Morning Premium Edition · Wed, Oct 28 · 7:05 a.m.

The Essential 10 · about 3 minutes

1. Two high-speed trains collided in Spain's Toledo province, killing at least 10 people

   Two high-speed trains collided in Spain’s Toledo province on Wednesday, killing dozens, with The Australian reporting at least 46 deaths and Newsdrum more than 40. Newsday reported two cars derailed and rail service was suspended between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia.

   Reporting: Newsday, The Guardian, The Australian, freepressjournal.in, newsdrum.in, ktre.com

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2. Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc leads Israel's election with half of votes counted

   With 51.8% of ballots counted, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc led in Israel’s election tally with 55 of 120 Knesset seats, but remained short of a majority. The opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot had 49 seats. Both vowed to form a government; full results are expected Thursday evening or Friday morning.

   Reporting: CTech, The Jerusalem Post, CNBC, Axios, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, France 24 (with Agence France-Presse), Reuters

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3. Congo reported more than 10,000 confirmed Ebola cases in its deadliest outbreak

   The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak has passed 10,000 confirmed cases, with government figures reporting 10,060 infections and 4,887 deaths. The figures also list 2,684 recoveries since the virus was first detected in May. Cases have been detected in Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda; WHO Africa director Mohamed Janabi said Nigeria now has no Ebola cases.

   Reporting: Agence France-Presse, Jacaranda FM, HuffPost, Voice of Nigeria, belaaz.com, okayafrica.com, sedaily.com

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4. Cyclone Arnab made landfall along the Andhra Pradesh-Yanam coast, killing at least three

   Cyclone Arnab made landfall along the Andhra Pradesh-Yanam coast early Wednesday, killing at least three people. The New Indian Express reported more than 87,000 evacuees across Odisha and Andhra Pradesh; The Economic Times reported at least 89,000. Reuters reported damaged houses and destroyed crops.

   Reporting: The Economic Times, Reuters, newindianexpress.com

5. Central Command estimated the military spent at least $47.1 billion on the Iran war

   A U.S. Central Command estimate put the Iran war’s cost at $47.1 billion through Oct. 16, CBS News and USA TODAY reported. About $29 billion went to replacing expended munitions, including weapons such as Patriot interceptors. The estimate was $3.5 billion above the previous update and excluded damage to U.S. bases.

   Reporting: CBS News, The Sacramento Bee (with Reuters), The New York Times, Ukrainian National News

6. Qatari mediators proposed an agreement in Tehran to end the US-Israeli war

   Qatari mediators presented Iran with a new draft deal to end the US-Israeli war on Sunday, an official briefed on the negotiations said. Iran is considering the proposal and is expected to respond by the end of the week. The draft reportedly sets a seven-day timeline with daily confidence-building steps, amid concerns Israel could resume attacks this week.

   Reporting: Arab News, investingLive, The National, lbcgroup.tv

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7. Washington advised Gulf Arab states to prepare for a brief operation against Iran

   According to The Wall Street Journal, the United States told several Gulf Arab countries to prepare for a short, intense military campaign against Iran after the Nov. 3 midterms, citing people briefed on the communications. India Today said Donald Trump had not made a final decision. Iran warned it could target regional economic and civilian sites if attacked.

   Reporting: RBC-Ukraine, India Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Times of Israel, NV News, The Australian

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8. Washington jurors rejected an effort to charge former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson

   Tuesday’s no-bill in Washington, D.C., rejected the Justice Department’s effort to charge Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide, for her testimony to lawmakers about Donald Trump’s actions on Jan. 6, 2021. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division handled the case, an unusual move; some prosecutors reportedly doubted a conviction was attainable. Trump and allies had called for legal consequences.

