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Ukraine disputes Elon Musk's claim that its military violated Starlink's terms of service Ukrainian officials have disputed claims by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk that the country’s military violated Starlink’s terms of service by using the civilian satellite internet network for offensive drone strikes. Read More. ps:Elon is getting the same rep as trump! Can't believe a word these guys have to say!!

Thousands protest in Prague as government advances public media funding overhaul Czechs rallied in big numbers in Prague on Sunday to renew protests against a plan by the government led by billionaire Andrej Babiš to overhaul funding for public broadcasters that many consider dangerous for their independence. Read More.

✳️ The Shapiro asterisk Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Mark Makela/Getty Images 💪 Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is an electoral juggernaut in America's biggest swing state — and he's widely seen as a likely contender for president in 2028. But strategists in both parties are questioning how tested he really is. Shapiro's success — he's cruised to victory in multiple statewide races — has come with an asterisk: He hasn't faced a well-financed opponent in recent contests, leading some political insiders to see him as more of a wildcard than his resume suggests. 🤔 Why it matters: Shapiro's unfamiliarity with intense, bruising campaigns could become a liability in the 2028 Democratic primary, where if he was a top candidate, he'd be confronted with a barrage of attack ads, opposition research and rivals with deep pockets. A plugged-in Democratic operative in Pennsylvania suggested that because of Shapiro's lack of being tested, "it is totally possible that he has an incredible glass jaw — and that he is the Scott Walker of 2028." Walker was the swing-state Wisconsin governor who looked good on paper as a potential presidential candidate but flopped after entering the 2016 GOP primary. Zoom in: In next week's election, Shapiro is running for a second four-year term as the Keystone State's governor. He's on pace to defeat Republican challenger Stacy Garrity by double digits, according to the latest polls. The money gap is gargantuan: Shapiro has dropped $42 million on campaign ads, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. Garrity, the state's treasurer, has spent just $3 million on ads — a drop in the ocean in a state as large as Pennsylvania, with its expensive advertising markets. It's not that Garrity prefers, say, door-knocking to TV ads. She's just outmatched: Campaign finance reports show she's only raised about $11 million this cycle, compared with Shapiro's $64 million. Making matters worse for Garrity, the Republican Governors Association (RGA) has not come to her rescue on the airwaves. ⛸️ Christopher Nicholas, a longtime GOP strategist in Pennsylvania, said the dynamic has "allowed Shapiro to skate with essentially having a one-sided campaign." "A lot of people think he has a glass chin because he's never really had a million dollars of negative TV shoved down his throat in a week," Nicholas said. Zoom out: Shapiro caught a break when he first ran for governor in 2022 against Republican Doug Mastriano, a far-right state senator widely viewed as a historically weak candidate disliked even by the GOP establishment. Mastriano, who was strapped for cash, spent just $2 million on ads that year. Shapiro and his allies spent $55 million. A conservative outside group invested $8 million on advertising in the election but abandoned the race that September after Shapiro embraced school vouchers, a priority for many on the right. The RGA stayed out of the race. In both of his gubernatorial contests, Shapiro has run unopposed in the Democratic primaries, leaving him with little experience of intra-party electoral battles. It was a similar story when Shapiro twice was elected as Pennsylvania's attorney general. He vastly outspent his Republican opponents. 🗣️ What they're saying: Shapiro's allies argue that he's had token opposition precisely because he's a formidable candidate — that more talented Republicans don't want to waste their time and money running against such a hard-to-beat opponent with big fundraising chops. The governor has also sometimes cut off his GOP rivals' money spigots by courting Republican donors. "Sun Tzu was always about picking the battle you want to fight," said Doc Sweitzer, a Pennsylvania Democratic ad maker. "Josh has an incredible skill of picking the opponents." Asked for comment, Shapiro spokesperson Manuel Bonder said: "Winning elections in Pennsylvania and putting a check on Donald Trump is the only thing we're focused on — and believe it or not, it's harder than sitting at home giving unnamed quotes to Axios." Shapiro is far from the only potential Democratic presidential candidate who hasn't squared off against a top-notch statewide Republican candidate. Possible White House hopefuls from deep-blue territory — such as New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — or with little experience defeating Republicans statewide, like former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, have either never run in or never won remotely competitive general elections. Read more. — Holly Otterbein

Serbia’s Aleksandar Vucic concedes defeat to the student-led movement in a seismic political shift BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — The long-serving strongman leader of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, conceded defeat on Sunday in an election that pitted him and his right-wing party against a diverse student-led opposition movement that spent two years protesting his government. https://apnews.com/article/serbia-election-students-vucic-fdf5def8a20aebc8ae139fd719478775?

