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🎯 House Oversight targets same-name scheme House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) is investigating allegations that Democratic operatives recruited an Alaska Senate candidate with the same name as incumbent Dan Sullivan (R) in a bid to siphon votes from him. Comer is seeking transcribed interviews with Elisa Rios, former campaign manager for Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola, and Democratic operative Jerid Kurtz, requesting that they appear on Nov. 5 and 6, respectively. He threatened to use subpoenas to compel testimony from the two Democratic operatives, who are allegedly involved in the recruitment effort. Neither Rios nor Kurtz responded to requests for comment. Both the Peltola campaign and the DSCC denied involvement in recruiting the other Sullivan, according to the New York Times. Neither responded to a request for comment from us. The bottom line: The same-name controversy is now the center of a Justice Department probe and a state-level investigation in Alaska. — Kate Santaliz

Democratic divisions linger in Michigan Senate race. Will frustration with Trump outweigh them? With less than a week until Election Day, Democrats remain divided over their nominee in Michigan’s pivotal Senate race. The question now is whether those divisions will outweigh voter frustration with President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Read More.

European Central Bank head resigns, allowing EU leaders to choose successor before French election European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde will resign nine months before the end of her term, a move that opens the way for European leaders to choose a successor ahead of France's presidential election next year. Read More.

Iraqi court hands down prison terms to 2 politicians and an oil official in graft case An Iraqi court sentenced two prominent politicians and the head of a state-run enterprise responsible for distributing oil products to prison in a corruption case, officials announced Thursday. Read More.

The average 30-year US mortgage rate dips to 7.24%, the lowest level in more than a month The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate declined for the second straight week, falling to its lowest level in more than a month.The benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 7.24% from 7.32% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the average rate was 6.17%. Read More.

Experts warn of wider spread as Ebola outbreak reaches plateau The Ebola outbreak in Congo passed a grim milestone this week — 10,000 confirmed cases — and spurred questions about whether health authorities are losing their ability to contain it. Read More.

Iran says 3 oil tankers struck mines, and other Mideast news The U.S. military denied Iran's claim on Thursday that it captured an American drone near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran also said three tankers struck mines while attempting to exit the strait through an unauthorized route. Read More.

'Star Trek,' 'X-Men' star Patrick Stewart dies at 86 after 'brief' battle with Alzheimer's, Lewy body dementia https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/star-trek-star-patrick-stewart-dies-86/story?id=137684409

Justice Department issues new subpoenas over Alaska spoiler candidate controversy, AP source says WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is escalating a criminal investigation over an Alaska Senate candidate who shares a name with the Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan, issuing a raft of new grand jury subpoenas, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Thursday. https://apnews.com/article/alaska-peltola-senate-dan-sullivan-democrats-dunleavy-c391cc7b546384c7adde9aebc9973620? Justice Department subpoenas California officials in escalation of its scrutiny of elections LOS ANGELES (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department has issued subpoenas to California officials in an escalation of its scrutiny of local election administration. https://apnews.com/article/california-noncitizen-voting-trump-midterm-lawsuit-20714065e59fe13db0e53c711a3ca390?

The brothers of Joseph were very upset because of the dreams Joseph told them about: Ge 37:8 And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed <04910> have dominion <04910> over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. These words, "have dominion" are a translation of the same word used in Genesis 3:16. There it says the husband shall "rule over" the woman. The same word is used in Genesis 45:8. There it says Joseph became a "ruler" over the entire land. It is pretty obvious that, as a consequence of Eve's sin, she was placed in a roll subservient to Adam. Of course, there is a question as to how this plays out in real life. Current manifestations of women's equality, lesbianism and the like are simply manifestations of the same rebellion that brought death and destruction into the world. That same sort of rebellion against God's order is playing out in the church. Some denominations are standing firm against it. Southern Baptists broke fellowship with the 22,000 member Saddleback church, founded by Rick Warren, one of its best known preachers. Right or wrong, that denomination stands by its beliefs, something Adventism does not do.

🛒 DoorDash makes case for Instacart deal Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios DoorDash is seeking to portray its $17 billion Instacart acquisition as a defense of smaller businesses against Amazon and Walmart, Axios' Lucinda Shen reports. 🛍️ The two companies today launched Shop Local Together, where they address potential FTC concerns. Their argument: The combined companies "will have more resources, reach, and technology to help brick-and-mortar grocery stores and retailers compete against the world's biggest e-commerce giants." 🤑 The companies also plan to combine the two services' subscription fees, claiming that will save consumers $100 million annually. They also intend to cancel exclusivity agreements, allowing local grocers to work with any delivery platform. Go deeper.

House Republicans launch Alaska probe Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) is investigating allegations that Democratic operatives recruited an Alaska Senate candidate with the same name as incumbent Dan Sullivan (R) in a bid to siphon votes from him, Axios' Kate Santaliz reports. The probe draws Congress into a controversy surrounding Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola's campaign in one of the country's most competitive midterm races. 🔎 Comer is seeking transcribed interviews with Peltola's former campaign manager, Elisa Rios, as well as Democratic operative Jerid Kurtz. He threatened to use subpoenas to compel testimony from the two Democratic operatives, who were allegedly involved in the recruitment effort. Neither Rios nor Kurtz responded to Axios' requests for comment. Driving the news: The New York Times reported yesterday that top Peltola campaign staffers directed efforts to track down another Dan Sullivan to enter the race as part of a bid to recruit potential spoilers. The other Dan Sullivan, a retired teacher who will also appear on the ballot, registered as a Republican shortly before the filing deadline. Both the Peltola campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee denied involvement in recruiting the other Sullivan, according to the Times. Neither responded to Axios' request for comment. Rios, who was fired amid an August staff upheaval, told the Times that "voters should get the full picture when making their decisions." The newspaper said she later tried to retract her comments for the story. Go deeper.