   Reporting: The Hill, NBC News, Reuters, The New York Times, The Washington Post, PBS News (with Associated Press), electionlawblog.org

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9. The FBI searched a Beverly Hills mansion in the Eric Swalwell probe

   The FBI searched a Beverly Hills mansion connected to billionaire donor Stephen Cloobeck on Tuesday as part of an investigation into sexual-assault allegations against former congressman Eric Swalwell, a senior law enforcement official told The Washington Post. Swalwell resigned from Congress and dropped out of California’s governor’s race in April. Swalwell’s attorney, Sara Azari, previously called the allegations fabricated.

   Reporting: Scripps News, The Washington Post, CNN, Los Angeles Times, Fox News, Politico, ABC7 New York, BBC News

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10. A federal judge barred First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli from two criminal cases

    U.S. District Judge Michael Seabright ruled Tuesday that First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli is unlawfully serving as Los Angeles’ top federal prosecutor and disqualified him from overseeing two criminal cases. Seabright left the indictments in place. Essayli said the dispute would ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court; Fox News reported the Justice Department has appealed.

    Reporting: Bloomberg Law, Associated Press, Fox News, Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, CBS News

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More stories

11. A Serbian police officer shot dead an attacker outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade

    A Serbian Gendarmerie officer guarding Israel’s embassy in Belgrade shot dead an attacker who stabbed him shortly after midnight Wednesday, outgoing Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said. Dacic said the suspected minor shouted “Allahu Akbar” and had displayed Islamic State symbols online. The officer suffered a minor facial wound. Serbia raised its terrorism alert to the highest level.

    Reporting: Anadolu Agency, Reuters, Le Monde, Politico, Bloomberg, Deutsche Welle, Euronews, sanluisobispo.com (with Reuters)

12. Investigators implicated Ted Bundy in the 1974 Utah killing of a 17-year-old girl

    Authorities announced Tuesday that DNA evidence links Ted Bundy to the 1974 murder of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith in Utah. Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson said investigators were satisfied Bundy was responsible. Utah County Sgt. Mike Reynolds said a highly similar DNA profile linked to Bundy was found in evidence from Smith’s autopsy.

    Reporting: ABC News (Australia), BBC News, CBS News, PBS News, WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore, The Guardian

13. Flávio Bolsonaro left Brazil for the United States despite a reported judicial travel ban

    Two anonymous U.S. officials told The New York Times that Flávio Bolsonaro had departed Brazil for the United States following Sunday's presidential runoff defeat. Brazil’s Federal Police canceled his regular and diplomatic passports after he failed to surrender them under a court order. His brother, Eduardo Bolsonaro, called reports of his flight a “lie.”

    Reporting: The New York Times, TVP World, Anadolu Agency, Courthouse News Service, CNN, motherjones.com

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14. Donald Trump proposed rolling back Biden-era methane rules for oil and gas producers

    Donald Trump proposed rolling back Biden-era methane rules at a Tuesday rally in Lubbock, Texas. He said it would save consumers and energy producers $45 billion. NPR reported smaller wells produce 6% of U.S. oil and gas but account for up to half of oil-and-gas-field methane emissions. The EPA plans to end its Super Emitter Program.

    Reporting: Fox Business, NBC News, The New York Times, National Public Radio, The Hill, Bloomberg, The Guardian

15. Judge Faruqui dismissed an obstruction-related complaint against former FBI officials

    Federal Judge Faruqui dismissed on Tuesday a new obstruction complaint against former FBI officials Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, accused of lying to Congress about an investigation into Hunter Biden. He said he had not reviewed it for probable cause, called filing it without judicial review unprecedented and said he did not doubt prosecutors acted in good faith.

    Reporting: United Press International, NBC News

16. A federal judge plans to name a special master over California voter rolls

    U.S. District Judge David O. Carter will appoint a special master to scrutinize the Justice Department’s list of alleged noncitizen voters in California, a setback for the Trump administration. The master would assess claims involving about 20,000 people on the voter rolls and whether counties can separate ballots from ineligible voters; review could finish before the Dec. 11 certification deadline.

