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Trump’s Russian diesel deal draws bipartisan criticism in Congress

Trump says he struck a deal with Putin to import Russian diesel to lower U.S. fuel prices. Lawmakers say it could support Russia’s war in Ukraine and violate U.S. law.

“The harm to the Ukrainians is real”
William Taylorformer U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and Atlantic Council senior fellow

Los Angeles moves to make some nitrous oxide sales a crime

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a ban on cannabis and tobacco retailers selling or distributing nitrous oxide. The mayor plans to sign it, and violations could bring jail time.

Katie Zacharia begins term as White House press secretary

Katie Zacharia is starting her term as White House press secretary. President Trump said she will hold an introductory news conference Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.

Trump’s plan to import Russian diesel draws bipartisan criticism

Trump says Russia will supply diesel to help ease high fuel prices, but seven senators say the plan conflicts with a 2022 ban on Russian energy imports.

Judge orders halt to taxpayer-funded ads promoting Trump

A federal judge temporarily barred the Trump administration from airing taxpayer-funded ads promoting the president and ordered it to cancel the remaining advertising purchase.

Trump says he may meet North Korea's Kim in November

Trump said he may meet Kim Jong Un during a November trip to Asia, which includes stops in Manila and Shenzhen. No meeting has been confirmed.

Federal agents search Ilhan Omar’s Washington home

Agents searched the home of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. Omar called the search political intimidation; no charges against her were announced.

Federal agents searched the Washington home of Ilhan Omar, a Democratic member of Congress from Minnesota.

The Justice Department said the search was carried out under a court-authorised warrant as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, but did not name Omar or explain the investigation.

News reports linked the search to a fraud inquiry about immigration paperwork filed by Omar’s late father when she was a child; officials have not confirmed that link.

Omar, who came to the United States from Somalia as a child, said the search was an attempt to target political opponents.

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Elon Musk gives more than $276 million to Republican groups since July

Musk has donated more than $276 million to Republican groups since July, making him the biggest known donor of the 2026 midterm elections. The largest share went to a group backing Republican Senate candidates.

Musk said he planned to do less political spending in the future.

Musk gave more than $276 million to Republican groups.

News outlets reported the newly disclosed donations, ahead of a federal filing deadline.

Political committees are due to report their third-quarter finances.

Republicans face elections as they seek to hold their congressional majorities.

Former DOGE staff raise at least $500 million for private firms

At least two dozen former DOGE staff have moved into private businesses, and firms they co-founded or invested in have raised at least $500 million.

Funding raised
At least $500 million
Former staffers identified
At least two dozen
DOGE operating period
January 20 to July 4, 2025
DOGE claimed savings
$215 billion

US archbishop urges Catholic soldiers to avoid planned Hasan execution

Archbishop Timothy Broglio told Catholic service members to seek exemption from the planned firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan, which the Pentagon wants to livestream in December.

Archbishop Timothy Broglio Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Purpose of public broadcast

Broglio questioned the value of broadcasting the execution and said it could harm the military’s reputation.

Hegseth said making the event public would help people understand the serious consequences of such acts.

Participation by Catholic service members

Broglio urged Catholics assigned to the firing squad to request exemption because participation would violate Church teaching.

Hegseth described using military members to carry out the execution; the sources do not state his view on religious exemptions.

Tillis says Trump’s Russian diesel deal may break the law

Senator Thom Tillis says Trump’s decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel may violate US law. Tillis says the move could affect his support for year-end funding.

World

Drones hit two ships off Bulgaria; one sinks and 11 crew are missing

Two cargo ships were hit by drones in the Black Sea off Bulgaria. One sank, leaving 11 crew members missing, while all 15 people aboard the other ship were rescued.

“This is absolutely unacceptable: yet another attack in close proximity to Bulgaria’s territorial waters”
Rumen RadevBulgarian prime minister

Nuremberg airport suspends flights after aviation emergency alert

Nuremberg airport in Germany suspended flights after an unclear aviation emergency was reported. Police said an aircraft landed safely, and the cause is under investigation.