AIPAC Isn’t Retreating. Here’s How It’s Already Shaping the Next Congress. In the words of the biggest name in the outside elections-spending game, “Being pro-Israel is good policy and good politics.” https://theintercept.com/2026/10/29/aipac-israel-midterms-spending-elections-congress/? AI Tried to Buy the Midterms — Then the Lobby Learned Everyone Hates AI The artificial intelligence industry was poised to act as a kingmaker in the midterm elections. https://theintercept.com/2026/10/29/midterms-election-money-ai-super-pac/? The Disappearing Victims Angelina Resendiz’s voice on the phone was frantic. She was calling a friend from the barracks room of Jermiah Copeland, a fellow sailor at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia. They had spent the evening together, kissing and drinking, and now Resendiz, 21, needed to leave. https://theintercept.com/2026/10/26/military-domestic-violence-murder-deaths-women/? The Bolsonaro Family Playbook: Lose, Cry Fraud, and Run to Trump’s America “I never thought about leaving the country,” Flávio Bolsonaro, a Brazilian senator and son of the deposed, disgraced leader, told his 16 million Instagram followers on Monday. It was the day after he lost the presidential election to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva by a margin of more than 4 million votes. https://theintercept.com/2026/10/27/flavio-bolsonaro-trump-visa/? Pentagon Fears Drone Attacks on U.S. and Foreign Bases Top defense officials are expressing increasing worry about the vulnerability of U.S. bases around the world and even within the United States as cheap drone technology upends long-standing defense strategies. https://theintercept.com/2026/10/27/pentagon-drone-attacks-military-bases/? Trump Vows to Send Election “Monitors” to Maine After Far-Right Conspiracies Spread With voters set to cast ballots in two critical races that could help determine control of both chambers of the U.S. Congress, fears of potential voter suppression are running high in Maine. https://theintercept.com/2026/10/28/maine-trump-election-monitors-voting-polls/? Bankrolling American Empire in the Philippines The U.S. military just can’t help meddling in the Philippines. https://theintercept.com/2026/10/26/philippines-military-base-cerberus-private-capital/? Prosecutors Want to Keep a Man in Prison for His Wife’s Murder — Despite Judge Saying Their Evidence is Junk Alabama attorney Larry Grissett was checking Facebook in late September when he saw a news story about a man he represented in a murder trial more than 40 years ago. According to the article, a federal judge had just vacated the conviction of that client, Charles McCrory. https://theintercept.com/2026/10/28/bite-mark-forensics-junk-science-mccrory/? The Elon Musk Funder Trying to Sway the Race for LA’s Top Lawyer A DSA-backed California prosecutor who helped force Meta to pay a historic $17 billion settlement this year is on a glide path to become the top lawyer for Los Angeles — unless a tech investor cozy with Elon Musk can spend enough to stop her. https://theintercept.com/2026/10/27/la-city-attorney-roy-mckinney-big-tech-billionaires/? The Incredible Shrinking Superpower Just after taking office in 2025, President Donald Trump picked a fight with Yemen’s Ansarullah, whom Americans routinely call “the Houthis.” Trump got a refresher in the limits of American military power, a lesson reinforced from Korea, Laos, and Vietnam to Afghanistan, Somalia, and Iraq. The U.S. military can cause a lot of damage, but it can’t win wars unless it beats up on weaklings like Grenada and Panama. After U.S. forces killed many civilians but failed to break the resolve of the Yemeni forces, a chastened Trump called it quits. https://theintercept.com/2026/10/28/yemen-saudi-arabia-iran/?

