Top Twitter executives fired as Elon Musk takeover begins  —  Musk's $44 billion deal to acquire the social media company closed on Thursday night.  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Elon Musk took control of Twitter late Thursday as his $44 billion deal to takeover the company closed.

James Bennet was right  —  Controversy over an op-ed by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) consumed the New York Times in June 2020 and claimed the job of then-editorial page editor James Bennet.  Two-and-a-half years later, Bennet has shared some thoughts about the episode — and, in particular, the role of Times Publisher A.G. Sulzberger.

Pelosi Spokesperson Statement on Violent Assault on Paul Pelosi  —  Washington, D.C. — Drew Hammill, spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi, issued this statement:  —  “Early this morning, an assailant broke into the Pelosi residence in San Francisco and violently assaulted Mr. Pelosi.

Russia's security service works to subvert Moldova's pro-Western government  —  A trove of sensitive materials obtained by Ukrainian intelligence and reviewed by The Washington Post illustrates how Moscow continues to try to manipulate countries in Eastern Europe

The 2022 Race for the House, in Four Districts, and Four Polls  —  Swing-district polls by The New York Times and Siena College show how the midterm races are being shaped by larger, surprising forces, beyond the traditional red and blue divide.  —  President Biden is unpopular everywhere.

Election deniers hope a hand count in Nevada offers a roadmap for the future  —  The GOP nominee for secretary of state has pushed to jettison voting machines.  One county is already experimenting with counting ballots manually.  —  PAHRUMP, Nev. — Jay Goldberg, a retired electrician …

As Governor's Race Tightens, a Frantic Call to Action Among Democrats  —  Democrats and their allies are pouring millions of dollars into late-stage ads and get-out-the-vote efforts to help Gov. Kathy Hochul as she fends off her Republican challenger, Lee Zeldin.

‘Innuendos and baseless allegations’: Milwaukee claps back after Ron Johnson sows doubts about early voting in the city  —  As voters have already begun streaming to the polls, Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson this week raised doubts about early in-person absentee voting in Milwaukee and suggested …

Appeals Court Upholds House's Effort to See Trump's Tax Returns  —  The former president is likely to appeal to the Supreme Court after the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit declined to rehear the matter.  —  WASHINGTON — A full federal appeals court denied …

St. Louis school shooter bought gun from private seller after dealer sale was blocked, police say  —  The shooter who killed two people at a St. Louis high school this week bought the rifle used in the attack from a private seller after he was blocked from buying a gun at a licensed dealer, police said Thursday.

Scoop: John Kerry preparing to leave Biden administration  —  Special climate envoy John Kerry is actively considering leaving the Biden administration after next month's COP27 summit, soliciting advice from friends and colleagues on how to stay involved in climate efforts from the private sector …

More Americans than ever think crime is up in their neighborhood  —  Benjy is Semafor's Washington Bureau Chief, joining us from NBC News.  Sign up for the daily Principals newsletter to get our insider's guide to American power.  —  Dave is a Political Reporter for Semafor, joining us from the Washington Post.

Hawaii's Big Island gets warning as huge volcano rumbles  —  Hawaii officials are warning residents of the Big Island that the world's largest active volcano, Mauna Loa, is sending signals that it may erupt.  Scientists say an eruption isn't imminent, but they are on alert because of a recent spike …

Dems Sound the Alarm Over GOP's New ‘Stop the Steal’ Threats  —  With Donald Trump already mobilizing allies to undermine confidence in Pennsylvania elections, Democrats are telling their House candidates to get lawyers now. … With the threat of another GOP “Stop the Steal” …

‘Raise the challenge’: Eastman exhorts poll watchers to build a record  —  At a speech last week before prospective GOP poll workers and challengers in New Mexico, former Trump attorney John Eastman urged his allies to file complaints that could form the basis for court challenges to the upcoming midterm and presidential elections.

N. Korea fires ballistic missile toward sea, Seoul says  —  North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the sea on Friday, Seoul officials said, as its rival South Korea was wrapping up an annual military drill that the North views as an invasion rehearsal.

Citing drugs at Rikers, NYC to ban incarcerated people from getting letters in the mail  —  Overdose deaths are skyrocketing in New York City jails, and the correction commissioner says banning physical letters is a way to stop it.  —  Commissioner Louis Molina said at a city council hearing Tuesday …

Why I Keep Getting Mistaken for a Conservative  —  The Left no longer tolerates dissent  —  One of my longtime survival strategies as a career freelance writer is a policy of saying yes to everything.  This includes paid work, of course, but it also includes lunch invitations, since the only thing I love more than writing is eating.