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Stock market surges on Election Day

(NEW YORK CITY) -- The U.S. stock market climbed higher in trading on Tuesday, as voters rushed to the polls and the nation awaited the results of a closely contested presidential election.

The S&P 500 ticked upward about 1.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained more than 400 points, jumping about 1%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 1.4%.

Gains at large tech firms are helping to boost the market. Shares of Nvidia, an artificial intelligence chipmaker, climbed nearly 3% in early trading.

At market close, tech giants Meta and Amazon had each seen shares rise about 2%.

The Nasdaq briefly halted trading of Trump Media and Technology Group Corp, the media company owned by former President Donald Trump. The stock price fell rapidly over a 15-minute period in the afternoon, dropping from $37 to $34. Shares ultimately closed at $33.94.

The overall market upswing follows a flurry of largely positive economic news over the past week. Government data released last week showed robust economic growth over a recent three-month period, alongside a continued cooldown of inflation.

U.S. hiring slowed in October, but fallout from hurricanes and labor strikes likely caused an undercount of the nation's workers, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data on Friday showed.

Ivan Feinseth, a market analyst at investment firm Tigress Financial, attributed the returns on Tuesday to eager anticipation among investors to move past the U.S. election.

"The nightmare of an endless election and a contentious battle has consumed a lot of the focus and attention. It's almost over. Then it goes back to the fundamentals of the market," Feinseth said.

The gains on Election Day extended a banner year for U.S. stocks. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq have each climbed more than 20% this year while the Dow Jones is up about 11%.

The performance has owed to enthusiasm about artificial intelligence as well as resilient economic growth and expectations that interest rates would ease, Feinseth said.

The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate a half of a percentage point in September, dialing back its yearslong fight against inflation and delivering relief for borrowers saddled with high costs.

The Fed is widely expected to cut interest rates by another quarter of a percentage point when it meets on Thursday, according to the CME FedWatch Tool, a measure of market sentiment.

An expectation of interest rate cuts among investors often sends stocks higher, since lower rates pave the way for cheaper corporate borrowing and the potential for higher profits.

"The market looks toward the future, and the Fed is now on the side of the bulls," Feinseth said.

Over the full span of the next administration, the market will likely move higher whether the nation elects Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump, experts previously told ABC News. However, each candidate's policies could favor different types of stocks while posing unique risks, they added.

Trump has proposed a combination of low corporate tax rates and loose regulation that would likely bolster corporate profits and propel the stock market higher, experts said. Prices would likely increase under Harris, as they have under the economic stewardship of President Joe Biden, they added.

Texas Supreme Court dismisses Travis GOP lawsuit

AUSTIN – KUT reports that the Texas Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Travis County Republican Party alleging there were not enough Republican election workers at polling sites. The Texas Elections Code requires the county to ensure election workers at each polling location represent both major political parties – Democrat and Republican – to the best of its ability. The Travis GOP sued the Travis County Elections Division last week, naming Dyana Limon-Mercado in her role as the county clerk and election administrator. The Third Court of Appeals dismissed the lawsuit, and the Travis GOP appealed to the Texas Supreme Court.

On Monday, Texas Supreme Court Justice Jimmy Blacklock along with two other justices ruled there was not enough information to substantiate the GOP’s claims, especially just hours before Election Day. “The evidentiary record it has provided to this Court lacks the degree of clarity and specificity that would allow this Court to know with certainty what exactly has transpired and what practical effect this kind of last-minute judicial intervention would have for election day in Travis County,” the ruling states. In the meantime, the county was ordered to comply with the Election Code to the greatest extent possible. At a press conference Monday morning, Limon-Mercado said the county has assigned teams of bipartisan workers across the 176 polling sites on Election Day. “We have great teams of bipartisan election workers,” she said. “Not only at the poll sites, but here in our office, at our central count process, ensuring the integrity of our election and that all election laws are followed.”

Paxton sues over election monitors

AUSTIN – The Dallas Morning News reports that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued the U.S. Department of Justice for its plans to send election monitors on Tuesday to eight Texas counties, including Dallas, as voters are casting ballots. The lawsuit, which was filed in federal court and announced by Paxton Monday evening, alleges that the election monitors are “unlawful” since state law governs election administration and does not grant authority to federal officials to be present inside a polling place or central counting location. Paxton is asking for a temporary restraining order to block the monitors from entering polling or counting locations and a permanent injunction on federal election monitoring in Texas. The legal motion was filed in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Texas Amarillo Division, a federal trial court where a slew of conservative plaintiffs have filed lawsuits before the single sitting judge, an appointee of former President Donald Trump.