👋 Good morning! Congratulations to the 2026 Milwaukee Brewers and their fans. What an awesome baseball team. Heads up: There's a "history of boxing" story at the bottom of today's newsletter that is well worth your time. I highly encourage you to read the whole thing. In today's edition: Brewers win it all, end of a TV era, alarming CTE study, fairytale in Fleetwood, NFL power rankings, This Week in History, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...   🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES 📺 End of a TV era: Ernie Johnson confirmed Wednesday that he will step down as host of "Inside the NBA" after this season, ending a tenure that began in 1990. Charles Barkley, who said last month that he and Johnson "are a package deal," could also exit the show at season's end. 🏒 Streak snapped: The Canadian women's hockey team finally took down the U.S., winning Wednesday's friendly in Ontario, 5-3, to snap the Americans' eight-game winning streak in the rivalry. They'll face off again tomorrow in Michigan before heading to Finland for the World Championships. 🏈 Chiefs sign Tucker: With Harrison Butker struggling this season (11-16 FG), the Chiefs have signed disgraced kicker Justin Tucker to their practice squad. The five-time All-Pro hasn't played since 2024 after being accused of sexual misconduct by multiple massage therapists. 🏒 McDavid makes more history: Connor McDavid had two more assists in the Oilers' 4-0 win over the Flames, setting a new NHL record for the longest season-opening assist streak (13 games). He's now up to 36 points (8 G, 28 A), 12 more than his teammate Leon Draisaitl in second place. ⚾️ Dodgers not for sale: Mark Walter has sold his stakes in two teams (Lakers, Chelsea) and is looking to sell a third (Sparks) amid a federal investigation into potential fraud. But he insists he will keep the Dodgers "no matter what."   🏆 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS AT LONG LAST (Elsa/Getty Images) The Milwaukee Brewers are your 2026 World Series champions, capping off a historically dominant postseason on Wednesday with a 4-1 win over the Rays. Welcome to the club: It was a cathartic evening for the Brewers, who were previously tied with the Padres as the oldest MLB team to have never won a World Series. They are now permanently off that list, and an army of Wisconsinites made sure they were there to witness it. Jake Mintz, Yahoo Sports: They came from Wisconsin. From Waukesha and Menomonie and Lake Nebagamon and, of course, Milwaukee. They flew and drove through the night and skipped class and played hooky to witness history and make forever memories and drink the Gulf Coast dry. Into this dome, they crammed an entire state and 56 years of dreaming and generations of heartbreak. So when the Brewers finally did the darn thing, capturing the franchise's first World Series title, Florida sounded like Wisconsin. As players charged from the dugout, leaping and jumping and cussing in disbelief, the traveling faithful thundered in joyous unison. Tears, everywhere. Soon, fans began cramming themselves four or five deep atop the third-base dugout, just to get as close to the action as possible. When the trophy ceremony finally commenced, Tropicana Field was still nearly 60% full, mostly with Brewers fans. It was a remarkable sight. World Series recaps: For the Brewers, finally winning a title is a celebration decades in the making For the Rays, being the best team in the American League simply wasn't enough We'll dive deeper tomorrow with more World Series coverage and MLB talk. How'd the Brewers do it? What's next as the offseason begins and CBA negotiations continue? Will there be baseball in 2027?   💯 STAT SHEET BIG NUMBERS (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) 🧠 74.5% In August, a study estimated that roughly 25% of former NFL players who died from 2016 to 2021 had CTE. A few months later, a new study — authored by many of the same researchers — estimates that approximately 74.5% of former NFL players who died between 2008 and 2023 had the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated hits to the head. What they're saying: "It's hard to learn what the guys who built the game have suffered through," former NFL QB Matt Hasselbeck, an ambassador for the study, said in a statement. "We have to learn from this data to make the game safer, because we can't accept these numbers for the next generation of players." (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) 🏀 79 players A whopping 79 players were listed with an injury or illness on the afternoon NBA injury report ahead of Wednesday's 12-game slate. That's 15% of the entire league! Among those listed was Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring), the latest star to go down. What's causing this? No, you're not imagining things. Injuries are perhaps the prevailing storyline through the first week of the NBA season, continuing a recent trend in the sport. One culprit? Pace of play is through the roof right now, with games averaging 203 possessions, a 9% increase from 15 years ago (186). Smith (22) celebrates his interception on Sunday. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) 🏈 40-20 Vikings safety Harrison Smith recorded his 40th career interception on Sunday, making him just the third player in NFL history with at least 40 picks and 20 sacks in a career. The others? Hall of Famers Charles Woodson and Ronde Barber. Last dance: Smith, 37, contemplated retirement this offseason before signing a one-year deal with Minnesota, where he's spent his entire 15-year career. The six-time Pro Bowler recently confirmed that this will be his last year "for sure." Leading the undefeated Vikings' No. 1 scoring defense is a pretty great way to start your final season.   ⚽️ ACROSS THE POND IN PHOTOS: A FLEETWOOD FAIRYTALE Moments after the game-winning penalty. (Carl Recine/Getty Images) Fleetwood, England — Fourth-tier club Fleetwood Town pulled off the unthinkable on Tuesday in their cozy 5,000-seat venue,* toppling mighty Arsenal in the fourth round of the EFL Cup in perhaps the biggest upset in the competition's 67-year history. Match recap: Each side scored once in regulation, and with no extra time in EFL Cup games until the semifinals, the game went straight to penalties, where the home side erupted after netting the game-winner. The Cod Army watches the upset unfold. (Lewis Storey/Getty Images) David vs. Goliath: Fleetwood Town are in 18th place (out of 24 teams) in League Two, a full 84 spots below the reigning Premier League champions, who are second in England's top flight. And how's this for lopsided? Arsenal's squad boasts a market value of $1.54 billion, nearly 500x as much as Fleetwood's ($3.12M). A ferry is docked in town before the game. (Lewis Storey/Getty Images) Meet the Cods: Fleetwood Town's origins date back to the 1880s, but the current iteration of the club — located in what was once the UK's third-largest fishing port, but has since fallen on hard times — was formed in just 1997. Investment brought them seven promotions in 15 years, from obscurity to the EFL. Now, they've been fully thrust into the spotlight. Fun fact: Fisherman's Friend lozenges, a brand you've almost certainly seen in your local drug store, was founded and remains manufactured in Fleetwood. Manager Matt Lawlor celebrates after the victory. (Carl Recine/Getty Images) What they're saying: "The biggest night in the club's history. It's unbelievable for the town," said Fleetwood manager Matt Lawlor. "We just came up with some magical moments and obviously that's one to tell the grandkids, isn't it?" Meanwhile, in the stands: "I don't even know my own name right now," one supporter told BBC Radio. "[This is] not just my best night in football, it's the best night of my life. To have a moment like that for our little football club … is absolutely remarkable." Pure ecstasy. (Lewis Storey/Getty Images) Last teams standing: Fourth-tier Fleetwood and third-tier Bradford City are the lone clubs outside the Premier League still alive in the EFL Cup. The other quarterfinalists: Manchester City, Liverpool, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Sunderland and either Everton or Newcastle (playing today). *What are the odds? Tuesday's match was played at Fleetwood's Highbury Stadium, named for the adjacent road. Before Arsenal moved into Emirates Stadium in 2006, they played in a venue known as… Highbury. But there's no relation: It's 230 miles southeast of Fleetwood, and named for the London district in which it was located.   