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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

JP Morgan raises Apple price target to $360 despite iPhone demand concerns

JP Morgan raised its Apple price target from $340 to $360, saying reported iPhone 18 Pro production cuts may reflect normal adjustments. It expects the iPhone Duo to help offset a delayed base-model launch.

“there is nothing beyond the typical production adjustments Apple makes every year.”
JP Morgan analystsAnalysts

Apple reportedly cuts iPhone 18 Pro parts orders amid weaker demand

Apple has reportedly asked suppliers to reduce parts production for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. One account puts October order cuts at 15% to 20%.

Mike Tomlin shares a 12-year Minecraft city project

The former Pittsburgh Steelers coach has launched a YouTube channel to show a sprawling city he built in Minecraft over 12 years.

Sushi-Con 2026 draws crowds to New York expo

More than 60 companies took part in Sushi-Con 2026 in New York, where visitors sampled Japanese foods and watched a bluefin tuna-cutting show.

AI Cited in Nearly 192,000 US Job Cuts Since 2023

Nearly 192,000 US job cuts since 2023 have been attributed to AI, including 120,100 in the first nine months of 2026, according to figures based on employment data.

IMF sees US inflation rising in 2026 before easing in 2027

The IMF forecasts US inflation at 3.6% in 2026 and 2.8% in 2027, with underlying inflation not returning to its 2% target until mid-2028.

UnitedHealth raises its profit forecast again as turnaround efforts advance

UnitedHealth raised its profit forecast again as its turnaround efforts gathered pace. No forecast figure or further details were provided.

UnitedHealth has raised its profit forecast again.

The company’s turnaround efforts are gathering pace, according to the headline.

A profit forecast is an estimate of how much profit a company expects to make.

The headline gives no new forecast figure or details about the changes behind the increase.

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Bumble reportedly in advanced talks for a $1bn takeover

Bumble shares rose almost 50% after a report that technology holding company Ithaca is in advanced talks to buy the dating app firm for around $1bn.

Whitney Wolfe Herd launched Bumble.

Bumble listed on Nasdaq and later reached a market value of more than $14bn.

A report said Bumble was in advanced takeover talks, and its shares rose almost 50%.

Ithaca could announce a deal to buy Bumble, according to the Wall Street Journal report cited by the BBC.

Warner Music sues Ray-Ban owner over alleged use of its music in ads

Warner Music Group sued Luxottica and affiliated companies, alleging they used at least 427 Warner works in social media marketing without licenses or payment.

Works cited
At least 427 Warner-controlled works
Defendants
Luxottica Group S.p.A. and five affiliated companies
Court
US District Court for the Southern District of New York
Followers
36.14 million combined social media followers, according to Warner’s law firm

Starbucks denies plans to buy Chipotle

Starbucks said it is not planning to buy Chipotle, contradicting a Financial Times report that it had been working on a possible offer. Starbucks shares rose after the denial, while Chipotle shares fell.

Starbucks Financial Times report

Takeover plans

Starbucks said it was not buying Chipotle.

The Financial Times reported that Starbucks had worked on a takeover offer.

Bison plans first drilling at Nevada’s Bald Peaks gold-silver target

Bison Resources has filed a notice for seven drill pads at Bald Peaks in Nevada. It is targeting a December 2026 start, after rock-chip assay results are due by the end of October.

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

Four Chunichi Dragons coaches to leave after the season

Chunichi announced that four coaches, including Nobuhiko Matsunaka and Eiji Ochiai, will leave the Japanese baseball team at the end of the season.

Brewers and Guardians win League Championship Series games

The Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Guardians each won a League Championship Series game. William Contreras hit a fifth-inning home run for Milwaukee against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Hanwha Eagles appoint national team coach Ryu Ji-hyun as manager

The Hanwha Eagles named Ryu Ji-hyun their new manager on a three-year contract worth 2 billion won, after Kim Kyung-moon’s contract ended.

“I am grateful to the club for entrusting me with the management of a good team like the Hanwha Eagles.”
Ryu Ji-hyunHanwha Eagles manager

Braves update focuses on Austin Riley and acquiring arms

An Atlanta Braves update is centered on Austin Riley, acquiring arms and other team topics, but gives no details about specific moves or developments.

Will the Dodgers bench Shohei Ohtani in the NLCS?

A story raises the question of whether the Dodgers will bench Shohei Ohtani in the NLCS but gives no answer or supporting details.

Dodgers’ bid for a third straight title is in danger

The Dodgers’ attempt to win a third straight title is in serious danger as they face the Brewers in the National League Championship Series.

Ramirez and Contreras lead 2026 league championship MVP odds

Jose Ramirez and William Contreras are favored for the ALCS and NLCS MVP awards, respectively, after strong performances in the opening games.

Jose Ramirez and William Contreras are favored for the American League and National League Championship Series MVP awards, respectively, according to odds listed on Oct.

