It is high time Ukraine found itself a new representative to negotiate peace with Russia, US President Donald Trump has said, adding that Vladimir Zelensky “doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” He also stated that he was ready to discuss a resolution to the conflict with Russia and China.

The statement comes amid a deepening rift between Trump and Zelensky over the Ukrainian military’s continued targeting of Russian refineries at a time when the American president has struck a deal with Moscow aimed at reining in skyrocketing global energy prices through Russian diesel exports.

“Zelensky’s a man that should have this war settled a long time ago,” Trump told reporters on Monday when asked about the Ukrainian leader’s criticism of his deal with President Vladimir Putin.

The agreement between Trump and Putin, reached earlier this month, involved the US easing restrictions on Moscow’s diesel exports and waiving the “bone-crushing” sanctions, including 500% tariffs on imports from Russia and 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, in exchange for Moscow supplying diesel to the global market and potentially to the US as well.

Kiev has continued to target Russian oil infrastructure despite repeated requests by Trump to curb the attacks, which he blames for surging global energy prices. On Monday, the US president reiterated that Kiev was acting ungratefully towards America.

When asked if he would be ready to negotiate a settlement of the Ukraine conflict with Moscow and Beijing, without Zelensky present, Trump said he just wanted the conflict to end and would do “anything I can do to end the war, whether somebody is there or not.”

Earlier on Monday, the Kremlin said that Putin, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could potentially meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit next month.

Trump’s remarks on Monday follow a series of similar statements he has made in recent days. Over the weekend, the American president accused Zelensky of being unwilling to ever end the conflict. “He doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did,” Trump stated at the time.

Elon Musk has pledged to give every child in the United States a share of his SpaceX company next year, in a massive giveaway potentially worth more than $10 billion that has earned praise from President Donald Trump.

The world’s richest man, whose fortune is estimated at around $1 trillion, announced the initiative on Monday, saying it would be the beginning of a broader effort to distribute his wealth. The announcement comes as Musk deepens his political and financial support for Trump and the Republican Party ahead of November’s midterm elections.

“Next year, I will give one of my SpaceX shares to every kid in America,” Musk wrote on X. “This will be the first of many.”

Next year, I will give one of my SpaceX shares to every kid in America. This will be the first of many.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 19, 2026

With approximately 73 million children under 18 in the US and SpaceX shares closing at $147.97 on Monday, up 1.33%, the promised giveaway could be worth around $10.8 billion.

Trump enthusiastically welcomed the announcement, saying the shares would be distributed through government-backed investment accounts established under his administration.

Trump said the initiative demonstrated how the private sector could help invest in America’s future and “give every American Child a piece of the American Dream.”

The so-called Trump Accounts are tax-advantaged investment vehicles designed to help children build savings from an early age. Under the program, the federal government provides $1,000 in seed funding for eligible children born between 2025 and 2028, while parents, employers and private donors can make additional contributions.

The pledge follows an announcement by rival artificial intelligence company Anthropic that it would commit 5% of its equity to a new public benefit fund. Musk responded by recommending that companies distribute shares directly to ordinary people.

Musk and Trump publicly feuded last year over the president’s spending legislation but have since reconciled, with the billionaire emerging as a major financial backer of the Republican midterm campaign. According to the New York Times, Musk has donated more than $276 million to Republican groups since July, bringing his political contributions during the 2025–2026 election cycle to approximately $366 million.

Elon Musk has quietly forked out more than $400 million to Republican organizations since July, making him the largest known donor of the 2026 midterm elections. But can money alone buy the midterms?

The windfall represents a change in tune from May 2025, when Musk, in the middle of a political feud with President Donald Trump, grumbled, “In terms of political spending, I’m going to do a lot less in the future.”

The donations come at a critical time for the Republicans who are struggling in the popularity polls amid a sluggish economy, political infighting, and an on-again, off-again war with Iran, a potential quagmire that has the MAGA crowd furious. Nevertheless, the slush fund is helping Republicans, who currently control both the House of Representatives and the Senate as part of the 119th United States Congress, to purchase pricey late-campaign advertising. Meanwhile, the Democrats have no billionaires in their corner who can match Musk’s financial power.

The biggest Musk payout was awarded to the Senate Leadership Fund, the primary super PAC that supports Republican Senate candidates. Musk lavished the organization with nearly $200 million over the summer, which was a quarterly record for one donor at the group and more than its Democratic counterpart raised from all sources in the same quarter.

America PAC spends most of its midterm budget on door-to-door canvassing and intensive field operations. PAC officials said nearly 3,000 paid canvassers worked across the country last month, and knocked on 6.5 million doors in seven Senate battlegrounds and nearly three dozen House races. The mission focuses on registering and turning out conservative voters, especially those who vote irregularly, a more difficult objective in a midterm year without Trump leading the ballot.

The PAC’s messaging focuses on socialism and transgender policy, hot button topics for their Democratic rivals. Its canvassers are focusing on connections between Democratic candidates to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, two highly controversial figures who are members of the Democratic Socialists of America. Never before have socialists held such high positions in the US and that has many Americans vexed. At the same time, its best-known advertisement in Texas features Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, who remarked in 2021 that God is “nonbinary.”

“If Democrats take control of Washington and win key gubernatorial and attorney general races this November, then America risks becoming a socialist, woke and borderless country,” America PAC spokesman Andrew Romeo told reporters in a recent interview. “These robust investments have allowed the G.O.P. apparatus to get its message out so Republicans can have a fighting chance to defy history.”

In other spending sprees, from July through September, Musk gave $20 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund, $10 million to the Republican Governors Association, and $2 million to the Republican Attorneys General Association.

The Republicans, especially Trump, owe a lot to the world’s first trillionaire. Musk endorsed Trump for the 2024 presidential election and became one of his largest political donors, reportedly spending hundreds of millions backing him and other Republican candidates. Trump returned the favor by putting Musk in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to slash federal spending.

The seemingly unbreakable relationship between Trump and Musk collapsed after the US president pushed through his One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Musk has called a “disgusting abomination,” “debt slavery,” and “political suicide.” The fracture between the two men was so serious that Musk went on to create the America Party to challenge the two-party system.

Today, Musk, apart from funneling massive amounts of money into Republican campaign coffers, has remained on the sidelines of the political process to devote more time to his various business ventures. His dream of a third party has also been put on hold as he did not file formal registration paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to legally establish the America Party.

In the meantime, the native of South Africa will have to wait and see if his vast funds can make a difference in one of the most momentous midterm elections in history.

Fyodor Dostoevsky, the great 19th century Russian author of ‘Crime and Punishment’, the ‘Idiot’, and ‘The Brothers Karamazov’, was a counterintuitive thinker who could have appeared on RT. That’s the opinion of Times literary supplement editor Martin Ivens who, in a piece for Bloomberg arguing against censorship of Irish author Sally Rooney in the UK, mentioned the Russian great.

The suggestion is not without merit. Dostoevsky knew persecution, famously spending ten years in Siberia, four of which were in captivity and another five in military exile having completed his initial present sentence in February 1854.

Rooney is a best-selling author who has publicly taken a stand to back Palestine Action, a group whom it is illegal to support, and about whom it is illegal to make public gestures of support in the UK. British police have made hundreds of bizarre arrests of elderly protesters holding signs supporting the group. Her books have been banned in Britain.

Ivens has used his platform in the Times Literary Supplement to highlight how Russian writers often assume the status of prophets. In his Bloomberg piece he reaffirmed that censoring literature is counter-productive and only serves to feed resentment against the mainstream already in the body politic.

However, his suggestion that Dostoevsky could appear on RT inspired us to inquire as to what topics the great man might hold forth on in 2026.

On Europe

Like many since, Dostoevsky viewed Western Europe with a complex mix of cultural admiration and affinity, moral revulsion, and spiritual anxiety. His experience in captivity – where he was subject to a mock execution – is said to have destroyed his faith in secular humanism. He argued that discarding God led to a moral chaos where “everything is permitted.” 

“Conscience without God is a terrible thing; it can stray into the depths of immorality”

He also predicted that attempts to build a so-called paradise on earth through rationalism and secularism alone would inevitably lead to political tyranny.

On the EU’s crisis

Dostoevsky would likely and emphatically make the case that Western European leaders have by now displayed a total political bankruptcy and that Western Europeans should renounce materialism and seek meaningful social relations. The riots engulfing major European capitals, and the unfettered profiteering and immigration that have given rise to such tensions, are a symptom of the malaise of the Western European mind. Forcing humanity into rationalist conformity will only lead to extreme bloodshed, he claimed.

“Starting from unlimited freedom, I arrive at unlimited despotism”

On liberalism 

Dostoevsky, would have undoubtedly lamented the emergence of the European Union as a bureaucratic bearer of so-called liberal values. He would have highlighted how his book ‘Demons’ predicted the so-called democratic deficit that characterizes the EU – a tiny, largely unelected bureaucratic elite unreachable to the regular population who are stripped of freedoms.

He would have called the Covid-19 pandemic a brutal event in the restriction of human experience.

Abandoning God and zealously attempting to replace spiritual authority with a moral relativism where everything is permitted will only lead to social and spiritual collapse, Dostoevsky believed. He would have stoutly defended the emphasis and respect for traditional values in popular Russian culture.

“The Westernizers have placed themselves above the people as a paternalistic intelligentsia, rejecting the people”

He also enjoyed the mess, and this is where he probably would’ve got into trouble with Brussels. The EU notoriously wishes to regulate everything, where Dostoevsky emphasized the irrational and fundamentally spiritual nature of human beings.

On techno-fetishism

He foresaw the loss of grace in the world and its replacement by either authoritarian Catholicism, rational individualistic Protestantism, or indeed technological fetishism. Artificial intelligence in this respect may have represented the apotheosis of his foreboding.

Similarly, Dostoevsky rejected the idea that humans could be rendered calculable and rational beings in their entirety and in that sense would undoubtedly have been horrified at the creeping legislation and legalization of everyday life.

“Human nature acts as a whole, with everything it possesses, consciously and unconsciously”

The European Union’s Digital Services Act, which allows the behemoth to interfere in the local elections of member countries, would represent such a bureaucratic and legalistic invasion. He would’ve taken a strong stand against the nullification of anti-systemic narratives but would also have emphasized that such political and authority and overreach was inevitable given the collapse of religion and morality.

Dostoevsky would have been as much energized as he would have been horrified by developments in 2026. Were he to be with us today it’s highly likely his voice would contribute to the choir of outspoken and brave commentators who make the channel what it is.

A Florida judge has issued an arrest warrant for former Cuban President Raul Castro, 95, the state’s attorney general announced on Monday. The move marks another escalation in Washington’s months-long pressure campaign against Havana.

The warrant pertains to the 1996 shooting down of two American planes operated by anti-communist Cuban exiles off Cuba’s coast. US authorities accuse Castro of ordering the attack.

“Today, we are announcing state charges against Raul Castro with an arrest warrant for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said at a press conference in Miami. Prosecutors had gathered evidence and witness testimony linking a Cuban spy network to the operation that allegedly led Castro to order the planes shot down, he said.

In February of 1996, Cuban fighter jets shot down two US planes operated by Brothers to the Rescue, a Miami-based Cuban exile group, killing four men. Havana has maintained that it acted in self-defense against aircraft that violated its airspace.

The CIA has a long history of working with Cuban exile groups against Havana, most notably during the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961. Washington imposed a broad trade embargo on Cuba the following year.

After US forces kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January, Trump imposed a near-total energy blockade of Cuba and announced that the island will be “next” in line for regime change. The restrictions have led to a widespread energy crisis and frequent blackouts in Cuba.

Russia, China, Mexico and several other nations have provided humanitarian aid to Cuba. Moscow delivered around 700,000 barrels of oil to the island in March.

Israel is threatening to turn its occupation of southern Lebanon into a permanent military presence while pursuing the so-called “Gaza model.” RT correspondent Steve Sweeney reports from Beirut on the destruction of entire villages, mass displacement and efforts to secure an Israeli withdrawal.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared over the weekend that troops would not withdraw from areas they currently control and warned that the military could advance further towards Nabatieh and the Litani River if Hezbollah launches additional attacks on Israel.

Katz claimed that more than 60 villages and 23,000 homes had been destroyed across an Israeli-controlled area of approximately 700 square km in southern Lebanon and that around 200,000 residents had been displaced. 

“All the villages have been wiped out,” he said. “This is the Gaza model, and this is the model we are implementing.” 

The reference is to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, launched in response to the Hamas-led attack in October 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. The offensive has left much of the Palestinian enclave in ruins, displaced most of its population and killed more than 74,000 people, according to local health authorities.

Fighting in Lebanon has subsided since a US-brokered ceasefire took effect in June, although Israeli strikes and demolitions have continued in the south. The UN estimated that approximately 330,000 people remained displaced as of late September.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also insisted that the IDF would remain in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed.

The latest escalation began in early March, after Hezbollah attacked Israel following the start of US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Israel responded with a major air and ground campaign.

The June agreement envisages a gradual Israeli withdrawal alongside Lebanese army deployments and the removal of Hezbollah’s weapons and infrastructure from designated areas. However, its implementation has stalled.

At least 4,389 people have been killed and 12,424 injured in Lebanon since March 2, according to recent Health Ministry figures.

“The question is whether these talks can deliver an end to occupation or whether Israel intends to make its presence in southern Lebanon a permanent reality,” Sweeney said.

Watch the full report below.

Lithuania has been stripped of the right to host stages of the 2027 Modern Pentathlon World Cup over its refusal to admit Russian and Belarusian athletes, local media reported on Monday.

The decision was reportedly made at the International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) executive board meeting earlier this month. Lithuanian Modern Pentathlon Federation President Justinas Kinderis said the move was “sad” but unsurprising, as the international body had repeatedly questioned Lithuania’s refusal to admit Russian and Belarusian competitors.

In a letter cited by Delfi, UIPM President Rob Stull said host countries must comply with International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommendations and ensure equal opportunities for athletes seeking to qualify for the 2028 Olympics.

In July, the IOC decided to provisionally lift restrictions on the Russian and Belarusian Olympic committees, potentially opening the way for their athletes to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics under national symbols. It also recommended that international sports federations let athletes from both nations enter championships.

Kinderis also criticized the UIPM for failing to understand Lithuania’s position. “We would like our many years of work organizing championships and winning medals to be respected and appreciated more. We expected simple human decency,” he told Delfi on Monday.

According to the Lithuanian federation head, the nation could also lose its right to host the 2028 World Cup stage and the junior and youth championships.

Moscow and Minsk have yet to comment on the development.

National federations have until October 25 to submit bids to host the stage that was originally scheduled to take place in the Lithuanian city of Kaunas. If no candidate comes forward, the UIPM could hold just three stages next year instead of four, according to Delfi.

Estonia has similarly lost the right to host two international sports tournaments over its hardline position on Russian and Belarusian athletes. In January, the International Fencing Federation (FIE) stripped it of the right to hold the 2026 European Fencing Championship. The next year’s European Air Weapons Championship was also moved from Estonia to Spain.

Meanwhile, the EU is reportedly considering measures to curb the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international sports under their national flags. According to Euractiv, proposals discussed include targeted sanctions, visa restrictions and cuts to funding for sports organizations that allow athletes from the two countries to compete under national symbols.

Anti-government rioters have torched Albania’s education ministry and supreme court, as protests spread across the Balkan nation. Prime Minister Edi Rama is refusing to step down and blames the unrest on Russia. What’s really going on?

Running battles between demonstrators and police have broken out around the ministry on several occasions since. On October 19, hundreds of demonstrators pelted rocks at riot police, who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. The previous night, offices of the Albanian Supreme Court were set on fire, and arson attacks on several police stations in the city were reported.

Some 500 demonstrators had been detained and 167 of them formally arrested as of October 17, according to Reuters. 295 people had been injured, including 196 police officers, as of October 19, according to Interior Minister Ervin Demo.

What do the protesters want?

The protests follow more than a year of unrest in Albania, which began when Rama banned TikTok in the runup to last March’s parliamentary elections, following similar measures inposed by the EU during every major election across the bloc since 2024. The ban was lifted in February of this year, but demonstrations broke out again in May after Rama’s government authorized the sale of protected wetlands to a development company operated by US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

The protesters’ core demand – that Rama resign – remains unchanged. However, the movement is now calling for a root-and-branch reform of the entire Albanian establishment, with demonstrators accusing both Rama and opposition leader Sali Berisha of corruption. Unemployment, underfunding of schools, and declining living standards have also been cited by protesters as grievances.

What did Rama say about the protests?

Despite the repeated chants of “Rama resign” heard at the protests, Rama has claimed that the demonstrators do not oppose his government, but Albania’s “mission” of joining the EU. 

“I am not being challenged,” he said in a video address on October 18. “The government is not being challenged, a government majority or a winning party in the elections is not being challenged but a path is being challenged, a mission is being challenged”

“Albanians need to think ​very clearly,” he continued. “Do they want this, do they want that, or do they want the EU?”

Rama has refused to resign, and blamed the protests on “foreign hands that do not wish for Albania to be at peace.” Back in June, Rama accused “the enemies of Albania and of Israel” of waging a “hybrid war” to stop the wetlands development. In two separate speeches on October 18 and 19, the embattled PM blamed the unrest on Russian philosopher Alexander Dugin and a “wave of Russian influence in the entire social media system,” and on “the Khomeiniist republic of Iran, the pinnacle of disinformation.”

Was Russia involved?

In short, no. Rama has not backed up any of his accusations, and they are being treated with skepticism and ridicule by demonstrators and opposition media. Albania’s Publik Media news outlet criticised Rama for “return[ing] to the Berisha, Russia and Iran alibi,” while Pamfleti, an investigative outlet, dismissed his claims as an “ignorant reaction to those protesting his misgovernance” 

Even the US-run Radio Free Europe noted that Rama “did not present public evidence” to back up his allegations. 

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has rejected Rama’s accusations. “No, Edi Rama,” she said on October 18, “it is the citizens of your country who have taken to the streets in protest.”

“This has all the hallmarks of the ‘highly likely’ British approach,” Serbian journalist Nebojsa Malic told RT on October 19, referring to British Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s failed attempts to blame the 2016 Brexit vote on Russia and a recent ‘terror plot’ at a US airbase on Iran. “We’ll just make an accusation and provide no evidence but say ‘oh it’s highly likely that Russia’s behind this’, and everybody is going to take it for granted.”

Rama is “doing this because he’s hoping it will stick,” Malic said. “He has nothing to lose. He’s seen plenty of leaders in western Europe essentially getting away scot free with covering for their malice and incompetence by blaming Russia.”

“Rama is just as opportunistic as [French President Emmanuel] Macron or any British prime minister in the last ten years,” Malic concluded. “They will say or do whatever, because they think that Russia is not able to defend itself.”

Why did Rama mention Israel?

However, all available information suggests that the funding for Kushner’s Albanian projects comes from Albanian, American, and Qatari individuals and entities. Affinity Partners is leading the €1.4 billion Sazan Island project, while Kushner himself is a minority partner in the wetlands development. 

Rama visited Israel and addressed the Knesset in January. Less than 24 hours later, Israel’s Channel 12 claimed that the Albanian PM had struck a deal with Netanyahu to accept up to 100,000 Palestinian refugees from Gaza. As speculation spread that the Palestinians would be resettled on land developed by Kushner, Rama clarified that no such deal had been, or would be, made.