🏈 WEEK 8 NFL POWER RANKINGS (Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports) The 49ers (6-1) remain atop our power rankings despite losing their first game on Sunday. But their lead is tenuous with the Bills (5-1), undefeated Vikings (6-0) and Chiefs (5-1) lurking in the rearview. Coming up: We highlight the best ranked matchups every week of the college football season, so why not do the same in the NFL? Here are the five Week 8 games between teams ranked in our Top 16. No. 9 Ravens at No. 2 Bills: Lamar Jackson (ankle) is expected to return for this one, pitting the 2023 MVP against 2024 MVP Josh Allen. No. 5 Bears at No. 7 Seahawks: Chicago's offense is elite with a healthy Caleb Williams under center, but they face a tall task this week against Seattle's top-ranked defense (by DVOA*). No. 3 Vikings at No. 10 Lions: Minnesota ranks first in scoring defense (12.3 points per game), while Detroit ranks second in scoring offense (30.7). Which side of the ball will prevail? No. 4 Chiefs at No. 12 Broncos: Denver is 5-1 since losing to Kansas City in the season opener. Seven weeks later, they meet again with first place in the AFC West on the line. No. 16 Browns at No. 14 Steelers: 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers vs. beleaguered Deshaun Watson for first place in the AFC North. Just as we all expected. *DVOA, explained: Defense-adjusted Value Over Average evaluates teams, units or players by comparing success on every single play to a league average based on situation and opponent. In other words, a 5-yard run on 3rd and 4 is more valuable than a 5-yard run on 1st and 10, and a sack against an elite offense is more impressive than a sack against a bad one. That's why Seattle's defensive DVOA skyrocketed after it held the undefeated Chiefs to 3 points and 213 total yards last week.   📺 VIEWING GUIDE WATCHLIST: THURSDAY, OCT. 29 State Farm Arena before Game 4. (Colin Hubbard/Getty Images) 🏀 WNBA Finals, Game 6 A champion could be crowned tonight — er, today — in Atlanta (12:30pm, USA), where the Valkyries (up 3-2) are a win away from the title. Can the Dream protect home court and force Game 7? Busy day: State Farm Arena will also host tonight's game between the Hawks and Cavaliers (8pm, NBA). It will take 2,500 staff roughly four hours to transform the venue between games, so things could get dicey if Game 6 goes to overtime! 🏈 Panthers at Packers Green Bay hosts Carolina tonight at Lambeau Field (8:15pm, Prime) in a battle of NFC playoff hopefuls who've combined to win five of their last seven games. If you ain't first, you're last: The Packers (4-3) sit in last place in the NFC North, but they'd be leading the decidedly less impressive NFC South — a half-game ahead of the first-place Panthers (3-3). More to watch: 🏈 NCAAF: Troy at James Madison (7:30pm, ESPN2) … There's still a narrow path to the playoff for JMU (7-1) despite last week's loss. 🏒 NHL: Canadiens at Stars (8pm, ESPN+); Islanders at Wild (8pm, ESPN+) … Montreal and Minnesota both seek a fourth straight victory. ⚽️ Women's Champions League: Manchester City vs. PSG (4pm, CBSSN) … One of four games to close out Matchday 3. ⛳️ PGA: Mexico Open (4pm, Golf) … Wyndham Clark, seeking his Tour-leading fourth win of the season, headlines the field in Nuevo Vallarta. Got plans tonight? Gametime is the best place to score last-minute tickets to the events in your city.   🏀 LET'S PLAY NBA TRIVIA (Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) Nikola Jokić posted his 200th career triple-double on Wednesday, joining Russell Westbrook (209) as the only players in NBA history to reach that milestone. Question: Can you name the only other five players who have recorded even 100 career triple-doubles? Hint: Three point guards, one forward and one center. Answer at the bottom.   🥊 THIS WEEK IN HISTORY JOE LOUIS VS. ROCKY MARCIANO, 75 YEARS LATER (Hayden Hodge/Yahoo Sports) In a segregated America, Joe Louis became something extraordinary: a Black heavyweight champion celebrated as a national hero, who gave his country everything only to spend his final years buried in debt to its government. 75 years after his final fight, Louis' remarkable life and heartbreaking decline tell a story that extends far beyond the boxing ring. Ben Fowlkes, Uncrowned: When it was over, America's hero lay more out of the ring than in it. Body sprawled on the apron. One foot hooked over the bottom rope. His head hanging over the edge as sportswriters at ringside reached up to keep him from falling to the floor. His bald spot was on prominent display, as if the world needed another reminder that the ravages of time had brought him here as much as that final right hand that put him all the way out. But that's not completely true. The fact is Joe Louis probably never would been in that ring at all if he weren't so deeply in debt to the United States government. His service during World War II, once lauded as so vital to America's war effort, wasn't enough to keep the Internal Revenue Service from hounding him over past due taxes. Louis had earned millions as a beloved champ, the first Black man since Jack Johnson to win boxing's world heavyweight title. He'd also spent, gambled, or just plain frittered away his fortune many times over, with Uncle Sam constantly picking through the lint in his pockets to find whatever might be left. That tale of woe dampened few spirits in the opposing corner on Oct. 26, 1951 — 75 years ago Monday. The 28-year-old Rocky Marciano, who'd come into this fight as a betting underdog, was celebrating a victory over the man who'd once been his hero. Back home in Brockton, Massachusetts, they were counting their winnings and planning the victory parade, which would eventually include a cake 10-feet high. "An old man's dream ended," Red Smith would write of the fight in the New York Herald Tribune. "A young man's vision of the future opened wide. Young men have visions, old men have dreams. But the place for old men to dream is beside the fire." Beyond the final bell: The story of how both men arrived at that intersection of boxing's past and future is a familiar one to any fight fan. It's the classic and also tragic tale of how the sport makes the young eat the old to secure their own place at the table. It's a story about what it meant — and what it was worth — to be a hero in post-war America. Even now, 75 years later, it remains a saga of hard triumphs and unpleasant realities. And still it has plenty to teach us about life in and out of the ring. Keep reading: The last days of Joe Louis, and the terrible cost of greatness   Trivia answer: Oscar Robertson (181), Magic Johnson (138), LeBron James (125), Wilt Chamberlain (109), Jason Kidd (107)

