Via Jacob Fischler: The Trump administration’s order to allow import of Russian diesel violates a 2022 law banning Russian energy imports while the country’s war with Ukraine is ongoing, according to a bipartisan group of U.S. senators. https://ow.ly/fSNq50ZWYVB

Via Ashley Murray: Democratic leaders in the U.S. House condemned a “deeply disturbing” raid early Monday at the District of Columbia home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat who has long been a target of verbal attacks by President Donald Trump and Republicans. https://ow.ly/2ltQ50ZWYbR

Via Ariana Figueroa: President Donald Trump this week will journey out West in an effort to galvanize support for Republican candidates three weeks before the midterm elections and convince voters to support his party amid low presidential approval ratings. https://ow.ly/YrYy50ZWXYA

Via Stateline: In the course of a single election cycle, the backlash against data centers has grown from an issue at local planning commission and city council meetings to become a flashpoint in state and federal races across the country. https://ow.ly/5iYV50ZWTPV

Editor Brian Lyman writes that in a polarized political landscape where candidates often proceed from different sets of premises, political debates could be useful in getting them to face a common set of facts. https://ow.ly/KFpL50ZWruq

Via Ben Sessoms: Alabama's 5th Congressional District is rated R+15. But in his challenge to incumbent U.S. Rep. Dale Strong, R-Madison, Democratic nominee Andrew Sneed is pitching affordability issues and political reform, and held his own in fundraising earlier this year. https://ow.ly/3Yl550ZWGQx

Via @timhenderson.bsky.social: Measles cases for the calendar year surpassed 4,000 for the first time in decades, with as many as five deaths in Pennsylvania, as the federal government steps in with financial help for states but also fans vaccination fears and skepticism. https://ow.ly/yyyB50ZWGTo

Via Ralph Chapoco: Alabama voters will decide whether to amend the state constitution to require school boards to adopt policies the daily recital of the Pledge of Allegiance in schools and student-led prayer, as well as the broadcast of the Star-Spangled Banner every week. https://ow.ly/JeEh50ZWuvz

Via Nada Hassanein & Stateline: Urban hospitals are closing at roughly the same rate as rural ones, and the shuttered hospitals are more likely to have served communities with high poverty rates and fewer transportation options, according to a new study published Thursday. https://ow.ly/wtXv50ZWpOw

Via Jay Waagmeester and Florida Phoenix: Pensacolians picked up sticks and swept fallen leaves from their driveways, sidestepping downed power lines and analyzing how to remove fallen trees hours after Hurricane Isaias came to town.

This was in service of our Alabama voter guide, which you can read at the link. And for those who can’t wait for the column, here’s the video version. alabamareflector.com/voter-guides...

Via Sofia Resnick and Stateline: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said late Wednesday that it expects to complete its long-awaited safety review of abortion pills by mid-December and issue a report evaluating the results by March 2027. https://ow.ly/Hqbw50ZWp3k

Via Jonathan Shorman: President Donald Trump on Friday appeared to leave open the possibility that the federal government won’t livestream a military execution planned for December that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had said would be public.