Katie Zacharia, who began serving as White House press secretary on May 13, confirmed on Thursday that she did not pass the California bar exam, according to a report by The Washington Post.

Zacharia said the outcome was “somewhat inconsequential” because she planned to move to China in 2011 to join her husband, and that she had already registered for the exam before deciding to relocate. “I didn’t want to withdraw from that,” she told Real America’s Voice, a right-wing media outlet. “We knew we would be moving out to China. And I was obviously incredibly distracted and overwhelmed and excited for finally being married to someone who I’d been long-distance from for at least a year.”

The newsletter Popular Information reported that Zacharia repeatedly identified herself as a lawyer and attorney in television appearances and listed a general counsel position on her résumé, but no evidence was found that she passed a state bar exam. A Washington Post review found no records of a California bar license, and several legal experts told the newspaper that she could not legally call herself an attorney without being licensed.

Zacharia added confusion earlier in the week when she responded to questions about where she took the bar exam by saying, “When I moved to China.” Legal experts noted that only Chinese nationals can sit for the country’s bar exam, and that work she performed at a Chinese law firm must have been limited and supervised because she was not a citizen.

The White House previously told The Post and other outlets that Zacharia practiced with “all the appropriate credentials.” On Wednesday, two nonprofit organizations filed formal complaints with the State Bar of California, requesting an investigation into whether she engaged in the “unlawful practice of law” by offering legal analysis in media appearances and serving as general counsel for Fix California, a nonprofit founded by former Trump administration official Richard Grenell. One group also asked California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) to pursue a separate inquiry.

The Wall Street Journal first reported on Wednesday that Zacharia took the bar exam but did not pass. In her interview with Real America’s Voice, she described the scrutiny as “misinformation” and “miscommunication.” She said she consulted legal professionals who assured her she could refer to herself as a “lawyer” without issue, though not as an “attorney at law” or “Katie Zacharia, Esquire.” These individuals also advised her that she could provide “legal analysis, not legal advice,” though she did not address her role as general counsel in California, which remains under review by the state bar.

Some investors involved in Anthropic's upcoming initial public offering are reconsidering the company's valuation after reviewing its latest financial disclosures, according to four individuals familiar with the discussions. The shift follows concerns about the rising costs of financing artificial intelligence development.

At an investor day held on Wednesday in San Francisco, certain participants floated a valuation near $1.5 trillion for the company's November share sale, the people said. This would represent a notable decline from the approximately $2 trillion valuation previously anticipated by some investors.

Anthropic disclosed that revenue for the third quarter rose 45% from the prior quarter to $16.8 billion, and that it posted an adjusted profit for the period. While these figures addressed some worries about the expense of building AI systems, certain investors expressed disappointment with the quarter‑over‑quarter growth slowdown. Revenue had more than doubled from the first to the second quarter, climbing to $11.6 billion, they noted.

Attendees, largely the firm's most prominent backers, met with CEO Dario Amodei and finance chief Krishna Rao during the session. The Information had earlier reported that investors were weighing a reduced valuation.

Anthropic, founded in 2021 by former OpenAI executives including Amodei and his sister Daniela Amodei — now the company's president — has become a leading developer of generative AI, known for its Claude family of models. Its growth has been supported by partnerships with Alphabet's Google and Amazon, which are both investors and suppliers of computing resources.

In its IPO prospectus, seen exclusively by Reuters in September, Anthropic outlined a vision in which AI would transform the global economy more profoundly than earlier technological revolutions. The filing also revealed a $42 billion loss for 2025 and projected continued heavy spending on AI infrastructure, including a commitment of at least $518 billion over the next decade for cloud services, computing and related infrastructure.

The cooler investor response to Anthropic's IPO comes amid a broader tech selloff that has impacted AI‑focused companies, chipmakers and cloud providers that rent computing power for AI workloads. Shares of Nvidia and CoreWeave fell sharply on Thursday, reflecting heightened concern about an AI buildout increasingly financed through debt.

A less enthusiastic share sale for Anthropic could further amplify investor caution regarding the sector's financing outlook, especially as other high‑profile offerings, such as those of data‑center operator SB Energy and nuclear technology firm Holtec Nuclear, have been delayed or withdrawn recently.

