MONTGOMERY, Alabama (AP) — President Donald Trump vowed to campaign in 35 of the most competitive battleground districts in the final sprint to November's midterm elections.

Instead, he will begin October by stumping in Alabama and Oklahoma, two of the most Republican states in the nation. His events are sure to draw enthusiastic crowds of fans, but his choice of destinations is a reminder of his deep unpopularity in much of the country during a campaign season he's sought to make all about himself.

WATCH: New poll reveals how Trump's low approval might affect midterms

Trump will hold rallies next week in Durant, Oklahoma, and Mobile, Alabama, where he is sure to draw crowds, but has also raised eyebrows.

While organizers insist the rallies are in locations with media markets that span state lines and they will help bolster broader turnout, Trump's itinerary is yet another sign of the uphill fight that his party faces. Republicans have already been pouring money into red states once considered safe as they try to shore up candidates facing an unhappy electorate that has soured on Trump and his polices.

Some Republicans have also been distancing themselves from the president in recent weeks as they as they try to appeal to voters beyond Trump's "Make America Great Again" base. They're removed or downplayed references to the president on their websites and increasingly voiced opposition to his unpopular war with Iran.

But Trump's events — Thursday in Durant and Friday in Mobile — are also likely to deliver something else he craves: adoring crowds. He is almost guaranteed to fill the venues with the kind of die-hard supporters who fueled his political rise, projecting excitement as he tries to bolster enthusiasm and rally Republicans.

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"The President's ability to engage with and activate low-propensity voters is unmatched. That's why he'll be barnstorming the country to activate the voters we need to win in November," said Republican National Committee spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre, promising more October rallies to come.

Democrats, meanwhile, celebrated the announcement. "The political floor is falling out from underneath Trump and Congressional Republicans, forcing them to scramble to spend and campaign in deep red territory in the final weeks," said Viet Shelton, spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

The RNC noted that Durant, Oklahoma is on the Texas border and next to the Dallas-Fort Worth media market, and will draw Republicans in Texas, which has emerged as one of the most critical states on the map. Scandal-plagued Attorney General Ken Paxton, whom Trump backed over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, is locked in a tight race against Democrat James Talarico. Gov. Greg Abbott is also facing a stronger-than-expected challenger in Democrat Gina Hinojosa.

WATCH: What's making the Texas Senate race so competitive

Mobile is next to Florida's panhandle, a Republican stronghold where high turnout can help bolster Trump-backed candidates running for Senate and governor. However, Florida Republican Sen. Ashley Moody is not expected to attend.

In Oklahoma, Trump will be stumping for Mike Mazzei, whom he backed as the Republican nominee for governor during a competitive primary. Mazzei is running against Oklahoma's Democratic House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson.

"This race continues to get more competitive – and national Republicans are right to be worried about Mazzei," Democratic Governors Association spokesperson Kevin Donohoe said in a statement.

Alabama, meanwhile, holds deep nostalgia for Trump and his early supporters. He held his first mega-rally in Mobile more a decade ago, drawing some 30,000 people to a college football stadium. The crowd made clear to skeptics of his campaign that he was more than a celebrity novelty.

"I think it's very natural that he would host a rally here as he is gearing up for the midterm elections," said John Wahl, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor and former chair of the Alabama Republican Party.

Although Republicans remain the heavy favorites in Alabama's statewide campaigns, they face a more challenging political landscape this year.

Former Democratic Sen. Doug Jones is mounting a vigorous campaign for Alabama governor against one of Trump's most vocal allies, Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who said he welcomed the president's visit.

Republican Rep. Barry Moore, running to replace Tuberville in the Senate with Trump's backing, said the president's rally "will be the jet fuel we need to win big in Alabama."

Mobile is also near Alabama's 2nd Congressional District which leans red after its lines were redrawn but is not a slam dunk for Republicans as they try to dislodge Democratic Rep Shomari Figures.

Figures has been criticizing president's plan to lower import tariffs on foreign beef in an appeal to cattle ranchers as he tries to fend off a challenge from his Trump-backed opponent, State Rep. Rhett Marques.

Trump has promised to ramp up his campaigning in the election's final stretch and had said he would visit all of the most competitive districts .

"It's all about 35 races," he said at a recent Rose Garden dinner attended by Republican lawmakers. "I'm going to go to every one of those 35 places and we're going to see if we can get everyone elected."

Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press reporter Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

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NEW YORK (AP) — New York sued the prediction market Polymarket on Thursday, arguing the platform is an unlicensed gambling operation and calling for a judge to block the company from operating in the state.