What to know about the Ebola outbreak that has spread from Congo to 4 other countries The Ebola outbreak in Congo, which began in May, is spreading rapidly across Africa. It has reached Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya and France, making it the deadliest outbreak in Congo's history. The Bundibugyo virus, responsible for the infections, has no approved vaccine or treatment. Poor surveillance at entry points is a recurring problem. The Africa CDC and WHO are calling for a coordinated response. Concerns have been raised over $700 million in unaccounted Ebola aid, highlighting issues of transparency and accountability. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ First Ebola patients in Nigeria and Kenya might have crossed paths at Uganda airport Inside the study for a remedy to fight Congo’s deadliest Ebola outbreak Congo’s Ebola outbreak leaves grieving families struggling with fear and stigma WATCH: Ebola's spread in Africa makes it the most widespread outbreak in history

She voted for Trump every time. Then came cancer and the bills Cindy Banda faces mounting medical bills after battling breast cancer. Despite the single mother's positive outlook, the financial strain combined with the high cost of living is overwhelming. And it's made the Texan who's a three-time supporter of President Donald Trump rethink her politics. Rising healthcare costs are a major concern for many in the United States heading into the Nov. 3 election. Polling shows that registered voters tend to trust Democrats more than Republicans to handle healthcare. Banda knows how that feels. And for the first time in her life she's voted Democratic, casting an early ballot for James Talarico, in the U.S. Senate race. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Medi-Cal cuts could push seniors and people with disabilities off of coverage Trump at South Florida rally revives the idea of military intervention in Cuba after Iran Trump, seeking to help Maine Sen. Collins, exempts some Canadian imports from 50% tariffs Obama, in Midwest, assails ‘cruelty’ and indecency from Trump and his allies AOC can draw a crowd. The midterms will test whether her politics can win before 2028 Massachusetts and Idaho put guns on the ballot. One restricts them, the other honors them

⚾ 1 fast thing: Brew Crew pitcher sets record Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers strikes out Victor Mesa Jr. of the Tampa Bay Rays in the second inning of Game 1. Photo: Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images The very first pitch of this year's World Series made history. Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob "Miz" Misiorowski threw a 103.5 mph fastball against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday — setting a new record for the fastest World Series pitch. The Chicago Cubs' Aroldis Chapman held the previous mark for the fastest Series pitch: 103.2 mph in the ninth inning of Game 2 in 2016. 🍻 The relentless Brew Crew was down four runs last night but stunned the Rays with a 5-4 comeback for a 2-0 World Series lead. The Rays host the Brewers in Tampa Bay for Game 3 tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET. More on the record ... More on last night ... More on Miz.

🎃 Candy slump Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios Halloween candy sales are off to a slow start this year as U.S. consumers grapple with high living costs and eye-popping chocolate prices. Sales fell 6.7% in the month ending Oct. 17 compared with the same period last year, according to NielsenIQ, a market research firm. Sales were down 11.7% in September, erasing preseason gains Halloween candy enjoyed the previous two years, AP reports. Go deeper.

📊 Poll du jour Graphic: CBS News

🛒 Data du jour: What's cheaper Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Chart: Jim Sergent/Axios Food prices are up 2.5% since last September, but some grocery essentials are moving in the opposite direction, Axios' Jim Sergent reports from Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The average price of a dozen large eggs ($2.27) is down $4 since peaking at $6.23 in March 2025.

