Afternoon Premium Edition · Sat, Oct 31 · 1:08 p.m.

The Essential 10 · about 3 minutes

1. A federal judge ordered the Justice Department to notify election workers of enjoined threats

   U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson issued a temporary restraining order barring federal officials from threatening election workers with prosecution over ballot handling. Her temporary order also bars federal officials from demanding voters be removed from rolls or ballots be segregated solely over eligibility claims.

   Reporting: NBC News, Politico, Reuters, Democracy Docket, CBS News, The Washington Post, Axios, nbcboston.com

   Updated since this edition · Read the latest

2. The State Department approved a potential sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 MSE interceptors to Ukraine

   The State Department approved a potential sale of 500 Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine, estimated at $2.1 billion, with the proposal subject to congressional review. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned deliveries could take several years. The State Department said partners and allies would cover the cost; reports specify funding includes Canada, Germany and Norway.

   Reporting: The Diplomatic Insight, Aviation News, Meduza, CNN, The Japan Times, ukrinform.net, breakingdefense.com, interestingengineering.com

   Updated since this edition · Read the latest

3. Fairfield police search for a suspect in the fatal Spirit Halloween shooting

   Fairfield police are searching for a suspect after Friday's shooting at a Spirit Halloween store in the Solano Town Center mall killed one person and injured six others. At least three were in critical condition, and investigators were working to identify the person killed. The FBI's Sacramento field office is deploying its Evidence Response Team; Suisun City police are assisting.

   Reporting: NewsNation, NBC News, CBS News, CNN, San Francisco Chronicle, ABC7 News, KTLA 5 Los Angeles, ABC7 New York

   Updated since this edition · Read the latest

4. Evacuees from Russian-occupied Oleshky entered Ukrainian-controlled territory

   Evacuees from Russian-occupied Oleshky reached Ukrainian-held territory Saturday in a major rescue operation under a temporary ceasefire in Kherson region. The Associated Press reported that those choosing Ukraine traveled through Anapa, Russia, and Homel, Belarus. CBS News and France 24 credited First Lady Melania Trump with brokering the truce. About 2,000 residents were still in Oleshky when it began.

   Reporting: Los Angeles Times, France 24, PBS News, CBS News, Vatican News

   Updated since this edition · Read the latest

5. Iran’s supreme leader warned the US and Israel against any renewed attack

   Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned Saturday that renewed military action by the United States or Israel would prompt an immediate response without geographical limits. His office said he met senior military commanders and issued strategic directives; L’Orient Today reported he ordered military target lists updated. Al Jazeera reported Qatari diplomats held extensive talks in Tehran on Friday.

   Reporting: Gulf News, Il Sole 24 Ore, Daily Sabah, Kurdistan24, Al Jazeera, L’Orient Today

   Updated since this edition · Read the latest

6. Oman evacuated 25 crew members from a burning tanker off Musandam Governorate

   Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said four oil tankers struck mines and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said four oil tankers hit mines and caught fire in the strait. It remains unclear whether the Omani incident was among them. British maritime authorities reported vessels struck by unidentified projectiles.

   Reporting: Killeen Daily Herald, Ynetnews, ABC News (Australia), Türkiye Today, yoursun.com

7. Polish President Karol Nawrocki summoned parliamentary parties for emergency talks

   Polish President Karol Nawrocki called emergency talks with parliamentary parties on Saturday, saying an overnight confrontation at the Constitutional Tribunal had violated Poland’s constitutional order. He called for police to leave the court grounds and said he had enabled Bartlomiej Sochanski, whom he recognizes as the tribunal’s lawful vice president, to enter.

   Reporting: BBC News, Anadolu Agency, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, notesfrompoland.com

8. A federal appeals court paused an Idaho ruling requiring health exceptions to abortion ban

   The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday paused a federal judge’s order barring Idaho from enforcing its abortion ban against doctor and plaintiff Stacey Seyb. In a 2-1 decision, the court said Seyb was unlikely to prevail on claims that the Constitution protects a right to abortion to safeguard a patient’s health, pending Idaho’s appeal.