The Justice Department on Friday announced its plan to send election monitors to 86 jurisdictions across 27 states on Election Day. The department regularly visits precincts during elections to ensure compliance with federal election law, but the number of sites on the list has nearly doubled since 2020. The eight Texas counties expected to be visited by federal monitors were Atascosa, Bexar, Dallas, Frio, Harris, Hays, Palo Pinto and Waller. Texas state law lists 15 categories of people who are allowed inside polling locations, including voters and minors accompanied by voters, state and local election officials, and poll watchers who have completed state mandated training. Paxton’s lawsuit references the approved list and points out that the federal election monitors do not fit any of these criteria. A spokesperson for the Justice Department declined to comment on the lawsuit Monday evening. The Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibits racial discrimination in voting, allowed federal officials to observe polling places and sites where ballots are counted. But the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2013 ruling that struck down provisions of the law made it so that the Justice Department needed a court order or cooperation from state and local officials to enter polling sites, according to reporting by The Washington Post.

‘Not Marvel’: Ryan Reynolds writing reunion with ‘Deadpool’ threequel’s Hugh Jackman, director Shawn Levy

Ryan Reynolds is teaming up with Hugh Jackman and director Shawn Levy once again — and for now, it's not a follow-up to their blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine.

During a forthcoming chat with Variety's Awards Circuit podcast, Reynolds didn't share many details about the project itself with the trade, except to say it is "not Marvel."

"I’m spending the year writing," Reynolds said, adding the project will star him and Jackman, with Levy back behind the camera.

Reynolds previously worked with Levy on the 2021 theatrical hit Free Guy, as well as the successful time-traveling Netflix adventure The Adam Project that was released to the streamer a year later.

Jackman worked with Levy on the 2011 robot boxing family flick Reel Steel.

David Rancken’s App of the Day 11/05/24 – Maple!

How would you like to keep your household running smoother? Find David Rancken’s App Of The Day. It’s called Maple. You can get Maple in the app stores below.

Smith County burn ban lifted

SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Commissioners Court voted to rescind the Smith County Burn Ban Tuesday, November 5, after receiving much-needed rain the past few days. Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue gave the court an update on fire conditions and recommended that the burn ban be lifted.

“We’ve gotten quite a bit of rain.” Hogue said, adding that the rain that was received countywide puts us in much safer fire conditions.

During the burn ban, which was issued October 8, Smith County responded to 285 outdoor fire incidents. The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office issued 35 citations and 10 warnings for illegal burning. Hogue said the Sheriff’s Office and Constables’ Offices also issued citations.

Election Day: Residents in 3 swing states gearing up for historic election

(WASHINGTON) -- While tens of millions of early votes have already been cast, there are still millions of Americans who will be heading to the polls on Election Day. Experts predict the 2024 election will be one of the closest in history, with several key states still in contention that could determine the next president.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have been actively campaigning over the past few months in several swing states. This year, seven swing states are in intense competition: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

To win the White House, a candidate needs 270 electoral votes, different combinations from the collective total of 93 electoral votes from these swing states will ultimately determine the winner.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, with polling hours varying by state law. Here's an update on three of the seven swing states in the final hours leading up to the election.

In Pennsylvania, young voters ready to make an impact

Pennsylvania, with 19 electoral college votes, is considered the key to the election and many believe the winner of Pennsylvania will become the next president.

In this battleground state, ABC News spoke with young voters who believe their vote could significantly impact this election. These voters have observed Harris and Trump competing often in their state.

Both candidates held many stops and rallies on Monday.

Two first-time voters, 18-year-old Isaac Gourley and Caleb Root, will be at one of Pennsylvania's thousands of polling places. They attend Redbank Valley High School in Western Pennsylvania.

They have been listening to both presidential candidates and will decide their vote based on their priorities.

"What stuck out to me was just their -- kind of like international -- policy," Gourley said. "You know, how we talk to other people."

According to a Tufts University study, about 50% of registered voters 18-29-year-olds voted in the 2020 election — an all-time high. In Pennsylvania, they turned out at a rate even higher than the national average: 54%.

"I pay attention a lot to the economy," Root said.

The rules for counting ballots in Pennsylvania indicate that it may take days to determine the winner. Mailed-in votes cannot be counted until polls open at 7 a.m. on Election Day.

