Obama and Trump spar at rallies in Georgia and Ohio ahead of US midterms

■ Steady

Obama and Trump trade barbs at rallies as midterm campaigning enters final days

Obama and Trump spoke at rallies in Georgia and Ohio ahead of the November 3 midterms, trading barbs over the Iran war, tariffs and the White House ballroom. On Wednesday, the Federal Election Commission said a 'bad actor' tried to breach its systems, and a leak site said it had published data on more than 40,000 Department of Homeland Security employees. Earlier in the week, the justice department charged James Comey for a third time and Trump said he would respect the midterm results if they are 'honest'.

• Distributed Denial of Secrets said it released data on more than 40,000 DHS employees, the third such government data disclosure in the last month; DHS did not immediately comment.
• An FEC email said a 'bad actor' tried to breach its systems as the US prepares for its most expensive elections ever.
• On Monday the justice department charged former FBI director James Comey with two counts of leaking national defense information, the third time the Trump administration has filed charges against one of Trump's foes.
• On Tuesday a Washington grand jury declined to indict former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, as the justice department had requested.