The Vatican said Pope Leo XIV, an American citizen born in Chicago, cast a mail-in ballot ahead of the November midterm elections. The pope has said citizens have a right and duty to take part in democratic processes.
Key Facts
The Vatican confirmed that Leo submitted a mail-in ballot in his native Chicago.
The Will County clerk’s office said Leo, registered at a New Lenox address, requested a mail-in ballot on Oct. 3.
Illinois election records show Leo voted in five primary elections since 2000: he requested Democratic ballots twice and Republican ballots three times.
The records show that Leo submitted a ballot in every general election since 2000 except 2020 and 2022.
The records do not show which candidates Leo supported.
In Illinois primary elections, voters declare a party preference to receive that party’s ballot; general-election voters do not have to declare a party preference.
The pope is recovering from surgery for lung cancer and plans to travel to South America next month.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Christa Pike said she is recovering after what the article describes as a botched execution. In a statement released by her attorneys on Friday, she described physical and emotional pain and said she still struggles to speak.
Key Facts
Pike said her body, arms, hands and throat hurt.
She said she still struggles to speak.
Pike described pain in her mind and soul as well as physical pain.
Her attorneys released the statement on Friday.
Pike dictated the message to her legal team, according to the statement.
The article identifies Pike as a death-row prisoner and describes the execution as botched.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Binance said a hack caused an estimated $6.3 billion in losses and suspended withdrawals. The company says it has reserved funds to cover the losses, while investigators and blockchain analysts examine the breach and the movement of stolen assets.
Key Facts
Binance estimated the hack’s total impact at about $6.3 billion.
The company said about $3 billion in affected assets, mainly stablecoins, had been frozen.
Elliptic analysts said the attacker converted about $3.3 billion into digital assets that could not be frozen and was seeking to cash them out.
Binance said an initial investigation pointed to a compromised engineer’s laptop and that further investigation found additional breach points.
TRM Labs linked the theft to TraderTraitor, a North Korean hacking unit; Binance said it was working with law enforcement.
Binance said it had reserved more than $6.34 billion to cover the incident, including $5 billion held in the affected token assets.
Bitcoin fell about 4 percent after news of the hack emerged, then recovered to trade above $78,000.
Binance was founded in 2017 and pleaded guilty to U.S. criminal charges related to anti-money-laundering violations in 2023, paying a $4.3 billion fine.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Mary Peltola, the Democratic candidate for Alaska’s U.S. Senate seat, said she knew nothing about efforts to recruit a second candidate named Dan Sullivan. The allegations have prompted a Justice Department investigation and legal action, but no charges have been filed, and the reporting about the alleged plan has not been independently verified by the BBC.
Key Facts
The incumbent Republican senator, Dan S. Sullivan, is seeking re-election.
A second candidate, retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan, is also running for the Senate seat.
The New York Times reported that people connected to Peltola’s campaign and senior Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee aides tried to recruit Dan J. Sullivan.
Peltola’s campaign and Dan J. Sullivan have denied links to the alleged effort.
The Justice Department has issued subpoenas to Democratic officials allegedly connected to the recruitment effort, according to CBS News.
The Justice Department has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block certification of the result if Dan S. Sullivan loses, arguing that the two candidates could confuse voters.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered an official inquiry into the matter.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report classifies the race as a toss-up.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola denied knowing about an effort to recruit a second candidate named Dan Sullivan in Alaska’s Senate race. The Justice Department has issued new grand jury subpoenas as it investigates whether the other candidate was recruited to confuse voters; the investigation’s targets and the subpoena recipients remain unclear.
Key Facts
Peltola is running against Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan.
The Justice Department has investigated allegations for months that Dan J. Sullivan Jr. entered the race to draw votes away from the incumbent, Dan S. Sullivan.
A person familiar with the investigation said subpoenas and records-preservation demands were issued after a New York Times report about Peltola’s campaign.
Dan J. Sullivan Jr. has denied running at Democrats’ request and said he had no contact with Peltola’s campaign.
President Donald Trump called for Peltola and her campaign to face criminal prosecution and questioned whether she could be seated if she won.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered a separate investigation into Peltola.
State attorneys asked a court to rule by Monday on the Justice Department’s lawsuit seeking to block certification of the Senate race.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall defended President Donald Trump’s decision to cancel a rally in Kansas. Marshall told reporters Thursday that he was doing well in the polls and that Trump likely had better places to spend his time.
Key Facts
Roger Marshall is a Republican senator from Kansas.
Trump canceled a planned rally in Kansas.
Marshall defended Trump’s decision to cancel the rally.
Marshall said he was doing well in the polls.
Marshall said Trump probably had better places to spend his time.
Marshall made the comments to reporters on Thursday.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Tennessee death-row inmate Christa Pike said she remains in physical and emotional pain after surviving a failed lethal-injection execution in September. The 50-year-old was released from hospital last month and returned to prison, where she is serving a sentence for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer.
