News for October 30, 2026
As early voting surges, Trump reshuffles his schedule to add back rallies in Iowa and Kansas
WASHINGTON (AP) — As early voting surges, President Donald Trump is reshuffling his weekend schedule to rally Republicans in two states underscoring his party’s push to drive turnout ahead of Election Day. The Republican National Committee says the president will visit Dubuque, Iowa, and Salina, Kansas, for back-to-back campaign rallies Sunday. An Associated Press analysis shows nearly 10 million more Americans have cast ballots five days before Election Day than at the same point in 2022.
Early voting jumps across Senate battlegrounds as millions more Americans vote ahead of Election Day
WASHINGTON (AP) — Early voting is surging ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections, particularly in states with competitive Senate races. An Associated Press analysis shows more than 43 million Americans have already cast ballots, nearly 10 million more than at the same point in 2022. Texas has seen a 50% increase, with 6.3 million early votes cast. Maine, Michigan, North Carolina and Kansas have also recorded increases of more than 30%. The data offers a glimpse of early voter participation five days before an election that will determine control of Congress and other key contests across the country.
Difficult negotiations lie ahead in Israel after Netanyahu’s bloc lost its parliamentary majority
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s final election results show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc lost its majority in parliament. It won 53 seats in Tuesday’s voting, while the main opposition secured 48. Arab-led parties achieved a historic 19 seats. Parties must now negotiate to see if they can form a coalition with at least 61 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. Netanyahu remains in charge, but coalition talks are expected to be challenging. The president will assign someone to form a government next week. If no one can do so, a new election could be held early next year. Netanyahu’s party has made unsubstantiated claims about election interference by Arab-led parties.
Christa Pike describes constant pain in first statement since her failed execution
Christa Pike says she is in constant pain since surviving a lethal injection in Tennessee last month. In her first public statement, issued Friday, she expressed gratitude for the love and support she has received. Pike says she went into the execution chamber prepared to die in peace but woke up confused in a hospital bed. She said she’s been “deeply hurt by the incompetence.” Pike says she had not contemplated life beyond her execution date and is thankful for the medical workers who saved her. She says she is trying to heal and is holding on to the kindness of others.
Leo XIV has become the first pope in history to vote in a US general election
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Leo XIV has become the first pope to vote in a U.S. general election, casting a mail-in ballot in Chicago. The Vatican confirmed Friday that Leo, born Robert Prevost, exercised his right as a U.S. citizen, emphasizing his belief in civic participation. Leo holds U.S. and Peruvian citizenship and has voted whenever eligible. U.S. law allows citizens abroad to vote via absentee ballot. Leo’s vote was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. The pope has been vocal about U.S. politics, often clashing with former President Donald Trump on issues like immigration and war.
What to know about the $6.3B hack on Binance, likely the biggest-ever crypto theft
Binance, the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange, said Friday that hackers stole more than $6 billion in what appears to be the largest cryptocurrency heist on record. Blockchain firms have pointed to the attack coming from a North Korean hacking unit. The company said it has reserved more than $6.34 billion of company funds to cover the stolen assets and was beginning to recover assets for users. Binance worked with blockchain partners to freeze roughly $3 billion in affected assets. The cryptocurrency exchange has promised to cover all losses, and it has been sharing regular updates on its social media channels as it uncovers more information about the hack.
The police said Sandra Birchmore’s death was a suicide. Then the FBI accused a cop of murder
BOSTON (AP) — A former Massachusetts police detective is being tried on charges that he killed a pregnant woman to hide that he had begun sexually abusing her when she was 15. Matthew Farwell is accused of strangling Sandra Birchmore in 2021. An initial police investigation quickly concluded that Birchmore’s death was a suicide. But the FBI began looking into the case two years later. Security camera footage places Farwell at Birchmore’s home the night she died. Investigators recovered 40,000 texts between the two. Farwell’s lawyers acknowledge that the married detective had an affair with Birchmore but say he did not kill her.
