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Polish President Nawrocki Enters Constitutional Tribunal After a Judge Elected by Parliament Suspends Its Chief; Police Detain Protesters Outside
Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government says it is restoring an independent court, while President Karol Nawrocki and the opposition Law and Justice party call the suspension an illegal takeover. The fight centers on whether five judges who never took their oath before the president can lawfully sit on the court.
Iran Says It Could Reopen Hormuz Within Two Days if U.S. Meets Its Conditions; Spokesman Says Messages Still Passing Through Mediators
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman spoke on the eve of the U.S. midterms, after a weekend in which President Trump said strikes stay on the table and Axios reported that Israel's prime minister pressed for action after Tuesday's vote.
Trump Rallies in Dubuque, Iowa, and Salina, Kansas, on Sunday After Canceling, Then Restoring, the Trips; Forecasters Favor Democrats for the House in Tuesday's Midterms
Trump spoke Sunday for Senate candidates Ashley Hinson in Iowa and Roger Marshall in Kansas. Forecast models and betting markets give Democrats better odds in the House than in the Senate. JD Vance's reported Nebraska rally took place on October 22, not this weekend.
Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens Endorses Republican Mike Rogers Over Party Nominee Abdul El-Sayed Two Days Before Michigan Senate Vote
Stevens lost the August Democratic primary to El-Sayed. After a week-long dispute over an outside group's ad about Israel, she appeared with Rogers at a Detroit church on Sunday, and Senate Democratic leaders said they stand with El-Sayed.
Learjet 60 Crashes in Greenacres, Florida, Killing All 9 Aboard; About 600 Nearby Residents Moved to Shelters
The Bahamas-bound business jet fell from about 35,000 feet within minutes of the crew reporting icing and turbulence; the NTSB is leading the investigation, and no cause has been found.
Federal Judge Dismisses Justice Department Suit Over Alaska Senate Certification for Lack of Standing; DOJ Appeals to Ninth Circuit
Judge Sharon Gleason ruled on Nov. 1, two days before Election Day, that the government had shown no way to find out which voters meant to pick incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan without breaking ballot secrecy. A separate federal criminal probe into how a second Daniel Sullivan got on the ballot is still going.
Stein and Legislative Leaders File Final Briefs Before Nov. 10 N.C. Supreme Court Arguments on Judicial-Vacancy and Board Appointments
Gov. Josh Stein is challenging two kinds of laws: one limits whom he can pick to fill appellate court seats, and the others change his appointments to state boards. His separate appeal over the elections board, now appointed by Auditor Dave Boliek, is a different case.
Brent Falls About 3% to $109.75 at 0407 GMT Monday as Iran Floats Two-Day Plan to Reopen Hormuz
Oil fell in Asian trading on Monday after Iran said a plan worked out with Qatari mediators could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days if Washington meets its terms. The U.S. had not publicly accepted the plan, stock futures rose and the 10-year Treasury yield edged down to about 4.91%.
North Carolina Votes Tuesday on Open U.S. Senate Seat, a Photo ID Amendment and All 14 U.S. House Seats
Democrat Roy Cooper led Republican Michael Whatley 54% to 40% among likely voters in a late-October High Point University/YouGov poll; other polls from July to October show leads of 9 to 13 points. Polls are open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, and about 36% of registered voters have already voted.
Binance Reports $4.7 Billion in Net Withdrawals After Reopening Following $6.3 Billion Hack the FBI Attributes to North Korea
Binance says it covered most of the stolen crypto with its own money. Reports differ on whether that share is 90% or 95%, and its proof-of-reserves report is due Tuesday, Nov. 3 (UTC), after a delay.
Russian Strikes Cut Power to Hundreds of Thousands of Ukrainian Households; Zelensky Says Russia Is Exploiting a Shortage of Ballistic-Missile Interceptors
Zelensky says Russia fired 1,940 drones, more than 1,580 guided bombs and 44 missiles at Ukraine in one week. The strikes come two days after the U.S. approved a possible Patriot interceptor sale and ahead of planned U.S.-Ukraine-Russia talks.