Somali pirates are back with a vengeance A scourge that emerged more than 30 years ago — and grew into an $18 billion criminal enterprise by the 2010s — had been mostly wiped out. Now, economic hardship and new opportunities created by the Iran war have emboldened Somalia’s pirates to return to the seas, hunting for multimillion-dollar ransom payments. + For subscribers: Somali piracy is back

Democrats are in striking distance Photo illustration of candidates in closely watched Senate races. (CNN/Getty Images) Democrats have fresh reason to believe the Senate could be within reach. New CNN polling across four key races reveals some surprising openings for the party, including in states where Republicans have long enjoyed a comfortable advantage. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed leads Republican Mike Rogers, 49% to 42%. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico leads Republican Ken Paxton, 49% to 43% — a striking development in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat statewide in three decades. In Maine and in deep-red Kansas, there is no clear leader in the competitive races. What a difference a few months can make. A Democratic Senate majority seemed unlikely earlier this year, and it’s still far from a sure thing. But the map is changing, and it’s giving Democrats something they didn’t have not long ago: hope. + Read more: New CNN polls highlight Democrats’ path to Senate majority + Video: Key races that could tip the Senate balance of power + Meanwhile: Obama and Trump’s Cheesecake Factory feud continues

Judge orders 30-year prison sentence for key figure in Minnesota food fraud MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A man who played a major role in defrauding a federal food program in Minnesota was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in prison, the latest punishment in a sprawling scheme to collect millions of dollars during the COVID-19 pandemic by claiming to have fed needy children. https://apnews.com/article/fraud-minnesota-feeding-our-future-sentencing-a195ef82b798fa66d89cd4a6ba7e23aa?

Trump calls for prosecution of Democratic Alaska Senate candidate over spoiler candidate controversy President Donald Trump called for the criminal prosecution of the Democratic candidate running for Senate in Alaska on Wednesday after revelations that her campaign appeared to be involved in recruiting a candidate with the same name as Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan. Read more. Why this matters: The race is among a handful of Senate contests this year expected to determine control of the chamber. Trump had previously directed his Department of Justice to sue to block certification of the Senate race should Democrat Mary Peltola defeat Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. “I think they should be prosecuted,” the Republican president said about Peltola and the other Sullivan, responding to questions about a report in The New York Times on how the Democratic candidate decided to run. Dan J. Sullivan has long denied he was running at Democrats’ behest and has said he had no contact with Peltola’s campaign: “Zero, none, zilch,” he said in June after announcing his run. He did not respond to a message seeking comment Wednesday from The Associated Press. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Judge denies federal request to segregate California ballots, says it would ‘wreak havoc’ on voting Trump in Ohio and Obama in Georgia make closing stretch appeals to midterm voters in pivotal states Conservative activists O’Keefe, Higby charged with unlawful voting in Minnesota RFK Jr. eases access to unproven peptides despite opposition from FDA scientists Justice Department announces Trump plans for golf course are in the works, course will close Nov. 15 Pentagon watchdog tells lawmakers it won’t investigate Starlink slowdowns to Ukraine

US warns allies to prepare for possible Iran strikes, retaliation after elections, AP sources say U.S. officials have told several Middle East countries and regional allies to be prepared for potential renewed military action against Iran after next week’s midterms — as well as the possibility that Iran will attempt to retaliate against them, according to two diplomats briefed on the matter. Read more. What to know: President Donald Trump has not made a final decision on whether to carry out new strikes against Iran, according to the diplomats, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Still, those threats and the fresh U.S. urgings for allies to prepare for potential retaliation are putting the region on alert that a return to major operations could now be on the horizon. The U.S. has told regional allies that the new round of military action could last for several days, but regional officials are bracing for Iran and its proxy groups to retaliate — leading to a fight that could last even longer, the diplomats said. The White House and U.S. officials declined to comment. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Hegseth fires the Pentagon’s top military planner Iran war’s cost to American taxpayers grows to an estimated $47.1 billion Israelis await final election results as claim of foreign interference emerges Who is Gadi Eisenkot, the man with the best chance to oust Netanyahu?

