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October 13, 2026 Morning! Good luck commuting if you’re in New Jersey. Starting today, people will face bus, ferry and train disruptions to and from Manhattan as workers upgrade a bridge. The chaos is expected for five weeks. Read the latest updates. We have more news below. But first, we’re taking your questions. Voting machines in South Carolina. Sean Rayford for The New York Times Your questions about politics By Adam B. Kushner I edit this newsletter. The midterm elections are only a few weeks away, and readers of The Morning have sent us a lot of questions. Many of you wanted to know about President Trump’s taxpayer-funded ads, the prospect of ICE agents at polling stations and who’s going to win. (We’re not clairvoyant, but we do have helpful data.) Times reporters have fanned out across the country, chronicling the highest-profile Senate contests that will decide who controls the chamber and the tiny municipal disputes about data centers. I dragooned five of them to answer your queries. Why are candidates allowed to air ads that lie about their opponents? | Dawn Seggelink | Medford, Oregon Courts give political speech the highest level of First Amendment protection. Candidates and PACs can be sued for defamation if they air damaging claims that they knew were false, or if they “acted with reckless disregard” of the truth. But the bar to win such a case is extremely high, and courts move slowly. More important, candidates don’t have to lie outright to fudge the truth. There is a well-established playbook for that, including by omitting context, airing unproven allegations and drawing misleading conclusions about unrelated facts. — Bayliss Wagner, who covers politics Have pollsters made changes to get more accurate results? | Howard Frysinger | Glenmoore, Pennsylvania Polling has transformed over the last decade or so. Pollsters now contact people over text message, on the phone, through the mail and online. For the Times/Siena poll, we have tried all of those different approaches to reach voters. In the end, we found the classic approach of calling voters on the phone still yields the best results. But we are constantly innovating and evaluating our approach to ensure we’re the most accurate. One change is in how we adjust our polls to make sure that they are representative. — Ruth Igielnik, a Times polling editor Will ICE agents be at polling places? | Robert Halper | West Orange, New Jersey Although some election officials and voting advocates worry that this prospect will drive away voters, they say the law is clear: Armed federal agents are not allowed in polling places. Administration officials have spread misinformation about the voter rolls, saying they bulge with noncitizens, but the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice have said there are no plans to deploy armed agents to patrol polling places. (Government lawyers, on the other hand, are often on site.) — Alexandra Berzon, an investigative reporter who writes about election systems How can my tax money be used for Trump’s political ads? | Judith Epstein | Overland Park, Kansas Federal law prohibits using taxpayer money for “publicity or propaganda.” The White House lawyers blessed these ads as acceptable, but even some of the president’s allies are not convinced of that. The short answer is that federal dollars can be spent on public service announcements, but those usually are about a program or policy. These ads glorify the president; even one that is specific to an action the administration took — the capture of Nicolás Maduro — still included praise for the president. — Maggie Haberman, a White House correspondent Why is voter ID controversial? We need an ID for many other aspects of life, so why not this one? | Mary Pat Sutter | Pewaukee, Wisconsin Critics of voter ID laws have a few arguments. They go like this: The measures place an undue burden on eligible voters. Some laws restrict acceptable IDs to driver’s licenses, passports or state-issued IDs. Those cost money, require documents (copies of which you may need to pay for) and require time to obtain. Older, poorer and nonwhite voters are less likely to have those IDs. Many Democrats argue that one’s constitutional right to vote should not be limited by those factors, especially given how uncommon voter fraud is. — Michael Gold, who covers Congress Sign up for the On Politics newsletter. We'll answer more of your questions about the midterms there. Get it in your inbox. IN ONE GRAPHIC The New York Times Trump has attacked the integrity of U.S. elections on more than 70 percent of the days since he returned to office. On social media and in speeches, the president repeats a litany of false claims: that he actually won the 2020 election, that Democrats use undocumented immigrants to “cheat” in elections, that mail-in ballots produce fraudulent results. Karen Yourish and Arfa Momin looked back at every day of Trump’s second term and documented all of the instances where he cast doubt on elections. By their count, it has happened on 440 days. THE LATEST NEWS Politics Federal agents searched the home of Representative Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat. (The Justice Department has long avoided such investigative steps so close to an election.) Trump said he was considering firing Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece, after accusations that she had asked a donor to pay off her American Express bill. A judge berated the Trump administration for cutting down hundreds of trees at