Key Facts
Pike released her first public statement about the failed execution on Friday.
She said she has ongoing pain in her arms, hands and throat and still struggles to speak.
Pike survived two injections of the drug pentobarbital and was left in critical condition.
Her lawyers said she developed pneumonia, had significant swelling in her arms and could not swallow.
Pike was discharged from hospital at the end of September and returned to prison.
Pike was 18 when she and her boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, killed 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in 1995.
Shipp avoided the death penalty because he was not legally an adult at the time of the crime and remains in prison.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Three people died when two helicopters collided near McMinnville Municipal Airport in Oregon on Thursday. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the cause.
Key Facts
The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office received reports of the crash at about 2:10 p.m. local time.
The helicopters crashed in a private farm field southeast of McMinnville.
Two people were aboard a Robinson R22 helicopter, and one was aboard an Airbus helicopter.
The victims included a British student pilot, Texas flight instructor Maddie Aasbo, 22, and pilot Tyler Sturdevant, 38, of Newberg, Oregon.
Authorities said they were working with the British consulate and the FBI to notify the student pilot’s family.
The NTSB will lead the investigation, with the FAA also investigating.
McMinnville aviation school Jerry Trimble Helicopters said one of its aircraft was involved and that it was cooperating with authorities.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
In this opinion article, Glen Dunzweiler argues that road safety rules should place more responsibility on people operating vehicles that can cause greater harm. He says driver attention and safety technology matter, but automated systems should support rather than replace attentive driving.
Key Facts
The author says distracted drivers hit him six times while he was riding a motorcycle.
He argues that mistakes by drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists can have unequal consequences because vehicles can cause severe injuries or death.
The article cites Insurance Institute for Highway Safety research showing that pedestrians and cyclists struck by SUVs and pickups face greater injury or death risks than those struck by cars.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration identifies phones and in-vehicle systems as possible driving distractions.
The article says modern vehicles may use automatic emergency braking, lane-assistance systems, cameras, and other driver-assistance technology.
It raises questions about how responsibility should be divided when an autonomous vehicle hits someone.
The article cites Environmental Protection Agency data showing that the average footprint of new vehicles has grown as the market has shifted toward larger vehicles.
The author proposes safer intersections, meaningful public transportation alternatives, and a road culture that accounts for vulnerable users.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Christa Pike said she remains in physical and emotional pain one month after Tennessee’s attempted execution was halted. She was hospitalized after receiving two doses of pentobarbital on September 30 and later returned to the women’s prison where she has been held for 30 years.
Key Facts
Pike is 50 years old.
Tennessee attempted to execute Pike by lethal injection on September 30.
Pike received two doses of pentobarbital during the execution attempt.
She was hospitalized after the attempt and later discharged.
Pike was returned to the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center.
Pike said she continues to experience pain in her body, arm, hands, and throat, and struggles to speak.
Pike was convicted in the 1995 murder of her classmate, Colleen Slemmer.
Pike said she thinks about Slemmer’s family and the loss they endured.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Georgia’s EU accession process remains suspended after the ruling Georgian Dream party won the disputed October 2024 parliamentary election and authorities later halted the process. Protests continue in Tbilisi but have weakened amid restrictions on dissent and opposition figures; polls cited in the report show more than 70 percent of Georgians support joining the EU.
Key Facts
The Georgian Dream party was officially declared the winner of the October 2024 parliamentary election, whose results were disputed.
Tens of thousands of pro-European protesters rallied after the election.
Authorities announced a suspension of Georgia’s EU accession process a few weeks after the election.
Smaller protests continue daily in Tbilisi, though they have lost momentum.
The report says dissenting voices are suppressed and opposition figures are jailed.
In 2025, the government adopted a stricter version of a foreign agents law that limits access to international funding and increases government control over civil society.
The government said the law would strengthen national sovereignty and ensure transparency among NGOs.
Opinion polls cited in the report show that more than 70 percent of Georgians want to join the EU.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Ukrainians in Oleshky, a city held by Russia, may be able to leave during a local ceasefire. The report says U.S. first lady Melania Trump helped broker the ceasefire.
Key Facts
Oleshky is under Russian control.
Ukrainians in the city may have a chance to leave.
A local ceasefire is planned or underway.
Melania Trump helped broker the local ceasefire, according to the report.
CBS News correspondent Aidan Stretch reported on the situation.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Imad Salem Zahra, a Palestinian child who survived a gunshot wound to the head, spoke to Al Jazeera about what happened. A photo of him after the shooting went viral.
Key Facts
Imad Salem Zahra is a Palestinian child.
He survived a gunshot wound to the head.
The article says Israeli soldiers shot him.
Zahra told Al Jazeera what happened that day.
