Evening Premium Edition · Wed, Oct 28 · 7:05 p.m.

The Essential 10 · about 4 minutes

1. A Renfe train rear-ended a stopped Iryo train near Toledo, killing at least 68

   A Renfe train rear-ended a stopped Iryo train near Toledo, killing at least 68 people, The New York Times reported. The crash was one of Spain’s deadliest and its third fatal rail accident this year. The same operators were involved in a January collision that killed 46 people.

   Reporting: The New York Times, NBC News, New York Post, Deutsche Welle, Associated Press, Reuters, Euronews, wck.org

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2. The Federal Reserve held its benchmark interest rate steady at 3.75% to 4%

   The Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate target range at 3.75% to 4% on Wednesday, voting 10-2 at its final meeting before the midterm elections. Governor Lisa Cook and Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack dissented, preferring a quarter-point hike. The Fed cited elevated inflation, and many economists expect another increase in December.

   Reporting: U.S. News & World Report, Axios, NBC News, CNBC, CBS News, Fox Business, heraldonline.com (with Reuters)

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3. Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot lacked clear paths to a governing majority

   With 85% of votes counted, neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc nor opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot’s was projected to win a 61-seat Knesset majority, Axios reported. It put their blocs at 53 and 48 seats, respectively, and Arab parties on track for a record 19. Turnout was 77.7%, CBC reported; coalition talks could last weeks, with another election possible.

   Reporting: Deutsche Welle, BBC News, YouTube, Axios, CBC News, The Wall Street Journal, CNN

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4. A hacker took personal information from more than 40,000 Homeland Security employees

   A hacker stole personal data on more than 40,000 Department of Homeland Security employees, and the nonprofit Distributed Denial of Secrets is hosting it online. The records include names, job titles and work contact details. The Verge reported access was gained through Okta; The Guardian said the release was the third government data disclosure in the last month.

   Reporting: The Verge, TechCrunch, The Guardian, digitaltoday.co.kr

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5. Mary Peltola's campaign was involved in recruiting a second Dan Sullivan, a report says

   The New York Times reported Wednesday that people working with Democratic Senate nominee Mary Peltola’s campaign helped recruit candidate Daniel J. Sullivan, who shares a name with Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, for Alaska’s ballot, reportedly to draw votes from the incumbent. Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee denied involvement. Daniel J. Sullivan has denied running at Democrats’ behest.

   Reporting: CNBC, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Axios, CNN, Associated Press, Fox News

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6. The United States told several Gulf Arab countries to prepare for potential Iran strikes

   Trump’s rally comment, “You’ll see Iran in a couple of weeks,” came as the WSJ reported Washington warned several Gulf Arab states of possible post-midterm military action through diplomatic and military channels. House of Saud also reported Tehran threatened Gulf desalination plants, power grids and oil facilities if Washington strikes again.

   Reporting: House of Saud, The New Arab, investingLive, The Wall Street Journal, The Times of Israel, NewsCord, Yeni Şafak, New York Post

7. Iran rejected Qatari draft deal to end the war with the United States and Israel

   Iran rejected a Qatari draft deal to end the war with the United States and Israel after mediators presented it Sunday, Asharq Al-Awsat reported. The draft sets out seven days of daily confidence-building steps, with several countries as guarantors. A senior Iranian official called the proposals “unacceptable.” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was giving diplomacy a chance.

   Reporting: Voice of Emirates, Modern Diplomacy, The Media Line, Reuters, Asharq Al-Awsat, The Jerusalem Post, coinpedia.org

8. An African health official warned the DRC Ebola outbreak could cross borders

   A leading African health official warned that the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Bundibugyo-strain Ebola outbreak could spread to Britain and other countries without urgent action, The News International reported, citing The Guardian. The Guardian reported that the outbreak had reached 10,091 cases and nearly 5,000 deaths. No approved treatment exists for the strain.

   Reporting: Daily Sabah, The News International, YouTube, NewsCord, reliefweb.int, globaltimes.cn

9. Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro and his family landed at an airport in Miami

   Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro and his family landed in Miami on Wednesday after his Sunday election defeat. Argentina’s migration department said they entered Argentina late Tuesday before flying by private jet via Ecuador. The U.S. government said it would grant them visas. Bolsonaro denies wrongdoing in a money-laundering investigation and refused a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports.

