Milwaukee leads Tampa Bay 2-0 in the World Series after a 5-4 Game 2 win. The Rays scored four first-inning runs, but Sal Frelick tied it with a sixth-inning home run and Cooper Pratt's single in the seventh won it. Game 3 is on Monday night in Florida, with Freddy Peralta pitching for Tampa Bay against his old team.
The Young Global Citizen Daily
Tuesday 27 October 2026 · No. 177
Top Story Saudi Arabia
Houthis Say They Struck the Pipeline That Lets Saudi Oil Avoid Hormuz
Oil Pipeline in Saudi Arabia Hit, Group Says
Reuters reports the group's claims on Monday; Saudi Arabia has not confirmed them.
🧵 Follow the thread · 6 updates
The war in Yemen
Selected reports · last 30 days · oldest → newest
10 Oct 2026 · Published report
Missiles Hit Riyadh's Airport as Yemen's War Spills Over
Saudi officials say an attack on the capital's main airport killed 12 people and injured 309. President Trump says the United States may join the fight.
What changed? Houthi missiles hit Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, killing a pilot and two other Saudis.
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
Earlier report · Published 10 Oct 2026
Missiles Hit Riyadh's Airport as Yemen's War Spills Over
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
Saudi officials say an attack on the capital's main airport killed 12 people and injured 309. President Trump says the United States may join the fight.
Saudi Arabia's capital is meant to be one of the safest cities in the Middle East. On Saturday its main airport became a target. An attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed at least 12 people and injured 309, the Saudi aviation authority said, including travellers from Bangladesh, Egypt, Jordan and the United States. Two days earlier, a missile strike there had killed three Saudis, one of them a pilot.
The likely attackers are the Houthis, a rebel movement backed by Iran that has ruled northern Yemen, Saudi Arabia's southern neighbour, since 2014. They claimed Thursday's strike and warned airlines to stay out of Saudi skies. Their missiles are a reply: on October 4, Yemen's Saudi-backed government launched an offensive to retake Houthi land, and Saudi-led jets have pounded the Houthi-held capital, Sanaa.
Asked whether America would join in, President Trump said: "We may. We're going to look at it." The UN's envoy for Yemen warned on Friday that the country has slid back into full-scale war.
Why it matters
Yemen's war looks local, but it sits beside one of the world's great doorways. Every ship passing between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean squeezes through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, along Yemen's coast. With the Iran war closing the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia has been sending its oil out this way instead. In September the Houthis seized the coast beside the strait, which is why the new offensive aims to win it back. This is how a proxy war works: Iran does not have to fire at Saudi Arabia itself if a group it backs can threaten the one route Saudi oil has left.
For grown-ups: original sources
14 Oct 2026 · Published report
Riyadh's Airport Stays Shut as Yemen's War Spills Over
Saudi Arabia reports a new barrage of drones and missiles, and Washington weighs joining in.
Europe Explained · Ages 12–14
Earlier report · Published 14 Oct 2026
Riyadh's Airport Stays Shut as Yemen's War Spills Over
Europe Explained · Ages 12–14
Saudi Arabia reports a new barrage of drones and missiles, and Washington weighs joining in.
Think of Yemen's war as a fight inside one house that has now spread next door. Yemen's internationally recognised government is fighting the Houthis, a movement backed by Iran. Saudi Arabia, Yemen's neighbour, backs the government with an air campaign. The Houthis have now hit back at Saudi Arabia itself. Saudi Arabia has reportedly carried out hundreds of strikes on Houthi-held areas, including the capital Sanaa, and the Houthis have declared Saudi airspace a zone of military operations.
On Saturday 10 October they struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority said at least 12 people were killed and at least 309 wounded. The dead came from many countries, including Bangladesh, the US, Jordan, Syria, Sudan and Egypt. It was the third Houthi attack on that airport in one week. The Saudi-led coalition called it a war crime.