💥 Trump's DOJ barrels into midterms Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Stock: Getty Images With just nine days until the midterms, the Trump administration is escalating its assault on two of the Justice Department's most sacred guardrails, Axios' Zachary Basu writes: Independence from the White House. Restraint before elections. Why it matters: President Trump's DOJ has shattered the traditional calm of a pre-election period with a barrage of politically sensitive investigations, prosecutions and eleventh-hour efforts to influence the vote. 🏔️ Zoom in: The Justice Department's most aggressive election intervention yet came this week in Alaska, where a preemptive lawsuit seeks to delay certification of the state's U.S. Senate results — if the Democrat wins. DOJ argues that a second candidate, Dan J. Sullivan Jr., could confuse voters and siphon support from the Republican incumbent, Sen. Dan S. Sullivan. Legal experts question the DOJ's authority to block certification of a state-run election, or how officials could determine voters' intentions without compromising ballot secrecy. Zoom out: Alaska is just one front in an October offensive aimed at rooting out alleged election fraud, investigating prominent Democrats and re-litigating Trump's oldest political grievances. On Oct. 7, Trump established a White House committee to investigate alleged mortgage fraud by Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, authorizing DOJ personnel to participate in proceedings that could lead to her removal. Cook denies wrongdoing. On Oct. 12, federal agents searched Rep. Ilhan Omar's (D-Minn.) home and seized her cellphone as part of an investigation into possible immigration fraud. The Wall Street Journal reports that the administration is building a case to try to strip the Somali-born lawmaker of her citizenship, and ultimately deport her. On Oct. 15, DOJ sued California to block ballots from more than 20,000 suspected noncitizens. On Friday, prosecutors demanded that county officials segregate flagged ballots within 48 hours, warning of potential criminal liability. On Oct. 22, prosecutors unveiled an eight-count indictment against Virginia state Sen. Louise Lucas — a key figure in Democrats' redistricting efforts in that state — alleging she helped operate an illegal marijuana enterprise. Lucas denies wrongdoing. On Oct. 23, two former senior FBI officials were charged with lying to Congress about their roles in the Hunter Biden investigation. 👀 The big picture: The October blitz is unfolding alongside efforts to investigate or revive cases involving longtime Trump adversaries, including former CIA Director John Brennan, former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. ⚖️ In a statement to Axios, DOJ defended its election-related interventions, arguing that the California cases concern alleged misconduct in previous elections. The department called linking the Lucas and former FBI officials' cases to the midterms "a smear," noting that none of the defendants are on November ballots. Go deeper. ps:What a pathetic administration!!!!!

What to know as Brazilians choose between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro on Sunday Brazil is on the cusp of granting leftist incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva a fourth presidential term or pivoting to the far right again by electing Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump. Read More.

Trump casts his midterm ballot early in Florida President Donald Trump cast his ballot in the midterm elections Saturday, saying he voted for all Republicans in Florida before speaking at a Georgia rally. Read More. ps:Imagine that he voted early!! I thought that was a no no????? How pathetic!!!!! To make AI morally good, tech companies are turning to religion. But some say it isn’t that simple As tech companies race to build the most powerful artificial intelligence, some are also asking how to teach a chatbot right from wrong. Their answer? Religion. Amid this much-discussed turn to faith, there has been little public scrutiny surrounding what exactly these technology companies think religion is — and what they hope to get out of it. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ As the US and China form AI blocs, countries are increasingly torn between them US designates helium as a critical material, citing its importance for semiconductors California cities pull the plug on data centers after state regulations don’t scale up fast enough Zuckerberg makes deal with Meta to help him pay billionaire tax if it passes Stick it to them: Before social media, bumper stickers were the Twitter of the roads

Halloween candy sales are off to a slow start amid high chocolate prices and affordability concerns Halloween candy sales are off to a slow start this year as U.S. consumers grapple with high living costs and eye-popping chocolate prices. Read More.

More than 400,000 protest across France, challenging Macron as Paris clashes erupt PARIS (AP) — Clashes erupted in Paris as a mass march drew to a close Saturday, with more than 400,000 people rallying across France over school funding and soaring living costs in a fresh challenge to President Emmanuel Macron. Police made nearly 1,000 arrests, the government said. https://apnews.com/article/france-protests-paris-unrest-ad2fb9206e72e5d1b4ae43fdf7aa96a9?

New York couple opens raccoon rehabilitation center, estimates they have saved more than 800 raccoons to date. (More, w/photos) Climate activists install floating wetlands across a British harbor to revive wildlife populations. (More) Midwest NICUs dress their tiny patients up for an annual Halloween costume contest. (More, w/photos) NBA point guard quietly cofounds an insoles company inspired by his own foot injuries; product spreads by word of mouth rather than traditional endorsements. (More) Utah woman who lost her uterus to cancer becomes a mother with the help of her mother-in-law, who served as her surrogate. (More) Today, we're sharing a story from reader Kris B. in Astoria, Oregon. "I admired a knit hat at a rally I was attending and asked the woman if she had knit it. She said no, her mother-in-law did. Then she smiled and handed me the hat, saying she could always get another one and her mother-in-law would be happy to know her work was admired."

Evolution's Viral Twist A viral pandemic that spread roughly five to seven million years ago may be responsible for differences between human and chimpanzee brains, according to a study published this week. Chimpanzees are humans' closest evolutionary relatives, sharing nearly 99% of the same genes. Yet, the human brain is roughly three times larger, a difference whose origins have puzzled scientists for decades (scroll for diagram). The new study identified a fragment of viral DNA present in chimpanzees but absent in humans that appears to impair genes vital to brain development. Researchers believe an ancient retrovirus, similar to HIV, inserted its genetic material into the primates' genomes, allowing it to be passed through subsequent generations. Humans, however, may have been protected by an antiviral protein that blocked the virus, ultimately giving them an evolutionary advantage. Separately, another study out this month found that chimpanzees are less likely to steal food from their friends than their enemies. Experts say the finding may shed light on the roots of fairness and friendship. ps:Wow anything to keep up this Charade! Also the 99% has been debunk for many years, just ask ICR!!