A photo of Zahra after he was shot went viral.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A localized ceasefire in Ukraine’s Kherson region enabled an aid convoy and evacuations in Russian-occupied Oleshky. Russia and Ukraine said residents could leave for either country or stay and receive aid, while fighting continued elsewhere.
Key Facts
The ceasefire began four days before the operation and was scheduled to continue through Sunday evening.
A convoy of 25 buses, ambulances and aid supplies was assembled to deliver food and medicine and evacuate residents.
Authorities and volunteers estimated that about 2,000 people remained in Oleshky.
Ukraine’s ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said evacuations would continue until 2 p.m. local time, with aid distribution to begin 30 minutes later.
A volunteer said about 1,000 residents had told her they wanted to leave and reported pressure on some residents to evacuate to Russia.
Officials said crews completed demining designated routes into the city on Thursday; two people were killed during the work.
The White House said first lady Melania Trump brokered the mission, and Pope Leo XIV had urged both countries to help.
Russia and Ukraine reported continued drone and missile attacks elsewhere.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The article argues that candidates should discuss changes to Social Security rather than rule out benefit cuts or tax changes. It says candidates who take either option off the table are misleading voters.
Key Facts
The article focuses on Social Security in an election context.
Its title urges voters to trust candidates willing to address Social Security.
The article says candidates should not rule out benefit cuts.
The article says candidates should not rule out tax changes.
The article characterizes candidates who exclude either option as misleading voters.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Ukraine’s General Staff reported 49,040 Russian troops killed or incapacitated in October through October 28, a monthly record that approaches President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s target of 50,000. Ukraine is seeking more funding to expand drone production and is working with European partners on military satellite capabilities as it adapts to disruptions in Starlink service.
Key Facts
Ukraine’s previous reported monthly high for Russian casualties was 46,230 in September.
Al Jazeera said it could not independently verify casualty estimates from either side.
Ukraine’s defence minister asked European allies to fund a plan to produce about 16 million Ukrainian drones next year.
The Netherlands announced 500 million euros in immediate additional military aid and 1.2 billion euros in additional financing for Ukraine.
The UK increased its commitments by 10 billion pounds over three years, including 3 billion pounds for weapons.
Ukraine and Finland announced plans to develop an independent military satellite system, with satellite launches expected to begin in 2028.
The Institute for the Study of War said a 10-day Starlink outage lowered Ukraine’s drone interception rate from 77 percent to 74 percent.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said federal election monitors deployed by the Trump administration will be at polling places to observe during the midterm elections. The administration plans to send about 1,000 monitors nationwide, according to the CBS News segment.
Key Facts
Frank LaRose is Ohio’s secretary of state.
LaRose discussed the deployment in an interview with CBS News.
The monitors are from the U.S. Department of Justice.
The administration plans to deploy 1,000 election monitors nationwide.
The monitors are expected to observe at polling places during the midterm elections.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Nasdaq futures fell nearly 800 points, or 2.7%, before Friday’s market open after weak earnings from Alphabet, Amazon and Intel renewed concerns about the returns on artificial intelligence investments. Futures for the S&P 500 and Dow also declined as investors weighed companies’ data-center spending and related debt.
Key Facts
Nasdaq Composite futures dropped nearly 800 points, or 2.7%.
Intel shares fell more than 26% in premarket trading.
Alphabet shares had fallen more than 12% on Thursday, their largest one-day decline since Google went public in 2004.
S&P 500 futures were down 1.1%, while Dow futures fell 0.1%.
Disappointing earnings from Alphabet, Amazon and Intel contributed to investor concerns about AI prospects.
Investors questioned whether AI investments will deliver expected returns and whether companies can sustain debt used to fund data centers.
A UBS investment chief advised clients to diversify their equity portfolios beyond AI.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Justice Department issued dozens of subpoenas as part of an investigation into ballot-stacking allegations involving Alaska Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola. The New York Times reported that Peltola’s campaign was directly involved in recruiting a candidate who shared the name of her opponent, Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.
Key Facts
The Justice Department issued dozens of subpoenas connected to the allegations.
The allegations concern ballot stacking in Alaska’s Senate race.
Mary Peltola is the Democratic Senate candidate named in the article.
The New York Times reported that Peltola’s campaign was directly involved in recruiting a candidate with the same name as Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.
Dan S. Sullivan is a Republican senator.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Pope Leo XIV voted by mail in Chicago ahead of the November 2026 U.S. midterm elections, the Vatican said. The Chicago-born pontiff is the first pope in history to vote in a U.S. election, according to the report.
Key Facts
The Vatican confirmed Friday that Leo submitted a mail-in ballot in Chicago.
Leo was born in Chicago and was formerly known as Robert Prevost.
The Holy See said Leo has voted in U.S. elections whenever he was eligible.
The Vatican said Leo also voted while living in Peru whenever he was eligible.
The Vatican said Leo believes citizens have a right and duty to take part in democratic processes.
The ballot was cast ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
