CNN Poll: Democrats up in Florida with two weeks to go  —  Poll: Women powering Democrats' lead in Florida  —  WASHINGTON (CNN)As the final two weeks of campaigning begin, Democrats hold an edge in both the gubernatorial and Senate contests in the key state of Florida, according to a new CNN Poll conducted by SSRS.

Khashoggi's death was a ‘rogue operation’ that the crown prince was not aware of, Saudi foreign minister says  —  ISTANBUL — Saudi Arabia's foreign minister denied on Sunday that the kingdom's crown prince and de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman, had any prior knowledge of an operation …

Special counsel examines conflicting accounts as scrutiny of Roger Stone and WikiLeaks deepens  —  In recent weeks, a grand jury in Washington has listened to more than a dozen hours of testimony and FBI technicians have pored over gigabytes of electronic messages as part of the special counsel's quest …

‘Transgender’ Could Be Defined Out of Existence Under Trump Administration  —  WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is considering narrowly defining gender as a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth, the most drastic move yet in a governmentwide effort to roll …

Don't believe the attack ads.  Here's who Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally really are  —  Opinion: If you're tired of the vitriol on Congress (and all those attack ads on TV), there's something you can do about it.  —  CONNECT  —  Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally have been in campaign mask.

A man on Ryanair yelled racist insults at a black woman.  She was the one who had to change seats.  —  David Lawrence had just settled into Seat 22F on a Ryanair flight Thursday when he heard a commotion brewing on the other side of the plane.  —  A few rows behind him …

Carl Bernstein: Trump preparing to call midterm elections ‘illegitimate’ if Democrats take power  —  Journalist Carl Bernstein said Sunday that President Trump has discussed ways to challenge the results of the midterm elections if the GOP's grasp on power slips.

Gorbachev Calls Trump's Treaty Withdrawal ‘Not the Work of a Great Mind’  —  MOSCOW — President Trump's announcement that the United States would withdraw from a nuclear disarmament treaty with Russia drew sharp criticism Sunday from one of the men who signed it, Mikhail S. Gorbachev …

Williams is by far the better candidate for US House  —  Not to be too dramatic about it, but Kathleen Williams is the congressional candidate Montana has been waiting for.  —  Experienced.  Knowledgeable.  Thoughtful.  Measured.  Most remarkably, Williams exudes that unique combination …

4 ways to fix “fake news”  —  Axios CEO Jim VandeHei — speaking at his alma mater, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh — was asked by several students how to restore faith and trust in media.  —  The big picture: VandeHei offered four fairly provocative ideas — one each for politicians, social media, reporters and individuals.

Midterms: Poorest states have Republican legislatures, and richest have Democratic ones  —  Unless you're a political junkie, it's not easy keeping track of the seats up for election.  Here's why midterm elections and chamber control matters.  —  CONNECT  —  On Oct. 4, USA TODAY published …

Michael Avenatti Lived the High Life While Owing Millions to IRS  —  As Michael Avenatti floats a 2020 presidential run, court records reveal the lawyer and his companies owed millions in unpaid taxes and judgments.  —  Kate Briquelet  —  On the Fourth of July, Michael Avenatti suited …

“He wants them to suffer more”: Inside Trump's China bet  —  President Trump has no intention of easing his tariffs on China, according to three sources with knowledge of his private conversations.  Instead, these sources say he wants the Chinese leaders to feel more pain from his tariffs …

Republicans Hold Cash Edge Heading Into Final Stretch of the Midterms  —  WASHINGTON — Republicans entered the final month of the campaign with more money in the bank than the Democrats, providing them with vital ammunition as they wage a furious effort to hold on to control of Congress.

U.S. general wounded in attack in Afghanistan  —  A U.S. general was wounded in an attack last week in Afghanistan's Kandahar province that killed two senior Afghan provincial officials and targeted a group that included the senior U.S. commander in the country, four people with knowledge of the assault said.

Evangelicals are paying high moral price for anti-abortion gains.  What would Jesus do?  —  White evangelicals are trading their moral core for anti-abortion gains.  Time to rethink support for Trump, Republicans and policies that are inhumane.  —  CONNECT

The ‘sniveling coward’ and the ‘maniac’ are now allies, as Trump stumps for Cruz  —  These were not the signs of a healthy relationship.  —  Donald Trump, well on his way to clinching the Republican presidential nomination, was ruthless in his crude attacks on rival Ted Cruz.

Why Your Vote Matters: North Carolina  —  Part of a series on Key Elections Near You.  —  One of the most remarkable states in this year's election is North Carolina.  Thanks to a lax state constitution, partisans have had more opportunity in North Carolina to separate government from voters than in any other state in the Union.