On 12 October Saudi Arabia reported a new barrage of drones and missiles, and Riyadh's airport remains shut. President Trump says he is considering joining the Saudi-led offensive, which aims to push the Houthis from Yemen's Red Sea coast. A Houthi leader warned of a swift and painful response if the US does. Iran says it is ready to help facilitate talks between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia.
The human cost is rising on both sides of the border. The UN says more than 217,000 people have been displaced since fighting escalated on Yemen's west coast, and a UN envoy has warned that Yemen has returned to full-scale war. Yemen's Saudi-backed government says Houthi strikes over 24 hours killed at least five civilians and wounded over a dozen, including in an attack on a hospital in Taiz.
Why it matters
Airports connect many countries, so an attack on one hurts people from many places, and a wider war would affect a busy part of the world.
17 Oct 2026 · Published report
“Airports for Airports”: Yemen’s War Targets Air Travel
Saudi officials counted at least 20 deaths at airports between October 6 and 11.
What changed? The Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile fired toward Riyadh. Saudi aviation officials count at least 20 deaths and 356 injuries at airports between 6 and 11 October; the Houthi leader describes an "airports for airports" policy.
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
Earlier report · Published 17 Oct 2026
“Airports for Airports”: Yemen’s War Targets Air Travel
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
Saudi officials counted at least 20 deaths at airports between October 6 and 11.
Saudi Arabia is now in open conflict with the Houthis, a group that has held Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and parts of the north-west since 2014. A United Nations-brokered truce, in place since 2022, had largely held until it collapsed. The Houthis are aligned with Iran; the Saudi-backed Yemeni government fights them.
The Houthi leader has described a tit-for-tat policy of “airports for airports, ports for ports, and a blockade for a blockade,” after Sanaa’s airport was hit. The Yemeni government says that strike was meant to stop an Iranian plane from landing there. The Houthis have declared Saudi airports and airspace “legitimate targets,” except Mecca and Medina.
Saudi civil aviation authorities report at least 20 deaths and 356 injuries at airports between October 6 and 11. The deadliest strike, on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on October 10, killed at least 12 people, including an American. Dammam, Abha, Jazan and Najran airports were also hit. On Wednesday the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a missile launched toward Riyadh. Many Houthi claims could not be independently verified.
Why it matters
The Red Sea’s Bab el-Mandeb strait is an important alternative shipping route while Iranian attacks raise risks near Hormuz, so this fight reaches well beyond Yemen. Who controls that strait is disputed: a Reuters-based report said the Houthis had taken it, while pro-government forces say they have secured it.
20 Oct 2026 · Published report
Houthi Attacks Push Oil Above $109 a Barrel
Saudi Arabia has put off its big investor conference until 2027.
What changed? Brent crude rises above $109 after the Houthis claim attacks on Saudi airports and Aramco sites; Saudi Arabia postpones the Future Investment Initiative conference to 2027.
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
Earlier report · Published 20 Oct 2026
Houthi Attacks Push Oil Above $109 a Barrel
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
Saudi Arabia has put off its big investor conference until 2027.
The Houthis, an armed group from Yemen, have kept attacking Saudi Arabia. On October 10 a strike hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia says at least 12 people were killed and more than 300 were wounded. The Houthis control much of the north of Yemen, the country just south of Saudi Arabia.
The airport has been hit more than once. A fresh strike hit it the day after the deadly attack, killing one person, a Pakistani resident, and wounding 11 others, according to Saudi civil aviation authorities. The Houthis said airports across the kingdom were a “theatre of operations for our forces.”
Now the effects are spreading to the economy. After the Houthis claimed attacks on Saudi airports and facilities of the oil giant Aramco, Brent crude rose above $109 a barrel. UK maritime monitors said two tankers were attacked off the Saudi coast on Friday.
Business is feeling it too. On Monday Saudi Arabia postponed the Future Investment Initiative conference, due on October 26 to 29, until 2027. In Riyadh, the Kingdom Centre ordered its office staff to work remotely.
