Currently, Republicans hold a 53-47 majority, so Democrats need to gain four seats to take control of the Senate.

For Donald Trump, the Senate is key. With polls predicting a Democratic victory in the House of Representatives, losing the Senate would mean facing a hostile Congress during his final years in the White House. His nominations and a potential Supreme Court vacancy would stall.

On the other hand, Democrats are counting on the "blue wave" they've hoped for to be strong and sweeping enough to win in Republican states such as Kansas, Iowa, Ohio, and Mississippi.

In this context, these twelve races will determine which party retains control of the Senate. Overall, Democrats hold four and Republicans hold eight.

Michigan: Is El-Sayed too extreme for the state?

Michigan is seen as Republicans' best chance to take a Senate seat away from the Democrats. Following Gary Peters' retirement, Democrats nominated Abdul El-Sayed, while Republicans nominated former Congressman Mike Rogers.

El-Sayed, a physician and former director of the health departments in Detroit and Wayne County, represents the most progressive wing of the Democratic Party. If elected, he would become the first Muslim senator in the country's history.

The Republicans and Rogers' campaign are attacking him for his positions, including abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as his political ties to Hasan Piker. Piker, who campaigned alongside El-Sayed during the primaries, came under heavy criticism for saying in 2019 that the United States "deserved" 9/11, a statement he later retracted. El-Sayed, who initially avoided condemning those remarks, later said it was "a foolish statement" and that he does not believe 9/11 was justified.

In addition, in an interview with CNN, El-Sayed accused Israel of committing "genocide" in Gaza and of being an "apartheid" state.

For his part, Rogers is a former FBI agent, a member of the House of Representatives, and a Republican candidate for the Senate in 2024. He has focused his campaign on positioning himself as Michigan's "most normal" candidate, in contrast to El-Sayed's more radical stances.

One of the main points of his presentation is the chapter titled "Democrats for Rogers." The campaign has recruited dozens of Democrats, many of them African American, to speak out publicly in support of Rogers. The videos have had a strong impact on social media.

Even Democrat Haley Stevens, who lost the primary to El-Sayed, praised the Republican campaign's work, particularly in the Detroit area.

The polls show El-Sayed ahead of Rogers.

North Carolina: The toughest battle for the GOP

With his 2020 victory, Thom Tillis overcame the "single-term curse" that had plagued his seat in North Carolina, as no incumbent had been reelected since 1996, when Jesse Helms won reelection. Given this history, Tillis had already filed the necessary paperwork to run again in 2026.

However, he announced that he would not seek reelection after publicly clashing with Trump. The president then endorsed Michael Whatley, former chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC).

Meanwhile, Senate Democrats recruited the popular former governor Roy Cooper, who has never lost a state election and has a strong track record in rural counties.

Ever since this matchup was confirmed, Cooper has led in all public polls.

Texas: The Democratic dream

Following the disappointment with Beto O'Rourke in 2018, Democrats suffered major setbacks in Texas in recent election cycles. However, they regained hope thanks to three factors: a favorable national climate, the candidacy of James Talarico, and the fact that their opponent is Ken Paxton, the state attorney general, whom they view as a vulnerable candidate even though Texas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988.

Senator John Cornyn, who has held office since 2003, was defeated by Paxton in the Republican primary. Trump endorsed Paxton a week before the primary and has defended Paxton as one of the most effective and conservative attorneys general in the country.

Talarico, a state representative for the Austin area, defeated Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic primary. Looking ahead to November, Talarico is appealing to moderates and, above all, to Republicans who voted for Cornyn in the Republican primary. According to a recent Fox News poll, 29% of Republicans who do not consider themselves "MAGA" would vote for Talarico.

Both President Trump and the Republican leadership have spent millions and millions of dollars in this race. Adding to that financial effort is Elon Musk, who has become one of the largest donors in these midterm elections.

The polls show a neck-and-neck race, with both candidates within the margin of error. Looking ahead to 2028, a Democratic victory in Texas would give Democratic voters across the country a major morale boost.

Maine: Susan Collins seeks to defy the odds again

Susan Collins is seeking not only her sixth term in the Senate representing Maine, but also to pull off another surprise on election night. Although Collins was not expected to be reelected in 2020, she defied poll predictions and won by nine percentage points. Six years later, Democrats are back in the running for her seat.

To that end, they nominated Troy Jackson, who became the nominee following the withdrawal of Graham Platner, who stepped down from the race in July. Jackson spent many years in the Maine Legislature and served as president of the state Senate. The Democrat represents the party's most progressive wing, and his proposals include "Medicare for All" and abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

In the final stretch of the campaign, polls show a close race with the difference falling within the margin of error.

Alaska: Dan Sullivan could lose because of Dan Sullivan

Dan S. Sullivan, U.S. Senator from Alaska since 2015, is seeking reelection under unusual circumstances. In addition to competing against former Democratic Congresswoman Mary Peltola, there is another candidate with the same name. That candidate is Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from Petersburg, a small fishing community.

The controversy over the former teacher's candidacy intensified a week before the election. The New York Times published text messages that, according to the newspaper, show members of Peltola's campaign discussing recruiting people with the same name as the senator, even searching for the retired teacher.

Before the report's release, Mary Peltola's campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) denied any involvement in recruiting Dan J. Sullivan. Sullivan also denied having ties to the Democratic campaign.

Alaska's electoral system differs from that of the rest of the country. Since 2022, the state has used an open primary system and ranked-choice voting for all candidates, regardless of party. The four candidates with the most votes advance to the November election.

In the general election, voters do not mark a single name, but rather rank candidates in order of preference. They mark a first choice, a second, and a third. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes are transferred to each voter's second choice, and so on until someone receives more than 50%.

The key point is that if a voter mistakenly checks the box for the other Sullivan, that vote will not necessarily go to the senator, since it will depend on what the voter checks next.

In addition, Alaskans are also voting on a referendum to repeal the open primary and ranked-choice voting system, the second attempt following the failure in 2024

Georgia: Jon Ossoff is on track for re-election with an eye toward 2028

Jon Ossoff didn't expect this scenario. He was elected in January 2021 after defeating incumbent David Perdue by 1.3 percentage points in the runoff election. Six years later, he is on track, sailing toward reelection in Georgia.

His opponent will be Mike Collins, a member of the House of Representatives and author of the Laken Riley Act. He secured the Republican nomination after defeating former coach Derek Dooley in a race that pitted Governor Brian Kemp against President Trump.

Ossoff, a serious, low-profile candidate, has demonstrated a great ability to raise funds. According to data from the Federal Election Commission (FEC), he is far ahead of Collins in this regard.

Since the Ossoff-Collins race was confirmed, polls have favored the Democratic senator.  

The outcome could even affect the upcoming presidential election. Looking ahead to 2028, several political analysts consider Ossoff to be one of the names to watch, whether as a presidential candidate or a running mate.

Ohio: Sherrod Brown seeks to return to D.C.

In Ohio, Secretary of State Jon Husted will seek his first full term in the Senate. In 2025, Governor Mike DeWine appointed the then-lieutenant governor to replace JD Vance after he took office as vice president. The Republican will face off against Sherrod Brown, a former senator and the Democrats' "star recruit" for this race.

Brown represented Ohio in the Senate from 2007 to 2025. He lost his last reelection bid in 2024 to Republican Bernie Moreno and will now seek to return to Capitol Hill amid the prospect of a possible "blue wave." The winner will serve out Vance's remaining term until January 2029.

One key factor in this election has been the candidates' positions on data centers. Brown made expanding these facilities one of the main pillars of his campaign against Husted, whom he links to the industry's growth during his time as lieutenant governor. 

Although Trump won the state comfortably in 2024, the polls predict a close race.

Minnesota: A Republican upset?

Minnesota is another race that was not expected to be competitive. The last Republican victory in the state was in 2006, when Tim Pawlenty was re-elected governor. However, that streak could end in 2026.

Tim Scott, chairman of the Republican National Senatorial Committee (NRSC), has said several times that Minnesota could be the surprise of this midterm election.

The reason? Fraud scandals in state programs that have rocked Minnesota in recent months, damaging the Democratic brand statewide. Even Governor Tim Walz decided not to run for reelection this year.

In this context, Governor Tina Smith also stepped down, and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan won the Democratic nomination. Flanagan is one of the state's most prominent progressive figures.

Meanwhile, the Republicans nominated Michele Tafoya, a former NFL sports commentator with strong name recognition. Tafoya presents herself as a moderate Republican who can work with both parties. She has also made the fight against fraud a central focus of her campaign.

To drive this point home, Tafoya's campaign released an ad titled "Classroom," in which an elementary school teacher explains to the children that fraud has no consequences in Minnesota.

"We teach our kids about consequences. Peggy Flanagan let fraudsters steal hundreds of millions of dollars from you," Tafoya says at the end of the ad.

On the other hand, Flanagan has tried to link Tafoya to President Trump, who lost Minnesota by four percentage points in 2024.

The latest polls show Flanagan leading Tafoya by between three and ten points.

Kansas: A Democratic upset?

Just as Republicans hope to defy all predictions in Minnesota, Democrats are counting on doing the same in Kansas, a conservative state at the federal level but with a Democratic governor.

Republican Roger Marshall won his first term in 2020 by a margin of more than 11 percentage points. However, he faces a close race against Democrat Adam Hamilton, a Methodist pastor and founder of the Church of the Resurrection, the largest United Methodist congregation in the country.

Meanwhile, Marshall has described Hamilton as too "woke" and extreme for Kansas's values. Hamilton has said that Marshall would even qualify as "woke" by Jesus Christ himself.

Although Kansas is a conservative state, polls predict a scenario of a dead heat, with both candidates trading the lead, though always within the margin of error.

The last Democrat elected to the Senate in Kansas was George McGill, who was elected in 1932.

Iowa: Ashley Hinson vs. Josh Turek

In Iowa, Senator Joni Ernst chose not to seek reelection, leaving an open seat that appeared safe for the Republican Party. Congresswoman Ashley Hinson earned Trump's early endorsement and won the nomination without a hitch.

A former television reporter, Hinson has also emerged as an independent voice; she even questioned the president'sTdecision to allow imports of Russian diesel in an effort to keep fuel prices in check.

Her opponent is Josh Turek, a state legislator and two-time Paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair basketball. Turek has campaigned as a moderate and has highlighted in his ads the times he voted with Republicans in the state Legislature.

As for the polls leading up to November 3, both candidates are within the margin of error.

New Hampshire: Will the Sununu surname be enough?

In New Hampshire, John Sununu is running for re-election to the Senate. Of course, the Sununu name carries a lot of weight in the state, and this time around he is seeking to regain his former seat.

Sununu, 61, belongs to one of New Hampshire's most prominent political families and represents a more traditional and moderate wing of the state's Republican Party. He is the brother of former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, and the son of John H. Sununu, also a former governor and chief of staff to George H.W. Bush.

The Republican served as a New Hampshire senator from 2003 to 2009, but lost his 2008 reelection bid to Jeanne Shaheen, whose seat is now open.

For their part, the Democrats nominated Chris Pappas, a Democratic representative from the 1st congressional district who is also considered a moderate. Interestingly, in 2022, he won reelection to the House of Representatives after defeating Karoline Leavitt, who was 25 years old at the time.

Pappas has consistently topped the polls and hopes to retain the seat for the Democrats by defeating an opponent from one of the state's best-known political families.

Mississippi: Democrats' farthest-reaching dream

The last seat on the list is that of Mississippi. There, Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, who has held the seat since 2018, was expecting a smooth reelection. Even Donald Trump won the state by more than twenty points in 2024. However, Democrats have other plans for 2026.

Somewhat surprisingly, the race has become more competitive than expected, thanks to Democrat Scott Colom, whose campaign has generated enthusiasm among Democrats across the country. However, Hyde-Smith has led in all public polls.

The last time a Democrat won a Senate election in the state was in 1982, when John Stennis defeated Haley Barbour.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) announced the change Thursday, as Republicans face tight races in several key states.

"Voters across the country want to hear from President Trump before Election Day, and this 72-hour sprint will be a huge boost in the closing days," RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said in a statement.

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On the reasons for canceling the events, the RNC said "Republicans are in a strong position" in both states. The GOP is defending one Senate seat in Kansas and another in Iowa. Although these are states that voted for President Trump in the 2024 presidential election, polls predict two competitive races.

In turn, the RNC statement specified that Trump will participate virtually and in Republican events in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.

In October, Trump stepped up his public appearances to rally the Republican base ahead of the November 3 election. According to The Associated Press, the president headlined 25 events in October alone. In the last week alone, he was in Ohio, Mississippi, Texas, and South Carolina. On Friday, he will visit Daytona Beach, Florida, to campaign for Byron Donalds and Ashley Moody, among other Republican congressional candidates.

Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia failed three polygraph examinations related to the allegations, and the investigation has been referred to the Justice Department, Fox News reported, citing an unnamed Department of War official. 

Sylvia is alleged to have met with journalists outside the Pentagon with the intention of leaking classified materials. The alleged meeting followed Hegseth's policy requiring reporters to be escorted inside the building. 

Sylvia was not a central planner of the Iran war, the official said. That falls under U.S. Central Command and its commander, Adm. Brad Cooper.

© Just The News.

According to Fox News, Sylvia is under investigation for allegedly leaking classified information to journalists about the war in Iran and Russia's war against Ukraine. The network also reported that the lieutenant general failed three polygraph tests related to the allegations and that the investigation has been referred to the Department of Justice. It is also alleged that Sylvia met with journalists outside the Pentagon to leak classified material, reportedly after the implementation of Hegseth's policy, which requires journalists to be escorted inside the building.

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Two weeks ago, during a campaign rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, Trump called for severe punishment for those who leak classified military information, suggesting that they should be executed. "Someone leaked information—some scoundrel. They should go to jail and be shot. They should remain in prison for the rest of their lives," Trump told the crowd as he spoke about the leaks related to the U.S. military operation against Iran's nuclear facilities.

The president said details about the operation's timing were leaked to the media, forcing the mission to be postponed for two days. Trump appeared to be referring to Operation Midnight Hammer, in which U.S. forces attacked nuclear facilities belonging to the Iranian regime.

The organization, which is known for publishing leaked information, did not reveal who provided the information and referred to the anonymous source only as the "Department of Peace." In a statement, the group's co-founder, Emma Best, noted that the published data would help identify personnel involved in various types of operations. "This is a game-changer for anyone investigating DHS, as it simplifies the identification of agents and their chains of command. It provides material for Freedom of Information Act requests for years to come," the statement explained.

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In that document, the hacker and activist "maia arson crimew," who is linked to the group, explained that the dataset provides detailed information about the department's staff and internal structure. "This dataset is enormous in both size and impact. It offers an unprecedented view of the Department of Homeland Security's organizational structure and highlights which individuals perform specific tasks at various DHS agencies, including ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]," he noted.

This disclosure marks the third government data breach to make headlines in the past month. In September, the hacker group ShinyHunters claimed to have stolen a massive amount of data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), including confidential employment details and medical information on thousands of the agency's employees. Last week, the Department of Defense was the subject of a class-action lawsuit following a security breach that exposed the data of millions of active-duty and retired military personnel.

The department said profits from the schemes go to North Korea's unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. 

The North Korean government uses fraudulent documents, stolen identities and fake personas to conceal its IT workers and secure employment with real companies. It then uses most of the wages from the workers to fund its programs. 

“The North Korean regime continues targeting and exploiting American companies through fraudulent activities conducted by its overseas IT operatives, who weaponize sensitive data and extort businesses for substantial payments,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. “Under President Trump’s leadership, Treasury will continue to use all available tools to protect U.S. businesses from these malicious activities and hold those responsible accountable.”

The department said the new actions target key facilitators and financial networks that help sustain the schemes and move illegal proceeds on behalf of the North Korean government. 

The fraudulent workers also leveraged sophisticated cryptocurrency transactions, money laundering techniques and emerging technologies to transfer millions of dollars to the foreign government.

The actions expand on the Treasury Department's previous designation of a separate North Korean IT worker network, which allegedly generated nearly $800 million for North Korea in 2024.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.

© Just The News

The controversy erupted after The New York Times revealed that operatives linked to Peltola and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) had allegedly been involved in recruiting another candidate named Dan Sullivan, with the aim of splitting the vote of the current Republican senator in the midterm elections on Nov. 3.

According to the investigation, which is based on internal messages and testimony from people involved in the operation, the organizers searched for citizens who shared the lawmaker's name until they found Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from Petersburg who ultimately managed to get his name on the ballot.

Trump called the move electoral fraud and argued that Peltola and those responsible should face legal consequences.

"I think they should be prosecuted," the president said, according to AFP.

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Dan Sullivan alleges an election scandal

The Republican senator also lashed out at his Democratic rival and called the alleged operation a scandal of the utmost seriousness.

In remarks reported Thursday by The New York Post, Sullivan accused those responsible of attempting to manipulate voters' decisions by fielding a candidate with a name virtually identical to his own.

The ballot lists the Republican senator as Dan S. Sullivan, while the other candidate is listed as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., with no party affiliation.

The controversy is particularly significant because Alaska uses a ranked-choice voting system, which allows voters to rank multiple candidates rather than choosing just one. The Alaska Division of Elections explains how it works here.

The Department of Justice steps in to resolve the dispute

The Trump administration had already filed a federal lawsuit to try to prevent Alaska from certifying the Senate election results if Peltola defeats Republican Sullivan by a narrow margin, while an investigation is underway into possible voter confusion.

For its part, Peltola's campaign denied any involvement in Sullivan II's candidacy and dismissed the accusations as a political distraction.

Although the investigative report documents contacts and efforts by Democratic operatives to promote alternative candidates, it has not yet been established in court that Peltola committed election fraud.

The controversy has arisen less than a week before the Nov. 3 election, in a race considered crucial to the composition of the next Senate.

Of that total, 251,092 were citizens who voted via in-person absentee voting, which has been available in the state since Oct. 20.

For reference, in the 2022 legislative elections, 741,795 absentee ballots were returned in Wisconsin, including 318,130 cast in person. The comparison, however, is still preliminary, as voting this year is still ongoing.

In Wisconsin, voters will decide, among other races, who will become governor, in a race between Democrat David Crowley and Republican Tom Tiffany. Seats in the House of Representatives are also up for grabs, including races in the 1st and 3rd districts.

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Texas and Georgia report high early voter turnout

This electoral trend is also evident in other states.

In Texas, more than 4.2 million people had voted during the first six days of the early voting period, according to a statement from the Secretary of State's office released on Oct. 26. The figure represented approximately 22% of the 19 million registered voters.

In-person early voting began on Oct. 19 and will continue through Friday, the 30th. Officials noted that the figures are preliminary and may change as counties update their reports.

Meanwhile, Georgia surpassed 2 million in-person early votes as of 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

According to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a total of 2,000,452 citizens had voted in person, while another 97,382 absentee ballots had been accepted, for a total of 2,097,834 early votes recorded through both methods.

In-person in-person turnout was 22% higher than that recorded during the same period in the 2022 elections, according to state authorities.

Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania also have votes

In Florida, official records compiled through Oct. 27 showed approximately 3.15 million early votes: 1.66 million cast in person and 1.49 million ballots returned by mail.

In North Carolina, the total stood at 1,773,889 votes, including 1,708,048 in-person votes and 65,841 mail-in ballots accepted by election officials.

