Biggest Crypto Hack Ever, Serbia's New Leaders, and the Death of Patrick Stewart

The world of cryptocurrency was rocked this week by what may be the largest hack in history, with more than $6 billion stolen from Binance, the world's biggest crypto exchange. At the same time, Serbia's student-led political party is figuring out who should lead the country after a surprising election win. And fans around the world are mourning the death of British actor Sir Patrick Stewart, best known for playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Hackers broke into Binance and moved about $6.3 billion worth of cryptocurrency into wallets they controlled. Binance quickly stopped all deposits and withdrawals to try to limit the damage. The company promised to pay back all the stolen money, but many investors were still scared and began moving their money out of crypto.

Financial experts say the hack happened because someone gained access to Binance's systems through an engineer's laptop. A blockchain analysis firm called TRM has linked the attack to North Korean hackers, saying they used a program that swept Binance wallets clean. Reuters was not able to independently confirm that finding.

The hack made crypto prices drop right away. Bitcoin fell 3% in Asian markets after the news broke. Experts say crypto was already under pressure because of higher interest rates, less-friendly laws in the U.S., and slower buying by investment funds. Some analysts say if hackers can find weaknesses faster than exchanges can fix them, it raises serious questions about whether crypto is actually a safe place to keep money.

Back in the United States, President Donald Trump's approval rating among rural Americans has hit a record low of 45%, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. Farmers are upset about rising costs for fuel and fertilizer, cuts to rural healthcare, and high tariffs that hurt trade. In an unusual move, a lobbying group called the American Meat Producers Association is spending nearly $3 million on ads that criticize Republican candidates in key midterm races.

Reporter Leah Douglas said it is rare to see farm groups speak out against Republicans, since farmers tend to vote for the GOP. The ads focus on issues like the cost of living and animal welfare. This shows how much pressure some rural communities are feeling under current government policies.

In Serbia, a student-led protest movement won Sunday's parliamentary election in a big upset. The group ran with a list of 250 candidates that included professors, actors, and farmers — but no single leader. Now the movement must decide who will become the country's next prime minister.

The front-runners are a surprising mix of people. A cardiologist named Ilija Srdanovic was the students' top pick and has strong ideas about reforming Serbia. Former central bank governor Dejan Soskic is seen by many as the most serious choice for the job. A chemistry professor, a banker, and even a famous basketball player named Dejan Bodiroga — who won Olympic silver with Yugoslavia in 1996 — are also being considered, and none of them have any experience in politics.

Sir Patrick Stewart, one of Britain's most beloved actors, died at the age of 86 at his home in Los Angeles. His family said he passed away after a short illness involving Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. Stewart was famous worldwide for playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor X in the X-Men movies.

Stewart grew up in a working-class family in Yorkshire, in northern England. He earned a scholarship to drama school and became a celebrated member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 2010, he was knighted by the British government for his services to drama, and fans and fellow actors from around the world shared tributes in his memory.