🎸 1 fun thing: 20 years of Tay Taylor Swift performs for "The Eras Tour" at Nissan Stadium in Nashville in May 2023. Photo: John Shearer/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management Taylor Swift's self-titled debut album — featuring smash hits like "Teardrops on My Guitar," "Our Song" and "Tim McGraw" — turns 20 today. Why it matters: For all the genres and eras Swift has explored since, that first collection of songs reveals just how much of the artist she'd become was there from the start, Axios Nashville's Adam Tamburin writes. Zoom in: As journalist Emily Yahr writes in her new book "Taylor Swift: The Debut Years," many executives were skeptical that Swift's point of view would resonate with their target audience of 30-something women listening to the radio during carpool runs. But Swift insisted on writing for the kids in the back seat. 📝 By the numbers: Swift wrote or co-wrote more than 100 songs while preparing to release "Taylor Swift," Yahr says. The 11 tracks that made the cut leaned unapologetically into teenage experiences. The effervescent "Our Song," a classic Swiftian anthem that she wrote on her own for a freshman talent show, crackled with the giddy excitement of puppy love. She eventually released it as the third single off of her debut album. It was her first to hit No. 1 on the country charts. Keep reading ...

🎬 More movie for your money Doctor Doom in "Avengers: Doomsday," out Dec. 18. Photo: Marvel via AP All kinds of films, from big-budget spectacles to art house dramas, are getting longer. After analyzing 36,431 movies released theatrically from 1980 to 2025, researcher Stephen Follows found that the average length of a wide-release movie has grown from 106 to 114 minutes. 🍿 But there's little evidence that long runtimes are dissuading moviegoers, AP reports. "The Odyssey," with a running time of 173 minutes, is the year's second-highest-grossing movie, with $1.8 billion in ticket sales, and the front-runner for best picture at the Oscars. Two other top Oscar contenders — "La Bola Negra" (159 minutes) and "You Can See Everything" (174 minutes) — also run more than 2.5 hours. "The moviegoing experience is evolving," Joe Russo, who is directing the upcoming "Avengers: Doomsday" with his brother Anthony, said in a recent interview. "Eventized cinema seems to be the draw to get people out of their homes. ... Length can certainly contribute to the feeling of an experience. In a lot of ways, it's the feeling of getting your money's worth." The Russos expect "Doomsday," out Dec. 18, to run close to 2.5 hours. Explore the data ... Keep reading.

📷 Pic du jour Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) shows the media a coin he handed to President Trump while greeting him on the tarmac in Fort Myers, Fla., yesterday after Air Force One landed for a midterm rally. "YOU MISSED BITCHES," the golden coin says, rendering Trump with a raised middle finger. Someone give the governor a comma for Christmas.

💰 Pocketbook blues Data: University of Michigan. Chart: Courtenay Brown/Axios One of the final snapshots of how Americans feel about the economy before voters head to the polls shows a nation still deeply frustrated by the cost of living, Axios' Courtenay Brown reports. The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index registered 48 in October — 10% below its level this time last year. The intrigue: Separate data released alongside the index showed that the share of Republicans citing high prices as a drag on their finances has surged roughly 50 percentage points since January, a much larger increase than among Democrats or independents. Keep reading.

🗳️ Map du jour: '26 election stickers Images collected by Ballotpedia and Jim Sergent/Axios No city or state requires an "I Voted" sticker, but they've become an Election Day staple across America, Ballotpedia notes. Some have classic red, white and blue designs, some feature state landmarks and some are even sketched by the voters or their kids for local contests. More about the stickers.

