Morning Premium Edition · Sat, Oct 31 · 7:04 a.m.

The Essential 10 · about 4 minutes

1. A federal judge barred federal officials from coercing state election workers over ballot processing

   U.S. District Judge Trina L. Thompson issued an order Friday barring the Trump administration from threatening election officials or coercing them to halt ballot processing, withhold ballots or remove voters solely over ineligibility allegations. She found the Justice and Homeland Security departments likely violated the Voting Rights Act. A hearing is set for Monday; the order expires after Tuesday’s election.

   Reporting: NBC News, AOL, CBS News, The Hill, Los Angeles Times, Axios, The New York Times

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2. The State Department authorized a possible transfer of 500 Patriot interceptors to Ukraine

   The US State Department approved the potential sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 interceptor missiles to Ukraine, estimated at $2.1 billion, according to the department. The BBC reported the sale would be funded entirely by Kyiv’s allies in Europe and Canada. The State Department release did not specify when the missiles would be delivered.

   Reporting: BBC News, Facebook, CNN, Reuters

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3. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says four tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz

   Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said a fourth oil tanker caught fire after striking a mine in the Strait of Hormuz, bringing to four the tankers it says have burned there since early Friday. The supertanker was carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude and had ignored repeated warnings against taking the southern route, the navy said.

   Reporting: Al Jazeera, Anadolu Agency, Reuters

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4. Spain’s transport minister blamed rail traffic controllers' errors for a fatal train crash

   Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente said rail traffic controllers gave a train the go-ahead while it approached a stopped train, causing Wednesday’s crash that killed at least 69 people. Puente said a judge would investigate the controllers’ actions. A preliminary report put the moving train’s speed at at least 160 kph, Reuters reported; 17 passengers remain in intensive care.

   Reporting: Udaipur Kiran, Reuters, The New York Times, channel4.com

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5. Polish government moves to strip Constitutional Tribunal president Bogdan Święczkowski of immunity

   Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska issued an order suspending Constitutional Tribunal president Bogdan Święczkowski and deputy president Bartłomiej Sochański, according to reports cited by Around Prague. Polish President Karol Nawrocki returned to Warsaw after turning back en route to Senegal. The Guardian reported Nawrocki struggled to enter the court; his chief of staff said he later got inside, according to the BBC.

   Reporting: Around Prague, The Guardian, Reuters

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6. Donald Trump contrasted 18 American deaths in the Iran war with other conflicts

   At a Friday rally in Daytona Beach, Florida, Donald Trump contrasted the 18 American service members killed in the Iran war with the Vietnam death toll, calling the losses “far too many” while noting that other conflicts killed “thousands and thousands.” Separately, he told KCMO the conflict was “going to get wrapped up soon.”

   Reporting: Newsweek

7. Hosts in Atlanta dropped the customary group portrait of G20 foreign ministers

   The United States canceled the traditional G20 foreign ministers’ group photo in Atlanta after European diplomats objected to appearing alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and threatened to walk out. Euronews reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio decided to cancel it. Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski called the move “the right decision.”

   Reporting: Euronews, CNN, Los Angeles Times, Al Jazeera, The Hill, BBC News, HuffPost

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8. Binance said its theft was wider than a compromised engineer laptop

   Binance is trying to recover $6.3 billion in digital assets stolen in a hack, with the company saying it has secured $3 billion and that much of the remainder remains with unidentified hackers. The exchange initially suspected an engineer’s laptop was compromised but later said the attack was broader. Analytics firms attributed the incident to North Korea-linked TraderTraitor.

   Reporting: BBC News

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9. Police say shooting at Fairfield Spirit Halloween store killed one and injured six

   A Friday night shooting at a Spirit Halloween store in the Solano Town Center in Fairfield, California, killed one person and injured six others, police said. All seven victims had gunshot wounds, and the six survivors were taken to local hospitals; at least three were in critical condition. Police said the investigation was ongoing.

   Reporting: YouTube, Facebook

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10. A Texas grand jury indicted an ICE officer for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon

    ICE officer Mario Alberto Morales, 33, was indicted by a Harris County grand jury on a second-degree aggravated-assault charge involving a deadly weapon, District Attorney Sean Teare said. Teare alleged Morales drove into immigrant Miguel Parra-Hernandez as he fled on foot in Houston on Oct. 10. ICE said Parra ran in front of its vehicle and was struck.

    Reporting: The Wall Street Journal, CBS News, NBC News

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11. Meta settled a social media addiction lawsuit

    Meta settled a social media addiction lawsuit, averting its trial in a case brought by an 18-year-old Mississippi woman identified as K.D.B. She alleged that Meta and Snap designed addictive platforms. TikTok and YouTube had also settled claims with her, leaving Snap as the only company expected to defend the case. Meta’s settlement terms were not disclosed.