    Reporting: ABC News, The Seattle Times, Streamline

17. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pledged to strengthen ties with Southeast Asian countries

    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pledged Wednesday to strengthen U.S.-ASEAN defense ties, saying Washington would defend its interests and those of its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific. At meetings in Cebu, Philippines, he cited greater maritime domain awareness, interoperability and joint training. Reuters reported he proposed a defense framework amid South China Sea tensions.

    Reporting: Devdiscourse, chinaglobalsouth.com

18. Donald Trump and James Talarico held competing Senate campaign rallies in Lubbock, Texas

    Donald Trump and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico held dueling rallies about three miles apart in Lubbock, Texas, a week before midterm elections. Trump campaigned for Republican U.S. Senate candidate and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and criticized Talarico on immigration, the Second Amendment and barbecue, The Hill reported. NBC News said Talarico held a narrow polling lead.

    Reporting: The Hill, NBC News, The New York Times, The Texas Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, CBS News

19. An Egyptian court ordered news outlet Mada Masr closed and fined its editor-in-chief

    An Egyptian court ordered Mada Masr closed and its equipment confiscated, and fined editor-in-chief Lina Attalah 3 million Egyptian pounds for operating without a license. Attalah was detained for five hours and released after Mada Masr paid the fine, her lawyers and the publication said. Amnesty International called the verdict “a crushing blow to press freedom.”

    Reporting: The Media Line, Demokratis, Le Monde, Newswav, myjoyonline.com, cphpost.dk, tempo.co

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20. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi saw no evidence of Iran restoring bombed nuclear sites

    IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that the agency found no indication Iran had tried to repair or rebuild nuclear facilities damaged in U.S. and Israeli strikes in 2025 and 2026. He urged Tehran to grant inspectors access to all nuclear sites, including damaged facilities. Iran says its program is peaceful.

    Reporting: The Hindu, Mathrubhumi, The Straits Times, bangladeshpost.net

21. Houthis claimed a missile strike on Saudi Arabia's largest oil refinery

    Oil prices rose more than 1% Wednesday after Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis claimed they had hit Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery with a missile, renewing concerns about supply risks. The refinery, Saudi Arabia’s largest, has capacity of 550,000 barrels per day. Saudi authorities had not confirmed the strike, while ING strategists said markets were pricing in greater re-escalation risk.

    Reporting: Arise News, Anadolu Agency, Reuters, The Hindu, NV News, agbi.com, fxstreet.com

22. Zelenskyy says Russia’s security guarantees must wait until Ukraine’s guarantees and war terms are clear

    President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is seeking security guarantees of its own, but discussions should wait until the terms for ending the war and Ukraine’s guarantees are clear. He said Moscow wants a separate agreement with NATO or the United States and had raised the issue during a meeting with former President Joe Biden before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

    Reporting: The Kyiv Independent, RBC-Ukraine, Financial Times, Ukrainska Pravda

23. Melania Trump announces Oleshky ceasefire expansion for humanitarian convoys

    The ceasefire around Russian-occupied Oleshky has expanded beyond the town to provide safe passage for humanitarian convoys, First Lady Melania Trump said. Ukrainian MP David Arakhamia said the truce runs through Nov. 1, with mine clearance, aid deliveries and evacuations. A local volunteer said about 500 people wanted to evacuate.

    Reporting: UA News, Moneycontrol, Euromaidan Press, The Moscow Times, Meduza, Latin Times, freepressjournal.in

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24. The Fed is expected to hold interest rates steady at its October meeting

    Federal Reserve policymakers are widely expected to leave their benchmark rate unchanged at 3.75%–4.00% Wednesday, six days before the midterm elections, LiveSquawk reported. Euronews cited 3.7% inflation and elevated oil prices, saying investors see a December hike as likely. The Associated Press said it is Chairman Kevin Warsh’s fourth meeting, amid questions about his independence from Donald Trump.

