Evening Premium Edition · Sat, Oct 31 · 7:06 p.m.
The Essential 10 · about 3 minutes
Updated
Judge Trina Thompson temporarily barred the Justice Department from threatening election workers
U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson temporarily barred the Justice Department from threatening state and local election workers over ballot processing, including demands to withhold ballots cast by registered voters solely because the administration believes they are ineligible. The order lasts until Nov. 16. A court had earlier rejected the administration’s bid to set aside California ballots.
Reporting: Los Angeles Times, Malay Mail, NewsCord, Around Prague, The Daily Beast
Updated
The FBI begins contacting donors to Alaska Senate candidate Dan J. Sullivan
The FBI has begun contacting donors to Alaska Senate candidate Dan J. Sullivan about potential voter deception, AP reported, as a criminal probe examines an alleged scheme involving a candidate sharing Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan’s name. Alaska called the Justice Department’s request to segregate Sullivan ballots “disturbing and impossible.” Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign denies involvement.
Reporting: The Hill, Spectrum News, PBS News, ctinsider.com
Updated since this edition · Read the latest
New
Ken Paxton and James Talarico focused on Houston during Texas early voting
Donald Trump campaigned in Florida on Friday and was scheduled to rally in Iowa and Kansas on Sunday, supporting Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson in Iowa and campaigning with Senator Roger Marshall in Kansas. In Texas, Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton canceled an El Paso event to focus on Harris County, while Democrat James Talarico also focused on Houston.
Reporting: Al Jazeera, PBS News
New
Judge Darrin Gayles dismissed Donald Trump's defamation lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch
U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles dismissed Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch with prejudice on Saturday. He ruled Trump failed to plausibly allege the defendants acted with actual malice. The Journal reported that Trump sent a bawdy 50th-birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein; Trump denies writing it. He could appeal.
Reporting: CNN, CNBC, NBC News, The Wall Street Journal, CBS News, PBS News, The Guardian, Reuters
Continuing
A shooting at a Fairfield, California, Spirit Halloween store killed one person and wounded six
One person was killed and six others injured in a shooting at a Spirit Halloween store in Fairfield, California, Friday night, police said. Fairfield Police Chief Dan Marshall said officers found seven people shot. At least three wounded people were in critical condition, while detectives were speaking with witnesses and working to identify a suspect.
Reporting: NBC News, CNN, CBS News, Los Angeles Times, WTOP News, The New York Times, ABC7 New York, turnto10.com
Updated since this edition · Read the latest
Continuing
Iran’s supreme leader warned the United States and Israel against launching new attacks
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned renewed U.S. or Israeli attacks would draw an immediate, geographically unrestricted response and ordered target lists updated to bring all U.S. and Israeli assets within striking range, The New Arab reported. He said Iran's armed forces and people would set the timing and conditions for ending hostilities. A Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran Friday.
Reporting: France 24, CNA, South China Morning Post, Kurdistan24, The Times of Israel, The New Arab
Updated
The department cleared a proposed $2.1 billion Patriot missile sale to Ukraine
The State Department approved a potential sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 MSE interceptors to Ukraine, estimated at $2.1 billion, and the proposal will go to Congress for review. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the move but warned delivery could take a few years; he said Ukraine had requested 100 interceptors monthly for winter support.
Reporting: The Diplomatic Insight, Aviation News, Kyiv Post, KOMU 8 News, The Japan Times, interestingengineering.com
Updated
Qatari mediators proposed a weeklong confidence-building plan for Washington and Tehran
Qatari mediators proposed a seven-day trust-building plan between the United States and Iran, an official told Reuters, as Iranian envoys met them amid the threat of renewed U.S. strikes. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered Iran’s armed forces to prepare an immediate response. Friday’s Tehran talks lasted more than 12 hours and were to continue in Doha Saturday.
