Francesca Hong, who ran in Wisconsin’s governor race as a democratic socialist, said she regrets a CNN interview where she said she wanted to “cancel Thanksgiving.” She spoke about this in a local TV interview and reflected on her campaign experience.
Key Facts
Francesca Hong ran for governor in Wisconsin.
She identifies as a democratic socialist.
On CNN, she said she wanted to “cancel Thanksgiving.”
She later expressed regret about that interview.
Hong discussed her feelings on a local ABC station called WISN.
The interview focused on her time running for office.
She was asked about her campaign trail experience.
The news highlights a controversy from her comments on Thanksgiving.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Many parents feel anxious and have a hard time adjusting when their child goes to university for the first time. Some join social media groups to share concerns and get advice, but these groups can sometimes increase worry instead of helping.
Key Facts
Parents like Luke experience mixed emotions of pride and sadness when dropping their child at university.
Many parents join Facebook and WhatsApp groups to connect with others whose children live in the same halls.
These social media groups often share practical information but can also create extra anxiety by circulating worries about children's wellbeing.
Some parents use tracking apps and check university social media to see if their child is socializing.
Students say it is better for parents to communicate directly with them rather than rely on other parents’ groups.
Psychologists say these groups can be helpful but warn against over-checking or controlling children, which can harm their independence.
A key part of university life is that students learn to be independent and handle challenges on their own.
Parents should act only if there are real safety concerns or big changes in behavior.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Police forces in the UK have been selling electric bikes (e-bikes) they seized during investigations at online auctions. While some forces say the sales help fund policing, others have stopped the practice due to concerns that criminals might buy the bikes back and use them illegally.
Key Facts
UK police seized thousands of e-bikes each year for suspicions of illegal use or involvement in crimes.
In 2023, police sold at least 161 e-bikes, and 54 so far in 2024, though exact numbers might be higher.
Some police forces, like Police Scotland and West Midlands Police, sell seized e-bikes through auctions to raise money for police work.
E-bikes include pedal-assist bikes that require pedaling and more powerful electric motorbikes that only run on a motor.
The sale of e-bikes is controversial because some people think they are linked to crime and dangerous behavior.
Some police forces have stopped selling e-bikes and instead crush (destroy) all seized vehicles to prevent them returning to criminals.
Illegal e-bikes can be modified to go much faster than the legal limit of 15.5 mph using online "tuning kits".
E-scooters, which are illegal to use on public roads privately in the UK, have also been sold by some forces but are now mostly banned from sale.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The White House used taxpayer money to pay for a Fox News ad that praises President Donald Trump, calling it a public service announcement. Some Democrats say the ad is illegal government propaganda because it promotes Trump in the run-up to the midterm elections.
Key Facts
The White House bought airtime on Fox News for a pro-Trump ad using government funds.
The ad features Trump’s voice and images of him praising his presidency.
Democrats argue this may be illegal because it looks like campaign propaganda.
The White House says the ad is a public service announcement, not a campaign ad.
Versions of the ad were also posted on official government TikTok and YouTube accounts.
The Fox News version includes strong political messages against Democrats, calling them communists.
The ad highlights Trump’s accomplishments like tax cuts and supporting law enforcement.
UFC chief Dana White gives a statement praising Trump at the end of the ad.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Heidi Overton, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), faced tough questions from the Senate health committee about vaccines, abortion, and flavored vaping. She refused to say whether President Trump could be wrong, even when asked about his false claims on vaccines and medication safety.
Key Facts
Heidi Overton is President Trump’s nominee to lead the FDA and currently works on domestic policy in the White House.
She has a medical background and opposes abortion, which raises questions about her impartiality on FDA decisions.
Overton defended President Trump’s incorrect claim that the combined MMR vaccine is “lethal,” but also said the vaccine is safe and effective.
When asked if President Trump could be wrong, Overton avoided giving a clear answer.
Senators pressed her on false claims linking Tylenol use during pregnancy to autism, but she did not confirm or deny the president’s statements.
Overton reportedly advised splitting the combined MMR vaccine into separate shots, which would require years of testing and investment to approve.
The FDA has not had a permanent commissioner since May after the previous chief resigned amid disagreements over flavored vaping products.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Two men were arrested in New York City for coming out of manholes and are suspected of looking for valuables washed into the sewers. They were charged with trespassing and conspiracy but were released without bail.
Key Facts
Kevin Rodriguez and Samuel Reveron, both 25, were arrested by New York City police on Friday.
They are accused of entering manholes and searching storm drains and sewers for valuables like gold.
Both were charged with trespassing and conspiracy.
They were released without having to pay bail; Reveron received supervised release, and Rodriguez was released on his own recognizance.
The arrests followed reports of three people emerging from a manhole on Manhattan’s Upper East Side during the UN General Assembly.
Police surveillance captured people coming out of a sewer near Park Avenue and East 61st Street.
The police are increasing security checks at sensitive locations due to the UN event.