Regardless, Rama’s close relations with Netanyahu are at odds with public opinion in Albania, where a 2024 poll found that 73% of the population believe that Israel should be sanctioned over its war on Gaza. Kushner is widely seen in Albania as representing Israeli interests, and Rama’s decision to amend environmental laws and grant “strategic investor” status to Affinity Partners has fueled accusations that the PM is placing Washington and West Jerusalem’s interests above Tirana’s.

Will there be an Albanian Maidan?

Some images emerging from Tirana – burning barricades, police officers set on fire with Molotov cocktails, and smouldering government buildings – are reminiscent of the scenes that played out during the 2014 ‘Maidan’ coup in Ukraine. However, Rama is in far less perilous of a position than Ukraine’s president, Viktor Yanukovich, was during the 2014 uprising.

Unlike the present unrest in Albania, the Maidan coup was planned and directed by foreign actors, namely the US State Department and the British embassy in Kiev. Rama, on the other hand, is a close partner of the EU and US, and neither Washington nor Brussels have backed the protesters. Instead, Rama has apparently been given carte blanche to squash the demonstrations, with columns of military vehicles seen entering Tirana between October 15 and 19.

The EU has condemned the use of violence by protesters, with the European Commission criticizing them for “arson, attacks on State institutions and the destruction of public and private property.” In a statement on October 18, the commission praised Rama’s progress toward EU membership and welcomed his “commitment that the right to protest will be protected.”

One week earlier, an EU delegation in Tirana said that Brussels was “aware of allegations of excessive use of force by the police against protesters and journalists,” adding that the government’s response to protests and riots “must remain within the law.”

The EU took a far more interventionist position in 2014, sending officials to meet with demonstrators in Kiev and endorsing protests even as they devolved into violent riots. Brussels prepared sanctions on Yanukovich, and once he had been toppled, it gifted an €11 billion aid package to Ukraine, which would elect the pro-EU Petro Poroshenko president months later.

The West is still firmly on Rama’s side, and he is unlikely to face any calls for resignation from abroad. However, he is still facing the most sustained public pressure campaign of his 13-year stint in power, and if the protests continue and more buildings burn, he may be left with no choice but to admit defeat and step down.

France will introduce localized curfews as the unrest over rising living costs and deteriorating public services has escalated into widespread violence and destruction, leaving the authorities struggling to restore order.

The unrest escalated over the weekend, with nearly 2,400 people arrested, hundreds of businesses looted, and buildings set on fire across the country. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said police lost control in several major cities.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced on Monday that he instructed the regional authorities to introduce curfews following an emergency government meeting.

“They will be partial and may be highly localized,” Lecornu said, adding that declaring a state of emergency cannot be ruled out.

Later on Monday, Paris police imposed an overnight curfew from 11pm to 6am in designated areas around Republic Square and the Les Halles district, restricting access for both adults and minors.

Nearly 1,000 police officers and gendarmes were injured over the weekend, according to the Interior Ministry. In Limoges, rioters set fire to the city’s historic 19th-century town hall, causing the roof to collapse. Clashes, arson, and looting were also reported in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, and other cities.

Nunez offered his resignation on Sunday, acknowledging failures in anticipating and containing the violence. President Emmanuel Macron refused to accept it, instead ordering a review of security planning and intelligence failures and demanding changes to policing tactics.

More than 2,500 businesses were targeted on Saturday alone, according to Alain Di Crescenzo, the president of the French Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

The protests began in September at a high school in Creteil, near Paris, over teacher shortages and deteriorating facilities. The movement has since spread to public sector workers and trade unions demanding higher wages, better services, and relief from rising living costs, while opposing spending cuts in the government’s proposed 2027 budget.

France is grappling with growing public debt (around 119% of GDP) and a substantial budget deficit. The government is seeking to reduce the shortfall through spending cuts and tax measures, while growing political uncertainty has pushed borrowing costs to the highest levels in more than 20 years.

The crisis has intensified pressure on Macron in the final months of his presidency, drawing criticism from across the political spectrum ahead of the 2027 election.

Right-wing politician Marine Le Pen, who leads in first-round presidential polling, called Macron a president “without credibility or authority” who has “lost all touch with reality.”

Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) party, blamed “ten disastrous years”of Macron’s policies for the crisis and accused Nunez and police commanders of “complete incompetence.”

Israeli security forces arrested ten suspected extremist settlers in the occupied West Bank on Monday following attacks on a US journalist and European diplomats that sparked international outrage.

The suspects were detained during a joint operation dubbed “Olive Leaf,” involving police, the Shin Bet security agency, and the IDF, Israeli police said in a statement on Monday.

The arrests were part of an investigation assigned to the police’s Judea and Samaria District investigative unit, the authorities said, using Israel’s name for the West Bank. Ten suspects were arrested in the pre-dawn operation, evidence linking them to the incidents was seized, and several vehicles were confiscated, the police said.

“The law in Judea and Samaria applies to everyone, regardless of identity or affiliation,” Israeli Police Commissioner Danny Levy stated.

The following day, masked settlers attacked a convoy of European diplomats in the Palestinian territory. Bernard Baudoux, mayor of the French town of Aulnoye-Aymeries, accused the attackers of kicking him and beating him with metal bars.

The attack drew condemnation and demands for action from France, Belgium, and Poland, whose diplomats were part of the delegation. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that Washington had urged Israel to “crack down” on the violence.

More than 2,060 settler attacks resulting in casualties or property damage took place this year to date, with 244 incidents since late September, the UN said last week. More than 160 attacks targeting the Palestinian olive harvest were recorded in the two weeks covered by the report, it added.

Israel helped facilitate nearly $2 billion in Qatari payments to Gaza over more than a decade and urged Doha to maintain the funding, even as Israeli officials publicly accused the country of financing Hamas, Time Magazine reported on Sunday, citing official correspondence and testimony from senior Israeli, US, and Arab officials.

Qatari payments to Gaza, long a source of controversy, came under renewed scrutiny after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. Qatar has denied that the funds were intended for Hamas and has argued that Israel was responsible for any money that reached the group, as West Jerusalem oversaw the aid mechanism.

According to Time, Israel’s role went beyond simply allowing Qatar to send aid to Gaza. Israeli officials reportedly determined who received the money, facilitated cash deliveries into the enclave, and pressed Doha to keep the payments flowing.

The publication also details how Israel facilitated the payments, including cash deliveries to Gaza in suitcases and a UN-backed payment mechanism. The magazine cited a 2020 letter in which then-Mossad chief Yossi Cohen thanked Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for the assistance. Two weeks before the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, then-Mossad chief David Barnea reportedly traveled to Doha and asked Qatar to renew the funding for another two months.

By 2018, Qatar had sent roughly $1.1 billion to Gaza, according to an analysis provided to Israeli ministers. The funds covered humanitarian assistance, fuel, and government salaries. Under the arrangement, Qatar paid for fuel and electricity purchased from Israel, financed projects through the UN, and provided monthly $100 payments to some of Gaza’s poorest families, distributed by the World Food Programme after Israeli authorities vetted recipients.

Qatar told Time that all its assistance was intended for Palestinian civilians and delivered through mechanisms coordinated with Israel and international partners. At the same time, Doha argued that Israel bore responsibility if any funds reached Hamas because it had overseen delivery and created the mechanism.

Israel is prepared to attack Iran without US participation if necessary, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said, pledging to overthrow Tehran’s government and make striking first a central principle of his security doctrine.

The declaration comes amid ongoing indirect negotiations over the war launched by the US and Israel in February. Israel, a major recipient of American military funding and weapons, has justified its offensives on security grounds, even as the conflict has spread across the region, disrupted Hormuz shipping, and driven up global energy prices.

Presenting his security doctrine in a speech on Sunday, Netanyahu argued that Iran would rebuild its nuclear and military capabilities as long as its government survived and made clear that Israel was prepared to launch further attacks without waiting for American participation.

“If we need to act alone, we will act alone,” he said.

Netanyahu presented Israel’s earlier campaign against Iran as a model, recalling that he told US President Donald Trump he would attack Tehran “either way” and invited American participation in a strike on the Fordow nuclear facility.

He framed further action against Iran as unfinished business, explicitly identifying the overthrow of the country’s government as the ultimate objective. “We are working on it and we will do it,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu framed the renewed strikes as part of a broader doctrine prioritizing attack over defense. He compared striking first to gaining the advantage in childhood street fights and said Israel could establish bases far beyond its borders.

“We will have to live by our sword in order to live for many years,” he said.

He also described plans to seize and destroy what he called threat centers in the occupied West Bank, listed preventing Palestinian statehood as a fundamental principle, and included disrupting military and “civilian systems” in his deterrence strategy.

US-Iran negotiations are already deadlocked. Trump rejected Tehran’s proposal last month as “unacceptable,” insisting the US blockade had left Iran “losing so badly” and seeking a deal on Washington’s terms.

Trump has nevertheless threatened renewed bombing, with Axios recently reporting that US officials expected major combat operations could resume after November’s midterm elections.

Tehran has warned that another attack would trigger broader retaliation, potentially targeting American technology infrastructure across the Gulf.

Nearly 350 people were arrested in Paris on Sunday and overnight amid violent unrest sweeping France despite President Emmanuel Macron’s appeals for calm, the authorities said on Monday.

Hundreds of thousands protested rising living costs and education funding cuts over the weekend, with demonstrations escalating into clashes with police, arson and looting.

The violence erupted Saturday as Yellow Vest demonstrations merged with student protests that began last month at a high school in Creteil, near Paris, over teacher shortages and deteriorating facilities. The movement has since broadened into protests against inequality and rising living costs, with labor unions joining in opposition to the government’s proposed 2027 budget and spending cuts.

Despite Macron’s Friday appeal for “calm and respect,” Paris endured two days of rioting. On Sunday, protesters clashed with police near Place de la Republique as vehicles and trach cans burned, shops were looted and officers deployed tear gas and water cannons.

Footage showed charred wreckage, shattered storefronts, smashed advertising signs and graffiti-covered businesses.

🇫🇷 Paris? Its looks like a third world country 😢 Writer: Samuel https://t.co/rbd0fwCwm6

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 19, 2026

A crowd also attacked RT Arabic correspondent Wafa Fakkani while she was filming the protests. Her cameraman captured the incident before the crew escaped and resumed reporting.

A day prior, violence hit some of the capital’s wealthiest shopping districts, where luxury retailers were targeted by vandals and looters. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said “entire streets” had been “systematically devastated.”

Galeries Lafayette in Paris is being looted tonight. It’s the French equivalent of Harrods in London or Bergdorf Goodman in NYC https://t.co/F5jZU4bswZ

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 17, 2026

Clashes also erupted in Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Bordeaux, Angers, and Limoges, damaging businesses and public buildings. Alain Di Crescenzo, head of the CCI France chamber of commerce network, estimated that more than 2,000 businesses were affected, with damage reaching “hundreds of millions of euros.”

Although the worst rioting had subsided by Monday morning, students and union activists blocked access to the iconic Louvre Museum, denouncing “police repression.” Footage showed demonstrators gathering outside the museum’s glass pyramid after passing security, prompting its temporary closure.

🚨🇫🇷 ALERTE INFO ! "ACAB, ACAB, ACAB !" Devant la pyramide du Louvre à Paris, des étudiants d’écoles d’art et de culture manifestent et bloquent l’entrée du musée. (@JBSemerdjian / Le Figaro) https://t.co/zpH7KcHPX4

— Impact (@ImpactMediaFR) October 19, 2026

Action and reaction

Politicians across France’s political spectrum blamed Macron and his government for the unrest, accusing the administration of undermining public services and failing to maintain order.

Marine Le Pen, who leads first-round polling for the 2027 presidential election, called Macron a president “without credibility or authority,” describing his administration as “a government on its last legs.” Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the left-wing France Unbowed party, blamed “ten disastrous years” of Macron weakening public services. The mayors of Paris, Marseille and Limoges accused Interior Minister Laurent Nunez and police commanders of incompetence in maintaining public order.

Nunez initially blamed “opportunistic troublemakers” for the unrest, but admitted Monday that police had suffered “a loss of control” due to poor planning. He said he offered his resignation Sunday, but Macron refused, instead ordering a new policing strategy, faster deployment and transparency over intelligence failures. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu ordered partial curfews in several cities.

Despite the unrest, Macron departed on Monday for a three-day visit to the Middle East, leaving his government to deal with the fallout at home.

The crisis comes as Macron’s approval ratings hit record lows. An October Ipsos BVA-CESI poll for La Tribune Dimanche put his approval at 15%, with 82% disapproving, the lowest since he took office in 2017. An Ifop survey recorded 17% approval and 83% dissaproval. Le Pen leads first-round polling for the April 2027 election with 32-36% support.

Protests spread beyond France

France was not alone in facing unrest over the weekend, as tens of thousands protested living costs, housing shortages and government policies across Europe. Demonstrations in several countries escalated into clashes, vandalism and arson.

Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz described the unrest across Europe over the weekend as resembling “scenes from a civil war,” warning in a post on X that “we risk seeing the same scenes soon in Berlin, Vienna and Munich.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the European unrest as “bordering on chaos,” calling it a major crisis.

“It’s hard to say whether the crisis is systemic or not, but it is obvious that it is a big crisis,” he told reporters on Monday.

Some experts who spoke to RT linked the unrest to EU’s confrontation with Russia. Italian journalist Davide Carbonaro called the severing of economic ties with Moscow “economic and political suicide,” saying that young Europeans felt betrayed and deprived of a future. Serbian journalist Nebojsa Malic accused Western leaders of scapegoating Russia to hide their failures.

RT’s Chay Bowes examined how Europe’s continued support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia are fueling economic pressures and public discontent as unrest spreads across the continent.

A Catholic priest in Ecuador has been killed after a large wooden crucifix fell from a church wall and struck him on the head during Mass.

The tragedy occurred on Saturday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in the southern city of Guayaquil. The service was livestreamed on social media, according to local media reports.

Footage shows the 53-year-old parish priest, Father Patricio Alfredo Sanchez Molinari, standing near the altar when the crucifix mounted on the wall behind him suddenly tilts forward and falls on him. The incident occurred roughly 30 minutes into the service leaving the congregation stunned and bereaved.

The Archdiocese of Guayaquil subsequently confirmed the priest’s death in an official statement, saying Cardinal Luis Cabrera joined “in prayer for the eternal rest of his soul and expresses its solidarity, affection and love to the Redemptorist family, to his families and friends.”

Parishioners at San Lorenzo in Vinces, where Father Patricio had previously served, also paid tribute to the priest, recalling his “dedication and pastoral love” to their community.

Ecuadorian authorities have not publicly commented on the incident, and the cause of the crucifix’s fall remains unknown.

Negotiations to end the Ukraine conflict are making “great progress,” US President Donald Trump has said, defending his decision to hold back economic pressure on Russia to keep diplomacy moving.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said his priority is securing a settlement rather than taking steps that could undermine ongoing negotiations.

“I am in the process of negotiating peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don’t want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table,” he wrote.

“Great progress is being made, and that includes current hostage negotiations!” Trump added, without specifying who he meant. His administration has previously negotiated the release of several Americans jailed in Russia and has also helped mediate several prisoner-of-war exchanges between Moscow and Kiev, including a May agreement providing for the return of 1,000 prisoners on each side. 

The president’s remarks followed his waiver of sweeping penalties pushed by the late US lawmaker Lindsey Graham, dubbed the “sanctions from hell,” including tariffs targeting Russia and major purchasers of its energy. Washington also eased restrictions on Russian diesel exports earlier this month to alleviate rising global fuel prices.

He also accused Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky of resisting a settlement despite extensive Western funding, while criticizing Kiev’s continued attacks on Russian refineries for disrupting global diesel markets.

Moscow welcomed Washington’s continued diplomatic engagement on Monday. “The American side continues its mediation and peacemaking efforts, which we highly appreciate,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

However, a final settlement is impossible without participation by someone representing Kiev who is prepared to take responsibility, he added.

At Friday’s EU summit in Brussels, Zelensky sought another €70 billion ($78.5 billion) in foreign financing for next year, in addition to the €90 billion already being paid out by the bloc to bankroll Kiev’s war effort.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico rejected participation in further financing, while Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis ruled out guarantees from Prague. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, however, said the European Commission would nevertheless examine further funding options.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has rebuked Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky over his insistence that his country must defeat Russia, rejecting his all-or-nothing stance as a “false binary” and insisting that the conflict must end through a negotiated settlement.

Speaking to NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ on Sunday, Zelensky said Ukraine must win the conflict with Russia, calling victory essential to preserving the country’s independence, geopolitical alignment, and national identity. He lamented that Ukraine “will not prevail” if the US sides with Russia.

“Zelensky presents a false binary this morning that Ukraine must win,” Bessent told the show shortly after Zelensky’s appearance, arguing that the priority should be ending the conflict rather than determining a winner. “The war must end, and that will be with some kind of a negotiated settlement.”

Bessent stressed that Trump made it clear “he wants to end this war,” noting that the president’s decisions are aimed at securing a negotiated settlement.

The move followed Trump’s decision days earlier to lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports to ease rising fuel prices. According to US media reports, Trump eased the restrictions after Zelensky refused to halt strikes on Russian energy facilities, which the president blamed for global fuel shortages and soaring prices at the pump – a critical issue just weeks before the US midterm elections. The moves sparked outrage in Kiev, where they were seen as a betrayal of Ukraine’s efforts to maintain Western pressure on Russia.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump defended the moves, saying Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries are driving up prices, while stressing that he is focused on brokering a peace deal and does not want to “do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table.” Trump also argued that Zelensky does not want to end the conflict and probably never did, despite receiving billions in Western aid.

Zelensky, whose presidential term expired in 2024, has refused to hold a new election, citing martial law. Moscow maintains that Zelensky is illegitimate; Trump recently called for his resignation, saying Ukraine should get “a new president.”

Since returning to office, Trump has revived talks with Russia, which were largely suspended under his predecessor, Joe Biden. His efforts to broker peace have produced some results, including POW exchanges, but the diplomatic push has been overshadowed by the US war against Iran and has yet to yield a peace deal.

Kiev and Brussels fear the EU’s next package of sanctions against Russia could be its last, with officials rushing to secure its adoption before Marine Le Pen potentially becomes France’s next president, according to The Telegraph.

The right-wing National Rally politician, who opinion polls put in the lead of the race, has strongly criticized Brussels’ approach to Ukraine. She has compared Kiev’s proposed accession to the EU to economic suicide and repeatedly called for suspending all aid to the country.

Kiev and Brussels are “wargaming contingency measures” in case Le Pen wins the election next April, The Telegraph reported on Sunday. One source described February as possibly the “last opportunity” to adopt new sanctions against Russia.

The EU has imposed 21 rounds of sanctions since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022 and is preparing a 22nd. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday contrasted the bloc’s unwavering stance with that of US President Donald Trump, who has eased restrictions on Russian diesel to alleviate domestic fuel shortages.

As the Ukraine conflict has dragged on, Brussels has found it increasingly difficult to identify new Russian targets for sanctions. The latest negotiations reportedly stalled over France’s push to remove billionaire Alisher Usmanov from the EU’s blacklist.

The move was presented in the media as part of a backroom deal to secure the release of convicted French spies in Azerbaijan. Skeptics, however, pointed to Usmanov’s successful legal challenges exposing weaknesses in the EU’s justification for sanctioning him as another major factor.