State Department Clears Possible $2.1 Billion Sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 Missiles to Ukraine, With Canada, Germany, Norway and EU Loan Funds Paying
The U.S. government says no American money is involved, but Ukraine's president says the missiles, which Lockheed Martin has not yet built, may take years to arrive.
Week Ahead: Midterm Elections, Apple and Palantir Earnings, ISM Data and Friday's October Jobs Report Follow a Third Straight Weekly Drop for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq
Forecasts for October job growth run from 45,000 to 65,000, and 55,000 is one figure among several. The Nov. 6 report comes out three days after Tuesday's election, and CNBC counts 138 S&P 500 companies reporting earnings this week.
Trump Says U.S. Must Still 'Take Care Of' One or Two Iran Sites, Names Pickaxe Mountain; Khamenei Orders 'Unrestricted' Response to Any Attack
Trump rejected Tehran's seven-day plan on Sept. 26. Speaking Saturday, he said talks are 'going fine' but Iran is 'not very reliable,' while Iranian negotiators met Qatari mediators in Doha.
Fairfield, California, Police Say Pregnant Woman Killed, Six Wounded in Targeted Shooting at Spirit Halloween Store; No Arrest as of October 31
Police say one suspect opened fire Friday night inside the store at Solano Town Center. Hours earlier, a man was fatally shot at a Spirit Halloween in Madison Heights, Michigan, in a separate case where police made an arrest at the scene.
North Carolina Early Voting Ends With 2.6 Million Ballots in State Count, Up More Than 37% From 2022; Aggregator Puts Total Near 2.8 Million, With Registered Democrats at 38.4% and Registered Republicans at 26.2%
In-person early voting ended Saturday, Oct. 31. The State Board of Elections count reported by WLOS was 2,612,249 ballots (the source of the 37% figure). The OnPoint Politics aggregator, as of Nov. 1, shows 2,816,820. Election Day voting on Tuesday, Nov. 3, has not yet been counted.
Judge Orders Three Taxpayer-Funded Trump Administration Ads Pulled, Including '$5,000 to Americans'; Plaintiffs Had Sought at Least 13
U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon found three online videos paid for by the Executive Office of the President likely broke a federal ban on partisan spending, and the White House called her order 'lawless.'
Iran Says Four Tankers Hit Mines on Hormuz Routes It Calls Unauthorized; U.S. Says the Main Shipping Lanes Are Clear of Mines
Iran has not named the ships, and no independent source has confirmed the four mine strikes. A separate tanker, the Louise 1, was confirmed hit by explosives that a small boat attached to its hull off Oman.
Ninth Circuit Panel Votes 2-1 to Deny Justice Department Bid to Set Aside California Mail Ballots of About 20,000 Flagged Voters
The Friday ruling was the administration's second appeals-court loss this week on the issue. It leaves in place a district judge's refusal to order the ballots set aside before the Nov. 3 midterms, and the Justice Department may now turn to the Supreme Court.
Federal Judge Bars Immigration Stops Based Solely on Apparent Ethnicity or Class Across Seven Southern California Counties; Administration Appeals
Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong issued a preliminary injunction on Oct. 23, 2026, and partially certified a class. The order requires individualized reasonable suspicion and exempts ports of entry and border checkpoints. DHS says its agents follow the law, and the government filed a notice of appeal on Oct. 28.
Federal Judge Orders DOJ and DHS Not to Threaten or Coerce Election Workers Over Noncitizen-Voting Claims Through Nov. 16
Judge Trina Thompson granted a temporary restraining order to unions and civil rights groups, finding they are likely to win their Voting Rights Act intimidation claim; the Justice Department says warning people about criminal exposure is not a threat.
Stein Asks N.C. Supreme Court to Review Ruling That Let Auditor Boliek Appoint Elections Boards
Gov. Josh Stein's Oct. 21 petition challenges a 2-1 Court of Appeals decision from Sept. 16 that upheld a 2024 law moving elections-board appointments from the governor to the state auditor. Auditor Dave Boliek, a Republican, defends the ruling. No response to the petition or Supreme Court action has been reported.