Similar incidents have been reported across Brooklyn and Queens, with individuals entering sewers to find valuables or scrap.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to use a government database to check if noncitizens are on voter lists. This decision came shortly before the midterm elections and affects how states verify voter eligibility.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court revived a voter-citizenship database program.
The database comes from the Department of Homeland Security’s SAVE system, which verifies citizenship status.
The Trump administration wants to use this database to review state voter rolls.
The goal is to identify people registered to vote who might not be citizens.
The decision happened less than two months before the midterm elections.
This ruling supports efforts to tighten voter eligibility checks.
Geoff Bennett and Jessica Huseman discussed the ruling and its impact.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration acted against court orders by deporting an asylum-seeker from El Salvador twice. The judge ordered the government to bring the man back to the U.S. and to stop deporting him until his asylum case is finished.
Key Facts
The man, called E.L.A. in court papers, was deported twice despite three court orders blocking his removal.
After the first deportation, he returned voluntarily to the U.S., stayed in immigration custody for weeks, but was deported again.
The case is related to a 2019 lawsuit that protects asylum rights for immigrants who arrived as unaccompanied minors.
At least 107 people under this protection have been deported before their asylum claims were decided.
Judge Stephanie Gallagher had already found the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in contempt in August for removing protected young asylum seekers.
The court requires both sides to report on E.L.A.'s return to the U.S. by October 2, 2026.
DHS has not yet commented publicly on the ruling.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump plans to hold campaign rallies in Alabama and Oklahoma before the November midterm elections. These states are known to strongly support his party, and he is avoiding more competitive states.
Key Facts
President Trump will campaign in Alabama and Oklahoma.
The rallies are scheduled before the midterm elections in November.
Alabama and Oklahoma are considered reliably supportive of President Trump’s party.
He is not focusing on battleground states where the election is more competitive.
Political analysts Joel Payne and Kevin Sheridan discussed this strategy on CBS News.
The midterm elections will take place in less than six weeks.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request to restore Missouri's congressional map backed by President Donald Trump, for the third time this month. The Court said changing the map now would cause confusion since absentee voting had already started, so Missouri will use the same district lines as in recent elections.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court refused to restore Missouri's Trump-supported congressional map before the November midterm elections.
This is the third time the Court has rejected this map change in the same month.
Changing maps now would create "electoral chaos" because absentee ballots were already being sent out.
Missouri will keep using the congressional districts set after the 2020 census.
Republicans wanted the new map to help win an extra House seat.
Voters will use the same district lines for both the primary and general elections.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe expressed disappointment but said the state will follow the Court’s decision.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports big improvements in processing veterans’ disability claims under President Donald Trump. The VA is reducing wait times and backlogs, helping veterans get their benefits faster, while also expanding access to health care.
Key Facts
The VA processed over 3 million disability claims in fiscal year 2026, more than ever before.
The VA awarded over $207 billion in benefits to veterans and survivors in the same year.
The average time to decide on a disability claim dropped from about 142 days in January 2025 to about 76 days in September 2026.
The backlog of pending claims fell by more than 70 percent.
Claims processing accuracy improved to roughly 94 percent, the highest in two years.
The VA expanded health care by enrolling 270,000 new veterans in 2026 and opening 41 new health facilities since January 2025.
The VA increased appointment availability outside regular hours and boosted community-care options for veterans.
VA modernization includes more use of technology and automation, reducing the time and paperwork needed for claims.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Cook Political Report moved 15 U.S. House of Representatives race ratings in favor of Democrats. The report also said it is very unlikely that Republicans will keep control of the House.
Key Facts
The Cook Political Report tracks and rates election races.
On Friday, it shifted 15 House seat ratings toward Democrats.
This change means those seats are now more likely to be won by Democrats.
The report said that Republicans have a low chance of retaining the House majority.
Zach Donnini, head of data science at VoteHub, discussed these changes on CBS News.
The House of Representatives is one of two parts of the U.S. Congress.
Control of the House affects which party can pass laws and set agendas.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Health care costs are a key issue for many Americans as they face higher expenses. This year, fewer people signed up for insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) because federal financial help ended. Vice President Vance plans to cancel coverage for about 760,000 people due to suspected fraud.
Key Facts
Health care costs are a big concern for many voters.
Enrollment in ACA insurance marketplaces went down this year.
The drop is mostly because federal financial aid expired.
Vice President Vance will cancel coverage for nearly 760,000 people.
The cancellations are based on claims of widespread fraud.
Geoff Bennett spoke with Larry Levitt, a health expert from KFF.
The ACA marketplaces provide government-subsidized health insurance.
Rising health costs influence political discussions before the midterm elections.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump wants to rename artificial intelligence (AI) as "super intelligence" and is promoting this new term across the U.S. government and internationally. He encouraged this change during his speech at the United Nations and urged federal employees to adopt the term. Experts say the new name may face challenges because it has a specific technical meaning and could increase public fears about AI.
Key Facts
President Trump proposes calling artificial intelligence "super intelligence."