a Washington golf course. In Washington. Andrew Leyden for The New York Times Midterm elections A Republican super PAC trying to influence a Senate race in Maine ran an attack ad in the wrong Portland, targeting voters in Oregon. James Talarico, a Democratic candidate for Senate in Texas, spent more than a week off the campaign trail. He said he had the flu, but Republicans spread a false rumor that he was at a mental health facility in Ohio. (The facility said he was not, and he said he had never been to Ohio.) Africa Warplanes bombed a gold mine along the border between Egypt and Sudan, killing dozens. Videos showed what appeared to be Egyptian munitions. Read more about the dispute along the border. A former Green Beret was shot in Congo. His injury revealed how an American military contractor — the founder of Blackwater, Erik Prince — has been fighting a shadow war in the resource-rich country. More International News Eugène Atget and Frédéric Houbron, via Musée Carnavalet A fire devastated the Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest covered food market in Paris. See video of the fire. Israel’s destruction of southern Lebanon intensified after an April cease-fire, a Times analysis found. See the maps. A copper mine that set off a bloody civil war in Papua New Guinea is preparing to reopen. Will it help fund a new country, or lead to more violence? In Papua New Guinea. Matthew Abbott for The New York Times Other Big Stories Meta introduced a series of A.I. models as it tries to compete with Anthropic and OpenAI. One person died and several others were injured on a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia. The company said it was temporarily closing nine rides across the United States and Canada as a precaution. The emergency response to Christa Pike’s botched execution was delayed by about a half-hour because the authorities questioned if the 911 call was authentic. FREE TO READ Thomas Barlow Hide and seek: Cuttlefish are masters of camouflage. How do they do it? Selma Blair: The actor was arrested after a call about a “physically abusive passenger” on a flight that landed at Kennedy Airport. “Big mistake. Big. Huge!”: Kelly Clarkson wanted to buy a toy bird at a novelty shop in Brooklyn. The store said it wasn’t for sale. The internet took sides. Your pick: The most clicked link in The Morning yesterday was about flamingos waiting out Hurricane Isaias in a bathroom. Lives lived: RJ Mitte, the actor best known for playing Bryan Cranston’s son on “Breaking Bad,” has died at 34. OPINIONS Sophi Miyoko Gullbrants A.D.H.D. might not be about attention at all. Evidence suggests it’s about “sustained engagement,” or the ability to focus on what is relevant in a situation, a psychiatrist writes. The Trump administration could use a primer on what the values of Western civilization actually are, Bret Stephens argues. The Anniversary Sale ends soon: Morning readers, enjoy our best offer. Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your interests with expert coverage of news, culture, business and more. Save now: $1/week for your first year. TODAY’S NUMBER On Mars. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS 28.1 — That’s how many miles NASA’s Perseverance rover has driven on Mars, a record. See these amazing videos. SPORTS M.L.B. playoffs: The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 7-4, and took a 2-0 lead in the series. And the Cleveland Guardians won Game 1 of their series against the Tampa Bay Rays, 7-3. College basketball: Penny Hardaway, the Memphis men’s coach, said he was contributing $2.6 million of his own money to the team’s roster budget. Soccer: FIFA signed a $4 million lease for offices in Trump Tower in New York more than a year before the World Cup — as FIFA’s president sought closer ties with the president. The offices are now mostly empty. RECIPE OF THE DAY Armando Rafael for The New York Times This one-pot sausage and peppers pasta calls for a quick, hot sauté to brown the vegetables before adding the sausages. (Either sweet or hot Italian sausage will work.) Pickled peppers give a nice pop of tangy heat at the end. But if you don’t have any, just juice half a lemon. GREAT PERFORMANCES Marina Abramović Danko Steiner Marina Abramović, 79, is the most influential performance artist of our time. She once offered an audience 72 objects — a feather, a perfume bottle, a carving knife, a gun — and allowed them to do anything to her. In another show, she sat quietly for 736 hours and 30 minutes. She discussed her legacy, and her biggest regret, with T magazine. More on culture Adrian Danchig-Waring, a principal dancer at New York City Ballet, thought he might never walk again after a devastating illness. Now, he’s back onstage, but just to say goodbye. Late-night hosts teased Trump about not getting a Nobel Peace Prize. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter Power up with these portable chargers recommended by Wirecutter. Visit one of these horror film locations to get in the spirit of spooky season. Eat seaweed. It’s uniquely nutritious. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was empathy. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Crossplay and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. Sam is back tomorrow. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Host: Sam Sifton Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Lara McCoy, Karl Russell Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Editorial Director, Newsletters: Jodi Rudoren Deputy Editorial Director: Lauren Jackson