Connect the dots
Economics: oil is traded worldwide, so a threat to a big producer such as Saudi Arabia can lift fuel prices in India and the United States too.
For grown-ups: original sources
25 Oct 2026 · Published report
Oil Hits a Six-Month High as Riyadh Airport Partly Reopens
Brent closes at $116.72 while the Houthis keep firing at the kingdom.
What changed? Riyadh's main airport reopens two terminals after about two weeks shut, as the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a missile and a drone aimed at the capital; Brent had closed at $116.72, its highest since April.
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
Earlier report · Published 25 Oct 2026
Oil Hits a Six-Month High as Riyadh Airport Partly Reopens
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
Brent closes at $116.72 while the Houthis keep firing at the kingdom.
The world's main oil price, Brent crude, closed at $116.72 a barrel on Friday. That was up 3.1% on the day and its highest close since 29 April, and Brent rose 6.2% over the week, its third weekly gain in a row. US crude, known as WTI, settled at $103.27.
Three worries pushed the price up. The Houthis, an armed group from Yemen, Saudi Arabia's southern neighbour, keep attacking the kingdom. There was also a reported oil spill off the United Arab Emirates. And traders were betting on renewed US strikes on Iran: US officials told The New York Times that the US and Israel have plans for fresh strikes after the 3 November midterm elections.
Those attacks have reached the capital. Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport had been shut for about two weeks after strikes earlier in October. On Sunday, Terminal 1 reopened for domestic flights and Terminal 2 for international ones. The same day, the Saudi-led coalition said it shot down a ballistic missile and a drone aimed at Riyadh, and ten ballistic missiles aimed at the south.
The Houthis' spokesman called the airport unsafe and a “military target”. Airlines are cautious: Emirates says its flights to Riyadh and Dammam will resume on 8 November. Meanwhile, the US has ordered staff not needed for emergencies out of Saudi Arabia, and American embassies in the region have tightened security as warnings of Iranian plots grow. Saudi Arabia is one of the world's biggest oil exporters, which is why every attack on it is felt at petrol pumps far away.
Why it matters
Oil prices feed into the cost of petrol, flights and food everywhere. A conflict that keeps the Gulf on edge keeps those costs high.
For grown-ups: original sources
- Brent crude oil tops $116, a six-month high, as tensions swell in the Middle East
- Brent crude hits 6-month high above $116 per barrel as Houthi strikes fuel supply fears
- Saudi Arabia reopens airport as attacks by Houthi rebels persist
- Saudi Arabia intercepts barrage of Houthi missiles and drones
- Saudi Arabia says it intercepted missiles and drones from Iran-backed Houthis
- Saudi Arabia flight cancellations: Which airlines are suspending services and until when?
- American embassies tighten security as Iran threat warnings intensify ahead of U.S. midterm elections
27 Oct 2026 · Published report
Houthis Say They Struck the Pipeline That Lets Saudi Oil Avoid Hormuz
Reuters reports the group's claims on Monday; Saudi Arabia has not confirmed them.
What changed? The Houthis claim strikes on Saudi Arabia's East-West crude pumping stations and Riyadh's airport; Riyadh has not confirmed. The Saudi-led coalition says it destroyed missile launchers and storage tunnels in Yemen, and Houthi media say 16 died in Sanaa.
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
Earlier report · Published 27 Oct 2026
Houthis Say They Struck the Pipeline That Lets Saudi Oil Avoid Hormuz
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
Reuters reports the group's claims on Monday; Saudi Arabia has not confirmed them.
Saudi Arabia sends much of its oil out through one sea lane, the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf. That lane has been largely shut by the war, so a Saudi pipeline now matters more. The East-West pipeline is about 1,200 kilometres long and gives Saudi crude a route to the Red Sea coast instead.