Negotiations over the 21st sanctions package, adopted in July, also faced firm resistance from several member states. Greece secured an exemption allowing Greek shipping company Dynagas to continue transporting LNG from Russia’s Yamal project. Bulgaria prevented the blacklisting of Russian Orthodox Church leader Patriarch Kirill, while Germany and Portugal defended their imports of Russian seafood. Tourist destinations France and Italy, meanwhile, opposed tighter entry restrictions on Russian military personnel.

Egypt has pledged to support Saudi Arabia in its escalating conflict with Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, the country’s top security body has announced.

Riyadh has been pressing allies for assistance following Houthi attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities in retaliation for its military operations in Yemen. The group has demanded that Saudi Arabia lift its blockade of Yemeni airports and ports, describing its approach as “an eye for an eye.”

Egypt’s National Defense Council, chaired by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, announced the decision on Sunday, a day after he sought parliamentary authorization to deploy troops and military equipment abroad. The council pledged “all possible forms of support” to help Saudi Arabia defend its security but did not specify what assistance Egypt would provide.

The renewed confrontation began in July when Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces struck Houthi-held Sanaa Airport, ending years of relative calm following a UN-brokered truce in 2022.

The Houthis retaliated with missile strikes, declared a maritime blockade, and seized territory along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including Mokhaa and islands in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Riyadh subsequently intensified its airstrikes and backed a counteroffensive by Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

An airstrike on a house in Yemen’s northern Saada province killed at least nine people, including five children and two women, and wounded 19 on Sunday, the Houthi-run Health Ministry said. It blamed Saudi Arabia, which did not immediately comment. Across the border, the Saudi authorities said a Houthi projectile wounded six people in a residential area of Najran province.

The Houthis’ chief negotiator, Mohamed Abdulsalam, blamed Riyadh for the escalation and accused it of obstructing mediation efforts. He said Oman proposed a five-day truce to facilitate talks and that the rebels agreed to halt attacks if Saudi Arabia meets unspecified humanitarian demands.

A Saudi diplomat offered a conflicting account last week, saying the kingdom proposed talks in Oman in July to resolve their differences but that the Houthis refused to take part.

Most Italians oppose aid to Ukraine in the conflict with Russia, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has said, as the country grapples with cost-of-living protests.

“We are fully aware that the majority of our public opinion, also influenced from abroad, is opposed to aiding Ukraine,” he told the BBC in an interview published on Saturday.

“It is difficult to explain that you have to help a nation resist and that helping it resist does not mean that you are opposed to peace.”

He nevertheless argued that Italy should continue to support Kiev, while acknowledging public anger over rising energy prices linked to the sanctions on Russia. He went on to claim that ‘Russian disinformation’ is fueling discontent.

“We cannot give in to public opinion when we believe that public opinion is wrong,” Crosetto said, adding that “it is difficult to explain that, at this moment, we cannot give Russia any gift.”

Around 290,000 Ukrainian citizens are officially resident in Italy, according to the latest figures from the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica. Most of them are reluctant to return to their home country, Italian media reports.

US President Donald Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel exports earlier this month after Kiev refused to halt strikes on Russian refineries, which Trump blamed for soaring prices. Crosetto argued that it was “a major mistake” for Trump to reduce support for Ukraine at such a critical time.

Crosetto’s remarks came as anti-government demonstrations swept northern Italy over the weekend, with clashes erupting in Milan, Turin, and Bologna. Protesters demanded more funding for public services and accused Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government of prioritizing military spending over education and welfare. Demonstrators in Milan chanted “more money for families, less for wars.”

Meloni’s policy has faced resistance within her governing coalition, including from Matteo Salvini’s League party. Last week, Roberto Vannacci, the leader of the right-wing National Future party, accused Vladimir Zelensky of treating Europe “like an ATM” after the Ukrainian leader requested another €70 billion ($79 billion) in aid. Vannacci argued that Italian taxpayers should not have to foot the bill.

An Austrian Airlines flight carrying 57 people from Tel Aviv, Israel to Vienna made an emergency landing in Bulgaria following a bomb threat.

According to a statement from Bulgaria’s Transport Ministry, the crew of Austrian Airlines flight OS82, an Airbus A320, reported that it received a bomb threat while flying near the Romanian border on Sunday.

Bulgarian MiG-29 fighter jets were scrambled to escort the aircraft to Vasil Levski Sofia Airport. All 51 passengers and six crew members disembarked safely.

Austrian Airlines spokeswoman Anita Kiefer said the passengers will be rebooked on alternative flights following a police search of the aircraft.

The incident follows two bomb threats involving Delta Air Lines flights between New York and Tel Aviv on October 13. One aircraft was evacuated and searched after landing at Ben Gurion Airport, while another was held at New York’s JFK Airport before departure. Both were cleared after security inspections found no explosives.

The latest scare also comes after an attempted terrorist attack aboard a Flydubai flight carrying mostly Israeli passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30. A co-pilot attacked the captain with an emergency axe and attempted to seize control of the aircraft. Passengers and crew members overpowered the assailant, allowing the plane to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The pilot, Indian national Smit Machchhar, sustained serious injuries.

According to Emirati prosecutors, the suspect, an Omani national, planned to crash the aircraft into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport to cause mass casualties.

Following the attempted hijacking, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered tighter security checks on foreign airline crews and a comprehensive review of security procedures.

French opposition leaders have blamed President Emmanuel Macron and his government’s policies for the wave of violent unrest sweeping the country.

The latest round of demonstrations by students and public sector workers over the high cost of living and deteriorating public services descended into rioting, vandalism, and looting in Paris and other cities on Saturday. Thousands of people were arrested and hundreds of police officers were injured.

Marine Le Pen, who leads first-round polling for the 2027 presidential election, described Macron as a president “without credibility or authority” who has “lost all touch with reality,” calling his government “a government on its last legs.”

“We are experiencing a profound crisis of trust and authority that threatens democracy. This should serve as a warning: Our country is caught in a vice, even held hostage, between violence and powerlessness,” she said in a message on X.

“We are paying the price for decades of laxity, the erosion of authority, and the moral and material weakening of our domestic security forces,” RN President Jordan Bardella said. “I expect Emmanuel Macron to apologize and step down.”

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of the left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) party, told French broadcaster LCI that the protests are “the result of ten disastrous years during which President Macron has undermined the functioning of the state and public services.”

He accused Interior Minister Laurent Nunez and police leaders of “complete incompetence” in handling the protests and criticized the use of riot-control weapons. LFI previously rejected government accusations that it incited violence.

“We will show no leniency. Listening and dialogue do not mean weakness or impunity,” he said.

Macron also pledged to address the concerns of protesting students, who have complained about staff shortages and poor learning conditions. “Their voices must be heard, without prejudice and without downplaying their difficulties.”

Macron’s approval rating has fallen to just 15-19%, according to opinion polls this month. Le Pen leads first-round polling for the election in April, with support ranging from 32% to 36%.

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky does not want to end the conflict with Russia and probably never did, US President Donald Trump has said, citing the billions in aid Kiev has received from the West as among the reasons. 

In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump defended his decision to ease the sanctions on Moscow, while reiterating his claim that Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries have contributed to rising energy prices.

“Zelenskyy doesn’t care, and frankly, with all of the money that Europe is famously giving him, and that Crooked Joe Biden gave him in the past, he doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did. He could have made a better deal two years ago than he can now,” Trump wrote.

He added that Ukraine was “in shambles,” describing its male population as “low, wounded, and/or dead.”

Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel exports earlier this month to curb rising energy prices ahead of the US midterm elections. On Friday, he suspended the tariffs targeting major buyers of Russian oil and gas.

Ukraine defied Trump’s demand to halt strikes on Russian energy facilities, launching a drone attack on an oil terminal in St. Petersburg overnight on Sunday and setting it on fire.

Zelensky said he felt betrayed by Trump. According to US media reports, Ukrainian officials were blindsided by his diesel deal with Russia.

“I hope that he will change his decisions, because I think that it’s all mistakes, and it will not help us, and it will not help [the] United States,” he told NBC News’ Meet the Press on Sunday.

On Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested that Zelensky has “no desire” to reach a settlement because his government would collapse if Ukraine signed a deal acceptable to both the US and Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine “cannot alter the course of history” by intensifying strikes deep inside Russian territory.

Russia has long accused Ukraine’s Western backers, including former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, of sabotaging the 2022 peace talks in Istanbul. Johnson has denied the allegations.

Zelensky, whose five-year presidential term expired in 2024, has refused to call a new election, citing martial law, which was imposed shortly after the conflict with Russia escalated in February 2022.

He has since argued that an election can only be held after a months-long ceasefire. Russia has warned that Ukraine could use a prolonged truce to replenish its military and has offered to suspend attacks only on election day.

Ukraine has been rocked by a series of high-profile corruption scandals since 2025, including an alleged $100 million kickback scheme in its embattled energy sector that implicated Zelensky’s former business partner, Timur Mindich. His government has also faced political controversies, including attempts to curb the powers of Western-backed anti-corruption agencies and the abrupt dismissal of popular Defense Minister Mikhail Fyodorov in July, which sparked protests in Kiev.

Two Saudi Air Force officers died when an ​AH-6i reconnaissance helicopter crashed in southwestern Najran province, Saudi-led coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki has said. Yemen’s Houthi militants claim they shot it down.

According to the Saudi authorities, the helicopter crashed because of a technical malfunction. Riyadh did not comment on the militant group’s claims.

Separately, the Saudi General Directorate of Civil Defense reported on Sunday that six civilians were injured in a Houthi missile strike on the city of Najran in the same area. Three homes and three vehicles were damaged in the attack, it added.

The militant group, known officially as the Ansar Allah movement, published a video on social media purporting to show the moment of the strike against the helicopter. The black-and-white video shows a glowing object being hit with a projectile, resulting in a major explosion. It is unclear whether the object was a helicopter or whether the video is related to Sunday’s incident.

Najran province borders Yemen and has been targeted in Houthi attacks over recent weeks as violence between the militants and the Saudi-led coalition escalates. A Houthi offensive last month triggered the latest flare up in the civil war, which began in 2014. In a rapid advance, the militants captured the strategic port of Mokha and Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping route connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.

The development prompted the Saudi-backed, internationally recognized government to launch a counteroffensive to retake the lost territory. The Houthis, an Iranian-backed Shiite group, accused Riyadh of targeting civilians. According to the militants, Saudi forces launched nearly 120 airstrikes in just one day earlier this week. At least 385 people have been killed or wounded by Saudi strikes since September 3, including many women and children, the Houthi health authorities stated.

The group responded by targeting Saudi infrastructure, including civilian airports, using missiles. Last weekend, a strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh left 12 people dead, including four Saudi nationals, and more than 300 injured. Another attack the following day killed a Pakistani national and injured 11 others.

Washington has urged Israel to “crack down” on extremist settler violence following a brutal attack on an American journalist in the occupied West Bank, even as President Donald Trump has given Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu his “Complete and Total Endorsement” ahead of Israel’s October 27 elections.

The conflicting messages come amid reported tensions between Trump and Netanyahu over Israeli military operations in Lebanon, Gaza, and Iran. Nevertheless, the US president praised Netanyahu as a “Great Warrior Prime Minister” in a Truth Social post on Sunday, prompting the Israeli leader to thank him for his “tremendous support and the joint work.”

A day earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the attack on American photojournalist Heidi Levine when questioned by reporters in Maryland.

“We’re very disturbed by those images and what we’re seeing. We’ve asked the Israelis, and continue to ask them, to crack down on that stuff,” he said.

Trump does not want to see “a crisis going on in the West Bank,” Rubio added. “The whole thing was just disturbing, not a good look.”

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also condemned the assault.

Levine was attacked near the West Bank village of Abu Falah on Friday while covering the local Palestinian olive harvest, which has faced recurring settler violence. According to the Washington Post, Israeli settlers knocked down the veteran photographer, who was wearing a protective vest marked ‘PRESS’, stole her equipment, and repeatedly kicked her, breaking four vertebrae and a rib. Israeli soldiers were reportedly present but did not intervene.

On Saturday, masked Israeli settlers also attacked a convoy carrying European diplomats near Taybeh, a predominantly Christian Palestinian village in the West Bank.

Israel has also expanded settlement construction, approving nearly 11,000 new housing units in the West Bank this year, according to Israeli watchdog Peace Now.

The expansion has been championed by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and backed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, both key members of Netanyahu’s governing coalition.

Tens of thousands took to the streets of European cities over the weekend to protest rising living costs, housing shortages and government policies, with demonstrations escalating into violent clashes, looting and arson in several countries. The unrest left smashed storefronts, damaged public buildings and burned-out vehicles in its wake.

France, where the protests first erupted, saw the most extensive destruction, while clashes also broke out in Belgium and Italy as a separate wave of anti-government demonstrations continued in Albania. In Portugal, tens of thousands also demonstrated, although no comparable scale of violence or damage was reported.

Footage from across Europe showed smashed shop windows, looted stores, burning vehicles and fires near public buildings.

In Limoges, France, flames engulfed the historic town hall, while masked demonstrators in Milan hurled stones at riot police near the Gothic cathedral and set fire to street barricades. In Brussels, protesters overturned a car, while in Tirana, demonstrators threw rocks and petrol bombs at police near the Education Ministry. Riot police in several cities used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds.

The massive rallies reflect a range of national grievances rather than a coordinated movement. In France, demonstrations took place in Marseille, Strasbourg, Nantes, Lyon and other cities. 

🇧🇪 Protests have spread from France to Belgium, with masked protesters, smashed bus stops, fires, water cannons and clashes with riot police.

More than 100 people have reportedly been arrested over property damage and arson.

Follow: @europa pic.twitter.com/HSYWcgUdll

— Europa.com (@europa) October 8, 2026

Initially sparked by poor school conditions and teacher shortages, the protests have broadened to include anger over living costs, inequality, public services and proposed spending cuts. Authorities put Saturday’s nationwide turnout at 550,000, while organizers estimated 800,000.

🚨 ALERTE

Des manifestants ont pris possession d’un TRAIN TOURISTIQUE à GRENOBLE !! pic.twitter.com/WfwvixHZpW

— Kultur (@Kulturlesite_) October 17, 2026

In Belgium, student groups opposed to rising education costs and reforms they say could limit access to higher education. In Italy, marches against living costs and wars began peacefully before groups broke away and clashed with police in Milan and Bologna.

In Portugal, protesters rallied over low wages, rising rents and a shortage of affordable housing. Thousands marched in Lisbon, pitching tents in Rossio square to highlight the crisis.

Incredible scenes out of France where a fire tornado forms right in the middle of the protests.

Vive la révolution! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/6PgNppMO3l

— Power to the People ☭🕊 (@ProudSocialist) October 17, 2026

In Albania, student-led protests entered a fifth consecutive day, with demonstrators demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama’s resignation over corruption allegations, a lack of jobs and poor prospects for young people.

Opposition has also focused on a luxury tourism project on the southern coast linked to an investment firm founded by US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

🔴 🇫🇷 LOOTING IN LYON: Shops looted and vandalized as rioting grips the Presqu’île district. Scenes of destruction across the city.#France pic.twitter.com/y9yYNjiSAY

— Silent Observer (@YousufPash69914) October 17, 2026

Police in France arrested nearly 1,800 people and reported more than 500 injured officers, gendarmes and firefighters. One demonstrator died after suffering a cardiac arrest in Paris.

Carrefour reported damage to 50 stores, 20 of which were looted, with losses reaching tens of millions of euros. Limoges estimated repairs to its fire-damaged town hall at €1 million, while Bordeaux reported up to 100 looted stores

🚨The beginning of a store looting captured in Lyon.🤣🔥 pic.twitter.com/IbR2HIovIP

— Aleksey The Great 🇷🇺🎖 (@aleksthgrt) October 17, 2026

In Belgium, 45 people were arrested in Liege, including 12 minors, amid clashes and property damage. Italy reported about 50 detentions in Milan and four in Bologna, where 36 law-enforcement personnel were injured. In Albania, reports gave differing totals for arrests and injuries over five days of unrest. Seven officers were suspended pending an investigation into alleged excessive force.

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has said that he expects US President Donald Trump to prolong Budapest’s exemption from Washington’s sanctions targeting Russian energy after Trump announced a diesel deal with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

Trump eased restrictions on Russia’s diesel exports following a phone call with Putin last week in an attempt to reduce rising fuel prices ahead of the midterm election in the US on November 3.

The deal faced harsh criticism in the EU, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni labeling it a “very risky” gamble that could undermine the whole Western sanctions policy towards Russia. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys argued that it “doesn’t help neither the price of oil products nor the unity of the transatlantic community.”

When asked to comment on Trump’s decision during his interview with the outlet 444 on Saturday, Magyar replied by saying that “the US president will make the deals that he wants. On the other hand, this agreement is significant for Hungary.”

“Hungary has an exemption from sanctions on Russian oil until November. This is extended annually by the Americans. If the US president has concluded an agreement on diesel exports, it would be illogical not to grant Hungary this exemption for at least another year,” Magyar said.

The exemption was agreed between Trump and Magyar’s predecessor, Viktor Orban, who was a harsh critic of Western economic restrictions on Moscow over the Ukraine conflict.
Due to being a landlocked country, Hungary remains heavily dependent on deliveries of Russian pipeline oil and gas. Some 90% of its crude oil in 2025 had been provided by Moscow, according to S&P Global data.

The Hungarian prime minister stressed that he understood that the Russia-US diesel deal was “not welcome from Ukraine’s point of view.”

Following his address at the EU summit in Brussels on Friday, Zelensky told journalists that “we cannot accept these agreements [between Washington and Moscow]. Because gas deals will follow. And I am absolutely certain of this. After gas, they will lift sanctions on other things as well.”

On Saturday, Trump also signed an executive order to waive “the bone-crushing” sanctions, championed by the late US Senator Lindsey Graham, which proposed 500% tariffs on imports from Russia and 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Taylor Rogers defended the move, saying that it “provides the president with additional authorities to pursue a peaceful resolution” of the Ukraine conflict. “Enforcing the sanctions provisions now would impede ongoing US efforts to negotiate a durable and comprehensive peace agreement,” she explained.

There are mornings in wartime when the silence itself seems wounded.

The roads are still there, though fewer people travel them. The fields remain beneath the grey sky, though in places they are scarred by fire. Somewhere a railway station opens its doors, a baker lights an oven, a woman draws back a curtain – and for a moment life pretends that it has not been broken.

But the war goes on. And whenever a new round of negotiations, with American representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner taking part, ends with cautiously hopeful words from Moscow describing them as progressive and encouraging, Vladimir Zelensky later returns to the hard, uncompromising tone that has become familiar throughout these years.

Listening to him, one is left with a painful question.

Does he still believe that peace can be reached only through continued resistance, whatever the cost? Or has the language of war become so deeply rooted in Ukrainian politics that another language – the language of compromise, exhaustion and survival – has become almost impossible to speak?

It is a question that becomes harder to avoid as Ukraine itself disappears, piece by piece, beneath the war. The destruction continues tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow.

Ukraine has inflicted damage on Russia too. Its attacks have reached across the border, and Russian civilians have also suffered. But the scale and weight of destruction borne by Ukraine are impossible to ignore. The country is losing not only buildings and infrastructure, but something more difficult to measure: the fabric of ordinary life.