In Pennsylvania, where mail-in voting is particularly significant, 895,099 ballots had been returned, out of more than 1.29 million sent to voters, according to official data compiled through Oct. 27.

These figures, which are subject to change, come from reports by state election authorities compiled by the FundVoter's early voting tracking system. The states also maintain their own public information portals.

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What do these figures indicate ahead of Nov. 3?

The data reflect voter turnout prior to Election Day, but do not indicate which party is receiving the most votes.

Some states publish information on the party affiliation of voters who have already cast their ballots. However, a voter's party affiliation does not necessarily reflect the candidate they supported, and ballots cast early do not constitute election results.

The University of Florida's Election Lab maintains a national tracking system for early voting, updated with data provided by state authorities.

With Election Day set for Tuesday, Nov. 3, the coming days will be crucial for completing the early voting period and monitoring how voter turnout evolves before the polls open.

Republicans currently control the House of Representatives by a narrow margin. Democrats need to gain a net three seats to reach a 218-seat majority and regain control of the House.

With weeks to go before the election, Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson hope to avoid a repeat of 2018, when Republicans lost more than 40 seats and their House majority. Instead, they hope the outcome will more closely resemble 2002, when George W. Bush became the last president to gain seats in the House in a midterm election.

On the other hand, the Democrats are confident the favorable national climate will be enough; they aim not only to win the seats needed to regain the majority they lost in 2022, but also to secure a comfortable majority. Since 2020, both parties have had to work with slim majorities.

Looking ahead to November 3, these are the races that will determine control of the House of Representatives.

Arizona's 6th District

The first key race is in Arizona's 6th congressional district, where Republican Juan Ciscomani is seeking reelection after winning by just over two percentage points in 2024. He faces Democrat JoAnna Mendoza.

This is a border district with a 24% Hispanic population, where Democrats are confident they can capitalize on dissatisfaction with some of the president's immigration policies.

California's 13th District

In 2024, Adam Gray won the closest race of the election cycle. The Democrat defeated the incumbent Republican, John Duarte, by a margin of just 187 votes out of more than 200,000 cast, making him one of the targets of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) for this election cycle.

His opponent is Republican Kevin Lincoln. Of Hispanic descent, he served in the Marine Corps, was a pastor and served as mayor of Stockton, the most populous city in San Joaquin County.

In an interview with VOZ, Lincoln said he is not a "career politician" but a citizen who wants to see his community thrive.

California's 22nd District

Another key target for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is California's 22nd district. There, incumbent Republican David Valadao is running against Democrat Randy Villegas.

This district has a 73% Hispanic population. In addition, Medicaid is a central issue for its voters. According to KFF Health News, the district has one of the highest Medicaid enrollment rates in the country.

Valadao hopes not to fall victim to another "blue wave." In 2018, Trump's first midterm election, he was defeated by TJ Cox. He regained the seat in 2020.

North Carolina's 1st District

Since the 2020 census, Republicans have tried to take the seat away from the Democrats, but Don Davis won the 2022 and 2024 elections. On the same 2024 ballot, Trump won the district by a four-point margin. On that same ballot, Davis won by 1.7 points against Republican Laurie Buckhout, an Army veteran, who will seek a rematch in November.

North Carolina's 11th District

Also in North Carolina, Congressman Chuck Edwards decided not to run for reelection after the House Ethics Committee recommended censure.

Edwards, a Republican who was elected to Congress in January 2023, was accused of violating House rules regarding sexual harassment and professional conduct. The investigation by the Ethics Committee examined allegations regarding the lawmaker's relationship with two former employees in his office, citing "persistently unprofessional and inappropriate conduct toward two young female staff members."

As a result, State Representative Jennifer Balkcom took his spot on the ballot. Her opponent will be farmer Jamie Ager.

Colorado's 8th District

Republican Gabe Evans is defending a district in the Denver metropolitan area that has become one of the top Democratic opportunities in Colorado. Evans faces Manny Rutinel, a Democrat representing the party's progressive wave.

Evans, the grandson of Mexican immigrants, is the only Latino from Colorado in Congress and previously served as a police officer and a member of the Army National Guard.

During an interview with VOZ this year, he described his opponent as a representative of the "model of Zohran Mamdani."

The district has a 38% Hispanic population, the highest of any district in the state, and ranks among the top 10 agricultural production districts in the country.

Florida's 14th District

Although Democrat Kathy Castor won re-election comfortably in 2024, Florida Republicans redrew the state's electoral map, which affected her district. As a result, Castor is expected to face a competitive race against Republican Mike Beltran.

Florida's 22th District

The first open seat on the list pits Democrat Pia Dandiya against Republican Casey Askar. With the new electoral map, incumbent Lois Franke decided to seek another term, but in District 23.

Iowa's 1st District

In Iowa's 1st congressional district, incumbent Mariannette Miller-Meeks will seek another hard-fought re-election against Democrat Christina Bohannan, a former state representative.

Miller-Meeks, who previously represented the 2nd district, won in 2020 by six votes out of more than 390,000 cast. In 2024, she defeated Bohannan by a margin of 0.2 percentage points, or about 800 votes.

Iowa's 2nd District

Another open race is in Iowa's 2nd District, where incumbent Ashley Hinson has chosen to run for the Senate. Former state representative Joe Mitchell, 29, and Democrat Lindsay James are running to replace her.

Michigan's 4th District

Although Republican Bill Huizenga won reelection by 12 points in 2024, he faces a tough challenge in 2026. His opponent is State Senator Sean McCann.

Michigan's 4th congressional district includes conservative areas of Ottawa County, parts of Kalamazoo, and rural areas in western Michigan.

Michigan's 7th District

Michigan's 7th congressional district is one of the most closely watched by political analysts. It elected Democratic candidates in all 2022 elections, but voters chose Trump over Kamala Harris in 2024. On the same ballot, Democrat Elissa Slotkin defeated Republican Mike Rogers.

Looking ahead to 2026, incumbent Tom Barrett faces progressive Democrat William Lawrence.

Michigan's 10th District

In Michigan's 10th congressional district, Republican Mike Bouchard Jr. is running against Democrat Christina Hines. The district is located in the southeastern part of the state and includes much of Macomb County, the state's third-most populous county.

The incumbent, John James, chose to run for governor. He won the Republican nomination with President Trump's endorsement and will face Jocelyn Benson in November.

Montana's 1st District

Another open seat where Democrats hope to compete is Montana's 1st District. The 2020 census created this seat in 2022, and it covers western Montana bordering Idaho. The incumbent Republican Ryan Zinke won by nearly eight points in 2024 but chose not to seek reelection.

The November election pits Republican Aaron Flint, an Army veteran and radio host, against Democrat Sam Forstag, a union leader.

New York's 17th District

In another of the cycle's most closely watched races, Republican Mike Lawler is seeking to retain New York's 17th District, which has a clear urban majority and was won by Kamala Harris in 2024.

The Democrats nominated Cait Conley, an Army veteran who previously worked at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

Ohio's 7th District

Although Ohio's 7th District seemed like an easy hold for Republicans, things became complicated after Congressman Max Miller became embroiled in allegations of domestic violence made by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Republican Senator Bernie Moreno. Miller denies the allegations and has filed defamation lawsuits.

The Democratic candidate is Brian Poindexter, a metalworker and former Brook Park city council member.

Ohio's 9th District

Democrat Marcy Kaptur, one of the longest-serving representatives in the House, is seeking to retain her seat despite the new gerrymandered map, which expanded her district southward toward Toledo.

Her opponent is Republican Derek Merrin, who previously ran against Kaptur in 2024 and lost by 0.6 percentage points.

Kaptur has served in Congress since 1983.

Pennsylvania's 7th District

In 2024, the Republican Party took two seats from the Democrats in Pennsylvania. One was District 7, where Ryan Mackenzie defeated the incumbent Democrat, Susan Wild, by just one percentage point.

Now, Mackenzie is defending his seat against Bob Brooks, president of the Pennsylvania Professional Firefighters Association.

Pennsylvania's 8th District

The scenario is virtually the same in the 8th District. There, Rob Bresnahan is seeking to defend the seat he won in 2024. His Democratic opponent is Scranton's current mayor, Paige Cognetti.

Texas's 15th District

Texas's 15th district is another that initially posed no problems for Republicans. Republican Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz won by more than fifteen points in 2024. However, this predominantly Hispanic South Texas district has become highly competitive.

The Democratic candidate is Bobby Pulido, a Tex-Mex singer and musician.

Texas's 28th District

In this border district, Democrat Henry Cuellar will seek another term in the House against Republican Tano Tijerina.

Although the Democrat has weathered the Republican advance in South Texas, he will also have to compete in a district that Republicans have redrawn ahead of the election. The new map makes the district more Republican-leaning compared to its previous configuration.

Texas's 34th District

Texas's 34th District includes several miles of the southern border and has a 90% Hispanic population. Democrat Vicente González is defending his seat against Republican Eric Flores .

In an interview with VOZ, Flores asserted that González does not represent the values of South Texas: "We are working families. We are families of faith. We want our communities to be safe. We are proud of our country and our patriotism."

Virginia's 1st District

In Virginia's 1st District, Republican Rob Wittman is facing off against Democratic attorney Shannon Taylor. Wittman, who has represented the district since 2007, won re-election comfortably in 2024. However, the national political climate, which favors Democrats, has made the race more competitive.

Virginia's 2nd District

Virginia's second competitive seat features Republican Jen Kiggans, who is seeking to prevent Elaine Luria from returning to Congress. Kiggans, who defeated Luria in 2022, represents an urban district in southeastern Virginia with a strong military presence.

Wisconsin's 3th District

The last seat on the list is in Wisconsin, where Republican Derrick Van Orden is seeking reelection against Democrat Rebecca Cooke.

This district has a high percentage of both urban and rural residents and is located in the state's southwestern part.

Despite pleas from her attorneys to have her sentence commuted to life without parole following the botched execution, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said Pike remains incarcerated and her sentence is unlikely to change, Fox News reported. 

"I suspect her sentence will be the same as it was before unless determined otherwise by the courts," Lee said.

Lee has halted future execution attempts and has ordered a "comprehensive, third-party review to determine exactly what occurred." The next attempt to carry out any death sentences in the state will not take place this year.

Pike was convicted of killing former classmate Colleen Slemmer in 1995 when she was just 18-years-old. Court records note that Pike and Slemmer were students at the Job Corps Center in Knoxville when Pike tortured and killed Slemmer slowly, which was allegedly over comments the 19-year-old Slemmer had made about her relationship. 

Pike's then-boyfriend and another friend helped carry out the attack and murder, but the boyfriend was sentenced to life in prison because he was just 17-years-old at the time. The friend was given probation because she testified against Pike during the trial.

Court records from Pike's trial also showed that Slemmer was repeatedly beaten and cut with a meat cleaver and a box cutter over the course of 30 minutes to an hour, in a secluded section of the University of Tennessee's campus. 

© Just The News

A measure providing direct support to farmers

The Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke L. Rollins, emphasized that the measure aims to reward the work of American farmers, ranchers and fishermen. According to her, the investment will ensure that products such as milk, cheese, lentils, almonds, rice and catfish reach those who need them, rather than going unsold. "We are committed to putting farmers first," Rollins said, linking the decision to the policy of the Trump administration to prioritize domestic production.

Purchases under Section 32 to stabilize the markets

Purchases will be made under the authority of Section 32, a mechanism that allows the USDA to intervene in commodity markets when imbalances occur. This tool aims to stabilize prices, provide relief to producers during times of economic hardship, and contribute to a more resilient agricultural system.

Products and regions benefiting

The volume of purchases spans multiple regions and sectors. It includes legumes from the Northern Plains and the Pacific Northwest, nuts and citrus fruits, farmed catfish from the South, rice, pork and chicken, and Pacific hake from the West Coast. According to the USDA, each purchase generates economic activity in rural areas by supporting processors, packers, transporters and workers in the sector.

Breakdown of planned purchases

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will be responsible for carrying out the purchases. The planned allocation of funds includes dairy products ($165.5 million), pork ($41 million), split peas ($37 million), almonds ($30 million), lentils ($29 million), raisins ($25 million), hazelnuts ($22 million), rice ($21 million), chickpeas and catfish ($20 million each), chicken ($20 million), Pacific hake ($12 million) and a mix of dried fruits, grapefruit, and oranges ($10 million each).

These purchases are part of the AMS's regular operations, which involve procuring domestically produced agricultural products for the USDA's nutritional assistance programs. The agency emphasizes that these foods are a key component of the country's food safety net.

The announcement comes at a time when several agricultural commodity markets are facing marketing challenges, and is part of the USDA's efforts to link domestic production more directly to food aid distribution channels.

Clandestine return and criticism of the oil agreement’s lack of transparency

Machado declined to provide logistical details about her re-entry into the country to protect her security team, saying her inner circle carried out an autonomous operation after multiple failed attempts.

As for the U.S. administration's decisions, the opposition leader distanced herself from the energy agreement under which Venezuela will transfer 20% of its oil reserves to the United States. "This agreement does not reflect the level of transparency that Venezuelan society demands," she argued.

Despite her skepticism about the trade agreement, the leader emphasized that the relationship with Washington remains within a framework of "absolute respect" and ruled out directly joining the dialogue between the 2015 National Assembly and the interim administration, although she expressed interest in that forum succeeding in restructuring public powers.

Delcy Rodríguez responds with economic announcements and a promise of elections

Hours before Machado's speech, the regime's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, issued a rare recorded message on national television to mitigate the political fallout caused by the opposition leader's return.

Rodriguez announced that she had ordered a technical assessment of non-essential state assets to return them to their former owners or put them up for bid to the private sector, in an effort to provide legal certainty for investments.

At the same time, the interim president responded to Machado's protest by asserting that the street protests "could have been avoided" and reiterated that her administration will call for general elections.

"There will be elections with the world as a witness," Rodriguez asserted, opening the door to a process supervised by the international community amid growing domestic and international pressure.

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Israel Duro

From a perspective critical of the European and global institutional framework, Lagarde's career illustrates the continuity of a technocratic model of governance. Her tenure at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the French government, and the ECB, as well as the speculation about a possible move to the World Economic Forum (WEF) reinforce the perception of an elite that moves freely among supranational organizations with limited direct democratic accountability.

A career forged in organizations without direct electoral oversight

Lagarde joined the ECB in November 2019 after serving as head of the IMF and as France's finance minister. Her early departure allows her, as she herself stated, to regain her freedom of speech and "the freedom to engage on matters that are not monetary policy matters."

At a press conference on Thursday, as reported by AFP, she stated that she does not believe she can "remain neutral" in the current political climate. The institution confirmed that the succession process will begin immediately to ensure an orderly transition ahead of the French presidential election in April, in which the nationalist candidate Marine Le Pen is leading in the polls.

Her resignation and the French political calendar

Lagarde has ruled out running for the French presidency herself. Last month she told the French newspaper La Croix that doing so "wouldn't be a good idea." Various media outlets suggest she could take over as head of the World Economic Forum, the organizer of the Davos summit.

The French president Emmanuel Macron on Thursday praised her "commitment to Europe" and her "determined" leadership, and called for the succession to be prepared "in an orderly and balanced manner." Antonio Costa noted that, "through a global pandemic, a war in Europe, energy crises, and inflationary shocks," Lagarde had provided "steady leadership."

Inflation, interest rates, and the delayed response

On the very day of the announcement, Lagarde reported that the ECB's Governing Council had discussed a possible rate hike but unanimously decided to keep rates unchanged given the stability of core inflation and high uncertainty.

Inflation in the eurozone remains nearly double the 2% target. During Christine Lagarde's tenure, the ECB managed the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the sharp spike in prices in 2022, when inflation exceeded 10% following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The agency then faced harsh criticism for the slowness of its initial response. For months, it insisted that the rise was "transitory" and maintained a highly expansionary policy, unlike the Federal Reserve or the Bank of England, which began raising rates earlier. It was not until July 2022, with inflation already spiraling out of control, that the ECB began a rapid cycle of rate hikes. Now, the situation is becoming complicated once again due to the energy implications of the U.S. war against the Iranian regime and tensions surrounding France's public finances.

Changpeng Zhao, co-founder and largest shareholder of Binance, reacted to the news by warning the world: "It looks like a hack on Binance", he said on X. Zhao, known as CZ, no longer runs the company, but he assured users that their funds are safe and that, as a shareholder, he expects all customer losses to be covered.

The company, on the other hand, was a bit more cautious in its official statement.

First, he acknowledged that the company is aware of "reports of a possible security issue" and explained that its teams are urgently reviewing the information. Then, they assured users that "users' funds are completely safe" and urged their customers to be wary of unofficial links and messages that might take advantage of the confusion to carry out scams.

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Stablecoin issuers, who can lock their tokens directly on the blockchain, responded fastest. Tether, which issues the largest stablecoin on the market, reported that it had frozen more than $1.567 million in USDT linked to the potential attack, according to its CEO, Paolo Ardoino. Circle, the issuer of USDC, froze more than $800 million "in coordination with law enforcement," according to its CEO, Jeremy Allaire. According to Reuters, Ripple also froze about $200 million, according to Yi He, Binance co-founder.

The figures kept changing throughout the afternoon, and Binance stepped in to clarify them amid the confusion and panic. The company verified that the total amount of frozen funds amounts to $2.54 billion and warned that the number could continue to rise as the investigation progresses in collaboration with authorities, issuers, and blockchain analysis firms.

What is still unclear is how much money was withdrawn in total. Various specialized outlets, including The Kobeissi Letter, estimate that Binance's wallets on the Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tron networks recorded outflows totaling about $5.7 billion, including about $1.45 billion in bitcoin and $875 million in ether. Binance has not officially confirmed that figure. If verified, it would far exceed Bybit's $1.5 billion theft in 2025, which until now has been considered the largest in the industry's history.

Economy

Bitcoin surpasses $80,000, driven by the relative weakness of the dollar and US regulatory support

Carlos Dominguez

The market reacted immediately to the news. According to Bloomberg, Bitcoin fell as much as 3.7% and dipped below $79,000, its lowest level since September, while other cryptocurrencies saw heavy selling. James Seyffart, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, noted that wallet liquidations are nothing new in the crypto world, but that an attack of this magnitude against the market's largest platform would be significant. He also noted that this episode adds to a series of recent incidents, such as Bitget's multimillion-dollar losses and the tampering with Ledger devices.

Moreover, this is a particularly sensitive time. Crypto options worth about $11 billion are set to expire on Friday, and the midterms are next week, which could pave the way for greater regulatory scrutiny of the sector if the Democrats regain control of either chamber of Congress.

Binance has more than 335 million registered users worldwide. Its U.S. subsidiary, Binance.US, which operates independently, stated that it was not affected. The incident also reached Elon Musk, who reacted on X with a brief "Everyday is Zeroday," a reference to "zero-day" vulnerabilities, which attackers exploit before a fix is available.

This is a developing story

“Serious suspicions have been brought before me of improper influence, through foreign funding by external actors acting against the Israeli interest, on the elections,” Sohlberg wrote.

“I cannot attest to the nature of the aforementioned suspicions,” he continued. Because the suspicions concern foreign actors, there is “a duty to investigate them properly,” he wrote.

“Only in this way can we ensure public trust in the election process”

Sohlberg instructed the domestic intelligence agency “to locate evidence to substantiate the aforementioned suspicions or to refute them.”

“Only in this way can we ensure public trust in the election process,” he wrote.

