Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, has donated more than $100 million to oppose California’s Proposition 40, a one-time 5% tax on billionaires' wealth. He recently changed his residency to Nevada, which may affect whether the tax applies to him, but experts say this may not be enough to avoid the tax.
Key Facts
Sergey Brin is the largest individual donor to a California ballot measure campaign, funding efforts against Proposition 40.
Proposition 40 would impose a one-time 5% tax on billionaires who lived in California on January 1, 2026.
The tax measure is supported by Senator Bernie Sanders and is called the "most important ballot measure in America" by him.
Brin changed his residency to Nevada and registered to vote there in December 2025 after buying a $42 million home.
Analysts estimate Proposition 40 could cost Brin about $13 billion if it passes.
The vote on Proposition 40 is close, with polls showing it near a tie just before the November 3 election.
California Governor Gavin Newsom opposes the measure, causing divisions within the Democratic Party.
Tax experts say Brin’s move to Nevada might not exempt him from the tax, based on previous legal cases about residency and taxes.
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Senator Bernie Sanders criticized the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) for donating millions to support Mike Rogers, a Republican Senate candidate in Michigan. Sanders blamed AIPAC for U.S. involvement in conflicts in the Middle East and accused the group of promoting harmful policies.
Key Facts
Senator Bernie Sanders expressed strong disagreement with AIPAC over its financial support of Mike Rogers.
AIPAC is spending about $9 million against Abdul El-Sayed, who is running for Senate in Michigan.
Sanders linked AIPAC to U.S. military actions in Iran.
He accused AIPAC of backing actions that he described as genocidal.
The disagreement happened publicly and involved heated online exchanges.
Mike Rogers is a Republican candidate favored by AIPAC funding.
Abdul El-Sayed is the opponent candidate receiving criticism from AIPAC.
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Texas Senate candidate James Talarico accused Elon Musk of using large donations to support his opponent, Attorney General Ken Paxton. Talarico criticized the political system for allowing wealthy individuals to influence elections through big contributions.
Key Facts
James Talarico is running as a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Texas.
Elon Musk has donated large amounts of money to support Ken Paxton, the Republican candidate and Texas Attorney General.
Talarico claims Musk’s donations are an attempt to “buy” a senator who aligns with Musk’s interests.
Talarico said there is a problem with the political system allowing very rich people to control elections this way.
Ken Paxton is Talarico’s opponent in the Texas Senate race.
Elon Musk is a technology entrepreneur known for companies like Tesla and SpaceX.
The exchange highlights concerns about money’s role in U.S. political campaigns.
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The article discusses key midterm election races that could change which party controls the U.S. Congress. It highlights important campaigns and voter interest as Election Day approaches.
Key Facts
Midterm elections will influence the balance of power in the U.S. Congress.
Several close races are attracting national attention.
Campaign efforts are increasing in key states, including rallies led by President Donald Trump.
Election Day is coming soon, and voters are preparing to vote.
Changes in Congress could affect future U.S. policies and government decisions.
Other news items unrelated to the midterms are also mentioned but not detailed in this article.
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Christa Pike’s execution by lethal injection in Tennessee failed because the team had trouble finding a working vein to deliver the drug pentobarbital. After about an hour of attempts and signs the vein might have burst, the execution was stopped and Pike survived, leading to a temporary pause of executions in Tennessee.
Key Facts
The IV team tried up to 10 needles to find a vein in Christa Pike’s arms for the lethal injection.
Team members warned that Pike’s vein might be “blowing” or bursting during their attempts.
The attempt to insert the IV line lasted from 6:35 pm to 7:24 pm before the team thought they had succeeded.
After the drug injection started, Pike showed signs of life like snoring and choking.
The execution was called off, and Pike spent 10 days in the hospital before returning to prison.
Pike is the only person in modern times to survive a full dose of a lethal injection drug.
Tennessee’s governor, Bill Lee, paused all executions in the state for a review after this incident.
The failed execution raised questions about the death penalty process and execution methods in the U.S.
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Braden Peters, known online as "Clavicular," pleaded not guilty to a rape charge in Massachusetts. He was given a $10,000 bail and ordered by the court to stay away from the alleged victim and surrender his passport.
Key Facts
Braden Peters, a 20-year-old social media influencer with over 1 million followers, is charged with raping a 17-year-old girl in 2025.
The alleged victim reported the assault to police in June 2026 following an investigation by the Chatham Police Department.
Peters’ lawyer entered a not guilty plea during the hearing on October 22, 2026, in Orleans District Court.
The judge ordered Peters to surrender his passport and avoid contact with the victim, including posting about her on social media.