Spain reckons with second deadly train crash of the year ahead of national election Spain’s second high-speed rail disaster this year, a crash in which one train struck another from behind, killing 68 people, has raised fresh concerns about the safety of the country’s rail network. Transport Minister Óscar Puente said human error caused Wednesday’s crash. Read more. What to know: The Wednesday crash involved a train striking a stationary one in Spain’s Toledo province, caused by what Puente called an “inexplicable” order from a central command center for Spain’s trains after a security system had failed. He said the train engineers were not to blame. Spain’s network of high-speed rail has been considered one of the nation’s crowning achievements. It ranks second to China in track mileage in the world. Until this year, it had not endured a deadly crash since coming into service over three decades ago. In January, 46 people died when one train jumped the track in southern Spain. Both deadly crashes this year involved a train operated by the state-owned RENFE company and one from the privately owned Italian IRYO. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged an investigation into the latest crash and improvements to prevent another tragedy. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Photos show aftermath of crash WATCH: Spanish prime minister says Spain is in mourning

October 29, 2026 By Sam Sifton Good morning. The mood is grim at the White House. And we talked with the guy who came up with the design for the Cheesecake Factory. But before that, we’ve got a tale of political intrigue from Alaska. (Also, I know we’ve had some issues with the audio narration of this newsletter for the last couple of days. It’ll be back soon!) A sample election ballot in Alaska. Haven Daley/Associated Press Stacking ballots Politics is a dirty business. The Times broke news of the latest example: a secret effort by Democratic operatives to make Alaska’s midterm election ballot tilt in favor of Mary Peltola, their candidate for Senate. It wasn’t a terrifically complicated plan. They wanted to siphon votes from the Republican incumbent, Dan S. Sullivan. One way to do so, top aides for Peltola decided, would be to scour the state for people also named Dan Sullivan, in the hopes that one of them would go on the ballot and confuse voters. A retired teacher from a tiny fishing village in the Alaska Panhandle named Dan J. Sullivan soon answered the call. He announced his candidacy for Senate this spring. He’ll be on the ballot Tuesday. Here’s Kellen Browning, who reported the story: The Peltola campaign has repeatedly denied any involvement in his candidacy. But The Times has found, based on interviews and text messages, along with documents prepared for a potential lawsuit against the campaign, that not only did Ms. Peltola’s team work with people trying to recruit Mr. Sullivan to run for Senate, but the effort was much broader. The group worked to coax other would-be spoilers into the race, to dilute the incumbent’s support and help catapult the Democrat to victory. Mary Peltola’s campaign has repeatedly denied any involvement in the other Dan Sullivan’s candidacy. Kerry Tasker/Reuters To do that, a mysterious Midwestern operative using a fake name crisscrossed the state seeking candidates. The effort involved him, campaign aides, lawyers and officials at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which directs the party’s campaign strategy in races across the country. At one point they considered spinning up a new MAGA party to further split the Republican vote. None of this is strictly illegal, although last night Alaska’s governor said he was ordering an investigation into the plan. Attempts to stack ballots have been made by both parties in Alaska. But this particular operation shows how far some Democrats will to go to win a race that could help determine which party controls the Senate. Dirty tricks It’s not just Alaska, and it’s not just now. Remember the Watergate break-in? The Willie Horton ad that hurt Michael Dukakis’s campaign for the presidency in 1988? The leak of George W. Bush’s 1976 D.U.I. arrest just five days before the presidential election? “There is always election skulduggery,” Carl Hulse, our chief Washington correspondent, told me. “In fact, machinations like this are really a more traditional way of skewing elections than the idea that thousands of noncitizens sneak in to vote.” Sham candidates show up all the time, he said, recalling a State Senate race in Florida a few years ago in which a Republican operative put up a candidate with the same last name as the incumbent, hoping to sow confusion. (Local prosecutors said he paid the sham candidate $45,000 to run. Both of them were convicted of election crimes.) Dan J. Sullivan described himself as a moderate Republican in an interview with The Times in August, and he has repeatedly maintained that he entered the race of his own volition. Christopher Miller for The New York Times On the theory that it’s easier to beat an extreme candidate in a general election, Democrats and Republicans alike have run ads to support the fringe contestant in the opposing primary. (Illinois’s governor and his allies, for instance, spent $30 million helping the Republicans nominate someone he defeated easily in 2022.) They’ll try to get third-party candidates on the ballot, in order to siphon off votes. (Republicans tried to help the Green Party’s Jill Stein get back on the presidential ballot in 2024.) They’ll run robocalls telling voters about a change in their polling place. They’ll always look for an edge. And sometimes the best one is a name. Carl reminded me that Hollywood even made a movie about that, “The Distinguished Gentleman,” in 1992. It stars Eddie Murphy as a Florida con man who assumes the name of a dead congressman in order to run for office and get rich. He wins. You should read the whole Alaskan saga. (No subscription? No problem. There’s no paywall.) And then listen to Kellen talk about it on “The Daily.” More election news Govs. Gavin Newsom of California, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Wes Moore of Maryland. Joseph Prezioso/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images In just a few days, the Democrats who want to run for president in 2028 can finally be honest. See who has been privately courting big-money donors. President Trump’s cabinet members are stumping for Republican candidates. Ethics experts say some are breaking the law. A judge rejected a Trump administration attempt to make California set aside ballots from people the administration suspects are “likely noncitizens.” Midterm candidates are talking about how to fix Social Security, whose retirement trust fund is expected to run dry by 2032. Some Republicans say they’d be open to raising taxes. How big could a “blue wave” be? Our chief political analyst looks at four scenarios. MORNING READS Yun Hee Kim for The New York Times Sweet tooth: Is honey any better for you than table sugar? How many Starbursts are too many? Take our sugar quiz. Parenting foul? A mom went on a five-day work trip and left her 14-year-old in