Primark has taken steps toward offering home delivery services, a move analysts say reflects growing pressure from digital-first competitors like Shein. The retailer, historically resistant to online sales, has opened a distribution center in Sheffield to support shipping directly to customers. This development follows years of consumer demand for more convenient shopping options, particularly among plus-size shoppers who cite limited in-store representation and inconsistent sizing as key drawbacks to physical retail.

Jess Bacon, a culture journalist and author based in Peterborough, shops exclusively online for clothing. She notes that returning items purchased digitally is often simpler than navigating in-store returns, which can involve long queues and physical strain. For Bacon, who wears plus sizes, the lack of inclusive sizing in many brick-and-mortar stores has been a persistent frustration. "The average size woman in the UK is a size 14 or 16. I think a lot of people just don't feel seen or represented," she said.

Primark has historically offered extended sizing, with many stores stocking up to size 22. However, the chain did not provide online shopping during the pandemic, even as other retailers adapted. In 2022, it introduced click-and-collect, requiring customers to visit a physical location to retrieve purchases. The new delivery service marks a significant shift, though the company has not announced a timeline for broader rollout.

The move comes as high street foot traffic declines in many UK towns. Julia Mitchell, a content creator from Chichester, echoes this trend, stating she avoids clothing stores altogether due to sensory overload and a preference for online bargains. "I basically never go into them. It's not really something I enjoy," she said, adding that price comparison is easier online.

Sandra Davies, a 61-year-old resident of Sheffield who has experienced health complications including strokes, relies entirely on home delivery. She described the physical toll of in-store shopping, including collapsing after standing in long queues. For her, the convenience of delivery is not just a preference but a necessity. Returns remain a concern, however, as delayed or complicated processes can deter repeat business.

Retail analyst Julie Palmer notes that a seamless returns policy is critical for online success. "Shoppers want them to be free, simple and quick," she said, emphasizing that delays or fees often drive customers to competitors. While Primark currently offers in-store returns, the lack of streamlined digital return options could pose a challenge as consumer expectations evolve.

The shift underscores broader changes in retail dynamics, where convenience, inclusivity, and logistical efficiency increasingly shape customer loyalty. As online shopping accounted for 27.3% of UK retail sales in August 2023 — up from 18.1% in 2019 — traditional retailers face mounting pressure to adapt or risk further erosion of market share.

A recent Harris poll conducted for the Guardian shows growing economic pessimism among core voter groups less than three weeks before the midterm elections. The survey of 3,998 U.S. adults, carried out from 24 September to 3 October 2026, found that three‑quarters of respondents expressed concern about a recession, and 61% incorrectly believed the country was already in one, even though official metrics do not confirm a downturn.

Pessimism was most pronounced among independents, with 65% saying the economy was worsening—up from 48% in September 2024. Even within the Republican base, confidence has slipped; only 28% now say the economy is improving, down from 39% shortly after the 2025 inauguration and from 49% before the United States launched strikes against Iran in early 2026.

High prices emerged as the top voter concern. Two‑thirds of those polled identified gas and grocery costs as the most important issues heading into November, followed by broader living expenses, healthcare costs and foreign affairs. Recent inflation data released in September showed a 3.7% annual increase, the highest pre‑midterm reading since 1990, excluding the pandemic period. Energy prices have been especially elevated since the Iran conflict, with the national average gas price roughly $1.20 higher per gallon than a year earlier; California drivers, for example, are paying about $6.20 per gallon, according to AAA.

The poll also examined perceptions of responsibility for rising fuel costs. Forty‑six percent of rural respondents blamed the U.S. government, while only 28% of Republicans shared that view. Republicans were more likely to attribute price increases to oil companies, Iranian policies and broader market fluctuations.

When asked which party could address affordability, Democrats were more likely than Republicans to claim their own party had a solution (71% vs. 59%). However, a sizable share of independents—50%—believed neither party offered a viable answer, compared with 17% of Democrats and 26% of Republicans who held that view.

Rural Americans, a key constituency for former President Donald Trump, were especially likely to feel that neither party could resolve their concerns, with 41% saying they were living in "survival mode" where an unexpected expense could cause financial strain. This sentiment was less common among suburban (35%) and urban (27%) respondents.

The findings underscore the economic anxiety that is shaping voter priorities as the midterm election season reaches its final stretch.