Citing the legal deadlines for filing election appeals, Sohlberg asked Zini to present any findings within a week.

Channel 12 reported that the suspicions concern Qatar

The letter does not name the foreign actor, but Channel 12 reported that the suspicions concern Qatar. According to the report, large sums allegedly flowed from Doha to illegally boost voter turnout in the Arab sector.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party on Wednesday accused Arab parties of stealing the election through widespread fraud and called for a police and Shin Bet investigation.

The party alleged that thousands of envelopes containing cash and United Arab List (Ra’am Party) ballots were handed out at polling stations in Arab communities. It also alleged identity fraud and ballot-count discrepancies.

© JNS

So much for the sweeping claim that Israel is an "apartheid state." The election demonstrates that Arab citizens of Israel vote, establish political parties, run for office, and win substantial representation in the country's national parliament. Their elected representatives can challenge government policies and influence decisions affecting the entire country. In 2021, one of the Arab-led parties, Ra'am, even joined Israel's governing coalition.

These are facts that cannot simply be dismissed by those who portray Arab citizens as having no meaningful political rights.

Beyond the numbers, the election highlights an important distinction between Arab citizens of Israel and Palestinians living under the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank or under Hamas's de facto rule in the Gaza Strip.

The last Palestinian presidential election took place in 2005. The last election for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) took place in 2006. Hamas won that legislative election, securing 74 of the PLC's 132 seats.

Those elections are now roughly two decades in the past.

The political split between Hamas and the PA's ruling Fatah faction headed by President Mahmoud Abbas, which culminated in Hamas's violent takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007, left the Palestinians divided between two competing centers of power. The PLC stopped functioning as a national parliament in 2018, when the PA formally dissolved it. No new legislature has been elected since.

Recently, Abbas again postponed PA legislative elections that had been scheduled for November 2026, and set September 11, 2027 as the new date for both legislative and presidential elections.

The result is a political system without a functioning parliament capable of exercising the ordinary legislative and oversight functions expected of such an institution. Even though Abbas's presidential term expired in 2009, he has continued to govern by decree.

The absence of elections has deprived Palestinians for decades of a regular mechanism for replacing their leaders, renewing their political institutions, and holding their governing authorities accountable at the ballot box.

The comparison between those two elections also raises questions about the priorities of those who claim to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people.

For years, international diplomats and governments have discussed Palestinian statehood, political reform, and democratic institutions. Yet Palestinians have repeatedly seen elections postponed, while their leaders continue to exercise power without a renewed electoral mandate.

World

Israel elections: Netanyahu's Likud party remains in the lead as the vote count continues, but there is no clear majority to form a government

Israel Duro

Israel's election at least offers a contrasting example of how political representation can change through participation in a competitive national vote. The 19 seats won by the Arab-led parties will not resolve every difficulty facing Israel's Arab citizens. Their representation nevertheless gives them a parliamentary platform from which to negotiate and scrutinize government policy.

As Arab citizens constitute roughly one-fifth of Israel's population, their 19 seats amount to nearly one-sixth of the Knesset — a substantial share of representation even if it does not exactly match their proportion of the population: two million out of 10 million.

The challenge now is to translate this representation into results for the communities that elected these lawmakers.

The performance of Israeli-Arab leaders should be judged by what they accomplish, including whether they can improve public safety, address social and economic inequalities, and advance the interests of their constituents.

The record turnout for Arab-led parties demonstrates that Israel's parliamentary system provides a route for political participation that Arab citizens are actively using. Their ability to organize, compete, and increase their representation is a meaningful feature of Israel's political life and democracy.

The international community should draw a clear lesson from Israel's latest election results: Arab citizens seeking greater influence can organize and compete for office, while Palestinians living under the Palestinian Authority or Hamas have no freedom or influence over their future.

The Palestinian situation, however, illustrates why elections alone are not enough. For the past two decades, Palestinians have been trapped in a political struggle dominated by Fatah and Hamas, two factions whose records show serious problems with corruption, accountability, and effective governance. Simply holding elections without meaningful alternatives leaves Palestinians choosing between two discredited political establishments rather than producing genuine change.

The international community should therefore support not just elections for the Palestinians, but, even more, genuine political competition, independent candidates, transparency, institutions capable of holding elected leaders accountable, and an end to corruption and glorification of violence and "martyrdom."

Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem.

• Follow Khaled Abu Toameh on X (formerly Twitter)

© Gatestone Institute

Despite the victory, Netanyahu will need to reach an agreement with the other parties and seek external support to form a majority that will allow him to remain at the helm of the Israeli government for another four years.

The parties allied with Likud won a total of 26 seats, distributed as follows: Otzma Yehudit (seven), United Torah Judaism (seven), Shas (six), and Religious Zionism–Zehut (six).

With these results, Netanyahu secures 53 of the 61 seats needed to hold an absolute majority.

The main opposition party, Yashar, led by Gadi Eisenkot, received 16.1% of the vote, a result that gives it 21 seats. Its coalition partners—B'Yachad, the Democrats, and Yisrael Beiteinu—won 12, eight, and seven seats in the Knesset, respectively.

Netanyahu, who will be the first candidate nominated to form a government by the president of Israel, Isaac Herzog, will have 28 days to do so, with a possible two-week extension.

Neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the Zionist opposition has secured the 61 Knesset seats necessary to form a government. Despite new parties promising to reshape Israel’s political landscape, voters have largely returned to familiar political camps.

The effort to dislodge Netanyahu has, at least for now, failed.

Likud remains Israel’s largest party

With millions of votes counted as of Wednesday morning, preliminary projections placed Netanyahu’s bloc at approximately 54 seats, compared with 47 for the Zionist opposition and 19 for the Arab parties.

Likud emerged as the largest party with approximately 27 seats, followed by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar with 20. Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid’s joint B’Yachad list was projected to receive 11 seats, Yair Golan’s Democrats eight and Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu eight.

On the right, United Torah Judaism was projected to receive seven seats, Shas seven, Otzma Yehudit seven and Religious Zionism six.

Netanyahu waited until after 3 a.m. Wednesday to address supporters at Likud’s election headquarters in Jerusalem.

“We are still waiting for the actual results,” he said, emphasizing that Likud would remain Israel’s largest party.

“The right-wing bloc has a clear, decisive majority among the Zionist public,” Netanyahu declared, calling for a strong national government and warning against a coalition dependent on Arab parties.

Although Netanyahu’s bloc has fallen short of the 64 seats it won in 2022, Likud’s continued dominance is significant. His opponents have yet to demonstrate that they can construct a viable alternative government.

Pollsters underestimated Likud

The early count exposed significant discrepancies between the final pre-election surveys and the actual vote.

Israeli television channels 11, 12 and 13 projected that Likud would win between 19 and 21 seats, while Eisenkot’s Yashar was expected to receive 22 to 23, potentially becoming Israel’s largest party.

Channel 14, which consistently projected a stronger Likud and right-wing bloc, forecast 30 seats for Likud and 20 for Eisenkot—considerably closer to the emerging results than the other major networks.

The discrepancies raise questions about how Israel’s polling organizations measured voter intentions, particularly among undecided voters.

Opposition leaders declared victory prematurely

Shortly after voting closed at 10 p.m., Eisenkot, Bennett and Lapid delivered speeches suggesting that Netanyahu’s political era had ended.

Eisenkot declared that Israelis had voted for change and called on Netanyahu to accept the public’s verdict.

“The people of Israel have stood up and spoken: Netanyahu has lost,” Bennett declared.

Lapid proclaimed: “The State of Israel has saved itself today.”

Yet even the initial exit polls did not give the Zionist opposition a governing majority.

And as actual votes were counted overnight, Netanyahu’s bloc pulled ahead.

The opposition leaders celebrated a victory they had not secured. Their central campaign objective was to remove Netanyahu, but the parliamentary arithmetic offers no clear path to that goal.

The Arab vote complicates coalition arithmetic

One of the election’s biggest surprises has been the unexpectedly strong performance of Israel’s Arab political parties, as of Wednesday morning projected to receive approximately 19 seats, compared with 10 in the outgoing Knesset.

The increase creates a dilemma for the opposition.

Together, the Zionist opposition and Arab parties may command more than 61 seats, but a parliamentary majority on paper does not automatically translate into a viable coalition.

Bennett, Lapid and Liberman have opposed forming a government dependent on Arab parties.

Ironically, the stronger Arab vote may have increased the numerical anti-Netanyahu majority while making it politically harder to establish an alternative government.

New names, familiar political parties

Perhaps the election’s most striking feature is how little Israel’s political landscape appears to have changed.

Numerous new parties entered the race hoping to capitalize on public dissatisfaction with the established leadership. Yet none of the smaller insurgent parties appears to have crossed the electoral threshold.

Even Eisenkot’s Yashar, technically a new party and one of the election’s largest lists, represents more of a political rebranding than a genuine breakthrough.

Eisenkot was previously the No. 2 figure in Benny Gantz’s Blue and White political alliance. He has effectively emerged at the head of a successor political formation, drawing on an established electoral constituency rather than creating an entirely new one.

Bennett and Lapid likewise joined forces under a new electoral banner, but both are familiar figures with longstanding political constituencies.

Meanwhile, Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism, Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit remain the core of Netanyahu’s bloc.

Many of the lists entering the next Knesset bear a striking resemblance to those represented in the outgoing parliament.

The election has produced new party names and rearranged leadership positions, but little fundamental political realignment.

Back to political paralysis

Between April 2019 and November 2022, Israel held five national elections in less than four years, repeatedly failing to produce a durable governing majority.

That deadlock ended when Netanyahu assembled a 64-seat coalition following the November 2022 election.

Now, after the Oct. 7 massacre and a prolonged multifront war, Israel appears to be headed toward the same predicament.

For a government to emerge, either Bennett, Eisenkot or Liberman will have to reconsider joining Netanyahu, or the opposition will need an arrangement involving Arab parties.

Otherwise, Israel may face yet another election.

Trump, Iran and the 2020 precedent

One powerful factor in Netanyahu’s favor is the strong endorsement he has received from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump has made clear his preference for Netanyahu to remain prime minister during his remaining two years in office, with the confrontation against Iran at the top of their shared agenda.

“Vote for Bibi Netanyahu for Prime Minister; we have to finish the job that we started!” Trump declared on the eve of the election.

He doubled down following the election, crediting his endorsement with helping Netanyahu’s stronger-than-expected showing.

“When President Trump endorsed Bibi Netanyahu, the whole tide turned,” Trump posted on Truth Social, quoting a statement attributed to Irving C. Schwartz. The post said that instead of a “decisive defeat,” the result appeared to be a “big come-from-behind stalemate, or even a WIN for Netanyahu.”

“It all took place AFTER the Endorsement by President Trump,” the post added.

Netanyahu reinforced that message in his overnight election speech.

“Israel is facing a historic, one-time opportunity along with our friend President Trump,” he said, “to remove the Iranian threat once and for all.”

A prolonged coalition deadlock followed by another election could consume six critical months of Trump’s remaining presidency.

There is a precedent for national circumstances overcoming Israel’s political paralysis.

Following Israel’s third consecutive election in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic presented an unprecedented national emergency. Benny Gantz, Netanyahu’s principal challenger, recognized the broader implications of the crisis and agreed to establish a unity government with a rotating premiership.

Gantz, notably, has failed to return to the Knesset in the current election.

The unresolved confrontation with Iran now presents another potential catalyst for political compromise.

The opposition’s preferred outcome was to remove Netanyahu. But the emerging parliamentary arithmetic has not provided a clear path to doing so.

The question facing Israel’s political leaders is whether the opportunity to confront the Islamic Republic alongside a willing American president can overcome the divisions that have repeatedly paralyzed the country.

Trump has an interest in avoiding further delays. President Isaac Herzog, whose constitutional role includes consultations over government formation, would also have reason to seek a resolution without another election.

The precedent of 2020 demonstrates that bitter political rivals can find a formula for governing together when national circumstances demand it.

Israel’s indispensable man?

The paradox of Israel’s 2026 election is that the country has changed dramatically, while its electoral politics have changed remarkably little.

Israel’s security environment has been transformed. Its military has fought across multiple fronts. Its citizens have endured enormous sacrifices.

Yet voters have returned to essentially the same political divisions that existed before the war.

Netanyahu has not secured a governing majority. But neither has the opposition succeeded in removing him.

With Trump committed to confronting Iran and less than two years remaining in his presidency, the stakes of another election extend well beyond domestic politics.

Israel’s political leaders must now decide whether to seek a governing arrangement capable of addressing those challenges or return the country to another prolonged election campaign.

For all the efforts to end Netanyahu’s political career, he remains at the center of Israel’s coalition arithmetic—and its relationship with Washington.

Israel has changed. Its politics, remarkably, have not.

© JNS

The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index—the Federal Reserve's (Fed) preferred measure of inflation—posted a year-over-year increase of 3.6% in September.

Consumer prices rose by 0.5% in September compared with August, when the monthly increase had been 0.3%. The year-over-year indicator also reflects persistent inflationary pressures in the U.S. economy.

Excluding food and energy, whose prices tend to fluctuate more, core inflation stood at 3.1% year-over-year. On a monthly basis, this indicator rose 0.3% compared with August.

Analysts expected the economy to grow, but at a slower pace (3.1%). In the second quarter, growth had been 2.2%.

In a press release, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), an agency within the Department of Commerce, reported the reasons that led the country's economy to post such growth during the period from July through September.

"Real gross domestic product (GDP) grew at a year-over-year rate of 3.4% in the third quarter of 2026 (July, August and September), according to the preliminary estimate released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)," the agency said.

"The factors that contributed to the increase in real GDP in the third quarter were increases in investment, consumer spending and government spending, which were partially offset by a decline in exports. Imports, which are subtracted from the GDP calculation, increased," the BEA added.

Interest rates remain unchanged

This assessment comes hours after the Federal Reserve (Fed) announced that it will not change interest rates. Its chairman, Kevin Warsh, appeared to confirm that rates will remain within the same range, even though some members of the central bank, such as Gov. Lisa Cook, were calling for a quarter-point increase.

Economy

Federal Reserve does not change interest rates ahead of midterms

Alejandro Baños

"The Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate between 3.75% and 4%, in support of the Federal Reserve's dual mandate. The Committee is continuing its policy of maintaining ample reserves in the banking system," Warsh said at a press conference, where he announced that the Fed will reduce the number of rate-setting meetings in 2027.

GDP growth is a boost for the president Donald Trump ahead of the midterm elections, which will be held next week. The economy is one of the central issues of the election campaign.

He suffered from dementia and Alzheimer's.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart yesterday at his home in Los Angeles, under the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny, following a brief and heartbreaking battle with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia," the statement reads.

After a film career spanning more than half a century, Stewart reached the pinnacle of his career by playing the leader of Marvel's iconic superhero team, the X-Men—telepath Charles Xavier (Professor X), in several installments of the X-Men.

He also appeared in several installments of another famous film franchise, Star Trek, and in films such as Dune, Lady Jane and Charlie's Angels, among others.

He died at his home in Los Angeles, California, surrounded by his loved ones.

According to a report by Antena 3 earlier, sources at the Railway Infrastructure Administrator (Adif) expressed concern that the death toll could rise. However, authorities have not yet released an official tally of the dead and injured.

The accident occurred at approximately 8:54 a.m. local time near the town of Urda, in the province of Toledo, which is part of the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha, according to information from the regional emergency services reported by the EFE news agency.

Two railcars fell down an embankment

The collision involved an AVE high-speed train, operated by the state-owned company Renfe, and another train operated by the private company Iryo, both of which were traveling on the rail line between Madrid and Seville.

According to Adif, the public agency responsible for the Spanish railway infrastructure, the accident occurred at kilometer 118 of the line, near Urda.

Initial investigations point to a rear-end collision, that is, one train crashed into another from behind. According to a report by Cadena SER, one of the trains reportedly struck another that was stopped on the tracks, although the exact circumstances have yet to be determined.

Sources from the 112 emergency service, as cited by EFE, confirmed that the two train cars derailed.

Large-scale rescue operation and care for the injured

After receiving word of the accident, regional authorities deployed three medical helicopters, two intensive care units, firefighters and civil protection teams to assist the victims.

The mayor of Urda, Manuel Galán, confirmed to Spanish public television that there were injured people and explained that emergency services requested that a municipal facility be made available to treat those affected, according to AS.

The Government of Castilla-La Mancha activated its regional emergency plan to coordinate the rescue, medical and security resources deployed in the area.

Trains between Madrid and southern Spain have been suspended

The collision led to the suspension of high-speed rail service between Madrid and Andalusia, a region in southern Spain that includes cities such as Seville, Córdoba and Málaga.

Renfe announced that affected passengers will be able to change or cancel their tickets at no additional cost as long as service remains suspended.

Adif confirmed the suspension of rail service and explained that the incident is affecting one of the country's main high-speed rail lines.

At this time, authorities have not specified when traffic will resume, nor have they determined the causes of the accident.

World

Shocking collision between two high-speed trains in Spain: At least 39 dead and dozens injured

Joaquín Núñez

Bolsonaro, 45, landed at Opa-locka Executive Airport, near Miami, accompanied by his wife and two daughters, following a trip to Argentina and Ecuador that caused confusion about his whereabouts and sparked a new diplomatic crisis in the region.

The arrival was confirmed by a journalist from the AFP news agency. Meanwhile, The Associated Press reported that the senator had left Brazil despite an order from the Federal Supreme Court requiring him to surrender his passports as part of investigations into alleged corruption, money laundering and tax evasion.

Bolsonaro's journey: From Brazil to Miami

According to the National Immigration Directorate of Argentina, the senator crossed the border on Tuesday at 10:50 p.m. via the Tancredo Neves International Bridge, which connects Brazil with the Argentine province of Misiones.

Authorities confirmed that Bolsonaro and his family entered the country with valid documentation and that there were no legal impediments on Argentine soil.

Shortly thereafter, they boarded a private flight operated by Baires Fly from Puerto Iguazú to Guayaquil, Ecuador. The aircraft made a stopover before continuing on to Florida.

The route was confirmed by Reuters, which also noted that the senator had publicly denied any intention of leaving Brazil.

Trump authorizes his entry while Lula questions his departure

The Donald Trump administration confirmed that it would grant entry visas to Bolsonaro and his family.

Trump, a political ally of the Bolsonaros, questioned the Brazilian election results and described the election as strange.

Lula criticized his rival's departure and argued that he should have stayed in Brazil to defend himself against the legal charges.

The incident is also straining relations between Brazil and Argentina, whose president, Javier Milei, publicly endorsed Bolsonaro's candidacy and even participated in his campaign.

World

Brazil's Supreme Court orders investigation into Bolsonaro over possible foreign funding

Alejandro Baños

An electoral defeat and several judicial investigations

Bolsonaro lost the presidential runoff on Oct. 25 by a margin of approximately 4.4 million votes. However, he questioned the result and announced his intention to challenge the election.

Brazilian authorities are investigating him in two cases related to alleged financial irregularities. According to the AP, one of them involves suspicions of money laundering through a sports betting company and fraudulent deductions from the pensions of the elderly.

The senator denies having committed any wrongdoing and has claimed the investigations are a form of political intimidation.

In the statement, he also denounced fraud and promised to lead the opposition against President Lula da Silva from the United States.