   Reporting: BBC News, Al Jazeera, NBC News (with Reuters), The New York Times, YouTube, PBS News (with Associated Press), Facebook

10. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty charged James O'Keefe and Cam Higby over a polling-place stunt

    Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced Wednesday that conservative activist James O’Keefe and content creator Cam Higby face felony charges of unlawful voting and identity theft. Prosecutors allege they used disguises and names of registered voters, including deceased voters, at polling places during Minnesota’s Aug. 11 primary. The pair said they sought to expose weaknesses in voter-vouching rules.

    Reporting: Democracy Docket, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, NBC News, ABC News, MS NOW, The Guardian, newrepublic.com

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11. HHS announced a plan to allow pharmacies to compound six unapproved peptides

    HHS will temporarily allow compounding pharmacies to make six unapproved peptides while the FDA reviews them, using enforcement discretion rather than approving the substances. The policy applies in specified circumstances to state-licensed pharmacies, federal facilities and licensed physicians. Pharmacies must verify identity and purity and report adverse events and product-quality issues; FDA scientists raised safety concerns.

    Reporting: Bloomberg, iHeart, The Hill, National Public Radio, CNN, The Washington Post

12. Donald Trump announced plans to roll back Biden-era methane rules for energy producers

    Trump announced Tuesday that his administration would roll back Biden-era methane rules for oil and gas producers, calling them “expensive and unnecessary.” He said the change would save $45 billion and unlock 210 million barrels of oil. The proposed rollback must still complete the regulatory process. Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp said it gives companies a “free pass.”

    Reporting: The Wall Street Journal, The Times of India, NBC News, Business Insider, National Public Radio

13. The Justice Department escalated cases involving critics of Donald Trump before midterms

    The Justice Department escalated politically sensitive actions ahead of next week's voting, including searching Rep. Ilhan Omar's home, charging two former FBI officials and attempting to bring a third criminal case against former FBI Director James Comey, ABC News reported. Prosecutors also unsuccessfully sought to indict a former White House aide who gave disputed testimony about Trump's 2020 election efforts.

    Reporting: ABC News, Suara Garut

14. CNN, MS Now, and Politico updated their lawsuit seeking access to White House reporting pools

    CNN, MS NOW and Politico amended their lawsuit seeking full access to White House reporting pools, including the Oval Office and Air Force One. Their filing says pool-duty restrictions continued after Judge Timothy Kelly ordered White House access restored, and alleges viewpoint discrimination in violation of the First Amendment. The order did not restore access to those locations.

    Reporting: The New York Times, UA News, CNBC, MS NOW, Central Oregon Daily (with Reuters), AOL

15. Weil Gotshal & Manges plans to wind down operations

    Weil Gotshal & Manges leaders told partners Wednesday the firm plans to wind down, Bloomberg Law reported. The Financial Times reported leadership said the firm should be dissolved. Bloomberg Law said the move followed partner departures and failed merger talks with Willkie Farr & Gallagher. Weil brought in $2.1 billion in revenue last year.

    Reporting: Bloomberg Law, Financial Times, abovethelaw.com, nonbillable.co.uk

16. Alphabet shares fell on quarterly earnings and advertising revenue misses

    Alphabet shares fell in after-hours trading Wednesday after the company reported third-quarter earnings per share of $2.12, below analyst expectations, and Google advertising revenue missed estimates. The Wall Street Journal said shares fell as much as 7%, while XTB reported an 8.25% drop. Revenue rose 25% to $127.6 billion; Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said annual revenue exceeded $400 billion.

    Reporting: Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, xtb.com

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17. Microsoft reported first-quarter revenue of $92.28 billion

    Microsoft reported fiscal first-quarter revenue of $92.28 billion, up 19%, as Azure revenue grew 48% to $33.17 billion, topping Visible Alpha’s estimate of $32.84 billion. Adjusted earnings were $4.89 per share, above forecasts. The company forecast second-quarter Azure growth of 49% to 50%, and shares rose more than 5% in after-hours trading, Reuters reported.

