles in September. Speaker Mike Johnson later canceled scheduled House votes before lawmakers left Washington, pushing consideration until after the election. Johnson denied the schedule change was intended to avoid the impeachment vote and called Massie’s effort a “publicity stunt.”
Massie, who lost his Republican primary this year to a Trump-backed challenger, will leave Congress when his term ends. He said he believes the lame-duck session could provide enough Democratic support and Republican defections for the resolution to advance.
During a campaign stop with former President Bill Clinton, Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly said the state needs to stop whitewashing American history.
Speaking at Koinonia Worship Center on Oct. 20, a historically Black, non-denominational church in Hollywood, Florida, Jolly said his Republican opponent, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, once spoke positively about the Jim Crow era — a period from the late 1800s to the mid-1960s when Black people in the South were subject to state-sponsored discrimination.
“If the test is our goodness, we are failing right now. We are failing right now…When we’re a state that actually suggested years ago that we might want to teach our kids the ‘good parts’ of slavery,” Jolly said. “Or, when my opponent suggests there were good parts of Jim Crow.”
Jolly’s statement, that Donalds suggested there were good parts of Jim Crow, is missing context. Donalds didn’t praise the era’s discriminatory policies; his 2024 remarks centered on Black people’s conservative leanings and Black families staying together.
At an event in Philadelphia that year, Donalds, seeking Black voters’ support for President Donald Trump’s reelection, said he was starting to see the “reinvigoration of Black family,” which he described as younger people forming families and “helping to breathe the revival of a Black middle class in America,” The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
That’s when he turned to the past.
“During Jim Crow, the Black family was together,” Donalds said at the event. “During Jim Crow, more Black people were not just conservative — Black people have always been conservative-minded — but more Black people voted conservatively.”
Donalds pointed to President Lyndon Johnson’s efforts to fight poverty after Jim Crow, which some conservatives say incentivized family separations.
Jim Crow laws were enacted over several decades following the end of post-Civil War Reconstruction and formally ended when the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act passed.
After backlash for his comments, Donalds said on MSNBC in 2024 that he wasn’t being “nostalgic” about Jim Crow, but was focusing on how “the marriage rates of Black Americans were significantly higher than any other time since then in American history” and have “plummeted” since.
Donalds’ campaign did not respond to our questions about his 2024 comments. Jolly’s campaign pointed us to more recent remarks in which Donalds reaffirmed his point.
In the Florida episode of her documentary series about voter dynamics, former Obama White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri asked Donalds about what he said in 2024.
“I said exactly what I meant … I was talking about marriage rates for Black families,” Donalds said. “The data is clear. Marriage rates were higher in the Black community during that period of time. When Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society came in, that’s when we saw marriage rates in the Black family plummet.”
Donalds said President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign twisted his meaning in 2024. “They decided to make it political, saying I was somehow supportive of Jim Crow — that’s crazy,” he told Palmieri.
Donalds’ comment was primarily about Black families staying together during Jim Crow
When PolitiFact reported on Donalds’ comments in 2024, we cited research showing that from 1940 to 1980, both white and Black women divorced from their partners more than they previously did, but it happened sooner and more steeply for Black women. The percentage of Black women ages 40 to 44 who said they have ever been married fell from 94% in 1930 to 63% in 2012.
Some conservative commentators argue that government policies, including safety net programs that help women parent alone, are responsible for family separations. But researchers say it’s difficult to point to a single cause. Other factors, including Black men losing manufacturing jobs in the ‘70s and ‘80s and more Black women getting jobs, have also been influential.
Whether Black people voted more conservatively during the Jim Crow era is difficult to prove, experts have told PolitiFact, because Black people couldn’t vote in the South and “conservatism,” as a defined ideological movement, largely emerged in the 1950s.
Our ruling
Jolly said Donalds “suggested there were good parts of Jim Crow.”
In 2024, Donalds spoke favorably about some aspects of Black families during that era, saying “during Jim Crow, the Black family was together” and that Black Americans voted more conservatively then. He wasn’t praising the racist policies of the era, as Jolly’s statement implies.
Jolly’s statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details or takes things out of context. We rate it Half True.
Cleveland, OH — Ohio’s largest newspaper has reversed its recently adopted policy against endorsing candidates for major statewide offices, backing Democrat Amy Acton for governor after concluding that Republican Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign had “crossed a line.”
The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com editorial board said Ramaswamy’s decision to air an advertisement featuring Acton’s estranged mother was a major factor in its decision.
Acton has said she was raped by her stepfather as a child and that her mother remained with him after he was charged. The Ramaswamy campaign’s ad features her mother calling Acton a liar and attacking her character.
“A candidate who uses childhood sexual abuse as a weapon against the person who endured it has crossed a line that Ohioans should defend, whatever their party,” the editorial board wrote.
The newspaper had previously decided to stop endorsing candidates for governor, U.S. Senate and president, focusing instead on less-covered down-ballot contests. It said the circumstances compelled it to reconsider.
The endorsement also cited Acton’s government experience and participation in an extensive newspaper questionnaire about Ohio issues, which Ramaswamy declined to complete.
Ramaswamy’s campaign dismissed the endorsement as predictable liberal support.