Last Sunday, Bolsonaro was defeated in the runoff of the Brazilian presidential election. He received 48% of the vote, compared to Lula's 51%, who won a fourth term and became the first candidate to finish second in the first round and still win the runoff. Bolsonaro refused to accept the results that same Sunday, questioning the intervention of the Supreme Federal Court (STF) in what he described as "a change in the rules of the game in the middle of the match."

The son of the former president Jair Bolsonaro left Brazil on Tuesday night, hours after the STF ordered his passport to be confiscated as part of a judicial investigation. He traveled to Argentina, where he then boarded a flight to Guayaquil, Ecuador. There, along with his family, he finally boarded a flight to the United States.

World

Brazil: Controversial Judge Alexandre de Moraes orders Flávio Bolsonaro's passports to be confiscated just seven minutes after Lula da Silva's contentious victory

Carlos Dominguez

World

Flávio Bolsonaro arrives in Florida after leaving Brazil, sparking new diplomatic controversy

Diane Hernández

"This is just the beginning of our fight for democracy"

In the statement, Bolsonaro wrote that he was addressing the Brazilian people and the international community as "the leader of Brazil." Regarding the elections, he stated that he watched "with dismay as electoral fraud unfolded before my eyes."

"The illegitimate and illegal actions of Lula's former lawyer allowed a mathematical impossibility to become a reality and enabled Lula to gain more than 10 million votes between the first and second rounds," the former candidate continued.

He also personally thanked the President of the United States, Donald Trump, and the President of Argentina, Javier Milei.

"I want to say—not just to my 60 million voters, but to the Brazilian people—that I am the leader (he previously wrote "president-elect") and that the criminals who stole the election in Brazil are part of a criminal organization that established a tyranny," he added.

For his part, Flávio Bolsonaro questioned the election results and the judiciary, alluding to the prison sentence his father is serving: "It was not my intention to abandon my homeland, but I know exactly where this is headed. This is the classic playbook for any coup d'état. The political persecution that began with my father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, and has spread to thousands of other ordinary, patriotic Brazilians—and even U.S. citizens—has a single objective: to silence anyone who disagrees with the state of emergency established in Brazil, through a Supreme Court co-opted by the PT criminal organization."

In addition, she was compared to other world leaders who had to exercise leadership from abroad, including Charles de Gaulle, Maria Corina Machado and José Martí.

"I will lead the opposition from here. I will say what you there cannot say, and I will take the risks that you cannot take," he declared.

What did Trump say?

Shortly after Flávio Bolsonaro released the statement, President Trump was asked about the initial report—whether he agreed that he was Brazil's "president-elect."

The president refused to endorse that account and responded as follows: "I'm not going to make any comment about that. I'm not getting involved in that. It was some very strange elections, that's clear."

The next day, federal agents approached the senator on the street and demanded that he surrender his regular and diplomatic passports within 24 hours. The order also prohibited him from leaving the country and from contacting attorney Willer Tomaz.

World

Flávio Bolsonaro arrives in Florida after leaving Brazil, sparking new diplomatic controversy

Diane Hernández

Moraes' order and the seven-minute time limit

Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro and a candidate who faced Lula in the runoff election, had not been convicted or formally charged at the time the order was issued. The ongoing investigations focus on possible links to Tomaz—who is under investigation for alleged large-scale transactions on betting platforms—and on the financing of a documentary about his father.

A few days later, Flávio was in Miami. As noted by the journalist Michael Shellenberger in Public, it is not only Flávio Bolsonaro who has fled Brazil to escape what he describes as persecution by Alexandre de Moraes and the pro-Lula wing of the Supreme Court. Glenn Greenwald stated on X that "there are dozens of Brazilian exiles who have done the same: dissident journalists, activists, bloggers, and politicians who fled to avoid a certain prison sentence for their political opposition."

The sequence of events is hard to ignore. Moraes took on Tomaz's case through the Supreme Court's random assignment system of the Supreme Court. The police request was signed at 9:16 p.m. on Sunday, immediately after the result was announced.

Members of the Federal Government and the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court deplored Moraes' decision to withhold Flávio Bolsonaro's passports, according to reports from BandNews FM columnist Mônica Bergamo.

World

Donald Trump approves Flávio Bolsonaro's Entry into the US: Bolsonaro claims judicial persecution in Brazil following Lula's victory

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Ongoing investigations and no conviction

For Shellenberger, the case against Flávio is "a blatant witch hunt riddled with irregularities." According to the journalist, it is not based on any evidence of his guilt, much less on an indictment or conviction.

According to the Federal Police (PF), there are emails and bank records linking Flávio Bolsonaro to attorney Willer Tomaz. In the documentation for opening a Santander account in the name of Alcazar Holdings—a company owned by Tomaz and based in Madeira (Portugal)— the senator was listed as the "master user." That status, in principle, gave him a high level of access and control over the account. On May 22, 2025, one of Tomaz's secretaries asked the bank to remove his name, and Santander did so the same day.

These elements are part of the investigation into alleged money laundering linked to online gambling and have been reported by media outlets such as G1 and Folha. However, they do not constitute a conviction or a formal charge, but rather the basis on which the investigation is proceeding.

World

Brazil's Supreme Court orders investigation into Bolsonaro over possible foreign funding

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Moraes' background and the Vorcaro case

Moraes is no stranger to controversy. Since 2019, he has been leading the "fake news investigation" launched by the Federal Supreme Court to investigate the spread of false news and attacks on institutions. In this context, he has ordered the removal of social media accounts and content that, according to his rulings, incited violence or threatened the democratic order. In 2024, he blocked X for several weeks after the platform, under Elon Musk, refused to comply with orders to remove profiles and appoint a legal representative in Brazil, and threatened fines against those who used VPNs to circumvent the block.

According to Michael Shellenberger, courts in Italy and Spain have rejected extradition requests related to warrants issued by Alexandre de Moraes, citing a lack of impartiality or political motivation. An Italian court refused to extradite a former advisor to the minister because Moraes was both the "aggrieved party" and the person leading the investigation; Spain's Audiencia Nacional rejected another extradition request on the grounds that it had an "obvious political connection and motivation."

Moraes has professional ties to Daniel Vorcaro, the banker whose Banco Master left a hole of 51.8 billion reais (about 9,700 million dollars) in the deposit insurance fund. Moraes's wife's law firm signed a legal services contract with Banco Master for 131 million reais (about $23 million). The minister himself acknowledged that the contract "legally exists." Investigators found edits to the metadata of documents under the username "Minister Alexandre de Moraes." Moraes and Vorcaro met at least nine times between March 2024 and August 2025.

World

Brazil: Last-minute extension granted by Zanin, Lula's former lawyer, reignites doubts about transparency of electoral process

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The contrast with Lula's treatment

The contrast with the treatment Lula received is striking. In 2017, a judge sentenced him to nine years and six months in prison in connection with the Guarujá triplex case, in which he was accused of accepting renovations valued at approximately 3.7 million reais (1.2 million dollars). Two years later, another judge sentenced him to twelve years and eleven months in a separate case related to improvements made to a rural property. Lula was released from prison in November 2019, after 580 days in detention. In 2021, the Supreme Court overturned the convictions on grounds of territorial jurisdiction, and subsequently, the court's Second Panel ruled, by a 3-to-2 vote, that Judge Sergio Moro had been biased. No court found the evidence to be false.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court and the government maintain that the investigations against Flávio Bolsonaro are legitimate. Lula called the senator's departure "shameful" and stated that "that's just how the Bolsonaro family is—they're kissing up to the United States."

World

Brazil: Markets react pessimistically to Lula da Silva's victory

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Growing distrust and social media regulation

The order regarding passports comes amid growing distrust toward the Supreme Court. According to figures cited by Shellenberger, AtlasIntel found that 61% do not trust the judges of the Court. In an Indexa poll, 45% of Brazilians said that Moraes makes decisions primarily based on political criteria and only 16% based on legal criteria. Datafolha reported in September a 48% distrust toward the Supreme Court—the highest since the series began in 2012—and 34% want Moraes removed from the court. 59% considered it was wrong to prohibit Flavio from visiting his imprisoned father.

The Senate has received 55 impeachment requests against Moraes, although its president, Davi Alcolumbre, has said that he will not process them "even with 81 signatures." Lula, for his part, announced in his victory speech that "communication will change" and that he will regulate digital platforms, in line with Moraes' approach of treating crimes on social media as crimes in the real world.

Shellenberger concludes that by forcing Bolsonaro into exile through an order issued seven minutes after the election results were announced, Lula and Moraes are turning Brazil into a "banana republic." The verifiable facts, the timing of the measure, the absence of a prior conviction, and the history of censorship and the ongoing investigations all support this critical interpretation.

Whether it is a case of systematic political persecution or the strict application of the law remains a matter of debate. What is difficult to dispute is that the sequence of events has further eroded confidence in the independence of the Brazilian judiciary and has opened a new chapter of political exile in a country that presents itself as a democracy.

World

Trump questions Lula's victory in Brazil, compares it to 2020 election

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Torres' reassignment was recorded in the court records as part of the standard procedure for cases involving judges who leave office due to retirement or death. Hellerstein, who presided over litigation related to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, died of natural causes after nearly three decades on the bench.

Who is Analisa Torres?

Torres, born in New York in 1959, was appointed to the federal bench in 2013 by then-Democratic President Barack Obama.

According to her resume, she comes from a family of judges of Puerto Rican descent, graduated with honors from Harvard and earned her J.D. from Columbia Law School. Before joining the federal court, she worked at private law firms and spent nearly a decade as a judge on the New York State Supreme Court, having previously served in the city's civil and criminal courts.

During her tenure in the Southern District, she presided over high-profile cases. In 2023, she issued a landmark ruling in the Securities and Exchange Commission's lawsuit against Ripple Labs, finding that certain sales of the cryptocurrency XRP did not constitute securities offerings. More recently, in October 2025, she dismissed a $1 billion lawsuit filed by the families of victims of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on the U.N. for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), ruling that the agency enjoys immunity in U.S. courts. That decision contrasted with a letter sent in April by the Department of Justice, which argued that UNRWA was not immune in that litigation, and drew criticism from conservative circles for, in their view, favoring an agency that colludes with Islamic terrorism.

World

Maduro and his wife plead not guilty to torturing US citizens

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This precedent is noteworthy because immunity will, in fact, be one of the central issues in the case she is now taking over. Although these are radically different legal concepts, the defense team for Maduro and his wife, Flores, requested that the charges be dismissed on the grounds that the former dictator enjoys sovereign immunity as head of state — a position the DOJ disputes.

Maduro has been labeled an "illegitimate" leader by both Republican and Democratic administrations due to the electoral fraud he committed during his time in office, most recently in 2024, when the opposition, led by María Corina Machado, was able to demonstrate — through scanned election records reviewed by independent organizations — that she had defeated the former dictator by a wide margin.

Torres, meanwhile, receives the case file with a schedule already set. At the last hearing held this month Hellerstein scheduled the trial to begin on June 14, 2027 — two weeks later than originally planned — at the request of the prosecution. It was also established that the next deadline for filing motions would be Nov. 9, that arguments on the motions in the drug trafficking case would be heard on Dec. 17, and that the hearing on sovereign immunity would take place on Jan. 5.

The final pretrial conference was set for June 8. Maduro also waived the time limits set forth in the Speedy Trial Act until the start of the proceedings. It remains unclear whether the new judge will uphold those dates or delay each of the pending matters.

Politics

Too old? What would happen if Alvin K. Hellerstein, the 92-year-old judge leading the trial against Nicolás Maduro, is unable to continue to lead the proceedings

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At that same hearing, Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty to the new charges of conspiracy to torture U.S. citizens and political opponents. "These are false accusations against me," stated Maduro, who unsuccessfully attempted to make a political statement before Judge Hellerstein. Flores, for her part, claimed to be "completely innocent." People who attended the hearing described them as visibly thinner, and Flores as looking much more dejected than at previous hearings.

Hellerstein, appointed by Bill Clinton in 1998, had been in charge of the case since March 2020, when the U.S. justice system filed the original indictment for narco-terrorism, and remained in charge after Maduro's arrest and transfer to New York in January of this year. In one of his most recent rulings in the Venezuelan case, he denied Flores' request for release pending trial. "Prison is not a pleasant place," he said at the time. "But these are serious charges."

According to regional authorities cited by AFP, the projectile struck an area where a commuter train and a passenger train were located. The governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, Oleksandr Ganzha, confirmed that the death toll had risen to 14 dead and another 14 injured, six of whom are in serious condition. Among the injured are an 11-year-old boy and a man who had to have both legs amputated due to multiple shrapnel wounds.

Images released by Ukrainian emergency services show bodies on the platform, rescue teams assisting victims and two burned-out passenger cars with shattered windows. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that it intercepted three jet-powered drones during the daytime attack, but a fourth managed to evade defenses and reach the station.

World

Zelensky fears that a summit between the US, Russia and China could redraw the world map without taking Ukraine into account

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Local ceasefire in Oleshky remains in effect

The attack occurred as Kiev and Moscow are trying to maintain a local ceasefire in the city of Oleshky, which has been under Russian control since 2022. Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets announced that he had set out with a delegation for Oleshky via Belarus and Russia. Both sides confirmed that the ceasefire was holding on its third day. However, Russian attacks continued in the rest of the country.

French President Emmanuel Macron reacted strongly and emphasized that "much more than a localized ceasefire" like the one in Oleshky is needed. "It is intolerable that Russia continues to reject all proposals to this end, choosing instead to pursue escalation and target civilians," he wrote on social media.

World

Musk accuses Ukraine of violating Starlink's terms of service

Israel Duro

Zelensky criticizes easing of sanctions on Russia

Zelensky used the attack as an opportunity to criticize the agreement reached this month between President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, which eased some sanctions against Russia and allowed Moscow to sell diesel on international markets. "Just how many terrorist strikes has Russia carried out against our people since sanctions were lifted on certain Russian oligarchs and the Russian energy sector, rather than de-escalating?" asked the Ukrainian leader on X.

In addition to the attack in Dnipro, AFP reported that at least six other people were killed in various parts of Ukraine. In Chernihiv, north of Kiev, a bombing killed two 15-year-old teenagers and injured nearly two dozen people, including four children. In Kremenchuk, a drone struck a multi-story residential building, killing three people and injuring several others, including a 6-year-old child.

World

Melania Trump announces she secured ceasefire in Ukrainian city

AFP

According to Axios, Vance's letter explicitly stated that any negotiations aimed at preventing further U.S. military strikes would require discussions about Iran's nuclear program.

Trump, however, distanced himself from the statement a few hours later. Before a campaign event in Ohio, he stated that he had not pushed for the resumption of peace talks and that the contact was intended solely to facilitate medical supplies and humanitarian aid to the civilian population. "JD Vance asked me what I thought, and I told him, 'If you want to do it, that's fine with me,'" he said. Rezaei was expected to respond formally on Thursday.

Politics

Trump says Iran faces serious challenges in manufacturing drones due to lack of electricity

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Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz: Three oil tankers and a drone

At the same time, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Thursday that three oil tankers had exploded and caught fire in the last 24 hours after colliding with naval mines while attempting to cross via the southern route, which Tehran considers unauthorized. According to the statement reported by AFP, the ships had turned off their radar and navigation systems and ignored warnings from the Iranian Navy.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has reiterated in recent weeks that the main transit routes have been cleared of landmines. The Revolutionary Guard spokesman, Hossein Mohebi, publicly challenged that claim on X: "Back up your claim that the Strait of Hormuz has been cleared of mines with independent evidence, not just statements." The British maritime agency UKMTO also reported a sighting of a burning vessel in the strait, though it did not specify the cause or whether there were any casualties.

In a separate statement, the Guardians claimed to have captured a U.S. reconnaissance drone of the MQM-170 type through an electronic warfare operation in the western part of the Strait of Hormuz. No images or independent confirmation of the incident have been released.

World

The head of intelligence warns that Iran has stepped up its efforts to target Americans in the Middle East

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In another post on X, the ambassador reiterated the White House's position and reaffirmed his commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear arsenal. "The world needs to hear this loud and clear: The United States and our partners will NEVER allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. Period. End of story," he added. His remarks come amid growing concern over the Iranian regime's refusal to allow international inspectors access to its nuclear facilities.

World

JD Vance opens a direct line of communication with Iran as the Strait of Hormuz burns: Three oil tankers ablaze and a US drone captured

Carlos Dominguez

Waltz's remarks came two days after he was involved in a shouting match with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla. The viral exchange took place during the General Assembly's annual debate on the U.S. embargo against Cuba. The incident began while Waltz, speaking at the podium, denounced the Cuban communist regime as corrupt. The ambassador to the UN accused the Cuban government of seizing citizens' property, businesses, and savings to benefit its leaders. He even showed photographs of the late dictator Fidel Castro wearing two watches, whose combined value he estimated at about $40,000 in today's currency.

In the middle of his speech, members of the Cuban delegation banged on the table and interrupted him. Rodríguez Parrilla then approached the podium and accused him of lying. At that moment, Waltz did not remain silent and said the following before the eyes of those present: "This individual needs to back away from this podium. He's not going to intimidate me in the United States of America. I'm the representative of the United States of America. Back up! Back up, Ambassador. Back away! This isn't Havana," he added.

Although the General Assembly approved the document once again, the result was 130 votes in favor, 17 against and 25 abstentions, compared to 165 in favor, seven against and 12 abstentions the previous year, according to Diario de Cuba and The Associated Press.

The result represents a significant decline in international support for Havana's position.

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Which countries changed their stance?

Among the 17 countries that voted against the resolution were the United States, Israel, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Paraguay, Hungary and Ukraine, among others.

Also noteworthy were the abstentions by Chile and Peru, as well as those of several European countries, including Germany, Italy, Greece, Poland and the Netherlands, according to the tally published by Diario de Cuba.

The vote took place after an intense diplomatic campaign by the Trump administration to reduce support for the Cuban resolution. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez had previously accused Washington of pressuring and threatening other governments to change their votes, according to Reuters.

United States orders expulsion of Cuban diplomat following altercation

The setback for Havana came just a few hours after Washington announced the expulsion of Richard Tur de la Concepción, first secretary of the Cuban mission to the United Nations, who was accused of attempting to assault a member of the U.S. delegation.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz announced during an interview on the show "Hannity" that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had signed the documents ordering his expulsion from the country.

Waltz assured that the diplomat would be on a plane bound for Havana within the next 24 hours and warned that the Trump administration would not tolerate attacks against its representatives.

According to ADN Cuba, the incident occurred when Tur tried to snatch the phone from J. P. Freire, Waltz's spokesperson, who was recording the protests by the Cuban delegation during Tuesday's session. The confrontation was captured on video and shared on social media.

The altercation occurred while Waltz was speaking from the podium, questioning the privileges of the Cuban ruling elite and the island's political and economic situation. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez responded by interrupting him and accused the U.S. representative of lying, in a confrontation that forced the president of the General Assembly to intervene, according to The Associated Press.

Politics

'Back off. This isn't Havana': Mike Waltz confronts Cuba's foreign minister at UN after attempt to silence him

Joaquín Núñez

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According to a report by the Salvadoran Foreign Ministry, President Nayib Bukele spoke on Wednesday with Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé about the operation and the continuation of El Salvador's military mission in the Caribbean nation.