On Monday the Houthis, an armed group from Yemen, said they hit the pipeline's crude pumping stations and Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport. They made similar claims on Saturday, naming an Aramco site in Yanbu and the Rabigh refinery. There was no immediate Saudi confirmation. The airport had reopened two terminals on Sunday, after an attack earlier this month that Reuters says killed 13 people.
The Saudi-led coalition says it destroyed two ballistic missile launchers in Sanaa, Yemen's capital, and five tunnels used to store missiles. Houthi media say Saudi strikes killed 16 people, a figure that could not be checked. Strikes have intensified since the Houthis captured strategic areas on Yemen's Red Sea coast last month, moving towards the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key route for Gulf oil. The fighting has effectively ended a UN-brokered truce that had largely held since 2022.
For families, the link is the pump. The American Automobile Association (AAA) says the average US price was $4.28 a gallon on Sunday. India buys much of its oil from abroad, and its Sensex share index rose 482.92 points on Monday as oil prices eased, after four days of falls.
Why it matters
When a pipeline or a sea lane that carries oil is threatened, the worry spreads to petrol pumps in the US and to India's import bill.
For grown-ups: original sources
- Houthis say they attacked Saudi oil pumping stations, Riyadh airport as fighting intensifies
- Houthis say they attacked Saudi oil pumping stations, Riyadh airport as fighting intensifies
- Gas prices, election rallies and today's developments
- Sensex and Nifty 50 end higher after volatile trade
- Stock Market Today: Sensex, Nifty Snap 4-Day Losing Streak
6 of 6
More background: the story so far →
Saudi Arabia sends much of its oil out through one sea lane, the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf. That lane has been largely shut by the war, so a Saudi pipeline now matters more. The East-West pipeline is about 1,200 kilometres long and gives Saudi crude a route to the Red Sea coast instead.
On Monday the Houthis, an armed group from Yemen, said they hit the pipeline's crude pumping stations and Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport. They made similar claims on Saturday, naming an Aramco site in Yanbu and the Rabigh refinery. There was no immediate Saudi confirmation. The airport had reopened two terminals on Sunday, after an attack earlier this month that Reuters says killed 13 people.
The Saudi-led coalition says it destroyed two ballistic missile launchers in Sanaa, Yemen's capital, and five tunnels used to store missiles. Houthi media say Saudi strikes killed 16 people, a figure that could not be checked. Strikes have intensified since the Houthis captured strategic areas on Yemen's Red Sea coast last month, moving towards the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key route for Gulf oil. The fighting has effectively ended a UN-brokered truce that had largely held since 2022.
For families, the link is the pump. The American Automobile Association (AAA) says the average US price was $4.28 a gallon on Sunday. India buys much of its oil from abroad, and its Sensex share index rose 482.92 points on Monday as oil prices eased, after four days of falls.
Oil travels around the world by ship. A key sea lane called the Strait of Hormuz has been largely shut by the war. So a Saudi pipeline is important. It is about 1,200 kilometres long.
On Monday a group called the Houthis, from Yemen, said it attacked the pipeline's pumping stations and an airport in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed this.
Oil affects what people pay for fuel. In the US, the average price was $4.28 a gallon on Sunday, says AAA.
For grown-ups: sources
- Houthis say they attacked Saudi oil pumping stations, Riyadh airport as fighting intensifies
- Houthis say they attacked Saudi oil pumping stations, Riyadh airport as fighting intensifies
- Gas prices, election rallies and today's developments
- Sensex and Nifty 50 end higher after volatile trade
- Stock Market Today: Sensex, Nifty Snap 4-Day Losing Streak
World Israel
Israel Votes With Neither Side Near a Majority
Israel Holds a Close Election
The final polls point to deadlock, and Arab parties could decide who governs.
Israel holds a parliamentary election on Tuesday 27 October. Unlike in the United States, voters do not pick a prime minister directly. They choose parties for the 120-seat parliament, the Knesset, and the leader who can build a governing coalition becomes prime minister. A coalition is a group of parties that agree to govern together, and it needs 61 seats.
