Trump announces an "energy ceasefire" that Kyiv and Moscow have not confirmed
President Trump declared on Truth Social that, "effective immediately," Russia and Ukraine had agreed to stop attacking each other's energy facilities. Zelenskyy said the announcement "was news for me" but that Ukraine would accept a truce if Moscow did, and he said Russian strikes hit Ukrainian energy sites, including a Kyiv power plant, after the post. A White House official described the plan as "refinery for refinery," a framing a Ukrainian official called lopsided because Ukraine has a single, partly working refinery while Russia has a vast network. The Kremlin has not confirmed any deal. Brent crude fell about 1.5% to $103.18 on expectations of more Russian supply.
US threatens to cut intelligence sharing and weapons purchases over Ukraine's refinery strikes
Two European officials told CNN that the State Department and Pentagon warned Kyiv and European capitals over the weekend that the US could suspend intelligence sharing and European purchases of US weapons for Ukraine. The warning is meant to stop Ukraine's deep strikes on Russian energy facilities. Suspending purchases through the PURL mechanism would hit Patriot interceptor shipments hardest, at a time when Ukraine is already short of them. Intelligence sharing helps Ukraine locate missile launchers and track incoming strikes. Washington cut off intelligence in March 2025 after the Oval Office clash with Zelenskyy and later restored it. A European official called the threat a "sad day" for Kyiv, and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have put a planned Moscow trip on hold.
Trump's Russian diesel deal draws bipartisan fire
Trump announced Friday that Putin agreed to supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel immediately and another 500,000 tons in November, with US sanctions on Russian fuel exports suspended for six months. Seven senators, four of them Republicans (Tillis, Collins, Murkowski and Curtis), demanded he "immediately reverse course." They said the deal contradicts the 2022 ban on Russian energy imports and that the administration skipped the consultation and justification the law requires. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration is within its authority and called European critics "hypocritical." Analysts say the volume is too small and too slow to ship to lower diesel prices meaningfully, and Russia suspended its own diesel exports this month because of refinery damage. Trump has also said it is "time for Ukraine to get a new president," drawing support for Zelenskyy from Germany, Canada, Britain and the EU.
Data centers become targets as Ukraine hits Yandex again
A Ukrainian drone attack knocked a Russian data center offline Sunday, the third strike on Yandex facilities this week, forcing the company to suspend operations at its Vladimir site. Russia and Ukraine have traded strikes on digital infrastructure in recent weeks, causing major outages on both sides. Iranian strikes hit data centers in Bahrain and the UAE earlier this year. Analysts warn that modern warfare no longer separates military targets from commercial infrastructure.
Houthi missile strikes on Riyadh airport kill at least 12 and escalate the Yemen war
A Houthi missile hit King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, killing at least 12 people and wounding more than 300. It was the deadliest attack on Saudi soil in over a decade. A second strike on Sunday hit Terminal 4, killing a Pakistani resident and wounding 11, while the Houthis declared Saudi airports a "theater of operations" for their forces, excluding Mecca and Medina. Saudi Arabia has vowed a "decisive" response, and Trump said he is weighing joining Saudi strikes against the Houthis. The US, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand have urged citizens to avoid travel to the kingdom. Heavy clashes are also reported near the strategic city of Taiz, and Saudi Arabia is reported to be running low on air-defense interceptors.
Iran calls US response to peace proposal "inadequate" as Hormuz attacks mount
Iran says the US accepted some of its peace terms but that Washington's latest reply is insufficient, and a senior official warned of attacks on regional data centers and cables if fighting resumes. Iran's foreign minister told his Saudi counterpart that Tehran could help broker talks between Riyadh and the Houthis. More than a dozen strikes on shipping since late September have cut oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz and kept crude above $100. CENTCOM says a US jet disabled a cargo ship trying to run the American blockade of Iran. Trump says he will not attack Iran before the November 3 midterms.
Israeli election campaign rocked by leaks and investigations
With the election set for October 27, police reportedly suspect Netanyahu's top aide Tzachi Braverman improperly took about 30 classified records on pre-October 7 security discussions, apparently to shape the narrative of the attack. Separately, leaked WhatsApp messages from adviser Jonatan Urich show close coordination with Channel 12 analyst Amit Segal, who advised on campaign messaging; Urich confirmed he was hacked. In Netanyahu's corruption trial, former attorney general Avichai Mandelblit admitted he did not approve every police action or review the full indictment. Netanyahu also demanded criminal probes of the soldiers who gave anonymous testimony to the documentary "NAZA," which draws on 24 Israeli sources who say the military used AI systems to kill Palestinians in Gaza.
Judge halts taxpayer-funded Trump ads
Judge Jennifer Rochon of the Southern District of New York granted a temporary restraining order Sunday, blocking further airings of the administration's publicly funded ads promoting President Trump. The suit was brought by Common Cause and Democracy Forward, and the order runs two weeks with a hearing set for October 13. The government said about $19 million of a $20 million allocation from Customs and Border Protection has already been spent. The judge found the plaintiffs likely to succeed in arguing the ads violate restrictions on publicity and propaganda. The White House says it will not reimburse the money already spent, despite Trump's pledge to pay for the ads himself.
Justice Department opens antitrust probe of five TV networks
The Justice Department has launched a formal antitrust investigation into ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News over their conduct in the White House press pool. After the White House barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico and stripped passes from more than 70 journalists, the other networks agreed not to substitute for CNN in the pool. The department says group boycotts among competitors can violate the Sherman Act. Press-freedom groups called the move an attempt to intimidate journalists. A federal judge has temporarily restored the passes and is due to rule more fully by Tuesday evening.