🔮 Beyond Bibi Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photos: Alessandra Benedetti/Corbis and Win McNamee/Getty Images President Trump has endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu in Tuesday's Israeli election. But some Trump advisers see opportunity for his Middle East agenda in a government led by someone else, U.S. officials tell Axios' Barak Ravid. Why it matters: Trump has never worked with an Israeli prime minister other than Netanyahu, and doesn't personally know any of the other candidates. The two have forged a close but often turbulent relationship. "He's the devil he knows," a Trump adviser said, describing the president's view of Netanyahu. ⚡ Driving the news: After weeks of hesitation, Trump endorsed Netanyahu last Sunday — and even suggested his defeat would have consequences for U.S.-Israel relations. Many of Trump's closest advisers opposed his decision to endorse Netanyahu, believing the president should stay out of the Israeli election, according to sources familiar with the discussions. Vice President Vance notably declined to follow Trump's lead when asked about the election this week, amid growing hostility toward Netanyahu in parts of the MAGA movement. "I'm not attacking Bibi Netanyahu," Vance told reporters. "I'm not endorsing Bibi Netanyahu. I think the president's endorsement is ultimately what matters." 🔎 Zoom in: The vice president is among those close to Trump who became disillusioned with Netanyahu during the war with Iran. Vance and some top aides believe Netanyahu's pre-war assessments to the White House were mistaken, deepening questions about whether he remains the best partner for achieving Trump's regional ambitions. 🌐 The big picture: Once the Israeli election and U.S. midterms are over, Trump will face a defining choice for his Middle East agenda — whether to join Netanyahu in another major military operation against Iran. Netanyahu is eager to move forward. But the election results could influence Trump's decision, or at least the timing of any renewed large-scale fighting. Trump also wants to move beyond the Iran war and pursue an ambitious diplomatic agenda that includes implementing his Gaza peace plan, brokering deals between Israel and Lebanon and Syria, and ultimately securing a historic Israeli-Saudi peace agreement. Whether Trump can make progress on those goals will depend in part on who governs Israel — and what kind of coalition emerges from Tuesday's vote. 🇮🇱 What to watch: Polls point to a potential political deadlock. Neither Netanyahu nor his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, appears to have a clear path to the 61 seats needed to form a government.

🤫 Washington's message to AI execs: Please shut up Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Stock: Getty Images Washington has always viewed Silicon Valley as culturally strange. But lawmakers and White House advisers see the current crop of AI leaders as a monumental political liability, Axios' Maria Curi and Stef W. Kight report. Why it matters: Even pro-AI government officials and lawmakers wish AI founders would do what every other major industry chief does — put a sock in it and just build their products ... safely. 🚨 State of play: Rather than leading the charge to persuade Americans about the benefits of AI and the potential for shared prosperity — core elements of a winning campaign — industry leaders constantly warn of existential dangers. Lawmakers say the message from AI execs too often alternates between prosperity and doom, sometimes in the same public appearances. 🏛️ The whiplash adds to political instability in the face of an already powerful public backlash, lawmakers and regulators tell us: Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) told Axios: "It's obvious that they're tripping over their own shoelaces in trying to sell the value of this to the public." Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who represents part of Silicon Valley, told Axios: "You cannot trust billionaires to make decisions to keep us safe." Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) complained about "panic-inducing commentary" in a letter to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei earlier this month: "Your instinct is to wreak havoc on the ... discourse." Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told Axios: "Democrats need to make the AI industry's political money an issue, data centers an issue, and go on offense to protect workers and kids." 👀 Between the lines: Friday night news dumps and consequential weekend blog posts have become bread and butter for Anthropic and OpenAI. Regulators are left wondering whether that's a feature or a bug: deliberate attempts to quietly course-correct damaging narratives ahead of IPOs, or the work of inexperienced teams struggling to navigate Washington.

Intelligence warns of "advanced" Iranian plots Obtained by Axios U.S. intelligence finds Iran has "substantially increased" its efforts to target American diplomats and officials in the Middle East and beyond, with lethal plots reaching "advanced stages," according to a memo yesterday to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, obtained by Axios' Barak Ravid. Why it matters: This is more evidence the war is likely to escalate after midterms on Nov. 3, 10 days from now. News of the memo exploded across the internet after Axios posted it last night, with media coverage worldwide. U.S. officials say the intelligence is one reason the State Department is drawing down personnel at American embassies across the Middle East, amid mounting fears of a broader regional conflict. U.S. officials also fear that Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen could expand their attacks beyond Saudi Arabia to other countries in the region. Adding to the volatile security environment is the prospect of renewed U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran, potentially after the midterm elections. President Trump said at a rally in Fort Myers, Fla., yesterday: "We may do another little Operation Epic Fury" unless the Iranians "will agree" to a deal. "If they're smart, they will just say: 'Let's get down to business.' But I doubt they will do that because perhaps they're not smart." ✈️ State of play: Earlier this week, the State Department ordered family members and nonessential personnel to leave the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran. Yesterday, the department also ordered reductions in U.S. diplomatic and government personnel at embassies in the UAE, Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan, a U.S. official said.