Hegseth Fires Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, Joint Staff's Top Planner; Pentagon Says He Leaked Classified Iran and Ukraine Information and Refers Case to Justice Department
A Pentagon statement says Sylvia failed three polygraph tests. Outside attorneys say publicizing those results may itself break the Privacy Act. Colleagues say Sylvia has denied leaking, and he has not commented publicly.
North Carolina Among 20 States Joining FTC Suit Alleging Dollar General Charged More at Register Than on Shelf
The federal complaint was filed Oct. 26 in Tennessee and cites tens of thousands of customer complaints. Dollar General says it will fight the case and that the FTC sued instead of continuing to discuss the company's counteroffer.
OpenAI Cuts Funding Target to About $20 Billion at $1.25 Trillion Valuation, FT Reports; Nasdaq Falls 2.86% Friday
The FT says OpenAI lowered its ask from the $30 billion at $1.4 trillion reported in late September, and that its first close will come in under $20 billion. The news came on the Nasdaq's worst day since June 5, while rival Anthropic prepares a November stock listing.
Nasdaq Falls 2.86% as Intel Drops 28.6% on Weak Outlook and Amazon Closes Down 1.41%; Index Ends October Down More Than 5%
On Friday, Oct. 30, the S&P 500 fell 1.82% and the Dow fell 1.09%. Investors weighed AI spending against cash flow after earnings from Intel and Amazon. Outlets disagree on whether the Nasdaq 100 closed in a 'correction.'
Houthis Claim Six Attacks on Saudi Oil Sites and Airports; Saudi-Led Coalition Reports Intercepting Missiles
None of the six claimed hits has been independently confirmed; the claims came three days after Saudi, Pakistani and Turkish officials met Iranian leaders in Tehran, and Brent crude traded at $115.74 early Friday.
Russian Drone Kills at Least 14 at Dnipro Train Station; Zelensky Says Forces Have No Order to Halt Refinery Strikes, Contradicting WSJ Report
The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed sources, that Kyiv quietly paused strikes on Russian refineries after pressure from Trump envoys. Zelensky says his forces have no such order, and a Ukrainian drone maker claimed a refinery hit hours after the report.
Final Israeli Count: Netanyahu Bloc 53 Seats, Eisenkot Bloc 48, Arab-Led Parties 19; No Side Reaches 61
Netanyahu's Likud says the vote was stolen through fraud in Arab communities, and police say they have found no evidence. Bennett and Liberman reject a government that relies on Arab parties, and President Herzog begins consultations next week.
Trump Administration Has No Current Plan to Back Flávio Bolsonaro's Claim to Brazil's Presidency, Sources Tell Reuters
Trump let the defeated candidate into the U.S. and called the vote 'rigged.' But he says he gets along with Lula, and a U.S. official says the stance could still change.
Trump Cancels Kansas and Iowa Rallies, Shifts to Phone 'Tele-Rallies' in at Least 19 States Before Nov. 3 Midterms
The RNC says the weekend rallies were dropped because Republicans are in a strong position in both states. Recent polls in both states show close Senate races, and Democrats lead the RealClearPolling generic-ballot average 51.4% to 43.2%.
Supreme Court Asks Hillary Clinton to Respond by Nov. 27 to Trump's Petition to Revive His Dismissed 2016 Russia-Probe Lawsuit
Trump filed the petition on Oct. 9. It asks the justices to vacate an 11th Circuit ruling that upheld the suit's dismissal and nearly $1 million in sanctions. Clinton first waived her right to respond, but on Oct. 27 the Court asked for a brief, now due Nov. 27.
Union-Backed Group Launches N.C. Medicaid Outreach Campaign; Gov. Stein's Office Estimates More Than 250,000 Could Lose Coverage Under Federal Rules Starting Jan. 1, 2027
The national nonprofit Keep Your Care, formed by the SEIU union and two health advocacy groups, held its North Carolina launch in Raleigh on Oct. 29. The 250,000 estimate comes from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein's office, not from a federal or independent count.
North Carolina's 1st District Race Hits $52.9 Million in Ads and Reservations as of Oct. 27, a Record for a U.S. House General Election, AdImpact Says
Ad tracker AdImpact says more money has been spent or booked on ads in the Don Davis–Laurie Buckhout rematch than in any House general election it has tracked. The race is in a district Republicans redrew in 2025.