    Reporting: The Guardian, Facebook, PBS News (with Associated Press), @LiveSquawk on X, fox61.com

25. Justice Department Epstein files indicate classified material was collected

    At least three documents in DOJ’s Epstein files indicate classified information was included, CBS News reported. A March 25, 2025, record lists 16 items delivered to the deputy attorney general’s office, including classified material and two CDs containing classified materials. The documents do not clarify what was classified; then-deputy attorney general Blanche said nothing was withheld on national-defense grounds.

    Reporting: CBS News

26. Villa Vie Residences halted the Odyssey global cruise in Cambodia

    Villa Vie Residences suspended its Odyssey round-the-world residential voyage in Cambodia on Tuesday, requiring passengers to disembark in Sihanoukville. The company said fuel costs had risen more than 300% since the U.S.-Israel war on Iran began. The Winnipeg Sun reported that an official said about 200 passengers were stranded.

    Reporting: The Straits Times, AOL, wkyt.com, vnexpress.net, winnipegsun.com, ketv.com

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27. The agency placed a Miyoko's Creamery plant milk butter recall in Class II

    The FDA classified the recall of Miyoko’s Creamery European Style Salted Plant Milk Butter as Class II on Oct. 23, citing yeast, mold and E. coli concerns. The 8-ounce packages were distributed in 10 states and bear lot code 07871. Prosperity Organic Foods initiated the voluntary recall Sept. 11; consumers can return the product for a refund.

    Reporting: USA Today, wivb.com, ibtimes.com.au

28. Jio Platforms debuts at about 21% above its IPO price

    Jio Platforms shares opened in Mumbai on Wednesday at about a 21% premium to their Rs 1,119 IPO price, giving India's largest-ever public offering a strong debut. The issue raised roughly Rs 30,200 crore and was subscribed 22.19 times, The Economic Times reported. Devdiscourse put Jio's market value at about $131.52 billion, making it India's second-largest company after Reliance Industries.

    Reporting: Firstpost, Devdiscourse, The Economic Times, TradingView, Reuters

29. John Healey will present his first Budget in the House of Commons

    Chancellor John Healey is due to deliver his first Budget to the Commons on Wednesday, October 28, at about 12:30 p.m. Full Fact said it is Labour’s third Budget since entering government and the first since Andy Burnham became prime minister. The Northern Echo said reported measures remain unconfirmed; Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch is expected to respond.

    Reporting: fullfact.org, pembrokeshire-herald.com, thenorthernecho.co.uk

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30. The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in World Series Game 4

    The Tampa Bay Rays staved off a World Series sweep Tuesday, beating the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in 12 innings in St. Petersburg, Florida, to force a Game 5. Milwaukee still leads 3-1. After rookie Cooper Pratt homered in the 12th, Tampa Bay scored twice, ending with pinch-hitter Ben Williamson’s winning single.

    Reporting: USA Today, National Public Radio, ESPN, Chicago Tribune, Greenwich Time

31. Discord will make content from large public servers searchable on search engines

    Discord plans to publish searchable pages for Discoverable Servers, making messages searchable on Google and other engines. Pages launch Nov. 16, 2026, and messages appear from mid-December. Admins can exclude channels or disable the feature; users can opt out of message display. Dexerto says opt-in is required in the EU, UK, Canada, Brazil, Australia and South Korea; teens are excluded.

    Reporting: Shattered, mashable.com, dexerto.com, ign.com

32. Apple announced refreshed iMac and MacBook Pro models featuring its M6 chip

    Apple unveiled updated 24-inch iMac and entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro models Tuesday, both powered by M6. The iMac moves from M4, while the MacBook Pro replaces last year’s M5 model; both designs remain largely similar. Apple says M6 improves graphics and AI performance. Preorders begin Wednesday, with availability starting Nov. 6. The Register reported iMac pricing starts at $1,499.

    Reporting: Bloomberg, arstechnica.com, theregister.com, apple.com