Democrats and Republicans, including GOP Gov. Mike DeWine, have criticized the original advertisement, with DeWine calling it “a new low” and urging Ramaswamy to remove it. His campaign then began airing a shortened version that removes some of the mother’s most controversial claims but still uses her to attack Acton’s credibility.
Washington, DC — A nonprofit that helped independent presidential candidate Cornel West qualify for state ballots in 2024 received all of its reported funding that year from a conservative political network with ties to Elon Musk, according to tax records reviewed by Sludge.
People Over Party received a $7.7 million grant from Interstate Priorities, accounting for all of the organization’s reported 2024 revenue. Interstate Priorities, meanwhile, reported receiving $10.1 million from Building America’s Future, exactly matching its total revenue for the year.
Building America’s Future has previously received tens of millions of dollars from Musk, according to Wall Street Journal reporting, and has worked with political consultants connected to his broader Republican spending operation.
However, the records do not establish that Musk personally supplied the money ultimately used to support West’s ballot access. Building America’s Future received $74.5 million from a single anonymous donor in 2024, whose identity remains undisclosed.
People Over Party paid for petitioning efforts designed to place West on state ballots during an election in which Democrats warned that his left-wing candidacy could siphon votes from Kamala Harris and indirectly benefit Donald Trump.
The financial links add detail to longstanding questions about conservative groups assisting third-party candidates whose presence could potentially hurt Democrats.
West ultimately appeared on ballots in multiple states. Federal Election Commission records identify him as an independent presidential candidate and show his own campaign raised about $1.4 million during the 2024 cycle.
New York, NY — A federal judge ruled Monday that the Trump administration unlawfully fired career federal prosecutor Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, and ordered her retroactively reinstated so she can receive back pay and retirement benefits.
U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman found that Comey’s July 2025 dismissal violated federal civil service protections, due-process requirements and the constitutional separation of powers.
Comey had served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Manhattan for a decade, working on high-profile prosecutions including those of Ghislaine Maxwell and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
She argued that she was fired because of her relationship to her father, a longtime political adversary of President Donald Trump, or because officials perceived her as politically opposed to the administration. The judge did not need to resolve that allegation to find the termination unlawful.
The Justice Department argued that federal prosecutors exercise significant executive authority and therefore can be dismissed without the employment protections imposed by Congress.
Furman rejected that argument, writing that it conflicted with nearly two centuries of Supreme Court precedent limiting presidential removal power in some circumstances.
The ruling grants Comey retroactive reinstatement through December 2025, allowing her to recover lost compensation and preserve retirement benefits. She has since joined a private law firm and is not seeking to return to the Justice Department.
The DOJ did not immediately comment on the decision.
Washington, DC — House Judiciary Committee Democrats released a sweeping staff report Monday detailing allegations from 11 women about President Donald Trump’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and calling for an independent investigation into possible criminal conduct and the Justice Department’s handling of Epstein-related evidence.
The report includes a new account from former pageant contestant Beatrice Keul, who told committee investigators that Trump raped her during a 1993 pageant event at the Plaza Hotel. Keul previously described the encounter differently, and the report acknowledges that her latest account rests primarily on her interviews with committee staff.
Other allegations cited in the report involve women who say Trump assaulted or behaved inappropriately toward them while Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell was present. The report also cites FBI records and documents Democrats say remain improperly redacted or withheld.
No court has established that Trump participated in Epstein’s sex-trafficking crimes, and law enforcement has not charged him in connection with Epstein. Trump and the White House deny the allegations and accuse Democrats of making politically motivated claims.
The report further alleges that Justice Department officials improperly limited investigations and withheld material from Congress. Those accusations have not been adjudicated.
House Judiciary Democrats are asking for an independent special counsel and additional disclosure of Epstein-related records.
Baton Rouge, LA — The Justice Department plans to send federal election monitors to Louisiana for the Nov. 3 midterms as part of a nationwide deployment that Attorney General Todd Blanche has said could involve roughly 1,000 monitors.
Louisiana officials said they were indirectly informed of the plan but had not received formal notice identifying which parishes would receive monitors. DOJ told the Louisiana Illuminator that personnel would be present in all 50 states.
The department said monitors are expected to observe for possible violations of federal election law and report concerns after Election Day. They are not authorized to interfere with voting.
Federal election monitoring itself is longstanding. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has for decades sent attorneys and other personnel to polling places to assess compliance with laws including the Voting Rights Act and protections for voters with disabilities.
What distinguishes 2026 is the scale. DOJ said more than 75 monitors had already been deployed across five states during this year’s primary season, compared with nine states monitored during the 2022 midterms.
The expansion comes amid broader disputes between the Trump administration and state election officials over voter rolls, noncitizen voting and federal authority over elections.
President Trump continues to claim without evidence that the 2020 presidential election was rigged and has warned that Democrats could cheat in the midterms.
Louisiana has generally cooperated with federal voter-data requests, including supplying information to DOJ and using federal data to review voters’ citizenship status.
GPUs offer native FP64 support, enabling HPC applications to run double-precision operations without special emulation. Moreover, lower-precision formats let organizations speed up AI and mixed-precision workloads.
: CBSSN 
AJ GRAHAM FIRST CAREER INTERCEPTION 
Photo: Among the evening’s featured speakers was Dashaun Howell, an alumnus of UrbanPromise’s after-school camps and StreetLeader program. Image created on 10/27 using AI.
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