"El Salvador will continue the operational deployment of more than 2,000 soldiers to rescue the four Salvadoran soldiers, in a large-scale operation supported by several countries and international organizations," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

Ambush and Bukele's warning

The four missing persons are military aviation technicians who were members of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), an international mission authorized by the United Nations to support the Haitian police in their fight against criminal organizations.

The attack took place on Oct. 18, when armed men intercepted their armored vehicle as they were returning to a base on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. According to Reuters, the attackers used gunfire and explosives, causing the vehicle to catch fire.

The soldiers managed to escape, but their whereabouts have been unknown ever since.

Last week, Bukele warned the Haitian gangs that he would step up operations against them if they did not release the Salvadorans. The president even threatened to crack down on these groups as he has done in El Salvador, where his security strategy has drastically reduced gang violence.

World

Bukele launches military operation in Haiti to rescue 4 Salvadorans kidnapped by gangs: ‘Today’s attack is nothing compared to what is coming’

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Haiti faces serious security crisis

The new personnel will bolster search operations in Plaine du Cul-de-Sac, an area near Port-au-Prince where powerful criminal organizations operate.

According to The Washington Post, gangs control approximately 90% of the Haitian capital, while the violence has displaced about 1.5 million people.

The Salvadoran deployment also coincides with a further postponement of the elections in Haiti, whose first round has been rescheduled for July 2027 due to ongoing insecurity.

As of Thursday, Salvadoran authorities had not confirmed the rescue of the four soldiers.

President Daniel Noboa confirmed the extradition via his X account. "Daniel Salcedo, Ronald Herrera, and alias Churrón were extradited. With them, there are now nine who have been sent to face international justice," wrote the president, who has made judicial cooperation with Washington into one of the cornerstones of his security policy.

World

Ecuador: Former left-wing presidential candidate Luisa González arrested for alleged irregular campaign financing

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The Villavicencio case and those extradited

Fernando Villavicencio was shot and killed on August 9, 2023 as he was leaving a rally in Quito, eleven days before the first round of the election. The Ecuadorian has already secured convictions for the perpetrators of the crime, including members of Los Lobos, with sentences of up to 34 years and eight months in prison. However, the case against the alleged masterminds remains open.

Daniel Salcedo, who has received several convictions in Ecuador for corruption and organized crime, is being prosecuted as the alleged mastermind in the FV assassination. The United States has requested his extradition to the Southern District of New York Court on charges of conspiracy to import narcotics, possession of machine guns, and money laundering. Ronald Herrera, a former police officer and protected witness for the Prosecutor's Office in the Ecuadorian investigation, faces similar charges of drug trafficking and weapons offenses in the same judicial district. Both have agreed to the simplified extradition procedure.

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Alias "Churrón" and Los Choneros

The third person extradited, Francisco Manuel Bermúdez, alias Churron, was captured on July 3, 2026, in Guayaquil. Authorities identify him as one of the leaders of Los Choneros, a criminal organization involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and contract killings, and close to its top leader, José Adolfo Macías, alias Fito, who has already been extradited to the United States.

Bermúdez is being sought by the Eastern District of New York on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, international distribution of the drug, and the use of firearms to facilitate the trafficking. In 2025, the U.S. offered a reward of up to five million dollars for information leading to his capture.

World

Trump administration revokes visas for 17 officials, businessmen rrom Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru over ties to corruption, drug trafficking

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According to the latest short-term forecast from the Weather Prediction Center (WPC), the main concerns are concentrated in the south and southwest, where a combination of tropical moisture and low-pressure systems will lead to heavy rainfall.

At the same time, a cold front will move from the Mississippi Valley toward parts of the Northeast, while the Northwest will continue to see snow in the higher elevations of the Cascade Range and the Rocky Mountains.

Texas and New Mexico under threat of flash floods

The highest risk of heavy rain this Thursday is concentrated in parts of western and central Texas, where the WPC has assigned a level 2 out of 4—classified as "light risk"—on its flash flood threat scale.

The agency explained that the arrival of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, combined with the atmospheric energy associated with the remnants of the Tropical Cyclone Vance, will promote the formation of storms and episodes of heavy rain.

New Mexico could also experience significant rainfall, especially in areas near western Texas.

Weather authorities warn that rainfall could accumulate rapidly in certain areas, increasing the risk of flooding on roads, in urban areas, and in vulnerable areas.

The risk forecast covers the period from Thursday morning, October 29, through Friday morning, October 30, according to Eastern Time.

Society

The polar vortex is forming over the Arctic: Models point to a possible weakening midway through winter, against the backdrop of a very strong El Niño

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A cold front will bring rain and thunderstorms to the Northeast

Another notable phenomenon is the advance of a cold front that will bring rain and thunderstorms from the Mississippi Valley toward parts of the Northeast.

The system will continue to move eastward, causing changing conditions in the regions it passes through.

Despite the passage of this weather front, much of the eastern United States will continue to experience unusually warm temperatures for late October, according to NWS forecasts.

The official forecast identifies rain and thunderstorms as the main effects of this system, although their intensity and distribution will vary by region.

Snowfall in the Northwest Mountains

In the northwest of the country, conditions will be different. Meteorologists are forecasting more snowfall in the higher elevations of the Cascade Mountains, mainly in Washington and Oregon, as well as in parts of the northern Rocky Mountains.

Snowfall will continue at high elevations and could cause travel difficulties on some mountain passes.

According to the WPC, the snow line will generally be above 4,000 feet (about 1,220 meters), although it could drop in some areas. The agency anticipates additional snowfall in high-elevation areas of Washington and Montana.

Meanwhile, in lower-elevation areas, precipitation will mainly take the form of rain.

Arizona braces for heavy rain this weekend

The forecast also calls for worsening weather conditions in Arizona beginning Friday, October 30, when storm activity is expected to increase in central and southern parts of the state.

The Weather Forecasting Center issued a for those regions due to the arrival of abundant moisture from the Pacific.

The threat could continue through Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1, with the possibility of flash floods and dangerous runoff, particularly in mountainous areas and normally dry terrain.

Meteorologists note that the system could be particularly significant due to the amount of moisture available for this time of year.

Hawaii is facing heavy rain and possible flooding

In Hawaii, the forecast also calls for heavy rain and thunderstorms on Thursday.

According to the WPC, a significant concentration of tropical moisture is contributing to rain events that could reach between one and two inches per hour locally, equivalent to about 25 to 51 millimeters.

The islands of Oahu and Maui are among the areas most likely to experience heavy rainfall, while the heaviest rains between Thursday night and Friday could be concentrated in parts of Maui and the Big Island.

The agency is monitoring the possibility of locally significant flash floods, although it forecasts a gradual decrease in rainfall over the next few days.

Society

Breather for the Atlantic: Forecasters predict calmest hurricane season in 13 years

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Hurricane Season: No active cyclones in the Atlantic

On the other hand, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported early Thursday morning that there were no active tropical cyclones in the Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea, or the Gulf of Mexico.

In addition, the agency did not anticipate the formation of new tropical cyclones in that basin over the next seven days.

In the eastern Pacific, the NHC continued to monitor Tropical Depression Vance, located off the western coast of Mexico. In the Wednesday night advisory, the system had maximum sustained winds of approximately 35 miles per hour (55 km/h) and was expected to lose its tropical characteristics within the next 24 hours.

Although Vance was weakening, the moisture associated with the system could contribute to the expected rainfall in Texas and New Mexico.

Specifically, Trump promised to give one million dollars to anyone who cooperates and provides accurate and useful information.

"Anybody reporting Voter Fraud in the past Elections, or the upcoming 2026 Midterm Election, will be paid $1,000,000 upon the arrest and conviction of those that created the Fraud!" wrote the president on Truth Social.

This eccentric initiative comes one week before the midterm elections.

In recent weeks, both the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have reported thousands of cases of election fraud involving individuals who are not U.S. citizens and who have allegedly cast votes. Hundreds of people who committed this crime have already been arrested.

According to a report by Fox News Digital, the Senate Majority PAC, linked to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, has set aside $1.2 million in advertising time to support District Attorney Scott Colom against Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith.

The campaign includes visits by national figures from the left such as former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, in an effort to energize the base in the state. However, Republican strategists have characterized the move as a desperate and unrealistic attempt to redraw the political map in the Deep South.

Jake Monssen, Hyde-Smith's campaign manager, questioned the Democratic leadership's involvement in the race. "This is simply a last-minute attempt by Washington insiders to breathe life into Scott Colom's failing campaign," Monssen told Fox News Digital.

"Scott is funded by the radical left because he aligns with their agenda. He supports tax increases, open borders, taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants, and sex-change surgeries for minors."

They're countering the onslaught with a grassroots presence and presidential backing

Faced with the influx of progressive funding, the Republican Party apparatus responded firmly. The Senate Leadership Fund, aligned with Majority Leader John Thune, set aside a seven-figure sum for advertising to counter Colom's message.

Likewise, former President Donald Trump led a well-attended rally in the city of Corinth to urge a vote for Hyde-Smith and consolidate conservative voter turnout.

"In this election, if you'd be so kind, I ask that you pretend I'm on the ballot," Trump said during the campaign event, appealing to the historic Republican mobilization that his presence generates in Southern states.

For her part, National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokeswoman Bernadette Breslin highlighted the Democratic candidate's ideological ties. "Instead of sparing himself the embarrassment of being rejected twice by Hyde-Smith, Colom is running a campaign backed by Chuck Schumer, funded by George Soros and built on policies supporting transgenderism and other far-left positions," Breslin pointed out.

Politics

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"I will, if they're honest elections," Trump replied when asked if he would accept the results, while en route to Texas for a campaign event. The remark comes at a delicate moment for Republicans, as polls point to a possible loss of control of Congress, and the president has decided not to let his guard down in the face of what he considers a persistent risk of election irregularities.

On Monday, Trump announced a $1 million reward for anyone who provides information leading to convictions for election fraud, a measure his opponents have described as a form of intimidation.

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The radical Democratic wing is mobilizing its heavy hitters in Mississippi to boost Scott Colom's campaign

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Governing with the Democrats, if necessary

Despite the firm tone of his warnings, Trump hinted that, should he lose control of Congress, he would be willing to negotiate with the Democrats.

"We'll figure a way. Look, I have strong veto. I hope that that won't be the case, but if it is, that's happened before with many presidents," he said at Joint Base Andrews, near Washington. "You have strong veto, and you end up working on deals."

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A challenging scenario for Republicans

Republicans fear a Democratic "blue wave," fueled by voter discontent over inflation, exacerbated by rising oil prices following the start of the war against the Iranian regime.

To counter this trend, the president has ramped up campaign rallies across the country over the past month, with an almost daily schedule of events aimed at mobilizing his MAGA base. His third trip to Texas in just a few weeks is particularly significant, as polls show a very close Senate race in a state that has been a solidly Republican vote for more than three decades.

In this context, Trump also announced that during his visit to Texas he will receive a "gift" from Venezuela: an oil tanker carrying one million barrels of crude oil. This is the first shipment of its kind since the fall of dictator Nicolás Maduro, who was overthrown in January during a U.S. military operation. He will be accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

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Just The News

Born in New Mexico in 1930, Huerta was one of the leading figures of the U.S. farm labor movement. Together with César Chávez, she founded in 1962 the organization that would later become the United Farm Workers (UFW), where she led strikes and negotiations to improve working conditions for farmworkers, as reported by the Associated Press.

For decades, she also maintained close ties with the Democratic Party and participated in campaigns in support of immigrants' rights, feminism and abortion rights. In her later years, she was a critic of President Donald Trump.

The allegations against César Chávez

In March 2026, Huerta revealed that she had been a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of César Chávez, her longtime union partner, who died in 1993.

According to an investigation by The New York Times, the activist alleged that Chávez sexually assaulted her on two occasions during the 1960s, incidents that resulted in two pregnancies.

The revelations were part of a broader investigation into allegations of sexual abuse against the union leader, including claims from women who said they had been victims when they were minors.

Society

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To conduct the analysis, as reported by The New York Post, scientists compared infusions from 14 brands that use plastic tea bags with 14 others prepared with loose-leaf tea. Each sample was allowed to steep for three minutes at a temperature of 203 degrees Fahrenheit.

The results showed that tea brewed from plastic tea bags released between 555 and 2,498 microplastic particles per cup, while teas made with loose leaves released between 0.3 and 2.4 particles.

The researchers identified the particles in the plastic bags as polyamide fibers, a material used in their manufacture. In the samples of loose-leaf tea, they found a combination of materials that, according to the study, could have come from environmental contamination or processing.

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Chemicals that may affect the endocrine system have been detected

In addition to counting microplastics, the scientists analyzed the presence of bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, substances linked to endocrine disruption.

The study detected BPA and several phthalates in herbal teas prepared using plastic tea bags. Although the concentrations were within the safety limits used as a reference, the researchers cautioned that these thresholds might not fully reflect the potential risks.

The authors specifically highlighted exposure to BPA, whose estimated intake could reach 21.7% of European safety limits. For this reason, they emphasized the importance of assessing the potential effects on vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women and children.

BPA has been linked to disruptions in endocrine function and fetal development, as well as to problems with children's physical and behavioral development. Phthalates have also been linked to hormonal disruptions and potential health risks.

However, the study's results do not prove that drinking tea brewed with plastic tea bags directly causes illness. The researchers cautioned that adhering to safety limits does not necessarily imply the complete absence of risk.

This Wednesday, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), a body within the central bank, voted to keep interest rates unchanged, setting them between 3.75% and 4.00%.

The decision was supported by ten of the 12 members that make up the FOMC.

"The Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 3-3/4 to 4 percent, in support of the Federal Reserve's dual mandate. The Committee is continuing its policy of maintaining ample reserves in the banking system," the Fed said in a statement.

"Economic activity is expanding at a strong pace. While uncertainty remains elevated owing, in part, to geopolitical developments, domestic spending has been resilient. Productivity growth is strong, and capital investment is robust. Job gains have kept pace with the workforce, and the unemployment rate has changed little. Inflation remains elevated. The accumulation of more information will help the Committee determine the policy stance appropriate to ensure a timely return of inflation to the Committee's 2 percent goal. The Committee will deliver price stability," the central bank added.

The governor, Lisa Cook, and the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland (Ohio), Beth Hammack, were the dissenting voices. Both called for a 0.25% increase in interest rates.

Warsh: "Inflation is too high"

Following the FOMC meeting, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, appeared before the media to share his views on the economic situation.

Warsh stated that inflation remains "too high," which is why interest rates were not cut. He also reported that the central bank will reduce the number of rate-setting meetings in 2027.

During the seven-day period ending Oct. 23, commercial reserves fell by 1.9 million barrels, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The market expected inventories to remain stable from one week to the next, according to the analyst consensus published by the agency Bloomberg.

This decline can be attributed to a surge in exports (+41% compared to the previous period), which outweighed the effect of the decline in imports (around -11%).

The utilization rate of installed capacity remains particularly high (92.8%), even though October is typically a period for infrastructure maintenance.

At the same time, U.S. production reached a new all-time high of 13.99 million barrels per day—that is, nearly 350,000 more than a year earlier.

The conflict between Washington and Tehran has shaken the oil market and dealt a blow to hydrocarbon exports from the Gulf.

The report shows a decline in domestic demand (-4.81%), falling below 21 million barrels per day, weighed down in particular by the "gasoline" category.

Oil prices appeared to accelerate their rise on Wednesday following the release of the report. Around 11 a.m. E.T., the price of a barrel of North Sea Brent crude for December delivery rose 1.76% to $115.88.

Its U.S. equivalent, a West Texas Intermediate barrel for same-month delivery, rose 2.68% to $102.58.

An analysis of the numerical coding system known as Bates numbers—used by the Department of Justice to organize and assign page numbers to large volumes of court documents—revealed gaps in the page sequence. These inconsistencies confirm the removal of thousands of pages between the initial compilation phase and the final publication of the records.

Notable among the omitted material are pages of Epstein's financial records and bank statements from institutions such as JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank, which were originally collected for criminal proceedings.

Legal experts have pointed out that the provisions of the Epstein Archives Transparency Act did not authorize the arbitrary removal of financial records, raising serious questions about the criteria applied by prosecutors.

Deletion of emails and calls for transparency

Irregularities in page numbering also reveal gaps in email chains. In one of the preliminary review sequences, discrepancies were detected totaling up to 1.2 million missing pages compared to the final count. These gaps correspond to messages exchanged between Epstein, his assistants, business associates, and alleged victims.

Although the Department of Justice has attributed part of these omissions to a process of removing duplicate emails (de-duping), the persistence of inconsistencies and errors previously admitted by the agency—such as the temporary removal of photographs of public figures—have reignited calls for an audit.

Currently, ongoing lawsuits are seeking the appointment of a special master (special master) to review the entire case file and determine the scope of the material withheld by the federal government.

President Donald Trump has particularly focused his political attacks on Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Democrat Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan.

Last week, the president called on Omar to resign amid allegations that the lawmaker previously lied about her identity in a way that may compromise her naturalization as a US citizen.

“It was just revealed that Ilhan Omar’s name is not Ilhan Omar, the one she used to get elected and sworn into Congress, but rather, it’s an entirely different name, Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, and that her last name is, incredibly, also the exact name of her brother, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, the person they said she married and had children with,” Trump posted to Truth Social.

Ilhan Omar's odyssey: fact, fiction, or just fuzzy?

Omar is currently under criminal investigation by the Trump Department of Justice, though she has not been charged. Federal agents searched her Washington home Oct. 12 and seized her phone, and a Minnesota grand jury has issued more than a dozen subpoenas, including to relatives, the Associated Press reported.

The probe reportedly centers on whether she or her late father lied on decades-old immigration paperwork. Allegations that Omar misrepresented her birthdate in order to secure US citizenship were first raised by one of the lawmaker’s political opponents in 2019.

Omar said in 2018 that she received citizenship through her father’s naturalization process, through what is known as derivative citizenship. “I became a citizen actually before I turned 18. My father became a citizen, and so I got my citizenship through that process,” Omar told The Intercept during that year’s election. Opponents allege that Omar may have misrepresented her birthdate, and may have been too old to receive derivative citizenship.

Central to the question of legitimate citizenship, the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library (MLRL) had at one point listed Omar’s birthdate as Oct. 4, 1981, which would have made Omar 18 or 19 when she claimed that she received US citizenship from her father in 2000. Only minors can claim citizenship from naturalized parents, yet Omar has long claimed that she was 17 years old when she became a citizen, Just the News previously reported. Her birth year was changed at the MLRL at Omar's staffers' request several months after she was elected.

Omar has called the probe an attempt to “weaponize federal law enforcement.”

Old posts, old ties come back to haunt El-Sayed

In Michigan, Democrat Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed faces questions about the Muslim Brotherhood. The Washington Free Beacon reported that he signed a 2012 open letter urging the group to “purge the media and police.” The outlet also reported that his donors include a former spokesman for the Brotherhood’s Egyptian political party.

Recently unearthed X posts from El-Sayed’s half-sister, Eman Abdelhadi, also reveal family connections to the organization, particularly its Egyptian chapter, which is a US-designated specially designated global terrorist organization by the US Treasury Department for material support to Hamas, another terrorist organization, Just the News previously reported.

In June 2012, Abdelhadi wrote on X: “Had an amazing talk with my mom about her activism in the Muslim Brotherhood during the early 70s while she was in college #respect.”

In another post from that same day, Abdelhadi, an assistant professor at the University of Chicago, wrote: "Although I lean towards the Leftists; conversations with my #MB family in Egypt revealed respect for individual liberties & secular state.”

