Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker: I think [Trump]'s jealous of my weight loss.

NYT: Chief executive of California’s High-Speed Rail Authority has abruptly resigned after a recent state report that found that the agency had misused nearly $600,000 to pay for the travel of consultants.

"You are disgusting. Put yourself in shape. You look like hell." President Trump unloads on a reporter after he repeatedly questions whether the president's decision to skip a rally in Kansas has anything to do with his health or travel schedule.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy says the state may not certify the Senate race if Democrat Mary Peltola wins: "We’re going to investigate it. We’re going to follow the law."

Putin calls Elon Musk a genius and says Russia continues working closely with US partners, including Musk, on space operations despite political tensions.

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill told the Financial Times that she is weighing blocking Russian diesel from being unloaded in New Jersey. It remains unclear what authority she has to block the tankers.

Fourteen years ago today, Hurricane Sandy made landfall on the Jersey Shore, bringing historic coastal flooding, destructive winds and widespread power outages across the Tri-State area.

Reports that billions of dollars worth of crypto have been hacked from the world's largest exchange Binance. The company says that “User funds are completely safe.”

WSJ: CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper briefed President Trump on military options against Iran during a rare White House meeting with War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, as the US warns Gulf states to prepare for a short, intense campaign after the midterms.

An Israeli ZIM-chartered container ship sank off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast after being struck by three maritime drones, with all 18 crew members rescued safely amid a series of suspected Russian attacks in the region.

NYT: US intelligence agencies concluded that Chinese executive Alice Huang, who had close ties to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, was gathering information for Beijing.

An Israeli ZIM-chartered container ship sank off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast after being struck by three maritime drones, with all 18 crew members rescued safely amid a series of suspected Russian attacks in the region.

JD Vance calls for an investigation into Democratic Sen. Peltola's reported role in putting a similarly named Dem candidate on Alaska's Senate ballot, accusing her of trying to mislead voters.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) says he was briefed on plans for renewed U.S. strikes on Iran, calling them "insane" and warning they would trigger further escalation.

'Democrats' party leader Yair Golan met with Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas today. The two discussed ways to build a partnership between them and explored all possible options for establishing a government.

REUTERS: The Pentagon suspects a cyberattack may be behind a series of mysterious freezer malfunctions that spoiled food at US military bases across the country in August.

Merck beat third-quarter earnings and revenue estimates, driven by strong sales of its cancer drug Keytruda and HPV vaccine Gardasil. The company also raised its full-year profit and revenue forecasts.

A driver fleeing police slammed into a FedEx semi-truck at an intersection in Council Bluffs, Iowa, early Wednesday.

Eli Lilly announced that its experimental obesity and diabetes drug, retatrutide, significantly outperformed Ozempic in a clinical trial, with patients losing an average of 44–47 pounds over about 18 months, compared with 21 pounds for those taking Ozempic.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth removed Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia as the Joint Chiefs’ strategy chief as Trump weighs renewed strikes on Iran. Officials say Hegseth lost confidence in Sylvia, who clashed with Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby. No replacement has been named.

WSJ: Since Trump’s deal with Putin was announced, US diesel prices have risen from $6.28 to $6.35 per gallon. Analysts doubt Russian supplies will lower prices due to refinery problems and export restrictions.

NEW LEVELS OF AI: You can place AI-generated assets in the real world with your phone. The assets react to your movements, your voice and your surroundings. Try it on iPhone: https://apple.co/4zbLcCR

New Commerce Department data showed that US economic growth accelerated at its fastest pace in over a year, even as rising gas prices pushed September’s annual PCE inflation rate to 3.6%—matching economist expectations but remaining well above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

DoorDash has agreed to buy Instacart in a deal that values its food-delivery rival at about $17 billion in cash and stock, combining the largest restaurant delivery and online grocery services.

The Shin Bet is investigating suspicions that foreign entities, potentially including Qatar and Turkey, funneled money into Israel to influence Arab-sector voter turnout, following an order from Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg to probe possible foreign election interference.

With 99.5% of polling stations reported, seat estimates put Netanyahu's bloc at 53, the opposition at 48 and Arab parties at 19, leaving no bloc with a majority as the count continues.

Governor Hochul said it was important Jessica Tisch remained NYPD commissioner, even discussing it with Mayor Mamdani before she endorsed him.

Federal officials deployed Avenger air defense systems near Trump's Palm Beach club and at Palm Beach (DJT) airport. The mobile units counter drones, cruise missiles and low-flying aircraft.