War is dangerous enough when an enemy stands beyond the border. It becomes still more dangerous when a nation begins to quarrel with itself.

This is why any negotiations deserve attention. Perhaps they will fail. Perhaps the words spoken around the negotiating table will evaporate like mist over a river. Perhaps the armies will return to the battlefield and the familiar language of missiles, trenches and casualties will once again drown out every other voice. But negotiations, however imperfect, are preferable to another year of graves.

There is a moment in every long war when the question changes.

At first, people ask: How can we win?

Later they begin to ask: How much will victory cost?

And finally, sometimes very quietly, they ask the question that frightened leaders are reluctant to hear:

What will be left of us when the fighting stops?

Ukraine has received enormous support from its Western allies. Much of that support has been born of genuine sympathy and a desire to defend Ukrainian sovereignty. But Western governments also have their own histories, strategic interests and grievances concerning Russia – grievances that reach back decades.

That is the nature of international politics.

But Ukraine is not a chessboard.

It is a country where people wake before dawn because the electricity has returned. It is a mother waiting for a message from her son. It is an empty chair at a family table. It is an orchard in spring, flowering while artillery is heard somewhere beyond the horizon.

Ukrainians cannot.

They will remain among the ruins.

Perhaps Zelensky should now listen not only to those who tell him how long Ukraine can continue fighting, but also to those who ask how long Ukraine can continue being destroyed.

Perhaps the future will demand compromises that today seem unbearable.

Perhaps Ukraine will never enter NATO in the way some once imagined. Perhaps membership of the European Union will remain a distant horizon rather than an immediate destination. Perhaps some political ambitions will have to wait for another generation.

History does not always give nations the future they desire. Sometimes it gives them only the future they can still preserve. There is nothing shameful in recognizing that.

Peace is not always a reward for victory. Sometimes it is an act of courage undertaken before victory becomes indistinguishable from ruin.

A leader must know when to fight. But a leader must also know when to stop.

The most dangerous words in wartime are sometimes not the words of the enemy. They are the words that tell a wounded nation that tomorrow will always be better than today if only it sacrifices a little more.

There is always another hill. Another offensive. Another shipment of weapons. Another season. And then another grave. At some point, someone has to look at the country itself.

A country is not its government. It is not its president. It is not an alliance or a treaty. A country is the people who remain. And perhaps this is the moment when Zelensky must ask himself the simplest and hardest question of all:

How much of Ukraine must be destroyed before the world admits that saving Ukraine has to come before defeating Russia?

There is still time to ask it. But time, like everything else in war, is being spent. And one day there may come a morning when the guns finally fall silent – and the terrible discovery will be that there is almost nothing left to hear the silence.

A major fire has swept through a military base in the Canadian province of Alberta, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens, local media outlets have reported, citing sources.

The blaze broke out on Saturday in a training area at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Wainwright, about 200 kilometers southeast of Edmonton.

Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty confirmed fatalities and injuries but did not release casualty figures or explain what had caused the fire. 

”I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory,” McGuinty told reporters. “This is a very, very active and delicate situation.”

The Canadian Department of National Defense told a CBC journalist that officials did not find any indication of the incident at the base being linked to “any terrorist activity,” adding that the investigation into the causes was still ongoing.

Alberta MP Dane Lloyd said he had heard reports of “significant casualties” following an explosion and fire at the base.

According to multiple Canadian Armed Forces sources cited by Global News, a live-fire training exercise struck a gas line or gas well at the base around 4 PM local time, triggering the explosion.

A “code orange” disaster response protocol was activated in Edmonton to handle a large influx of patients from Wainwright.

Warren Thirsk, an emergency physician at the city’s Royal Alexandra Hospital, told CBC News that patients were being directed to hospitals across Edmonton because Wainwright’s medical facilities were “completely overwhelmed.” Additional medical teams were called in.

”It is more patients than any of us want to count right now. It’s a disaster. It’s a one in every 15 to 25-year disaster,” he said.

Local authorities established an emergency coordination center and urged residents to stay away from the scene, keep roads clear, and avoid Wainwright Health Centre unless they required urgent medical attention.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police launched an investigation. McGuinty said the situation was being closely monitored but did not confirm whether the fire was under control.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith described the blaze as “significant and tragic,” saying military personnel had been affected. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said a “serious incident” had sparked the fire, adding that federal officials were working closely with Alberta’s government and local authorities.

Large parts of Alberta experienced a windstorm on Saturday, with gusts reaching 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph) in some areas, toppling trees and sending signs and garbage cans flying.

CFB Wainwright is one of Canada’s busiest military training bases; it prepares soldiers and units for combat operations. It houses the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre, which conducts realistic battlefield exercises, and the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre, which provides basic infantry training.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has rejected Vladimir Zelensky’s claim that Washington ordered restrictions on satellite services used by Ukraine to carry out drone strikes deep inside Russia. The dispute comes amid a public spat between the Ukrainian leader and US President Donald Trump over sanctions and strikes on Russian energy facilities.

Earlier this week, Ukrainian officials said SpaceX’s Starlink terminals had suddenly stopped working on drones traveling faster than 160 km/h (100 mph). Zelensky told journalists on Saturday that tests on Starlink equipment in EU countries indicated that the restrictions imposed in Ukraine were “a planned operation.”

When asked to comment on Zelensky’s remarks later that day, Rubio offered a different account.

“I don’t know what Zelensky said. I’m not sure Zelensky knows what he’s talking about, but it wasn’t deliberate,” he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

“We had nothing to do with it. Nobody in the United States ordered that Starlink speed be slowed down. It sort of happened, but my understanding is it’s been restored. It’s back to where it was before,” the US diplomat said.

Rubio confirmed that Ukraine currently had no access to Starshield, Starlink’s military-grade sister service, but had requested it.

The Telegraph, however, reported on Friday that Musk had personally asked Trump to cap Starlink speeds for Ukraine, while Reuters reported that the White House had instructed the Pentagon to slow down Starshield. Trump has denied any involvement and said he did not believe Musk was responsible either.

Zelensky said on Saturday that the Starlink restrictions remained in place. A Ukrainian official told Axios that SpaceX had blamed the cap on “a technical problem.”

Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel exports earlier this month in an effort to curb rising energy prices ahead of the US midterm elections. On Friday, he went further, suspending new sanctions on Russian oil and gas trade on national security grounds. Trump also sought to pressure Ukraine to stop attacking Russian refineries, which he blamed for contributing to high energy prices.

Zelensky said he felt betrayed by Trump, who, in turn, argued that the Ukrainian leader was “not a good guy for us to deal with” and should be replaced.

Masked Israeli settlers have attacked a convoy carrying European diplomats in the occupied West Bank, prompting condemnation from France, Belgium and Poland.

The incident took place on Saturday near Taybeh, a predominantly Christian Palestinian village, when a group of settlers, some armed with baseball bats, arrived to prevent Palestinians from harvesting olives. The mob surrounded vehicles carrying the Belgian consul general, French and Polish diplomats, and representatives of the Catholic Church.

Bernard Baudoux, mayor of the northern French town of Aulnoye-Aymeries, said settlers kicked him and beat him with iron bars. Video from the scene shows a disheveled Baudoux sitting near a jeep while wearing a sash in the colors of the French tricolor.

“They arrived completely enraged. It’s absolutely incredible that settlers can behave like this,” the mayor said, as quoted by AFP and Le Monde. The windows of a Belgian diplomatic vehicle were also smashed.

Vehicles carrying diplomats from France, Belgium, and Poland came under attack by Israeli terrorist settlers during an inspection tour of the Christian village of Al-Taybeh in the Ramallah district in the West Bank. Europe still funds and arms Israel. https://t.co/8XS4sGZNUa

— Abubaker Abed (@AbubakerAbedW) October 17, 2026

“As the occupying power, Israeli authorities must protect Palestinians, ensure the safety of diplomats and journalists, and bring those responsible to justice. Impunity for violent settlers must end,” Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot wrote on X.

He urged Israel to halt settlement expansion and “attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land.”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot urged Israeli authorities to arrest “those responsible for these outrageous acts and bring them to justice,” while Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Maciej Wewiór condemned attacks on diplomats as “absolutely unacceptable.”

“Such coordination could have helped safeguard the visitors’ security,” he said.

Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law. The UN has warned that settlement expansion undermines prospects for establishing a Palestinian state.

In July, the UN human rights office reported that settler attacks against Palestinians had reached an “all-time high” since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023.

The attack on the diplomatic convoy came a day after settlers beat and robbed Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine near the Palestinian village of Abu Falah.

Italian police have deployed tear gas and water cannons during clashes with protesters in Bologna and Milan amid nationwide demonstrations against the rising cost of living.

Organized by Italia in Piazza, a movement of students and young workers, the rallies began across Italy on Saturday to protest high fuel and energy prices, soaring rents, low wages, and deteriorating healthcare and education. Demonstrators also voiced opposition to military spending.

In Milan, where more than 5,000 people joined the march, participants carried a banner demanding “more money for families, less for wars.” In Genoa, crowds waved Palestinian flags and carried anti-war placards, calling for more funding for schools and housing rather than weapons.

While initially peaceful, the rally in Milan turned violent when demonstrators reached police cordons in the city center. Masked protesters threw stones and homemade explosive devices at officers, who responded with charges that split up the march.

Camionette dei carabinieri e della polizia costrette a indietreggiare. La situazione in Piazza Duomo va fuori controllo https://t.co/WR4MaWZJLt

— Local Team (@localteamit) October 17, 2026

Clashes spread to the area outside Milan’s iconic Duomo Cathedral, where protesters hurled metal barriers and trash bins and set barricades made from cafe tables on fire.

Make sure to inform everyone you know that the migrant gangs and their Antifa allies are also rioting in Milan, Italy tonight Building are vandalized and fires are set in front of Milan Cathedral (the Duomo) https://t.co/0g8W1qZDsx

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 17, 2026

In the nearby Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade, luxury stores lowered their shutters and staff and customers sheltered inside. Police charged into the arcade to disperse the groups.

Protesters kicked a police vehicle and pelted it with furniture and stones, forcing it to retreat. Tourists sheltered under porticoes amid broken glass, debris, and tear gas.

فوضى تامة خارج رمز المسيحية في ميلانو، الكاتدرائية. قنابل ورقية، ألعاب نارية، سيارات مدمرة، هجمات على الشرطة، إهانات وصراخ مباشرة أمام الدومو. لا إيطالي، حتى الأسوأ، يجرؤ على إشعال النيران وإطلاق الألعاب النارية ضد الدومو. إهانة لا يمكن تفسيرها أو نسيانها. @hishamezzalarab https://t.co/QVLt9M4Wqf

— zoom (@randa999000) October 17, 2026

Around 50 people were detained following unrest in Piazza Duomo, the square outside Milan’s cathedral, the nearby San Babila shopping district, and surrounding streets. Almost half were minors, according to Italian news agency ANSA. At least four officers and 20 protesters were reportedly injured.

Four minors were arrested and seven people were reported to prosecutors, while 36 police officers were injured, according to ANSA.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni accused the “thugs” of exploiting lawful demonstrations to sow chaos and “hold entire cities hostage.”

“Protesting is a right. Setting our cities ablaze is not,” she wrote on X.

Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said “the reasons for the protests were understandable” but condemned the attacks on law enforcement and damage to the city.

The protests echoed unrest in neighboring France, where public sector workers demanding better pay have joined students protesting over deteriorating learning conditions.

Iran could restore normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz within a week if Washington accepts a peace plan proposed by Tehran last month, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said. The terms were previously rejected by US President Donald Trump.

The Islamic Republic remains “committed to safe and secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” Araghchi told a ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Saturday, blaming disruptions to shipping through the key waterway on the “aggressive actions” of the US and Israel.

”Through Qatar, we have conveyed a concrete seven-day plan: if the necessary conditions are met, the Strait can be reopened and normal maritime passage restored within seven days,” the minister said. “The choice now rests with the United States.”

“This issue will not be resolved on the battlefield. Peace cannot be built through threats of annihilation,” Araghchi added.

Tehran has offered to restore navigation through the crucial oil shipping route in exchange for Washington lifting its naval blockade, easing restrictions on the Islamic Republic’s oil exports and releasing some frozen Iranian assets. Iran is also demanding an end to hostilities “on all fronts,” including Israel’s military operations in Gaza and Lebanon.

Last month, Trump rejected Iran’s terms as “unacceptable.” He argued that the US retained full control over the strait and held a stronger negotiating position, while Iran was desperate to reach an agreement because it was “losing so badly.”

The US president has hinted that he could resume strikes, while American media outlets have reported that Pentagon officials and national security advisers briefed him on options involving the use of a massive conventional explosive nicknamed the “Mother of All Bombs.” However, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have ruled out attacks on Iran before the US midterms on November 3 and Israel’s parliamentary elections on October 27, respectively.

Iran closed the waterway, which handles around a quarter of global seaborne oil and LNG trade, shortly after the US and Israel launched their bombing campaign on February 28. Iranian forces have since fired on vessels traveling along routes designated by the US Navy, which Tehran considers illegal.

Two oil tankers caught fire after striking mines while crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said. The Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride also sank after striking a mine earlier this week, while another cargo vessel hit a mine but managed to reach port safely.

The prolonged disruption of shipping through Hormuz has driven up global energy prices and fueled inflation concerns. Brent crude surged to a five-month high on Friday, settling at $109.86 per barrel, up 3.7%, while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate climbed above $100. Analysts have warned that uncertainty over Middle Eastern supplies is keeping a significant risk premium in oil prices, which could ease if Washington and Tehran reach an agreement restoring normal shipping.

Two oil supertankers struck naval mines and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has told RT. Both vessels were carrying about two million barrels of crude oil, Iranian state media reported.

The incidents come amid a wave of attacks on tankers and cargo ships in the region in recent weeks, as talks between the US and Iran remain stalled and tensions persist.

One tanker was reportedly struck by a mine on Saturday morning. The second vessel was immobilized when the mine strike triggered an explosion in its engine room, the IRGC Public Relations Office said.

Both tankers had switched off their positioning and radar systems before attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz via routes unauthorized by Tehran, it said.

Iran has demanded that all ships using the Strait of Hormuz first obtain permits from its newly established maritime authority, which was formed in May to formalize control over the waterway.

The US has also struck commercial shipping as part of its naval blockade of Iranian ports, which it imposed in July following the breakdown of talks with Iran.

The fighting has severely disrupted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, which handled around a quarter of global seaborne oil and LNG trade before the war. The disruptions have contributed to rising energy prices worldwide. Brent crude settled at $109.86 per barrel on Friday, up 3.7% and its highest close since May.

Italian far-right MEP Roberto Vannacci has accused Vladimir Zelensky of treating Europe like an “ATM” after the Ukrainian leader requested another €70 billion ($79 billion) in aid.

Zelensky demanded more money on Friday, just months after the EU approved a massive €90 billion loan to support Ukraine through 2027. “The war will cost 155 billion euros next year. And we need at least 70 billion euros more from you – for defense, for weapons, and for our resilience. This is a realistic amount,” he said at an EU summit in Brussels.

Vannacci said Italian taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for further aid to Kiev.

“Zelensky has found some suckers who give him all the billions he asks for, so he just keeps on asking for more,” the MEP said in a video on social media on Friday. He argued that Zelensky’s demands have continued to mount, citing Kiev’s alleged budget shortfalls of €27 billion in 2026 and €32 billion in 2027, followed by a fresh €70 billion demand on top of the €90 billion loan approved in April.

He’s come to view us as Ukraine’s personal ATM.

Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic secured exemptions from the financial obligations of the previous €90 billion loan, which EU leaders agreed late last year and finalized in April 2026. Fico has argued that the loan, which is intended to be repaid using future Russian reparations, is effectively a gift that EU members will never recover.

Moscow has long argued that Western military aid only burdens the European taxpayer and prolongs the conflict – which Russia sees as a NATO-led proxy war fought using Ukrainian manpower.

The bell tower of the 143-year-old town hall in the French city of Limoges collapsed on Saturday evening after the building was set ablaze amid nationwide protests over the rising cost of living. The incident came as clashes between police and demonstrators escalated across France, with officers firing tear gas as tens of thousands took to the streets demanding economic relief and education reform.

The unrest followed weeks of student-led protests that began last month at a high school in Creteil, near Paris, over teacher shortages and deteriorating school facilities. Initially focused on education reform, improved learning conditions and increased funding, the movement has since converged with broader demonstrations against inequality and the rising cost of living. Labor unions have also joined the protests amid opposition to the government’s proposed 2027 budget and concerns over public spending cuts.

In Limoges, a city in west-central France, masked protesters set fire to the 19th-century town hall, AFP reported, citing a regional official. Videos circulating on social media show the building’s bell tower giving way and collapsing as flames engulf its supports.

The fire caused extensive damage, with the roof collapsing onto the lower floors and much of the facade destroyed. Local officials described the historic building as largely destroyed. No injuries were reported among those who had been inside.

🔴🇫🇷🔥 ALERTE INFO | Le clocher de la mairie de Limoges s’est effondré. https://t.co/gVB9oUXoB1

— French Report (@french_report78) October 17, 2026

“The roof has collapsed onto the lower floors, except in the west wing, and two-thirds of the exterior has already disappeared,” local prefect Maurice Barate said, as quoted by AFP.

Violent clashes were reported in Paris, Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse and Angers.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said 1,200 people had been arrested nationwide, while Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported that 150 police officers had been injured.

Footage from Paris showed police confronting protesters, while masked demonstrators threw objects and fireworks.

In Marseille, protesters broke into city hall, smashing open the door and spray-painting the walls, according to local newspaper La Provence. Fires were also reported in several cities, including at a tourist office in Lyon.

French President Emmanuel Macron has urged demonstrators to remain calm and respect people and property, while authorities have blamed violent incidents on what they describe as ultra-left groups.

Police tactics have also drawn scrutiny following reports of serious injuries among young protesters.

À la mairie du 7e arrondissement de Lyon, deux mariés font un clapping avec les manifestants, chaudement applaudis https://t.co/mWVjkHrnqF

— Lyon Mag (@lyonmag) October 17, 2026

Nunez has warned that security forces could use intermediate weapons, including stun grenades, if violence erupts during Saturday’s demonstrations.

Marseille : plusieurs dizaines de manifestants ont pénétré brièvement samedi dans le hall de la mairie, sur le vieux port, après avoir enfoncé la porte en criant "c'est la Révolution, on prend la Bastille". Ils ont été dispersés par des forces de l'ordre ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/QMtEYxYZTK

— Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) October 17, 2026

The protests echo the 2018 Yellow Vest movement, mounting further pressure on Macron as high public debt pushes French borrowing costs to 20-year highs.

🔴 🇫🇷 FRANCE

Scènes de chaos à Marseille. La situation est hors de contrôle. La police est débordée. À suivre.⁰#Marseille #17octobre pic.twitter.com/zTInewabU1

— Geocrises FR (@geocrises) October 17, 2026

Israeli ad tech company Discover-Tech exploited online advertising infrastructure to track targets and help deliver spyware to dozens of devices belonging to Al Jazeera staff and members of other entities, according to investigations by the Canadian cybersecurity watchdog Citizen Lab and New York-based ad security firm Confiant.

The researchers said Discover-Tech used a sprawling network of online ads to identify potential targets, monitor their activity and facilitate the compromise of their devices.