Drones hit ships in Black Sea, sinking 1 and prompting rescue operations, Bulgaria says SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Drones struck two ships in the Black Sea off Bulgaria on Tuesday, sinking one and prompting emergency rescue operations, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said. https://apnews.com/article/bulgaria-black-sea-drones-ships-7dfef251fb7d47a717f0d600873dbf5b?

Saudis probe how defense systems failed to stop deadly Houthi attack on Riyadh airport Saudi Arabia has launched an investigation to determine how its air defenses failed to intercept a barrage of missiles and drones fired by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, including an attack on Riyadh airport that killed at least 13 people and wounded over 300, two regional officials said Monday. Read more. Why this matters: The Saudis want the U.S. to become more directly involved in their fight against the Houthis. The U.S. has provided intelligence sharing, target identification and planning for a Saudi-led offensive, but has held off on carrying out strikes against the Houthis itself. President Donald Trump said Monday that he had spoken with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, but didn’t offer any details about the call. Later on Monday, when asked if the U.S. will defend Saudi Arabia after Houthi attacks, Trump said, “You’ll find out soon.” RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: CCTV shows moment of attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh Fear strikes Yemen’s 3rd largest city Taiz as Houthi rebels encircle it in a new siege Houthi rebels say multiple airstrikes targeted them in Yemen

What to know about the search of Ilhan Omar’s home Federal agents searched Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Washington, D.C. home on Monday, only three weeks before the frequent target of President Donald Trump’s criticism stands for reelection in her congressional district in Minnesota. Read more. What to know: Trump has not been shy about wanting to use federal law enforcement to target his perceived political enemies. Omar, a left-wing firebrand, has been a longtime target of Trump and Republicans in general. The agents who searched Omar’s home were Homeland Security investigators, indicating the investigation regards immigration issues. The Department of Justice on Monday was typically tight-lipped, giving few details about the case other than saying it was a criminal investigation. In a statement on X on Monday, Omar called the search an “attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement.” RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Trump attacks immigrants from Somalia and Haiti while rallying in Ohio for Republican candidates Trump says he cares for Americans. They think he’s more focused on his wealth, an AP-NORC poll finds FACT FOCUS: Posts falsely claim Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico was at a mental facility Many GOP states have imposed new voting rules this year, some mirroring Trump’s midterm proposals Mamdani orders a review of NYPD’s use-of-force policies as progressives call for greater change Federal judge orders Trump administration to halt work for a day on historic DC golf course