The final polls from three TV channels give Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing and religious bloc 50 seats. They give the opposition 'change bloc', led by former defence chief Gadi Eisenkot, between 52 and 56. Eisenkot's party, Yashar, is projected as the largest with 22 seats, ahead of Netanyahu's Likud with 20. One poll by Direct Polls, quoted by i24NEWS, put Netanyahu's bloc at 59.
Security shapes the vote. NBC News describes it as a battle for survival for Netanyahu after the attacks of 7 October 2023. Israel will close West Bank crossings on election day, and Netanyahu has been pressing US President Donald Trump for more support before a tight race. Ynet reports that the final polls put Eisenkot's party ahead of Likud.
Small parties could matter too. The Kan poll puts Amcha Israel at 2.9%, below the electoral threshold, the minimum share of votes a party needs to win any seats. Votes for a party that falls short win no seats at all, which can change the arithmetic of both blocs.
Neither camp reaches 61, and that is why the Arab parties matter. They are projected to win 14 to 16 seats and are counted in neither bloc. Coalition talks could be hard, and another election is possible if no government forms.
Israel votes on Tuesday for a parliament of 120 seats. Voters pick parties, not a prime minister. The leader who can get 61 seats together becomes prime minister.
The last polls say neither side will reach 61. One side is projected to get 50 seats. The other is projected to get between 52 and 56.
Arab parties could win 14 to 16 seats. That could decide who forms the government.
🗺️ Where in the world?
For grown-ups: sources
- Israel election: What to know as Netanyahu faces battle for survival after Oct. 7 attacks
- Final polls before 2026 Israeli elections predict coalition deadlock
- Final election polls point to deadlock as neither bloc secures a majority
- Final Israel election polls put Eisenkot's Yashar ahead of Likud, but neither bloc wins a majority
- Gas prices, election rallies and today's developments
India Weather
Cyclone Arnab Gathers Strength Before Its Landfall
A Big Storm Is Coming to India's Coast
Odisha shuts schools and Andhra Pradesh waits for winds of up to 125 km an hour.
Cyclone Arnab is still over the sea. At 5:30pm on Monday, India's weather office said it was a severe cyclonic storm about 490 kilometres east-south-east of Visakhapatnam, and expected it to become a very severe one within 12 hours.
The office forecasts that it will cross the coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, near Yanam, by the forenoon of 28 October. Winds at the coast could average 115 to 125 km an hour, with gusts to 140. A red-message warning covers the Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts. The rain is expected to continue into 29 October and ease from 30 October.
For families on the coast, the preparations are practical. Schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres close in five Odisha districts on 28 and 29 October. Odisha has 302 rescue teams on standby, and 225 fire service teams and NDRF personnel have been deployed. Fishing is suspended, and more than 4,800 boats have returned to the Kakinada coast.
A cyclone is a huge spinning storm over warm sea. This one is called Arnab. It is expected to reach Andhra Pradesh on 28 October.
Winds could gust up to 140 km an hour. Schools will close in five districts of Odisha. Odisha has 302 rescue teams ready.
Fishing has stopped. More than 4,800 boats have come back to the coast.
🗺️ Where in the world?
Did you know?
Bangladesh proposed the name 'Arnab' for Cyclone Arnab, and in Bengali it means 'sea' or 'ocean'.
United States Midterms
One Week Before the Midterms, Early Voting Spreads
Early Voting Grows Before US Elections
Obama and Trump both campaigned in Michigan, and Fox News lists six Senate toss-ups.
🧵 Follow the thread · 6 updates
US midterm elections
Selected reports · last 30 days · oldest → newest
12 Oct 2026 · Published report
Weeks Before the Midterms, Costs Weigh on Trump's Poll Numbers
A Reuters/Ipsos poll puts the president's approval at 32 percent, matching his lowest.