Two Turkish citizens detained in Germany over fire at Polish Starlink station

German police detained two Turkish citizens suspected of setting fire to a Starlink station in central Poland. Polish officials say they will face sabotage charges in Poland.

Court orders new hearing in case over passport error that stopped family’s Thailand trip

A passport error listing a child’s sex incorrectly stopped a Krasnodar family from travelling to Thailand. A court overturned earlier rulings and sent the compensation case back for a new hearing.

Hezbollah to offer up to $14,000 to Lebanese families with destroyed homes

Hezbollah says it will pay eligible Lebanese families whose primary homes were destroyed or made uninhabitable in the war with Israel, with payments spread over a year.

Polish foreign minister says a European army could form by 2030

Radosław Sikorski said a joint European force could be formed by 2030, possibly limited to the Baltic states and the eastern flank.

MI5 chief warns Iran and Russia are stepping up threats to Britain

MI5 chief Ken McCallum said Iran is seeking to target harder sites, including military locations, while Russia is increasing hybrid operations against Ukraine’s allies. He also warned that AI could help terrorists develop biological weapons.

MI5 chief Ken McCallum warned of growing state threats to Britain in a speech in London on Tuesday.

He said Iran had shifted towards targeting harder sites, including military locations, although he could not discuss an investigation into a suspected plot involving RAF Fairford.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Tehran was highly likely to be behind that suspected plot, but Iran has denied involvement.

McCallum said Iran-linked operations had led to more than 50 arrests over the past year.

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Eight people injured in stabbing at Incheon supermarket

A man stabbed eight people at a supermarket in Incheon, South Korea. Police detained the suspect and are investigating the attack.

A man attacked people with knives while moving on an escalator in the supermarket building.

Shoppers subdued the suspect, and police arrested him.

France boards Russia-linked tanker in Indian Ocean

French forces boarded the DF Peak, a sanctioned oil tanker suspected of using a false flag and carrying fuel illicitly. The vessel is being escorted to Réunion for further checks.

Vessel
DF Peak
Location
More than 450 nautical miles south of Réunion
Flag
Benin
EU sanctions status
Listed among the EU-sanctioned ships

UK says Iran was highly likely behind RAF Fairford security incident

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Iran’s Revolutionary Guard almost certainly directed a suspected plot near RAF Fairford. Britain has sanctioned two people and says further sanctions may follow.

UK government Iranian government

Responsibility

Burnham said the incident was highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran and almost certainly directed by the IRGC.

Iran rejected any suggestion it was involved and called the accusation unfounded and malicious speculation.

Evidence

British authorities cited their assessment and said investigators found accelerants but no viable explosives in vans.

Iran called on Britain to present evidence supporting its allegations.

Zelensky says Russian strikes violated Trump’s proposed energy ceasefire

Zelensky says Russian attacks hit Ukrainian energy facilities after Trump announced a mutual pause in such strikes. Russia has not confirmed agreeing to the ceasefire.

Business

Chip stocks fall as investors weigh AI spending and Chinese competition

Chip shares fell across Asian markets after Broadcom CEO Hock Tan warned that some AI investors may not understand their bets and Chinese chipmaker CXMT reported progress on a new design.

“A lot of investors have no clue what they are investing in”
Hock TanBroadcom chief executive

Hyundai Green Food adds care support for employees’ older relatives

Hyundai Green Food has partnered with Careling to offer employees discounted home care, free hospital accompaniment and advice for caring for older family members.

APR shares slide on forecast for weaker-than-expected third-quarter profit

APR shares fell sharply in Seoul trading after an analyst forecast that its third-quarter operating profit would miss market expectations, despite revenue expected to meet them.

Shoe retailer Shoemarker joins Baemin’s shopping service

Shoemarker will begin selling shoes through Baemin’s shopping service on Oct. 14, starting with 30 stores in the Seoul metropolitan area. Baemin plans to expand the service to 50 stores by year-end.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics executive receives Industry Medal for MLCC work

Kim Wi-heon, who leads MLCC manufacturing technology at Samsung Electro-Mechanics, received an Industry Medal for work on core technologies and new products.