   Reporting: The Hill, WTVB News (with Reuters)

9. Judge Ana Reyes opens inquiry into possible misconduct in the East Potomac golf course case

   District Judge Ana Reyes has opened an inquiry into whether Justice and Interior Department officials and lawyers made material misrepresentations to the court or violated ethics rules in the East Potomac Golf Links case. She stressed this is not a finding of misconduct. No special master has been appointed; the Justice Department has five days to object to naming one.

   Reporting: Demokratis, Politico, CBS News, NewsCord, lawdork.com

10. Binance suffered a record breach affecting about $6.3 billion in assets

    Analysts said North Korean hackers penetrated Binance and drained more than $6 billion, prompting executives to assemble an informal, roughly 100-person war room after unusual transactions triggered alarms, The New York Times reported. Binance suspended deposits and withdrawals and pledged to cover all losses, while promising clients could trade again within days.

    Reporting: The National, Central Oregon Daily (with Reuters), The New York Times, CNBC, onesafe.io, wired.me, offgridsurvival.com

    Updated since this edition · Read the latest

More stories

11. Investors question AI returns over a $2 trillion Nasdaq-100 market-value loss

    Nasdaq-100 market value fell about $2 trillion as investors questioned whether heavy AI spending would generate adequate returns, Ticker reported. Amazon missed quarterly forecasts and kept its 2026 capital-spending outlook at $220 billion. Alphabet lost more than $500 billion in market value Thursday, while the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell 7.2%, Beinsure reported.

    Reporting: Sharecast, Beinsure, Moneycontrol, fortuneindia.com, kucoin.com, tickernews.co

    Updated since this edition · Read the latest

12. Six oil companies reported 89 billion dollars in combined profits for January through September

    Six European oil companies—BP, Eni, Equinor, Repsol, Shell and TotalEnergies—made $89 billion in profits in the first nine months of 2026, 102% more than a year earlier, Global Witness said. The New York Post reported that more than 50 major U.S. oil and gas companies earned over $130 billion from April through September amid the Iran war.

    Reporting: National Public Radio, New York Post, The Independent, CNBC

13. Iranian envoys met Qatari intermediaries in Doha to explore ending the Gulf conflict

    Iranian negotiators held talks with Qatari mediators in Doha on Saturday to discuss paths out of the Gulf war, a source briefed on the negotiations told Reuters. The talks followed more than 12 hours of discussions in Tehran on Friday and were coordinated through regular contacts with Washington. Regional countries anticipate Donald Trump could restart attacks after Tuesday’s U.S. midterm elections.

    Reporting: The Straits Times

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14. AP found more than 115 claimed strikes damaged structures at 26 bases and other sites

    AP found more than 115 strikes claimed by Iran or Iranian-backed militias damaged or destroyed structures at 26 bases and other sites with U.S. equipment through August. Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, was struck at least 30 times. U.S. Central Command declined detailed assessments. Wall Street Journal reported a July Iranian strike killed three U.S. servicemembers in Jordan.

    Reporting: Ynetnews, Spectrum News, The Wall Street Journal

    Updated since this edition · Read the latest

15. Pedro Sánchez says trust in high-speed rail is broken after Urda crash

    Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez said trust in high-speed rail had been broken after the Urda collision, which killed at least 69 and injured more than 100. People’s Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo called Sánchez and Transport Minister Óscar Puente politically responsible and demanded their resignations. Puente offered to leave, but Sánchez rejected it as unfair, according to Puente’s entourage.

    Reporting: Demócrata, irishtimes.com

16. Foreign ministers concluded their Atlanta gathering without agreeing on a joint communiqué

    G20 foreign ministers ended their Atlanta meeting without a joint communiqué, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a chairman’s statement instead, LawStreet reported. Divisions persisted over Russia, Ukraine, Iran and tariffs. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette also reported disagreements over the Trump administration’s decision not to invite South Africa, despite objections from other members.