Even socialists like the good life. Mamdani, who has called the NYPD “racist,” has secretly been using the police gym in Queens to play pickup ball, traveling 10 miles late at night with a group of friends. This has inconvenienced officers, forced the cancellation of several events, and once forced rookie officers to train outside in the hallway. Read more on our WhatsApp group https://chat.whatsapp.com/HV7BWm1YhuFLQ9sRxxBi2H

Apple founder Steve Jobs in 2010 on touchscreen laptops: “It doesn’t work, it’s ergonomically terrible.”

Apple today introduced a Touchscreen MacBook Pro, their first touchscreen laptop.

Israeli Elections: What Comes Next

NYC voters will decide on 5 ballot questions covering outdoor dining, city contractor paperwork, bike and bus lane approvals, construction permits and rules for city reserve funds.

Trump calls for Sen. Mary Peltola to leave Alaska's Senate race and face prosecution, accusing Democrats of backing another candidate named Dan Sullivan to confuse voters.

YouTube generated $11.2 billion in ad revenue in Q3 2026, up 9.2% year over year but below analyst expectations. The platform also surpassed 150 million YouTube Music and Premium subscribers worldwide, including trial users.

Spanish military emergency crews search the wreckage of the high-speed train collision in Toledo province, where the death toll has risen to at least 64, according to Reuters, with more than 100 injured. It is one of Spain's deadliest rail disasters in decades.

Powerful king tides are battering California's coast, leaving homes in Pacifica perched on crumbling cliffs and flooding roads in Marin County and Huntington Beach, where drivers plowed through water on Pacific Coast Highway. Some residents took to kayaks on submerged streets.

Trump denies WSJ report that Vance reached out to Iranian security chief to “restart peace talks,” saying the outreach was about medical supplies.

Trump declines to endorse Flávio Bolsonaro's claim to Brazil's presidency, saying Bolsonaro was given permission to enter the U.S. but that he won't get involved in the election dispute.

US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz says Marco Rubio ordered a Cuban official sent back to Havana after the official allegedly pushed and slapped a U.S. staffer filming a confrontation between Waltz and the Cuban Foreign Minister at the UN.

The robot dog-pocalypse: San Francisco start-up is paying gig workers $20 an hour to walk robot canines for 'training.’

With 96% of votes counted, Netanyahu’s bloc leads with 53 seats, compared with 48 for the opposition and 19 for Arab parties, leaving no bloc with a 61-seat majority. The remaining 450,000 double-envelope ballots, including soldiers’ votes, are expected to be counted by tomorrow evening and could still shift the final results.

WSJ: JD Vance sent a letter to Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei at Trump’s direction to revive peace talks and avert a possible US attack after next week’s midterms, with Washington demanding nuclear concessions and Tehran seeking economic relief.

Bombshell Report: A NYT report alleges Democrats in Alaska secretly recruited a candidate named Dan Sullivan to run against Alaska’s Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan to confuse voters and siphon votes from him.

The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at 3.75%–4%, with officials voting 10-2 to maintain rates despite a lack of recent progress in bringing inflation down to its 2% target.

BDE: Longtime Manhattan federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein, an Orthodox Jew appointed by President Clinton in 1998, has died at 92, according to a court spokesperson. He was overseeing the prosecution of deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

Flávio Bolsonaro, the defeated candidate in Brazil's presidential election, has arrived in Miami with his family after they were granted U.S. visas. People close to him say he feared arrest, like his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup. He left after defying a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports in a money laundering investigation.

Security video from Mexico shows a car speeding down a residential street after its driver lost control. It crashes through a home's garage and plunges over the edge in a cloud of debris.

🚢 “Never-Ending” World Cruise Comes to an End: Passengers who sold their homes to live aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey, which began its around-the-world voyage in 2024, are now being forced to disembark in Cambodia due to soaring fuel prices.

WAPO: A Brazilian Supreme Court justice ordered a police investigation into alleged ties between a donor network co-founded by VP JD Vance and the presidential campaign of Flávio Bolsonaro in the run-up to Sunday’s election.

The NYPD is scrapping a planned $750,000 no-bid contract with Israeli firm Cognyte for FalcoNet, an AI surveillance system that tracks nearby cellphones, following backlash against Mayor Mamdani and allegations that the company’s technology enables human rights abuses.