Lee Jae-yong’s Samsung Electronics stake rises to 1.75%

Lee Jae-yong’s stake in Samsung Electronics rose from 1.58% to 1.75%. The report gives conflicting details on whether the shares were bought or gifted by his mother.

South Korea to create 3 trillion won fund for overseas construction projects

South Korea plans a 3 trillion won fund to help companies win overseas construction work, with more support for projects that combine development, building and maintenance.

South Korea plans to create a 3 trillion won fund to help its companies win construction projects abroad.

Finance and Economy Minister Lee Hyoung-il announced the plan at a government meeting in Seoul on October 12.

The government wants to move beyond supporting individual projects and build joint investment partnerships with other countries and regions.

It also plans to encourage packages that cover development, construction and maintenance, linking overseas work with local economies.

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South Korea’s early October exports hit a record, led by chips

South Korea exported $26.1 billion in goods in the first 10 days of October, up 102% from a year earlier. Chip exports rose 170.9% and made up 46.7% of the total.

South Korea exported $26.1 billion in goods, while imports totaled $22.3 billion.

South Korea’s Customs Service reported preliminary trade figures for Oct. 1–10.

Lotte to present mobility businesses at Japan trade event

Six Lotte companies will showcase mobility technologies and services at Japan Mobility Show Bizweek 2026 in Chiba from Oct. 13 to 16, seeking global business partnerships.

Participating companies
6 Lotte affiliates
Event dates
October 13–16, 2026
Venue
Makuhari Messe, Chiba Prefecture, Japan
Exhibition concept
L.MoVE

South Korea completes first Arctic container voyage to Europe and back

The PanStar Acro completed a 50-day round trip via the Arctic. South Korea plans further trials before aiming to start regular services by 2030.

South Korean government Opposition lawmaker Kang Seung-kyoo’s office

Commercial prospects

The government plans further trial voyages and aims to launch regular service by 2030, with economic viability expected around 2040.

Kang’s office said the voyage had yet to prove commercial viability, citing cargo figures and the lack of imports.

South Korea central bank chief apologizes over warnings on leveraged ETFs

Bank of Korea Governor Shin Hyun-song said the central bank failed to give enough warning about single-stock leveraged ETFs, which were linked to market volatility.

Science & Tech

Pacific buoy recorded a 17.6-metre rogue wave nearly three times its neighbours

A buoy near Ucluelet, British Columbia, measured a 17.6-metre wave in 2020. Research published in 2026 found a possible warning signal, but precise prediction remains out of reach.

“Proportionally, the Ucluelet wave is likely the most extreme rogue wave ever recorded”
Johannes GemmrichPhysicist at the University of Victoria

Researchers try to restore California kelp forests by reintroducing sunflower sea stars

Researchers off Monterey are placing sunflower sea stars on the seafloor to help control purple sea urchins, which have consumed much of California’s kelp forests.

Mining pressures protected areas as wildlife populations decline in Africa

WWF’s Congo Basin director says mining has no place in protected areas as new analyses highlight industrial pressures and steep wildlife declines.

Maynooth Researchers Build a DNA Computer That Needs No Continuous Power

Researchers at Maynooth University built a DNA-based computer that can perform calculations without continuous electricity. It can be reused for up to 25 calculations, though it is slower than silicon computers.

Ringed barn owls will help assess wildlife-friendly farming

Barn owls on National Trust farmland are being ringed so researchers can track them and assess whether habitat measures support the birds over time.

Super El Niño strengthens to unprecedented levels, with impacts expected into 2027

The El Niño is expected to peak in December, with widespread effects later this year and into 2027. Drought and flood disruption is already being reported in several regions.

A 1960 study predicted a population doomsday for November 13, 2026

Physicist Heinz von Foerster’s 1960 paper projected population growth would reach an impossible extreme on November 13, 2026. Growth has since slowed, and population is now expected to peak later this century.

