The Lone Star State in national currents
The 2026 Senate race in Texas has drawn unprecedented spending from both sides, with outside groups pouring hundreds of millions into ads as candidates and allies push a high-stakes contest to determine control of the chamber. The landscape is shaped by new donors, backed figures, and ongoing debates over accountability and influence.
SpaceX has returned four Crew‑12 astronauts to Earth with a Pacific splashdown off Los Angeles. NASA’s Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France’s Sophie Adenot and Russia’s Andrey Fedyaev have left the International Space Station and arrived ashore after a mission that included multiple spacewalks and a delayed crew rotation caused by capsule repairs.
Eduardo Bolsonaro has been ordered to begin serving a four-year prison sentence for lobbying the Trump administration, with his passport canceled. The ruling comes weeks before Brazil’s presidential runoff between Lula da Silva and Flavio Bolsonaro. Analysts say the case intensifies the political clash between Brazil’s rival camps as foreign pressure and legal battles shape the race.
Trump is touring critical states ahead of the November 3 elections, rallying supporters and tying his policy wins to the ballot in key Senate and governor races. He is pressing manufacturing and tariff policies, while rallying for candidates who align with his agenda amid concerns over energy costs and Iran-related tensions.
Trump has used an Ohio rally to press Republicans to vote, framing the midterms as a test of his influence and warning that he will be less willing to help if Democrats prevail. He has highlighted data-centre policy and price concerns while attacking opponents. Ohio polls remain competitive in a broader national landscape.
Starship has reached orbit for the first time in its 14th test flight, deploying 26 Starlink V3 satellites and marking a milestone in reusable, high-frequency access to space. The mission includes an orbital burn and a Pacific splashdown, with SpaceX pushing toward a rapid cadence and NASA integration for future lunar missions.
Barack Obama will headline a October 24 rally in Detroit with Abdul El-Sayed, reinforcing establishment support for the Michigan Democrat as he contends with Republican Mike Rogers in a pivotal Senate race. The event coincides with Detroit’s start of in-person early voting and broader Democratic efforts to unify the ticket ahead of the midterms.
New polls show a widening partisan divide in trust in US election integrity ahead of the midterms. Republicans and independents express lower confidence than Democrats, while Trump’s approval remains historically low. The data suggests that trust in elections is diverging from leadership support, potentially shaping voter behavior in November.
President Donald Trump has approved a U.S. Army firing‑squad execution for Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the Fort Hood gunman convicted over a 2009 attack that killed 13 people. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the method; the Army secretary will set time and place. Pentagon officials have said the execution will be livestreamed; Hasan can still seek civilian habeas review.
Wall Street broker-dealers have posted first-half profits of $45.9 billion in 2026, up 51.3% from a year earlier, putting annual profits on track to exceed $90 billion. Underwriting and dealmaking drive the surge amid AI investments and a volatile market, with SpaceX’s IPO and equity issuance fueling activity. Regulators warn of risks from inflation, rates, and geopolitical tensions.
The U.S. military has approved the execution of Army Maj. Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter, by firing squad. President Trump has signed off on the sentence after a 2009 attack that killed 13 and wounded more than 30. Hasan’s civilian habeas appeal could delay the process for years, and the event marks the first U.S. military execution since 1961.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has returned to San Diego after a months-long deployment diverted from a Pacific return to support operations against Iran. Sailors faced food shortages, mental-health strain, and extended sea duty, while officials defend the mission amid public scrutiny and rising domestic concerns.
Christa Pike has survived two lethal injections in Tennessee, awakening at a hospital days after the botched attempt. Governors have paused executions while Tennessee orders an independent review. The case has revived a national debate on capital punishment in the United States.
The U.S. Department of Labor has suspended new and pending Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) applications from Microsoft, Adobe and several other technology firms amid investigations into the use of skilled-worker visa programs. Officials say the move targets alleged abuses while maintaining a focus on domestic workers.
Federal immigration agents have shot and wounded a 28-year-old man in the Marble Hill area of the Bronx at about 4pm on Thursday; a five-year-old child was in the vehicle and is believed to be physically unharmed. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has called the incident "unconscionable" and has phoned President Donald Trump to demand an end to ICE operations in the city.