Flávio Bolsonaro lands in the US after fleeing Brazil following the former senator's defeat in the country's presidential election.

NY Governor Hochul leads Republican Bruce Blakeman 53%-42% among likely voters statewide, with 4% undecided, in the latest Marist poll. Her lead among registered voters has grown to 14 points from 11 earlier this month, while 71% expect her to win re-election.

Trump says he would approve of Flávio Bolsonaro coming to the United States, calling Brazil's election "really strange" and "terrible."

In his first public comments since the election, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said, "We must do everything possible, especially after yesterday, to avoid another election. I expect everyone who comes here to come with an open mind." Herzog will decide who gets the first shot at forming a government coalition.

Dramatic footage of the two high-speed trains carrying about 500 passengers that collided in Spain's Toledo province, killing at least 50 people.

The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady today even after inflation data for September came in hotter than expected.

Trump claims his endorsement turned Bibi Netanyahu's expected decisive defeat into a possible stalemate or win.

"ARE THEY CRAZY?": Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Haredi radio host Itche Dzlovsky get into a heated phone call over whether Chareidim will turn out to vote, with an hour and a half left before the polls close.

With 84.5% of votes counted, partial Israeli election results show PM Netanyahu’s bloc leading with 54 seats to Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar-led bloc’s 49, while Arab-led parties hold 17 seats.

With 31.3% of polling stations reporting election results (representing approximately 1.5 million votes) Netanyahu's bloc is at 59 seats, the opposition at 46 and Arab parties at 15, with no bloc reaching the 61-seat majority. These results will likely change as more votes are counted.

WSJ: US tells Gulf Arab allies to prepare for a renewed Iran military campaign after the midterms, while President Trump leans toward a large post-election strike on Iranian nuclear and infrastructure targets.

Channel 14’s updated exit poll projects 62 seats for Netanyahu’s bloc, including 31 for Likud, with Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu falling below the electoral threshold. The projection remains a major outlier, as other exit polls give Netanyahu’s bloc just 50–55 seats and Likud around 25.

What a finish: A massive multi-car wreck broke out at the finish line of a NASCAR race, with the No. 22 car flipping and sliding on its roof before landing back on its wheels. Debris flew across the track as several drivers were caught up in the crash.

"If you do not prevail in this election, despite having worked as hard as you have, how do you intend to work with Democrats?" President Trump: "We'll figure a way. I have a strong veto. I hope that that won't be the case, but if it is, that's happened before."

REUTERS: The US Federal Election Commission's website has been targeted by a hacker or hackers, disrupting the agency's electronic filings ‌system a week before the elections, according to an email seen by Reuters.

One week until Election Day, the Decision Desk HQ forecast favors Democrats to win both chambers: an 80% chance in the House and 57% in the Senate. Overall, Democrats have a 55% chance of full control of Congress, Republicans 19%, and a split Congress 25%. Sent from WhatsApp wa.me/17182070713

Genius: Cheerios announces the first-ever resealable cereal bag, partnering with Ziploc to keep cereal fresh longer.

Asked whether he would respect the election results whatever happens, Trump replies: "I will if they're honest elections, yeah."

Key Takeaways from election night and what to expect next. Join the Kol Haolam WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DUTMsiyVBxBGdEOK7s1Sxw

Here are the major exit polls showing how each party did. Some polls were revised after their initial release. Official vote counting results will begin tonight and continue into the following days.

ISRAEL ELECTIONS: WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: Join the Kol Haolam WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DUTMsiyVBxBGdEOK7s1Sxw

ELECTION RESULTS: Israel’s election exit polls show Likud leading as the largest party, but neither Netanyahu’s coalition nor the opposition appears to have enough seats to form a government. The opposition bloc is projected to win around 53 seats, Netanyahu’s bloc 50, and Arab parties approximately 17. Official results are still pending.

Shlomo Filber, the most accurate pollster in the last election, hints that "a party that we never dreamed of could find itself out of the Knesset" due to the high turnout. Pollsters already know the results of the exit polls but aren't allowed by law to release them until 10 pm (4pm ET)

Voter turnout in Israel’s election reached 74.3% by 8 pm, eight percentage points higher than at the same hour in 2022 and the highest recorded since 1988.

The Central Election Committee (CEC) denied a request by Likud for voting hours to be extended, citing congested polling stations nationwide. Other parties, including Otzma Yehudit and Shas joined Likud's request for an hour-long extension. This means exit polling will be released at 10pm (4 pm ET).

