The midterms are already a fight over voting
Today is Sunday, October 18, 2026
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- Good morning, and welcome to Hark News. Here's what the world got up to while you slept. First, the weather in New York. A high of 59 and a low of 36, with clear skies.
- More than 3,000 No Kings events urged Americans to vote early, as 22 states have passed 47 laws restricting access since 2024. The Bulwark says the administration is also pressuring states over voter rolls, while courts have repeatedly blocked its efforts.
- President Trump signed an order waiving new sanctions on Russia, despite bipartisan legislation tying them to an end to the war in Ukraine. Axios and Politico describe it as another sharp turn toward Moscow, while the Times notes the move is also meant to lower energy prices.
- Katie Zacharia is out after five days as White House press secretary, following a shaky briefing and questions about her legal credentials. CNN, Politico and Axios portray an impulsive operation where a Fox interview may have helped end the job, rather than save it.
- The Washington Post obtained a list of 57 donors who committed at least $100,000 toward Trump’s $330 million White House ballroom. Nvidia, Apple, the Adelson family and Dish Network’s Charles Ergen each pledged $25 million, raising questions about opaque money flowing through a nonprofit.
- The New York Times finds Susan Collins, the Republican senator from Maine, caught between her reputation for moderation and voters furious at Trump. The race could help decide Senate control, and several former Collins voters told the Times they won’t support Republicans until Trump leaves office.
- Republican Dan Sullivan is keeping Trump close in Alaska, betting presidential enthusiasm outweighs anger over prices and the Iran war. Democrat Mary Peltola is campaigning on energy costs and local ties, while polls show a race that should be easy for Republicans is suddenly competitive.
- Meta restored the No Kings Instagram account after taking it offline for about 4 hours during a nationwide early-voting push. The company blamed an automated system, but organizers and the League of Women Voters said the episode showed how private platforms can interrupt public organizing at the most inconvenient moment.
- A 16-year-old attacker killed 4 people at an Oregon elementary school before Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old father whose daughters attended the school, intervened. A teacher and another student remain in critical condition, according to the newsletter coverage, which says the gun came from the suspect’s mother.
- Dozens of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians gathering olives in the occupied West Bank, burning trees and throwing rocks. At least 2 people were injured, including a Washington Post photojournalist, and the New York Times says settlers have launched at least 170 attacks since the harvest began.
- A major fire broke out after what authorities called a serious incident at one of Canada’s busiest military bases. CNN reported deaths and multiple injuries, but the cause remained unspecified and crews were still working to contain the blaze.
- Pope Leo XIV was discharged 4 days after lung cancer surgery and is returning to his duties. CNN described it as the first significant health scare of his papacy, though the swift discharge suggests the immediate recovery is going as planned.
- Chip stocks fell, while CoreWeave also slid as investors grew uneasy about the company’s debt and what it might say about financing the AI boom.
- Tesla unveiled a rocket-assisted Roadster that briefly went airborne in a stunt meant to signal a future of AI, robots and perhaps flying cars. Production is planned for 2028 at more than $200,000, but regulators have not decided which agency would oversee a road vehicle that takes off.
- The Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream open a best-of-seven WNBA Finals, with both franchises chasing a first title. Golden State brings a defense-first expansion model and home-court energy, while Atlanta arrives unbeaten in the playoffs and transformed by Angel Reese’s rebounding and scoring.
- International timekeepers approved ending leap seconds from May 2027, removing the occasional correction that keeps atomic time aligned with Earth’s rotation. Telecommunications and power operators wanted fewer disruptions.
- NASA canceled its Mars Sample Return program because of its cost and design complexity, leaving a promising Perseverance rock sample stranded on Mars. CNN says China’s Tianwen-3 mission could now become the first effort to bring Martian material back to Earth.
- Archaeologists recovered olive-oil and wine jars from a shipwreck near Turkey that sank about 4,700 years ago, making it a contender for the world’s oldest.
- Researchers studying a 75,000-year-old Neanderthal skeleton found a circular wound that may have been made by a wooden spear. The position and force suggest a deliberate strike toward the heart, although a hunting accident remains possible.
- A study summarized by 1440 challenges the assumption that ovaries simply go dormant after menopause. Researchers found structural changes and inflammation decades later, raising questions about aging and whether preventive ovary removal is wise.
- And that's your world for today. The full stories and the links are waiting in the app. Tap through, bookmark what matters, and share what's worth sharing. And if you want to see what stuck, take today's quiz in the app: five quick questions. And if Hark is making your mornings a little better, share it with a friend. It's the best way to help us grow. I'll see you again tomorrow morning. Until then, have a great day.