charge of the three younger kids. Is that neglect? Your pick: The most clicked link in yesterday’s newsletter was about the aspiring-Christian-influencer girlfriend of Ken Paxton, the Republican candidate for Senate in Texas. Labor leader: Dolores Huerta founded what became the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez. She told The Times that he had raped her decades earlier. She died at 96. The long walk: In 1998, Karl Bushby flew from England to southern Chile and started walking home. Nearly 28 years and 31,000 miles later, he’s almost done. THE LATEST NEWS Around the World In Urda, Spain. Manu Fernandez/Associated Press A high-speed passenger train crashed into another train in Spain, killing at least 68 people and injuring dozens more, officials said. (See how the trains collided.) Flávio Bolsonaro, the Trump ally who lost the presidential election in Brazil but has declared himself the legitimate leader, landed in Miami yesterday. He had fled via Argentina as Brazil investigated his potential ties to money laundering. Benjamin Netanyahu fell short of outright victory in this week’s election in Israel. But he still has a good chance of clinging to power. Vice President JD Vance has contacted a top political and military official in Iran to propose a renewal of comprehensive peace negotiations, officials said. A rare localized peace deal announced by the first lady, Melania Trump, offered a brief respite for Kherson, Ukraine, where Russian drones and artillery have terrorized civilians. Politics A federal investigation into Representative Ilhan Omar is looking at whether she entered a sham marriage to help a man suspected of being her brother obtain a green card. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said patients could use several unapproved peptide injections promoted by online influencers. The F.D.A. had advised against the move. Other Big Stories The Alexander brothers, who used their wealth and influence to lure and sexually assault women and girls for more than a decade, were sentenced to 30 years in prison. The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady even as high inflation persisted. Weil Gotshal, once one of America’s marquee law firms, plans to dissolve after an exodus of high-profile lawyers. DESIGN-MAXXING Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg/Alamy After Barack Obama joked that Trump’s vision for the White House looked like “Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory,” The Times tracked down the Cheesecake Factory’s design guru. The guy wasn’t mad. His feelings weren’t hurt. “I’m not emotionally attached to the Cheesecake Factory design,” he told our Kim Severson. That’s probably a good thing. Kim pulled together some other descriptions of the restaurant that could sting. She wrote about “the eclectic décor of murals, towering columns and oversize amber light fixtures that gives each Cheesecake Factory the vibe of a postmodern suburban Versailles.” She quoted one writer who called it “the culinary embodiment of the Kardashians” and another critic who wrote, “The interior is a world of aesthetic chaos that feels like a mix between a Fry’s Electronics, an overgrown Panera and a laser tag arena.” Yeah, well. People like the place. The Cheesecake Factory reported on Tuesday that its revenue had risen to $1.03 billion, from $907.2 million a year earlier. For more, read Kim’s article. ASK THE MORNING If the Democrats retake a majority in both houses of Congress, what are their first priorities? McCaide Wooten | Calgary, Alberta Their first priorities are bills that would make life more affordable and might draw Republican support. Those include: reinstating subsidies for people who buy Obamacare insurance; reversing nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts included in the president’s domestic policy law; codifying congressional power over trade policy and tariffs; and directing Trump to end the war in Iran or seek authorization from Congress to continue it. — Annie Karni, who covers Congress OPINIONS Billionaires should pay their fair share, two economists argue, but California’s proposed wealth tax is the wrong solution. TikTok is changing American politics — perhaps for the better, Julia Angwin writes. Subscribe to New York Times Games. Get Super Duolingo for free. For a limited time, annual Games subscribers can enjoy 6 months of language learning with Super Duolingo. Subscribe now TODAY’S NUMBER Browsing at a Brooklyn store. Nina Westervelt for The New York Times 39 percent — That is how much more people have spent on horror books this year compared with last year. The market for those books is growing: 5.1 million copies were sold last year, up from 3.2 million in 2021. Are you horror-curious? SPORTS Baseball: The Milwaukee Brewers won their first World Series, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in five games. Here’s how they built a championship team. Soccer: Two Chinese companies dropped Kylian Mbappé from their partnerships after he made a comment about “a Chinese dictator.” Surfing: Sexism has plagued the sport for generations. A rape allegation has led to a reckoning. RECIPE OF THE DAY Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. Beautiful photograph. Looks delicious. But a whole fish is intimidating, no? And, wow, the recipe has a lot of steps! I’m here to assure you: If you buy simple fillets of any lean white fish at the market, you can whiz through the preparation in 30 minutes or so. The result will be equally beautiful and equally delicious. And I bet it makes it into your regular rotation for the next couple of months. CULTURE A.I. has come for stand-up comedy, with bots stealing jokes from young, nonfamous female comics making jokes about dating or sex. The fake-os kill. “If comedy is a bellwether,” Jason Zinoman, our comedy critic, writes, “this represents a dark future in which tech players exploit human labor until the quality of the imitation is good enough that it can cut us out of the equation.” Here’s his argument. Sacha Baron Cohen brought his gonzo act back to his new movie, “Ali G: Who Iz I?” Our critic wasn’t moved: “In the age of the algorithm and A.I. slop, these shenanigans are simply what we call the internet.” It’s a nice pan. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS The famous No. 19 sandwich — pastrami, coleslaw, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing on hot, double-baked rye bread. Steph Martyniuk Eat a pastrami sandwich at Langer’s in Los Angeles — or, if you can’t, just revel in the history of the 79-year-old restaurant. The photographs alone will transport you to the delicious. Embrace the fitness mind-set. It’s key to building an effective workout habit. Accept your adulthood. Get a good ironing board. The wrinkle-free laundry attendants at Wirecutter found the very best ones. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was obliged. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Crossplay and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times and me. See you tomorrow. — Sam Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. 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

