National Guard (United States)

Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old U.S. citizen jailed in Russia for more than four years on charges of fighting for Ukraine, has been released, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed during talks with Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. Hubbard, the last American formally designated wrongfully detained in Russia, was in poor health and expected to be flown to Texas for treatment. President Trump said he personally secured the release in a direct call with Putin, describing it as unconditional with no prisoner swap involved. The release came days after Trump eased sanctions on Russia, a move that drew bipartisan congressional backlash, with some states, including Colorado, publicly reaffirming solidarity with Ukraine.

Hubbard, a retired teacher and military veteran, was captured in Ukraine in 2022 and sentenced in 2024. His release follows those of Robert Gilman, Marc Fogel, Evan Gershkovich, and Paul Whelan. Roughly 10 Americans remain detained in Russia.

The Memphis City Council passed a resolution calling for the removal of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the National Guard, deployed in the city as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force since September 2025. The council has no authority to force the personnel out but wanted its opposition on record. Sponsors cited an August operation that rounded up 121 people at a Berclair nightclub and described aggressive tactics targeting people based on skin color and accent. One council member sought to exempt the National Guard, citing constituent support, but that effort failed. Police data show crime was already declining before the task force arrived.

A Florida appeals court sharply criticized a Tallahassee grand jury's report on the Hope Florida charity, ordering it expunged and finding that jurors improperly accused individuals of criminal conduct while violating confidentiality rules. Gov. Ron DeSantis responded by calling for prosecutions of whoever leaked the report, while Democrats continue pressing for investigations into his administration. The ruling has elevated Hope Florida as a campaign issue ahead of next month's election, with gubernatorial candidates Byron Donalds (R) and David Jolly (D) both campaigning amid Hurricane Isaias recovery efforts that have left thousands without power.

Separately, Florida's attorney general race is drawing national attention after Democratic candidate José Javier Rodríguez received a $5 million injection from a national party group, the largest such donation to a statewide Florida candidate this cycle, aimed at unseating appointed Republican AG James Uthmeier. Uthmeier is also pushing for added restrictions on Meta after rejecting a multi-state settlement. Meanwhile, documents tied to a 2021 "ghost candidate" scandal are resurfacing in Florida Power & Light's merger talks with Dominion Energy.

President Donald Trump, speaking at a rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, said higher gas prices from the Iran conflict were "a small price to pay for keeping the world safe," adding that Iran could "take out" Los Angeles or San Diego and calling it "a very small price to pay" that would be "over with very soon." The crowd cheered. The remark came roughly a month before the midterm elections.

California officials responded swiftly. Governor Gavin Newsom called the comment "dangerous -- if not treasonous," directed the State Threat Assessment Center to monitor for threats against California, and later escalated by calling Trump "mentally ill" and demanding invocation of the 25th Amendment. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass told Trump to "keep LA out of your damn mouth," and gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra accused him of treating Californians' lives as "a punchline." San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and other mayors, along with Rep. Derek Tran, condemned the remarks. The White House and allies countered that Trump's full remarks were being taken out of context, arguing he meant Iran could strike those cities only if it obtained nuclear weapons, not that the U.S. should allow such an attack.

Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts, is bringing online a new $46.5 million hangar built to accommodate the Air Force's C-5M Galaxy cargo planes, the first new hangar built at the base in decades. The facility, set to become operational Oct. 25, will let the 160-member maintenance crew of reservists and civilian employees perform isochronal inspections indoors for the first time, rather than working outside or in a cramped older hangar that could not fully enclose the aircraft's 65-foot tail.

Westover is one of three Air Force bases responsible for these tip-to-tail inspections, performed every two years on each of the 52 C-5s in the fleet, meaning at least 22 aircraft pass through the base annually. Officials say the new hangar improves safety and efficiency by eliminating weather-related delays and reducing setup time for scaffolding and equipment. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, highlighted the project's role in securing jobs and the base's long-term future amid competitive federal defense spending decisions.

ic President Trump drew sharp criticism from California officials after remarks at a Nebraska political rally in which he appeared to suggest Iran could "take out" Los Angeles or San Diego if it developed a nuclear weapon. Defending the U.S. war with Iran as necessary to "keep the world safe," Trump said, "Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego." It was unclear what he meant by the comments.

Gov. Gavin Newsom called Trump "dangerous and deranged," linking the remarks to the earlier deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to California. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said his city was not "expendable," while Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the comments "dangerous" and a potential threat to public safety. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump also claimed the Iran war would end "very soon," without elaborating. He recently rejected an Iranian cease-fire proposal involving the Strait of Hormuz and renewed nuclear talks in exchange for U.S. concessions.

Memphis is approaching the one-year anniversary of the Memphis Safe Task Force, the federal-state-local operation launched after President Trump's September 2025 memorandum directing 13 federal agencies to combat violent crime in the city. The U.S. Marshals Service reports the task force has surpassed 13,000 arrests, including over 130 homicide arrests and more than 2,100 seized firearms, while city data shows violent crime down roughly 36% year-over-year, with murders down 37%. Memphis Police note declines began before the task force arrived. Shelby County Commissioner Charlie Caswell says residents' views are mixed: many feel safer, but others, particularly in the Nutbush neighborhood, describe families disrupted by ICE detentions of parents.

Separately, county commissioners are weighing a potential moratorium on data-center development, mirroring a proposal before the Memphis City Council. Commissioner Henri Brooks withdrew an attempt to fast-track the ordinance after objections over public notice; the council has postponed its own vote to October 6. Supporters cite concerns over water, electricity and zoning; the Greater Memphis Chamber opposes any pause, warning it could hurt economic competitiveness.

Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell has criticized what he calls "complete silence" from Wisconsin's election commission and attorney general's office over how local officials should respond if federal agents appear at polling places on election day. The concerns follow FBI Director Kash Patel's refusal to rule out deploying federal agents to polls, part of a broader pattern of Trump administration officials raising the possibility of sending ICE or National Guard personnel to voting locations.

In response, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin introduced legislation aimed at blocking the president from deploying ICE or the National Guard to polling sites this November. The threats have also spurred lawsuits against the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Justice Department, citing federal law that bars armed agents from polling places except to "repel armed enemies of the United States." Wisconsin's elections commission says it hopes to issue guidance before election day. McDonell warned the uncertainty alone could deter eligible voters from turning out.