READ MORE: 2026's elections could test how skyrocketing trading on prediction markets affects races and results

The lawsuit is the latest legal challenge from a state moving to rein in popular and now-ubiquitous betting apps that allow people to place wagers on most anything, including sports, weather, elections and technology.

Prediction market platforms have argued states do not have the authority to govern them because they are regulated at the federal level by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

New York officials filed Thursday's lawsuit against Polymarket in state court and want the company to face fines and be forced to pay restitution to users because the platform did not get a gaming license from the state. The state has previously sued other platforms such as Kalshi, Coinbase and Gemini using a similar argument.

"By running an unlicensed gambling operation, Polymarket has done more than just knowingly violate state law, they have put New Yorkers at risk, especially those underage who are most vulnerable to problem gaming," Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement.

In a statement, Polymarket's Chief Legal Officer Neal Kumar said, "We'll fight for our users."

"Polymarket was founded in a tiny NYC apartment and now has more than 350 employees here, embodying why people and businesses come here to make it. We believe in New York and we're staying here," Kumar said.

Prediction market platforms have said they operate differently than traditional gambling operations, because consumers are trading against other consumers, similar to how stock markets work. They allow participants to buy and sell contracts tied to the probable outcome of an event. The platforms say prices are based on trading and they only take a fee from the trading.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which has opposed state regulation of the platforms, did not immediately return a request for comment.

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President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to make a rare appearance Wednesday on the world stage when he speaks at the U.N. General Assembly in what is likely the first time a foreign leader addresses the world body while their country is at war with the host nation.

Farnoush Amiri, Associated Press Farnoush Amiri, Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Iran's president said Wednesday that his people have been "victims of terrorism" by the United States, delivering a rare wartime speech at U.N. General Assembly a day after President Donald Trump said he could "annihilate" the Islamic republic.

In a defiant speech, President Masoud Pezeshkian held up large photos of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the more than 150 school Iranian children killed on the first days of the war.

"We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists," Pezeshkian said at the General Assembly. "Our innocent people have been the targets of cowardly attacks and aggressions imposed upon our country. And we defended ourselves with utmost strength. America and Israel attacked us."

He added of the United States: "Yes they did hit us, but we did not bend the knee." Toward the end of his speech, Pezeshkian called out Trump by name.

"It must be understood by Mr. Trump and those who seek to bully us that we are ready for dialogue and diplomacy and negotiations without accepting the language of force," he said.

Russia hammered Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, with drones in daylight attacks on Wednesday, hours before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was due to address world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly.

Samya Kullab, Associated Press Samya Kullab, Associated Press

Two people were killed and 23 were wounded in Kyiv, and palls of black smoke floated above the city following the latest in what have been daily Russian attacks that torment Ukrainian civilians. The drones set off fires and damaged buildings in Kyiv and elsewhere in Ukraine overnight, authorities said.

Zelenskyy was in New York for the annual gathering as part of his diplomatic effort to shore up and recruit further international support for his country's grueling 4½-year fight against Russia's invasion.

Zelenskyy met on Tuesday with President Donald Trump, who has shown impatience with the lack of progress in talks aimed at ending the war and the escalating aerial attacks by both sides this year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is accused by NATO officials and European governments of sabotage, espionage and other threats, is not scheduled to attend the U.N. gathering this year.

A statement from the Detroit suburb issued by a spokesperson came in response to a lawsuit on Thursday that accused the city and its mayor of spending thousands of dollars to celebrate Muslim holidays while ignoring Christian and Jewish holidays.

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — The city of Dearborn responded Saturday to a lawsuit accusing it of celebrating Muslim holidays and ignoring religious holidays of other faiths by blaming attacks against it on its diversity and "welcoming nature."

The lawsuit in federal court revived complaints about city government that arose a year ago after the Dearborn mayor, Abdullah Hammoud, told Ted Barham, a local pastor, that he was not welcome in the city and he would stage a parade when he left.

WATCH/LISTEN: Islamophobia, 25 years after 9/11

The lawsuit by Margot Cleveland, a journalist for The Federalist, accused the city and its mayor, a Democrat, of favoring the Muslim faith over other religious beliefs in a city with a population of over 100,000 people that is majority Arab American.

It said the city for too long "has been a hostile place for Christians and Jews."

The growing conflict near another important global shipping corridor has brought new pressures for markets.

Toqa Ezzidin, Associated Press Toqa Ezzidin, Associated Press

Cara Anna, Associated Press Cara Anna, Associated Press

CAIRO (AP) — Saudi Arabia on Saturday confirmed that Yemen's Houthi rebels tried to attack its capital with a ballistic missile, the first targeting of Riyadh since the escalation in fighting with the Tehran-backed rebels that has opened a new front in the Iran war.