He polled his supporters, with 65% choosing "super intelligence" over "superior intelligence."
The State Department told federal workers to use "super intelligence" in official documents.
Trump mentioned the change during his U.N. speech and on his social media platform, Truth Social.
During a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said Xi was open to the new name.
Marketing and technology experts say "super intelligence" has a specific meaning beyond just AI.
Experts warn that the name might increase public distrust of AI because it sounds more threatening.
Past Trump rebranding efforts for other terms, such as geographic names, were easier to adopt than this one.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The U.S. Supreme Court stopped the use of a new Missouri congressional map that President Donald Trump supported. The court let the Missouri Supreme Court’s ruling stand, which says the map cannot be used in the November elections unless voters approve it first.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court rejected a new Missouri congressional map backed by President Trump.
The rejection ended a legal fight over the map as absentee voting started for midterm elections.
A federal appeals court had ruled to revive the Republican-friendly map, but the Supreme Court blocked that.
There were no dissenting opinions from the Supreme Court justices.
The Missouri Supreme Court ruled that a citizen petition requires voter approval before using the new map.
Because of this, Missouri will use the same congressional districts as in the 2022 and 2024 elections.
The decision affects how voters will be represented in the November elections.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The U.S. Supreme Court blocked a new congressional map in Missouri that had support from President Donald Trump, deciding the state should use the old districts for the upcoming midterm elections. This decision ended a long legal dispute and means voters will cast their ballots in the same districts used in 2022 and 2024.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court stopped a lower court ruling that would have allowed a new Missouri congressional map for the midterms.
The Missouri Supreme Court ruled the new map can’t be used without voter approval in a November referendum.
The new map was designed to help Republicans gain one more House seat, shifting district boundaries.
Over a million Missouri voters were confused because they were moved between districts with different candidates.
Absentee voting began using the old districts, despite some local officials advising voters to wait.
Republican leaders, including President Trump and Governor Mike Kehoe, supported the new map.
The legal fight included more than 16 lawsuits about Missouri’s redistricting, making it the longest battle among U.S. states changing congressional districts.
The Supreme Court said changing maps during an ongoing election would cause chaos.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The White House defended TV ads supporting President Trump that aired before the 2026 midterm elections. They said the ads aim to remind Americans to appreciate and defend their country, and this message is not connected to any political party.
Key Facts
The White House released TV ads promoting President Trump just before the 2026 midterm elections.
Officials said the ads focus on patriotism, which they described as a non-partisan value.
The ads encourage Americans to appreciate and protect the country.
Topics mentioned include security at home, at the border, and abroad.
The White House statement defended the timing of the ads during the election season.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked Missouri from using a new congressional map drawn to favor Republicans in the upcoming general election. Instead, Missouri will use the older map from 2022 for the November election to avoid confusion and problems with ballots that have already been sent out.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court stopped Missouri from using a new map designed to give Republicans an extra House seat.
Ballots using the 2022 congressional districts have already been printed and sent to voters, including those overseas and in the military.
The court said changing the map now would cause confusion because the election has already started.
Missouri’s new map was created by the GOP-led legislature and supported by President Trump.
The new map had been used for Missouri’s August primary but was blocked for use in the November general election.
Lower courts had conflicting rulings about which map Missouri should use, leading to multiple appeals and emergency orders.
A group called People Not Politicians opposes the new map and warned about election confusion and fairness.
Missouri officials said using the old map could conflict with legal deadlines and the rights of voters who participated in the primary.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Texas Republicans changed the state's voting districts last year, hoping Latino voters who supported President Trump in 2024 would help them win in 2026. However, issues such as strict immigration policies and higher living costs in South Texas might be weakening this support.
Key Facts
Texas Republicans redrew congressional voting districts in 2023.
They aimed to gain support from Latino voters who backed President Trump in 2024.
This strategy focuses on winning the 2026 midterm elections.
Immigration crackdowns in South Texas are causing concern among Latino voters.
Rising everyday costs in South Texas are also affecting voter opinions.
These factors may reduce Latino voter enthusiasm for the GOP.
The Republican coalition in South Texas could be breaking apart before the midterms.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The CEO of a Michigan credit union lost her job after posting a social media image that showed her family wearing sweaters labeled "Lake America," a name President Donald Trump had ordered for Lake Ontario. The post upset people in Canada, especially because it was shared on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and involved a location important to Halifax.
Key Facts
Jane Smith was the CEO of Family First Credit Union in Michigan.
She posted an AI-edited image of her family wearing “Lake America” sweaters, referencing President Trump’s renaming of Lake Ontario.
The post was made on September 11, the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
People in Canada, including in Halifax, found the image disrespectful and offensive.
Halifax had hosted many stranded passengers after the US closed its airspace on 9/11.
Family First Credit Union reviewed the situation and ended Jane Smith’s employment immediately.
Smith apologized, saying the post was a poor judgment and wasn’t meant as a political statement.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. officials rejected the forced renaming of the lake.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