Helene won't stop voters in North Carolina

Despite initial concerns, voter turnout rates in the 25 North Carolina counties hardest hit by Hurricane Helene surpassed statewide early voting averages leading up to Election Day, with more than 760,000 total ballots cast.

North Carolina and its 16 electoral votes are especially crucial in the razor-thin contest between Harris and Trump. According to the latest NYT/Siena College polling, Harris has a narrow lead over Trump in a race that remains too close to call.

In this historic election that hinges on voter turnout, both campaigns are targeting women, the country's largest voting bloc.

An ABC News/Ipsos poll shows a clear gender gap between voters. Trump is up 5 points with male voters, while Harris is up by 11 points with women.

During early voting, young women on the North Carolina State University campus marched to the polls with a pro-choice message, inviting men to join them.

"I'm really scared that I feel like I don't know the rights I have as a woman,” Lizzie Pascal, a student there, said.

Harris leads suburban women voters nationally by 15 points overall; however, Trump has a four-point advantage among white women, according to the latest ABC News/Ipsos poll. That demographic is widely believed to have contributed to his victory in 2016.

Sandy Joiner, president of the Western Wake County Republican Club, has worked to canvass with Republican women competing for state and local seats.

"We have knocked on around 12,000 doors in our area,” Joiner said. "And we have, we have knocked all the doors, so we don't have any doors left. So what we're doing now is we're knocking doors in areas that may not have been reached."

The same goals drive these women, whether they are encouraging voters to turn out in storm zones, suburbs or on college campuses. Women are likely to hold the key to determining who ascends to the White House when all the votes are counted on and after election night.

How Michigan is a must-win for both Trump and Harris

Experts say Michigan is a must-win for both sides, which is why both candidates campaigned extensively across the Great Lakes.

Once part of the Democrats' so-called "blue wall," polling shows that Michigan -- and its 15 electoral votes -- is a tossup.

While early votes show an increase in women and young voters in college towns, one of the groups that was once solidly Democratic is no longer true blue: union members.

ABC News spoke with Douglas King, an autoworker and UAW member for nearly 30 years. He says the economy, like for so many other Americans, is his top issue.

"I was raised to believe that the Democrats are the party of the working people," King said. "And maybe at one time they were. I don't feel that way now."

Many union leadership endorsed Harris.

In this tightly contested race, the more than 500,000 union workers are crucial for Harris; however, some of them appear to be moving away from voting for the Democratic Party. King, who voted for Barack Obama twice, has decided to support Trump for president for the third time.

"People are afraid to say they're voting for Trump because Trump supporters are put in a box, that they're these hateful, racist people that are homophobic, and it's just not true," King said. "Trump has a lot of support on the plant floor."

There are cracks in the old coalition that has consistently voted for Democrats for the past 30 years. However, Trump broke through the blue wall in 2016 by narrowly defeating Hillary Clinton by roughly 10,000 votes in Michigan.

Exploring the loneliness epidemic: From professional cuddlers to social clubs

(NEW YORK) -- Even before the pandemic took hold in 2020, Americans drifted away from their social circles, dedicating more and more time to solitary activities. This shift has deepened feelings of social isolation, leaving many individuals longing for connections and companionship that once felt more accessible.

Approximately 20% of American adults are grappling with "daily loneliness," according to a recent Gallup report, marking the highest level in two years. The U.S. Surgeon General, often referred to as the "Nation's Doctor," declared that we are currently facing a serious loneliness epidemic. They also stated that Generation Z -- those born from the mid-1990s to the early 2010s -- might be the loneliest generation.

Chronic loneliness -- prolonged feelings of loneliness and social isolation -- affects not only your mental health but also has physical consequences.

"It can do everything from increase rates of high blood pressure, heart disease, increased rates of dementia, and actually decrease how long we live," Dr. Kelli Harding, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, told "Nightline.". "It's as risky for health as, you know, smoking 15 cigarettes a day."

To combat the loneliness epidemic, professional cuddlers like Jasmine Siemon from Bethesda, Maryland, are leading the way. She uses platonic touch therapy to assist adults dealing with issues such as intimacy, anxiety and loneliness.

Siemon told "Nightline" she always does a consultation to see what made the person interested in touch and cuddle therapy.

