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October 30: Spain Train Collision and California Ballot Ruling
Religious freedom
The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need says about 413 million Christians live in countries where serious religious freedom violations put them at risk of persecution. Its report says more than 220 million people are directly exposed to the most severe forms, including violence, abduction, and forced displacement.
Cryptocurrency security
Polymarket says it paused international trading for about an hour Thursday after a security incident compromised a third-party provider connected to a performance-monitoring tool. Trading resumed, and the company promised to reimburse affected traders.
Separately, Binance says it is investigating a possible breach. Blockchain security firm Blockaid says it is examining roughly $3.3 billion in suspicious outflows. Binance has not confirmed a hack or established whether customers lost money, and says user funds are safe. Tether and Circle froze some transferred assets.
California elections
The Justice Department has issued grand jury subpoenas to local California election officials in an investigation of the state’s voter rolls, multiple sources told ABC News.
In a separate case, a federal judge rejected the Trump administration’s request to stop California from processing ballots from up to 20,000 people the administration alleges are likely noncitizens. The judge warned that the request would “wreak havoc” on the midterm elections.
In Ukraine
Local officials say a Russian strike on Chernihiv killed two 15-year-old girls and injured 25 people. In southern Ukraine, a U.S.-brokered ceasefire is allowing crews to carry out demining work aimed at opening humanitarian routes.
Israel’s election
Benjamin Netanyahu accused Arab parties of stealing the election and said Likud had submitted evidence of alleged fraud to authorities. Central Elections Committee acting director general Dean Livne said there was “no basis for allegations of election theft.” With more than 90 percent of ballots counted, Netanyahu’s bloc had 53 seats, eight short of a majority. Two Arab parties were projected to win 19 seats combined, potentially giving them a decisive role in forming a government.
Workplace speech
A federal appeals court panel says California’s ban on punishing employees who refuse employer-sponsored political or religious meetings likely violates employers’ First Amendment rights. The panel found the law restricts speech based on its content and rejected California’s argument that workers’ economic dependence justifies the protections.
Spain’s train collision
Spain is mourning 69 people killed in a high-speed train collision near Toledo. Rescuers continue searching the wreckage, where a minute of silence was held. King Felipe the Sixth is visiting a hospital treating people injured in the collision.
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