“My family has long been MB, but I've always felt that it has navigated the political sphere poorly/destructively,” she said in a third post that day.

El-Sayed and Abdelhadi have the same mother, Fatten Elkomy, who attended Alexandria University in Egypt, which was the site of Muslim Brotherhood activity in the 1970s.

El-Sayed has denied any connection to the Muslim Brotherhood, telling NBC’s Meet the Press that his family was not tied to the terrorist organization. When NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas pressed him on the issue, El-Sayed said: “I have no ties. We have no ties,” according to the New York Post.

Graham Platner and Eric Swalwell, out of their races

Two Democrats once viewed as liabilities are also off the ballot after the public — and to some degree legacy media — paid attention to issues described by some as "character issues."

Graham Platner withdrew from Maine’s Senate race in July after a sexual assault allegation he denies. Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress and left California’s governor’s race amid allegations of sexual misconduct. In a post on X, he apologized to his family, staff and constituents for “mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past." While he does admit “mistakes,” he continues to call the allegations false.

Republicans also carry their own baggage as well

Among Republican baggage, Senate nominee Ken Paxton has a trail of allegations that have dogged his campaign. The Texas attorney general was indicted in 2015 on felony securities fraud charges. Those charges were dismissed after he paid restitution and completed community service under a pretrial agreement.

The Texas House impeached Paxton in 2023 over benefits he allegedly provided to a developer and an alleged extramarital affair. The state Senate later acquitted him. His wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, filed for divorce that year alleging infidelity, which he denied in a court filing. The Dallas Morning News reported that the estranged couple said they were nearing an amicable resolution in private mediation.

In Ohio, Rep. Max Miller, also a Republican, is holding fast and refusing to back out of his reelection bid despite being now in a dead-heat because of his nasty and widely publicized divorce and custody battle with his ex-wife, Emily Moreno. She is the daughter of Ohio’s senior senator, Bernie Moreno, who has called Miller "a danger to my daughter" and demanded that Miller step down.

In a year that has seen its fair share of predictions of the coming blue wave in the midterms, the Ohio race is particularly important. President Trump carried Miller's district, which stretches from parts of the Cleveland suburbs to more rural counties, by 11 points in 2024, and the GOP has relied upon Ohio's solidly red status to cling to a legislative majority.

© Just The News

Omar appeared on a live episode of the podcast hosted by the controversial radical leftist, who shared a conversation between the two of them on a couch while they waited their turn to participate in an event organized by Minnesota's socialist state congressman Omar Fateh.

"We're ordinary Americans"

During the conversation, the far-left streamer pointed out to his interlocutor that "I feel like the media has a tendency, you know, to highlight everything that you do. Some of the things that I do, like—we’re just normal Americans trying to go about our day-to-day and trying to organize against the Trump administration in the same way that, you know, white people are doing in general.. Why is that?"

To which the congresswoman and member of The Squad replied with a laugh that "we just look really good on their screens."

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Omar boasts about the Somali "network" in Minneapolis and claims the feds fear her

After being introduced by Fateh—also Somali—as "her sister and congresswoman," Omar, during the onstage conversation, boasted about the "Somali network in Minneapolis and how difficult it has been for federal authorities to infiltrate it."

Omar emphasized that the network is feared because it demonstrates "how strategically connected we are," and cited as an example a meeting with officials from DHS shortly after Trump officially returned to the White House

"It was a strategic meeting because we wanted to, you know, understand and be connected in case something was going to pop off like it did eventually pop off … and I remember their attorney said, you know, ‘I’ve been doing this for decades, and this is the one state I hate to be assigned to because it is the only state [that the DHS attorney had been assigned to] that has a network that is hard to penetrate," she said.

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"Somalis are not the people to mess with"

However, the radical congresswoman emphasized that they arrived at the meeting prepared, since "two months prior to that, we had the extent of that network in our office and our conference room, talking and strategizing about, you know, what our response was going to be in case they targeted us. Somalis are not the people to mess with," she declared defiantly.

For his part, Piker resorted to his usual talking points, such as "white supremacy," as well as attacks on Republicans and Zionism during his turn to speak. The controversial influencer Piker claimed that "jealousy" was the real reason Minneapolis has been at the center of so many national scandals in recent years.

"White supremacist forces in this country have decided to target Minneapolis because of the successful Somali American community that has been able to thrive here," he went so far as to claim.

JNS

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https://twitter.com/Nagel4Congress/status/2114393944595280147

James Boasberg, chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia appointed by former President Barack Obama, will have to decide whether the document remains sealed or is made public.

According to Fox News, the case reached his office following three separate requests to declassify the order. One was filed by The New York Times, another by the conservative organization Judicial Watch, and the third by a group of 14 media outlets. The fact that the requests came from such diverse sectors highlights the interest generated by an unprecedented operation against a sitting lawmaker — especially in the midst of an election campaign and amid various reports about her immigration status and the possibility that she might lose her U.S. citizenship.

Despite public interest, the Department of Justice opposes this. Washington federal prosecutor Jeanine Pirro argued that the warrant has not yet been fully executed and that disclosing its contents could compromise the investigation. "This request seems rushed because it is rushed," she said, and asked the court to deny the request until the search is completed and a decision on possible charges is announced. Boasberg had set Oct. 22 as the deadline for the government to defend its position, but extended it at the request of the U.S. Attorney's Office. The media, on the other hand, argue that the search took place weeks ago and that, if there is sensitive information, it is sufficient to redact it rather than withhold the entire document.

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The judge's name does not go unnoticed in Washington

The judge and the president have a long history of clashes. In March 2025, Boasberg temporarily halted deportation flights carrying alleged Venezuelan gang members, a move that greatly annoyed the president, who described the judge as "a lunatic judge from the radical left, a troublemaker and agitator."

The feud between the two was so intense that Trump even called for his impeachment and claimed that it was practically impossible for him to obtain a fair ruling in the capital. Since then, the judge has once again come under fire from the ruling party for other decisions, such as the order to preserve Signal messages in which high-ranking officials discussed the attacks in Yemen. His critics also point to the probation sentence he imposed on former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith, who admitted to altering an email as part of the effort to monitor Carter Page, a former Trump campaign adviser.

The Oct. 12 raid is part of two federal investigations against Omar. One, led by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, is examining discrepancies in her financial disclosures. The other, in Minnesota, seeks to determine whether her father falsified her age on her citizenship application in 2000, which would have allowed her to become a naturalized citizen as a minor. Omar arrived in the United States from Somalia in 1995 at the age of 12.

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The lawmaker, for her part, is waging her own battle with the Department of Justice. Her attorneys demanded the return of all seized items and argue that the agents violated the protections afforded to her legislative work, failed to provide her with a copy of the warrant and prevented her from communicating with her defense attorneys during the search.

Omar has not been charged with any crime and denies any wrongdoing. The raid took place just a few weeks before the midterm elections, at a time when alleged fraud in Minnesota's social welfare programs had become one of the state's major political issues.

Compounding the political uncertainty, the country is facing difficult economic times, with rampant inflation and a total collapse of the electrical grid, causing blackouts that last several hours across Venezuela. People are angry. They are frustrated. And this translates into discontent in the polls, renewed migration, and spontaneous, daily protests with no specific agenda.

María Corina Machado, the undisputed leader of the Venezuelan opposition, returned to Venezuela this Sunday after nearly a year in exile. Her entry was clandestine, part of an operation her team described as risky and complex. She returned on her ninth attempt, after previous efforts failed for various reasons. Press reports range from planes that had to turn back mid-flight to obstacles and bans on landing or taking off to the breakdown of a boat that was supposed to take her across the Caribbean to her country. A force majeure, which no one has yet been able to definitively identify, was preventing her from returning to Venezuela. Although Secretary Rubio acknowledged on Monday during a call with journalists that several countries had conspired to hinder Machado's return to avoid "getting into trouble"... The natural question is, trouble with whom? The question is rhetorical, of course.

María Corina Machado's arrival in Venezuela sparked an impressive, spontaneous wave of street support. Venezuela was overflowing. She first appeared at a Marian church in Lara state, then set out for Venezuela's capital, Caracas. The distance is about 250 miles, a trip that would normally take about 4.5 hours. Because so many people gathered along the nearly 250-mile highway, the 4-hour trip turned into an 11-hour one. Tens of thousands of Venezuelans spontaneously gathered along the highway that ran through six states so they could see her, even if only for a few seconds, or touch her. The atmosphere throughout Venezuela was one of excitement and joy. The country seemed to be celebrating, with fireworks accompanying María Corina's long-awaited arrival in Caracas at around 11 p.m.

Tens of thousands of people, if not hundreds of thousands, across the entire country. People stood in the street for 10 hours, hoping to witness history being made in real time. Thousands of motorcycles joined Machado's motorcade, along with trucks, buses, and private vehicles.

One argument frequently whispered in the corridors was that María Corina should not return to Venezuela, as she would destabilize a calm country—a nation moving to the rhythm of the "stabilization" imposed by the Americans. Another argument was that María Corina jeopardized the transition and that her presence challenged Marco Rubio’s three-phase process. Both arguments collapsed within the last 24 hours.

Thousands took to the streets, celebrating spontaneously, and there wasn't a single incident. Sunday was a day of peace and celebration throughout Venezuela. At the same time, the feeling over the last two days is that the transition finally has a clear direction and, with María Corina on the ground, is moving in the right direction. It's a matter of perception, but a powerful one, rooted in the opposition leader's return.

María Corina Machado is not a destabilizing force that jeopardizes the transition proposed by the United States. Quite the opposite. Amid the uncertainty, frustration, and hatred Delcy Rodríguez has provoked, María Corina's presence on the ground sends the message that things are under control. That there is leadership that can be trusted and that all frustration should be channeled through her guidance.

The absence of the main opposition leader from the field unsettled Venezuelans because it contradicted the rhetoric that Venezuela has changed, that exiles can return and that the country is moving toward democracy. How can this be true if the main opposition leader cannot be in her own country?

Difficult months lie ahead. The regime, true to its nature, will react aggressively to Machado's stabilizing influence. To undo what has been achieved, it will seek to destabilize the situation. Today, the regime needs Machado on the ground to create chaos; since reality doesn't support that, it will try to create a parallel reality. But, once again, it will be exposed for what it is: Chavismo, in truth, is chaos and violence.

China Media Group (CMG), the state-owned conglomerate that oversees the public broadcaster CCTV, announced Tuesday that it had suspended the broadcast of Spanish league matches, as well as commercials featuring the French player. 

The state-run group stated that the apologies from LaLiga, Mbappé, and Real Madrid were "an indispensable requirement" and warned that nothing would be discussed until they were received.

Mbappé posted an apology on Tuesday in which he described his comments about Mao as "unfortunate." The captain of the French national team acknowledged that his words had hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world.

"My comment was ill-judged and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world. I apologise to everyone my words have upset," the forward said in a statement published in French, Chinese, and English.

Sports

LaLiga and its president bow to China's communist regime following Mbappé controversy

Alejandro Baños

LaLiga also apologized for the incident and stated that it "deeply regrets the offense caused by the recent comments made by Kylian Mbappé have caused among Chinese fans."

The controversy arose during an interview on the French show The Bridge, the video of which was later taken down. Mbappé said he found an internet meme funny in which his face had been superimposed onto that of a man he identified as a possible Chinese dictator—in an apparent reference to Mao Zedong.

Real Madrid apologizes

Real Madrid apologized to China on Wednesday for Mbappé's comments about Mao, which sparked a storm of criticism.

“Real Madrid wishes to express its apologies to the Chinese people for any distress that the recent remarks by our player Kylian Mbappé may have caused,” the club wrote in a statement.

“Our club holds deep respect for China, its history, its culture, and its citizens, as well as for the millions of Chinese fans who have affection and admiration for Real Madrid,” it added.

Javier Tebas, president of LaLiga, the top Spanish soccer league in which Mbappé plays for Real Madrid, issued a statement expressing his apologies for some inflammatory remarks made by the soccer player about Mao, whom he described as "a Chinese dictator."

"From LALIGA, we deeply regret the statements made by Kylian Mbappé that have caused discomfort and offense in China. We understand the harm caused and, on behalf of LALIGA, I wish to convey our sincere apologies to the Chinese people," said Tebas.

The president noted that Spanish soccer has been working with China for "many years," a country with which it has built "a relationship of respect, trust, and cooperation."

"We cannot allow an individual action to tarnish that relationship or harm the more than 20 clubs in our professional competitions and millions of Chinese fans. ... Our commitment to China, its people, and its institutions is steadfast. A relationship built over so many years cannot be damaged by a single episode," added Tebas, assuring that they will take measures "to resolve this situation."

The Spanish league joined in those apologies. "LALIGA deeply regrets the offense caused by Kylian Mbappé's recent comments among Chinese fans. These comments were made in a personal capacity and do not represent LALIGA. To the extent of our institutional responsibility, we apologize on behalf of LALIGA and all its clubs," it wrote in a statement.

The statements by Tebas and LaLiga are being interpreted as a capitulation to China's communist regime, which had decided to stop broadcasting the competition's matches on its public television channels. This broadcast agreement, signed years ago between the two parties and which sometimes forces matches to be played at times that are inconvenient for both Spanish fans and the players themselves, brings significant benefits to LaLiga, primarily in commercial terms.

This crisis arose after Mbappé reacted to a photoshopped image that went viral online, in which his face is superimposed on a picture of Mao, whom he describes as a "Chinese dictator." The French soccer player, who finished second in the race for the Ballon d'Or, had to apologize after several brands with which he has commercial ties terminated those agreements and after authorities of the communist regime publicly expressed their disapproval and displeasure with his behavior.

Sanrio, the company behind the popular character Hello Kitty, apologized on Thursday for the controversy and announced the cancellation of its commercial partnership with the series. In a statement, the company said it had received feedback from various sectors regarding the products associated with the drama and stated: "We sincerely apologise for any concern this may have caused."

The company explained that the project "contains expressions that are inconsistent with the Sanrio Group's corporate philosophy." For that reason, it stated that it had "decided to cease this collaboration, as well as all subsequent projects and promotional campaigns."

The partnership included a line of promotional products in which Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters were depicted as characters from "Vivant," a series currently in its second season.

Before the apology, the Chinese state-run media outlet Global Times had accused the series of "smearing China" and claimed that it had "sparked shock and fierce backlash on social media."

The media outlet also argued that the production reflected the "anti-China narrative of the current conservative Japanese right-wing administration," referring to the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Relations between Tokyo and Beijing, which have historically been tense, have deteriorated since Takaichi suggested last year that Japan might intervene militarily in the event of a conflict involving Taiwan. China claims the self-governing island as part of its territory and has vowed to bring it under its control.

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Williams Perdomo

TBS defends the fictional nature of the series

The private network TBS, which produced "Vivant," defended the drama's content and denied that its intention was to attack any particular country.

"It is a completely fictional entertainment work," the broadcaster said in a statement sent to AFP.

"There is absolutely no intention to deliver messages that disparage any particular nation or hurt public sentiment," he added.

The network's president also told Japanese media that TBS "does not in any way take a position that foments conflict between nations or condones the use of force or violence."

The commercial partnership had drawn criticism from users of the Chinese social media platform Weibo. "Sanrio, you are a brand for conveying a message of beauty and goodness, why have you got involved with this?" one user wrote.

"It's disappointing," noted another publication, which recalled that the company's founder had participated for years in various anti-war activities and argued that Sanrio had originally been founded on the ideals of ending conflicts and valuing peace.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun joined in the criticism during a regular press conference held on Thursday, following Sanrio's announcement.

"This television drama once again reveals the persistent existence inside Japan of a force that seeks to use cultural products to vilify and smear China and spread anti-Chinese sentiment," he said.

"This should raise alarm amongst the international community and enlightened individuals within Japan," he added.

Milwaukee had an outstanding season, with 103 wins in the regular season and an 11-2 record in the postseason. On their way to the championship, the Brewers eliminated the San Diego Padres, the Los Angeles Dodgers—the reigning two-time champions—and finally the Rays, representing the American League.

https://x.com/MLB/status/2115648958609396099

Among the key players in the victory was the Venezuelan William Contreras, who was named World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP), who finished the Fall Classic with eight hits in 21 at-bats, a .381 batting average, one double, and four RBIs.

The catcher also had an outstanding performance throughout the postseason, with a batting line of .373/.448/.588, an OPS of 1.036, two doubles, three home runs, and nine RBIs. In addition, he caught four runners attempting to steal a base during the World Series.

With this honor, Contreras added another achievement to his career and earned his second championship ring, after winning one with the Atlanta Braves in 2021 as a backup catcher.

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Williams Perdomo

Jackson Chourio made history in the postseason

Another standout player was the Venezuelan Jackson Chourio, just 22 years old, who posted impressive stats during the Fall Classic.

The outfielder batted .458, with 11 hits in 24 at-bats, two doubles, four runs scored, and two RBIs. Among batters with at least five at-bats in the World Series, he led in both batting average and on-base percentage, also at .458.

Chourio also reached 32 career postseason hits before turning 23, surpassing the record set by Hall of Famer Andruw Jones, who had recorded 31 before that age. The Venezuelan reached the mark in 25 games, while Jones needed 45 games.

During the first four games of the World Series against Tampa Bay, Chourio also tied Babe Ruth by recording 10 hits.

Uribe and Senzatela pitched out of the bullpen

Hispanic players also made a significant contribution to Milwaukee's bullpen, particularly thanks to the performances of the Dominican Abner Uribe and the Venezuelan Antonio Senzatela.

Uribe pitched 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, with five strikeouts and one walk during the World Series. For the postseason as a whole, he posted a 1.54 ERA in 11.2 innings pitched.

For his part, Senzatela, who joined the Brewers midway through the season in a trade with the Colorado Rockies, allowed one unearned run in 2.1 innings during the Fall Classic.

Throughout the postseason, the Venezuelan reliever pitched 4.1 innings with an ERA of 0.00, although he allowed two unearned runs.

Milwaukee capped off its 4-1 victory in the Fall Classic on a night when rookie Cooper Pratt shone once again, driving in two runs, and Venezuelan Jackson Chourio capped off a dream series with his 11th hit.

Chourio, 22, and his compatriot William Contreras, who drove in the final run, capped off a dream year in which they also helped Venezuela win its first-ever World Baseball Classic title.

"It's incredible —I'm speechless,", an emotional Chourio managed to say after the victory.

In contrast, the Rays — led by Mexico's Jonathan Aranda and the Dominican Republic's Junior Caminero — lost their third World Series and remain winless in the series.

Tampa Bay, which avoided a sweep on Tuesday with an extra-inning win, is one of four teams that have never tasted victory in the majors, along with the Padres, Rockies and Mariners.

Sports

Venezuelan Jackson Chourio leads the Brewers' rout of the Rays, Milwaukee is one win away from the World Series

Williams Perdomo

The Brewers opened their trophy case in the second World Series they had played in their more than half-century of history, following the one they lost in 1982.

This year, Milwaukee has been a force to be reckoned with in Major League Baseball, starting with a regular season in which it posted the best overall record (103-59).

With the most dominant starting pitchers and a fearsome offense, the Brewers raised their game even higher in the playoffs (11-2), where they routed the Los Angeles Dodgers, led by Shohei Ohtani, who were favored to win a third consecutive title.