Reporting: The Jerusalem Post, Axios, CNBC, Reuters
Continuing
Residents evacuated from Russian-occupied Oleshky reached Ukrainian-controlled territory
Evacuees from Russian-occupied Oleshky reached Ukrainian-controlled territory on Oct. 31 after a 19-hour journey, The Kyiv Independent reported. They arrived at the Ukraine-Belarus border in Chernihiv Oblast. Among those waiting was Liza Paliy, 19, who had not seen her father since she, her mother and sister fled the occupied territory over 2½ years earlier.
Reporting: The Kyiv Independent, PBS News
Updated
Congo's Health Ministry reports 5,026 deaths among 10,351 confirmed and suspected Ebola cases
An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has killed 5,026 people among 10,351 confirmed and suspected cases, Health Ministry figures show. The Africa CDC called Friday for stronger frontline-worker protections after two young Congolese doctors died in North Kivu and Ituri; the virus has also spread to neighboring countries, Al Jazeera and Daily Sabah reported.
Reporting: Daily Sabah, Syrian Arab News Agency, Anadolu Agency, Al Jazeera, Saudi Gazette, The Spokesman-Review, dubaieye1038.com
Updated since this edition · Read the latest
More stories
U.S.
New
The administration intends to deport Afghan immigrants held in Louisiana through Pakistan
Trump administration plans to deport Afghan immigrants through Pakistan, with more than 150 expected to be deported, The New York Times reported. Dozens are detained in Louisiana, and flights could begin as early as Monday. Afghan Evac head Sean VanDeveer said some facing deportation are relatives of men who served with U.S. forces, and their families could be Taliban targets.
Reporting: Arab News, Reuters, The Hill, 13News Now
Updated
More than 50 million Americans cast ballots in early voting
The Guardian reported on October 31 that more than 50 million Americans had cast early ballots with three days to go before the midterm elections, setting a record. In states that collect party-affiliation data, Democrats had cast more early votes than Republicans.
Reporting: The Guardian
New
Ken Paxton and James Talarico began closing arguments in the Texas Senate race
Texas Attorney General and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton and Texas state Rep. and Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico made final-weekend campaign pushes in a tossup race. Paxton spoke in Fort Worth Saturday; Talarico rallied in College Station Friday. Donald Trump took a day off from in-person rallies and planned virtual campaigning after a Tuesday rally in Lubbock.
Reporting: The News-Times, Associated Press, oskaloosa.com, wwlp.com
New
El-Sayed rejected Stevens appearing at a planned joint campaign event in Detroit
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign asked Representative Haley Stevens, his former primary rival, to stay away from campaign events through Nov. 3. El-Sayed said Saturday he did not want Stevens at Sunday’s Detroit unity event. The dispute centers on a Rebellion PAC ad Stevens condemned as antisemitic; El-Sayed’s campaign said it was unaffiliated with his candidacy.
Reporting: The Hill, USA Today, NewsNation, The New York Times, Reuters, MS NOW, Politico, i24NEWS
Updated since this edition · Read the latest
New
UCLA researchers found 8,880 names on Justice Department list absent from California voter file
An outside analysis found that 8,880 of 20,930 names (42%) on a Justice Department list of alleged noncitizen voters in California do not match the state's current voter file. Two UCLA Voting Rights Project members detailed findings in a Saturday filing by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, which is challenging the list. At least 22 listed people are U.S. citizens.
Reporting: ABC News, Chicago Tribune
Updated
Randy Villegas accuses federal immigration agents of voter intimidation in California’s 22nd District
Randy Villegas, the Democratic candidate in California’s 22nd Congressional District, called recent arrests by immigration agents a clear attempt to intimidate communities before the election. Lawyers, advocates, videos and court records describe arrests near schools, homes, intersections, parking lots and gas stations. An official said some arrests stemmed from employee information obtained through audits of local businesses.
Reporting: Devdiscourse, thoughtcatalog.com
Updated
Graphika identified Spamouflage accounts on X adopting MAGA-style personas ahead of midterms
Graphika identified a network of X accounts linked to Spamouflage that appeared to pose as American voters ahead of the U.S. midterm elections. The New York-based social media intelligence firm also flagged an account presenting itself as a Philippine culture blog, with more than 200,000 followers, that posted pro-China material alongside divisive content targeting U.S. politics.
