Wednesday, October 28, 2026

The Country

One story, three takes.
You decide.

The day's top stories from across the country graded using Jim Lehrer's Rules for Journalism to help you separate fact from spin. Learn how it works

From the Left
Center
From the Right
Fed holds rates Oct 28

Oct 28 · The Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady six days before the midterms, with Lisa Cook and Beth Hammack dissenting in favor of a hike

NBC News

Federal Reserve leaves interest rates unchanged despite rising inflation

NBC reports the hold, September's 3.7% inflation rate, Chairman Kevin Warsh's change to the meeting schedule, the two dissents and an NBC News poll on the cost of living.

Score:B

Uses an unnamed source or unsourced number.

Read on NBC News ↗NBC News ↗
CNBC

Fed holds rates steady despite concerns over inflation

CNBC reports the 3.75%-4% range, the statement's wording on inflation, Cook's first dissent and the fight over her removal, and which officials joined or left the hawks.

Score:B

Uses an unnamed source or unsourced number.

Read on CNBC ↗CNBC ↗
Fox Business

Federal Reserve makes interest rate decision ahead of midterms

Fox Business reports the 10-2 vote, the FOMC statement, Warsh's remarks on inflation and the meeting schedule, and his answer that 'politics played no role in the decision.'

Score:B

Leaves out key context.

Read on Fox Business ↗Fox Business ↗
Dolores Huerta dies Oct 28

Oct 28 · Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers and coined the rallying cry 'Sí, se puede,' dies at 96

CNN

Dolores Huerta, pioneering labor leader and civil rights icon, dies at 96

CNN reports her family's statement, the union's tribute, her account this year that César Chávez raped her in 1966, and tributes from Gov. Gavin Newsom and others.

Score:

No problems found.

Read on CNN ↗CNN ↗
CNBC

Dolores Huerta, influential labor leader, feminist and civil rights icon, dies at 96

CNBC runs the AP obituary: she died of cancer at home in Bakersfield, per a family spokesperson, with her Medal of Freedom, the union president's statement and her abuse disclosure.

Score:

No problems found.

Read on CNBC ↗CNBC ↗
Fox News

Dolores Huerta, United Farm Workers co-founder who accused César Chavez of sex abuse, dead at 96

Fox reports her foundation's announcement, a tribute from People For the American Way, her early career, the Delano grape strike and her accusation against Chávez.

Score:

No problems found.

Read on Fox News ↗Fox News ↗
Peltola second Dan Sullivan Oct 28

Oct 28 · A New York Times report ties Mary Peltola's campaign to recruiting a second Dan Sullivan for Alaska's Senate race; her campaign denies it and Trump says she shouldn't be on the ballot

NBC News

Trump says Mary Peltola should not be allowed to run for Alaska Senate

NBC's live update quotes Trump's posts, says NBC has not confirmed the Times report, notes the former campaign manager's attempt to retract her remarks and the Justice Department suit.

Score:B

Leaves out key context.

Read on NBC News ↗NBC News ↗
Scripps News

Report: Peltola campaign linked to effort to recruit second Dan Sullivan in Alaska Senate race

Scripps runs the AP report: the Times' text messages, Dan J. Sullivan's denial, the court fight over his candidacy, Trump's posts and denials from Peltola's campaign and the DSCC.

Score:

No problems found.

Read on Scripps News ↗Scripps News ↗
Fox News

Mary Peltola's campaign, Dems backed covert scheme to field spoiler candidates in Alaska Senate race: report

Fox details the Times' account of the 'ballot composition project,' the fired campaign manager's on-record remarks, Trump's posts and statements from Peltola's campaign and the DSCC.

Score:B

Uses loaded words.

Read on Fox News ↗Fox News ↗
SCOTUS deportation rule Oct 27

Oct 27 · The Supreme Court declines to revive a Biden-era rule letting immigration judges pause deportation cases, leaving a Texas-Justice Department deal in place

ABC News

SCOTUS won't restore policy that lets immigration judges close deportation cases

ABC reports the unsigned order, how administrative closure works, the cities' due-process arguments and Texas's claim that the rule granted 'indefinite amnesty.'

Score:C

Mixes in the reporter's opinion.

Read on ABC News ↗ABC News ↗
SCOTUSblog

SCOTUS won't disturb Texas-DOJ deal on deportation proceedings

SCOTUSblog's daily newsletter reports that the court denied the cities' and an immigrant legal group's request, with no noted dissents.

Score:B

Leaves out key context.

Read on SCOTUSblog ↗SCOTUSblog ↗
Fox News

Trump's unusual legal gambit against Biden-era deportation rule pays off at Supreme Court

Fox explains the rule, Texas's suit, the Justice Department's agreement with Texas, the cities' 'egregious collusion' claim and the federal standing argument.

Score:B

Uses loaded words.

Read on Fox News ↗Fox News ↗
FEC hack Oct 27

Oct 27 · Hackers target the Federal Election Commission's filing system, knocking campaign finance disclosures offline a week before the midterms

NBC News

Hackers target FEC system, disrupting campaign finance disclosures

NBC runs Reuters' report on the FEC email describing a 'bad actor,' the agency's statement, and compliance and watchdog experts on what the outage hides.

Score:

No problems found.

Read on NBC News ↗NBC News ↗
CNBC

Hackers target FEC as campaign money system goes dark before midterms

CNBC reports the FEC's fix, the 24- and 48-hour reporting rules the outage blocks, America PAC spending as an example, and the commission's lack of a quorum.

Score:C

Mixes in the reporter's opinion.

Read on CNBC ↗CNBC ↗
Washington Examiner

FEC faces website filing system outages the week before midterm elections

The Examiner reports the outage, the FEC's status updates, the Reuters-reported hacking attempt and the reporting rules for late spending.

