Alerts Sign-up
Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are in a close race as the election nears, according to a recent poll. The New York Times and Siena College conducted the final national poll of the 2024 cycle, which shows both candidates tied at 48% for the popular vote. Including minor party candidates, Trump leads Harris by one percentage point, still within the margin of error.
Republican Vice Presidential nominee JD Vance faced questions during a NewsNation town hall in Detroit about unsubstantiated claims he made regarding Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. Vance defended his statements, saying they were based on local reports. However, these claims have been disputed by fellow Republicans and debunked by The Wall Street Journal.
President Joe Biden recently apologized to Native Americans for the U.S. government's role in "Indian boarding schools." These institutions aimed to assimilate Native American children into white society by separating them from their families and cultures. An investigative report revealed nearly 19,000 Native children attended these schools, with almost 1,000 deaths reported over many decades. Biden delivered his apology at the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona.
The Napa Legal Institute released its second annual "Faith and Freedom Index," evaluating state laws on religious freedom protections across all states and Washington D.C. Alabama and Indiana received top scores while Washington and Michigan ranked lowest.
Ahead of International Religious Freedom Day on October 27th, U.S. bishops emphasized religious freedom as a fundamental human right upheld by Catholic teaching. Bishop A. Elias Zaidan and Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades highlighted data showing violations of religious freedom worldwide affecting billions of people.
Kate Scanlon is a national reporter for OSV News covering Washington politics. Follow her on X @kgscanlon. Gina Christian also contributed to this report; follow her on X @GinaJesseReina.