What changed? Our published coverage examined living costs and voter concerns before the midterms.
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
Earlier report · Published 12 Oct 2026
Weeks Before the Midterms, Costs Weigh on Trump's Poll Numbers
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
A Reuters/Ipsos poll puts the president's approval at 32 percent, matching his lowest.
On November 3 Americans vote for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 Senate seats and 39 governorships. Midterms fall halfway through a president's term and are often a verdict on the president.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll published on October 5 found Mr Trump's approval at 32 percent, matching the record low first reached in September. Asked what matters most, 52 percent named the cost of living. Among registered voters, 44 percent said they planned to vote for Democrats and 37 percent for Republicans.
Prices are also in the news from the pump: diesel averaged $6.28 a gallon, according to AAA, against $3.68 a year earlier. Mr Trump has blamed Ukraine for high diesel prices rather than the US-led war in Iran.
Why it matters
Congress writes the laws and approves spending, so who wins the midterms shapes what a president can do in his last two years. Polls are a snapshot, not a prediction of what happens on election day.
More to think about
Think like an analyst: the last two bars count registered voters only, while the first two may count everyone polled. Why might that matter? And what else, besides prices, could move voters before November 3?
For grown-ups: original sources
- https://forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2026/10/06/trumps-approval-rating-stagnates-at-record-low-32-in-latest-poll
- https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-09-21/exclusive-trump-approval-falls-to-career-low-of-32-as-high-costs-bite-reuters-ipsos-poll-finds
- https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-war-trump-us-elections-saudi-arabia-yemen-houthis/
17 Oct 2026 · Published report
Three Weeks to the Midterms as Prices Weigh on Voters
All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats are on the ballot on November 3.
What changed? Our papers explained how the House and Senate elections can change control of Congress and the president’s room to legislate.
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
Earlier report · Published 17 Oct 2026
Three Weeks to the Midterms as Prices Weigh on Voters
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats are on the ballot on November 3.
Midterm elections are held halfway through a president’s four-year term. This year’s is on November 3, 2026. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election, along with 35 of the 100 Senate seats. The vote decides which party controls Congress.
Cost of living is a central worry. On October 14 the Labor Department reported consumer prices 3.7% higher than a year earlier, up from 3.4% in August, with gasoline the main driver, according to Reuters.
The Federal Reserve, the US central bank, meets October 27 and 28, and higher inflation puts pressure on it to raise its key interest rate.
Why it matters
Congress writes laws and controls federal spending, so the result affects what the president can do in his remaining two years.
More to think about
Why might a House with every seat up react faster to voters than a Senate where only 35 are up? How might rising prices change which issues voters care about?
22 Oct 2026 · Published report
Early Voting Sets First-Day Records in Texas
Voters are choosing members of Congress before 3 November.
The Global Citizen Plus · Ages 12–14
Earlier report · Published 22 Oct 2026
Early Voting Sets First-Day Records in Texas
The Global Citizen Plus · Ages 12–14
Voters are choosing members of Congress before 3 November.
Americans vote in the midterm elections on 3 November. Midterms are held halfway through a president's term, and they decide who sits in Congress. Many states let people vote early, in person.
Texas began early voting on Monday 19 October. In Harris County, which includes Houston, more than 100,000 people voted in person on the first day. The previous first-day midterm record there was 63,188, set in 2018.
Other places were busy too. Dallas County had 76,069 voters on its first day, a county record. In South Carolina, 97,968 votes were cast on day one, more than double the last midterm. Texas had 911,468 early voters after two days, about 4.8% of registered voters.
Why it matters
Turnout shows how many people want a say in who runs Congress, which writes the nation's laws and controls spending.
More to think about
Why might early voting numbers be high without meaning the final turnout will be high? Who might early voting help most, and who might it help least? What would you need to know to judge whether turnout is really higher than in 2022?
