Japan’s parliament approved revisions to imperial succession rules aimed at sustaining the shrinking royal family. The changes allow adoptions of distant male relatives and let princesses keep royal status after marriage, but women still cannot become emperor.
News Mash
President Trump released declassified election security documents and repeated disputed claims about China, voter rolls and voting machines. Election experts and Democrats said the material did not show that any election outcome was altered.
President Donald Trump alleged major U.S. election security vulnerabilities and accused China of interfering in 2020, claims that conflict with prior U.S. intelligence assessments. He urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act as Democrats accused him of sowing doubt before the midterms.
China condemned the UK’s nationalisation of British Steel, saying it infringed on Jingye Group’s rights and weakened Chinese companies’ confidence in investing in Britain. The UK says public ownership is needed to protect jobs and preserve primary steelmaking at Scunthorpe.
The Trump administration wants permanent 8-to-9-foot fencing around Lafayette Square, a historic protest site near the White House. A federal design panel reviewed the proposal Thursday but did not vote.
Taco Bell is removing lettuce from menus in select states while health officials investigate whether it is linked to a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak. The CDC has reported 1,645 confirmed cases, 145 hospitalizations and thousands more cases awaiting analysis.
Wildfire smoke from Canada and northern Minnesota is bringing unhealthy and hazardous air to parts of the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast. Officials urged residents to limit outdoor activity, monitor air quality and use N95-style masks when needed.
President Trump is scheduled to deliver a primetime address on election integrity, with the White House saying he will present new “findings.” Democrats are warning the speech is an effort to undermine confidence in future elections.