Trump and Rubio weigh firing ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle
Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are considering dismissing the US ambassador to Greece, with a decision likely this week. Reports allege she accepted lavish gifts and sought money in exchange for access to administration figures before her confirmation. A former donor says she texted him asking for $100,000 to pay off a credit card days before her Senate confirmation, and her lawyer disputes the messages' authenticity. A senior official said the two men are "extremely pissed off," partly because the reports surfaced during Rubio's Athens speech.
Poland arrests man over alleged plot to kill Prime Minister Tusk
Police arrested a man Sunday after receiving information about a plan to assassinate Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. Tusk thanked police for "fast and decisive action." The arrest comes as Poland is on high alert after a series of school stabbings this week and fears of a Russian hybrid attack meant to weaken Western support for Ukraine. NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, US Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, is due to warn Russia at a Warsaw security conference that the alliance can counter any attack.
UK prime minister Burnham says Russia interfered in Brexit vote
Andy Burnham said it is "clear" Russia interfered in the 2016 referendum, telling a podcast he asked the question on entering Downing Street and received confirmation. He said he wanted to help voters in France and Germany understand that "some of this politics is instigated via our enemies." Boris Johnson said in 2020 there was no evidence of interference, and Russia has denied meddling. Burnham will also make a Commons statement on returning from recess urging closer ties with the EU, calling a failure to seek a better deal a "major dereliction of duty."
IFS warns budget will be a "work of fiction" without plan for £35bn pressures
The Institute for Fiscal Studies told Chancellor John Healey that the Middle East war's inflationary damage forces a choice. He must either top up current spending plans or impose deep real-terms cuts by the end of the decade. The thinktank urged key decisions now rather than next year. Separately, UK van drivers face a combined extra £2.5bn in diesel costs this year as prices hit records, and campaigners want the planned fuel duty rise scrapped.
BBC investigation finds documents falsified to evade tax on Abramovich's wealth
Working with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, BBC Panorama found backdated paperwork that made the Russian oligarch's yachts and mansions disappear from accounts. The investigation says Deloitte advisers helped conceal his wealth.
French centre-left picks Glucksmann for 2027 presidential race
Raphaël Glucksmann won the left's primary with 66.13% of the vote, positioning himself as the main alternative to hard-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon. A cyberattack disrupted the vote.
India's "Cockroach" youth protests challenge Modi
Delhi police closed six metro stations Monday ahead of an opposition march to the Supreme Court. The protests target a voter-list revision that has removed more than 130 million voters since last year, which critics call politically motivated. Authorities detained thousands over the weekend before a court ordered the release of movement founder Abhijeet Dipke and two other leaders, who vowed to continue. The protesters demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, while the BJP and Election Commission deny manipulation.
Pakistan suspends Imran Khan's party government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
President Asif Ali Zardari declared a state of emergency in the northwestern province, suspending its PTI-led government. The federal government says provincial authorities failed to fight Islamist militancy. A PTI spokesperson called the move "more of a coup disguised as emergency." It follows a week of marches by Khan's supporters demanding his release.
North Korea fires ballistic missiles after Seoul's hypersonic test
It was North Korea's fourth launch in October, and South Korea called it a "show of force" responding to Seoul's successful hypersonic missile test. Tensions are also elevated over border landmine explosions that injured three South Korean soldiers last month.
Air strike kills at least 72 at Sudan gold mine near Egypt border
A Sudanese rights group, Emergency Lawyers, said at least 72 prospectors were killed Saturday and more than 50 injured. It blamed Egypt's air force, which has issued no comment, and the account has not been independently verified.
Migrant boat disaster off Djibouti kills at least 139
The IOM said a boat carrying more than 300 mostly Ethiopian migrants to Yemen capsized near Obock, killing at least 139, including 15 children, with 84 still missing. More than 80 survivors are being treated at an IOM center. The boat is believed to have been overcrowded, and the toll may rise as unverified burials are confirmed.
Hurricane Simon, Isaias aftermath and Rachel hit the Americas
Category 4 Hurricane Simon, with winds of about 140 mph, is running parallel to Mexico's Pacific coast near Puerto Vallarta, bringing heavy rain and wind. Puerto Vallarta's airport has suspended operations, and President Sheinbaum urged residents of Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán and Nayarit to shelter. In the US, Hurricane Isaias killed at least four people and left roughly 396,000 customers without power across the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama. Waves from Post-Tropical Storm Rachel forced evacuations of beachfront homes in Long Beach, California.
El Niño sets Pacific temperature record
Copernicus said sea surface temperatures in a key Pacific monitoring region hit a record 29.70C in September. Forecasters expect the pattern, which raises drought and flood risks, to become the strongest ever recorded this year.
Pope Leo XIV to undergo lung surgery
The 71-year-old pope said a nodule was found "at a very early stage" and is well localized. He will have it removed at Rome's Gemelli Hospital in the first days of the week, with about a week of recovery expected. The Vatican has not said whether it is cancerous. Leo is scheduled to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17.
Russell Brand's rape and sexual assault trial begins
The 51-year-old faces three counts of rape, one of indecent assault and three of sexual assault involving six women, with the charges dating to the start of his career. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial opens Monday in London.
Emirati prosecutors link Flydubai hijack suspect's radicalization to Melbourne
The UAE attorney general said the 29-year-old Omani co-pilot's "drift towards extremism" began while he studied at RMIT University in Melbourne in 2017. Samir Mohtadi, known as Abu Hamza, leads a Melbourne Islamic community centre prosecutors linked to the suspect, and he rejected "false accusations" in a video. Neither he nor the centre is accused of wrongdoing.