THIS DAY IN HISTORY October 13 1792 White House cornerstone laid Construction begins on the executive mansion in the newly designated capital city of Washington, D.C. The mansion became known as the White House because its white-gray Virginia freestone contrasted strikingly with nearby red-brick buildings. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1812 Sir Isaac Brock saves Canada from U.S. invasion 21st Century 2021 William Shatner goes to space American Revolution 1775 Continental Congress authorizes first naval force Arts & Entertainment 1975 Singer Charlie Rich protests John Denver’s big win at the CMA Awards Crime 1999 Grand jury dismissed in JonBenét Ramsey murder case European History 1977 Palestinians hijack German airliner Latin American & Caribbean History 1972 Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crashes in the Andes 2010 Chilean miners are rescued after 69 days underground Middle Ages 1307 Mass arrests of the Knights Templar Sports 1967 American Basketball Association debuts World War II 1943 Italy declares war on Germany

Musk's midterm millions Elon Musk and President Trump speak to reporters at the White House last month. Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times Elon Musk has quietly become the biggest known donor in this year's midterm elections, doling out more than $276 million since July to try to save Republican majorities in Congress. Chart: The New York Times The money includes $158 million given to the Senate Leadership Fund, the main super PAC supporting Republican Senate candidates, one of the largest known political donations in American history, the N.Y. Times' Teddy Schleifer first reported. Go deeper.

Single-payer shock poll Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios Supporters of Medicare for All now outnumber opponents by nearly 2-to-1, according to a new Axios-Ipsos American Health Index survey of U.S. adults. Two-thirds of survey respondents — and half of Republicans — said the federal government should be willing to spend more tax dollars to lower health care costs for Americans. Why it matters: With three weeks to go before the midterm elections, and private health insurance premiums and prescription prices crushing voters, the findings suggest a path for swing-state candidates who embrace socialized medicine, Axios' Margaret Talev writes. Resistance to the idea has changed markedly since recent campaign cycles, when centrist Democrats were likelier to embrace a public health insurance option or a version of Medicare for All that still allows private insurance. 🧮 By the numbers: 43% of Americans said they support the idea of establishing a "Medicare for All" program to provide government-run health insurance to all, largely replacing private health insurance. 24% oppose the idea and 32% say they aren't sure. Nearly half of independents (47%) support it, as do 62% of Democrats. 21% of Republicans support Medicare for All, and 27% are undecided, compared with 52% who oppose the idea. 👀 What we're watching: Respondents said they'd be more likely to support congressional candidates who favor: Expanding government help with health care costs. Restoring the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits that expired at the start of this year. Expanding prescription drug discount programs. More from the poll ...

The first computer virus ever created was called Creeper back in 1971. Shortly after this virus was created, Reaper was created as the world’s first anti-virus. James

🐶 1 fun thing: Mayor bud Photo: Courtesy of Annie Morris Grandview, Ohio, residents recently picked the city's first "dog mayor," Axios Columbus' Andrew King reports. 🦮 "Grandview girl" Tater was crowned winner of the inaugural election Friday in the neighborhood just outside Columbus. She was sworn in and gave an acceptance speech on the spot. 🐿️ Among Tater's campaign promises: more biscuits, a longer dog swimming season, and a close watch on the area's squirrel population. Go deeper ...

🤖 Meta unveils new frontier-class AI models Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios New this afternoon: Meta launched a new family of AI models that it says can compete at the technological frontier, Axios' Ina Fried reports. That would mark a big milestone in its effort to catch up with rivals OpenAI, Anthropic and Google. 👨🏽‍💻 The company says its new Muse Wonder and Muse Wonder Full models deliver state-of-the-art performance on a range of tasks. Meta Superintelligence Labs head Alexandr Wang tells Axios: "These are true frontier models, competitive with the best models in the world, and are particularly state-of-the-art on personal and professional agentic work." 🧠 Zoom in: Meta is emphasizing two of the models' capabilities, "Active Memory" and "Active Focus." Active Memory allows AI to retain important information about users across conversations and retrieve it as needed. Active Focus keeps AI agents working toward a goal, using different approaches and adapting to new information. 👀 What we're watching: Whether Meta's claimed performance holds up in independent testing. Watch a video ... Keep reading.

