Six Flags said it will add seat belts to the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia after a rider died when he was ejected on Oct. 12. The ride remains closed while the park and police investigate and inspect it; eight other similar coasters also remain closed as Six Flags reviews their safety measures.
Key Facts
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, died after being ejected from Goliath on Oct. 12, according to Cobb County police.
Police said Kariem struck other patrons before falling beneath the ride; the article reports that other people were injured.
A relative told ABC News that Kariem was at the park with family to celebrate his niece’s birthday and sat beside her on the ride.
Goliath had lap-bar restraints before the incident, and Six Flags plans to add seat belts.
Six Flags said it has hired independent engineers and ride inspectors to review safety procedures across its parks.
The park and police investigations are ongoing, and Goliath remains closed.
Six Flags initially closed nine similar coasters as a precaution; eight remained closed on Oct. 24, with seat belts or other restraints planned.
Goliath opened in 2006 and reaches a height of 200 feet and speeds of up to 70 mph, according to the park.
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President Donald Trump said he could pardon White House staff and administration officials, while saying he had not seriously considered doing so. A report said White House lawyers were assessing possible preemptive pardons, but the administration has not publicly confirmed that review.
Key Facts
Trump said on Saturday that he would be allowed to pardon administration officials.
Trump cited former President Joe Biden’s pardons as a precedent for the use of presidential clemency.
The Washington Sun reported that White House attorneys were evaluating preemptive pardons for some lower-level officials.
The report said a blanket pardon for all junior staffers was considered unlikely, while possible protections for officials in certain policy areas had been discussed.
The White House has not publicly confirmed that it is considering broad preemptive pardons.
Trump said he did not want staff members to face investigations, legal expenses, or other hardships after leaving office.
In his first term, Trump pardoned former national security adviser Michael Flynn, adviser Roger Stone, and strategist Steve Bannon.
In his second term, Trump granted clemency to about 1,500 people convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
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More than 26.8 million Americans had cast ballots in the midterm elections, according to figures cited by NBC News. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump voted in West Palm Beach, Florida, before Trump traveled to Georgia to campaign for Republican candidates.
Key Facts
NBC News reported that 14.3 million mail-in ballots and 12.5 million early in-person ballots had been cast nationwide.
The Trumps voted at the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections office in West Palm Beach.
Trump said he voted for Republicans across the ballot.
Trump endorsed Byron Donalds for Florida governor and Senator Ashley Moody for reelection.
Trump was expected to campaign in Georgia for Senate candidate Mike Collins and gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson.
Trump said further military action against Iran or a negotiated settlement remained possible.
Melania Trump said “We will see” when asked whether she might travel to Ukraine.
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Republican Georgia governor candidate Rick Jackson is using his foster-care childhood and business career to present himself as a more personal version of billionaire conservative politics, while also aligning himself with President Donald Trump. Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms challenges Jackson’s claim that he will help struggling residents, and the Nov. 3 election will test his appeal in the battleground state.
Key Facts
Jackson is a 72-year-old healthcare business owner and Republican candidate for Georgia governor.
Jackson says he spent time in foster homes, lived in public housing and attended 13 schools before starting a business at age 21.
His company, Jackson Healthcare, supplies contract workers to hospitals and health systems, including public entities.
Jackson has spent nearly $200 million of his own money on his campaign.
Jackson calls his wealth “God’s money” and says he wants to help Georgians who are struggling.
Jackson has sought to associate himself with Trump, despite Trump endorsing another candidate in the Republican primary.
Jackson planned to appear with Trump at a rally in Perry during the campaign’s closing stretch.
Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former Atlanta mayor, disputes Jackson’s claim that he will act for struggling residents.
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Former President Barack Obama endorsed Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Jolly and Senate candidate Angie Nixon less than two weeks before the midterm elections. Both candidates shared videos of Obama supporting their campaigns on X on Saturday morning.
Key Facts
Obama endorsed David Jolly, the Democratic nominee for Florida governor.
Obama endorsed Angie Nixon, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Florida.
The endorsements came less than two weeks before the midterm elections.
Jolly and Nixon shared videos of Obama on X on Saturday morning.
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The article says Barack Obama and President Donald Trump are campaigning as early voting begins ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. It describes both parties as making use of presidential influence, but provides no further details about their campaign appearances.
Key Facts
The article is dated October 24, 2026.
Barack Obama and President Donald Trump are campaigning ahead of the midterm elections.
Early voting is underway.
The article says both the Democratic and Republican parties are leaning into presidential power.
The article excerpt gives no locations, schedules, or details about the campaign events.
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Some Latino voters in Doral, Florida, who supported Donald Trump in 2024 say his immigration policies have disappointed them. A recent CBS News poll found Hispanic likely voters favored Democrats over Republicans for the upcoming midterms, while local businesses reported reduced foot traffic amid fear of immigration enforcement.
Key Facts
Latinos and Hispanics make up more than 70% of Miami-Dade County’s population.
Doral has the largest Venezuelan population of any U.S. city and voted for Trump in 2024.
Andrea Ramos, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Venezuela, said she felt disappointed and betrayed by Trump, citing his administration’s immigration crackdown and concerns about the economy.