The statement by the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis came long after the dawn attempt, which the coalition said was intercepted. Some residents in Riyadh heard an explosion. Later, some saw a plume of smoke near the airport. There were no reports of casualties or damage.

The statement also said the Houthis tried to attack civilian infrastructure in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu — where a key Saudi pipeline ends — and in Taif, Baysh and Farasan but they were thwarted, giving no further details.

The Houthis earlier claimed, without providing evidence, that they had targeted "sensitive sites" in Riyadh and facilities of Saudi oil giant Aramco in Yanbu, causing "massive fires." Aramco, the world's largest oil company, did not respond to a request for comment.

Macklemore committed to donate his net earnings from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour after he was dropped for making pro-Palestinian comments onstage at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium.

James Pollard, Associated Press James Pollard, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — For the Palestinian relief nonprofits behind a $1 million pledge from rapper Macklemore, the Grammy winner's latest contributions offer more than just money.

WATCH: The growing fallout over Macklemore's exit from Ed Sheeran's tour

The six donation recipients included Medical Aid for Palestinians, Palestine Children's Relief Fund and the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. In addition to the funding windfall, their leaders welcomed the renewed public awareness of the perilous living conditions faced by the Palestinian people they treat regularly.

"Even if you don't see bombs falling every night, the rubble is still there," said Alicia Phillips Mandaville, the acting CEO of Anera, another beneficiary. "And the traumatized children are still traumatized."

In-person voting for this year's midterm elections began Friday, ushering in the final six weeks for Americans to decide which party they trust to lead Congress through a cost-of-living crisis, a prolonged war in Iran and other pressing issues.

Ali Swenson, Associated Press Ali Swenson, Associated Press

Sarah Rankin, Associated Press Sarah Rankin, Associated Press

Sarah Raza, Associated Press Sarah Raza, Associated Press

Election administrators say they are prepared and confident the vote will be accurate and secure. Nevertheless, President Donald Trump has continued with efforts to denigrate certain voting methods and reshape how elections are run, through court challenges, an expansive federal hunt for noncitizen voters and a pressure campaign to force election officials to share sensitive voter data.

Friday marked the start of early voting in Virginia. Voters in a handful of other states, including Idaho, Minnesota and South Dakota, can cast absentee ballots in person, typically at a local election office or voting center. More expansive early voting is scheduled to begin in those and other states in the coming weeks.

Attorney General Todd Blanche is blurring traditional boundaries between politics and federal law enforcement with recent speeches at political events that mark a sharp departure from norms meant to protect the Justice Department from the appearance of partisan bias.

Alanna Durkin Richer, Associated Press Alanna Durkin Richer, Associated Press

Blanche took the stage this week at an event for a Republican Senate candidate in North Carolina days after speaking at a GOP midterm convention, where he praised Trump and touted the administration's tough-on-crime approach.

Blanche's participation at the rallies has drawn scrutiny from critics who say it threatens to undermine public faith in law enforcement decisions that are supposed to be made free of political interference. It has added to critics' concerns about Blanche's loyalty to Trump and White House influence on Justice Department matters against the backdrop of investigations into numerous perceived foes of the president.

"It lends credence to the arguments that the Justice Department is hopelessly politicized," said Richard Painter, who was a White House ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush administration. "And that's not where we want to be right now."

Attorneys general have typically stayed away from political rallies and at arm's length from the White House to prevent the appearance of law enforcement interference in elections and to protect the perception of impartiality in prosecutions.

Vice President JD Vance will be the headliner Friday at a midterm rally in Council Bluffs, on the western edge of the once-Republican stronghold state, which has found itself with competitive races for the Senate and the governor's mansion this year.

Josh Boak, Associated Press Josh Boak, Associated Press

Seung Min Kim, Associated Press Seung Min Kim, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance is headed to Iowa for the second time this year to campaign for Republican majorities in Congress as he lays the groundwork for his own political ambitions.

Council Bluffs, located along the Missouri River, is home to Josh Turek, the Democratic nominee for the Senate who represents the area in the Statehouse.

But his opponent, Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, will not attend the rally Friday due to previously scheduled events, according to her campaign.

Massie's resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the war in Iran and his bipartisan effort to force the release of more files in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation are all being left behind, blocked from votes.

Lisa Mascaro, Associated Press Lisa Mascaro, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Mike Johnson is closing up the House early, sending lawmakers home Wednesday to campaign for the midterm elections after what he claims is the most productive Congress in decades.