“The core finding is the weaponization of ad infrastructure for advanced staging, preliminary targeting, and payload delivery, characterized by exceptional technical sophistication, robust anti-interception measures, and surgical micro-targeting,” Confiant said in its findings.

Devices belonging to staff at the international news network Al Jazeera were among those infected through malicious ad placements, which operated silently, without visible pop-ups or suspicious links. The Qatar-based media network condemned “the spyware attacks targeting a number of its staff,” describing them as an “assault on press freedom,” and called for those responsible to be held accountable.

Discover-Tech used a system called Controlium to turn routine ad auctions into a surveillance tool. Over four months, it served ads across nearly 200,000 websites and mobile apps on Android and iOS devices in dozens of countries. According to Confiant, the company generated about 10 million ad impressions daily, harvesting device fingerprints, IP addresses, authentication tokens, cookies and other personal data, including without consent where required under EU privacy rules. Citizen Lab also identified a group linked to Discover-Tech, dubbed Dark Cartographer, which allegedly exploited vulnerabilities at mobile carriers and matched advertising IDs with phone numbers to track subscribers on a large scale.

Geographic data revealed sharp spikes in traffic that researchers said pointed to targeted intelligence-gathering operations rather than routine commercial advertising. Palestine was the most heavily targeted territory, where Discover-Tech accounted for nearly 2% of all digital ad impressions, peaking at around 10% on April 7. The activity also reached sensitive networks, including the Armenian prime minister’s office, international organizations, courts, universities and defense institutions. Investigators detected targeted connections to Candiru servers in nine countries, with Belgium accounting for 56% of recorded activity, followed by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Mexico and Spain.

On October 5, 2026, at the Warsaw Security Forum, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) Alexus Grynkewich unveiled a military strategy titled ‘Theory of Victory’.

The strategy covers the next few years and outlines NATO’s preparations to counter a potential “Russian attack.” While the details are likely classified, the main points have been made public. Here are the key publicly disclosed aspects of NATO’s ‘victory’ plan:

• Economic exhaustion of the adversary: The development of military and industrial capabilities that would make continued hostilities costly and futile for the aggressor. Here, NATO is positioning itself as the defending party.
• Destruction of support infrastructure: Strikes against the enemy’s infrastructure, targeting not only the attacking forces but also the entire system sustaining the armed forces – logistics, command centers, supply lines, and reserves.
• 2029 as the operational readiness benchmark: By 2029, the US Armed Forces and NATO’s European allies must complete the main preparations for countering potential global threats and must be ready to address any external challenge.
• NATO’s technological superiority: This point emphasizes achieving comprehensive technological dominance through the widespread use of drones and AI-driven combat management systems.

And the deadline – 2029 – resonates not just as an administrative milestone but as a psychological turning point.

The question that comes to mind is both simple and unsettling: how dangerous is it to prepare society, the military, and politics for a threat that may be driven by fear rather than grounded in reality? ‘Being prepared’ is one thing; but can it lead to the idea that ‘since we’re prepared, we can be the first to act’? 

Let’s talk about the potential threat. The rhetoric, plans, and timelines all point to a specific year: 2030. Various Western ‘seers’ suggest that this is when ‘Eastern hordes’ will charge westward. In other words, Western analysts anticipate a Russian assault on NATO countries around this time. At the same time, NATO leadership candidly states that currently, the threat from Russia is assessed as minimal. But by 2030, Russia will be ready!

It’s tempting to call this the “mythical Russian threat,” but the term “mythical” has been used so often that it has lost its meaning. It seems to create a divide between those who “believe in the threat” and those who “perceive reality.” However, geopolitics rarely fits neatly into black-and-white categories. A threat can be simultaneously real, exaggerated, distorted, and dangerous, precisely because it contains a kernel of truth.

According to NATO’s charter, it is strictly a defensive alliance. Article 5 discusses collective defense, not preemptive strikes. Regional plans, exercises, troop movements, and forward basing are designed as deterrents: to demonstrate to potential adversaries that aggression would come at too great a cost. However, active preparation for defense and the resulting substantial military buildup could offer politicians new options that might tempt them to act.

Finally, measures that one state views as protective can be perceived by another as a threat to its security. This sets off a spiral of escalation and mutual intimidation, pushing both sides into a standoff where they’re heavily armed for ‘deterrence’ yet unable to pass each other without starting a conflict. Although NATO’s plans may appear defensive on paper, they trigger this very mechanism – especially when accompanied by public rhetoric like “Russia could attack in a few years,” “Europe must be prepared by 2030,” or “the window of opportunity is closing.” While these statements may reflect genuine concerns, they also create a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Of course, in defense planning, timelines are essential. Without them, the military risks becoming a bureaucratic museum, while the defense industry could turn into a shop selling antique rifles. However, deadlines have a downside; they turn preparedness into a race. In public discourse, 2029 begins to sound less like a guideline and more like a deadline. By 2029, forces, equipment, munitions, logistical routes, command structures, trained reserves, integrated air defense systems, intelligence networks, and industrial capacities should be in place. This goal is quite reasonable for a military document.

But it raises a key question: what happens if someone in NATO eventually says, “We’re ready!”? This may first emerge as a report or assessment and may then be proclaimed as a political achievement; next, it may be used as an argument, and in times of crisis it may very well become a temptation to act. 

Preemptive “threat prevention” is an oxymoron. According to this logic, to prevent a war, one must start a war; to avoid a strike, one must strike first; to protect the status quo, one must disrupt it. Most importantly, no one can guarantee that retaliation will be limited, that escalation will stop at the desired threshold, that nuclear weapons will not be used, that allies will remain loyal, or that the public will bear the costs of the war.

The temptation exists. But can we halt escalation before it spirals into a full-blown crisis? There may still be a chance.

Firstly, transparency is crucial. We’re not talking about the disclosure of combat plans, but about clear signals regarding the kinds of actions that are considered defensive; limitations on certain military exercises; the types of forces that are not intended for a first strike; and the types of communication channels that will remain open even during crises.

Secondly, rules for de-escalation are necessary. These could include notifications about military activities, major exercises, limitations on movements near borders, incident verification mechanisms, military hotlines, and agreements on the actions of drones, aircraft, and vessels in contested areas.

Fourthly, we need responsible journalism and analytical insight. What’s required is neither naive reassurance – claiming there’s no threat – nor panic-driven claims that war is imminent. The goal should be to reflect the complexity of the world. A threat can be considered significant, but it may not necessitate war; and deterrence can be firm without leading to aggression.

And lastly, we must work to restore at least minimal arms control frameworks. Without them, each side will feel compelled to run faster, even if the race leads both to jump off a cliff. 

The year 2029 could be when Europe becomes stronger and more resilient. Or, it might be the year when someone declares, ‘We’re ready, and we can do anything!’ The former concept is about deterrence; the latter is deterrence in its perverted form.  It’s crucial for all parties in this race to understand this clearly.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged Israel to halt and reverse the establishment of settlements in the occupied West Bank, describing the Palestinian issue as the “greatest historical injustice of this century,” according to a ⁠statement released by Beijing following his meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

The two officials met on Thursday on the sidelines of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) summit in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Wang said achieving peace and reconciliation in the Middle East remained a cornerstone of Chinese foreign policy, stressing that a two-state solution was the only viable path toward resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

US President Donald Trump claimed on Friday that he did not order restrictions on Ukraine’s military access to Starlink satellite services, adding that he did not believe SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had done so either.

Ukrainian state and military officials earlier this week accused SpaceX of abruptly restricting access to Starlink satellite communications services and Starshield, its military-grade version, which Kiev relies on for frontline drone operations. Musk responded that Starshield is owned and controlled by the US government. The billionaire stressed that Starlink should be used only for civilian and defensive purposes, arguing that employing its systems for offensive operations would be “inappropriate for a commercial company.”

The development followed US President Donald Trump stepping up pressure on Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries, which he blames for surging global energy prices. Trump has also repeatedly urged the Ukrainian leader to hold a long-overdue presidential election.

“Well, I don’t know if it was anybody because it wasn’t me, and I don’t think it was Elon,” Trump said when asked who had been behind the alleged suspension of the Starlink systems. “And from what I understand, it’s the same as it’s always been.”

Reuters reported on Thursday, citing officials briefed on the matter, that people “inside the White House” had instructed the Pentagon to impose speed restrictions on Starshield terminals. The report did not name the people who allegedly issued the directive, while a senior US official told Bloomberg at the time that Trump had not personally ordered restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starshield.

On Friday, The Telegraph cited four sources familiar with the discussions as saying that Musk had approached Trump with the proposal to introduce speed limits on the system. One of the sources told the newspaper that Trump “agreed” with the suggestion, paving the way for the Pentagon to execute the slowdown.

Ukrainian officials have also complained about receiving no advance warning from the Americans before Russian missile strikes. The White House has not confirmed the claims.

Media reports emerged earlier this month that the US had also threatened to halt the procurement system that provides Ukraine with weapons to press authorities in Kiev to stop attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier this week that Russia was unaware either of the Starlink slowdown for the Ukrainians or that intelligence sharing had been cut off. Peskov noted that “overall, of course, it would be better if such amazing technology… was not used for military purposes at all.” Moscow has persistently condemned Western military aid to Ukraine, arguing that it only serves to prolong the conflict without changing the outcome.

Italy has expended its probe into the alleged torture and sexual abuse of activists from the Gaza-bound aid flotilla by Israel’s security forces to include Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and twelve other high-ranking military, police and prison officials, the Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office has said.

Israel intercepted dozens of yachts in international waters and arrested more than 800 volunteers from various countries in October 2025 and May 2026, who were attempting to break West Jerusalem’s naval blockade of the Palestinian enclave. They were held for days before being deported.

The investigation was launched by Rome earlier this year after some 50 Italian nationals, who were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla missions, complained about being mistreated in Israeli detention, among other things reporting at least 15 cases of sexual abuse and rape. The probe had initially beeen centered on the country’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. A similar inquiry was initiated by France.

The activists detained after the 2025 mission reported beatings, injuries, death threats, insults and accusations of terrorism, the statement read. The participants of the second mission claimed to have been subject to even harsher treatment by Israeli security forces, including beatings in the dark and the use of tasers and rubber bullets, it added.

Prosecutors said they had sent a request for judicial assistance in the investigation to Israel in June, but it remains unclear if they received a response from West Jerusalem.

Italian law allows crimes committed abroad against Italian citizens to be prosecuted by Rome. If the probe finds the charges warranted, the country could formally request a trial of the Israeli officials.

Katz and Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir, who is now also under investigation, haven’t yet commented on the development. Ben-Gvir brushed off the Italian probe in June, saying that he would “continue to stand proudly alongside our fighters.”

Israel claims the blockade of Gaza is necessary to prevent weapons from getting into the enclave. It also denies withholding supplies for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, almost 2 million of whom have been displaced since the outbreak of the conflict in October 2023, according to UN figures.

West Jerusalem sent its forces into Gaza in retaliation for a Hamas-led incursion in which some 1,200 people lost their lives and 250 others were taken hostage.

Israel’s airstrikes and ground offensive have cost the lives of more than 74,000 Palestinians, including at least 21,000 children, in Gaza over the past three years, the local health ministry has said. Over 1,500 deaths happened despite a US-brokered ceasefire being in effect in the enclave since October 2025.

US President Donald Trump has suspended sweeping new sanctions against Russia that he signed into law just a month ago, invoking a national-interest exemption to waive penalties targeting Moscow’s economy and countries purchasing Russian energy.

In an executive order issued on Friday, Trump waived sanctions and tariffs mandated by the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, including proposed 500% tariffs on imports from Russia and 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas.

“I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver is in the national interests of the United States and a report explaining the basis for the certification,” Trump wrote.

China and India, the two largest buyers of Russian crude oil, were expected to be among the countries hardest hit by the legislation.

Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel exports earlier this month in an effort to curb rising energy prices ahead of the US midterm elections. The move sparked outrage in Ukraine and among America’s European allies, prompting a bipartisan group of US senators to accuse Trump of betraying Kiev.

According to US media reports, Trump decided to ease sanctions after Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky refused to halt strikes on Russian energy facilities, which Trump blamed for high energy prices.

On Friday, US Representative Gregory Meeks introduced a bill in Congress seeking to block the diesel agreement with Russia. The Democrat accused Trump of “cozying up to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and striking self-enriching deals instead of standing with Ukraine.”

Russia has maintained that it has adapted to mounting Western economic pressure, while describing the Graham bill as a hostile move that would undermine Trump’s efforts to broker peace between Moscow and Kiev.

“[Russian] diesel has begun reaching global markets, and it will have a certain positive effect on stabilizing oil markets,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s investment envoy and a negotiator on Ukraine, hailed the waiver as “an important and historic moment.” Economic cooperation serves the interests of both countries, “contributes to global economic stability, and lays the foundation for building trust and achieving lasting peace,” he wrote on X.

US President Donald Trump has said he would welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin at the upcoming G20 summit in Florida, despite efforts by Ukraine and other European countries to isolate Moscow.

After returning to office in early 2025, Trump broke ranks with many of his Western allies, who had suspended high-level meetings with Russia over the Ukraine conflict.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed last month that Putin had been invited to the summit, scheduled for December 14–15 in Miami.

“I don’t know if he’s coming. I would certainly love to have him,” Trump told reporters on Friday when asked whether the Russian leader would attend.

Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said last month that the Kremlin was grateful for the invitation but had yet to decide whether Putin would attend. He added that Russia would “actively participate in the work of the G20.”

The invitation drew criticism from EU officials and a bipartisan group of US senators. “It’s clearly, I think, the wrong path to normalize people who are starting wars,” said Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat. 

Trump: I would certainly love to have Putin at the G20. I don’t know if he’s coming. https://t.co/nc7NJMRESQ

— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 16, 2026

Trump has defended his engagement with Moscow as part of his efforts to end the Ukraine conflict.

Trump has revived direct negotiations with Russia, which were largely suspended under his predecessor, Joe Biden, following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. His efforts to mediate a peace deal between Moscow and Kiev have caused friction with Ukraine and Washington’s European allies.

US presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have visited Moscow together three times since December 2025, while Witkoff has made eight trips to the Russian capital since Trump returned to office.

Trump and Putin last met in person on August 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov attended a G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors in Asheville, North Carolina, on August 31–September 1, 2026. It was his first in-person appearance at a G20 meeting since February 2022.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing mounting accusations that he ignored warnings ahead of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, as a bitter blame game over one of Israel’s worst security failures emerges in the final weeks of the election campaign.

Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar has filed a defamation suit against Netanyahu, accusing him of falsely blaming intelligence officials for the attack despite receiving repeated alerts about security threats.

The Hamas-led assault killed around 1,200 people in southern Israel, with another 251 taken hostage. Israel’s subsequent military offensive in Gaza has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, according to the local health authorities.

Bar is seeking nearly $1 million in damages, claiming he warned the prime minister of growing danger in the months preceding the assault. He says a long trail of documents will expose Netanyahu’s account of events as false.

“Israel’s worst disaster has become political kryptonite,” RT correspondent Charlotte Dubenskij reported from Jerusalem on Friday, as the country prepares to vote on October 27.

Further questions have been raised by Netanyahu’s former military secretary, Avi Gil, who claims officials attempted to alter the recorded time of a phone call made on the morning of October 7.

The prime minister has also denied reports that he received advance warnings from Egyptian intelligence and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed. The claims have drawn criticism from political rivals, including former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.

Questions have also emerged over Netanyahu’s handling of the subsequent Gaza war. Former Israeli hostage negotiator Nitzan Alon has suggested that political considerations delayed a deal that could have brought captives home much earlier.

Katie Zacharia is stepping down as US President Donald Trump’s press secretary after just five days on the job, the White House confirmed on Friday.

A conservative political commentator, Zacharia has faced widespread criticism over her handling of her debut press briefing and allegations that she misrepresented her legal credentials.

Trump cast doubt on Zacharia’s future in the role while speaking to reporters outside the White House. “Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider,” he said, adding that he had spoken to her shortly beforehand. “Katie, do you need this? I don’t think you need this.”

Several hours later, White House communications director Steven Cheung said Zacharia would be “transitioning into a new role that will be announced at a later date.”

Zacharia posted a photo of herself with Trump in the Oval Office on X, saying that “it was an honor to work for him.”

President Trump is a kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and hardworking man. I wish more Americans appreciated him. No one will ever make America great the way he has and continues to. It was an honor to work for him. https://t.co/Tp4NizrhE2

— Katie Zacharia (@KatieZacharia) October 17, 2026

According to the New York Times, Zacharia largely read from a script during her first and only press briefing on Tuesday and ended the Q&A session after just five and a half minutes. Critics also accused her of misrepresenting herself as a lawyer after she failed to confirm whether she had passed a US bar exam. Zacharia later claimed to have passed a bar exam in China, where she worked for a Beijing-based law firm in the 2010s.

During his first term, Trump fired White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci in July 2017, just ten days after his appointment, following a profanity-laden phone call with a reporter in which he attacked senior administration officials.

At her first press briefing, Zacharia announced that Trump had asked US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle, the former fiancée of his son Donald Trump Jr., to resign following allegations of misconduct.

Several high-profile officials have left the Trump administration this year, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, and Navy Secretary John Phelan.

Zelensky’s diesel-fueled burnout

For Zelensky, it’s a “diplomatic nightmare,” as Russian analyst Sergey Poletaev wrote for RT. Trump rubbed salt in the wound on Saturday when he openly suggested that Ukrainians “get a new leader who can make a deal” and halt attacks on Russian oil refineries. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump went on to claim, “wants to make a deal more than Zelensky.”

Backed into a corner, Zelensky began throwing haymakers. Accusing the American president of empathizing with dictators, Zelensky demanded air defense missiles from the US before vowing to continue his drone campaign against Russia’s refineries – with or without American support. 

The US apparently sent a warning signal to Zelensky by throttling the Ukrainian military’s access to SpaceX’s high-speed Starlink and Starshield satellite communications services, which are vital tools in guiding attack drones used against Russia, and in detecting incoming retaliatory strikes. Neither Trump nor SpaceX CEO Elon Musk would take responsibility for the communications drop-off, but even if they had, their message would likely have fallen of deaf ears.

Zelensky escalates the energy war

The Ukrainian leader followed through on his promise to keep hitting Russian refineries, despite Trump’s announcement of an “energy ceasefire” between Moscow and Kiev (which neither side confirmed). Ukrainian forces attacked facilities in Russia’s Saratov and Ryazan regions on Wednesday, before firing a barrage of four long-range Flamingo cruise missiles and 69 fixed-wing kamikaze drones at the Ryazan refinery again on Thursday.

Debris from an intercepted UAV triggered an intense fire at the facility, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Trump went on to savage Zelensky in a Newsmax interview on Thursday. “I’m not a big fan of Zelensky. They’ve destroyed that country,” he said, before accusing the Ukrainian leader of selling missiles given to him by the US “on the open market.”

“Zelensky is not a good guy for us to deal with,” Trump concluded.

Nord Stream trial begins

As Ukraine doubles down on its infrastructure war, the costliest infrastructure attack in history is finally being litigated in a German courtroom. Sergey Kuznetsov, a Ukrainian military officer, went on trial in Hamburg this week, accused of leading the team that sabotaged the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines in September 2022, an act that German prosecutors consider a “war crime.” 