A CBS News Battleground Tracker poll found 60% of Hispanic likely voters were likely to back congressional Democrats in the midterms, compared with 39% for Republicans.
In the same poll, 59% of Hispanic likely voters said the administration was trying to deport more people than they expected; 59% said its focus on deportation was too much.
CBS News exit polls found that 51% of Hispanic voters backed Democrats in 2024 and 46% backed Republicans.
Doral business owner Stephanie Caro said her coffee shop and other local businesses had seen lower foot traffic and sales, amid reports of masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the city.
Doral Mayor Christi Fraga declined to say directly whether she still supported Trump and told voters to follow their conscience.
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A new memorial honors veterans of the Gulf War, who helped liberate Kuwait from Saddam Hussein’s forces. CBS News correspondent Eleanor Watson reported on the memorial.
Key Facts
The memorial honors Gulf War veterans.
The veterans served in the conflict that liberated Kuwait from Saddam Hussein’s forces.
Eleanor Watson reported the story for CBS News.
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Bill Stepien, who managed Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign, told CNN that Republicans face a difficult outlook ahead of the midterm elections. He cited recent allegations of government corruption as a key reason for his concern.
Key Facts
Bill Stepien managed Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign.
Stepien served as White House political director during Trump’s first term.
Stepien spoke with CNN’s Abby Phillip.
Stepien said the outlook for Republicans ahead of the midterms was “ugly.”
Stepien pointed to recent allegations of government corruption as a key concern.
The article describes Stepien as one of a growing number predicting trouble for Republicans in the midterms.
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Marva Cook, a 66-year-old Syracuse resident, faces a federal charge of voting illegally in the 2022 midterm election. She says she recently discovered she was born in Germany and had believed she was a U.S. citizen; prosecutors say she held a green card and voted despite not being a citizen.
Key Facts
Cook was adopted as a toddler and said she learned she had a German birth certificate while searching for her biological mother.
Prosecutors charged Cook with one misdemeanor count of voting by an alien related to her 2022 vote.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine if she is convicted.
Federal law may also make Cook subject to deportation.
Cook voluntarily turned herself in and appeared in court Wednesday; her lawyer said no hearings or filing deadlines are currently pending.
Cook’s lawyer said there are no pending immigration proceedings, and she has an immigration lawyer if that changes.
Cook played basketball for Syracuse University and led the team in scoring in the 1979–80 season, averaging 15 points per game.
Federal authorities have also brought cases against alleged noncitizen voters in California and Minnesota.
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An Ohio sheriff is investigating three men after protester Blake Miley was tackled and punched at a Donald Trump rally in Youngstown. No one has been charged, and investigators are waiting for Miley’s medical records to assess possible misdemeanor or felony charges.
Key Facts
Miley, 29, said she stood during Trump’s speech, displayed a shirt reading “RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES,” and shouted “Fascist, fascist!”
Video reviewed by the sheriff shows Miley being struck in the face during the confrontation.
Sheriff Jerry Greene said investigators identified three suspected participants; authorities believe one delivered the punch.
A New Jersey resident reportedly wrote in a now-deleted Facebook post that he and two friends subdued Miley and threw her to the concrete.
The sheriff said deputies’ body-camera footage showed they were moving through the crowd and did not see the punch.
Miley said she was treated at a hospital for cuts to her face and bruising on her arms.
Trump called Miley “scum” and “low-class” from the stage, referred to her using male pronouns, and alleged she had been paid; she denied the allegation.
The sheriff’s office received hundreds of calls and messages about the incident, including abusive communications.
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Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton criticized Republican rival Vivek Ramaswamy at a Cleveland rally, saying his campaign used her childhood trauma in an advertisement featuring her estranged mother. The ad disputes Acton’s account of her upbringing; court records and reporting cited in the article support key parts of her account, while Ramaswamy’s campaign accused Acton of lying and avoiding voters.
Key Facts
Acton and Ramaswamy are running to succeed term-limited Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
Acton said she and her brother experienced abuse, neglect, frequent moves and a period living in a tent during winter.
Ramaswamy’s 60-second ad features Acton’s estranged birth mother, Donna Arthur, disputing Acton’s account of her childhood.
Arthur calls Acton a liar and disputes that she lived in a tent as a child.
Police and court records cited by the Associated Press say Arthur lost custody after her husband was charged with raping Acton when Acton was 12.
Acton’s stepfather pleaded not guilty, and the case did not go to trial after he left the area while free on bond.
The article says the ad first circulated online without a sponsorship disclosure; the Associated Press reported such a disclosure would be required for television airing.
Ramaswamy’s campaign said Acton had made false claims about him and his family and had avoided debates and voters.
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President Donald Trump said he might move the White House press corps to a new location away from the executive residence. He rejected reports about removing the press briefing room to restore an old swimming pool beneath it but said he could relocate reporters to a different place.
Key Facts
President Trump denied plans to remove the White House press briefing room to restore a historic pool underneath.
He suggested moving the White House press corps to a "less obnoxious location."