"I want to know what their touch history is. There's a clear understanding of having agency over your body in the session," she said. "At no point am I going to touch you in a way that you're not comfortable with or that you're not curious about, and vice versa. So the boundaries are the rigid boundaries -- no touching anywhere a bathing suit covers."

Siemon acknowledged that while her job may sound unusual to some, she has seen how her work has helped people like Elliot Wallace, who has been having cuddle therapy sessions with Siemon for a year.

"I found myself being nervous in certain cases, whether people were very close, like moving in too close or taking up my space or even being touched," Wallace said. "And I wanted to find a way to not have that [be] threatening anymore."

Since Wallace works a lot from home, he says it makes it harder for him to meet people. He sought out Siemon to help him discover who he is, so he can be more open and vulnerable with people.

While Siemon says she has seen how her work has helped some people, consulting a professional cuddler may not suit everyone. Experts warn that if cuddle therapy ends suddenly, it can lead to feelings of abandonment, rejection, loss and even despair.

Professional cuddlers are just one option for coping with loneliness, which can manifest in various ways. Kaari Hostler, a recent college graduate who has moved from the Midwest to New York City, hopes to connect with others, but the 22-year-old isn't seeking love or romance. Instead, she's looking to make friends.

Hostler was searching for ways to branch out when she came across "The Girls NYC" online. It's an exclusive social group for women looking to make friends in their early 20s in New York City.

When attending these events, there is one important rule: you must come alone. Similar groups focusing on finding connections, like dinner parties and running clubs, are rising across the U.S.

"We spend so much time online, we end up isolating ourselves," Hostler said. "It's not a substitute for actual human interaction."

Through social media, people can connect and game with others across continents. TikTok trends like "Get Ready With Me" videos -- which show the process of someone getting ready for an event or activity -- can help you feel connected to your favorite influencers. There are also dating and friendship apps.

However, these are remote and experts say may not be a good substitute for actual human interaction.

"Gen Z has had it tough," Dr. Harding said. "They didn't have a traditional graduation from high school. They have also been part of this great experiment of social media we are learning without guardrails."

Like Hostler, 38-year-old Quincy Winston struggled to make new friends after relocating to Phoenix with his wife, Latoya, in 2015.

However, a heartfelt conversation with his wife sparked an idea.

"Her girlfriends are very organized, very tight knit," said Winston. "A lot of my friends at the time were distant," adding his wife told him that "it's important for men to seek out friendship and build camaraderie."

In 2022, Winston formed the Phoenix Professional Black Men's Friends Group, a space for men to meet locally and find new friends.

"So for me, it's been a self-discovery," Winston said. "It's been a journey. I'll thank my wife every day for kind of opening up about my own emotions and encouraging other men to support other men."

Winston's group now has nearly 200 members, and helps men connect with something he says some men may struggle with.

"I think there's a term out there," Winston said. "Emotional intelligence -- guys, you have to work at that. What do I need to do in order to be a friend and make friends and have friends and keep friends?"

Experts say loneliness does not discriminate, and could happen to anyone at any age.

At the New Ground Estate in London, 26 residents are making history -- living at the first and only co-housing community in the United Kingdom dedicated to women aged 50 and over.

Some have likened this housing situation to a real-life version of "The Golden Girls," the TV show that followed four older women living together in Miami.

"It is really beneficial because there's that sense of community," Dr. Harding said. "I think it can also reframe how we think about aging."

Everyone at New Ground has their own flats but there are also communal living spaces -- all run by the ladies themselves.

Jude Tisdall is 73 years old and moved into the community in 2018.

"There's a few people here who are of a certain age and are inspirational and are fit and still active and doing things," Tisdall said. "I think that has made me really, really think about is I'm going to live to the nth degree till I die. And that's what I've got to do."

Kelsey Klimara, Arturo Ruiz, Sabrina Shanghie and Caroline Kucera contributed to this report.

Once the presumptive nominee, President Biden to spend Election Day at White House with no public events

(WASHINGTON) -- For the better part of 2023 and 2024, President Joe Biden plotted a course to Nov. 5, 2024. As the incumbent, the veteran politician was the presumptive Democratic nominee, clinching enough delegates in March, and locked in a tight race with former President Donald Trump.

But instead of spending Election Day preparing for an evening speech, the president's daily schedule is empty beyond his daily briefing by aides: No public events.

The president and first lady Jill Biden will spend election night watching the election results in the White House residence with "long time aides and senior White House staff," according to a White House official.

"The President will receive regular updates on the state of races across the country," the official added.