As RT has explored in depth, the prosecution’s version of events is riddled with plot holes and inconsistencies. However, to pick apart the alternative story – that the pipelines were destroyed in a CIA operation – would call the relationship between Washington and Berlin, the foundation of the postwar liberal order, into question. 

While a guilty verdict against Kuznetsov would directly implicate the Ukrainian military in a war crime against its largest foreign donor, the trial, at least at this stage, appears set up to avoid this outcome.

Russiagate resurrected

Speaking of reopening old wounds, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham dug up the bloated corpse of ‘Russiagate’ this week to bolster his efforts to undo the 2016 Brexit referendum and rejoin the EU. Burnham claimed that he had “clear” evidence that Russia interfered in the vote, in which Britons voted by 51.89% to 48.11% to leave the union.

Just as the original ‘Russiagate’ claims against Trump fell apart under questioning, Burnham’s allegation crumbled once subjected to some basic scrutiny. The British PM was unable to back up his accusation when grilled in Parliament, and his foreign secretary, Stephen Doughty, humiliated himself on national television when he attempted to evade questioning on the claim.

The final nail in the coffin came when Burnham’s own domestic intelligence chief cautioned against exaggerating “Russian influence” on Brexit, arguing that debating the influence of “Russian trolls” on the vote “play[s] into our adversaries’ hands by making these trolls look 10ft tall.”

As it turned out, none of this was true. The strike interrupted the activity of Yandex’ web crawler bots, which archive websites for search users, but with the help of an AI-created graph and some creative interpretation of the word “bot,” the hoax made it all the way to the Warsaw Security Forum.

French riots spread

French students took part in a fifth wave of demonstrations this week, which they say are aimed at securing more school funding and better learning conditions. Every wave of protests thus far has descended into rioting and vandalism, and this week’s marches were no different, with participants torching cars and battering police officers with cobblestones and fireworks in Paris.

RT’s Nadege Abderazzak watched heavily armored police baton-charge crowds of rioters in the French capital on Wednesday, noting that officers now outnumber protesters two-to-one at some rallies.

With French President Emmanuel Macron determined to increase military spending and continue arming Ukraine, France’s financial situation is in dire straits, and right-wing National Rally leader Marine Le Pen is on track to win the country’s next presidential election.

Meanwhile, Albanian students have taken a page out of their French counterparts’ book. After large protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and opposition leader Sali Berisha over corruption allegations, a crowd of students breached the fence of the Education Ministry in Tirana on Wednesday and torched the building.

Rama’s response has also drawn from the Western playbook, with the Albanian PM accusing protesters of waging “hybrid war” against the country.

What we’re watching

Zelensky may be in Trump’s bad books, but he can still count on the support of Macron, Burnham, and the rest of his European backers, whom he met in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. In his address to the European Council on Friday, the Ukrainian leader asked for another “70 billion euros” for ammunition, missiles, and air defense. Should Ukraine “fall,” Zelensky warned, another 20 million Ukrainian migrants will flood into the EU.

We’ll be keeping an eye on what kind of promises the cash-strapped Europeans make after this blatant shakedown.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will fly to Tehran on Monday for talks with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi. The two diplomats are expected to focus on de-escalating the simmering US/Iran conflict in the Middle East, and any progress on this front will likely be reflected in global energy markets.

Lavrov will also meet Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic on Friday, ahead of critical parliamentary elections on October 25. Amid student protests, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic called the election early and stepped down to run as prime minister, a high-stakes move that turned the vote into a referendum on his nine years in power. With pro-Western students and right-wing ‘patriotic’ forces squeezing Vucic from either side, we’ll be keeping an eye out for polls, protests, and interference from the usual suspects. 

For more on all of these stories, stick with RT.

Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine has been badly beaten by Israeli settlers and stripped of her equipment while covering attacks on Palestinians harvesting olives in the occupied West Bank.

The assault occurred on Friday near the village of Abu Falah, the latest in an ongoing string of attacks staged by organized settler groups. Masked settlers have repeatedly attacked Palestinian villages, hurling stones and setting orchards on fire in an apparent effort to disrupt the autumn harvest. The Israeli military, which is usually present, has taken little to no action against the settlers.

Levine, a veteran photographer who has covered conflicts across the Middle East and elsewhere for decades, was caught in a settler charge on the Palestinians. The mob threw the journalist, who was wearing a blue protective vest clearly marked ‘PRESS,’ to the ground, repeatedly kicking her while stealing her cameras and phone.

“They just kept kicking me and kicking me, like probably 50 times,” Levine told reporters after the incident.

Footage from the scene shows the immediate aftermath, with Levine seen prone on the ground after the settlers were repelled by the villagers. The journalist was badly shaken but apparently spared more serious injuries thanks to her protective vest and helmet.

Severe settler + soldier attack on olive harvesters in Abu Falah. American WaPo journalist Heidi Levine badly wounded. Machine gunfire—at least one Palestinian shot. Tear gas. Soldiers assaulting journalists. pic.twitter.com/He61cNYk0c

— jasper nathaniel (@infinite_jaz) October 16, 2026

The photographer was evacuated by Palestinian paramedics and treated at a hospital in Ramallah for her injuries. Later on, another group of journalists was reportedly pelted with stones by settlers at the site. Oren Ziv, a journalist who also witnessed the attack, reported that at least one Palestinian was wounded by gunfire. It was not immediately clear whether Israeli settlers or the military fired the shots, but the IDF reportedly did nothing to stop the violence.

Ten days earlier, veteran Palestinian photographer Jaafar Ashtiyeh, who has been working with AFP, suffered a similar assault during a settler raid on Palestinian olive farmers. The journalist, marked as press, was attacked by armed Israeli settlers, who beat him with rifle butts and robbed him of his equipment. The violence was reportedly witnessed by an IDF unit that did not intervene.

Journalists documenting settler violence have increasingly become victims of it. The Committee to Protect Journalists documented at least 16 incidents involving 35 Palestinian, Israeli, and international journalists in the first eight months of 2026 alone, with the figures already surpassing those recorded in 2025.

Two women have filed a federal lawsuit accusing former US Representative Matt Gaetz, President Donald Trump’s first pick for attorney general, of participating in a sex trafficking ring while serving in Congress. Gaetz has faced similar allegations for years, and has denied any wrongdoing.

The lawsuit, filed in Florida on Thursday, alleges that Gaetz and several other men, including former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg and former Florida legislator Christopher Dorworth, sexually exploited the plaintiffs between 2017 and 2019.

The women, identified as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2, are seeking unspecified damages under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

According to the complaint, Greenberg recruited financially vulnerable young women through the dating website SeekingArrangement.com and introduced them to Gaetz.

The lawsuit alleges that Gaetz had sex with Jane Doe 1 and a 17-year-old girl at a July 2017 party where narcotics were distributed. He allegedly paid the minor $400 in cash and transferred $500 to Jane Doe 1 three days later.

Gaetz and Greenberg subsequently made at least 19 payments to Jane Doe 1, ranging from $150 to $1,000, the complaint claims. Jane Doe 2 alleged that she first had sex with Gaetz in exchange for money in October 2017.

The men allegedly used “their public office, power, and wealth to prey on the economic vulnerability of Plaintiffs,” the lawsuit states. Both women were in their early twenties when they met Gaetz.

Greenberg pleaded guilty to federal charges, including sex trafficking of a minor, in 2021 and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Responding on X on Thursday, Gaetz appeared to mock the lawsuit, posting a photo of three women in swimsuits overlooking the ocean in the Bahamas.

“Jane Doe Strikes Again!” he wrote, sarcastically questioning why nobody had responded to the women’s supposed cries for help on Instagram. He later told reporters he looked forward to disproving the allegations.

Jane Doe Strikes Again! Two adult women sued me today alleging they were sex trafficked to the Bahamas. I’m shocked nobody responded to their repeated cries for help, posted to instagram. https://t.co/HPvX2xypzs

— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) October 15, 2026

In December 2024, the House Ethics Committee reported finding “substantial evidence” that Gaetz had paid women for sex, including a 17-year-old girl, and used illegal drugs while in office.

A separate Justice Department investigation ended in 2023 without charges.

Gaetz withdrew from consideration to be Trump’s attorney general in November 2024 after several Republican senators signaled opposition to his nomination over the allegations.

The Houthis continue to strike Saudi Arabia despite Riyadh’s threats of a forceful response and promises to enlist outside partners to defend the kingdom.

By targeting airports and oil infrastructure, Ansar Allah is seeking to raise the cost of Saudi involvement in Yemen’s conflict and force the kingdom’s leadership to reconsider the terms of a settlement.

The latest wave of Houthi attacks has targeted facilities of particular importance to Saudi Arabia. On the evening of October 13, a strike hit Saudi Aramco’s headquarters in Dhahran, home to the company’s key management operations. The Saudi Energy Ministry reported a fire, though miraculously no one was killed.

Ansar Allah also claimed strikes on an oil refinery in Riyadh and King Khalid International Airport. The choice of targets suggests the Houthis want to put virtually all of the kingdom’s oil revenue at risk and disrupt its international air connections.

These targets also suggest that the movement is trying to influence Saudi leaders’ decisions directly. Oil infrastructure generates government revenue, airports connect the country to the outside world, and confidence in the kingdom depends on the security of both. Even limited damage can therefore produce an impact far greater than the cost of the weapons used.

The Houthis have their own history of confrontation with Saudi Arabia. The movement emerged in northern Yemen, fought a series of wars against the central government between 2004 and 2010, and seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. Its rise was rooted in Yemen’s political system, local conflicts, and the collapse of state institutions. Iranian support strengthened an already established force with its own social base and political objectives.

The Saudi intervention in 2015 cemented Riyadh’s position as the movement’s principal foreign adversary. For the kingdom, the aim was to prevent a hostile force from consolidating power along its southern border and to support Yemen’s internationally recognized government. For the Houthi leadership, the war became both a threat to its survival and a rallying cause. Invoking foreign aggression allowed the movement to portray its struggle for domestic supremacy as a defense of national sovereignty.

That logic remains relevant to the current escalation. Saudi support for an offensive by Yemeni government forces threatens the Houthis’ territorial gains and bargaining position. Striking deep inside the kingdom allows them to raise the price of that support. Their apparent calculation is to make continued Saudi involvement in the war carry a recurring cost on Saudi soil.

The movement’s demands are concrete: an end to strikes, limits on assistance to its Yemeni adversaries, the lifting of transportation and trade restrictions, and agreements on revenues and payments. These issues were under discussion long before the latest escalation. The framework for a roadmap presented by the UN in December 2023 included a nationwide ceasefire, payment of public-sector salaries, the resumption of oil exports, and an easing of restrictions on Sanaa airport and the port of Hodeidah.

By increasing Riyadh’s costs, Ansar Allah hopes to extract concessions and retain control of the territory it has seized. A ceasefire on those terms, however, would consolidate the movement’s position without resolving how power should be shared in Yemen.

Attacks on Saudi Arabia also serve Ansar Allah’s domestic political interests. The movement uses its ability to strike deep inside the kingdom to bolster its standing among supporters. Confrontation with Riyadh also allows the Houthis to cast themselves as Yemen’s defenders against foreign intervention and use that claim to justify their bid for power.

A more accurate description would be a partnership with unequal resources in which the Yemeni side retains substantial autonomy. Weakening Saudi Arabia may serve both partners’ interests, but their preferred terms for ending the war may differ. Ansar Allah must consider conditions on Yemen’s battlefields and the survival of its own rule. Agreements between Iran and outside powers therefore do not guarantee an automatic halt to Houthi operations.

The economics of war

The development of domestic missile production and an expanding network for procuring components make it harder for Riyadh to bring Houthi attacks to an end. If the movement can replenish its arsenal from several sources, restricting Iranian supplies will have only a partial effect. An agreement with Tehran alone would therefore be insufficient to secure Saudi facilities. Much will depend on whether the Houthis themselves believe continued strikes serve their interests.

Nor do the Houthis need to match Saudi Arabia in the quantity or quality of their weapons. They can choose their targets and pause between attacks, while the kingdom must continuously defend airports, oil facilities, and cities across a vast territory. Even a single hit can disrupt a facility’s operations, trigger flight cancellations, or bring business activity to a halt. Purchases of American air defense systems reduce that threat but do not eliminate it. Riyadh’s problem is that military superiority has yet to deprive its adversary of the ability to inflict economically painful blows. That is precisely the capability the Houthis are trying to turn into negotiating leverage.

In a prolonged confrontation, the disparity in weapons costs also becomes significant. According to cited estimates, a Patriot interceptor costs more than $3 million, while some Houthi drones cost just $15,000–25,000. Defenders have to use such interceptors against cheap aircraft to protect far more valuable assets. But sustained defensive operations deplete stocks that cannot be replenished quickly, particularly amid strong global demand for air defense systems. This gives the Houthis an opportunity to wear down the kingdom’s defenses even when most of the aircraft they launch fail to reach their targets.

Technical difficulties are compounded by the structure of the Saudi armed forces. The separation of the regular military and the National Guard has historically served, in part, to protect the monarchy against a coup. But separate chains of command and highly centralized decision-making can hinder coordination and limit commanders’ initiative. Another weapons purchase, then, will not solve the problem on its own. Even additional detection and interception systems will deliver limited results if information arrives late and coordinating a response takes too long.

The Houthis can reasonably expect these shortcomings to take time to address, leaving them able to continue inflicting painful blows in the meantime. Domestic production and broader supply networks help sustain that campaign. The movement does not need to destroy major industrial facilities or shut down air travel altogether; a recurring threat is enough to make airlines reconsider routes, investors postpone decisions, and Saudi leaders spend more on protecting infrastructure.

Statements by Türkiye and Pakistan expressing their readiness to defend Saudi Arabia do not yet provide grounds to expect either country to enter the war fully, much less fight the Houthis inside Yemen. At an October 5 meeting, the parties to the Mecca Agreement announced that they would provide forces and equipment for the kingdom’s defense. The political weight of those promises, however, will depend on whether the allies can actually reduce the number of attacks and the damage they cause. As long as the strikes continue, Houthi leaders may view such declarations as rhetoric unlikely to be followed by a dangerous expansion of the war.

Ankara’s position reinforces that calculation. Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Hakan Fidan outlined possible assistance with air defense, electronic warfare, and technical support, while explicitly ruling out Turkish troops taking part in offensive operations on foreign soil. Türkiye has thus set clear limits on its role from the outset.

Pakistan also has reasons to avoid direct intervention. Joining the war in Yemen would mean additional military spending and the risk of worsening relations with neighboring Iran. It would therefore be premature to expect Islamabad to take on the task of defeating the Houthis on Riyadh’s behalf. Its commitments to the kingdom leave room for a role limited to defending specific facilities and providing military assistance.

A similar distinction applies to the American position. Intelligence sharing and targeting assistance support Saudi operations, but they do not mean Washington is willing to stop the attacks at any cost. The Houthis appear to be counting on precisely these limits to outside involvement. Their bet is that the kingdom’s allies will help it defend itself but will be reluctant to become embroiled in a prolonged war to achieve Saudi objectives in Yemen.

Until that support produces a substantial reduction in attacks, threats to bring in allies may carry little weight with Ansar Allah.

***

The Houthis are seeking to demonstrate that continued Saudi intervention will bring losses that neither a vast defense budget nor foreign partners can prevent. If that pressure prompts Riyadh to scale back assistance to their adversaries or accept settlement terms favorable to them, the movement will have an opportunity to translate its battlefield gains into lasting political advantages.

Such an outcome would also benefit Iran by weakening Saudi Arabia’s position. Its most immediate consequence, however, would be to strengthen Ansar Allah itself in the struggle for power in Yemen.

Washington’s diesel deal with Moscow has exposed divisions within the West over its anti-Russian stance, as the US shifts toward a more pragmatic approach, former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl has said.

US President Donald Trump announced the agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, easing sanctions on Russian diesel imports until April 2027 in an effort to bring down soaring fuel prices. The move marks a departure from the Western sanctions policy imposed on Moscow since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022.

Speaking to TASS on Friday, Kneissl described the agreement as more than a “symbolic breakthrough,” pointing to the 300,000 tons of Russian diesel expected to reach the US and global markets by November.

“The EU says that this undermines the West’s united position. However, one could also say that this marks a shift by the US toward a more pragmatic approach, while the EU continues to pursue a purely ideological line,” she stated.

The agreement has drawn criticism from European leaders attending a two-day EU summit in Brussels this week. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis accused Trump of sidelining the bloc, telling reporters that “Trump, by doing that business with Putin, stabbed us in the back. We have to do something.”

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the agreement as a “gift to Putin,” while defending Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed on Friday that the bloc would maintain its sanctions against Moscow despite Washington’s decision to ease restrictions on Russian diesel.

Brussels’ hardline stance contrasts with that of EU member Slovakia, which remains heavily dependent on Russian energy and has sought to maintain economic ties with Moscow. Prime Minister Robert Fico has repeatedly called for diplomacy rather than continued military support for Kiev.

The dispute has also strained relations between Washington and Kiev. Trump has repeatedly urged Vladimir Zelensky to halt Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, blaming the attacks for pushing up global fuel prices.

The confrontation comes as global diesel supplies remain under pressure from the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has severely disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The International Energy Agency agreed on Thursday to accelerate the release of emergency oil reserves, including more than 20 million barrels of diesel, in an effort to ease shortages and bring down prices.

The administration of US President Donald Trump has ramped up pressure on Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries while pursuing landmark diplomacy with Moscow in a bid to bring down soaring fuel prices at home and revive stalled peace negotiations.

The overtures have left Vladimir Zelensky fuming, reigniting the bitterest public confrontation between the two since their explosive Oval Office showdown in 2025. Zelensky has fiercely criticized Trump’s Russian diesel deal and defied his demands to stop attacking Russian refineries, saying he feels “betrayed” by Washington.

In response, the US president branded the Ukrainian leader “not a good guy for us to deal with,” while suggesting that Ukraine needs a “new president,” referring to Zelensky’s long-expired presidential term.

As the dispute escalated, American officials reportedly threatened to restrict intelligence sharing and weapons supplies to Kiev, while Ukrainian commanders sounded the alarm about serious disruptions to the Starlink network, which the military heavily relies on for logistics, reconnaissance, and drone control.

Trump’s peace push has also put him on a collision course with Zelensky’s EU backers. US negotiators reportedly proposed unfreezing some Russian sovereign assets – an idea categorically rebuffed in Brussels. Zelensky then attempted to drum up support at a slightly farcical summit in Brussels where he demanded EU and NATO membership; both of which have been rejected outright in Brussels.

Moscow has welcomed Trump’s diplomatic offensive while opposing any temporary truce with Kiev, arguing that the pause will only allow Ukraine to recuperate its battered forces.

Russian diesel to the rescue

The state of US-Russia relations took a sharp turn on October 9, when Trump struck a surprise diesel deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to allow additional Russian supplies onto American and global markets. The arrangement – announced just weeks before the US midterm elections – envisaged the release of more than 300,000 tons of Russian diesel, followed by larger shipments in the coming months. Trump pitched the deal as a way to rein in soaring fuel costs for American consumers, truckers and farmers.

According to a Reuters report, Trump’s envoys also told their Ukrainian counterparts that the US hoped that the deal could help soften Russia’s position on the peace talks.

How did Kiev react to the US-Russia diesel deal?

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the arrangement as “mutually beneficial” and serving the interests of the global market while denouncing “the destructive position” of European countries on the matter.

