Kratom is a plant that some people use and that can act like opioids, but it is sold without a prescription. Lawmakers in the United States are increasingly concerned about its safety, and some states want to ban kratom or its synthetic forms. Senator Chuck Grassley has asked President Trump’s administration to take federal action on this issue.
Key Facts
Kratom is a plant with effects similar to opioids.
It is currently sold over the counter without a prescription.
Some states in the U.S. want to ban kratom or synthetic versions of it.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are paying more attention to kratom’s safety risks.
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has requested that President Trump’s administration respond at the federal level.
Compounds related to kratom have been found in other products, raising concerns.
The issue involves public health and drug regulation.
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Senator Thom Tillis from North Carolina announced he supports Michael Whatley, a Republican, to replace him in the Senate. Michael Whatley is competing against former Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, who is currently leading in the race.
Key Facts
Senator Thom Tillis is leaving his Senate seat in North Carolina.
Tillis publicly supports Michael Whatley, a Republican candidate.
Whatley is running for the Senate seat in a close race.
The main opponent is Roy Cooper, a Democrat and former governor.
Roy Cooper is currently seen as the favorite to win the election.
Tillis’s endorsement is his first public support announcement in this race.
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A man named Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud was arrested for planning an attack at the Mall of America. He talked about joining a terrorist group and wanted to use guns to carry out an attack during a public event.
Key Facts
Mohamud communicated with an FBI informant for about a year using social media and encrypted messages.
He expressed a desire to join the terrorist group al-Shabaab in Somalia or carry out a mass attack in Minnesota.
Mohamud told the informant he wanted to attack the Mall of America or Valleyfair amusement park during the holiday season.
He said he planned the attack "for the sake of Allah only," not for any worldly reason.
Mohamud claimed he targeted the Mall of America because it is owned by Jewish people.
He posted a video pledging loyalty to ISIS on the Discord platform.
Mohamud was arrested while trying to buy an AK-47-style rifle and ammunition from an undercover FBI worker.
Authorities say Mohamud knew the gun was intended for use in a terrorist attack and charged him with terrorism-related crimes.
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, running for Senate, said in a private recording that rising gas and diesel prices caused by President Trump’s war with Iran are hurting Republicans before the midterm elections. Paxton also noted that affordability is the biggest issue for voters and that many factors affecting his campaign are outside his control.
Key Facts
Ken Paxton is the Texas attorney general and a Republican Senate candidate in a close race.
In a leaked audio, Paxton said high gas prices (over $6 per gallon for diesel) are hurting Republican campaigns.
Paxton linked these price increases to President Trump’s war with Iran.
Polls show Democrats leading in many key races, including Paxton’s race against Democrat James Talarico.
Paxton stated many factors in the federal race are uncontrollable and influenced by Washington DC forces.
President Trump supports Paxton and will campaign with him in San Antonio.
The Paxton campaign said his comments reflected what Texans already know about high fuel costs and praised Trump’s efforts to lower prices.
Recent polls show many Americans blame President Trump’s policies for economic problems and higher costs.
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Scott Peyton, an advocacy leader, says that Congress needs to give the Federal Bureau of Prisons enough money. This funding is important to fix staff shortages, keep prisons safe, and help people in prison successfully return to society.
Key Facts
Scott Peyton is leading the advocacy for prison funding.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is facing staff shortages.
Adequate staff is necessary to maintain safety in federal prisons.
Funding is also needed for programs that help inmates reenter society.
Congress controls the budget for federal prisons.
Improving prison conditions is linked to better public safety.
Reentry programs support inmates in building lives after prison.
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The Texas Senate race is heating up as Democrats back James Talarico and Republicans support Ken Paxton, with both sides raising and spending large amounts of money. Republicans have spent over twice as much as Democrats so far, making this race the most expensive Senate contest in this election cycle.
Key Facts
The Texas Senate race is expected to be a key battle in the 2026 midterms.
Total ad spending in this race has passed $440 million, making it the costliest Senate race this cycle.
James Talarico, the Democratic candidate, has raised about $72 million since early 2025.
Ken Paxton, the Republican candidate and Texas attorney general, raised $18 million in July–September 2025.
Republicans have spent about $323 million in total, more than double the $116 million spent by Democrats.
Major Republican funders include President Donald Trump’s MAGA Inc., Elon Musk’s America PAC, and the Senate Leadership Fund.
Experts say Texas is critical for Republicans nationally because it helps the party in Congress and presidential elections.
Campaign issues include national concerns like gas prices, housing, and healthcare.
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Most Americans still support the death penalty, but support has decreased over time. Recent events in Tennessee, including a failed execution, have brought new attention to capital punishment.
Key Facts
A July 2025 Pew Research poll found 66% of Americans support the death penalty for murder, while 32% oppose it.
68% said the death penalty is morally justified in murder cases, but 59% believed it does not stop serious crimes.
Gallup polls in 2025 showed support closer to 52%, down from a high of 80% in 1994.
A failed execution in Tennessee in September 2026 involved Christa Pike, who survived a lethal injection attempt.
