Politics & World Affairs — October 2, 2026

Talarico edges Paxton in poll. A Fox News poll shows Democrat James Talarico leading Republican Ken Paxton by two points in Texas's Senate race -- a contest that could help decide Senate control.

The survey, conducted by Fox News, attributes the Democrat's narrow advantage in a traditionally Republican state to an enthusiasm gap between the parties and voters crossing party lines. Because the outcome could factor into which party holds the Senate majority, the race is drawing national attention well beyond Texas. The two-point margin suggests the contest remains competitive rather than settled.

Fox News Politics · Read more →

Pentagon sends third carrier group. The U.S. is deploying a third carrier strike group and more than 4,000 Marines and sailors to the Middle East. President Trump, meanwhile, is floating a resumption of strikes on Iran after the midterms.

The deployment adds more than 4,000 Marines and sailors to U.S. forces already positioned in the Gulf region, according to CNBC. The buildup comes as the president has publicly tied any decision on renewed bombing of Iran to the period after the midterm elections, linking the military posture to a political timeline. The move marks an escalation of American naval presence in the region.

CNBC Top News · Read more →

Flydubai captain recounts attack. Capt. Smit Machchhar gave his first detailed account of being stabbed by his co-pilot. Israeli investigators said the co-pilot had been religiously radicalized in recent months.

Machchhar described opening the cockpit door during the assault so passengers could intervene, an account he shared with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BBC reported. His remarks mark the first detailed public telling from the injured captain. Separately, Israel's initial investigation concluded the co-pilot who carried out the stabbing had undergone religious radicalization in the months before the attack, according to investigators.

BBC World · Read more →