    Reporting: CBS News, The New York Times

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12. S&P shifted Meta Platforms' credit rating outlook to negative

    S&P Global Ratings revised Meta Platforms’ outlook to negative from stable, keeping its AA- rating, citing uncertainty over how long elevated AI-related capital spending and negative free cash flow will persist. It forecasts capital expenditures of $140 billion in 2026, rising to $252 billion in 2028, and free-cash-flow deficits peaking at $71 billion in 2027.

    Reporting: CNBC, Reuters, spglobal.com

13. The U.N. Security Council failed to renew its peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara

    The U.N. Security Council failed Friday to renew its Western Sahara peacekeeping mission, MINURSO, for the first time in 35 years. Russia vetoed a U.S.-drafted resolution proposing an extension through Oct. 31, 2027; a Russian-drafted alternative then failed, receiving three votes in favor, one against and 11 abstentions. The mandate expires Saturday, risking heightened tensions, Bloomberg said.

    Reporting: Bloomberg, Türkiye Today, WKMG News 6

14. Planes carrying evacuees from Russian-occupied Oleshky landed in Belarus

    Hundreds of residents evacuated from Russian-occupied Oleshky arrived in Gomel, Belarus, during a local ceasefire. Al Jazeera and NBC reported four planes, while the South China Morning Post, citing Belarusian state news agency Belta, reported three. The evacuees were expected to continue to Ukrainian territory.

    Reporting: U.S. News & World Report, NBC News, Al Jazeera, South China Morning Post

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15. Five oil firms posted $56.3 billion in adjusted third-quarter net income

    ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, Shell and TotalEnergies reported a combined $56.3 billion in adjusted third-quarter net income, with all five beating Wall Street forecasts, Bloomberg reported. The New York Post said soaring energy prices helped ExxonMobil post some of its strongest quarterly earnings on record. ExxonMobil and Chevron shares have each risen about 52% this year.

    Reporting: New York Post

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16. U.S. stocks fell sharply following concerns over artificial intelligence spending

    U.S. stocks fell sharply on October 30 as concerns about whether heavy artificial-intelligence spending would pay off dragged down technology shares. The Nasdaq Composite dropped about 2.8%, its biggest one-day fall since June, while the S&P 500 declined 1.82%. Intel fell 28.58%, its worst performance in more than 50 years, UkrMedia News reported.

    Reporting: United Press International, The Statesman, UkrMedia News

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17. An AI company lowered its fundraising goal to $20 billion

    OpenAI has cut its target for its latest funding round by $10 billion and is seeking to raise $20 billion at a $1.25 trillion valuation, the Financial Times reported Oct. 30, citing people with knowledge of the matter. Reuters had previously reported a $30 billion target at $1.4 trillion, amid a selloff in technology stocks driven by AI worries.

    Reporting: Reuters, cellcog.ai, modbee.com (with Reuters)

18. The Trump administration is preparing to deport Afghans through Pakistan

    The Trump administration plans to deport Afghan immigrants detained in Louisiana to Afghanistan through Pakistan, The New York Times reported; NBC News said a proposed flight could go to Pakistan. The Times said more than 150 people are expected to be deported, with a flight possibly departing Nov. 2. Global Refuge warned the move could set a precedent.

    Reporting: NBC News, The New York Times, globalrefuge.org

19. Judge Jennifer L. Rochon ordered three Trump administration ads removed and third-party distribution plans canceled

    U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon in New York ordered the Trump administration to remove three taxpayer-funded ads from official government websites and social media, and to cancel plans for their airing or distribution through authorized third parties, including MAGA Inc. She sided with a coalition including Common Cause and declined to pull several other ads.

    Reporting: Chicago Tribune, News18

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20. Pope Leo XIV became the first pontiff to vote in a U.S. general election

    Pope Leo XIV became the first pontiff to vote in a U.S. general election, casting a mail-in ballot in Chicago, his birthplace, ahead of the November 3 midterms. The Holy See Press Office confirmed the vote on Friday. Conference public affairs director Chieko Noguchi said it encourages citizens to exercise their civic responsibility.

    Reporting: Al Jazeera, Vatican News

21. U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman confirms Alaska criminal investigation into alleged Senate candidate scheme

    U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman confirmed Friday a criminal investigation into an alleged effort to confuse voters by recruiting a Senate candidate sharing Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan’s first and last name.