But not without a scathing rebuke from GOP Rep. Thomas Massie for all the unfinished business.

WATCH: Rep. Massie introduces articles of impeachment against Hegseth on House floor

"We're calling off Congress? And we're in the majority?" Massie railed from the House floor.

Speaking in Charlotte, North Carolina, Trump suggested that allowing Canada to become an associate EU member could be a "hostile act" and threatened to respond to the proposed move by imposing more tariffs on the bloc.

Rob Gillies, Associated Press Rob Gillies, Associated Press

STRASBOURG, France (AP) — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday proposed making Canada the European Union's first associate member, a striking overture as U.S. President Donald Trump's threats drive Ottawa closer to Europe.

Trump conditioned his threat on the "intention" of European leaders, saying that, "If it's a good intention, that's fine. If it's a bad intention, we'll put very heavy tariffs on Europe." He also suggested the U.S. could cut off trade with Europe in certain areas.

Trump called the prospect of Canada joining the EU "laughable" and called America's neighbor a "terrible trade partner."

Trump's tariffs and repeated talk of making Canada the 51st state have soured the relationship between the North American neighbors. Canada is seeking to reduce its dependence on the United States, the destination for roughly 70% of its exports, and Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for a "unique alliance" with the EU.

Attorney General Todd Blanche said Tuesday it was proper for President Donald Trump to vent about the Supreme Court decision to decline the changes that the president wanted for mail-in voting.

Watch Blanche's remarks in the video player above.

"He is very frustrated," Blanche said at a White House briefing in the Rose Garden. "He has every right and, indeed, he should communicate his concerns with the Supreme Court whenever he has them. This isn't the first time that he's done it, and it won't be the last."

Blanche said that the administration would comply with the Supreme Court.

Trump said on social media that the justices ruling against his plans for mail-in-voting were different once on the bench than when he had interviewed them as part of the nominations process.

Blanche said Trump's complaints do not undermine the independence of the Supreme Court.

Bob Mackie, the fashion designer whose visually provocative Hollywood style defined glamour for the 1970s died Monday at 87.

Mark Kennedy, Associated Press Mark Kennedy, Associated Press

"He lived his 87 years to the fullest, fulfilling his dream of being a Fashion and Costume Designer, which is all he ever wanted to do," read a statement on his social media accounts. "His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world."

Dubbed the "Designer to the Stars," Mackie won nine Emmy Awards, a Tony Award and was nominated for three Oscars, including one for Barbra Streisand's "Funny Lady," in which she wore a sheer batwing gown. He was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Hall of Fame in 2002.

He designed gowns for Madonna, Barbra Streisand, Sharon Stone, Diana Ross and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and concert costumes for Pink. When Marilyn Monroe delivered a breathy, seductive take on "Happy Birthday" at a fundraiser for President John F. Kennedy and the Democratic National Committee, she did it in a sheer, beaded gown that Mackie dreamed up in a sketch.

Bob Mackie's style influences Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift

At a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in Dublin, Trump said he would love to see the reunification of the Republic of Ireland with the United Kingdom's Northern Ireland.

Darlene Superville, Associated Press Darlene Superville, Associated Press

Jill Lawless, Associated Press Jill Lawless, Associated Press

DUBLIN (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that a unified Ireland would be "fantastic" as he waded into a complex and politically charged subject during a weekend visit to a tournament at his Irish golf course.

"I don't want to cause any problems but I'd love to see it unified," Trump told a reporter who sought his opinion on the issue. "It's going to happen eventually. It may as well happen now.

"I think it would be a fantastic thing," the Republican president said, adding that "the U.K. will have something to say about it, obviously."

The Associated Press' analysis focused on arrests made during protests last summer and fall in LA, Chicago, Portland and Washington, D.C. — cities with significant protests where President Donald Trump sought to or successfully deployed the National Guard.

Jaimie Ding, Associated Press Jaimie Ding, Associated Press

Claire Rush, Associated Press Claire Rush, Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department failed to secure felony convictions against most of the 102 protesters arrested in four major cities last year on charges of assaulting federal authorities — a record far below the norm in federal assault prosecutions.

All of the dozen cases that made it to trial, mostly in Los Angeles, ended in acquittal, mistrial or dismissal. Experts say that's surprising for a department known for its ability to win at trial. The last three felony assault cases, in LA and Portland, Oregon, will go to trial this fall.

The dismal record has raised questions about rushed investigations and aggressive charging tactics by prosecutors under pressure to show the Trump administration is cracking down on people who assault law enforcement. It comes as the Justice Department is facing broader setbacks in politically charged investigations, with grand juries repeatedly refusing to return indictments and trial juries granting acquittals.