A 1960 study predicted population growth would reach infinity on November 13, 2026, which its authors described as a doomsday.

Physicist Heinz von Foerster and his colleagues at the University of Illinois based the prediction on population trends stretching back 2,000 years.

They argued that human cooperation and innovation would keep accelerating growth, rather than letting it level off as it does in other species.

That prediction was wrong: population growth has slowed, and experts say the world’s fastest growth had already occurred by the early 1960s.

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International timekeepers set to vote on ending leap seconds

The 69 member states of an international standards body are due to vote on a proposal to end leap seconds, which keep atomic time aligned with Earth’s uneven rotation.

Leap seconds began being inserted into global clocks.

A leap second crashed Reddit and LinkedIn and knocked out Qantas’ booking system.

A leap second caused brief outages or delays for some Cloudflare customers.

The 69 member states of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures are due to vote on a resolution to eliminate leap seconds.

Amazon fires and a strong El Niño threaten regional rainfall

Rising fires in Amazonas and a potentially record-strength El Niño could worsen drying in parts of the Amazon, weakening rainfall that supports farming, reservoirs and cities across Brazil.

Amazonas hotspots, October 1–10
1,380
Increase from same period in 2025
271%
INPE hotspots, September 2026
3,726
Forecast Niño 3.4 anomaly, October–December
3.7°C

Cape Town plans to relocate two baboon troops from Simon’s Town

Cape Town authorities plan to capture two baboon troops near Simon’s Town and move them to enclosures for the rest of their lives, as part of a wider change to baboon management.

Cape Town authorities Some experts

Removal

Authorities plan to capture and permanently relocate the two troops to separate enclosures.

Some experts say the removal plans are not convincing.

Urban baboon management

Authorities say a “hard reset” will allow resources to be redirected to management efforts with better outcomes.

The experts say baboons should be kept out of urban areas, but the article does not give further details of their preferred approach.

Study Finds Stem-Cell Embryo Models Do Not Fully Match Human Embryos

A University of Sydney team compared four blastoid-making methods with a map of more than 14,000 embryo cells. None fully matched natural human embryo biology.

Sports

Bills beat Rams 37-34 in overtime for Josh Allen’s first OT win

Buffalo beat Los Angeles 37-34 in overtime after Josh Allen led a late drive and Tyler Bass kicked the winning field goal. It was Allen’s first career overtime victory.

“Guys kept chipping away, defense kept going out there making plays, special teams was big tonight”
Josh AllenBills quarterback

Dolphins and Browns lead NFL teams relying on rookies

After five weeks, Miami had 14 first-year contributors, while Cleveland rookies had played 1,401 snaps. The Ravens, Giants and Chargers also ranked among the top five teams in rookie playing time.

Titans stick with Cam Ward as they face a 2027 quarterback decision

Tennessee coach Robert Saleh says Cam Ward will not be benched after the Titans fell to 0-5. His early numbers raise questions about whether the team may draft another quarterback in 2027.

Marvin Harrison Jr. trade to Houston becomes official after physical

Harrison passed his physical and is now a Houston Texan. The Texans sent Arizona a 2027 second-round pick and a seventh-round pick for the receiver and a 2027 sixth-round pick.

Rams lose to Bills and look to reset before facing Cardinals

The Rams lost 37-34 to the Bills, leaving them 2-3 despite gaining 454 yards. Puka Nacua said the team must regroup and define its identity before hosting Arizona.

Penix says he hopes to play next week after rib injury

Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix Jr. left the Falcons’ overtime loss to Baltimore with a rib injury. He said he hopes to return next week, but further tests are planned.

49ers lead Week 6 NFL power rankings as several 0-5 teams struggle

The 49ers remain No. 1 in one Week 6 ranking, while the Vikings rise and the 0-5 Chargers, Titans and Dolphins sit near the bottom.

Two Week 6 rankings assess the NFL after five weeks of the 2026 season.