    Reporting: The Wall Street Journal, The Verge, Reuters, TechCrunch, Bloomberg, unite.ai

18. U.S. Central Command estimated the Iran war cost the military $47.1 billion

    U.S. Central Command estimated the Iran war had cost $47.1 billion through Oct. 16, in figures provided to Congress, up about $3.5 billion from its estimate through Sept. 3. Munitions replacement accounts for the largest share. The estimate excludes damage to U.S. bases in the Middle East, which the Pentagon is still assessing.

    Reporting: Around Prague, The Media Line, CBS News, USA Today, PBS News (with Associated Press), Stars and Stripes, The New York Times

19. JD Vance sent Mohsen Rezaei a letter to revive peace negotiations

    JD Vance sent Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, a letter to revive peace talks, The Wall Street Journal reported. Sent at Donald Trump’s direction, the outreach tests whether the sides can find common ground to persuade Trump not to order a short, intense attack on Iran. VIN News reported Iranian officials were unaware of the contact.

    Reporting: The Wall Street Journal, The Times of India, VIN News, Middle East Eye

20. Voting rights groups sued the Trump administration over naturalized citizen voting investigations

    Voting rights groups sued the Trump administration on Oct. 28, seeking to block its initiative to investigate suspected noncitizen voters. The lawsuit says USCIS reassigned hundreds of agents to investigate people flagged as having voted while noncitizens, then used the findings to demand states withhold ballots from potential noncitizens until citizenship is confirmed. It alleges the program intimidates naturalized citizens.

    Reporting: Reuters, Bloomberg Law

21. Denlay said federal agents threatened prosecution over counting 47 ballots attributed to noncitizens

    Butte County Clerk-Recorder Keaton Denlay said federal agents threatened criminal prosecution as they delivered a letter demanding his office not count ballots from 47 people. The letters warned of potential charges for officials who knowingly tabulated ballots cast by people federal agencies identified as noncitizens. Denlay called the list a poorly formatted spreadsheet printout.

    Reporting: The Guardian, electionlawblog.org

22. The Federal Trade Commission demanded data from nine companies over individualized pricing

    The Federal Trade Commission is demanding information from nine companies, including Walmart, Uber, Delta Air Lines and Instacart, on whether they use personal data such as location, browsing history and income to set individualized prices, wages and job offers. FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson said consumers and workers deserve transparency; the agency plans a study.

    Reporting: New York Post, Reuters, BigGo Finance, News.Az, The San Diego Union-Tribune, IndexBox, mlex.com

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23. The Justice Department turned a Southern Poverty Law Center informant against the civil rights group

    The Justice Department turned an informant against the Southern Poverty Law Center, The New York Times reported. Lawyers for the civil rights group said federal prosecutors capitalized on the informant’s money problems and exposure to indictment. The excerpt does not identify the informant or explain the alleged arrangement further.

    Reporting: The New York Times

24. The Justice Department is assessing Nvidia's proposed acquisition of Hugging Face

    The Justice Department is asking how Nvidia’s proposed $12.93 billion acquisition of Hugging Face could affect competition, Reuters reported, citing two people familiar with the matter; CNBC separately confirmed the inquiry with a source. Officials are examining whether the deal would give Nvidia control of a key distribution platform for AI, the sources said.

    Reporting: Investing.com News, Pluang, CNBC, News.Az, Reuters

25. A Serbian Gendarmerie officer shot dead a knife-wielding attacker outside the Israeli Embassy

    A Serbian Gendarmerie officer guarding Israel’s embassy in Belgrade shot dead a knife-wielding attacker shortly after midnight Wednesday. Caretaker Interior Minister Ivica Dačić described the incident as a terrorist attack, saying the officer acted in self-defense and suffered a minor facial wound. Dačić said security agencies had monitored the attacker as an Islamic State supporter. Serbia raised its terror alert to the highest level.