Peters faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted and is also charged with providing alcohol to a person under 21.
The alleged assault happened at Peters’ parents’ home on Cape Cod.
The victim filed a separate civil lawsuit in Florida, which dropped the sexual assault claims to avoid interfering with the criminal case.
Peters’ lawyers have denied the allegations, stating the encounter was consensual and called the civil lawsuit a publicity stunt.
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Federal prosecutors have charged L. Louise Lucas, a leading Democrat from Virginia, with involvement in a drug and racketeering scheme. The Justice Department made this announcement public on Thursday.
Key Facts
L. Louise Lucas is a top Democratic official from Virginia.
She has been charged by federal prosecutors.
The charges relate to an alleged drug and racketeering scheme.
The Justice Department announced the charges on a Thursday.
Racketeering involves running illegal business activities as part of organized crime.
The news was reported by CBS News.
No details about the specific drug scheme or evidence were included in the article.
This development is part of ongoing federal law enforcement efforts.
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Kansas Senate candidates Roger Marshall and Adam Hamilton took part in a debate on Wednesday night. The event allowed them to discuss their views and respond to each other before voters.
Key Facts
The debate was held in Kansas for the Senate election.
Candidates were Roger Marshall and Adam Hamilton.
The debate took place on a Wednesday evening.
CBS News covered the event through reporter Katrina Kaufman.
The debate gave both candidates a chance to share their ideas and answer questions.
This event is part of the campaign leading up to the Kansas Senate election.
The debate was broadcast and made available to viewers through CBS News channels.
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President Donald Trump campaigned in Sioux City, Iowa, to support Republican Ashley Hinson in her Senate race against Democrat Josh Turek. Iowa State Representative J.D. Scholten, who supports Turek, spoke to CBS News about the close Senate race.
Key Facts
President Trump campaigned in Sioux City, Iowa.
He supports Republican candidate Ashley Hinson for the U.S. Senate.
Ashley Hinson is running against Democrat Josh Turek.
The Senate race in Iowa is considered competitive or close.
Iowa State Rep. J.D. Scholten is a campaign surrogate for Josh Turek.
Scholten spoke with CBS News to discuss the election.
The campaign activities are part of efforts to win votes ahead of the election.
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Calley Means, a senior adviser to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., resigned from the Trump administration. She left due to frustrations over delays related to the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) food agenda, just before the midterm elections.
Key Facts
Calley Means was a top adviser to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Means supported the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement.
She resigned from the Trump administration on Thursday.
Her departure was linked to delays in the MAHA food agenda.
The resignation occurred less than two weeks before the midterm elections.
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Senator Ted Cruz claimed without evidence that candidate El-Sayed might share intelligence information with terrorists. The article notes that similar accusations are not made against Catholic or Christian candidates, despite extremist groups existing in those religions as well.
Key Facts
Senator Ted Cruz made a claim about El-Sayed sharing intelligence with terrorists.
This claim is described as baseless, meaning it has no proof.
The article points out that Catholic and Christian candidates are not accused in the same way.
Extremist groups exist within multiple religions, including Catholicism and Christianity.
The focus is on contrasting the treatment of El-Sayed with candidates of other faiths.
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The Pentagon is moving forward with some wind energy projects after a court told it to. Two wind projects in Maine and South Dakota, which were being reviewed, have now been approved to proceed.
Key Facts
The Pentagon had paused review of certain wind projects.
A court ordered the Pentagon to advance these projects.
Two projects, one in Maine and one in South Dakota, were released to move forward.
A White House official confirmed this update on a Thursday.
The Trump administration is responsible for this decision.
These projects are part of the country’s wind energy efforts.
The projects had been under review by the Pentagon before this approval.
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Video footage of the police shooting of one-year-old Kohen Wiley in Mississippi was released after the state's attorney general said the shooting was justified. Kohen’s family and their lawyers are challenging this decision and asking for a federal investigation, while saying the use of force was excessive.
Key Facts
Kohen Wiley, a one-year-old baby, was shot by police responding to a shoplifting call in Mississippi.
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch called the shooting "justified."
Footage shows five officers with guns drawn approaching a car with the baby and two women.
The baby’s family and their lawyers say the police response was excessive and question the justification.
Neither woman in the car was arrested for shoplifting, and the alleged theft was for a pack of diapers, a misdemeanor.
The family was not informed ahead of the announcement or video release and learned about it through news outlets.
Civil rights lawyers Ben Crump and Van Turner represent the Wiley family and seek a federal review of the case.
The baby’s second birthday would have been November 1, shortly after the shooting.
