Here are today’s top stories.
Headlines
Prosecutors Lay Out Assassination Attempt Plot Against Trump
Federal prosecutors say a Kansas man threatened to shoot President Trump and mapped out rooftops near the site of a planned Trump speech in the Wichita area. The case surfaced as Trump campaigned in Kansas, where Republicans are working to hold an unexpectedly competitive Senate seat. Read More
A former OpenAI engineer accused of planting a recording device in an executive conference room at the AI company appears to have received considerable support from the Saudi government, U.S. prosecutors said in a new court filing. The engineer, Saudi national Abdulrahman Alfozan, worked at the company’s San Francisco offices. Source
The Supreme Court has rejected an effort to revive a plea agreement for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The decision turns away his appeal and leaves the long-running case against him without the deal. Source
Politics
A congressional security official is warning that more suspicious letters may be headed to lawmakers after a string of members, many of them House Democrats, reported being targeted in recent days. The warning follows mailings containing suspicious substances sent to senators last week, which the FBI is investigating. See Details
The Justice Department has charged 28 people in California with unlawful voting and other election-related offenses. The charges come as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on the state’s election process, including threats to prosecute local election workers, ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms. See Details
Vice President JD Vance declined Monday to say whether he backs Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reelection, breaking with President Trump, who endorsed Netanyahu over the weekend. Speaking aboard Air Force Two, Vance said he endorses American candidates and is focused on the midterms, adding that he is neither for nor against an endorsement. Israelis go to the polls Oct. 27. Source
U.S. News
The Air Force identified the airman who died after falling during a pregame rappelling demonstration at the Alamodome in San Antonio as Tech. Sgt. Ian Patterson, a 15-year service member from Georgia. Patterson, a tactical air control party instructor, plunged to the field before Saturday’s Navy-UTSA game, which was billed as a salute to the armed forces and veterans. Read More
The shotgun used in the deadly elementary school shooting in Bend, Oregon, was a birthday gift to the shooter from his mother, sources said. The pump-action 12-gauge was purchased legally in August and given to him for recreational use. Source
A developing nor’easter is threatening the East Coast with high winds, rough surf and coastal flooding this week. Mid-Atlantic coastal communities are bracing for the October storm. Source
Business
Stock futures were mixed Monday night after a tech rebound to start the week, with the S&P 500 gaining 0.41% to close at 7,690.73 and the Nasdaq jumping 1.11% to 26,430.89. Investors are looking to a heavy slate of earnings this week, including Meta and Tesla, to settle worries about the AI trade after last week’s sell-off. Source
U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds pulled in $526.6 million in net inflows Monday, their biggest single day since Sept. 22. The surge erased most of the funds’ October outflows, cutting the month’s net loss from about $617 million to roughly $91 million, while ether funds saw money leave. Source
Gas prices have climbed 37% since President Trump took office, driven sharply higher by the Iran war, and the issue is breaking through even with loyal Republican voters. Republicans campaigned on bringing pump prices down, making affordability a difficult question heading into the midterms. Read More
World News
Protests over the cost of living and school conditions spiraled into rioting and looting across France over the weekend, with damage stretching from Paris to Marseille. The unrest followed weeks of student demonstrations that broadened into nationwide protests on Oct. 17. The turmoil sets up a potentially fraught six months for France heading into its next presidential election. Source
Israeli authorities arrested at least 10 people suspected of weekend attacks in the West Bank on an American photojournalist, European diplomats and Palestinian olive farmers, amid mounting U.S. pressure over settler violence. An Israeli human rights group has documented more than 530 incidents of settler violence since the olive harvest began in late September. Source
The leader of a Kenyan doomsday cult blamed for the deaths of more than 400 followers has been convicted of 191 murders. The 191 counts cover part of the death toll blamed on the group, which ran into the hundreds. See Details
Entertainment
The Elizabeth Holmes documentary “You Can See Everything” stunned Hollywood with a $15 million opening, roughly double expectations for a nearly three-hour film that was on almost no one’s radar two months ago. “Street Fighter” led the weekend with $31 million, and overall ticket sales of $101.6 million ran 45% ahead of the same weekend last year. Read More
Dan Lin is out as head of Netflix’s film division as the streamer cuts deep into its top ranks and lays off roughly 1,000 people, its biggest reduction since 2022. The shake-up follows the exit of chief content officer Bela Bajaria and several senior television executives. Find out More
Richard Riehle, the veteran character actor best remembered as Tom Smykowski in “Office Space,” has died at 78. Friends said he died of natural causes last Thursday in Los Angeles after a career spanning more than 400 film and television projects. Source
Sports
The San Francisco 49ers held off a late Washington rally to win 23-17 on Monday Night Football and improve to 6-0, the NFL’s only unbeaten team. After building a 23-3 lead, San Francisco watched Jayden Daniels throw two second-half touchdown passes before sacking him on the final play. Source
The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 in Game 6 of the ALCS to win the pennant and reach the World Series for the third time in franchise history. They will face the Milwaukee Brewers in the first Fall Classic since 1980 between two teams seeking their first title, with Game 1 set for Friday in Milwaukee. Freddy Peralta, who allowed one run in Game 6, was named ALCS MVP. Source
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the season after blood clots were detected in his lungs. Philadelphia, already without him, fell 25-14 to Carolina on Sunday. Find out More
Off the Wall
Four engineering students at New Zealand’s University of Canterbury built a robot that solved a 4x4x4 Rubik’s cube in 9.8 seconds, smashing the previous robot record of about 45 seconds. The team built stronger motors and a design that lets the robot see and turn every side without repositioning the cube, and is now awaiting confirmation from Guinness World Records. Source