Monday night, Biden also held calls with Democratic state party chairs across the country. Ben Wikler, the chair of the Wisconsin state Democratic Party, told ABC News' MaryAlice Parks that the call was "electrifying."

Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, on July 21 in the wake of a disastrous performance in the first presidential debate and under pressure from prominent Democrats.

"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President," he wrote, in part, in a letter posted on social media. "And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term."

Biden created last-minute controversy on Oct. 29 when he seemed to call Trump supporters "garbage" during a campaign call hosted by the nonprofit Voto Latino.

"The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters -- his -- his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it's un-American. It's totally contrary to everything we've done, everything we've been," Biden said.

Trump quickly seized on the comments, saying Biden "meant it," though the president posted a clarification, saying his comment was about the comedian who made the joke and "referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump's supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage -- which is the only word I can think of to describe it."

"His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That's all I meant to say. The comments at that rally don't reflect who we are as a nation," Biden said in the post on X.

Camila Alves says Matthew McConaughey brings ‘so much joy’ in birthday tribute

(L-R) Levi McConaughey, Matthew McConaughey, Livingston McConaughey, Camila Alves McConaughey, and Vida McConaughey

Camila Alves is celebrating her husband Matthew McConaughey in the sweetest way on his birthday.

The Oscar winner turned 55 on Monday.

In an Instagram video she shared on Monday, Alves and McConaughey are seen riding on a motorbike of some sort and cruising through the streets at night with music playing.

She wrote in the caption of the post, "Today we celebrate you!"

Alves then goes on to say that she and her family have been celebrating McConaughey all weekend before saying, "you bring so much Joy Matthew… but I am stopping here before I get all sentimental…!"

"To more sleigh street rides celebrating YOU!" she added.

In the past, Alves and McConaughey have taken to Instagram to celebrate their family’s milestones, especially birthdays.

For her birthday in January, McConaughey shared a photo of the both of them and called Alves a "hot mamma" in the caption of the post.

The duo tied the knot on June 9, 2012 after first meeting in 2006.

Prior to getting married, they welcomed their son Levi, 15, in 2008, and daughter Vida, 14, in 2010.

They welcomed their son Livingston during the same year of their wedding in 2012.

FBI command post ‘triaging’ election threats to share with state and local partners

Since Nov. 1, an FBI command post has been operating 24/7 and will continue to for at least nine days to to ensure the election is safe and secure.

"This command post is an opportunity for us to bring people together, all the different subject matter experts here in the FBI at headquarters and in the field, and we bring in our partners so the intelligence and threats that come in, and we can disseminate that information to the key partners, which is state and local officials around the United States," said Jim Barnacle, deputy assistant director of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division.

The command post is staffed with 80 people from more than a dozen agencies from the U.S. Capitol Police to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

The FBI is focused on criminal threats, such as threats to election workers, foreign malign influence, cyberthreats and acts of violence.

Barnacle said there have been some foreign operations that they have seen as well as "some attempted cyber attacks."

"Russia, China and Iran are seeking to influence us, government, policy and politics for their benefit, they are also looking to undermine democracy, sow discord and undermine Washington's standing in the world," he said.

Last week, the intelligence community found that Russian actors were behind a video purporting to show Haitian migrants voting in Georgia.
MORE: Law enforcement on alert for Election Day threats, new report says

Also in Georgia, there was a denial of service attack on the secretary of state's office. Officials are ready for those incidents to occur and stress there is no material impacting on voting, Barnacle said.

"The FBI is looking at all those threats that come in here in the command post," he said. "We're triaging that information."

Barnacle said the FBI learned from its 2016 and 2020 operations and have improved its communications. When it comes to physical threats, he said it's important for state and locals to have the information they need to act.

"We've learned our lessons in the past," he said. "We are trying to share information."

The FBI isn't monitoring social media and wants to ensure the First Amendment is followed, but when threats are made that is when they step in.

People are more aware about how to report things that happen than in years past, but that has resulted in only a smaller uptick in reporting incidents, he said.

"That's what we're asking people to do when they see a threat of violence or they see a foreign malign influence operation, we're asking people, if they see threats of violence or they see criminal activity, to report that to state and local election officials and law enforcement," he said.