Reporting: The Times of India, wrbl.com (with Associated Press)
World
Updated
Reporters identified 274 damaged structures at 24 Middle East military installations
The Journal identified 274 damaged structures at 24 Middle East installations with a U.S. military presence during the war’s first six months, its most comprehensive public accounting to date. Reporters analyzed lower-resolution public imagery from the European Union, inspected tens of thousands of satellite images and reviewed NASA fire data. The Pentagon declined to provide specific damage assessments.
Reporting: The Wall Street Journal
New
Donald Tusk defended his government in a dispute over Polish judicial appointments
Prime Minister Donald Tusk defended his government's actions in Poland's Constitutional Tribunal standoff, saying on X that restoring the rule of law was a duty after years of lawlessness under PiS. President Karol Nawrocki refused to swear in three of six judges nominated by parliament, while Tribunal president Bogdan Święczkowski declined to seat judges elected by the current parliamentary majority.
Reporting: The Times of India
Updated since this edition · Read the latest
New
Mostly young protesters demonstrated across France over living costs and education
Mostly young protesters took to the streets across France on Saturday for a third weekend of demonstrations over living costs and education. The Interior Ministry estimated 320,000 participants nationwide, including 70,000 at the main Paris protest. Clashes broke out near Porte de Charenton, where police used stun grenades and tear gas. Around 70,000 police officers and gendarmes were deployed nationwide.
Reporting: Firstpost, Radio France Internationale, National Public Radio
Updated since this edition · Read the latest
Continuing
G20 foreign ministers concluded talks in Atlanta without a joint communiqué
European diplomats objected to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's participation, prompting the United States to cancel the G20 group photo; some threatened to boycott or walk out, diplomats said. Rubio issued a chairman’s statement after ministers failed to agree on a joint communiqué. Diplomats said Russia maintained unyielding positions on Ukraine and Poland's G20 membership.
Reporting: Nation Path India, PBS News, lawstreet.co, newindianexpress.com, etvbharat.com
New
The UN Security Council failed to renew its peacekeeping mandate in Western Sahara
The UN Security Council failed to renew the MINURSO peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara after rival US and Russian resolutions failed on October 30, a day before its mandate expired. Russia vetoed the US proposal, which would have made Morocco’s autonomy plan the sole basis for talks. The US voted against Russia’s alternative, which lacked the support needed to pass.
Reporting: Al Jazeera, Devdiscourse, Deutsche Welle, SSBCrack, thetelegraph.com, wsrw.org, urdupoint.com
New
China Coast Guard conducted routine law-enforcement patrols east of Taiwan Island
China’s coast guard conducted what it described as routine law-enforcement patrols in waters east of Taiwan Island on Saturday, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported. China Coast Guard spokesman Jiang Lue said they were carried out in accordance with the law.
Reporting: Reuters, bastillepost.com, lbcgroup.tv
New
North Korea tested a cluster-bomb warhead for tactical ballistic missiles
North Korea’s state media KCNA reported that defense science research institutes tested a cluster-bomb warhead for tactical ballistic missiles. KCNA said the test was intended to assess the warhead’s combat adaptation and power, and that a standard Type 2 warhead could destroy 12 to 13 hectares at highest density. Reuters separately reported North Korea fired around 10 ballistic missiles Thursday.
Reporting: Internazionale (with Reuters), WSAU News/Talk Radio (with Reuters), yna.co.kr
Continuing
Russia’s Federal Security Service received an alert from U.S. partners about Moscow attack preparations
Russia’s Federal Security Service told Tass it received information from U.S. partners about preparations for a “terrorist attack” in Moscow and was taking appropriate measures. The U.S. Embassy warned of a credible mass-casualty threat at Tsaritsyno Museum Reserve on October 31. The embassy said the U.S. government was coordinating with Russian authorities; the warning publicly identified no suspects or method.