    Reporting: Nation Path India, ABC News (Australia), NewsCord, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, lawstreet.co, greekreporter.com, alquds.com

    Updated since this edition · Read the latest

17. G20 foreign ministers ended talks in Atlanta without a joint communiqué

    G20 foreign ministers ended two days of talks in Atlanta on October 31 without a joint communiqué, with divisions over Russia's war with Ukraine overshadowing the meeting, according to LawStreet. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who hosted and chaired the gathering, instead released a chairman's statement summarising the discussions.

    Reporting: lawstreet.co

18. Polk County Sheriff's Office leads weeklong undercover sting that results in 281 arrests

    Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said a seven-day undercover operation, his office’s largest ever, led to 281 arrests targeting child predators and human trafficking. The sheriff’s office said 17 suspects reported working at theme parks or resorts; International Business Times UK reported 13 Disney workers and four Universal workers. WKMG reported seven were suspected child sex predators.

    Reporting: International Business Times UK, WKMG News 6, westernjournal.com, wdwinfo.com, kpic.com

19. Donald Trump said he would continue campaigning in Kansas and Iowa

    Nearly 10 million more Americans had cast early ballots five days before Election Day than at the same point in 2022, an Associated Press analysis found. Texas had more than 6.3 million early votes as of Wednesday, up 50 percent from 4.2 million at the same point in 2022. Al Jazeera reported Democrats lead national polls, but turnout does not reveal voter choices or final results.

    Reporting: Al Jazeera, PBS News, CTV News, The Boston Globe

    Updated since this edition · Read the latest

20. Twenty-two newly registered super PACs spent at least $1 million each on congressional races

    Twenty-two super PACs registered with the Federal Election Commission during the final 10 weeks before Election Day each spent at least $1 million on congressional races, CNBC’s analysis found. By Oct. 29, they had reported roughly $637 million in independent expenditures, about one-sixth of all independent spending reported in House and Senate races this election cycle.

    Reporting: CNBC, Traders Union, kucoin.com

21. Graphika linked activity on X to an influence campaign tied to China

    Graphika said Friday it identified Spamouflage activity on X ahead of U.S. midterms; analysts say the long-running campaign is likely linked to China. Its accounts, which analysts say pose as American voters, post divisive content about politics, social issues and elections, including posts questioning election integrity and U.S. democracy, using tactics resembling those documented before the 2024 presidential election.

    Reporting: The Times of India, Associated Press

    Updated since this edition · Read the latest

22. Federal immigration agents deployed across California's Central Valley ahead of a contested House race

    Federal immigration agents have fanned out across California’s Central Valley in recent weeks, stirring fear in Latino communities and allegations of voter intimidation in a toss-up race that could help decide control of the U.S. House. Reuters reported that an internal email showed the planned surge was announced to agents in early October; an unnamed U.S. official said the White House directed it.

    Reporting: Reuters, Devdiscourse

    Updated since this edition · Read the latest

23. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued a security alert warning of mass casualties

    The U.S. Embassy in Moscow warned Saturday of a credible threat of a mass-casualty event at the Tsaritsyno Museum Reserve, urging people to avoid the area and crowds. The embassy gave no details about the suspected plot. Russia’s Federal Security Service said it had received U.S. information about plans for an attack and was taking appropriate measures.

    Reporting: The Moscow Times, Bloomberg, Fox News, TRT World, Ukrainska Pravda, France 24 (with Agence France-Presse), turnto10.com

    Updated since this edition · Read the latest

24. Donald Trump's Board of Peace asked Italy to help build a Gaza security force

    Donald Trump's Board of Peace asked Italy to provide advisers from its police, firefighters and carabinieri corps to help build a security force for the Gaza Strip, Bloomberg News reported. Letters sent last month to Premier Giorgia Meloni's government sought a point of contact and a senior carabinieri officer to serve as the Board's deputy police program manager.