In brief: ‘The Crown’s’ Dominic West headed to ‘The Agency’ and more

Dominic West has landed a guest-starring role in the upcoming Paramount+ with Showtime series The Agency alongside Michael Fassbender, Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith and Richard Gere, according to Variety. Based on the hit French spy show The Bureau, The Agency follows a covert CIA agent, played by Fassbender, home from a six-year mission in Damascus. As he's struggling to let go of his false identity and the woman with whom he had an affair, he gets caught between a French foreign intelligence agency and the CIA. West will play the director of the CIA. The series is set to launch with two episodes streaming Nov. 29 before its linear TV debut on Dec. 1 ...

Mattel's animated Bob the Builder feature, being co-produced by ShadowMachine and Jennifer Lopez's Nuyorican Productions, has landed at Amazon MGM Studios, sources tell Deadline. Actor and recording artist Anthony Ramos, best known for his roles in the original Broadway cast of Hamilton and the film version of In the Heights, is slated to star as Roberto aka Bob, who visits Puerto Rico on a construction job and is confronted with "issues affecting the island and digs deeper into what it means to build," according to Mattel's announcement ...

Big Brother Reindeer Games won't return for a second season, according to Entertainment Weekly. Big Brother co-producer Rich Meehan tells Entertainment Weekly that's mainly due to scheduling problems, explaining, “Because we started so late this season and CBS’ fall schedule starts so late this season, everything just pushes back. So if there’s not airtime, there’s not much you can do for that.” Adds Meehan, “Hopefully, we're in a new year and everything looks like it's going to be smooth sailing and everything's worked out, so hopefully, maybe next year. That's the goal” ...

Russia suspected of plot to send incendiary devices on planes: Sources

(MOSCOW) -- Russia schemed to send incendiary devices, shipped through a commercial carrier on planes that would potentially end up in the United States, according to sources familiar with the situation.

In Poland, four people were charged in connection with camouflaged explosives that "detonated during land and air transport" in the U.K. in July, according to a statement from the country's prosecutor's office.

"The group's activities consisted of sabotage and diversion related to sending parcels containing camouflaged explosives and dangerous materials via courier companies to European Union countries and Great Britain, which spontaneously ignited or detonated during land and air transport," the Polish prosecutor's office said in a statement.

"The group's goal was also to test the transfer channel for such parcels, which were ultimately to be sent to the United States of America and Canada," according to the statement.

"I'm not sure the political leaders of Russia are aware of the consequences if one of these packages exploded, causing a mass casualty event," Pawel Szota, the head of the foreign intelligence agency told The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the story.

ABC News has reached out to Szota for a comment.

The Kremlin on Tuesday dismissed reports about the alleged plot, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov describing the allegations as "incoherent" and saying they weren't backed by "truthful information," according to Russian news agency Interfax.

The U.K.'s Metropolitan Police also confirmed that officers from the counter-terrorism unit are investigating the incident that occurred in Birmingham, England.

"On Monday, 22 July, a package at the location caught alight. It was dealt with by staff and the local fire brigade at the time and there were no reports of any injuries or significant damage caused," the Met said in a statement.

There have been no arrests made in the incident.

A U.S. official told ABC News that the Transportation Security Administration remains vigilant against threats to aviation and air cargo systems and said there is no current active threat targeting U.S.-bound flights.

The incident that occurred in England and another incident in Germany are believed to be part of a wider plot, according to a source familiar with the investigation.

A senior U.S. counterterrorism official confirmed to ABC News that the U.S. was alerted to the Russian effort over the summer. European officials told their American counterparts that they believed the Russians were trying to ship incendiary devices that would go off inside locations supporting the Ukrainian war effort to hinder Ukraine as it continues fighting the Russian invasion.

European officials said they do not believe the Russians were planning or trying to take down a commercial or cargo plane, the official said. But devices don't always work properly and the risks to commercial and civilian aviation are serious when incendiary devices are enabled and shipped.

TSA did not address the incidents abroad, but said in a statement to ABC News that the agency "continually adjusts their posture" and promptly shares any and all relevant information."

"Over the past several months, as part of a multi-layered security approach, TSA worked with industry partners to put additional security measures for U.S. aircraft operators and foreign air carriers regarding certain cargo shipments bound for the United States, in line with the 2021 TSA Air Cargo Security Roadmap," the statement said. "We greatly appreciate the cooperation and collaboration with industry as together we work to ensure the safety and security of air cargo."

ABC News' Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.

Trump campaign doubles down in final hours of election dash

(GRAND RAPIDS, MI) -- Former President Donald Trump and his vice presidential pick, Sen. JD Vance, spent the closing hours of the 2024 campaign reviving rhetoric criticized by opponents as divisive.

