As a growing caravan of Central Americans continues toward the United States, the Republicans are using it to point to problems with the American immigration system. Democrats accuse the Republicans of fear mongering. How the caravan influences the upcoming midterms remains to be seen .

ON THIS DAY IN AMERICAN HISTORY On October 24,1901, Annie Edson Taylor, 63, becomes the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. She was strapped into an old, wooden pickle barrel equipped with cushions to soften the fall. She was towed into the middle of the Niagara River and cut loose. The trip took about 20 minutes. Between 1901 and 1995 15 people attempted to go over the falls, 10 survived.

VIDEO: Could the killing of the prominent columnist and critic of the Saudi royal family Jamal Khashoggi upset the balance of power in the Middle East? And can the United States afford to remain steadfast to an ally seen by some as ruthless? VOA contributor Greta Van Susteren takes a look.

Julius Wakam worked in auto manufacturing for 11 years before being laid off in 2008. Today, the married father of three has a job at a hardware store to make ends meet until he can secure another well-paying position in his field. Like many workers in America’s so-called Rust Belt, Wakam lost his manufacturing job not only to an influx of robots, but also because the jobs were shipped overseas where labor is cheaper .

VIDEO: Seventeen girls of Ashley Hall School in South Carolina sailed for the first time on a week long voyage as part of a course to build their confidence and leadership skills .

VIDEO: Islamic-style banking is on the rise worldwide , showing especially strong growth in Africa recently, according to the rating agency Moody’s. This type of banking system doesn’t charge or pay interest, uses physical assets to underpin transactions, and does not invest in so-called “sin” industries like alcohol, pork and gambling. In South Africa, the continent’s financial hub, Islamic banking is gaining popularity among the minority Muslim community.