Justice Department Charges 18 Noncitizens in North Carolina With Voting Illegally in 2024, Bringing the State's 2026 Total to 30
Seventeen of the 18 hold green cards. The charges, announced five days before the Nov. 3 election, are part of a national Justice Department push on noncitizen voting. Supporters call it overdue enforcement of the citizenship requirement. Critics say the confirmed cases are few and the timing risks intimidating lawful voters.
U.S. GDP Grew at a 3.4% Annual Rate in the Third Quarter, Above Forecasts; September PCE Inflation Rose to 3.6% From a Year Earlier
The government reports came out Oct. 29, the day after the Federal Reserve held rates on a 10-2 vote. Both dissenters wanted a hike, and markets put the odds of a December hike at roughly 82% to 85%.
UN General Assembly Votes 130-17, With 25 Abstentions, to Call for End of U.S. Embargo on Cuba; Support Is Lowest Since 1995
The 34th annual resolution passed easily but drew 35 fewer yes votes than in 2025, after a U.S. lobbying campaign and a floor confrontation between Ambassador Mike Waltz and Cuba's foreign minister.
Earls and Stevens Close Out N.C. Supreme Court Race; Result Will Leave GOP Majority at 5-2 or Make It 6-1
Democratic Justice Anita Earls and Republican former Rep. Sarah Stevens disagree over how much courts should check lawmakers and regulators. The court already upheld Duke Energy's 2023 rate increases 5-2 in May, and the seat's eight-year term runs past the 2030 Census.
Interior Tells Court It Is Working to Close East Potomac Golf Course Nov. 15; Judge Reyes Orders Top Justice Department Official Back to Court
Hours after Judge Ana Reyes barred more tree removal and required 10 business days' notice before any closure, President Trump said the D.C. course will close Nov. 15. He said Interior will appeal. The administration calls the course unsafe.
Leak Site Posts Records on More Than 41,000 DHS Personnel, Including Some Undercover ICE Investigators
A hacker group calling itself the "Department of Peace" says it took the data through DHS's single sign-on login system; DHS says it is working to address a "potential breach," and Okta says its own systems were not compromised.
AAA: North Carolina Gas Fell About 48 Cents a Gallon and Diesel 38 Cents in First 10 Days of 41-Cent Fuel Tax Suspension
The Relief at the Pump Act, which passed 111-1 and 41-0 and was signed by Gov. Josh Stein on Oct. 9, suspends the state fuel tax through Nov. 30 and uses a state reserve to replace the lost road money; Stein backed the bill but questioned its election-season timing.
Fed Holds Rates at 3.75%-4.00% on 10-2 Vote; Cook and Hammack Dissent in Favor of a Quarter-Point Hike
The Fed's statement calls inflation 'elevated' and growth 'strong.' Futures traders raised their bets on a December hike. Chair Kevin Warsh said politics 'played no role' in a decision that came six days before the Nov. 3 midterms.
Alphabet Falls About 10% Premarket After Search Ad Revenue and Cash Flow Miss Estimates; Microsoft Rises on 48% Azure Growth
Alphabet and Microsoft both reported more AI demand and more AI spending on Wednesday. Alphabet's free cash flow turned negative and missed estimates, while Microsoft's stayed positive. Amazon and Intel report after Thursday's close.
Supreme Court Declines to Block Texas–Justice Department Deal That Bars Immigration Judges From Pausing Deportation Cases
In a one-sentence order on Tuesday, Oct. 27, with no explanation and no public dissent, the justices turned down three cities and an immigrant legal aid group, leaving in place a June settlement that bars "administrative closure" while an appeal continues.
Federal Judge in Boston Pauses DHS Rule Giving Refugees 10 Days, Instead of 30, to Contest Loss of Status, Through Nov. 6
Judge Julia Kobick's short-term order keeps the 10-day deadline from taking effect while the judge assigned to the case decides on a longer block; DHS's own estimate puts about 186,000 unadjusted refugee cases within the rule's reach.