Zelensky tramples over Trump’s red lines

The diesel deal came after weeks of increasingly forceful demands from Trump that Kiev halt strikes on Russian oil refineries.

Since September, Trump has publicly – and in an increasingly sharp tone – urged Zelensky to stop his attacks, saying on Thursday that “all he’s doing is making the world oil price higher” while denouncing the Ukrainian leader’s approach as “a disgrace.”

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak confirmed on Wednesday that Ukrainian drones had targeted two Russian oil refineries: in Ryazan and Saratov Regions.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described Zelensky’s behavior as “a direct and blatant challenge to President Trump.”

The Russian Defense Ministry issued its own warning, vowing to step up strikes on Ukraine’s military-related targets in response to Zelensky’s threats to attack oil facilities.

Starlink: Who controls the switch?

Zelensky subsequently confirmed that Ukrainian commanders had received warnings about a possible intelligence cutoff, although he acknowledged that cooperation had not stopped. Trump also denied suspending intelligence sharing, insisting that “we are helping them, and we are sharing intel.”

Yet on Tuesday, Zelensky complained that Kiev had received no advance warning from its partners about a Russian ballistic missile attack. He did not identify which countries had failed to provide the alerts.

While some Ukrainian officials already suspected that the disruptions were linked to the Trump-Zelensky feud, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing sources, that the order to restrict Starshield had originated inside the White House. A senior US official, however, denied that Trump personally ordered the restrictions. Later, Ukrainian officials reported that some Starshield connections had been restored.

Elon Musk – who has also been critical of Zelensky – confirmed that major decisions on Starshield rest with the American military or the president.

“Time for Ukraine to get a new president”

Trump’s jabs at Zelensky’s dubious legal status hark back to February 2025 when the US president branded the Ukrainian leader “a dictator without elections.”

Zelensky’s presidential term expired in May 2024, and he has refused to hold new elections, citing martial law. Russia has since declared him “illegitimate,” saying that his status is a major obstacle to signing a binding agreement.

In response to Trump’s criticism, Zelensky said that Kiev was ready to hold elections if Moscow agreed to a comprehensive 60-day ceasefire. Russia, however, offered a truce only on the day of any vote, arguing that Kiev would use a longer pause to recuperate its battered forces and receive more weapons from the West.

A thaw for Russia’s frozen billions?

Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner proposed unfreezing some of the €300 billion in sovereign Russian funds held in Euroclear in Belgium, and transferring them to a financial vehicle overseen by Washington, according to the Financial Times.

The EU has sought to seize the funds outright, but has faced strong resistance, particularly from Belgium, over fears of costly litigation, Russian retaliation, and damage to Europe’s financial reputation.

While US officials reportedly see the issue of Russian sovereign assets as part of a comprehensive peace agreement, the proposal “startled” Kiev’s intransigent European backers, who flatly rejected the initiative, and refused to relinquish control over the assets.

Begging in Brussels: the €27 billion hole

With his relations with Trump in tatters, Zelensky traveled to Brussels on Friday to seek financial and military backing from the EU. In a not-so-veiled swipe at the US president, he thanked unelected EU officials as “real leaders” upon his arrival.

However, Kiev’s demands for more money have already met resistance from the EU. After announcing an unexpected $27 billion defense budget hole in August, Zelensky requested the EU front load part of the €90 billion loan meant for 2027 already this year.

Zelensky’s bickering with Trump is forcing the EU to take an increasingly adversarial stance towards the US. According to the Financial Times, EU officials planned to urge the Ukrainian leader behind the summit scenes to tone down his public criticism of Washington.

“It might be true, but it doesn’t always need to be said out loud,” one person familiar with the discussions told the newspaper.

Bottom Line

Barely recovering from his Oval Office clash with Trump last year, Zelensky has once again gone against Ukraine’s most important backer by repeatedly ignoring American warnings over refinery strikes and challenging Washington’s diesel deal with Moscow.

As Ukraine struggles to contain Russia’s advances on the battlefield and prop up a collapsing economy while turning to the reluctant EU for help, Trump refused to cut Zelensky any slack and step back from his demands when America’s interests are at stake – and now Ukraine is facing the threat of a complete Starlink cut-off and a halt to crucial intelligence sharing.

Vladimir Zelensky is open to stopping attacks on Russian oil refineries for 100 days in exchange for a 300 km extension of Starlink satellite internet service coverage for the Ukrainian military, the Wall Street Journal has said.

The report comes as US President Donald Trump has ramped pressure on Zelensky to end the strikes, which he blames for surging global energy prices. In his interview with Newsmax on Thursday, Trump called Ukraine’s actions “a disgrace.”

In an article published the same day, the WSJ said that Republican Senators Roger Wicker and Kevin Cramer brought the deal to the Ukrainian leader during their visit to Kiev last Friday. The outlet claimed that it was told by unnamed sources that Zelensky had agreed to the proposal.

The extended Starlink coverage should help Ukraine target missile launchers inside Russia, according to the report.

The Ukrainians, who have relied heavily on Starlink during the conflict with Russia for battlefield communications and controlling drones, have been “terrified” by the slowdown of satellite internet provided by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company this week, the WSJ said.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian officials and frontline commanders complained that Starlink terminals had suddenly stopped working when UAVs flew faster than 100 mph, disrupting some combat missions. According to Reuters, the order to slow down the service came directly from the White House. Zelensky said on Friday that Starlink’s speed has increased over the last couple of days, but the restrictions haven’t been fully lifted yet.

Earlier this week, Zelensky confirmed reports that the US had threatened to stop sharing intelligence with Kiev if it kept ignoring Trump’s demands to cease energy strikes inside Russia. Officials in Kiev also complained about receiving no advance warning from the Americans before Russian missile strikes.

Last month, Peskov warned that allowing Starlink to be used to facilitate strikes deep into Russian territory would be “a very harmful, potentially dangerous and misconceived step.”

The American authorities apparently don’t require consent from Musk to expand the coverage of Starlink’s military component, known as Starshield, for Ukraine. The SpaceX CEO said earlier this week that its systems “are owned and controlled” by the US government, with the Pentagon and the US president deciding on the limits on their speed or usage.

On Sunday, Musk backed Trump’s suggestion that “it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president.” In a comment to a White House video with the US president’s criticism of the Ukrainian leader, the entrepreneur said that “Zelensky has gone too far.”

On the night of October 16, 1946, 10 individuals were hanged in the Nuremberg prison. These were the main Nazi criminals who had been captured and brought to trial.

Despite the horrifying scale and brutality of the crimes, the Nuremberg Trials remain one of the most controversial proceedings in world history.

Justice instead of revenge

The idea of an international tribunal to address Nazi atrocities had been considered for some time. In 1942, the Soviet Union established a special Extraordinary Commission that gathered information about these crimes. Tragically, it had a lot of work to do. The USSR became the primary battleground for the bloodiest and most brutal war in Europe.

In addition to the Soviet government, the exiled governments of occupied countries – Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Norway, France, and Yugoslavia – also wanted to hold the Nazis legally accountable for their crimes. 

The outlines of the future tribunal began to take shape in the fall of 1943 during a conference in Moscow attended by the foreign ministers of the ‘Big Three’ – the USSR, the UK, and the US. The three powers agreed that Nazi leaders who committed crimes across multiple nations should be tried by an international court.

At that time, even the idea of lynching Nazi leaders seemed valid. Benito Mussolini was executed along with his mistress by Italian partisans on April 28, 1945, without any trial. Their mutilated bodies were publicly displayed. No one mourned Mussolini; similarly, no one would have objected if a Red Army soldier had shot Hitler.

Sporadic acts of vigilante justice also occurred as the war neared its end. A well-known incident involved American soldiers executing the staff of the Dachau concentration camp. Polish troops beat to death Oscar Dirlewanger, the commander of a punitive brigade responsible for countless deaths in Belarus and Poland.

Yet vigilante justice was not what the Allied leaders envisioned.

The men in the dock – and those who escaped it

By April and May of 1945, most of the individuals who would eventually be tried at Nuremberg had been apprehended. Of course, many key figures were never tried. 

For obvious reasons, Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels and Hitler himself were absent from the trial: both had committed suicide before they could face justice. Heinrich Himmler, the head of the SS, was captured by two freed Soviet prisoners, yet during a medical examination, he swallowed a poison capsule and died. Heinrich Müller, the leader of the Gestapo, likely shot himself in late April or early May 1945. His body was discovered months later in a temporary grave.

The fate of Martin Bormann, Hitler’s private secretary and head of the party chancellery, was unknown for many years. He went missing, which in 1945 could imply that he had fled under an assumed identity. However, today we can say with certainty that Bormann was killed in the final hours of the defense of Berlin, while attempting to break out of the encircled city alongside a column of German troops.

Twenty-four people were tried in Nuremberg. The most prominent among them was Hermann Göring, the commander of the Luftwaffe, who held numerous official and unofficial positions, served as Hitler’s close associate, and was considered the second most powerful man in the Reich.

Other figures included the Minister for Occupied Eastern Territories and the Nazis’ chief ideologist Alfred Rosenberg; Chief of the Armed Forces Command Wilhelm Keitel; Minister of Foreign Affairs Joachim von Ribbentrop; and the head of the security service Ernst Kaltenbrunner. 

Nuremberg’s Palace of Justice was chosen for the trials for several practical reasons. It had direct access to the prison, was in relatively good condition, and was well-equipped to accommodate large numbers of people.

The decision was made to conduct the trials according to established legal standards, allowing the defendants the right to defend themselves. The Nazis found attorneys to represent them. Admiral Karl Dönitz took an interesting approach: he secured a maritime law specialist as his lawyer, but said that if he were not allowed to work with him, he would choose the admiral of the Allied forces who commanded submarines as his lawyer.

Rosenberg pursued a different strategy by trying to recruit Hans Frank, who was also being tried for war crimes as the governor of occupied Poland, and happened to be a lawyer by training. However, this request was denied. Furthermore, since the court needed to address the criminal status of certain organizations, and Martin Bormann was absent from the trial, the court appointed its own attorneys. The judges were from the USSR, the US, the UK, and France. 

A significant challenge arose from the fact that some legal norms were developed during the trial itself. As a result, defense attorneys argued that the court was fundamentally unlawful since it relied on laws that did not exist at the time the defendants committed their crimes. Certain participants stated that Nuremberg represented “victor’s justice.” This sentiment partly fueled Winston Churchill’s earlier wartime suggestion to execute the political leadership of the Reich outright. The problem was that such a trial was unprecedented – nothing similar had ever been attempted before – and required the unveiling of many layers of guilt to find the responsible persons. 

For example, one of the most repugnant acts leading to the mass death of people was the so-called Barbarossa Decree issued in May 1941. This document was signed by Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, chief of the German armed forces. It effectively removed accountability for crimes committed by Wehrmacht soldiers and officers against Soviet civilians. Such actions could only be punished if they harmed German interests. If a soldier looted and killed a peasant, Keitel technically bore no responsibility, as the soldier operated within the legal framework that existed at the time.

Additionally, during the trial, Keitel’s attorney attempted to shift all blame onto the dead Hitler, citing that Keitel “was just following orders.” Moreover, the fact that the USSR did not sign several international agreements designed to protect war participants, especially prisoners of war, compounded the issue. The mortality rate among Soviet POWs during WWII exceeded 50%; in absolute terms, 3.3 million out of 5.7 million documented prisoners died. And this was just a small part of the challenges faced by the judges at Nuremberg.

The prosecution comprised four categories of crimes: crimes against humanity, crimes against peace, war crimes, and general conspiracy crimes.  There was a significant challenge in aligning the legal positions of the USSR, the UK, and the US. Soviet law existed as an independent branch but was rooted in continental legal principles; meanwhile, the British and Americans relied on their own legal frameworks; for instance, the concept of ‘conspiracy’ was unique to these countries and was not typical in Soviet or German law.

Witnesses, evidence and Göring’s defiance

In some cases, the Allies had to make real compromises with their conscience. One such case involved Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski, who participated in the proceedings as a witness. This man had directly overseen mass killings during counter-partisan operations in Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, and Poland.

A horrifying tactic employed by his subordinates involved rounding up villagers in partisan areas into one building, which was then set ablaze. The mass slaughter of Poles during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944 is another example of his policy – about 15 civilians were killed for every lost insurgent.

Zelewski understood that his survival depended on betraying others, so he turned on everyone, revealing their darkest secrets. Hermann Göring shouted from the defendant’s stand, “You disgusting traitor, swine!” but there was nothing he could do. Ultimately, a German court sentenced him to life in prison, not only for his wartime actions but also for murders committed during the power struggles in Germany in the 1930s.

The tribunal had volumes of documents to examine. American judge Robert Jackson later recalled that he had approached stories of Nazi atrocities with skepticism before the trial, but was horrified by the reality that unfolded before him. He was particularly struck by an SS report detailing the destruction of ghettos – Jews leapt from burning buildings, and some attempted to crawl away on broken legs; they were hunted down like game.

While most defendants tried to speak evasively, Hermann Göring stood his ground until the very end. He was informally dubbed ‘Fuhrer of the Defendants’. Göring urged his co-defendants to remain defiant and not to confess. He showcased his skills as an orator, made sarcastic remarks, and effortlessly parried the initial accusations.

According to him, Gestapo actions and concentration camps were just a response to the terrorist actions of the communists; and the extermination of Jews was merely harsh rhetoric, there were no actual plans for their annihilation. He claimed to have had no hand in any acts of aggression, insisting he was always taken by surprise by such acts. He also maintained that the Reich had to strike preemptively against the USSR to defend itself from potential Soviet aggression. As for the humanitarian catastrophe in occupied territories – that was the fault of the Soviet authorities and their scorched-earth tactics; and any crimes committed by German soldiers were merely isolated incidents.

In contrast, Albert Speer, the Minister of Armaments, didn’t plead for mercy; he acknowledged his guilt and presented himself as a humble technocrat, successfully avoiding the gallows.

The defense generally argued that the Nuremberg Tribunal established no new legal norms, yet the entire legal framework had been crafted specifically for this trial. Moreover, the conspiracy concept (one of the four main charges) allowed individuals to be condemned for being affiliated with criminal organizations. This was an unprecedented model in continental European law, including German law, and many lawyers deemed it inapplicable.

Even the term ‘genocide’ was used retroactively, having only emerged during the trial itself. Additionally, the defense reduced the discourse to the notion that the defendants were either uninformed or inadequately aware of the crimes being committed, while the actual perpetrators were presumably already in their graves.

The verdicts and the gallows

Out of 24 defendants, only 12, including Göring and Keitel, received death sentences. In reality, there were only 11, as the fate of Bormann remained unknown. Three others received life sentences – including naval commander Erich Raeder and Minister of Economics Walther Funk – but both were released in the 1950s. Rudolf Hess, one of Hitler’s associates, was sentenced to life in prison and committed suicide in 1987 at age 93. Albert Speer and the leader of the Hitler Youth organization Baldur von Schirach both received 20-year sentences. Interestingly, three people were acquitted: propagandist Hans Fritzsche, diplomat Franz von Papen, and financier Hjalmar Schacht.

Two others managed to evade justice altogether. Party official Robert Ley committed suicide before the trial even began, while Göring somehow obtained poison and took it just hours before his execution.

On the evening of October 15th, three gallows were erected in the prison gymnasium. Before midnight, the condemned were roused from their cells and led out. Execution began just after one o’clock, and by 2:45 AM, it was all over. The bodies were transported to Munich for cremation, and their ashes were scattered.

Among those hanged was Waldemar Hoven, the chief physician at the Buchenwald concentration camp, who conducted gas poisoning experiments on inmates. A whole team of SS officers was convicted in connection to the Einsatzgruppen case. For unclear reasons, out of 24 individuals, only a few were actually executed, despite all being directly responsible for the murders. Among those executed was Paul Blobel, who organized the mass killings at Babi Yar. Additionally, separate trials occurred in various countries under their national laws. In Norway, 12 Germans and 25 collaborators were executed. In Poland, Rudolf Höss, the commandant of Auschwitz, was hanged following a separate trial.

***

The Nuremberg Tribunal was an impressive judicial process, and the Allies’ decision to hold it deserves commendation. The trial wasn’t perfect and it’s true that it departed from traditional methods of justice. Many legal norms were established retroactively; moreover, in the subsequent trials, many Nazi criminals managed to escape justice. However, Nuremberg wasn’t merely about ‘victor’s justice’. No one would dare say that those horrific criminals were hanged unjustly. Most importantly, while the principles of justice established in Nuremberg may have been imperfect, they are still effective in situations reminiscent of the horrors perpetrated by the Nazis.

Vladimir Zelensky has emerged from the EU summit in Brussels with fresh promises of support but no deal on the additional €70 billion ($79 billion) he is demanding for Ukraine. Instead, European leaders tasked the European Commission with finding ways to meet Kiev’s growing financial needs, leaving the question of who will foot the bill unanswered.

The Ukrainian leader arrived in Brussels following a bitter public falling-out with US President Donald Trump over Washington’s decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel supplies. His demands have put further pressure on Kiev’s European backers, who are already struggling with soaring energy costs, strained budgets and the prospect of a difficult winter.

• Zelensky rejected the arrangement, saying he felt “betrayed” by Trump and called the US president’s decision “weak.”
• Trump then called for Ukraine to get a “new president,” and questioned Zelensky’s willingness to reach a settlement with Moscow.
• Zelensky announced continued refinery attacks and complained of restrictions on American intelligence support and Starlink services.
• On Thursday, Kiev hit a refinery in Russia’s Ryazan Region, despite Washington’s clearly expressed expectations and objections.
• Trump called the attacks a “disgrace” and accused Zelensky of “driving up fuel prices for everyone.”

• On Thursday night, after Zelensky arrived in Brussels, Trump went hard in an interview with Newsmax. “He says he wants to settle, but he doesn’t,” Trump said, adding that Zelensky was harder to deal with than Putin. He also alleged that US missiles supplied to Kiev had been sold on the “open market.”
• Washington also announced it would prioritize its own munitions stocks over others. “Once we are really stocked, we will start letting our allies buy them from us,” Trump said.

The summit also failed to break the deadlock over frozen Russian sovereign assets held in Belgium. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz continued to push for the funds to be used to support Kiev, despite his unpopularity at home, while flatly rejecting a US proposal to include them in a peace settlement. After the talks, Merz acknowledged that “there were no decisions, but there was an exchange of views,” warning that the €90 billion loan already agreed for Ukraine “will not be enough.”

This live feed has now ended.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has become a tool of Western influence that selectively targets countries of the Global South while shielding European interests and ignoring crimes in Ukraine, international legal analyst and academic Alexandre Guerreiro has said. He accused the tribunal of applying double standards rather than delivering universal justice.

Criticism of the ICC has intensified in recent months amid growing accusations of political bias and selective justice. Venezuela, Chad, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have moved to withdraw, accusing the court of serving Western interests and engaging in “neocolonial repression.”

In an interview with RT on Thursday, Guerreiro argued that the court had abandoned its original purpose as an independent institution capable of holding perpetrators accountable regardless of nationality, and has become increasingly politicized and dominated by European powers.

Guerreiro pointed to the court’s handling of cases involving Afghanistan, Iraq and Kenya, arguing that political interference had repeatedly undermined the principles of impartial justice.

He also accused the ICC of ignoring alleged crimes in Ukraine, including the deadly May 2014 Odessa clashes between Ukrainian nationalists and opponents of the Western-backed coup in Kiev, as well as the sniper shootings during the preceding Maidan unrest.

