The Guardian’s Ashifa Kassam takes us inside Europe’s “autumn of discontent.”The Justice Department has charged 28 people in California with election crimes and is seeking to block roughly 20,000 ballots from being counted in the midterm elections despite experts saying noncitizen voting is extremely rare. NPR’s Miles Parks discusses the implications of the move.Federal judges in Washington are being asked to weigh in on details of President Trump’s attempt to make over the capital, and they’re getting increasingly frustrated. Associated Press reporter Gary Fields explains why.Plus, Trump’s $8 billion bailout for farmers, the NASCAR driver diagnosed with CTE, and how a novel piece of infrastructure is saving wildlife in the West.Today’s episode was hosted by Gideon Resnick.

President Trump says he is open to a trilateral summit with Russia’s Putin and China’s Xi to discuss Ukraine without Zelenskyy present. The Wall Street Journal’s Lingling Wei explains what the talks signal to smaller nations. French cities imposed curfews after violent rioting over school conditions and living costs, the BBC reports. President Emmanuel Macron is facing disapproval across the political spectrum. The NBA season tips off today as the champion New York Knicks face LeBron James and the 76ers. The Athletic’s Fred Katz previews the title race. Plus, Mahmoud Khalil is taking his deportation fight to the Supreme Court, Christiane Amanpour is leaving CNN, and Japan launched a mission to one of Mars’s moons. Today’s episode was hosted by Gideon Resnick.

Voters in Alberta today decide if the province should pursue secession. Leyland Cecco from The Guardian breaks down the long-shot independence referendum. New polls found President Trump’s approval rating hitting new lows just weeks before the midterm elections. Politico’s Alex Gangitano explains why Republicans are shifting campaign funds away from key battlegrounds. Pope Leo made his first public appearance following lung-cancer surgery. Joshua McElwee, Vatican correspondent for Reuters, joins to discuss the pontiff’s recovery and planned international travel. Plus, violence erupted in France amid widespread cost-of-living protests, Trump endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Nathan Fielder’s Theranos documentary scored a massive box-office debut. Today’s episode was hosted by Cecilia Lei.

From Apple News In Conversation: With the 2026 midterms just two weeks away, many Americans are paying close attention not only to races and candidates but to the election process itself. Cook Political Report editor in chief Amy Walter and veteran GOP pollster Patrick Ruffini join Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu to answer questions from our listeners — including why polling has become so hard to trust, how redistricting fights are reshaping races, and what guardrails are in place after results start coming in.

Iranian officials told Reuters they are intentionally ramping up attacks on commercial ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz to drive up energy prices and hurt Republicans ahead of the midterms. Senior correspondent Jonathan Saul breaks down the strategy and how the Trump administration is weighing its response.With less than three weeks until Election Day, Cook Political Report editor-in-chief Amy Walter and veteran Republican pollster Patrick Ruffini join Apple News In Conversation to answer your big questions about the midterms.The Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant previews the 2026 WNBA Finals between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream.Plus, at least four are dead after a shooting at an Oregon elementary school, authorities are investigating suspicious letters sent to U.S. lawmakers and election officials, and Joni Mitchell is now an American.Today’s episode was hosted by Yasmeen Khan.

A new inflation report shows that prices rose again last month ahead of the midterms, driven by energy costs from the war in Iran. The Wall Street Journal’s Eliza Collins explains why voters are blaming Republicans and what it means for Congress. Russia pounded oil, gas, and electricity facilities in Ukraine yesterday, cutting off power to roughly 600,000 people. The strikes came as Kyiv worries Washington could restrict its access to vital intelligence and a military tracking system. NPR’s Joanna Kakissis discusses the situation. Prediction markets are letting users wager on criminal jury trials and military raids. Mariah Timms from the Wall Street Journal explores the ethical concerns. Plus, the federal probe into Rep. Ilhan Omar widened, New York City moved to ban Central Park horse carriages, and the FDA’s new sunscreen ingredient is on the shelves. Today’s episode was hosted by Yasmeen Khan.

Kimberly Guilfoyle has resigned as U.S. ambassador to Greece after the White House asked her to step down. The Washington Post’s Michael Birnbaum breaks down the misconduct allegations that led to her departure. The Associated Press reports on how newly released 911 calls show care was delayed for Christa Pike following her failed execution due to confusion between Tennessee prison officials and emergency responders. McDonald’s is facing a federal antitrust lawsuit over its AI pricing tool. Reuters’s Waylon Cunningham explains how the tool sets prices and why some franchise owners say they feel pressured to follow it. Plus, Pope Leo has been diagnosed with lung cancer, the man convicted of orchestrating Tupac Shakur’s murder was sentenced to 40 years to life, and an OpenAI engineer was charged with using a hidden recording device. Today’s episode was hosted by Yasmeen Khan.

DHS agents searched the Washington home of Rep. Ilhan Omar on Monday. The Washington Post’s Perry Stein explains what’s known about the investigation. South Carolina’s Senate race to fill the seat of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham looks tighter than usual, as his sister, Darline Graham, faces Democrat Annie Andrews. The Associated Press’s Meg Kinnard discusses the race. After a pilot attempted to hijack a FlyDubai flight bound for Israel, aviation experts are raising concerns about rogue pilots. The Wall Street Journal’s Andrew Tangel explains the concerns. Plus, the U.K. said Iran was likely behind a suspected plot at RAF Fairford, one person died in an incident involving a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, and hackers infiltrated hundreds of French refrigerators. Today’s episode was hosted by Yasmeen Khan.

President Trump announced a deal to buy Russian diesel and said Russia and Ukraine have agreed to an energy ceasefire. The Wall Street Journal’s Robbie Gramer discusses the reaction from lawmakers and allies. Houthi militants struck Saudi Arabia’s main airport in Riyadh, killing at least 13 people. Reuters reports. Democrat Adam Hamilton is challenging Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas, hoping to become the first Democratic senator there for nearly a hundred years. Bloomberg’s Amanda Albright reports on the race. Plus, the Justice Department said it will investigate TV networks over their withdrawal of pool coverage of Trump, Hurricane Isaias made landfall in Florida, and the iconic L.A. house that can’t find a buyer. Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.

From Apple News In Conversation: A lawsuit filed by a former Cornell student that alleges she was sexually assaulted by seven fraternity members in 2024 has sparked an outpouring of women sharing their own stories of campus assault. While the case reflects dynamics that researchers have tracked since the 1980s, it also reveals something distinctly modern: how fraternity culture and online misogyny now collide in unchecked digital spaces. Sophie Gilbert, a staff writer at The Atlantic, joins Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu to talk about why reports of campus assault keep rising, what we know about the role of fraternities, and what meaningful change could look like.