Stein and Jackson Ask Regulators to Require Data Centers to Help Pay for New Power Plants in Duke Tariff Deal
On Oct. 14, the attorney general filed comments with the N.C. Utilities Commission saying a settlement among Duke Energy, the Public Staff and major tech companies covers grid hookups but not new generation; on Oct. 27, Gov. Josh Stein repeated that request publicly.
Marine Le Pen Opens 2027 French Presidential Campaign in Orléans as Curfews Remain in Several Cities
Le Pen spoke on October 25 to a crowd organizers put at 8,500, nearly 3,000 police were on duty, and an Ipsos-BVA-Cési poll put her first-round support at 32% to 33.5%. Her run rests on a July 2026 appeals ruling that kept her embezzlement conviction but shortened her ban from office.
Judge Rules Justice Department Unlawfully Fired Prosecutor Maurene Comey, Orders Back Pay for July to December 2025
U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman held that the July 2025 firing broke the Civil Service Reform Act and the separation of powers, and he rejected the administration's Article II argument; the Justice Department says it will appeal.
Ninth Circuit Rules 2-1 That Trump Likely Exceeded His Authority in Federalizing California Guard for 2025 Los Angeles Deployment
A divided appeals panel upheld an order returning the Guard to Gov. Gavin Newsom and applied the Supreme Court's December 2025 interim ruling in the Chicago Guard case, after refusing the Justice Department's request to drop the appeal.
San Juan River Tops Its 1909 Record at Farmington; About 1,500 Homes Damaged as Trump Signs Emergency Declaration for Northern New Mexico
The river crested Friday and Bluff, Utah, lifted its evacuation order Monday, while officials across the Four Corners now face sewage-tainted mud, closed roads and a recovery bill New Mexico's governor puts as high as $300 million.
Libertarian State Senate Nominee Jonathan Miller Charged After Hours-Long Armed Standoff in Cary; No Shots Fired
Cary police say Miller, 46, the Libertarian nominee for N.C. Senate District 16 in western Wake County, ran into the woods with a revolver during a wellness check prompted by suicide-related posts. He surrendered about 3 p.m. Monday and faces charges of communicating threats, resisting officers and going armed to the terror of the people.
U.S. and China Name About $30 Billion Each in Goods for Possible Tariff Cuts; No Rates or Start Date Set as of Oct. 27
The lists came out Sept. 27–28 after Xi Jinping's state visit to Washington. China says about 90% of listed items would move to standard 'most-favored-nation' rates, while the U.S. trade representative says no timeline has been set.
Kospi Closes Up 3.09% at 5,638 on Chip Buying as U.S. Futures Hover Near Flat Ahead of Fed Decision
Samsung and SK hynix led Seoul higher after Anthropic's IPO filing. U.S. index futures moved between slight gains and slight losses on Tuesday, and a fire near Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura oil hub kept Brent crude near $116.
Anthropic Files Public S-1 for Nasdaq IPO, Reporting $16.3 Billion in First-Half Revenue and an $80.7 Billion Net Loss, $72.4 Billion of It a Non-Cash Charge
The filing names no price or valuation. Media reports put the target at $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion. Reported first-half infrastructure spending was nearly $9 billion, and U.S. stock futures were mixed Tuesday.
Zelensky Says Ukraine, U.S. and Russia Negotiators Will Meet in First Half of November; Kremlin Says Talks Can Resume After Nov. 10
Zelensky said land questions can only be settled by leaders and ruled out limits on Ukraine's army or a neutral status, after Moscow and Kyiv each told U.S. envoys Witkoff and Kushner they are ready to talk again.
Supreme Court Lets New Hampshire Reject Student IDs at the Polls for Nov. 3 Election; Jackson Dissents
The court's emergency order cited the Purcell principle against late changes to election rules and paused a lower-court order. It did not decide whether New Hampshire's policy is constitutional.
U.S. Stock Futures Rise and Brent Falls About 2% as Trump Says No Iran Strike 'Today' and Mediators Travel to Tehran, Ahead of Wednesday Fed Decision
Early Monday, S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 futures were up roughly 0.3% to 0.6% depending on the source and time, while Brent crude traded near $114.5. Investors were looking ahead to the Fed's Wednesday rate decision, where Bank of America is in the minority calling for a hike, and to earnings from Microsoft, Alphabet and Amazon.