Tennessee paused executions pending a review, but other states plan to continue.
President Donald Trump supports capital punishment and in 2025 directed the Justice Department to pursue the death penalty for serious federal crimes.
An execution of Jamaal Howard is scheduled in Texas for October 7, the first planned after Pike's failed execution.
President Trump approved the use of the firing squad for Nidal Hasan, convicted for the 2009 Fort Hood shooting.
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Recent polls show Democrats leading in several key U.S. Senate races in states that Republicans currently hold. Democrats may flip seats in Texas, Ohio, and Kansas, which could help them gain control of the Senate, currently held by Republicans with a 53-47 majority.
Key Facts
Democrats lead Republican Senate candidates in Texas, Ohio, and Kansas according to YouGov polls.
Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate.
Democrats need to gain four seats to take control of the Senate.
Voters in Michigan and New Hampshire also favor Democratic candidates, while Florida favors Republicans.
Texas shows the strongest Democratic lead in the race between James Talarico (D) and Ken Paxton (R).
Ohio’s race is close, with former Senator Sherrod Brown (D) ahead of Jon Husted (R) in the polls.
Republicans are working to energize supporters, including President Donald Trump campaigning in battleground states.
Democrats face challenges as some states lean strongly Republican but an expanding number of competitive races could affect the overall outcome.
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A law meant to stop surprise medical bills has stopped unexpected charges but caused new problems. It created an arbitration system where doctors and middlemen get payments much higher than normal rates, which can increase healthcare costs for workers and families.
Key Facts
The No Surprises Act started in 2022 to end surprise medical bills from out-of-network providers.
It set up a "baseball-style" arbitration system to settle payment disputes between insurers and doctors.
Arbitrators must choose one party’s payment offer without negotiation.
Doctors often win awards many times higher than standard benchmark rates for medical services.
Some doctors have received payments hundreds of times above typical rates for routine or complex procedures.
Insurers pay these high amounts mostly from employer-sponsored health plans, possibly raising premiums or reducing benefits for workers.
More than 85% of arbitration decisions favor providers.
The system pushes hidden costs into health plans rather than eliminating extra charges.
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A new survey shows that most U.S. voters want stronger protections for artificial intelligence (AI). Many believe the Trump administration and Congress have not done enough to manage AI’s risks.
Key Facts
57% of U.S. voters say the Trump administration is not taking AI risks seriously enough.
The survey was conducted by Reuters/Ipsos and released recently.
Many voters want more government safeguards on AI technology.
Concerns include how AI could affect jobs, privacy, and security.
The poll reflects growing public awareness about the power and risks of AI.
Congress is also viewed as not doing enough to regulate AI.
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Two candidates, Republican Ashley Hinson and Democrat Josh Turek, are debating to replace Iowa Senator Joni Ernst. The debate is considered important because the race is very close.
Key Facts
The debate is between Ashley Hinson, a Republican and current U.S. House member, and Josh Turek, a Democratic state representative.
They are competing to replace outgoing Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa.
The debate takes place at 8 p.m. EDT and is broadcast live on Iowa PBS.
The Senate race is rated as a "Toss Up" by the Cook Political Report, meaning it could go either way.
Ashley Hinson was elected to the U.S. House in 2020.
The race is considered one of the most competitive for the Senate this year.
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President Donald Trump is launching automatic enrollment for his Trump Accounts program, which helps children save money. About 70 million accounts have been opened so far, mostly through this automatic process.
Key Facts
President Trump is announcing that automatic enrollment is now active for children’s savings accounts called Trump Accounts.
The program aims to help children across the United States start saving money early.
Nearly 70 million Trump Accounts have already been created.
Most accounts were opened using the automatic enrollment feature.
Parents or guardians must claim the accounts after they are opened.
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Vice President JD Vance will have a town hall event in Michigan with CBS anchor Tony Dokoupil on October 17. They will talk about important topics like the upcoming midterm elections, health care, immigration, and the economy. Michigan is an important state for deciding control of Congress and other key elections.
Key Facts
JD Vance will appear in a town hall in Michigan on October 17 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.
The event will be hosted by Tony Dokoupil, anchor of "CBS Evening News."
They will discuss major election issues including affordability, tariffs, immigration, health care, and artificial intelligence.
The war with Iran and the state of American democracy will also be topics of discussion.
Michigan has important Senate and House races that could influence which party controls Congress.
Michigan voters will also choose a new governor for the first time in eight years.
The town hall will feature questions from Michigan voters across different political views.
The event will be available to watch on CBS, Paramount+, CBSNews.com, YouTube, and CBS News 24/7.
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Hannah Cain, a 45-year-old doctor known to patients as Dr. Hannah Terry, was found dead at her home in Dersingham, Norfolk. Her husband, Mark Cain, has been charged with her murder and will appear in court again soon.
Key Facts
Hannah Cain was a general practitioner (GP) in Dersingham, Norfolk.
She was known as Dr. Hannah Terry to her patients.
Police found her body at her home on Sunday morning.
