The Stateside Beat — Morning Audio Brief · 2026-10-26

Morning audio brief for 2026-10-26 — tap play above to listen with slides and subtitles. Here's what happened overnight and what's on the docket for Monday, October 26th.

US has plans for major Iran strikes if Trump chooses

The biggest story going into the new week: CNN reports U.S. forces in the Middle East are prepared to launch new, potentially major, military operations against Iran within ninety-six hours of receiving an order. President Trump has said no strike is planned for now, and Qatari mediators traveled to Tehran over the weekend as diplomatic channels stay open. The planning comes against the backdrop of a conflict that has escalated steadily since the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began in February. Allies and markets are bracing for how the next few days unfold — the New York Times describes a new level of threat and fear that risks pulling both countries back into full war.

Trump escalates anti-Muslim attacks against El-Sayed in Michigan

President Trump intensified his rhetoric against Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed at a Sunday rally, with NPR reporting he portrayed the Democrat as a threat and — per the Washington Post — calling him a "jihadist." The New York Times characterized the speech as an attempt to stir the Republican base in a state with a significant Muslim-American community. El-Sayed is running in one of the Midwest's most watched midterm contests, and civil rights groups condemned the language. With two weeks until Election Day, expect Michigan to stay at the center of the campaign conversation.

Why the Fed may hold off on another rate hike despite high inflation

It's a big week for the economy: the Federal Reserve wraps its October meeting with a rate decision that USA Today previews as likely a pause — officials raised the benchmark rate last month and may hold off on another hike even with inflation still high. The Wall Street Journal reports the Fed is expected to keep rates steady despite a case for raising them. Futures point to a hopeful open: Barron's noted Sunday evening that S&P 500 futures were up 0.4%, Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.6%, and Dow futures up 0.3%, or about 165 points. Traders are also watching a busy slate of earnings alongside the Fed.

Meta launches $35 billion stock offering to fund AI expansion

Meta is going big on artificial intelligence — with shareholders' help. The company launched a thirty-five billion dollar stock offering to fund its AI expansion, according to Reuters via Yahoo Finance. The raise lands days after Elon Musk said SpaceX closed forty billion dollars in debt financing to buy GPUs for its own AI operations, and after he warned that more than two hundred "neocloud" providers face what he called "guppy-level death" in an industry consolidation. The message across tech is clear: the compute race is consuming capital at a historic pace.

More flooding in Four Corners region after storms bring heavy rain

A rain-soaked swath of the Southwest endured yet more flooding overnight, the Associated Press reports, after days of storms forced evacuations and water rescues across the Four Corners region — with at least one tornado reported. The flash-flood threat continues Monday, though forecasters tell ABC News the outlook is gradually improving. Residents in flood-prone areas of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah are advised to keep an eye on local warnings through the day.

12 injured, including 6 children, in shooting near Florida A&M University

Tallahassee is waking up to troubling news: twelve people were injured — six of them children — in a shooting near Florida A&M University following the school's homecoming game. WESH reports police say five victims have been released from the hospital and six remain, including one in critical condition. CNN reports the gunfire broke out near the stadium after the game, prompting a shelter-in-place alert. Police have not announced any arrests as the investigation continues.

Sources

The Stateside Beat Audio · 2026-10-26 · morning · Narrated edition, compiled from CNN, NPR, USA Today, Yahoo Finance, The Associated Press, WESH and others.