Trump pushes to intensify Alaska Senate probes and Israel’s final election results released: Morning Rundown

Trump calls on the DOJ to ramp up its investigations into Alaska’s Senate race. Israel’s final election results show no clear winner between Netanyahu and his main rival Eisenkot. And the cruise company that stranded its passengers in Cambodia has a troubled history. Here’s what to know today. Trump pushes to ramp up investigations into Alaska Senate race The Justice Department has issued at least three dozen new subpoenas and document preservation requests as part of its investigation into the Alaska Senate race, with President Donald Trump pushing his administration to intensify its investigations. This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. The action comes after the New York Times reported that Democratic candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign was involved in recruiting Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher with no previous political experience, to also run for the seat held by Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan. The neck-and-neck race, along with a handful of others, will decide whether Republicans retain control of the Senate. The subpoenas were sent to Peltola’s Senate campaign offices and those of Dan J. Sullivan. Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy also announced yesterday that he’s ordering an investigation into Peltola’s campaign, which denies involvement in the recruitment effort. The DOJ had opened a criminal investigation into the race in July. The new reporting now gives the president more ammunition for the probe, which revolves around potential violations of federal laws that protect citizens’ rights to free and fair elections. Trump also ordered the department to file a civil lawsuit to try to block the state from certifying election results. What legal experts say about asking someone to run for office. Dive deeper into the 2026 election: See the latest polling and the battleground states in play. Track early voting tallies by age, gender and more. Find out how candidates are polling in competitive Senate races. What are other races to watch in Alaska? See who’s running and how Republicans and Democrats fared in past elections. Then, scroll to the end of the page to explore data in other states. Senate What If: Explore different paths to a Republican or Democratic Senate majority, mapped out by NBC News chief data analyst Steve Kornacki and “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker. Then, create your own scenarios. More politics news: The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into California as it continues its effort to prove that an estimated 20,000 noncitizens are on the state’s voter rolls. Pope Leo could become the first pontiff to vote in a U.S. election after requesting an Illinois absentee ballot. Former FBI Director James Comey is expected in court today as he seeks to toss out the third criminal case the Trump administration has brought against him. Israel’s final election results show no clear leader Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc won 53 seats in Israel’s 120-member Knesset, or parliament, well below the 68 seats it had controlled at its peak in the previous parliament. The bloc supporting Netanyahu’s main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, won 48 seats. Neither secured the 61 seats needed to form a government. While the count is complete, the election results still need to be certified and submitted to Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who will then choose a candidate who he thinks has the best chance to form a government. What else to know about the election results. Parties led by Israel’s Arab minority, meanwhile, made historic gains, winning a combined 19 seats in the Knesset, after Palestinians with Israeli citizenship headed to the polls in record numbers. Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot’s blocs have ruled out the possibility of forming a government with the two main Arab parties. Yet the political parties’ rise as potential kingmakers has brought a complicated dynamic into fresh focus. Patrick Stewart, ‘Star Trek’ and ‘X-Men’ actor, dies at 86 Tributes have poured in for Patrick Stewart, the beloved English actor who rose from performing Shakespeare on stage to becoming a globally-recognized movie icon. Stewart died this week at age 86 after a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia, his representative said. His storied career included cultural high points as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in the “Star Trek” franchise and as Professor Charles Xavier in the “X-Men” films. Actor Ian McKellen said in a tribute that his dear friend “wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love.” Though the two met in the 1970s, their bond was solidified when they starred together in “X-Men.” Read more about their decadeslong friendship. Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, recalled being “in awe” of Stewart the first time he saw him on the set of the first X-Men, describing him as “brilliant, charming, warm, generous, with a quiet strength and gravitas.” The Royal Shakespeare Company hailed Stewart as “one of the finest classical Shakespearean actors of his generation.” Read more about Stewart’s life and legacy. Binance targeted in largest ever crypto heist The digital currency exchange Binance said it was the target of a $6.3 billion crypto heist, believed to be the largest ever recorded. The company has suspended all deposits and withdrawals while it works with law enforcement to secure its infrastructure and locate stolen funds. About $3 billion of crytpo assets that transited through wallets connected to the hackers have so far been identified and frozen, the company said. Binance said it will “cover all the losses,” but cautioned that the value of the affected assets, as well as those recovered or frozen, could change. Earlier Thursday, prediction markets platform Polymarket briefly halted trading because of a compromise of third-party software. There were also some unconfirmed reports from users that their wallets had been drained. Here’s what else we know about the heist. Staff Pick: Cruise company had legal troubles before abandoning passengers Villa Vie, the cruise company that promised sailors a life-long worldwide voyage, boasts a troubled company history in its short existence. Since its creation in 2023, Villa Vie has been plagued by several lawsuits alleging breaches of contract, sudden itinerary changes and delays, and failure to pay employees earned overtime. It also failed a health inspection and its owners have both faced bankruptcy. More than 200 passengers, some of whom sold their homes to live aboard, are stranded in Cambodia with nowhere to go and no promise of reimbursement after the company said high fuel prices halted the cruise. One woman who sued Villa Vie, Jenny Phenix, said she was kicked off the cruise before it even started after she expressed concerns in what she thought was a private WhatsApp group chat. The messages, she said, got back to management. “There were numerous things to complain about,” she told NBC News. “Between the delays, the lack of notice for the delays, what we were paying out of pocket and all of the, you know, just watching all of the amenities you expected just disappearing before your eyes to where now this is not a luxury cruise anymore. It’s nothing like what you signed up for.” — Rebecca Cohen, reporter Read All About It New audio reveals the moments before a deadly train crash in Spain, including an operator saying she could not restart her stopped train before the collision. From Texas to Missouri, key midterm states may be hit with inclement weather on Election Day. A new survey found that more than 40% of American teenagers ages 13 to 17 say they have gambled in the last year, raising red flags about betting among minors. Ernie Johnson, who co-hosts “Inside the NBA” with Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley, announced he’ll hang up his microphone after the current season wraps. Oscar-nominated actor Barbara Barrie, who appeared both on stage and the silver screen, has died at 95 with medical assistance. NBC Selected: Online Shopping, Simplified It’s Advent calendar season, and there are dozens of beauty Advent calendars to choose from, including ones from Dermstore, Charlotte Tilbury, Drybar and more top brands. If you’re looking for something a bit different, might we suggest one of Papier’s limited-edition Advents? These include tons of fun stationery items like cards, journals, pens and other paper goods. Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week. Thanks for reading today’s Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson, Josh Feldman, and Josephine Murphy. If you’re a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign up here.