Trump's diesel deal poses Putin problem Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Suzanne Plunkett/Getty Images Republicans already saddled with Trump's unpopular policies in the midterms now face another awkward choice: whether to back his diesel deal with a dictator many of them despise, Axios' Andrew Pantazi reports. The big picture: The deal — which calls for Russia to supply diesel to U.S. and global markets — packs some of the GOP's biggest liabilities into one decision: the Iran war's economic fallout, the party's split over Russia, and a president determined to make the election about himself. Energy analysts also doubt it will do much for diesel prices, which average $6.27 a gallon today, up 71% from a year earlier. 😡 Several Republican lawmakers criticized the deal over the weekend. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told NBC News' "Meet the Press" that it may violate a law requiring the White House to notify Congress before lifting sanctions. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) vowed to force a House vote blocking the oil purchases. Yes, but: Some Republicans, like Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, backed the arrangement. The White House pushed back on criticism of Trump's record. White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Axios: "President Trump has consistently proven his doubters wrong." A senior administration official said Trump is "laser-focused on bringing down costs, whether it's diesel with the Russians or importing Argentine beef. Some people might not like it, but he's thinking of what Americans are paying and what he can do about it." Go deeper.

Suspected plot at US-run air base almost certainly directed by Iran, UK prime minister says LONDON (AP) — A suspected plot to attack a U.S.-run military air base in England was “almost certainly” directed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Monday. https://apnews.com/article/uk-raf-fairford-burnham-iran-security-guard-19a976ffaa3a23c8d7c2230d3960ce14?

Agents search Rep. Omar’s Washington home in criminal probe as she vows she won’t ‘be silenced’ WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal agents on Monday searched the home of Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a startling escalation in a criminal investigation that brings renewed focus to the frequent target of Trump administration derision in the final weeks of her reelection bid. https://apnews.com/article/ilhan-omar-home-searched-8e18c2aea948bd90f4d7a4eb32b9ec3a? Federal judge orders Trump administration to halt work for a day on historic DC golf course WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes on Monday ordered a 24-hour halt to tree-cutting at the East Potomac Golf Course, a historic D.C. course that has been part of President Donald Trump’s plans to remake the city. https://apnews.com/article/trump-golf-course-dc-judge-fdf4667378e21a8bd7fced6a80258ec8?

Despite a softening labor market, Latina workers continue to register record-high employment rates in 2026. Young Hispanic workers are not seeing similar gains. Around this time last year, we wrote about the remarkable resilience Hispanic workers were showing in the labor market. Despite weaker job growth, the share of Hispanic workers with a job remained high, largely driven by a record-high employment rate among Latina workers. https://www.epi.org/blog/despite-a-softening-labor-market-latina-workers-continue-to-register-record-high-employment-rates-in-2026-young-hispanic-workers-are-not-seeing-similar-gains/? Weak September jobs report shows hiring and wage growth slow Below, EPI senior economist Elise Gould offers her insights on the jobs report released this morning. Read the full thread here. https://www.epi.org/blog/weak-september-jobs-report-shows-hiring-and-wage-growth-slow/?

📚 1 for the road: Record book bans Illustration: Axios Nearly 12,000 book bans were instituted in public schools over the past year, according to a new study from PEN America, the highest total since the organization began tracking five years ago. Many of the bans were in Florida and Texas, where restrictive laws have been passed. Themes of race, racism, sexuality and gender identity remain the most common reasons books are challenged. Among the titles that appeared on PEN America's Index of School Book Bans for the first time during the 2025-26 school year: Charlotte Brontë's 19th-century classic "Jane Eyre." Read the report.

