1Politicscalmatters.org
‘Borders on the absurd.’ California fights Trump lawsuit to set aside 20,000 ballots
California's top attorney, Rob Bonta, has called for a federal judge to block the Trump administration's efforts to force the state to segregate up to 20,000 ballots that prosecutors claim could have been mailed to noncitizens. The lawsuit was filed last week in a federal court in Los Angeles, with Bontta calling it a "reckless political stunt" and a threat to disenfranchise thousands of Californians in the upcoming election. The case has implications as the U.S. Constitution gives states primary authority to conduct elections. The Trump administration is considering whether it can pause a state's vote counts based on a list of possible noncitizen voters that federal officials acknowledge may be inaccurate. The Department of Homeland Security recently claimed that Nevada had nearly 16,000 noncitizens on its voter rolls, while in Pennsylvania, it only charged nine with illegally voting.
2Financefreemalaysiatoday.com
Ringgit opens higher on strong domestic economic data
The ringgit opened higher against the US dollar on Wednesday due to strong domestic economic data, which strengthened expectations of a normalisation of the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR). The ringgit strengthened to 4.0795/4.0850 against the greenback from Tuesday’s close of 4.0805/4.,0845. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Afzanizam Rashid attributed robust economic indicators such as export growth and GDP expansion to support the local currency.
3Politicsft.lk
Growth at 4.2%: Real test facing Sri Lanka’s economy
The Department of Census and Statistics reported that Sri Lanka's real GDP grew by 4.2% in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 5.1% in Q1. However, the reported rate was lower in the same period. This has led to differing views on the country's economic and political future. Economic analyst Dhananath Fernando has warned that if political leaders fail to grow the economy and improve people's lives, they may lose power. However this warning is not an absolute rule, as the relationship between economic growth and political power is complex. The IMF's forecast also needs to consider factors such as higher oil prices, conflict in the Middle East and lower tourism receipts as risks to growth and external finances.
4Sciencenatlawreview.com
Opal Collector Uncovers Remarkable History of Rare Opalised Dinosaur Vertebrae
Wayne Sedawie, founder of Opal Auctions in Australia, kept an unusual opal in a drawer in his office for years. He bought it five years ago due to its appearance and thought it resembled opalised vegetation. However, when an opal miner from Winton, who saw the specimen a year ago, offered SedawIE twice what he had paid for, and a few months later, he returned with an offer of four times more than the original purchase price. The miner explained that his father, Bruno Tasic, had discovered a parcel of dinosaur fossil specimens 30 years ago in Winton and one specimen was sold for a six-figure sum. During the subsequent history of the mining partnership, Sedawy's specimen had apparently become separated from the original find. The discovery led to an unusual agreement between the two men, with Sedawee offering to trade his boulder opal for his two remaining specimens.
5Financestartupfortune.com
Oil Above $111 A Barrel Drags Bitcoin Below $82,000 In A Single Day - Startup Fortune
Bitcoin fell below $82,000 in a single day, with Brent crude reaching its highest level since May due to renewed Middle East attacks. The two moves were seen as a repeat of the same strategy, where oil spikes on war fears are readied as inflation risk, leading to tighter policy for longer. Bitcoin, which is trading on 10x and 20x margin on exchanges like Binance and Bybit, is about as leveraged and risky as liquid assets as it is. Meanwhile, the broader market, XRP, Solana, Cardano, and Dogecoin, moved the same direction. Despite this, Bitcoin is still down nearly 25% over the past year and still far away from its all-time high of $128,198 set in October 2025. This trend has been repeated through October, with every escalation from the Iran standoff resulting in oil spikes, yields climbing, the dollar strengthening, and crypto being sold to cover margin elsewhere.
6Technewsnationnow.com
GTA 6 launch could drain $1 billion from US economy — this is how
Economic professor José García Montalvo estimates that a mass sick day tied to the release of Grand Theft Auto VI, set to release next month, could cost the US economy nearly $1 billion. The figure was calculated using an estimated 1 1/2 million workers calling out sick and an average annual output of about $70,000 per worker. This comes as fans of the series have been anticipating the release, which is set to be released in February 2022. The game, currently available for preorder, costs $79.99 and follows the adventures of a criminal couple in the fictional state of Leonida.
7Healthnj.com
Eagles under investigation over Jalen Hurts situation: What’s next?
The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) has announced an investigation into the medical care provided to Jalen Hurts, who was allowed to play with a blood clot in a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The NFL defended the Eagles' medical staff during the league's annual fall meeting, stating they did nothing wrong and do not plan to punish them. The union had previously stated that it did not plan on reviewing the care he received. If the NFLPA finds any wrongdoing, it could result in significant consequences.