In the World Series, they came close to completing another sweep — which would have been their first since 2012 — but Tampa Bay pulled off a miracle comeback in the 12th inning of Game 4.

The Rays saved face, but they still needed three more wins to complete a comeback that no one has ever achieved in a World Series.

Less than 24 hours later, the Brewers returned to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg (Florida) determined to make the most of their second chance.

Sports

The Rays stage a comeback in the 12th inning and prevent the Brewers from sweeping the World Series

Williams Perdomo

A record-breaking rookie

It took the visitors just two at-bats to break through starter Drew Rasmussen's wall. With his first hit, Pratt drove in Brice Turang to open the scoring at Tropicana Field.

The Brewers pulled ahead in the fifth inning during an offensive rally in which Pratt recorded his second hit.

With that hit, he became the first rookie to get a hit in six consecutive at-bats in the Fall Classic.

Pratt, who had just made his major league debut in June, scored the run in the 2-0 game for Milwaukee on a single by David Hamilton.

In the sixth inning, Venezuelan Contreras stepped up to the plate, another key player for the Brewers in the postseason.

The catcher from Puerto Cabello hit a double to left field to drive in Christian Yelich and then drove in the fourth run after a sacrifice fly by Pratt.

On a disastrous night for Caminero, Aranda and the Cuban Yandy Díaz, who managed just one hit between the three of them, the Rays didn't get on the board until the final inning on a double by Chandler Simpson.

With information from AFP

Specifically, Kennedy will oversee the content and aesthetics of both galas, which play a crucial role in every edition of the world's premier sporting competition.

Casey Wasserman, president of LA28 (as the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games are known), praised Kennedy for having "an exceptional gift for storytelling."

"Kathleen is a legend. She is one of Hollywood's all-time greats, with an exceptional gift for storytelling," Wasserman said in a statement reported by AFP.

"When the stars align to focus the world's attention on Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, I can't think of anyone better than Kathleen to evoke the magic of Hollywood," he added.

Kennedy, incredibly happy

For her part, the film producer said she was extremely happy to be able to take part in the ceremonies for the upcoming games, an event she is a huge fan of.

"The Olympic Games have been a major part of my life," Kennedy said. "My husband and I have attended practically every games since Los Angeles in 1984, and sports continue to be one of the great experiences that bring us together."

The opening ceremony of the upcoming Olympic Games is scheduled for July 14, 2028, and the closing ceremony for July 30. Meanwhile, the opening and closing ceremonies for the LA28 Paralympic Games will take place on August 15 and 27, respectively. All of them will be held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium.

Kennedy, who has worked closely with Steven Spielberg throughout her career, is one of Hollywood's most renowned producers. In addition to the films mentioned, she has worked on other hits such as Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, Star Wars and Jurassic Park, as well as on productions such as Hook (1991), Seabiscuit (2003), Munich (2005), War Horse (2011) and Lincoln (2012).

Christian Yelich, one of the Brewers' leading players, offered some heartfelt words to Uecker during an interview with Fox reporter Ken Rosenthal after Milwaukee sealed a 4-1 in Game 5 of the final, played this Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Florida.

"He’s smiling, man, he’s smiling. I really wish he could’ve been here to see this. That would have meant everything. He's been with us a lot. We keep him close to our hearts," Yelich said.

https://x.com/MLB/status/2115646673762259410?a=XWMso0HalzGzuz3PZeA&s=20

Uecker passed away on January 16, 2025, at the age of 90, after a private battle with cancer. However, his legacy has lived on in the Brewers' culture and the team's connection with its fans.

Admiration for the announcer was also evident before the start of Game 5, when some fans left cans of beer next to his statue.

The tribute extended to television broadcasts. During the fourth game of the series, Fox commentator Joe Davis emulated Uecker's famous call to describe Cooper Pratt's home run in the twelfth inning: "A high fly ball! Deep to left field! Keep going, keep going—it's gone!"

Sports

Milwaukee Brewers win their first-ever World Series

VozMedia Staff

Davis explained to MLB.com that he had grown up listening to Uecker and that his talent as a broadcaster was, at times, overshadowed by his comedic genius. He also acknowledged that he had studied and listened to him for years, until he naturally incorporated parts of his style.

The Brewers' first championship was thus marked by the memory of a figure who, for more than five decades, gave voice to the team's history. As Yelich put it, the title was also for Uecker.

SBA decided to send a specific message to Hispanics in light of the distressing data that places this community as the undisputed leader in abortions. The figures for voluntary terminations of pregnancy among Latina women exceed 20%, meaning that one in every five Hispanic babies is never born.

"Democrats are too extreme to represent us in Congress"

This figure is also 50% higher than that of other ethnic groups. This does not seem to impress the Democrats, who keep pushing again and again for the decriminalization of abortion. These are, moreover, increasingly radical initiatives, seeking absolute freedom even up to the moment of birth for healthy and fully viable babies.

"Congressional Democrats support abortion on demand at any time for any reason, all paid for by taxpayers. They even oppose popular, commonsense legislation that would stop late-term abortions, even on healthy babies when the baby can feel excruciating pain.

Congressional Democrats want our votes, but why should we vote for someone who doesn’t want our babies? Democrats are just too extreme to represent us in Congress."

Vicente González: Pro-life promises, pro-abortion votes

SBA also regrets that some Democrats who present themselves as pro-life—and even assured the organization that they shared its values—have chosen to promote abortion, and their votes on key legislation have consistently sided with Planned Parenthood and similar groups. This is the case with the Hispanic representative from Texas Vicente González.

According to his voting record, the lawmaker voted in favor of legalizing the use of taxpayer funds to pay for abortions and abstained on a bill that sought to legalize medical care for babies who survive an abortion. This was strongly condemned by the SBA: "The babies were fighting to survive, and Vicente González stood idly by and did nothing."

There are alternatives: Her PLAN

But SBA did not limit itself to raising awareness among the Hispanic community about where their vote would go if they entrusted it to the Blue Party. The organization once again emphasized reaching out to mothers facing socioeconomic hardship who see abortion as their only option, letting them know that support centers exist, a network that will enable them to carry to term, and raise their baby.

"Sixty percent of women who had an abortion said they would not have if they had received more emotional or financial support. We mobilize communities to connect and grow their local pro-life safety net so moms and babies have the support they need to thrive." explains the website.

"Creating strong pro-life safety nets"

To that end, "Her PLAN accomplishes this mission through structured programs that implement replicable models for communities across the country can create strong pro-life safety nets." This model "organizes its work around seven core categories of support that address the needs that drive women to consider abortion. These categories are the infrastructure of the pro-life safety net.":

A movement that "has to be there for her every day"

At Her PLAN, they're also clear that "The abortion industry only has to catch her on her worst day. The pro-life movement has to be there for her every day."

Even at first glance, one can see a chasm between the high grades received by most Republican politicians—among whom A+ grades abound—and the dismal failing grades of a large portion of Democrats, where the average grade is an F.

Among ethnic groups, Hispanics rank highest in abortions, dramatically outpacing whites, for example. In fact, out of every 100 pregnancies, about 22 end at an abortion clinic or with the abortion pill. A staggering statistic.

Therefore, building on the work of SBA, VOZ has analyzed who the Hispanic politicians who are most and least pro-life and compiled the following ranking:

Most Pro-Life Hispanic Representatives

Without a doubt, the majority of Republican representatives have received the highest score for defending life. With the exception of four, all other conservatives received an A+. Overall, a large portion of Republicans of all races have achieved this rating, according to the SBA.

Least Pro-Life Hispanic Representatives

In contrast, each and every Democratic representative receives an F in their rating. According to the SBA's assessment of each of them, all of their votes have sought to protect a so-called right to abortion and to defend Planned Parenthood against attempts by President Trump and Republicans to defund it.

The SBA highlights the case of Vicente González, a Democratic representative from Texas, who, despite claiming to uphold pro-life values, has not voted in line with those values. According to his record, the lawmaker voted in favor of legalizing the use of taxpayer funds to pay for abortions and "present" on a bill that sought to legalize medical care for babies who survive an abortion. This is something the SBA strongly condemned: "The babies were fighting for their lives, and Vicente González stood idly by and did nothing."

Hispanic Republican Representatives with the Worst Grades

In contrast to the uniformity of the Democratic vote (for the worse), four Hispanic Republican representatives received lower scores than their colleagues. They are:

1. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) |

"Rep. Salazar voted in favor of cutting off Medicaid funding for one year to large abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood, through the H.R.1 reconciliation bill. Unfortunately, despite some pro-life votes, Salazar signed on to legislative measures to force a vote on bills that would subsidize abortion coverage and voted in line with Democratic policy when it came to a vote on the House floor."

2. David Valadao (R-CA) |

"Representative Valadao voted to cut off Medicaid funding for major abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood, for one year through the H.R.1 reconciliation bill. Unfortunately, despite some pro-life votes, Rep. Valadao sponsored legislative measures that sought to force votes on bills that would subsidize abortion coverage and voted in favor of the Democrats' proposal when it came to a vote on the House floor."

Hispanic Senators Based on Their Pro-Life Votes

Currently, there are only six Hispanic senators in office. Two of them are conservatives Bernie Moreno and Ted Cruz, while the Democrats hold twice as many seats: Catherine Cortez Masto, Ben Ray Lujan, Rubén Gallego, and Álex Padilla.

In the case of the Democrats, who all received an F grade, the criterion used for their classification was the number of years in office, since the longer they have held their seats, the more they have used their votes to promote and protect abortion and the multinational abortion provider Planned Parenthood.

1. Ted Cruz (R-Tex), Grade A+ |

"Senator Cruz has consistently voted to protect the lives of the unborn and to end the forced funding of abortion with taxpayer dollars. This includes securing the biggest legislative victory for life in two decades by cutting off Medicaid funding for one year to major abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood, through the H.R.1 reconciliation bill. Senator Cruz also stood firm against attempts to continue subsidizing plans that cover elective abortion.

Senator Cruz introduced a resolution to designate June as "Life Month," in light of the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022.

Senator Cruz filed a congressional amicus curiae brief in the case of First Choice Women's Resource Centers v. Platkin before the U.S. Supreme Court. The brief defends pregnancy support centers that were the subject of an unfounded subpoena that violated their First Amendment right to freedom of association because of their pro-life views.

During Todd Blanche's confirmation hearing for attorney general, Senator Cruz sounded the alarm about the rising number of deaths caused by abortion drugs. Senator Cruz urged Blanche to enforce the law and put an end to these "mail-order abortions."

2. Bernie Moreno (R-OH). Grade B |

"Senator Moreno voted in favor of achieving the greatest pro-life legislative victory of the past two decades by cutting off Medicaid funding for major abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood, for one year through the H.R.1 reconciliation bill.

Unfortunately, despite maintaining an impeccable pro-life voting record, Senator Moreno's track record is marred by his willingness to collaborate with pro-abortion senators on healthcare initiatives that lack the essential protections of the Hyde Amendment. Although both pro-life senators and pro-life organizations urged caution, Senator Moreno pressed ahead with these plans. In his media appearances, he denied the widely documented reality that Obamacare allows federal funds to subsidize abortion coverage.

3. Ray Ben Luján (D-NM). Grade F | Three terms

"Senator Luján has consistently voted against measures to protect the unborn and children born alive following a failed abortion. Senator Luján has voted against initiatives to end the forced funding of abortion with taxpayer money, including by opposing the H.R.1 reconciliation bill, which would have cut off Medicaid funding for large abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood, for one year. Senator Luján has worked to block pro-life initiatives from Congress and the Trump Administration and, instead, to protect the radical pro-abortion ideology of the Biden-Harris Administration. Senator Luján has also fought to continue subsidizing plans that cover elective abortion."

4. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) Grade F | Two terms

"Senator Cortez Masto has consistently voted against measures to protect the unborn and children born alive after a failed abortion. Senator Cortez Masto has voted against initiatives to end the forced funding of abortion with taxpayer money, including by opposing the H.R.1 reconciliation bill, which would have cut off Medicaid funding for large abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood, for one year. Senator Cortez Masto has worked to block pro-life initiatives from Congress and the Trump Administration and, instead, to protect the radical pro-abortion ideology of the Biden-Harris Administration. Senator Cortez Masto has also fought to continue subsidizing plans that cover elective abortion."

5. Álex Padilla (D-CA) Grade F | Two terms

"Senator Padilla has consistently voted against measures to protect the unborn and children born alive following a failed abortion. Senator Padilla has voted against initiatives to end the forced funding of abortion with taxpayer money, including by opposing the H.R.1 reconciliation bill, which would have cut off Medicaid funding for large abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood, for one year. Senator Padilla has worked to block pro-life initiatives from Congress and the Trump Administration and, instead, to protect the radical pro-abortion ideology of the Biden-Harris Administration. Senator Padilla has also fought to continue subsidizing plans that cover elective abortion."

6. Rubén Gallego (D-AZ) Grade F | One legislative term

"Senator Gallego has consistently voted against measures to protect the unborn and children born alive following a failed abortion. Senator Gallego has voted against initiatives to end mandatory taxpayer funding of abortion, including by opposing the H.R.1 Reconciliation Bill, which would have cut off Medicaid funding for large abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood, for one year. Senator Gallego has worked to block pro-life initiatives from Congress and the Trump Administration and, instead, to protect the radical pro-abortion ideology of the Biden-Harris Administration. Senator Gallego has also fought to continue subsidizing plans that cover elective abortion."

In its report, SBA highlights that the messages that most strongly mobilize voters to support pro-life candidates are those that focus on babies and abortion drugs. In addition, the pro-life organization tested respondents with questions about states and the measures that pro-life candidates will advocate for to gauge their reaction.

Babies

But without a doubt, the message that resonates most strongly with Hispanic voters is the one about babies, the primary victim of abortion. According to their assessment of the impact on respondents, this message—which includes the stark statistic that 22% of pregnancies among Hispanic women end in abortion— led to a 6.6-point shift toward pro-life candidates in the Senate and a 3.7-point shift in the House:

"Congressional Democrats support abortion on demand at any time for any reason, all paid for by taxpayers.

There are some communities that are hit hardest by abortion. Twenty-two Hispanic babies are aborted for every 100 who are born. That’s more than one and a half times the rate of abortions for white babies.

They even oppose popular, commonsense legislation that would stop late-term abortions, even on healthy babies when the baby can feel excruciating pain.

Congressional Democrats want our votes, but why should we vote for someone who doesn’t want our babies? Democrats are just too extreme to represent us in Congress."

Abortion drugs (the pill)

The second most mobilizing issue concerns the abortion pill. SBA and the rest of the pro-life movement have been warning that this is a key issue when it comes to securing their votes. According to the poll, this message gave 4.4 points to candidates who defend the unborn in both chambers of Congress:

"The abortion industry is targeting our daughters, telling them that abortion drugs are safe, convenient, and discreet – and can be mailed directly to them without their parents ever knowing, and without them ever seeing a doctor in person.

But the truth is, these drugs can severely harm young girls, causing hemorrhaging, infection, sepsis, and even death. These drugs are even being used by abusers to coerce young girls into abortions they don’t want to have.

Congressional Democrats refuse to hold the abortion industry accountable and oppose all efforts to require parental involvement before a young girl can have an abortion.

They even support allowing abortion drugs to be mailed to young girls without them ever seeing a doctor in person. They refuse to protect our daughters from abortion harm. Democrats are just too extreme to represent us in Congress."

Positive message

The third most impactful message for respondents was a positive-toned message. Thus, the SBA drafted a proposal highlighting the measures that Republican candidates would take to defend life:

"Congressional Republicans will protect the rights of states to place limitations on late-term abortions of healthy babies when the child can feel pain. They will also protect the right of states to regulate abortion drugs, such as ensuring there is real in-person medical oversight by a doctor.

Congressional Republicans believe in serving women and saving babies. They believe in giving women real options to choose life.

Congressional Republicans support streamlining adoption services, increasing the child tax credit, and making baby items tax-free. They support providing funding to pregnancy care centers and maternity homes.

Congressional Republicans want to offer women real choices. They believe every woman facing an unplanned pregnancy should be informed about the financial help and adoption services available so that she can make an educated choice.

The vast majority of Americans do not support late-term abortion. Congressional Republicans believe we can come to a compromise on abortion that serves women and saves babies."

States

Finally, the organizers presented a text on a federal law that Democrats voted for, which "would take away the rights of states to set their own abortion policy." This legislation would also "wipe away all state limitations on abortion, even those that prevent late-term abortions of healthy babies and ensure parental involvement when a young girl becomes pregnant."

"Congressional Democrats voted for federal legislation that would take away the rights of states to set their own abortion policy.

The legislation Congressional Democrats voted for would wipe away all state limitations on abortion, even those that prevent late-term abortions of healthy babies and ensure parental involvement when a young girl becomes pregnant.

It would force all states to allow painful late-term abortions even in the 7th, 8th, and 9th month of pregnancy — even when the baby is perfectly healthy, all organs are formed, and the baby can see, hear, suck her thumb, feel pain, and survive outside the womb.

At this point in pregnancy moms are encouraged to sing to their child as the babies can recognize their mother’s voice.

Congressional Democrats want to force this radical law on all of us. Democrats are just too extreme to represent us in Congress."

The author of the famous "God Is Nonbinary" once again resorted to empty slogans by claiming that "the Bible is silent on the issue of abortion." His opponent at the CNN Town Hall quickly exposed him, without resorting to deep theological analysis or far-fetched citations. Something as fundamental to a Christian as the Ten Commandments already makes clear the Holy Book's stance on this matter:

"I just want to add that the Bible is not silent on abortion. There is the Ten Commandments: 'Thou shall not kill.' And, as Catholics, we take great insult, I guess sometimes, when it’s described that way."

The Democratic candidate's response regarding the Senate seat for Texas in the upcoming midterms was to try to dodge the issue, but he also addressed the issue from a personal perspective, stating that, for him, abortion is not killing a human being: "If I believed that abortion is murder, that it violates the Ten Commandments, then I wouldn't support it."

Talarico, having been exposed, resorted to pro-abortion clichés

Defeated, he tried to change the subject by resorting to pro-abortion talking points, namely, that the most restrictive laws, such as the one currently in effect in Texas, result in "women dying in emergency room parking lots. Therefore, if we truly defend life, I believe we should be concerned about the consequences of this extreme ban on abortion."

Furthermore, Talarico pointed out that there are "certain policy measures," which do not involve banning abortion procedures or the dispensing of the morning-after pill, that can reduce the number of abortions nationwide. Pro-life advocates have long been proposing such initiatives as a complement to legislation to help women who see no other way out than to terminate their pregnancy due to their social or economic circumstances.

Democratic persecution of pro-life initiatives to help mothers: What Talarico is silencing

For example, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America launched Her PLAN. The organization explains that "every woman deserves real support, not pressure, politics, or empty promises. This is a growing initiative designed to help local communities improve access to the resources a woman needs to follow through on her pro-life decision."

What Talarico failed to mention is that Democratic administrations are targeting pro-life centers that seek to support mothers considering abortion so they can carry their pregnancies to term. Nor did he comment on the activists defending the unborn who have been jailed simply for praying in front of or near an abortion clinic.

These companies generated $832 billion in annual revenue, according to the report, which analyzes the evolution of Hispanic household wealth in the country and the factors driving its growth.