Score:

No problems found.

Read on Washington Examiner ↗Washington Examiner ↗
Villa Vie cruise stranded Oct 27

Oct 27 · A residential cruise ship halts its round-the-world voyage in Cambodia over soaring fuel costs, leaving about 200 passengers to find somewhere to live

NBC News

They bought cabins to live on a luxury cruise ship. High fuel costs got them kicked off in Cambodia

NBC reports Villa Vie Residences' statement, Cambodian officials' passenger count, residents' accounts of earlier cash calls and a pending fraud lawsuit the company denies.

Score:

No problems found.

Read on NBC News ↗NBC News ↗
CNBC

Luxury round-the-world cruise ends abruptly as fuel costs skyrocket

CNBC reports the company's statement on fuel costs rising from $1,800 to as much as $8,000 per cabin a month and its 60-day restructuring plan.

Score:B

Leaves out key context.

Read on CNBC ↗CNBC ↗
New York Post

Hundreds of cruise passengers — including cancer patient — left homeless, stranded in Cambodia

The Post quotes stranded residents, including a passenger in cancer treatment, on the company's help, cash calls and lodging, plus the company's statement.

Score:D

Gets a fact wrong and uses loaded words.

Read on New York Post ↗New York Post ↗
Spain train crash Oct 28

Oct 28 · A high-speed train slams into a stopped train south of Madrid, killing at least 64 people in Spain's second deadly rail crash this year

NBC News

Spain train crash leaves at least 64 dead in second major collision this year

NBC reports the death toll, a passenger's account of the impact, and Transport Minister Óscar Puente's statement that a Renfe train was cleared to restart despite an active red signal.

Score:

No problems found.

Read on NBC News ↗NBC News ↗
CNBC

At least 64 people dead in high-speed Spain train crash

CNBC reports the collision on the Madrid-Seville line, the minister's account of a control-system failure near Urda, and Iryo's statement that its train was struck from behind.

Score:

No problems found.

Read on CNBC ↗CNBC ↗
Fox News

Spain high-speed train crash kills at least 64

Fox reports the death toll, a nearby worker's account of pulling passengers from the wreck, and the January crash on Spain's high-speed network.

Score:B

Leaves out key context.

Read on Fox News ↗Fox News ↗
Trump Iran war end Oct 27

Oct 27 · Trump says the Iran war will end when he decides to end it, and says 'anything's possible' on new strikes

ABC News

Trump says war will end when 'I want to end it'

ABC's live update quotes Trump at Joint Base Andrews on ending the war and on Iran wanting a deal, with background on the stalled talks and the naval blockade.

Score:

No problems found.

Read on ABC News ↗ABC News ↗
CNBC

Trump says Iran war will end 'when I want it to' as costs reportedly balloon to $47 billion

CNBC quotes Trump's rally remarks on ending the war, then reports a Central Command cost estimate of $47 billion and economists' estimates of the war's cost to families.

Score:C

Mixes in the reporter's opinion.

Read on CNBC ↗CNBC ↗
Fox News

Trump says 'anything's possible' regarding potential strikes on Iran after midterm elections

Fox's live page quotes Trump saying Iran wants a deal but may be waiting for the election, with a Wall Street Journal report on a possible post-election campaign and Iran's response.

Score:

No problems found.

Read on Fox News ↗Fox News ↗
Hutchinson no bill Oct 27

Oct 27 · A federal grand jury declines to indict former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson over her Jan. 6 testimony

NBC News

Grand jury declines to indict former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson, star witness of Jan. 6 committee, U.S. official says

NBC reports the grand jury's no bill, the Civil Rights Division's role, that the Justice Department can try again, Trump's past attacks on Hutchinson and her 2022 testimony

Score:B

Uses an unnamed source or unsourced number.

Read on NBC News ↗NBC News ↗
CNBC

Grand jury rejects DOJ bid to indict ex-Trump WH aide Cassidy Hutchinson: Reports

CNBC reports the rejected indictment, what Hutchinson told the Jan. 6 committee, the prosecutor's statement to Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui, and other recent grand jury refusals in Washington

Score:B

Uses an unnamed source or unsourced number.

Read on CNBC ↗CNBC ↗
New York Post

Grand jury doesn't indict ex-White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, says AP

The Post runs the AP report on the failed indictment, Republican lawmakers' perjury accusations, other grand jury refusals in Washington and Hutchinson's 2022 testimony

Score:F

Uses an unnamed source or unsourced number.

Read on New York Post ↗New York Post ↗
Faruqui strikes FBI officials complaint Oct 27

Oct 27 · A federal judge strikes the Justice Department's unsigned overnight complaint adding obstruction charges against two ex-FBI officials in the Hunter Biden probe case

NBC News

Judge berates DOJ attorney in court over new charge filed against former FBI officials

NBC reports Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui striking the unsigned superseding complaint against Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, the prosecutor's admission.

Score:B

Uses loaded words.

Read on NBC News ↗NBC News ↗
CNBC

Judge rips DOJ for filing new criminal complaint against ex-FBI officials without approval

CNBC reports the judge's refusal to accept the superseding complaint, his quoted objections, the original false-statements charges and why such old conduct is usually charged by indictment

Score:

No problems found.

Read on CNBC ↗CNBC ↗
Fox News

Judge who apologized to accused would-be Trump assassin lights up DOJ in Hunter Biden FBI case

Fox reports Faruqui's rebuke of the overnight complaint, the obstruction charges it sought to add, the original allegations and the judge's earlier apology to a man accused of trying to kill Trump

Score:C

Uses loaded words and uses an unnamed source or unsourced number.

Read on Fox News ↗Fox News ↗