For grown-ups: original sources
- Harris County crushes midterm first-day early voter turnout record
- Dallas County sees record turnout for first day of 2026 early voting
- Day 1 of early voting more than doubles previous midterm's first day turnout in S.C.
- Harris County sees another record on day 2 of early voting
- Midterm election updates: Cook Political Report shifts two races toward Democrats and one toward Republicans
- Candidate Quality Shifts the Senate Map
- Early voting begins in US midterm elections that could flip control of Congress
- Cook Political Report tilts 18 House races toward Democrats
- Cook moves 11 House races toward Democrats
- Senate races shift toward Democrats in Kansas, South Carolina: Cook Political Report
24 Oct 2026 · Published report
Early Voting Surges Before the Midterms
More than 16 million Americans have already voted, mostly by mail.
What changed? Our older-reader coverage examined court decisions about voting rules close to Election Day and why the timing of changes matters.
The Global Citizen Plus · Ages 12–14
Earlier report · Published 24 Oct 2026
Early Voting Surges Before the Midterms
The Global Citizen Plus · Ages 12–14
More than 16 million Americans have already voted, mostly by mail.
On 3 November, Americans vote in the midterm elections. They are held halfway through a president's term, and they decide who sits in Congress, the group that makes the country's laws. Many people vote early, either by mail or in person, so that they do not have to wait for election day.
The University of Florida's Election Lab counts more than 16 million people in 41 states and Washington, D.C. who have already voted. About 10 million voted by mail and about 6 million in person. Early voting reached roughly 13 million on Tuesday, more than 40% above the same point in the 2022 midterms.
The Associated Press found huge surges in Kansas and Texas. Maine, North Carolina and Ohio each saw at least 30% more early voting than four years ago. In Georgia and Michigan the totals are, for now, similar to the last midterms. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers debated in Detroit on Wednesday night and both focused on economic policy.
Why it matters
Midterms decide who makes the nation's laws. Early votes show how many people are taking part, but they do not show who will win.
More to think about
Why might more people vote by mail than in person? What would you want to know before treating early voting as a sign of the final result? Why might turnout rise in some states and not others?
For grown-ups: original sources
26 Oct 2026 · Published report
Early Voting Breaks Records in Georgia and Texas Before the Midterms
Georgia has passed 1 million early votes; polls point to a Democratic edge.
What changed? Our latest reports described early-voting records in Georgia and Harris County, Texas, while keeping turnout figures separate from election results.
The Global Citizen Plus · Ages 12–14
Earlier report · Published 26 Oct 2026
Early Voting Breaks Records in Georgia and Texas Before the Midterms
The Global Citizen Plus · Ages 12–14
Georgia has passed 1 million early votes; polls point to a Democratic edge.
The midterm elections are on 3 November. They fall halfway through a president's term and decide who controls Congress, the body that makes the country's laws. Many people vote early, so some states already have large totals.
Georgia has passed 1 million early votes, compared with almost 895,000 at the same point in 2022. In Harris County, Texas, 104,000 people voted in person on the first day, beating the 2018 midterm first-day record of 63,188. Through four days, 384,304 had voted in person there, also a midterm record. Early voting in both states runs through 30 October.
Polls and forecasts point to a Democratic edge. One model gives Democrats an 88% chance of winning the House and 57% in the Senate, where they need a net gain of at least four seats. An average of polls puts President Trump's approval at 37%. But polling in recent presidential cycles has tended to underestimate Republican support, a reason for caution.
Numbers like these need careful reading. The Georgia comparison is with 'almost 895,000' votes at the same point in 2022, so the gap is best described as large, not exact. The Harris County figures count in-person voters only, and the sources say they beat earlier midterm records. Neither number says who those voters chose, which is why forecasters rely on polls and models as well.
Why it matters
Midterms decide who writes the nation's laws. Early votes show how many people are taking part, but not who will win.
More to think about
Why might early turnout be a weak guide to the final result? What would you want to know about the voters who have not yet voted? Why might forecasters be cautious about polls?