A look at the betting prediction markets.

Shas chairmanAryeh Deri, urging voters to turn out to the polls, says he hasn't seen turnout on the left and among Arab voters like he's seeing today in 50 years.

VIDEO REPORT: What will the outcome be in Israel's election: - Israel's election could be one of the most consequential in the country's history. But it will likely take weeks for a government to be formed, if one is formed at all. Join the Kol Haolam WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DUTMsiyVBxBGdEOK7s1Sxw

The right wing parties in Israel are reportedly very concerned about the numbers and data they're seeing with just hours remaining until polls close. Arab parties appear to be performing strongly.

RFK Jr. called the disappearance of Jewish communities across Arab countries "the real genocide in the Middle East."

Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees worldwide, roughly a quarter of its workforce, including staff in its Windows, Copilot and Xbox divisions. The cuts come as the company restructures around massive spending on chips and AI data centers.

Voter turnout among IDF personnel in Israel's 26th Knesset elections reached 48% as of 1 p.m, representing an increase of 3.6% in participation among military personnel compared with the same time in the elections for the 25th Knesset in 2022.

Someone made a site that tracks what people are talking about at public city council meetings across the US. The only thing discussed more than data centers? Pickleball courts. And people want them, unlike data centers.

Voter turnout across Israel has reached 66.7% at 6:00 p.m. (Israel time) according to the Central Elections Committee (CEC), above the 57.7% recorded at the same time in the 2022 election.

This guy became the first person to cross the arch of Africa's highest bridge on monkey bars, swinging across 600 bars more than 700 feet up in South Africa. He finished the 900-foot crossing in just over 47 minutes.

Convicted murderer Jacob Allen Morley escaped a Tennessee prison and was filmed stealing a truck. Authorities are offering up to $2,500 for information leading to his arrest.

A viral video shows a Tesla Cybercab rolling past a railroad crossing gate, which comes down behind it, leaving the driverless car stopped between the gate and the tracks. The clip is fueling concerns about how Tesla's robotaxi handles train crossings.

Instagram has announced it is experimenting with long-form entertainment and will be testing out allowing video lengths of up to 90 minutes.

United Airlines CEO says Starlink Wi-Fi is already on 48% of United's flights and will reach 50% within about a week and a half, with roughly 3 planes being equipped every day.

Israeli police say a man who was stopped with a knife near Democratic Party leader Yair Golan in Tel Aviv was not trying to carry out a stabbing attack. He has been detained for questioning.

RECORD TURNOUT: Voter turnout across Israel has reached 44.9% by 2:00 p.m. (local time) according to the Central Elections Committee, the highest voter turnout at this hour since at least 1973 and since CEC began recording polling data. This is nearly 6% higher then it was in 2022.

Three Bedouins from the Negev, activists of the Arab Ra’am party, were arrested on suspicion of attempted elections bribery by distributing money to voters, according to the Israeli Police. The suspects were apprehended in their homes in possession of envelopes containing tens of thousands of shekels.

PM Netanyahu casts his ballot in Yerushulayim this morning.

HOW ISRAEL’S ELECTION WORKS: Unlike America, Israelis don’t vote directly for prime minister. Instead, they vote for political parties competing for 120 seats in the Knesset. Parties must receive at least 3.25% of the vote to win seats. To form a government, a leader must assemble a coalition controlling at least 61 seats. This means even the party winning the most seats isn’t guaranteed to lead the country, as smaller parties, including Shas and UTJ, can hold the balance of power.

Rabbonim and Roshei Yeshiva vote in Israel’s elections.

Voter turnout in Israel’s election as of noon, 5 hours into voting, hits 31.5%, the highest in more than 50 years, since 1973 which was the first election held after the Yom Kippur war.

👈 Today’s election is crucial for the Torah world, with the draft of yeshiva bochurim taking center stage. Opposition leaders made Chareidi enlistment a major campaign issue, while Shas and UTJ are each polling at 7–8 seats. New Chareidi parties are also competing for votes, as internal tensions within Agudas Yisroel add uncertainty.

ELECTION DAY IN ISRAEL: Israelis head to the polls in a tight election that could determine Netanyahu’s future. Neither his right-wing and Charedi bloc nor the opposition is assured the 61 seats needed to form a government, raising the possibility of another election.

Tonight’s Full Moon rising above Midtown Manhattan. Shot from 14 miles away in Elizabeth NJ. Via Dan Martland