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Some Democratic and liberal media figures have warned that if their party regains control of the government, they might try to jail their political opponents. This warning includes public figures like Elon Musk.
Key Facts
Democratic and liberal media figures have issued warnings about potential legal action against political opponents.
The warnings suggest jail time could be sought if Democrats take control of government.
Elon Musk is mentioned as a possible target of such actions.
These statements reflect ongoing political tensions in the U.S.
The warnings have been repeated multiple times recently.
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President Donald Trump criticized NBA star LeBron James for his actions during the US national anthem at a recent game. Trump said James disrespected the country and should apologize to the American heroes who died for the flag.
Key Facts
President Trump posted a video of LeBron James moving his arms during the national anthem.
Trump said James’ actions showed disrespect to the country and its heroes.
The video showed James stretching and making basketball shooting motions while the anthem played.
LeBron James plays for the Philadelphia 76ers NBA team.
A 76ers representative did not immediately comment on the issue.
President Trump has often criticized athletes for how they behave during the anthem, including Colin Kaepernick’s protest.
In 2018, Trump canceled the White House visit of the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles due to disagreements about standing for the anthem.
LeBron James has been active in supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and other social justice causes.
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Health insurance costs for workers with employer-sponsored plans are rising, especially for small businesses and their employees. The average price for family health insurance plans increased by 5 percent in 2024, reaching over $28,000.
Key Facts
Many Americans get health insurance through their jobs.
The average cost of a family health plan went up by 5% this year.
The cost now exceeds $28,000 annually.
Small businesses and their workers face particularly high increases.
The information comes from the KFF Employer Benefits Survey.
Rising costs may affect workers’ pay and benefits.
Health insurance price growth outpaces overall inflation.
This trend impacts millions of workers across the country.
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Representative Ilhan Omar said that federal agents raided her home early in the morning to scare her and her family. She reported that the agents took 17 items, including her phones, during the raid.
Key Facts
Rep. Ilhan Omar is a Democratic representative from Minnesota.
Federal law enforcement officers conducted a raid on her home early in the morning.
Omar believes the timing was meant to scare her and her family.
The agents took 17 items from her home, including her personal phones.
Omar shared these details during an interview with MS (interview source not fully specified).
No specific reason for the raid was given in the article excerpt.
Omar described the raid as an effort to "freak them out."
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine criticized a political ad from Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy featuring the mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton. The ad accuses Acton of lying about her past, which DeWine called wrong and troubling, though he did not withdraw his endorsement of Ramaswamy.
Key Facts
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine wants Vivek Ramaswamy to remove an ad targeting Amy Acton’s mother.
The ad includes Acton’s mother calling Acton a liar about her childhood.
Amy Acton previously accused her stepfather, Acton’s mother’s husband, of abuse; he was charged but never tried.
Ramaswamy’s campaign defends the ad, saying Acton’s mother is speaking the truth.
Vice President JD Vance says Republicans should not complain about the ad and focus on winning the election.
Other Ohio Republicans, like Senator Jon Husted, also oppose the ad.
President Trump said he does not know about the ad and made no direct comment on it.
Amy Acton said the ad crosses boundaries and expressed disappointment in the Republican reaction.
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Three men in a new documentary claim that Senator Lindsey Graham paid them for sexual encounters, including one who says he was 17 years old at the time. These allegations cannot be independently confirmed, and Graham’s office has not publicly responded.
Key Facts
The documentary is called The CLOSETocracy and was released by the Young Turks network.
A man named Kelvin says he had a sexual encounter with Graham in Arizona in 2001 when he was 17 and was paid $120.
Kelvin says Graham asked him about his age during the encounter, and he felt pressured to say he was 18.
Two other men, identified as Cory and Jesse, also allege paid sexual encounters with Graham in Arizona and Washington, D.C.
Jesse says he had sex with Graham in 2012 and received $260 for the encounter.
Arizona law sets the age of consent at 18, so sexual activity with someone under 18 is illegal.
The documentary also discusses Graham’s political positions on LGBTQ+ rights.
Newsweek contacted Graham’s office and his sister for comment but no response was included in the article.
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U.S. jobless claims dropped to 194,000 last week, the lowest number in three months. This shows that fewer people are losing their jobs, and many Americans still have strong job security.
Key Facts
Last week, 194,000 Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits.
This is the lowest weekly total since July.
The previous week had 200,000 claims.
Jobless claims are used to estimate layoffs in the economy.
Claims have stayed below 230,000 every week so far this year.
Lower claims suggest fewer layoffs and a stable job market.
The Labor Department provides these weekly reports.
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