Trump's closing rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, saw the former president deliver meandering attacks on political opponents, baselessly claim that electronic voting machines are not secure and suggest it would be the fault of his supporters if he lost Tuesday's vote.

Trump took aim at President Joe Biden and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during his address, suggesting the former "was stuck in a basement" during the campaign and mouthing an expletive when referring to the latter.

While Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz stuck to their message of American unity, Trump said he was "running against an evil Democrat system" populated by what he called "evil people."

Vance, meanwhile, described Democratic leaders as "trash" in returning to Biden's recent remarks in which he appeared to call Trump supporters "garbage."

Biden's comments were in response to comedian Tony Hinchcliffe's controversial joke about Puerto Rico at last month's Madison Square Garden rally. Biden later said he was referring specifically to Hinchcliffe, not Trump supporters generally.

"To the Pennsylvanians who are struggling, no matter what Kamala Harris and Joe Biden and Tim Walz say, you are not garbage for being worried about not being able to afford your groceries," Vance told rally goers at an event in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

"You are not garbage for thinking that Kamala Harris ought to do a better job," he continued. "You are not racist for thinking that America deserves to have a secure southern border."

"So, to Kamala Harris, you shouldn't be calling your citizens garbage," Vance continued. "You shouldn't be criticizing people for daring to criticize you for doing a bad job."

"And our message to the leadership, to the elites of the Democratic Party is no, the people of Pennsylvania are not garbage for struggling under your leadership," Vance said. "But tomorrow, the people of Pennsylvania are going to take out the trash in Washington, D.C., and we're going to do it together."

Trump also recommitted to working with former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who he described as "a credible guy" that will be "very much involved" in his administration if he wins.

"He's got a tremendous view on health and pesticides and all this stuff," Trump said at a rally in Pittsburgh. "And we're not really a healthy country," he added.

Kennedy would be allowed "to pretty much do what he wants," Trump said.

Kennedy's activism against vaccines, immunization and other public health measures like water fluoridation has raised concerns among medical experts and been broadly criticized by Democrats. So, too, has his opposition to abortion, an issue on which his policy shifted during his presidential tilt.

"Bobby, you got to do one thing," Trump said Monday. "Do whatever you want. You just go ahead, work on that pesticides. Work on making women's health. He's so into women's health … he's really unbelievable. It's such a passion."

ABC News' Lalee Ibssa, Kelsey Walsh, Soo Rin Kim and Hannah Demissie contributed to this report.

Megyn Kelly endorses Trump, calling him ‘protector of women’

(PITTSBURGH) -- At the midway point of former President Donald Trump's speech in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Monday, Megyn Kelly took the stage as a headliner to explain why she's backing Trump.

"He will be a protector of women. And it's why I'm voting for him," Kelly said, suggesting the former president previously got mocked for making a similar statement.

The conservative media personality, who was previously a Fox News host, has had an at-times contentious relationship with the former president over the language he's used to describe women. During the first debate of the 2016 campaign, Kelly as moderator had asked Trump about statements he'd made about women, including calling some derogatory names.

Eight years later, Kelly was on the stage in Pennsylvania on Monday helping Trump deliver what would be his final message before Election Day. Kelly suggested on Monday that she supports Trump because he takes care of the common man.

"He will look out for our boys to our forgotten boys and our forgotten men. Guys like you," she said, adding, "Who maybe have a beer after work and don't want to be judged by people like Oprah and Beyonce, who will never have to face the consequences of her disastrous economic policies."

At one point, Kelly pointed to disagreeing with the "left's version of masculinity," mentioning advertisements in support of Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign that called for women to vote for Harris without their husbands' knowledge.

"You see that ad they did about Trump voters trying to encourage women to lie to their husbands so that they could vote for her instead of Trump," Kelly said. "That's their version of what marriage looks like, an overbearing husband who bullies his wife into saying she voted one way as opposed to an honest, open relationship."

She added, "Oh wait, I'm talking about Kamala and Doug," referencing the vice president's husband, Doug Emhoff. "I'm not into their version of toxic masculinity or new masculinity. I prefer the old version," Kelly said, alluding to Trump.

"I prefer a president who understands how to be strong and how to fight. I hope all of you do what I did last week. Vote Trump and get ten friends to vote Trump to."

ABC News' Jon Karl contributed to this report.