Binance reopens withdrawals after $6.3B hack, Alaska ballot suit, Trump on Iran, Bulgaria runoff, Marquez wins
Binance reopens withdrawals after a $6.3 billion hack, Alaska asks a judge to dismiss the Justice Department's Senate ballot suit, Trump says one or two Iran sites remain, Bulgaria votes in a presidential runoff, and Marc Marquez moves to the brink of the MotoGP title.
Crypto exchange Binance began reopening withdrawals Sunday, starting with bitcoin, ether and other major tokens, after about $6.3 billion was stolen from the exchange beginning late Thursday. The FBI said Saturday that the North Korean state-sponsored unit TraderTraitor was responsible; President Trump said the U.S. is not yet certain of North Korea's involvement. Binance says it has covered 95% of the stolen amount, about $6 billion, with company funds and that the losses will not be passed on to users.
Alaska's Republican-led state government asked a federal judge Saturday to dismiss a Justice Department lawsuit over the U.S. Senate race between Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola. The Justice Department wants ballots ranking a second candidate, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., preserved and set aside, saying there is a "substantial risk" his candidacy will mislead voters, and it has confirmed a criminal investigation after New York Times reporting that Peltola's campaign appeared to be involved in recruiting him. The state says setting those ballots aside is impractical and would violate ballot secrecy. Peltola denies knowing about any effort to put him on the ballot. Election Day is Tuesday.
The Justice Department saysThere is a "substantial risk" the second Sullivan's candidacy will mislead voters, and it is acting to protect the integrity of federal elections. U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman called the allegations "troubling."
The State of Alaska saysThe lawsuit "lacks any merit"; ballots are commingled on Election Day, so setting them aside would violate ballot secrecy, and "state officials carefully designed the ballot to minimize voter confusion."
Mary Peltola saysShe is "not interested in tricking voters" and knew nothing about other candidates besides herself and the incumbent. Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also deny any involvement in a scheme.
President Trump told reporters in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday that the U.S. has knocked out much of Iran's military but still has to "take care of, I would say one or two sites," including a suspected underground nuclear site known as Pickaxe Mountain, adding "we can do that in 10 minutes." He said talks to end the war were "going fine" but called Iran "not very reliable." Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump has not decided on new strikes and the U.S. is open to a diplomatic solution. Iran denies any nuclear work at Pickaxe Mountain, and its supreme leader has warned the U.S. and Israel against new attacks.
The U.S. saysTrump says talks are "going fine" but Iran is "not very reliable"; Rubio says no decision on new strikes has been made and the U.S. is open to a diplomatic solution.
Iran saysIt denies any nuclear work at Pickaxe Mountain, and its supreme leader has warned the U.S. and Israel against launching new attacks.
Bulgarians are voting Sunday in a presidential runoff between acting President Iliana Iotova (AP spells it Yotova), backed by Prime Minister Rumen Radev's party, and former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, backed by pro-Western reformist parties. Iotova led the Oct. 25 first round, which had record-low turnout. Polls close at 8 p.m. local time (noon Central), and official results are expected Monday. If Iotova wins, she would be Bulgaria's first elected female president.
Iotova saysPeace between Ukraine and Russia "could come only through negotiations," and she has proposed a meeting of the six Black Sea countries to sign a moratorium on hostilities.
Gyurov saysHe has long backed Ukraine, wants Bulgaria to be a reliable NATO ally, and says that without a seat at the table, Bulgaria is "on the menu."
Ducati's Marc Marquez won the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang on Sunday by more than four seconds, ahead of KTM's Pedro Acosta and his brother Alex Marquez. Marquez leads the championship by 44 points over the injured Jorge Martin and could clinch the title at the Qatar Grand Prix next weekend if he extends his lead to 74 points.