One list keeps the San Francisco 49ers at No.

1, with the Kansas City Chiefs second and the Jacksonville Jaguars third.

The other ranking also puts the 49ers at the top and highlights the strength of the NFC West.

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Jaguars left tackle Anton Harrison to have knee surgery

Anton Harrison will have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee after an injury against Philadelphia. His absence could last three to five weeks or the rest of the regular season.

Harrison injured his knee during Jacksonville’s 19-17 win over Philadelphia in London.

Reports said Harrison was set to have arthroscopic knee surgery, with his recovery timeline still uncertain.

Harrison is expected to have surgery when the Jaguars return from London.

The Jaguars are scheduled to play Houston at Wembley Stadium, with Walker Little expected to start at left tackle.

49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw ejected after headbutting Seahawks player

Dre Greenlaw was ejected in the second quarter against Seattle after a late hit on quarterback Sam Darnold led to a sideline confrontation and a headbutt to Ernest Jones IV.

Suspension
One game without pay
Teams
San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks
Players involved
Dre Greenlaw and Ernest Jones IV
Game result
San Francisco won 32-29

Rams' limited investment in special teams faces renewed scrutiny

After another overtime loss, coach Sean McVay again criticized the Rams' special teams. The team has ranked near the bottom in several measures of investment in that unit.

Two players ejected after opening-kickoff fight in London

Jacksonville’s Bryan Thomas Jr. and Philadelphia’s Jeremiah Trotter Jr. were ejected after fighting during the opening kickoff. A 90-yard Jaguars return for a touchdown was called back because of penalties.

Entertainment

Van Gogh painting unseen in public for 60 years goes on display in Hong Kong

Hundreds queued in Hong Kong to see Van Gogh’s 1890 painting “Chestnut Trees in Blossom,” ahead of a New York auction on November 18 where it is expected to fetch about $180 million.

“This is a moment of extraordinary optimism, frenetic energy, enthusiasm, passion, and colour in the artist's body of work”
Scott NiichelSotheby’s modern and contemporary art department in New York

Reece Weaver Extends Her Broadway Run in Chicago Through Nov. 15

Reece Weaver will play Roxie Hart in Broadway’s Chicago for two more weeks, through Nov. 15. She will also join the musical’s 30th-anniversary celebration on Nov. 16.

Renata de Almeida’s book looks back on São Paulo’s film festival

Renata de Almeida’s memoir recounts her life with the São Paulo International Film Festival, from its early challenges to encounters with filmmakers from around the world.

Jacob Tierney’s Book Offers a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Heated Rivalry

The creator of Heated Rivalry has released a collection of annotated scripts and behind-the-scenes material, and discussed how he adapted the hockey romance for television.

Prado opens first exhibition of artist Ricardo de Madrazo's work

Madrid’s Prado Museum has opened an exhibition of drawings, watercolors and personal documents by Ricardo de Madrazo, long overshadowed by his famous artistic family. It runs until January 17, 2027.

Vari Caramés wins Spain’s 2026 National Photography Award

The Spanish Culture Ministry has awarded photographer Vari Caramés the 2026 National Photography Award and its €30,000 prize, recognizing his contribution to artistic photography and Galician culture.

‘Hétero Sigilo’ uses a personal attack to examine gay concealment and masculinity

In a one-man show, Brazilian actor Bernardo Dugin draws on a homophobic attack in Nova Friburgo to explore hiding one’s sexuality and the pressures of masculinity.

Brazilian actor Bernardo Dugin performs a one-man show about hiding his sexuality in “Hétero Sigilo.”

The show grew from a 2023 incident in Nova Friburgo, where a priest made homophobic remarks about Dugin and his partner during a church service.

That attack prompts a wider account of Dugin’s childhood in religious schools and the silence he used to protect himself.

The performance also mocks gay men’s dating-app language and the pressure to appear conventionally masculine.