13.

The awards go to players for their performances in the league championship series, which determine who advances to the World Series.

Ramirez helped Cleveland beat Tampa Bay in Game 1 of the ALCS with three hits and a late RBI single.

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Rays look to level ALCS against Guardians in Game 2

Cleveland beat Tampa Bay 7-3 in Game 1 of the ALCS. The Rays host Game 2 on Tuesday, with Freddy Peralta set to start.

Cleveland beat Tampa Bay 7-3 in Game 1 of the ALCS.

The teams are scheduled to meet in Game 2 at 8 p.m. ET.

Brewers beat Dodgers 7-4 to take 2-0 lead in NL Championship Series

William Contreras hit a tying home run and drove in the go-ahead run as Milwaukee beat Los Angeles 7-4. The Brewers now lead the best-of-seven series 2-0.

Final score
Brewers 7, Dodgers 4
Series score
Brewers lead 2-0
Contreras home run
436 feet, in the fifth inning
Brewers hits
12

Guardians rally from two runs down to beat Rays 7-3 in ALCS opener

Cleveland scored five runs over the final four innings to beat Tampa Bay 7-3 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.

Rumors swirl around the Colorado Rockies

A headline says rumors around the Colorado Rockies are widespread, but gives no details about what they concern.

Entertainment

RimWorld moves to its own engine, with faster performance and saves intact

Update 1.7 moves RimWorld from Unity to Ludeon Studios’ Waylith Engine. The studio says it runs two to four times faster, and existing saves and most mods still work.

“We’re announcing update 1.7, which moves RimWorld from Unity to the Waylith Engine, our own in-house engine built by Ludeon Studios.”
Ludeon StudiosRimWorld developer

Chandler Riggs Makes Resident Evil 7 Fan Film and Seeks Cregger Collaboration

The Walking Dead actor Chandler Riggs made a 20-minute fan film based on Resident Evil 7 and says he would welcome working with director Zach Cregger on another film in the franchise.

Ben Affleck says he spent three years playing StarCraft after becoming famous

Ben Affleck said on a podcast that he stayed home and played StarCraft for three years after becoming famous. He also described playing other games before and after that period.

Peak, the co-op climbing game, is rated for release on PS5

Peak, a climbing game made by Aggro Crab and Landfall Games, has received a PS5 age rating from the ESRB, pointing to a console release.

Marvel Tōkon reveals four Year One DLC fighters

Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls will add Phoenix Cyclops, Jane Foster as Thor, Venom and Jubilee, along with a new Klyntar stage. The additions are due from November 2026 through summer 2027.

Haunted Chocolatier will focus more on action than Stardew Valley

Creator Eric Barone says his next game will emphasize adventuring, equipment and combat while keeping its town-game feel. It has no release date.

God of War Laufey Collector’s Box Will Not Include the Game

The God of War Laufey Collector’s Box includes a statue, cards and an art book, but no copy of the game. The UK price is £130; the US version has not been announced.

God of War Laufey’s Collector’s Box will not include the game it is themed around.

The box contains a light-up statue, a 51-card deck and a mini art book.

The UK edition is priced at £130, while the US price has not yet been announced.

Buyers who want to play will need to purchase the game separately; the US price is not given.

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Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii makes interrogation game with AI in about 30 minutes

Yuji Horii shared a short, text-based game in which players question a suspect. He said AI helped him make it in about 30 minutes, without drawing or programming.

Horii released The Portopia Serial Murder Case.

Horii shared his new game in a post on X.

Horii said he spent about this long making the game with AI.

Free browser game simulates lives shaped by chance and statistics

A free browser game called 80億分の1 lets players experience a simulated life in a randomly chosen country, using statistics from 141 countries. It has drawn attention on social media.

Statistical coverage
Data from 141 countries
Languages
Japanese, English and Korean
Price
Free to play in a browser
Initial development
About four hours from the first AI prompt to release of the initial version

Glen Schofield says Krafton made him release The Callisto Protocol early

Glen Schofield says Krafton withdrew three promised months of development time during the pandemic, forcing his team to release The Callisto Protocol in December 2022 with problems still unresolved.

Glen Schofield Krafton

Development time

Schofield said Krafton promised three extra months and then withdrew them, forcing the game to ship.

Schofield said Krafton thought the game was a complete failure; Krafton’s own account is not included in the sources.

Management and development

Schofield said many of the studio’s problems were caused by Korean management.

Schofield said Krafton required a PlayStation 4 version, which he said would cost an extra $20 million; the sources do not include Krafton’s response.

Planet Zoo 2 adds birds, fish and conservation, but menus frustrate

Planet Zoo 2 expands its zoo-management game with birds, fish and wildlife reserves, but its fiddly menus and constant management tasks make play frustrating.

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.