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As Election Day approaches, data suggest that the focus is now less on whether a Democratic wave will happen and more on its potential magnitude. Democrats continue to invest in competitive Republican-dominated races, and Republicans are matching those efforts. An NPR analysis found 70 districts where both Democrats and Republicans are investing more than six figures in their final messaging. These are the races to watch .
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A worker holds I Voted Today stickers during early voting on October 14, 2026 in Des Moines, Iowa. Charlie Neibergall/Getty Images hide caption
Americans will receive a final reading on the country's gross domestic product and the state of inflation today before next week's midterm election. The report will show whether the economy grew faster in the summer compared to spring. Economists expect GDP to be higher, but some say the growth feels delicate.
Israel's election is in a deadlock. More than 90% of the votes have been counted, and no candidate has a clear path to forming a coalition. Parties need 61 seats in parliament for a majority. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies have secured 53 seats, while his top rival Gadi Eisenkot and his allies have garnered 48.
A lawsuit filed yesterday against the Department of Education alleges that the Trump administration is illegally refusing to follow the rules of a program known as "closed school discharge." For more than three decades, federal law has required the U.S. Secretary of Education to cancel debts for qualified borrowers when their schools close unexpectedly. Student Defense, a nonprofit borrower advocacy group, filed the suit on behalf of potentially thousands of borrowers. The Education Department told NPR it stands by its implementation of the program.
Bernie Taupin speaks onstage during the Keynote Conversation: Bernie Taupin and Brandi Carlile during AMERICANAFEST 2026 at The Embassy…