    Reporting: Bloomberg

25. Judge Jennifer L. Rochon ordered three taxpayer-funded Trump administration ads removed

    U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon ordered the removal of three taxpayer-funded Trump administration ads from TV, social media and official websites, saying they appeared to have been made for political or propaganda purposes. One promotes Donald Trump’s claim that Americans would receive $5,000 if Republicans retain control of Congress. News18 reported the order covers third-party distributors, including MAGA Inc.

    Reporting: U.S. News & World Report, News18, business-standard.com, goodreturns.in

26. Washington and Virginia sued the Trump administration over a planned Memorial Circle arch

    Washington, D.C., and Virginia sued the Trump administration Saturday, asking a federal court to block construction of Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery. Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones and D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb allege the project lacks required congressional authorization. Trump plans to begin construction as early as next week.

    Reporting: Newsweek, The Hill, The Washington Post, Politico, FOX 5 Washington DC, The New York Times, Washington Examiner, notus.org

27. Meta settled an addiction lawsuit for business reasons

    Meta settled with K.D.B., an 18-year-old Mississippi woman, ahead of a social media addiction trial, leaving Snap as the sole defendant. The settlement terms were not disclosed; sources cited by The Straits Times said Meta acted for business reasons. K.D.B.’s lawyer, Emily Jeffcott, said she was pleased with the resolution. A Snap spokesperson said the lawsuit mischaracterizes how Snapchat works.

    Reporting: The New York Times, The Straits Times, The Hill, engadget.com

28. No new developments since the 7:04 a.m. edition

    The Justice Department asked a court to isolate Alaska ballots ranking Dan J. Sullivan

    The Justice Department asked a court to isolate Alaska ballots ranking Dan J. Sullivan to investigate confusion, as officials confirmed a criminal probe into an alleged effort to place a namesake candidate on the Senate ballot. U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska Michael J.

    Reporting: National Public Radio, CBS News, PBS News, ABC News, Al Jazeera, ctpost.com

    Updated since this edition · Read the latest

29. No new developments since the 7:04 a.m. edition

    Health Ministry reports more than 5,000 Ebola deaths

    The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Health Ministry said Saturday that the Ebola outbreak had killed more than 5,000 people, with 10,351 reported cases. Declared in mid-May, it is the country’s largest outbreak on record and the world’s second-largest. Many deaths occurred outside treatment centres, and no approved treatments or vaccines exist for the Bundibugyo strain.

    Reporting: Syrian Arab News Agency, Reuters, Al Jazeera, Anadolu Agency, Saudi Gazette, Khaama Press, dubaieye1038.com

    Updated since this edition · Read the latest

30. No new developments since the 7:04 a.m. edition

    The 9th Circuit rejected the Justice Department’s request to set aside disputed California midterm ballots

    The 9th Circuit rejected the Justice Department’s request for California to set aside disputed midterm ballots. The administration alleges ballots went to about 20,000 people who may not be U.S. citizens; California officials say the list is unreliable and likely includes citizens. The court said there was no feasible way to separate ballots without potentially catastrophic effects on the system.

    Reporting: CBS News, U.S. News & World Report (with Associated Press), Chicago Tribune, madisoncourier.com (with Associated Press), cnycentral.com

31. No new developments since the 7:04 a.m. edition

    A grand jury indicted an ICE officer for aggravated assault in Houston

    A Harris County grand jury indicted Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Mario Alberto Morales on a second-degree aggravated-assault charge involving a deadly weapon, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said Friday. Morales is accused of striking immigrant Miguel Parra-Hernandez with a vehicle in Houston earlier this month, injuring him. ICE called allegations that the impact was intentional “reckless and false.”

    Reporting: The Hill, The Wall Street Journal, ABC News, United Press International, Houston Public Media, BBC News, winknews.com