Carolina Forward Poll Taken Oct. 1-7 Shows Earls 50%, Stevens 41% in N.C. Supreme Court Race and Cooper 50%, Whatley 40% for Senate
A survey paid for by a progressive advocacy group puts the Democrats ahead in both races and finds most likely voters say tariffs hurt the economy. Two other recent polls show Earls ahead by 2 and 7.6 points in the court race.
Trump Denies Report He Wants the Briefing Room Turned Into a Pool, Says He 'May Move' the Press Corps
Trump's Oct. 24 post came four days after a New York Times report, a day after his former press secretary said on TV that he had been "flirting" with the idea, and 11 days after a judge ruled that his ban on three outlets was likely unconstitutional.
Obama Rallies for Acton in Cleveland, Criticizes Ramaswamy Ad Featuring Her Estranged Mother
The Republican campaign's $4 million ad has Donna Arthur calling her daughter a liar about her childhood; 1978 court records show Acton's stepfather was indicted for sexual conduct with her as a child, and Ramaswamy says the ad is about lying, not abuse.
Week Ahead: Fed Announces Rate Decision Oct. 28; Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon Report Earnings; Q3 GDP and September PCE Data Due Oct. 29
On Oct. 23, futures put the odds of a rate hike at about 10%, so most expect the Fed to hold. That turns attention to Big Tech's spending plans and to inflation data, where forecasters expect headline PCE prices to rise 0.5% in September and third-quarter growth to come in at roughly 3.0%–3.2%.
UNC System Sent 19 Student Complaints About Excel College Near Black Mountain to N.C. Justice Department in July 20 Letter
The complaints, which Asheville Watchdog obtained through public records requests, allege sexual misconduct, pressure to sign non-disparagement agreements and threats of lawsuits. The college's lawyer says it "utterly and categorically denies the allegations."
Audi Plans Its First U.S. Factory, a $4 Billion Plant Near Macon, Georgia; Trump Announces It at Campaign Rally
Audi and Georgia say the plant will bring about 4,500 jobs and build up to 200,000 SUVs a year starting in the early 2030s. Trump credited his tariffs. Audi's CEO called it a long-term bet on the American market, while Volkswagen keeps talking with Washington about tariff relief.
Kim Jong Un Enters China at Dandong via New Yalu River Bridge, Seoul Says; South Korean Official Reports Meeting With Premier Li Qiang
South Korean officials and Yonhap say North Korea's leader crossed into China on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Neither Beijing nor Pyongyang had confirmed the trip in early reports. It comes ahead of China's Korean War anniversary on October 25 and the November APEC summit in Shenzhen.
Gunmen Kill at Least Eight and Wound Dozens at a Funeral in a Greek Orthodox Church in Jordan's Karak
King Abdullah II called the Friday shooting a terrorist attack and vowed the "harshest retaliation." No group has formally claimed it. Officials say they know the suspects' names but have not released them.
Full 5th Circuit Rules 10-7 That the Constitution Does Not Require Bond Hearings for Immigrants Held Under Trump Detention Policy
The ruling covers Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, while the Supreme Court separately decides whether federal immigration law itself requires the hearings.
Gunman Kills One and Wounds Five in Drive-By Shooting Near Paris; Antiterror Prosecutors Investigate a Racist Motive
A 39-year-old man is in custody after a 15-minute shooting in Trappes and La Verrière, which President Macron called a "racist terrorist attack"; the 70,000 police France is deploying this weekend were ordered for nationwide protests, not because of the shooting.
Trump Lifts 50% Tariff on Plywood, Seaweed and Other Canadian Goods Sought by Sen. Collins, Adds Carpets, Paints and Freezers, Effective Oct. 30
An Oct. 23 proclamation takes some packaging, equipment and seaweed imports off the 50% Canada tariff list after Maine Sen. Susan Collins asked for relief, and puts dozens of other Canadian products on it.