    Reporting: Chicago Tribune, HuffPost, Associated Press, CBS News

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22. Mark Carney expects Canada and the EU to conclude associate-membership negotiations in June

    Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he expects Canada and the European Union to conclude negotiations in June on making Canada the bloc’s first “associate member.” Canada’s government described the goal as the deepest partnership short of accession, while the summit declaration omitted associate membership and said the sides would define an “ever-closer association” by their 2027 summit.

    Reporting: WTOP News (with Associated Press), The Guardian, gc.ca

23. Novaya Gazeta announced it was shutting down under pressure from Russian authorities

    Novaya Gazeta announced Friday it was closing amid pressure from Russian authorities. Moscow police opened criminal proceedings in spring 2026; Russia’s Justice Ministry designated the paper a “foreign agent” Sept. 4, and its landlord terminated its lease Oct. 29. Deutsche Welle reported a recent search of a senior editor’s home. The Washington Examiner called it Russia’s last major independent newspaper.

    Reporting: Politico, Deutsche Welle, Washington Examiner

24. The Ninth Circuit reinstated the NFL's Sunday Ticket antitrust verdict

    The Ninth Circuit reinstated a 2024 jury verdict finding the NFL liable for antitrust violations over its Sunday Ticket package, but ordered a new trial to determine damages. The appeals court said the trial judge erred in throwing out the liability verdict, while upholding his decision to set aside the $4.7 billion damages calculation. The NFL said it was disappointed.

    Reporting: The Washington Times, La Voce di New York, The New York Times, New York Post, Bloomberg, wnep.com, dailyjournal.com

25. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham offered to consider an apology for Britain's slave trade

    Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the UK government is open to calls for a formal apology for Britain’s role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, while ruling out reparations. He offered to begin a “structured dialogue” with people affected by slavery and said he wanted to address present-day issues, including debt burdens facing developing countries.

    Reporting: Reuters, The Diplomatic Insight, The Independent, The Guardian, ABC News

26. No new developments since Friday's 7:07 p.m. edition

    Ebola killed more than 5,000 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Government data show the Ebola death toll in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has surpassed 5,000, as authorities struggle to control the country’s deadliest outbreak on record. The rare Bundibugyo strain has spread to eight of the country’s 26 provinces and neighbouring countries, with delayed detection, conflict and strained health services helping it spread.

    Reporting: Reuters, Al Jazeera

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27. No new developments since Friday's 7:07 p.m. edition

    The 9th Circuit rejected Justice Department bid to segregate California ballots

    The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 against the Justice Department’s request for California to set aside disputed ballots received in the midterm election. The panel said there was no feasible way to identify and segregate specific voters’ ballots without potentially catastrophic effects on the system, and discerned no clear error in the district court’s ruling.

    Reporting: WTOP News (with Associated Press), WGXA News, clintonherald.com

28. No new developments since Friday's 7:07 p.m. edition

    Judge Ana C. Reyes opened inquiry into whether Trump officials misled court over golf plan

    U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes on Friday opened a formal inquiry into whether Trump administration officials and Justice Department lawyers misled the court about Donald Trump’s plan to remake East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C. The Washington Post reported that Reyes began the hearing by reading D.C. Bar rules on truthfulness in court, amid repeated questions about the government’s candor.

    Reporting: The Washington Post, PBS News

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29. No new developments since Friday's 7:07 p.m. edition

    Judge Trevor McFadden delayed a ruling on whether to dismiss James Comey's placeholder case

    U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden postponed a decision on dismissing the placeholder criminal case against former FBI Director James Comey, allowing the Justice Department time to seek a grand jury indictment over an alleged decade-old leak to the news media. McFadden said he would be “extremely frustrated” by a pre-indictment “dawn raid”; prosecutor Dustin Farahnak said that would not happen.

    Reporting: CNN, ABC News, Politico, wvgazettemail.com

30. No new developments since Friday's 7:07 p.m. edition

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc lost its parliamentary majority in final election results

    Final results confirmed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc lost its parliamentary majority, setting up weeks of coalition negotiations. Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats, the main opposition bloc 48 and Arab-led parties 19 in the 120-member Knesset. Results are to be certified and submitted to President Isaac Herzog next Wednesday; Herzog will then task someone with forming a government.

    Reporting: NBC News, PBS News (with Associated Press), Facebook

31. No new developments since Friday's 7:07 p.m. edition

    Voters cast more ballots early than in the last midterm election

    Donald Trump will hold rallies in Iowa and Kansas after initially opting for telerallies, the Chicago Tribune reported. Texas is seeing an especially pronounced surge in early voting, according to AP analysis of data five days before Election Day, which also found sharp increases in states with competitive Senate races.

    Reporting: Associated Press, Chicago Tribune

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