8Financebitget.com
After consecutive rate hikes, the Bank of Korea is expected to "take a breather" this week, but high inflation and the chip boom continue to support the tightening cycle
After consecutive rate hikes, the Bank of Korea is expected to "take a breather" this week to assess the impact of these rare consecutive increases, while leaving room for further increases. This follows the Bank's recent increase of 25 basis points each in July and August, marking the first back-to-back hikes in three years. Economists are expected to keep rates unchanged, aligning with Governor Shin Hyun-song's preference for gradually tightening monetary policy. However, Hyunsong has warned that there is still room to advance the tightening cycle. The appreciation of the Korean won also provides another reason for gradual policy tightening, as a stronger won helps curb imported inflation. However financial stability risks are becoming an important variable in the Bank’s decision-making.
9Politicsbordertelegraph.com
Government’s long-awaited decision on Jackdaw gas field to be announced
The UK government is set to make a decision on the Jackdaw gas field after months of speculation about its future. This is one of two projects that the Labour government must decide after their approval by the previous Conservative administration was halted due to a legal challenge. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has faced pressure from environmental groups and from US President Donald Trump to approve more drilling in the North Sea. Critics argue that further drilling in North Sea will increase domestic energy supplies amid global price spikes due to the US war with Iran. However, analysts have suggested that approving the oil and gas fields would have little impact on energy prices for UK households and businesses.
10Politicsvietnamnet.vn
Vietnam weighs peak-hour electricity pricing amid household cost concerns
Vietnam's government is considering introducing peak- and off-peak electricity tariffs for households, amid concerns that this could increase bills for families unable to shift essential activities outside peak hours. The proposals were presented to the National Assembly as part of draft amendments to the Electricity Law, which aim to strengthen national energy security, address regulatory obstacles, and improve transparency in electricity pricing. The proposed changes cover power development planning, investment procedures, investor selection, electricity pricing and market operations. They also aim to expand competitive electricity markets and direct power purchase arrangements, while updating regulations on electricity supply interruptions, payments and power quality. The government proposes introducing retail electricity tariffs based on peak, off- peak and normal consumption periods, including for residential customers when necessary technical infrastructure is available. However, lawmakers and the National Association's reviewing committee have raised questions about how these reforms would operate in practice and who would ultimately bear the costs.
11Worldeuropesays.com
Could Canada Fly the F-35 and the JAS 39 Gripen? A Top Retired Canadian Military Official Says No - Canada
Retired Lieutenant-General Alain Pelletier, a top retired Canadian military official, has stated that the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) should not integrate both the F-35 Lightning II and the JAS 39 Gripen into its fighter fleet due to logistical challenges. Pelletiers argues that having two fleets of fighters is a challenge for any air force and that transitioning to one new fleet will be a growing pain. He also notes that the F35 was a good choice for Canada and its NATO partners, including Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, and the UK. The most recent available figures from the Government of Canada show that the total RCAF workforce strength is 14,951 troops, compared to the workforce stats for the U.S. Air Force.
12Healththerural.com.au
First Ebola case reported in Nigeria, 'serious threat'
The first Ebola case has been reported in Nigeria, with a woman who recently entered the country from Uganda and had been treated at a private hospital in Abuja. She was infected with the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which is the most difficult to contain as there is no vaccine nor a targeted treatment available. The outbreak is also spreading across the region, with Kenya having reported nine infections and one death. Dr Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control, stated that "we are facing an extremely serious threat" with a fatality rate of nearly 50 per cent of cases. The Nigerian government has called on all public and private health facilities to maintain "highest vigilance".
13Financemarkets.businessinsider.com
Injective Collaborates with BDACS to Bring Korea's First Won-Backed Stablecoin to Onchain RWAs
Injective has partnered with BDACS, the issuer of KRW1, Korea's first stablecoin fully backed by the Korean won, to establish KRWW1 as the first won-denominated settlement asset for real-world assets (RWAAs) and tokenization use cases within the Injective ecosystem. The cooperation brings together a fully reserved won stablecoin and a blockchain designed for finance, with a focus on institution-ready use cases for won-enominated onchain markets. The move aligns with Korea's policy direction, with the government aiming to finalize the Digital Asset Basic Act by the end of 2026. The initiative marks the first step towards bringing native won markets on Injectic, allowing Korean institutions to bring their assets onchain.