🇬🇷 Trump may fire Guilfoyle President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are "extremely pissed off" and are considering firing U.S. ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle after reports, backed partly by embarrassing text and Signal messages, alleging she shook down donors, AP's Matt Lee reports. Guilfoyle is a former Fox News host and California prosecutor who was once engaged to Trump's son, Donald Jr. 📱 The Wall Street Journal reported that just before her confirmation hearing, she offered to use her administration connections in return for payment of a $100,000 American Express bill. "Honey please I need you to get this done for me today," she texted, adding a prayer hands emoji and a PDF with Amex payment instructions. A Saturday follow-up by the Journal is headlined, "At Davos, Kimberly Guilfoyle Boasted of Private Jet Trips, Luxury Stays: Recording captures U.S. ambassador saying Greek businessmen were paying for her travels and pleading for an invite to an event with Eric Trump." In a statement last night, her lawyers denied she had done anything wrong and claimed that the money she was seeking from the Trump donor was payment for services — public appearances and speaking engagements that predate her ambassadorial nomination — that had not been paid. The lawyers, David Schwartz and Jesse Binnall, said: "Ambassador Guilfoyle has served, and will continue to serve, with integrity, honor and distinction." Get the latest.

🤒 Flu comes early Data: CDC. Chart: Jim Sergent/Axios Early signs suggest flu season is starting sooner than in recent years, Axios' Carly Mallenbaum writes from CDC data. Why it matters: If you're thinking about getting your flu shot, health experts suggest it's time to roll up your sleeve. It takes about two weeks after vaccination to develop immunity. Go deeper.

🛢️ Trump's refinery-for-refinery deal President Trump's announcement yesterday about an "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine referred to a potential deal that includes each side stopping attacks on oil refineries — and he expects Volodymyr Zelensky to abide by it, a White House official told Axios' Barak Ravid. The official said if attacks on oil refineries cease, a deal to stop hitting power plants and energy grids could come next. Why it matters: Trump appears to be single-handedly trying to will a partial ceasefire into existence. But for now, Russia hasn't accepted any kind of ceasefire — and Ukraine wants one that forbids attacks on power plants. 👀 Reality check: The "refinery for refinery" proposal, as the official dubbed it, is lopsided. A Ukrainian official told Axios that the country has a single oil refinery, which the Russians have attacked multiple times and isn't fully functional. Russia, by contrast, has a vast network of refineries. Six senators, including four Republicans, have called on Trump to "immediately reverse course" on the plan. Read on.

💰 Post-pandemic surprise Data: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances. Chart: Neil Irwin/Axios A surprising finding from one of the most thorough datasets on American household finances, released Friday morning by the Fed: Middle- and lower-earners' inflation-adjusted incomes rose during the post-pandemic years — but high earners saw their incomes fall, Axios chief economic correspondent Neil Irwin writes. Go deeper.

The AI gods Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Stock: Getty Images Axios CEO Jim VandeHei writes in his weekly C-Suite newsletter: Kevin Roose's new book, "The AGI Chronicles," provides a Rosetta Stone to understanding the three most important architects of modern AI: Dario Amodei, Sam Altman and Demis Hassabis. Why it matters: Knowing what motivates each man helps explain their business strategies, public posturing and conflicts. Here's my distillation of Roose's take based on his book, interviews and podcast appearances — especially Derek Thompson's Plain English, which explores the three men and their motivations. Read the book. ... Listen to the pod. ⚠️ The survivalist: Dario Amodei (Anthropic) You can trace Dario's warnings (and obsessive worry) about AI catastrophe to ... the atomic bomb. He used to hand every new Anthropic employee his favorite book, "The Making of the Atomic Bomb." His hero is Leo Szilard. Szilard conceived the nuclear chain reaction and then urged fellow physicists to keep it secret. He drafted the 1939 Einstein letter to FDR that launched the Manhattan Project, then fought to restrain the bomb's use. Dario has likened himself to Szilard, who decided once the blueprint of nuclear weapons was known, America had no choice but to build or control it — or lose to Nazi Germany. Read him as: a man who believes he's building the bomb and must get there before the reckless do. It's unclear if "the reckless" is China or Sam, whom he deeply distrusts. 💸 The seller: Sam Altman (OpenAI) Sam has two distinct gifts, in Roose's telling: an ability to sell anyone on anything and an unshakable belief in limitless scaling. Altman can figure out what someone wants and give it to them, or appear to. The rap from countless former colleagues: He tells different people different things, leaving people wondering what sits at his core. This has allowed him to raise insane amounts of money, turn a nonprofit into an IPO-bound behemoth and scale faster than almost anyone. It has also left Dario, Elon Musk and many former colleagues loathing him. Read him as: the biggest, fastest, at almost any cost. Great for speed. But the purpose is the mystery. 🧪 The scientist: Demis Hassabis (Google DeepMind) Demis got the science right — early. His AlphaFold cracked protein folding and won him a share of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. ("The Thinking Game" documentary is a must-watch on this.) But he got LLMs wrong. He thought that modern AI would be developed in a lab governed by scientists and global leaders and shown to the public only when big problems were solved. He was deeply skeptical of the scaling laws Sam and Dario rode to power — and to substantial early leads. Selling DeepMind to Google suffocated him, so Demis is scrambling to recapture his magic and glory. Read him as: a scientist and purist forced to sprint in a race he didn't want, on a path he doubted, against two men with a big head start.