Reporting: Anadolu Agency, Newsweek, Mathrubhumi, usembassy.gov, local21news.com, businessupturn.com, republicworld.com, sundayguardianlive.com
New
Nearly 200 nations reached agreements at the UN biodiversity summit in Yerevan
Nearly 200 nations reached hard-fought agreements Friday at the UN biodiversity summit in Yerevan, seeking to revive commitment to halt nature’s destruction by 2030. Delegates cheered approval of crucial texts in overtime, but celebrations were tempered by acrimonious debates and regret over limited progress.
Reporting: The Daily Star, modernghana.com
Business & Markets
Updated
Binance replenished about nine-tenths of the assets taken in a hack
Binance said Saturday it had replenished 90% of the roughly $6.3 billion in assets stolen in Thursday’s hack, described as a record crypto theft. The remaining 10% consists of less-liquid tokens that may take longer to source. The exchange said it is using reserve, insurance and corporate treasury funds, and users will not bear the losses; the investigation is ongoing.
Reporting: The Globe and Mail, YouTube, CNBC, BBC News
Updated
Investors bet on slower U.S. growth despite stronger third-quarter GDP
Investors are betting on slower U.S. growth despite third-quarter GDP expanding 3.4%, above the 3.2% market forecast, Financial News reported, citing the Financial Times. AI-related earnings concerns contributed: free cash flow at Meta Platforms, Alphabet and Amazon turned negative, and Goldman’s broad U.S. AI equity basket fell about 4.7% Friday, according to The Dark Side of the Boom.
Reporting: The Financial News (South Korea), thedarksideoftheboom.substack.com
New
Seven OPEC+ nations reached a preliminary agreement to keep December targets unchanged
OPEC+ members have agreed in principle to leave December oil output targets as they are, Reuters reported Saturday, citing three people familiar with the matter. Seven core members, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, meet online Sunday, with no formal decision announced. Gulf producers are exporting more after Iran war disruptions but remain mostly below targets.
Reporting: News.Az, Seeking Alpha, Reuters, Investing.com News (with Reuters), globalbankingandfinance.com (with Reuters), argaam.com
New
China's National Bureau of Statistics reported October contraction across manufacturing, non-manufacturing and composite readings
China’s manufacturing PMI, non-manufacturing index and composite output index all fell below 50 in October, indicating contraction, National Bureau of Statistics data showed. They measured 49.3, 49.7 and 49.7, respectively. Construction activity dropped to 48.0, while services stood at 50.0. The bureau attributed part of manufacturing’s slowdown to demand brought forward before the National Day holiday and international uncertainty.
Reporting: Business Today Malaysia, BigGo Finance
Tech & Science
New
Cursor disclosed a malicious build of Anthropic's Claude Code extension on its marketplace
Cursor disclosed that maliciously modified Claude Code extensions, versions 2.1.312 and 2.1.313, were distributed through its marketplace for about 11 hours. Anthropic did not build them. Microsoft Threat Intelligence said injected JavaScript ran when the extension loaded; WIRED reported that up to about 5,000 users may have downloaded them.
Reporting: aviatrix.ai, plainenglish.io
Health
New
Wildfires in Indonesia drove toxic smog across Southeast Asia
Wildfires in Indonesia, burning since July, have produced toxic smog across Southeast Asia, affecting millions and closing schools in multiple countries, NBC News reported. In central Kalimantan, schoolteacher Natanael Undas said smoke gets into his home despite closed windows, and his 2-year-old daughter has been sneezing constantly amid a spike in respiratory illnesses.
Reporting: NBC News
New
Nigeria identified two suspected Ebola cases in its northeast region
Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said two suspected Ebola cases were identified in the northeast. Both people have been isolated, while contact identification and listing and laboratory testing continue. The agency said suspected cases are not confirmed; confirmation depends on laboratory results. Al Jazeera reported Nigeria declared its first case in more than a decade on October 20.
Reporting: Bloomberg, Reuters, Al Jazeera, BBC News
You're caught up.
Daylight saving time ends tonight. Clocks go back 1 hour at 2 a.m.
Was this edition useful?
What was the main problem? (optional)
Get The Augerton Digest by email
Free. Choose your editions. Unsubscribe anytime.