    Reporting: NBC News (with Associated Press), BNO News, Deutsche Welle, ABC News, Bloomberg, Associated Press, Politico, europeanwesternbalkans.com

26. Seawater inundated coastal communities from San Diego to the San Francisco Bay Area

    Record-high tides flooded streets, homes and businesses from San Diego to the San Francisco Bay Area this week. A San Pedro tide gauge reached 8.02 feet Monday, breaking its 2005 record, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters said tides could remain near record levels through Wednesday, while scientists warned flooding may preview more dangerous conditions this winter.

    Reporting: Patch, New York Post, The Guardian, ABC News, foxweather.com, lbpost.com

27. Three maritime drones hit the Liberian-flagged container ship Contship Jet in Bulgarian Black Sea waters

    Three maritime drones struck the Liberian-flagged container ship Contship Jet in the Black Sea off Bulgaria on Wednesday, and all 18 crew members were rescued uninjured, Bulgarian authorities said. The vessel was sailing from Haifa, Israel, to Constanta, Romania. The attack occurred about 21 nautical miles southeast of Shabla, near Cape Kaliakra, Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said.

    Reporting: The Goshen News, Liga News, Ukrainian National News, Associated Press, NV News, seenews.com, burgasmedia.com

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28. Manhattan federal judge Alvin Hellerstein died Wednesday at 92

    Manhattan federal judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, who oversaw cases involving Nicolás Maduro, Donald Trump and Sept. 11 lawsuits, died Wednesday at 92, the court said. Sahara Reporters, citing the court, reported natural causes. Appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1998, Hellerstein rejected Trump’s bid to move his hush-money conviction to federal court to seek dismissal on immunity grounds.

    Reporting: The Independent, nacionale.com, weartv.com, saharareporters.com, wabcradio.com

29. Bill Essayli vowed to remain Los Angeles' top prosecutor despite an unlawful appointment ruling

    Essayli said his office expected Seabright’s ruling, which disqualified him from participating in or supervising cases after finding he was unlawfully serving as a de facto U.S. attorney. The order will not take effect until the court rules on the government’s stay request. Essayli pushed back and vowed to remain.

    Reporting: The Hill, Los Angeles Times, ABC News, New York Post, couriernews.com (with Associated Press)

30. Greenville police concluded that actress Hayden Panettiere died accidentally

    The Greenville Police Department in South Carolina said actress Hayden Panettiere’s death was accidental and that it had closed its investigation. Panettiere, 36, died Aug. 16. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office attributed her death to toxic effects of five drugs, including fentanyl. CNN reported investigators had examined whether she obtained illicit and possibly counterfeit drugs from a Southern California dealer.

    Reporting: NBC News, Deadline, Variety, CNN, ABC7 Chicago, LiveNOW from FOX, Page Six

31. Meta and Snap returned to Los Angeles Superior Court over teen mental health allegations

    Meta and Snap are back in Los Angeles Superior Court for a potential bellwether trial over claims their apps were designed to hook young users. Two teenage girls say Snapstreaks, push notifications and view counts worsened their mental health. Jury selection was set for Wednesday. In March, a jury awarded a plaintiff $6 million in damages against Meta and YouTube.

    Reporting: The Hill, ABC7 Los Angeles

32. Eli Lilly said its experimental retatrutide beat Ozempic in weight loss and blood-sugar reductions

    Eli Lilly said its experimental drug retatrutide outperformed Ozempic in an 80-week phase 3 trial involving 1,298 adults with Type 2 diabetes. Participants lost an average of 44.3 pounds on the 9-milligram dose and 47.4 pounds on the 12-milligram dose, compared with 20.9 pounds on 2-milligram Ozempic. A1C fell 2.2 percentage points versus 1.8.

    Reporting: The American Journal of Managed Care, Demokratis, Fierce Biotech, BNN Bloomberg, abc45.com, pharmaphorum.com, hcplive.com, everydayhealth.com

33. The United States sanctioned 10 individuals and one entity over North Korean worker schemes

    The United States imposed sanctions Wednesday on 10 individuals and one entity accused of helping North Korean IT workers defraud businesses and generate revenue for weapons programs. The Treasury Department said networks used stolen identities and documents to secure jobs at legitimate firms, including U.S. companies. Targets include two Russians, eight North Koreans and a North Korean-controlled entity in Russia.

    Reporting: Reuters, Facebook, yna.co.kr, sanctions.com