Her family described her as kind, generous, and loving.
Mark Cain, her husband, was charged with her murder.
He did not enter a plea during his first court hearing.
The local medical practice where she worked reopened after being closed for two days.
She was also part of a group of doctors who sometimes cared for members of the Royal Family.
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New York lawmakers have tried for years to change how the law treats sexual assault cases involving intoxicated victims, but efforts have stalled in the Assembly. The debated law focuses on whether a victim’s voluntary or involuntary intoxication affects consent, and a recent alleged gang rape case at Cornell University has brought the issue back into public discussion.
Key Facts
New York Senate has approved reforms to consent laws related to intoxicated sexual assault victims several times, but the Assembly has not passed them.
Current law treats consent differently if a victim’s intoxication was voluntary (by choice) or involuntary.
Governor Kathy Hochul stated that voluntary intoxication does not excuse sexual assault and wants the law to be fixed.
The bill, known as Assembly Bill A101, was introduced in 2019 and has repeatedly failed to advance in the Assembly.
Some legal experts say the current distinction creates a "loophole" that can hurt victims, while the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers says no such loophole exists.
Other states like Michigan and Texas have updated their laws to remove distinctions between voluntary and involuntary intoxication.
Critics say the current law does not reflect modern views on consent and may blame victims unfairly.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said there are not enough votes yet to pass reforms but has formed a group to study the issue more.
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Jamaal Howard, a man in Texas, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection for killing a convenience store clerk in 2000. This will be the 30th execution in the United States this year and the first since a failed execution attempt in Tennessee last week.
Key Facts
Jamaal Howard is 46 years old.
He was found guilty of capital murder for shooting Vickie Swartout, 42, once in the chest in 2000.
Howard’s execution will use a lethal dose of pentobarbital, a drug used to cause death in executions.
This is the first scheduled execution in the U.S. since a recent failed execution in Tennessee.
Christa Pike’s execution in Tennessee failed; she was awake and receiving hospital treatment afterward.
The Texas execution will be the 30th in the United States this year.
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Social Security benefits are expected to increase by about 3.5 to 3.6 percent in 2027. This will be the largest yearly increase since 2023 and helps benefits keep up with rising costs due to inflation.
Key Facts
The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2027 is forecasted at 3.5 to 3.6 percent.
The official COLA will be announced on October 14, after final inflation data is released.
This increase would be larger than the expected 2.8 percent COLA for 2026 but less than the 8.7 percent increase in 2023.
COLA is calculated by comparing the average price changes in goods and services during July, August, and September to the same months in the previous year.
Inflation in 2026 remains unusually high due to rising energy costs, tariffs, and higher prices for services.
An average retired worker could see a monthly benefit increase of about $73 to $75, raising the payment from about $2,087 to around $2,161-$2,163.
Disabled workers and surviving spouses would also see their benefits increase proportionally.
Over 70 million Americans receive Social Security benefits to help cover things like housing, food, and health care.
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A new poll in Iowa shows Democratic candidates leading in the governor and Senate races. Sand leads Lahn by 12 points for governor, and Turek is ahead of Hinson in the Senate race.
Key Facts
Democratic candidate Sand leads Republican Lahn by 12 percentage points in the Iowa governor race.
For the Senate race, 48% support Democratic candidate Josh Turek as their first choice.
Republican candidate Rep. Ashley Hinson has 44% support in the Senate race.
The poll was conducted by Suffolk University.
The numbers reflect voter preferences if the election were held at the time of the poll.
Both Democrats are currently ahead in these statewide Iowa contests.
The poll shows a close but clear lead for Democrats in Iowa’s upcoming elections.
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Actor Ben Affleck said he has no interest in running for public office because he finds politics to be a depressing and unpleasant environment. He discussed this while promoting his new movie, where he plays a candidate for mayor of Los Angeles.
Key Facts
Ben Affleck is an actor starring in a new movie called "Animals."
In the movie, he plays a candidate running for mayor of Los Angeles.
Affleck was asked about the idea of entering real-life politics.
He said he is not interested in running for public office.
He described the current political climate as "snarky" and "depressing."
Affleck said being involved in politics would be an awful job for him.
The interview was published by Variety.
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A YouGov poll shows how President Donald Trump’s ranking of U.S. presidents compares to public opinion. Trump ranked himself as “The greatest,” but most Americans rated him negatively. Other presidents like Abraham Lincoln and George Washington were widely seen as great by the public.
Key Facts
President Trump placed himself in a category called “The greatest” above Lincoln, Washington, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Trump called Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama “failures” in his ranking.
In the YouGov poll, 48% of adults rated Trump as a failure, 10% below average, and 8% average.
Lincoln ranked highest in the poll, with 57% rating him as great and 24% as near great.
Washington was second, with 52% rating him as great and 22% near great.
Biden was rated as a failure by 35%, and Richard Nixon by 28% of respondents.
Some presidents, like Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, had mixed reviews in the poll but were placed differently by Trump.
The poll surveyed 2,175 U.S. adults from September 1-6, with a margin of error around 2%.
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