A survived execution exposes the grim science of lethal injection It took Christa Pike nearly a week to regain consciousness after the Tennessee Department of Corrections failed to kill her with two doses of the barbiturate pentobarbital, a drug used to put animals to death and to execute humans by lethal injection in Arizona and other states. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/10/repub/a-survived-execution-exposes-the-grim-science-of-lethal-injection/?

Election betting is booming as the midterms near. Do states have the power to curb it? On Friday morning, the prediction market platform Kalshi gave the Democratic candidate in Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race an 87% chance of winning. The volume of trading on the outcome exceeded $1.8 million. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/12/repub/election-betting-is-booming-as-the-midterms-near-do-states-have-the-power-to-curb-it/?

Advocates blast Trump campaign against in-state tuition for immigrants WASHINGTON — Leading immigration advocates and experts sounded the alarm Wednesday on the Trump administration’s sweeping efforts to undo state laws allowing some immigrants to pay in-state college tuition in the states where they reside. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/09/repub/advocates-blast-trump-campaign-against-in-state-tuition-for-immigrants/? Trump expresses doubts about livestreaming execution President Trump has privately shared misgivings about livestreaming the firing-squad execution of a former Army major who murdered 13 people at Fort Hood in Texas, Axios' Marc Caputo reports from conversations with four people who have spoken with the president. Why it matters: Trump has been deluged with "negative input" about the Pentagon plan from a bipartisan chorus of lawmakers as well as advisers inside and outside of his White House, a senior administration official said. Trump told one confidant, who doesn't work in the administration and shared the comment with Axios, that a livestream of former Army Maj. Nidal Hasan's execution on Dec. 3 "might not happen." "He didn't sound particularly enthusiastic" about webcasting the execution, the source said. "That's why he's calling around, doing the Trump thing, asking people what they think." An administration official told Caputo: "If I had to bet, I would bet the president doesn't authorize this ... But I'm not gonna get ahead of the boss and try to predict what he'll do." Zoom in: Hasan faces a firing squad at Fort Hood, where he went on his murderous shooting rampage 17 years ago. He'd be the first person in the U.S. whose execution would be livestreamed. The idea was roundly condemned domestically and internationally. In the ensuing days, Trump started to publicly shift his positions. At first, Trump was full-throated in his support. "Absolutely, I approve," Trump told reporters early Friday evening. Later that night, Trump was more nuanced: "They want to do that because they want to set an example. I wasn't involved in that decision, but I understand the decision." On Saturday, Trump took control by telling reporters at the White House that he'll have the final say: "There are two thoughts: Don't show it and show it. 'Cause you know, by showing it, maybe other people won't be doing what he did. So I'll make a decision, ultimately. I know what the military would like to do, but we'll make a decision."