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Xosé López García wins Galicia’s 2027 Diego Bernal journalism prize

The Association of Journalists of Galicia unanimously chose Xosé López García for the 2027 prize, citing his nearly five decades in journalism, teaching and research.

López began coordinating the Novos medios research group.

The University of Santiago de Compostela awarded López one of its Insignias Fonseca.

López taught his final class at the university, according to El Correo Gallego.

The Association of Journalists of Galicia announced that its board had unanimously awarded López the 2027 Diego Bernal prize.

Robert Zandvliet moves from everyday objects to large nature paintings

Robert Zandvliet first became known for paintings that captured everyday objects. He now paints nature on very large canvases.

Artist
Robert Zandvliet
Earlier subjects
Everyday objects, including a hairpin and chocolate
Current subject
Nature
Work
Stage of Being II

A roundup examines 14 inaccurate adaptations of Greek mythology

A new roundup names 14 films, books, games and shows it says depart from Greek myths, while noting that inaccuracy does not necessarily make them bad.

Kolkata paints roads with alpona designs ahead of Durga Puja

Kolkata’s roads and crossings are being decorated with traditional alpona designs as part of a city beautification drive ahead of Durga Puja.

Health

Muscle and liver cells may retain benefits of past exercise

Research suggests muscle and liver cells retain a memory of exercise after training stops. This may help people regain fitness faster when they return to exercise.

“At the cellular level, you probably weren’t.”
ResearchersExercise physiologists

France’s flu and COVID vaccination campaign starts October 13

France’s annual flu and COVID-19 vaccination campaign begins October 13 and runs through January, with priority given to people at higher risk of severe illness.

World Health Summit calls for more funding for pandemic prevention

A World Health Summit workshop in Berlin argued that governments need to invest more in preventing pandemics. The discussion came as a major Ebola outbreak continues in eastern Congo.

Drinking water helps prevent dehydration but does not directly lower blood sugar

A diabetes educator says water can help prevent dehydration from worsening high blood sugar, but it does not lower glucose or replace prescribed treatment.

Epilepsy Drug Shows Promise for Osteoarthritis in Early Tests

Yale researchers found that lacosamide reduced pain and supported cartilage repair in mouse tests and human cartilage cells. The drug still needs testing in people with osteoarthritis.

More than 20,000 people in Yakutia received remote health monitoring

Since the start of 2026, 20,051 people with chronic conditions in Yakutia have had their health monitored remotely using devices that send medical data to health workers.

Sixth measles-related death reported in Pennsylvania

A 39-year-old unvaccinated woman in Franklin County is the sixth person reported to have died in Pennsylvania amid the state’s largest measles outbreak in three decades.

A 39-year-old woman in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, has been reported as the state’s sixth measles-related death in less than two months.

The woman was unvaccinated and had underlying medical conditions, the county coroner’s office said.

The coroner’s spokesperson said the probable cause was an acute cardiac event that may have resulted from measles complications.

Pennsylvania has confirmed 1,136 measles cases and 219 hospitalizations, with two-thirds of cases in adults.

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Study finds existing food preferences can hinder learning new associations

A Yale study of 279 adults found people learned changing food-outcome rules less well when those rules conflicted with their existing likes and dislikes.

Researchers recruited participants in two cohorts and asked them to rate images of snack foods.

The study was reported by News-Medical and Infobae.

Italy to allocate €8 million over two years for heat plan

Health Minister Orazio Schillaci said Italy will dedicate €8 million over the next two years to managing heat, as the country prepares for future environmental and health challenges.

Funding
€8 million
Duration
Next two years
Announced by
Orazio Schillaci
Event
Heatwaves and health – Summer 2026 report and future prospects

Exercise may improve mood and quality of life during menopause, study finds

A review of 12 trials involving more than 1,000 women found that aerobic exercise and activities such as yoga were linked to better mood or quality of life during menopause.

Asti healthy ageing project presented as European good practice

A health authority in Asti presented its Communit-Action project in Vilnius, where it was recognised as a European good practice for supporting healthy and active ageing.