⚾ 1 fun thing: Brew Crew champs The Milwaukee Brewers celebrate after winning the World Series over the Tampa Bay Rays last night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images The small-ball Milwaukee Brewers — playing in the smallest market in the majors — are World Series champions for the first time in franchise history. The Brewers dominated 4-1 in Game 5 last night to complete a gentleman's sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays and set off a long-awaited celebration among thousands of Brewers fans at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. Brewers star Jacob "Miz" Misiorowski pitches last night. Photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images 🔮 What's next: This might have been the last Major League Baseball game for an extended period. A lockout is likely to start Dec. 2 and could threaten the 2027 season. By the numbers ... More on the game.

🚀 Cape Canaveral's new "boom cycle" A Falcon 9 rocket mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral earlier this month. Photo: Gwendolyn Kurzen/Defense Department Thomas Novelly, author of Axios Future of Defense's space edition, writes: Rocket launches from Florida's Cape Canaveral are now outpacing those of the Cold War-era space race that first made the launch site famous. Why it matters: U.S. leaders are rushing to grow the number of rocket providers at America's busiest spaceport amid a space and arms race with China. 🛰️ Behind the scenes: Cape Canaveral is busy expanding to meet President Trump's mandate for the U.S. to support 1,000 annual launches by 2030. SpaceX is expanding its footprint on the Cape for its Starship super heavy-lift launchpads. NASA is preparing for next year's Artemis III test missions and the Artemis IV voyage that aims to return astronauts to the moon by 2028. Blue Origin is rapidly rebuilding its launch complex after its New Glenn rocket exploded in May. Keep reading.

🗳️ Early voting surge Data: Axios research. Chart: Erin Davis/Axios More than 39 million Americans have cast early votes so far — with unusually strong turnout among Black, Hispanic and unaffiliated voters in several states, Axios' Josephine Walker writes. Overall turnout could rival the 2018 "blue wave," which saw the highest participation rate since 1914, University of Florida political scientist Michael McDonald says. Keep reading.

Left's dream agenda Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios House progressives are planning to use their growing power to force votes next year on their most sweeping and divisive policies, including Medicare for All, abolishing ICE and cutting aid to Israel, Axios' Andrew Solender writes. Why it matters: The ultimate goal is to get these policies on the front burner for a Democratic president in 2029, even if that means forcing House Democrats into tough decisions. 🔎 Zoom in: Here is what progressives most want to see go to a House vote in 2027, according to lawmakers, candidates and operatives who spoke to Axios: 1. Medicare for All. The Medicare for All Act introduced by Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) has 118 co-sponsors — more than half the House Democratic caucus. The left wants to force the issue onto the floor and make their Democratic colleagues reckon with the policy's popularity in public opinion polls. The aim is to make support for Medicare for All a must for any 2028 presidential candidate to win the primary. 2. Abolish or defund ICE. Several progressives pointed to Rep. Delia Ramirez's (D-Ill.) "Melt ICE Act," which would cut all funding for ICE detention and monitoring of immigrants. Another bill would go even further, fully abolishing ICE and dismantling ICE's parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security. Moderate Democrats have long opposed defunding ICE. Party leadership has proposed reforms to the agency's practices rather than cutting funds. 3. Cut aid to Israel. The Block the Bombs Act, which would restrict presidents' ability to transfer offensive weaponry to Israel, is the left's marquee legislation on this issue. The left is putting external pressure on the party's pro-Israel wing, which suffered serious losses in House primaries this year. 4. AI. Progressives have been some of the earliest adopters of anti-AI rhetoric, proposing strict regulations on the technology, a moratorium on data centers and a ban on Flock cameras. 5. Affordability. Progressives are eyeing a living wage, universal child care, lifting the payroll tax cap to shore up Social Security, and repealing a cap on federally subsidized public housing.