Rasmussen’s latest poll puts Democrats five points ahead of Republicans, 49 percent to 44 percent. That is a wider lead than the previous week, but a national advantage does not guarantee a House majority. District boundaries, competitive races and turnout will decide control of Congress. With surveys producing different margins, Republicans still have a fight on their hands, and a Democratic wave remains a prediction rather than a certainty.

Interviews with people arrested over online speech show how much an investigation can cost even without a conviction. British officials defend enforcement against illegal content, while critics warn that broad speech restrictions punish dissent.

A war intended to stop Iran from building a bomb could give it more reason to want one. Experts warn that attacks during negotiations have damaged faith in diplomacy and made nuclear weapons look like insurance against regime change. Iran’s enrichment expertise survives, while Saudi ambitions and doubts about American protection in Europe and Asia add to the pressure for proliferation. Washington risks emerging from this conflict with more governments convinced that their survival depends on getting the bomb.

Pennsylvania will start pulling unapproved vaping products from stores on October 19, with fines and possible license suspensions for retailers who keep selling them. Officials call it a public-health safeguard. Critics warn that adults who used these products to quit cigarettes could return to smoking or turn to illicit sellers. Research from states with similar restrictions found no lasting reduction in measured nicotine sales. The crackdown could leave small businesses struggling and consumers looking elsewhere for the products they already use.