"Prosecutors tend to win because they control what cases they pursue and they have a lot of resources and discretion," said Mary Fan, a former federal prosecutor and law professor at the University of Washington.

Court cases involving Twin Cities churches and immigration enforcement highlight how the acrimonious debate continues to roil faith communities more than six months since the federal surge turned Minnesota into a symbol of defiance of the Trump administration's policies.

Giovanna Dell'Orto, Associated Press Giovanna Dell'Orto, Associated Press

In one case, a Minneapolis Baptist church — alongside congregations nationwide — asked for the government to be reprimanded after spying on protest-related activity on its property. In another, more than three dozen protesters have asked for their charges to be dismissed after they disrupted a worship service in a St. Paul church where one of the pastors was also a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official.

Even congregations uninvolved in the court cases say they're still feeling the repercussions of the weekslong surge in immigration operations last winter. Protesters confronted federal law enforcement daily, and the killing of two protesters sparked global outcry.

Immigration agents are no longer visibly active on the same residential block as Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. But its pastor says the signs that went up in January stating "Everyone is welcome here! Except I.C.E." have stayed.

"I don't foresee a time when they will come down. We want our building to remain a sanctuary for many people," said the Rev. Ingrid Rasmussen. Her church provided whistles, which protesters across the city used to alert neighbors about law enforcement presence.

"I believe that if slowing down bought us even an extra year or two before models reach critical levels of capability, and we used that time to advance alignment, we could greatly reduce the risk that something goes seriously wrong," Dario Amodei said.

NEW YORK (AP) — The CEO of Anthropic said Saturday the artificial-intelligence industry should slow its fast-moving development to give safety measures time to catch up. Without it, Dario Amodei warned AI could be capable within six to 12 months of leading a swarm that could take over the entire internet, among other risks.

Amodei is one of the leading voices in AI, and he offered a plan in a post on his website to increase checks on the industry, one part of which he said Anthropic is undertaking by itself already. The others would require coordination among the broad industry and with governments around the world, including authoritarian ones.

WATCH: AI researcher warns companies are ignoring catastrophic risks

He got some quick encouragement from other big names in the industry. OpenAI's Sam Altman said on X that the company behind ChatGPT will commit to one of Amodei's proposals for safety and will "have more to share soon." Elon Musk, meanwhile, said on X that "Dario is right."

The stakes are high, even as some critics dismissed earlier warnings as ways to gin up excitement about the AI industry and its capabilities. Anthropic and OpenAI are preparing for possible debuts on the stock market that could value them at many hundreds of billions of dollars, while a big chunk of Musk's SpaceX business is involved with AI.

Jurors are deliberating in the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, a case that has raised questions about maternal mental healthcare. Clancy does not deny killing her children, but she pleaded not guilty, arguing she can't be held criminally responsible because the murders occurred while she was suffering from postpartum psychosis. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Shelley Murphy of The Boston Globe.

Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.

Members of the jury are now deliberating in the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, the Massachusetts mother who strangled her three young children in 2023, before then attempting to kill herself.

Clancy's mental health has been the key issue in the five-week trial, which has drawn national attention and raised questions about gaps in maternal mental health care. Clancy does not deny killing her children, but the former labor and delivery nurse has pleaded not guilty, arguing she can't be held criminally responsible for the murders because they occurred while she was suffering from postpartum psychosis.

Both the defense and prosecution gave their closing arguments this morning.

Kevin Reddington, Attorney for Lindsay Clancy: When the DA decides to charge someone with a crime, he has the burden of proof, his assistants have the burden of proof to prove that Lindsay at the time killed her children was not suffering from a mental disease or defect that caused her to have a lack of substantial capacity to appreciate, to know, to realize what was being done while she was in a psychosis.

In our news wrap Thursday, President Trump signed an order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America as part of his dispute with Canada, FAA officials are reportedly moving to fire two air traffic controllers who allegedly left work early on the night of a deadly crash at LaGuardia Airport and an ICE officer facing charges related to a shooting in Minneapolis was released from a Texas jail.

Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.

In the day's other headlines: President Donald Trump signed an executive order today renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America. It's part of his escalating trade war with Canada.

This is official, effective immediately.

Trump made the name change official during a signing in the Oval Office this afternoon. It requires federal entities to recognize the new designation, but it does not mean other countries have to do so. Trump had threatened the change after talks broke down over his 50 percent tariffs on billions of dollars of Canadian goods, which took effect last weekend. Canada then responded with levies of its own.

This afternoon, Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote on social media that Canadians know to call it Lake Ontario -- quote -- "now and always."