The rise of entrepreneurship is part of a broader trend of wealth accumulation. According to the report, Hispanic household wealth has more than tripled since 2014, the year the Hispanic Wealth Project was founded. During that period, the relative wealth gap with non-Hispanic white households also narrowed: for every dollar of Hispanic wealth, the wealth of these households fell from $8.87 to $4.47.

Society

Hispanic vote becoming increasingly important: Percentage of white voters falls, while that of Latinos nearly doubles

Williams Perdomo

Larger companies drive growth

The report highlights that business growth has been particularly concentrated among Hispanic companies with annual revenues of at least $1 million.

These businesses accounted for 86% of the net increase in Hispanic companies with employees and 36% of employment growth within that business segment, according to data collected by NAHREP.

The report identifies business ownership as one of the main pillars of Hispanic wealth. This component accounts for 17.8% of household wealth, while real estate constitutes the largest share at 45.5%, and financial assets account for 28.1%.

In the financial sphere, the report notes that nearly half of Hispanic households have a tax-advantaged retirement account. Likewise, the proportion of Hispanic households that hold trusts increased from 7% to 11.1% over the past year.

According to the report, 54% of those surveyed prefer the term "Hispanic" to refer to the community as a whole, while 30% prefer "Latino." In contrast, terms such as "Latinx" and "Latine" continue to be used by a minority (1%).

Society

-DO NOT PUBLISH- The burden of being hispanic: Shared identity, divided experiences

Williams Perdomo

The results reflect an uncomfortable reality for political, academic and media circles that popularized the use of "Latinx" over the past decade as part of the progressive agenda. However, the study shows that Hispanic identity in the United States is much more diverse and complex than these generalized labels suggest.

The research, based on a survey of 8,046 U.S. adults—including 4,923 Hispanics— also found that 61% consider being Hispanic to be a very important or extremely important part of their identity. Nevertheless, that identification is often more closely tied to country of origin or family history than to recently coined terms.

The data is part of a new report from Third Way, which highlights the increasingly important role of Hispanics in the U.S. economy. According to the study, if Latinos in the U.S. were an independent country, they would rank fourth among the world's largest economies, ahead of countries such as the United Kingdom, Japan and India.

Women also driving growth

The rise of Hispanic entrepreneurship also has a significant female component. One in three new Hispanic-owned businesses with employees is owned by a woman.

Businesses led by Hispanic women also saw strong revenue growth. Between 2020 and 2023, their revenue nearly doubled, outpacing the growth recorded by businesses owned by Hispanic men.

Society

Why is Spanish the language New Yorkers most want to learn?

Diane Hernández

This growth occurred even during the pandemic, a period when many U.S. businesses struggled to stay open. Hispanic-owned businesses continued to increase in number and also saw revenue growth.

Between 2020 and 2023, the annual change in revenue generated by Hispanic-owned businesses outpaced that of non-Hispanic-owned businesses.

The study ranked Spanish first with an average of 4,680 monthly searches, ahead of English and other European and Asian languages.

Although the report measures interest based on online search behavior rather than the actual number of people enrolled in courses, the results align with a widely documented demographic reality: Spanish has a particularly strong presence in New York.

Official data published by the New York City Department of City Planning show that Spanish is, by a wide margin, the most common language among the city's population with limited English proficiency. Of the 1,779,351 people included in that category during the 2019–2023 period, 835,143 spoke Spanish, equivalent to 46.9%.

Society

The eight hispanic billionaires who built their fortunes in the US

Alejandro Baños

Spanish outpaces English in searches

The second language in the ranking compiled by LTL Language School was English, with 3,230 monthly searches related to learning the language.

This figure is particularly significant in a city where English dominates institutional, professional and academic life, but which at the same time is home to hundreds of thousands of residents whose native language is another.

Interest in studying or improving English may be related to the need for integration, academic training, access to the job market, or improving career prospects.

The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) regularly collects information on the languages spoken in U.S. households and highlights New York's vast linguistic diversity.

In the case of Spanish, its demographic weight helps explain why learning it can be particularly practical in a city like New York.

Nearly half of New Yorkers with limited English proficiency speak Spanish

The report The Newest New Yorkers 2026, prepared by the city's Department of City Planning, provides an in-depth look at that diversity.

According to data from 2019–2023, New York had approximately 1.78 million people aged five and older with limited English proficiency.

Spanish accounted for 46.9% of that group, with 835,143 people.

Chinese lagged far behind, with 331,014 speakers, accounting for 18.6%, followed by Russian, with 113,090 people (6.4%); Bengali, with 66,942 (3.8%); Yiddish, with 47,884 (2.7%); and Haitian Creole, with 36,543 (2.1%).

The city's own report highlights New York's extraordinary linguistic diversity and notes that the predominant languages vary considerably depending on the neighborhood.

Society

How Hispanics travel in the US: Discover which destination they prefer over Miami and New York

Carlos Dominguez

From cultural interest to a practical Tool

The findings from LTL Language School suggest that the reasons for learning languages are becoming increasingly diverse.

Traveling, understanding movies or content without translation, engaging with other cultures, communicating with family and neighbors, or expanding career opportunities are among the motivations that can drive these searches.

In the specific case of Spanish, its leading position in New York combines these cultural factors with a practical advantage: it is a language with a strong everyday presence in one of the most diverse cities in the United States.

Thus, the average of 4,680 monthly searches detected by the study place Spanish ahead of the other languages analyzed and reflect an interest that is also clearly supported by the city's demographic reality.

This success is not only measured by its operational or reputational impact, but is also clearly reflected in the numbers: each member of this select group has a net worth in the billions, placing them among the country's business elite.

Abel Avellán

Born in Venezuela, Abel Avellán is the founder and CEO of AST SpaceMobile, Inc., a publicly traded company headquartered in Midland, Texas, which develops a satellite-based mobile broadband connectivity network directly for cell phones. It has partnerships with industry giants such as Verizon, Vodafone and AT&T. According to reports Forbes, his net worth is estimated at $5.7 billion.

Pablo Legorreta

A native of Mexico, Pablo Legorreta left the world of investment banking to enter the pharmaceutical industry. He founded Royalty Pharma, which is currently the world's largest company in the acquisition of pharmaceutical royalty streams. Its headquarters are in New York City. According to Forbes, this Hispanic businessman's net worth is estimated at $4.9 billion.

Jorge Pérez

A native of Argentina with Cuban and Spanish ancestry, Jorge Pérez is the man behind Related Group, South Florida's largest real estate developer. According to the company's website, this Hispanic businessman and his company have managed the construction and sale of 100,000 homes—mostly luxury properties—over the course of its 40-year history. According to a report from Forbes, his net worth is estimated at $2.6 billion.

Daniel Lubetzky

Originally from Mexico, Daniel Lubetzky founded the energy bar company Kind Healthy Snacks in 2004 and sold the majority of the company to the candy and pet food giant Mars 16 years later. According to Forbes, his net worth is estimated at $2.3 billion.

Marcelo Claure

Born in Bolivia, Marcelo Claure currently makes investments through his family business, Claure Group. This Hispanic businessman began amassing his fortune when he sold a telecommunications company he founded to the Japanese multinational SoftBank. According to a report from Forbes, his net worth is estimated at $2.1 billion.

Guillermo Rauch

A native of Argentina, Guillermo Rauch founded technology company Vercel, which specializes in software and website development and has established him as one of the most successful Hispanic entrepreneurs. His company has clients all over the world. According to a report from Forbes, his net worth is estimated at $2.1 billion.

Ignacio Torras

A native of Spain, Ignacio Torras is the head of Tricon Energy, a company that is one of the world's largest distributors of chemicals and plastics. According to a report from Forbes, his net worth is estimated at $1.5 billion.

Albert Nahmad

Originally from Panama, Albert Nahmad turned Watsco, a small local manufacturing company, into a true powerhouse. Under his leadership, the company has reached a market capitalization of $20 billion. According to a report from Forbes, his net worth is estimated at $1.2 billion.

The share of this group has nearly doubled over the past two decades. In 2006, Hispanics accounted for 9% of U.S. citizens eligible to vote; by 2026, that share will reach 16%. During that same period, the share of white Americans in the electorate fell from 74% to 61%.

Hispanic growth has also been particularly rapid over the past four years. Since the 2022 midterm election, the United States has added 8.4 million new eligible voters. Of these, 5.2 million are Hispanic, meaning this group accounted for more than half of the total growth in the electorate during that period.

A generation of young Hispanics is reaching voting age

The increase in the Hispanic electorate is primarily linked to the growth in the number of U.S.-born Americans who are reaching voting age.

According to Pew, more than 4 million Hispanics turned 18 between 2022 and 2026, accounting for approximately 80% of the growth in the Hispanic electorate during those years. Added to this are about 1 million Hispanic adults who became naturalized U.S. citizens during the same period.

The age composition also sets the Hispanic electorate apart from other groups. Hispanics eligible to vote have a median age of 39, compared with 52 among white voters. Furthermore, 30% of eligible Hispanic voters are between the ages of 18 and 29, the highest percentage among the major racial and ethnic groups analyzed by Pew.

California, Texas and Florida are home to millions of Hispanic voters

Although Hispanics do not constitute a majority of the electorate in any state, their presence is particularly significant in several of the country's most populous states.

In New Mexico, Hispanics account for 43% of eligible voters—the highest proportion by state. They are followed by California, at 33%; Texas, at 32%; and Arizona, at 25%.

California and Texas also top the list of states with the highest absolute number of eligible Hispanic voters, followed by Florida, New York and Arizona, according to 2024 state data used by Pew.

The growth of this electorate has been one of the main factors behind the racial and ethnic diversification of the U.S. electorate. Between 2006 and 2024, the share of Hispanics among eligible voters increased by 10 percentage points in both California and Nevada.

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Hispanics continue to make up a smaller share of the eligible voting population

The demographic weight of Hispanics in the overall U.S. population does not automatically translate into the same percentage within the electorate. The reason is that only U.S. citizens over the age of 18 can vote.

In 2024, 52% of the Hispanic population was eligible to vote, compared with 81% of the white population, 74% of the black population, and 60% of the Asian population.

The difference is related, among other factors, to age and citizenship. Twenty-nine percent of the Hispanic population is under 18, while 21% of adult Hispanics are not U.S. citizens.

However, the proportion of Hispanics eligible to vote has increased significantly. Between 2006 and 2024, the proportion of the Hispanic population that met the requirements to vote increased by 12 percentage points—the largest increase among the major groups analyzed by Pew.

Despite that situation, Prida says her experience allowed her to discover a new perspective on the disease and on life itself. "Today, receiving a cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence as it once was; today it means I'm going to fight for my life," she stated. The author and speaker described cancer as "the bipolar disease" because, although it can be "cruel and treacherous," it also taught her "the meaning of true love, compassion and humanity." According to Prida, these lessons aren't exclusive to the patient but also apply to those who support a person during their illness.

One of the messages she most wanted to emphasize during the conversation was the importance of knowing your own body and paying attention to any changes. "No one knows your body better than you do," she said, insisting that any changes in the breasts should be checked by a doctor. "The earlier it's detected, the better your chances of survival," she said.

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Prida also spoke about her "urban spirituality" project, which she defines as a way to connect with one's inner self and seek balance between the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual dimensions. For her, learning to process emotions and find that balance is part of the toolkit that can help people cope with life's challenges.

Her story, more than two decades after that diagnosis that seemed to mark the end, has become a message of hope for others going through similar situations: facing an illness can also pave the way toward a new way of understanding life.

You can watch the full interview by clicking on the video below.

During an event held at the White House, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a task force dedicated to women's health and mandating the creation of a new specialized division within the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

"This is a transformative moment for women in the United States," Melania Trump said during the presentation, as reported by Just the News.

The initiative, called Advancing Women's Health to Improve Outcomes in All Phases of Life, aims to strengthen scientific research, accelerate the development of treatments, and improve the prevention and diagnosis of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, endometriosis, osteoporosis and Alzheimer's.

The new task force will be led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who recently completed treatment for breast cancer.

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Susie Wiles, Trump's chief of staff, announces she is cancer-free after 6 months of treatment

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The order also sets a 90-day deadline to create the new women's health division within the NIH. Among its priorities are expanding women's participation in clinical trials, promoting new medical technologies, and facilitating access to treatments.

The announcement coincides with a day dedicated to raising awareness about breast cancer, a disease that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), caused approximately 694,000 deaths and 2.4 million new diagnoses among women worldwide in 2024.

The WHO emphasizes the importance of early detection and timely access to treatments to reduce mortality. October is internationally dedicated to raising awareness about this disease.

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As part of the new strategy, Melania Trump also advocated for the use of artificial intelligence to accelerate medical discoveries, increase the availability of treatments and improve their affordability.

The executive order replaces previous women's health research initiatives launched during the Joe Biden administration. Although it establishes new coordination structures, it does not specify an additional budget allocation for its implementation.

The breakthrough, developed by scientists at Mass General Brigham—one of the leading hospital and medical research systems in the United States—was presented in a study published in the scientific journal The Lancet Digital Health.

The tool, called FAHR-Face, was trained using more than 40 million facial images and aims to provide specialists with new indicators for assessing patients' physical condition before subjecting them to intensive treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy, or systemic therapies.

The system operates using two complementary algorithms. The first, FAHR-FaceAge, estimates biological age based on facial characteristics, while the second, FAHR-FaceSurvival, analyzes facial cues associated with the survival of patients diagnosed with cancer.

Unlike chronological age, which reflects the number of years since birth, biological age seeks to describe the body's state of aging, which is influenced by genetic and environmental factors as well as lifestyle habits.

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What can a photograph reveal?

The researchers discovered that certain facial features provide information related to health status and survival prognosis.

The algorithm that estimates biological age primarily analyzes the wrinkles that form between the nose and mouth, on the forehead, and at the temples. Meanwhile, the model designed to calculate mortality risk focuses on the areas below the eyes and around the bridge of the nose.

The results showed that the difference between the age estimated by the A.I. and the patient's actual age was associated with their survival.

Furthermore, by combining both algorithms, the scientists were able to improve the accuracy of survival predictions in an independent group of cancer patients used to validate the system.

According to Hugo Aerts, director of the Artificial Intelligence in Medicine program at Mass General Brigham and one of the study's lead authors, this is a pioneering demonstration that an A.I. model can directly estimate cancer survival prognosis using only a facial photograph.

Smoking also leaves traces detectable by A.I.

The study identified associations between certain lifestyle habits and estimates of facial aging.

Among the factors examined were excessive alcohol consumption, drug use and smoking.

The researchers observed that current smokers tended to have a higher facial biological age than former smokers, while the latter had higher estimates than those who had never smoked.

The results suggest that automated facial analysis could provide information on certain factors related to aging and overall health.

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When might it be used in hospitals?

Although the results are promising, the technology still requires further research and validation before it can be widely incorporated into clinical practice.

The system does not diagnose cancer based on a photograph, nor does it determine on its own what treatment each patient should receive. Its potential utility lies in complementing available medical information to estimate risks and guide treatment decisions.

Scientists are also seeking to verify its accuracy in larger and more diverse populations.

As part of that process, Mass General Brigham launched the FaceAge Research Study, a study open to volunteers who can provide photographs to help refine and validate the algorithms.

This development represents a new advance in the application of artificial intelligence to personalized medicine, especially in a field such as oncology, where a better understanding of each patient's physical condition and prognosis can be decisive in choosing the most appropriate treatment.

To address this concern, Dr. Alfredo Melgar, an internist and director of nursing homes in Miami-Dade explained in an interview with Voz the mechanism behind these drugs and the specific risk that has them under scrutiny today: possible inflammation of the optic nerve that can lead to irreversible vision loss.

"These medications have sparked a revolution in the treatment of obesity and diabetes," Melgar said in a conversation with Karina Yapor, executive producer at Voz. The doctor explained that their popularity stems from three specific effects: They improve insulin release from the pancreas, optimize liver metabolism to lower blood sugarand send a signal of satiety to the brain that reduces appetite. In addition, the FDA also approved them for their cardiovascular benefits, as they reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

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Use of GLP-1 medications for weight loss is skyrocketing in the country

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But the doctor was just as clear about the other side of the coin. "That's where I see the serious issue," he said, referring specifically to the link with blindness. As he explained, there are approximately 12 reported cases, and although pharmaceutical companies deny a direct link, he stressed that "we need to see what's going on." Melgar detailed the possible mechanism behind the damage: "These medications can cause inflammation of the optic nerve, reducing blood flow to the optic nerve — which is involved in vision — and then the person loses their sight" .

The doctor also pointed to a risk factor that often goes unnoticed but is very common, namely self-medication with incorrect doses. "There are people who want to lose weight immediately" and end up buying the medication "on the black market in Europe, Latin America or Canada," he warned, since in the United States health insurance coverage remains "extremely expensive."

That informal route often leads to the use of doses that are not appropriate for the patient, he pointed out.

For this reason, Melgar emphasized the need for strict medical monitoring before and during treatment, recommending prior evaluation of pancreatic, thyroid and kidney function, and now also a preliminary eye exam, especially in patients with a history of glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy. "What cannot be hidden cannot be hidden," the doctor said regarding the adverse effects of these drugs, noting that if a link to blindness is confirmed, some medications could be modified or withdrawn from the market altogether.

Ultimately, the specialist's conclusion is that any GLP-1 treatment must be administered under medical supervision. "Not what your gym trainer tells you, not what your neighbor does, not what you see on TikTok," he warned, "but under a doctor's supervision, because there may be some irreversible damage."

According to information published by CBS News, the CDC reported on Friday that the country had accumulated 4,080 confirmed cases as of Thursday. The figure far exceeds that of 2025, which had already been the year with the most infections in three decades.

The highly contagious disease has been detected in most states and in Washington, D.C., while several territories are facing outbreaks that have driven up the number of infections.

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HHS creates new NIH clinic to study reported vaccine injuries

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Pennsylvania surpasses 1,000 cases

Pennsylvania surpassed 1,000 measles cases in 2026 this week, after reporting 145 new infections on Wednesday.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, five measles-related deaths have been recorded in the state this year. Authorities consider a death to be associated with the disease when the person dies within 30 days of the onset of symptoms, shows clinical evidence of infection, and tests positive in a laboratory test, provided the death is not due to unrelated causes, such as a traffic accident.

In the neighboring state of New York, Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Monday in response to the rise in cases in the region.

The executive order allows more healthcare professionals to administer measles vaccines and authorizes nurses to order diagnostic tests, according to the governor's office.

95% of patients were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status

CDC data indicate that 95% of patients diagnosed in the United States this year were either unvaccinated against measles or had an unknown vaccination status.

Approximately 2% had received one dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, while another 2% had received two doses.

This is Shigella, a bacterium that causes approximately 450,000 infections per year in the country, according to data cited in reports published by ScienceAlert and The New York Post this Friday.

Historically, this infection has been transmitted primarily through contaminated food or water and through contact among young children, especially in daycare centers. However, since the late 20th century, sexual transmission has become increasingly significant.

Shigella infections can affect anyone, but they are considered endemic in some communities of gay and bisexual men. Experts warn that several of the strains circulating in these communities have developed resistance to multiple antibiotics.

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A recent analysis by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified an increase in extremely drug-resistant Shigella strains, known as XDR, between 2011 and 2023.

According to the analysis, which examined nearly 17,000 samples of the bacterium, strains resistant to five commonly used antibiotics accounted for 0% of the samples in 2011. By 2023, that proportion had risen to 8.5%.

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