For grown-ups: original sources
- Harris County crushes midterm first-day early voter turnout record
- Georgia surpasses 1 million early votes cast in midterm elections
- 2026 midterm election: Early voting underway until Oct. 30 in Texas as Harris County sets record numbers
- What recent polling suggests will happen in the US midterm elections
- Democrats' advantage is clear with less than a month to go in the midterm elections
- Democrats aim to flip key Senate, House seats in midterms blue wave
27 Oct 2026 · Published report
One Week Before the Midterms, Early Voting Spreads
Obama and Trump both campaigned in Michigan, and Fox News lists six Senate toss-ups.
What changed? Our report described the final week before 3 November: early voting opening in Washington DC, Oklahoma and Kentucky, and Fox News listing six Senate toss-ups, separate from any result.
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
Earlier report · Published 27 Oct 2026
One Week Before the Midterms, Early Voting Spreads
The Young Global Citizen Daily · Ages 12–14
Obama and Trump both campaigned in Michigan, and Fox News lists six Senate toss-ups.
Election Day for the midterms, the vote halfway through a president's term, is 3 November. It decides whether Republicans keep control of the House and the Senate. Millions have already voted: AP data published on 17 October showed 6 million early votes across 39 states.
This week more states open early voting. It starts in Washington DC on Monday, in Oklahoma on Wednesday and in Kentucky on Thursday. Barack Obama rallied in Cleveland and Detroit on Saturday, and Donald Trump campaigned with Republican Mike Rogers in Port Huron, Michigan, on Sunday.
Fox News lists Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Texas as toss-up Senate states. Its Power Rankings predict Republicans would still lose the House even with a good showing.
Why it matters
Midterms decide who writes the laws and budgets that affect families, from fuel costs to schools.
More to think about
Why might early voting numbers be hard to read as a sign of who will win? What does it tell you that both parties are campaigning in Michigan? Why do the toss-up states matter more than the others?
6 of 6
More background: the story so far →
EARLY VOTES SO FAR Thousands of votes, AP count as of 15 Oct
Election Day for the midterms, the vote halfway through a president's term, is 3 November. It decides whether Republicans keep control of the House and the Senate. Millions have already voted: AP data published on 17 October showed 6 million early votes across 39 states.
This week more states open early voting. It starts in Washington DC on Monday, in Oklahoma on Wednesday and in Kentucky on Thursday. Barack Obama rallied in Cleveland and Detroit on Saturday, and Donald Trump campaigned with Republican Mike Rogers in Port Huron, Michigan, on Sunday.
Fox News lists Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Texas as toss-up Senate states. Its Power Rankings predict Republicans would still lose the House even with a good showing.
The US holds midterm elections on 3 November. People can vote early in many states.
By 17 October, 6 million people had voted early across 39 states. This week, Washington DC, Oklahoma and Kentucky start early voting.
Fox News lists six Senate races as toss-ups. That means either party could win them. Many people are watching these races, because they help decide who controls Congress.
🗺️ Where in the world?
Sport
BASEBALL: BREWERS NEED TWO MORE WINS
In brief
More news
- Brazil: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won the presidential runoff with just over 51% of the vote; Flavio Bolsonaro, with 48%, says he will seek to annul it.
- Serbia: The Student List won Sunday's snap election, and Aleksandar Vucic said it had won; official results are still to come.
New words
Words from this issue
- Pipeline
- A long pipe that carries oil or gas over land. Today: The East-West pipeline carries Saudi crude about 1,200 kilometres.
- Coalition
- A group of parties that agree to govern together. Today: Israel's next government will be a coalition needing 61 seats.
- Runoff
- A second round of voting between the two leading candidates. Today: Brazil's presidential runoff was won by Lula.
- Annul
- To declare a result invalid, as if it had never happened. Today: Flavio Bolsonaro says he will seek to annul Brazil's result.
You read today's paper! 🎉
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