Cook Political Report Moves 19 House Races Toward Democrats and Now Rates 220 Seats as Favoring the Party
In its Oct. 23 update, the forecaster projected a Democratic gain of 12 to 22 seats in the Nov. 3 midterms. Republicans say races are won district by district, and House Speaker Mike Johnson has asked President Trump for more campaign money.
Carolina Journal Poll: Cooper 49.4%, Whatley 39.1% in N.C. Senate Race, a 10.3-Point Lead After 15.1 in September
The Oct. 18–20 survey of 600 likely voters shows Republican Michael Whatley gaining as undecided voters drop, while Democrat Roy Cooper's share holds near 49%.
Dow Falls 652.82 Points as Brent Oil Settles at $116.72, Its Highest Close Since April 29
On Friday, Oct. 23, the Dow lost 1.23%, the S&P 500 lost 0.52% and the Nasdaq lost 0.21%. Brent crude rose 3.1% and WTI rose 3.8%, after new Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and a New York Times report that the U.S. and Israel have plans for new strikes on Iran.
American Express Plans to Cut About 5% of Its Workforce and Records a $336 Million Pretax Restructuring Charge, Citing AI Preparation
Executives disclosed the cuts, about 3,500 jobs by the company's count, on the Oct. 23 third-quarter earnings call, alongside higher profits and a raised full-year forecast; the shares closed down between 3.34% and 3.7% that day, depending on the data source.
Russia Fires 21 Ballistic Missiles at Kyiv, Three With Cluster Warheads, Zelensky Says, Hours After Putin Agrees to Resume Talks After Nov. 10
Zelensky says two people died and 34 were hurt in Russian attacks across 12 regions overnight; Kyiv officials reported 1 dead and 24 hurt in the capital. Russia says it hit defense plants. The strike followed a Putin–Witkoff meeting at which Russia freed American Stephen Hubbard.
Brent Tops $113, a Five-Month High, After Iran's Revolutionary Guard Claims Seven Ships Hit Near Hormuz; Trump Calls the Claims 'Fake'
No independent monitor has confirmed the seven incidents Iran described. Shipping data partly backs Trump's claim that oil flows are above prewar levels and partly cuts against it, depending on whether oil leaving by bypass routes is counted.
Early Vote Tops 19 Million as of Oct. 23; AP Finds Advance Voting Up From 2022 in Several Senate Battleground States
AP says early voting in Texas is up 74% from the same point in 2022, and up more than 30% in North Carolina, Maine and Ohio. Georgia and Michigan are about even with 2022, and analysts warn that early totals do not show who will win.
Migration Policy Institute Estimates About 660,000 U.S. Deportations in Fiscal 2026, Below the White House's 1 Million Goal
The think tank's report, based on federal data through July 2026, counts 980,000 deportations since January 2025. Arrests inside the country are growing. About 80% of the people deported had no criminal conviction, and the White House says the count misses its bigger result.
U.S. Initial Jobless Claims Fall 6,000 to 194,000, Lowest Since July; Continuing Claims Rise to 1.728 Million
Layoffs stayed near historic lows in the week ending Oct. 17, while the number of people still collecting benefits hit a six-week high. Economists disagree on whether that points to a tight labor market or a frozen one.
10-Year Treasury Yield Falls Below 5% for First Time Since September as AI Stocks Slide; Brent Oil Settles at $113.17
Bond prices jumped on Thursday, Oct. 22, after Meta's earnings set off a tech selloff. Reuters put market pricing for a December Fed rate hike at about 85%, though other trackers showed lower odds, even as a Middle East flare-up sent oil to its highest close since May.
US Conec Plans $149.7 Million Hickory Plant With 224 New Jobs; State Pledges $500,000 Performance-Based Grant
The Catawba County maker of fiber-optic connectors expects to finish hiring by the end of 2030, and Hickory and Catawba County will hold hearings on local incentives in mid-November.
Nasdaq Falls 2.6%, Its Worst Day Since June, as Meta Drops About 7% After Raising Its AI Spending Outlook
The S&P 500 fell 1.2% and the Dow was flat on Thursday, Oct. 22. Meta reported its first negative free cash flow in at least a decade and plans a new non-voting share class. Tesla also fell after beating forecasts, closing down about 3%.