Saturday, October 31, 2026 · Morning Edition

Today

By StaffNews Desk

Good morning. From Alaska to California, Trump's election lawsuits may be failing, but the groundwork for midterm chaos is still being laid. The method is pressure: after alleging noncitizens are on the rolls, the Justice Department subpoenaed Los Angeles election officials before a grand jury, until a federal judge ordered the administration to stop threatening them with criminal prosecution. Another judge forced the government to pull taxpayer-funded ads touting Trump's claim that every American gets $5,000 if Republicans keep Congress. Meanwhile workers process mail-in ballots under CCTV, zip ties and the watch of election observers, as voters are left asking whether the polls can be trusted and how Trump might work with Democrats if they take Congress.

The terrain is being softened: a poll finds a majority of voters view socialism unfavorably, even as democratic socialists run for seats. The Christian right is not hiding its aims either: Pete Hegseth's spiritual adviser, the Moscow, Idaho pastor Doug Wilson, wants a Christian America.

Abroad, as Trump fans the flames, countries are waking up to the dangers of being excluded and abused by America, and the European Union is rushing to forge a new transatlantic alliance with Canada as the old one falls apart. In Britain, Prime Minister Andy Burnham says he is open to an apology for the slave trade but has ruled out financial reparations — words without the money.

For workers the squeeze is concrete. S&P Global reports an hour of work now buys 15.8 candy bars, close to the 15.6 of 2012, as wages fail to keep pace with prices. In New South Wales, a man with a partially ruptured kidney spent 23 hours on a hard chair, and an elderly patient waited more than 77 hours before giving up and going home. On construction sites, bosses deploy AI to flag hazards, but evidence that it prevents injuries remains limited.