The idea to move reporters was previously discussed with former press secretary Karoline Leavitt but was not acted on.
Trump recently banned journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico but was forced by a judge to restore their access.
Trump has frequently criticized journalists who cover him.
Changes to the White House under Trump’s administration include demolishing the East Wing, installing concrete pavers on the lawn, and building a helipad.
The historic pool was built in 1933 for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and a press briefing room was constructed above it in the 1970s.
Leavitt said Trump “flirts” with the idea of restoring the pool but it is unclear if he will proceed.
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Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed challenged Fox News host Bret Baier during an interview aired Friday. Baier asked about accusations from El-Sayed’s opponent, former Republican Representative Mike Rogers, that El-Sayed has ties to an Islamist political group; El-Sayed responded, “Be a journalist.”
Key Facts
Abdul El-Sayed is a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Michigan.
Fox News host Bret Baier interviewed El-Sayed.
The interview aired on Friday evening.
Baier asked El-Sayed about alleged ties to an Islamist political group.
Former Representative Mike Rogers, El-Sayed’s Republican opponent, has repeatedly made the accusations, according to the article excerpt.
El-Sayed pushed back at Baier and said, “Be a journalist.”
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President Donald Trump's administration has filed a federal lawsuit to challenge the results of a close Alaska Senate race where two candidates named Dan Sullivan are running. The lawsuit aims to block certification of the election if Senator Dan Sullivan loses, arguing that voters might be confused by the presence of another similarly named candidate.
Key Facts
Two candidates named Dan Sullivan appeared on the Alaska Senate ballot: the incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan and Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher with no party affiliation.
Republicans claim Daniel J. Sullivan is a Democratic plant intended to split votes and confuse voters.
The Alaska Supreme Court refused to remove Daniel J. Sullivan from the ballot after months of Republican efforts.
President Trump directed the Justice Department to file a lawsuit to block election certification if Senator Sullivan loses.
The lawsuit argues that the election is "tainted" by having two candidates with similar names, claiming it threatens the election’s integrity.
Legal experts say the lawsuit is unlikely to succeed because election results and certification are state responsibilities under the constitution.
The lawsuit requests a hold on certification until an investigation can determine if voter confusion changed the election outcome, though it does not explain how that would be measured.
This is the first time the Justice Department has tried to block certification of a midterm election result under President Trump.
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In Doral, Florida, some Latino voters who previously supported President Donald Trump are reconsidering their support for the Republican Party amid heightened activity by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). CBS News reported on the potential effect of the immigration crackdown on the community’s voting choices.
Key Facts
The report focuses on Doral, Florida.
Some Latino voters in Doral previously supported Trump.
Some of those voters are now turning away from the Republican Party or hesitating to vote Republican.
The report links their changing views to strong ICE activity.
Cristian Benavides reported the story for CBS News.
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The article urges the Senate to confirm John Coale as President Donald Trump’s nominee for Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. It argues that Coale’s use of transactional diplomacy has helped secure detainees’ release.
Key Facts
John Coale is President Trump’s nominee for Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs.
The article calls on the Senate to confirm Coale.
The article says Coale has used transactional diplomacy.
The article credits Coale’s approach with helping secure the release of detainees.
The article focuses on efforts to bring detained Americans home.
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Six Flags will add seat belts to some of its rollercoasters after a man died falling from the Goliath ride in Georgia. The park is reviewing safety procedures and has temporarily closed several rides while investigations continue.
Key Facts
A 42-year-old man named Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem died after falling from the Goliath rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on October 12.
Four other riders were injured in the same incident.
Six Flags’ CEO John Reilly said the company will add seat belts to Goliath and similar rides that currently use lap bars.
Goliath and eight other rides at five different parks remain closed for safety checks.
Independent engineers and ride inspectors have been hired to review safety at all Six Flags parks.
Goliath is a high-speed rollercoaster that opened in 2006, with a top speed of 70 mph and steep drops.
Six Flags has had other fatal incidents in the past, including deaths in 2011, 2013, and 2022.
The company serves over 28 million visitors annually across 34 parks in North America.
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Former President Barack Obama criticized President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the Iran conflict at a campaign rally in Cleveland. Obama said the administration had abandoned diplomacy and called its leaders “not serious people,” while citing reported U.S. deaths, injuries, attacks on bases and allies, and depleted missile supplies.
Key Facts
Obama spoke at a Cleveland rally alongside Ohio Democratic candidates Amy Acton and Sherrod Brown.
Obama said the original rationale for the Iran conflict was to stop Iran’s nuclear program and argued diplomacy had done so during his presidency.
Obama criticized Trump for withdrawing from the Iran nuclear agreement and later starting the conflict.
Obama said Americans had been killed, hundreds of service members wounded, and U.S. missile stocks reduced.
Obama mocked Hegseth’s focus on service members’ testosterone levels and appearance.
Hegseth announced in July that active-duty service members aged 30 and older would receive annual screenings for testosterone deficiency.
Trump described the conflict as a “military exercise” at an October 16 rally and had previously called it “small potatoes.”
The Pentagon reported 21 U.S. service members killed and 865 wounded in connection with operations against Iran.
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