Trump and Clinton rally as early voting surges, Alaska probe widens, and Michigan Democrats feud
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump rallied with Republican supporters in Florida on Friday while former President Bill Clinton spoke to Democrats just two states over in Mississippi. Both of them beseeched voters to head to the polls for the midterm election that will determine which party controls Congress. As early voting surges, Trump reshuffled his weekend schedule to rally Republicans in two states with critical Senate races: Iowa and Kansas. He had canceled plans to return to the states, only to rebook the events for Sunday. The about-face underscores his party’s push to drive turnout before Election Day.
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.
Wall Street drops to its worst day since June after the sell-off for tech stocks deepens
NEW YORK (AP) — The sell-off for tech stocks on Wall Street got even worse on worries that the frenzy around AI sent prices too high. The S&P 500 dropped 1.8% Friday for its worst day since June. The Nasdaq composite fell 2.9%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.1%. Intel plunged to its biggest loss since 1974 after giving a profit forecast that fell below analysts’ expectations, while Amazon’s latest profit report raised more worries about how much companies are spending on their AI Investments. Treasury yields sank as investors searched for safer things to own, even though oil prices rose.
Judge wants to know if Trump attorneys violated ethics in one of 2 cases to change the DC landscape
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge says she'll open a “formal inquiry” to investigate if attorneys for the Trump administration violated ethics during a legal dispute about a golf-course project. It's one in a pair of plans that are revealing the breadth of the president’s attempts to mold parts of the District of Columbia as he wishes. The two cases, unfolding at the same time in the same federal courthouse, are also showing the underlying executive authority claims that lie beneath them. In turn, it's a glimpse into the uses of presidential power under Donald Trump. The cases involved are an impending shutdown and reconfiguration of a historic public golf course and the construction of a monumental arch.
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.
An ICE officer is charged with assault for striking a man with a car in Houston
HOUSTON (AP) — A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer accused of intentionally ramming his car into a Mexican construction worker in Houston has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Harris County prosecutors say Mario Alberto Morales was driving an unmarked SUV when it struck 48-year-old Miguel Parra Hernandez. ICE claims Parra Hernandez ran in front of the car. Prosecutors say video contradicts that account. Morales’ attorney said Morales did not intentionally strike Parra Hernandez and accused the Democratic district attorney of indicting Morales for political reasons. The district attorney says Parra Hernandez broke his leg and remains in federal custody at a rehabilitation facility.
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.