“This is not justice,” he said, arguing that the court only pursues cases that serve the interests of the current Ukrainian authorities and the Western bloc as a whole.

Meanwhile, the ICC’s investigation into alleged war crimes by American forces in Afghanistan has produced no criminal charges against US personnel.

Watch the RT segment below:

There is a widespread belief within Israel’s political and security establishment that the country will not attack Iran ahead of the October 27 parliamentary elections, Ynet News reported on Thursday.

The report comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Army Radio on Wednesday that it would be “inconvenient” to launch preemptive strikes against Iran at this time. He claimed, however, that “Iran’s proxies” were planning to fire rockets at Israel.

“Even if Iran fires missiles at us, they will blame me,” he said, adding that Israel would retaliate against any attack.

Netanyahu sought to dispel speculation following a Channel 12 report claiming that he had urged Washington to strike Iran before the Israeli elections and the US midterms scheduled for November 3.

Axios cited a US official earlier this week as saying that Netanyahu “seems to want to go in again” against Iran. Netanyahu’s office denied the claims.

Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have stalled, with Washington and Tehran accusing each other of making unacceptable demands. Iranian officials have warned that the country is prepared for renewed war if American or Israeli forces launch another attack.

The Knesset election will determine whether Netanyahu can remain in power after more than three years of governing with a coalition of right-wing and religious parties. He has faced accusations of intelligence failures ahead of the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, which triggered Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, as well as criticism over his handling of efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages. His ongoing corruption trial also remains a political liability.

Neither Netanyahu’s coalition nor the opposition is assured of securing the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

The US midterms will determine control of Congress for the remaining two years of Trump’s presidency amid an energy crisis exacerbated by conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. The Republicans are defending narrow majorities in both chambers of the legislature, while Democrats hope to regain control and constrain Trump’s agenda.

A Pew Research Center poll published on October 8 found that 65% of Americans disapproved of his handling of the Iran war, while his overall approval rating had fallen to 30%, its lowest level of his second term.

US President Donald Trump has accused Ukraine of selling American-supplied missiles on the black market, questioning the whereabouts of billions of dollars in military and financial aid provided to Kiev under his predecessor, Joe Biden.

In an interview with Newsmax aired on Thursday, Trump lashed out at Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, accusing him of exploiting Washington’s generosity, while refusing to negotiate an end to the conflict with Russia.

“Where is the cash that we gave to Ukraine? Where is all the equipment? Biden was giving them missiles, and they were being sold on the open market,” Trump said.

Russian officials have repeatedly warned that unchecked deliveries of Western weapons to Ukraine and rampant corruption in the country have resulted in a large amount of these arms ending up in the hands of organized criminal groups and extremist organizations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, including Mexican drug cartels.

According to a report by Small Arms Survey, the Ukrainian authorities intercepted a vehicle carrying 18 US-made Javelin anti-tank missiles and other hardware in Kiev-controlled part of Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic in 2024. The driver lacked the proper paperwork to transport the weapons, which suggested that they could have been intended for sale, it said.

Ukraine has also been rocked by numerous corruption scandals in military procurement involving officials close to Zelensky. In August, the country’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) reported losses of 254 million hryvnias ($6 million) as a result of an alleged embezzlement scheme which revolved around purchases of drones for Ukrainian forces.

Last year, investigators uncovered a $100 million corruption scheme in the Ukrainian energy sector allegedly run by a former close associate of Zelensky, businessman Timur Mindich, who fled the country before he could be detained. Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has been questioned as a witness in the case.

“Zelensky is not a good guy for us to deal with. Biden gave him billions and billions of dollars,” he said.

Trump also questioned the Ukrainian leader’s willingness to reach a diplomatic resolution to the conflict with Moscow.

“He says he wants to settle but he [doesn’t],” he said, adding: “No, I’m not a big fan of Zelensky. They’ve destroyed that country.”

The remarks followed Zelensky’s criticism of Trump’s decision last week to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports in order to contain surging energy prices ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections. The Ukrainian leader said he felt betrayed by Washington’s move and defied Trump’s demand to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries.

“Once we are really stocked, we will start letting our allies buy them [the arms] from us,” he said.

A teenage gunman killed three students and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday, police said. The shooter was himself shot dead by a bystander.

The culprit was identified as a 16-year-old Bend resident, the city’s police chief, Mike Krantz, said at a news conference. He did not reveal the suspect’s name or say whether he knew anyone at the school.

The three children killed were aged five, eight and 11. A seven-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were hospitalized in critical condition.

Krantz said the gunman was shot by a “community member who had seen the suspect enter the school and pursued him into the school and engaged him.”

The school has been placed on lockdown, and the Bend Police Department has urged the public to avoid the area.

According to The Source Weekly, parents received alerts that nearby schools, including Caldera High School and Jewell Elementary School, had also been placed on lockdown following a police alert at around 1:20 PM on Thursday. The lockdowns were lifted about 40 minutes later.

Video from the scene shows multiple police cars and ambulances near the school.

Paramedics seen staging at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon amid reported active shooter situation. https://t.co/9KnGY4LIEv

— Noteworthy News (@newsnoteworthy) October 15, 2026

FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau’s local office was working with investigators. “We will make every resource they need available,” he wrote on X.

“Today is an awful day for our community,” Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler said. “A school should be a safe place where children can learn and feel secure,” she added, expressing condolences to the victims’ families.

The shooting comes amid continuing concerns over gun violence at US schools. In August 2025, a gunman opened fire on children attending Mass at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, killing two students, aged eight and ten, and injuring 17 other people before taking his own life.

Russia could make a major return to the Olympics in 2028 under its national flag for the first time in years, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Paolo Zampolli, has said.

Russian athletes were barred from numerous international competitions following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. Some were later allowed to compete under neutral status, without their national flag or anthem.

Speaking to TASS on Thursday, Zampolli expressed optimism about broader Russian participation in the Los Angeles Games, arguing that sporting bans should not become a permanent substitute for political dialogue.

”I am optimistic about further progress that would establish a reliable mechanism for fuller participation by Russian athletes at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics,” he said. “The US must host Games that are safe, fair, and open to every eligible athlete.”

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee in July, paving the way for broader participation at LA 2028. However, it has yet to decide whether Russian athletes will be able to compete under their national flag and anthem.

Zampolli called the return of the Russian flag and anthem at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Italy an “important step,” arguing that excluding top athletes for reasons unrelated to their conduct undermines international competition.

”True champions want to beat the best,” he said. “The greatest victories are those earned against the strongest opponents.”

Russia’s gradual return to international sport has faced opposition from the EU. On Monday, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, announced plans to propose measures to “sustain Russia’s isolation in global sports.” Nine member states have also urged Brussels to cut funding for international sporting bodies that readmit Russian athletes.

On Friday, Zampolli announced that he had left his position as special envoy for global partnership, which he held since March 2025. He expressed gratitude to Trump in a post on X, saying that “serving him and the US has been the greatest honor of my life.”

“Special envoys appointments are for one year. President Trump extended it for more than six months,” the businessman and former modeling agent stressed.

Politico reported on the same day that Zampolli was actually fired from the job because of a longstanding dispute with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau over a number of issues, including the chain of command, and messages that included personal insults.

Zampolli is known to have introduced Trump to his wife, Melania, during a party that he hosted in New York in 1998.

The execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, who killed 13 US service members in a 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, will not be public, US President Donald Trump has announced. Days earlier, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth promised it would be webcast, drawing criticism from lawmakers across party lines.

In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump wrote that the former US Army major “will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed.” The US president explained that while webcasting Hasan’s execution “might have been a strong deterrent… many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device.”

Trump noted that the relatives of the victims would still have the right to view Hasan’s death in person.

Speaking to reporters late last Friday, Trump said he “wasn’t involved in that decision.”

Hegseth told conservative commentator Jack Posobiec last Thursday that Hasan is scheduled to be shot at 1 PM on December 3 – the approximate time of day of the original attack – at the same installation where he carried out the massacre.

“We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public, because people need to understand there’s serious consequences for these types of things,” the secretary said.

It will be the first execution carried out by the US military in more than six decades and the first by an Army firing squad since World War II.

The last public execution in the US took place in 1936, making Hegseth’s idea of livestreaming it highly controversial.

Republican Senator Thom Tillis characterized the proposal as “beyond disgusting,” with his fellow GOP lawmaker, Representative Austin Scott, writing on X that “live-streaming executions is what jihadists do.”

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy also likened public executions to those carried out by terrorist groups.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, similarly condemned the livestream plan as a “barbaric promotion of a culture of death.”

Born in the US in 1970 to Palestinian immigrant parents, Hasan trained as a doctor before becoming an Army psychiatrist.

Return fire from military police wounded Hasan before they could arrest him, leaving the shooter paralyzed from the waist down.

During his court-martial, Hasan acknowledged his responsibility for the attack, stating that he believed he was acting to protect fellow Muslims from US military actions in Afghanistan.

In August 2013, a military court found Hasan guilty of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. A panel of 13 senior military officers unanimously sentenced him to death later that month.

The US Supreme Court declined to review his conviction in March 2025, and Trump approved the execution earlier this month.

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fights to retain power, loyalists are crediting him with strengthening the country and defeating its enemies, while former supporters blame his leadership for October 7 and are seeking alternatives on both the left and the right.

With less than a month to go before Israel’s elections, Netanyahu faces an uphill battle to retain power.

But polls show it won’t be an easy task. A recent survey  conducted by Maariv, one of Israel’s leading newspapers, estimates that his party, Likud, will only win 20 seats out of 120 total in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, a drop of 12 compared with its performance in the 2022 elections.

The decline in Likud’s ratings is hardly surprising. Netanyahu and his government have been blamed for failing to prevent the October 7, 2023 attacks, in which more than 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 people were taken to Gaza as hostages.

He has also faced criticism for pursuing a series of controversial policies concerning the judiciary and the media; remaining in power amid graft probes that led to charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust; and contributing to Israel’s growing isolation on the international stage.

In Bibi we trust

Surprisingly, however, the Maariv poll shows that around 40 percent of respondents still want Netanyahu to remain Prime Minister of Israel.
Loyalists offer a long list of Netanyahu’s achievements. For them he is the man who subdued Israel’s enemies, confronted Iran’s nuclear ambitions and strengthened Israel’s position in the region.

Under his leadership, Israel deepened relations with the United States and expanded its diplomatic ties through the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations with the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Bahrain in 2020. Under him, Israel has also bloomed economically, championing a more open, market-oriented economy, privatization and competition, something that has helped to position the state as a global technology hub. 

Naor Shukri, a 56-year-old resident of Haifa, is among those loyalists; he vows to vote for Likud on October 27.

“Indeed, October 7 happened during the watch of Netanyahu, and he is also responsible for that failure. But he is not the only one. Many other people, including the Shin Bet [internal spy agency - ed.], the IDF and various politicians, are equally to blame and need to be investigated.”

“Plus, those events would have happened anyways, regardless of who was running the country. So pinning the blame on Netanyahu is not fair, to say the least,” he added.

“In the end of the day, he led a brilliant multi-front campaign against Hamas, Hezbollah of Lebanon, the Houthis of Yemen, the Iraqi militias and the regime of Iran. His achievements were recognized internationally and when you look at the map of the Middle East and compare it to what it was like three years ago, you realize that Israel has only emerged stronger. Our enemies are way weaker.”

Both men believe Netanyahu has not received sufficient credit for these and other achievements from the liberal media and the international community. In their view, this reflects an effort to discredit Israel’s actions, replace its right-wing government and hand power to more liberal political circles that they believe would be influenced by the West.

Their claims are not without context. Over the years, European countries have poured billions of dollars into Israel’s liberal NGOs and think tanks that promote equality, coexistence and a two-state solution with the Palestinians. Such funding has long been opposed by conservative circles, which argue that the money has also helped finance anti-government protests that have destabilized the country and ultimately created an opportunity for Israel’s enemies to attack on October 7. 

“We all know Europe and liberal Americans are trying to get rid of Netanyahu,” said Avraham.

“They don’t want to see a strong Israel. Inside their own countries, European governments surrendered to their Muslim radicals and they want Israel to do the same. That’s why Netanyahu needs to be the Prime Minister. Only he will make sure it won’t happen.”

The problem, however, is that Netanyahu’s coalition bloc, according to the polls, does not have enough seats to reach the crucial threshold of 61. To overcome this hurdle, Netanyahu will either need to perform better than expected on election day or persuade members of the opposing, so-called change bloc, that joining forces with him would be the better option.

He has pulled off this political maneuver before. In 2020, he convinced Benny Gantz, then leader of the Blue and White party, to form a unity government, bringing an end to a year-long political stalemate.

In 2023, shortly after the Hamas-led attacks, he did it again, establishing an emergency government with Gantz.

This time, Israeli analysts say, such an arrangement is unlikely, largely because politicians from the opposing camp no longer trust Netanyahu or his promises.

Indeed, many Israeli politicians have openly vowed not to join his government under any circumstances. The list is lengthy and includes former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, as well as other contenders for the top job, such as Gadi Eisenkott and Avigdor Liberman.

“Netanyahu is a magician. He has been buried politically so many times before and yet he is still around, while all his rivals are no longer relevant,” said Shukri.

“Bibi cannot be underestimated. I agree it won’t be easy for him to form a government but he knows how to maneuver the system and I am sure in the end of the day he will find a solution, form a government and remain in power,” echoed Avraham.

War as a political tool?

Critics, however, argue that Netanyahu might not even need to rack his brains over coalition negotiations. They fear he could launch another round of hostilities with Iran, pushing the prospect of elections into the distant future.

Their concerns have not emerged out of thin air. Only recently, Israeli Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir warned that a war with Iran could postpone the vote.

Netanyahu himself sent an alarming message in late September, claiming there were “indications” that Israel’s enemies might attack the country ahead of the elections and vowing to retaliate if such a scenario materialized.

“I take the warnings of our Prime Minister very seriously,” argued Avraham. “I doubt he would go into a war just for the sake of postponing the elections. Throughout the years he has been known as a careful politician, who doesn’t like risking our soldiers’ lives and who only does that out of necessity. Here it would be the same. Netanyahu will open a front only if there is a concrete threat, not anything else.”

Shukri appears to agree. “Don’t believe what the liberal media is telling you about Bibi. They will always demonize him and depict him as a politician who clings to power no matter what. The truth is that he genuinely wants the best for the country, and I hope that on October 27, the people will give him that opportunity [to remain in power - ed.].”

He says he voted for Netanyahu and Likud from the time he first became eligible to do so in 2003. Today, however, he intends to support Yair Golan and the Democrats, a left-wing, liberal-Zionist party that advocates a strong security policy alongside diplomatic solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Plotnik says his opinion changed in 2014, during Operation Protective Edge, a 51-day military campaign against Hamas in Gaza that killed more than 2,000 Palestinians, many of whom were civilians. 

“Operation Protective Edge was a major turning point. I watched Israeli leaders promise to destroy Hamas, demolish tunnels and restore deterrence, only to see a familiar cycle emerging: military action, a period of calm and then another round of fighting.”

“Everything was one big deception,” he recalled, arguing that right-wing governments had sold voters “fantasies that don’t correspond with reality.”

Then came October 7, 2023. For Plotnik, the massacre was not an isolated catastrophe but the collapse of a security concept that had been failing for years.

Israel’s leadership, he argues, had effectively built a wall that allowed politicians and the public to ignore Gaza while assuming that a state of neither war nor peace could continue indefinitely.

”That concept collapsed,” Plotnik said. “The policy of ignoring and stagnation crumbled down.”

Plotnik believes Israel’s only realistic path towards long-term security is an agreement with its enemies. He plans to support Golan because he believes diplomacy is necessary if Israelis want their children and grandchildren to have a chance to grow up in peace.

”There is no love between the countries, but there is quiet based on state interests,” he said.

”Not everything will work and the agreement will collapse? We can always go back to fighting,” he added.

From Netanyahu to Ben Gvir

Not every former Netanyahu voter, however, has reached the same destination.

Guy Even Tzur says he voted consistently for Netanyahu from 2015 until now. He still considers himself firmly on the right, but he, too, has decided it is time for a change. His choice is almost the polar opposite of Plotnik’s: Itamar Ben Gvir.

Ben Gvir, leader of the hawkish Jewish Power party, has served as national security minister in the current government of Netanyahu. He opposes Palestinian statehood, advocates a hard line against Palestinian militancy and has a 2007 conviction for incitement to racism and support for a terrorist organization.

However, this does not bother Even Tzur because he believes voters “should be voting ideologically and for people who actually deliver.”

Ben Gvir, he believes, has done just that. Even Tzur credits him with pushing tougher prison conditions for security prisoners, expanding civilian access to firearms and taking a harder line on crime and security.

“This is why he deserves my vote. Netanyahu, on the contrary, showed that he makes mistakes and can miss massively,” he argued.

Even Tzur says October 7 was a major realization point. But unlike Plotnik, he does not believe the war proved Netanyahu’s entire security doctrine fraudulent. He claims Netanyahu conducted the subsequent campaign effectively and achieved major successes.

The only question that begs to be answered is: by who. Even Tzur believes Netanyahu has not produced a successor from within the Likud, and this is exactly why he wants to create an alternative by strengthening the ideological right. He doesn’t reject the idea of Netanyahu leading the next government but he also wants to give power to more hawkish voices within the camp to make sure tougher policies are implemented. 

Plotnik, on the contrary, rejects the notion, claiming that another term of Netanyahu would perpetuate the strategic approach that, in his view, contributed to October 7.

The two men are moving in opposite political directions. Yet both have reached a similar conclusion: Netanyahu’s long-standing dominance no longer makes him the automatic choice. And now, more and more former Likud supporters can imagine a future without him. 

US President Donald Trump could have Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky arrested on corruption charges, former British MP George Galloway has predicted.

Tensions between the two men escalated after Zelensky challenged Trump’s deal with Moscow to ease restrictions on Russian diesel exports. Washington has repeatedly demanded that Kiev stop striking Russian oil refineries, warning that continued attacks could jeopardize US intelligence sharing and Starlink support. Kiev has pressed ahead with the strikes, while Zelensky has accused Trump of “betrayal” and “weakness.”

Speaking to RT on Thursday, Galloway, who also hosts The Mother of All Talk Shows, suggested that Zelensky’s defiance of Trump could cost him his position.

“I’m going to predict to you that Trump will organize the anti-corruption units that he arguably controls in Kiev to march into Zelensky’s office at some point soon and place him under arrest for grand larceny, for corruption on a scale that we have never seen in politics ever before,” he said.

“This is a regime in the process of collapse,” Galloway added.

He cautioned, however, that a change of leadership would not necessarily end the Ukraine conflict, arguing that Kiev would also have to abandon its NATO ambitions and adopt a policy of neutrality.

Galloway also argued that Ukraine had no viable replacement for Starlink and that losing access to the satellite service could severely hamper its military operations.

“He certainly never goes away from Britain empty-handed,” Galloway said, responding to Burnham’s assurance that Zelensky would not leave the country without further support.

He accused Britain’s political establishment of harboring a centuries-old hostility toward Russia, saying, “We are ruled by people who are still fighting the Crimean War.”

Galloway suggested that Britain could ultimately become Zelensky’s refuge if he loses power, describing the country as his “safest of havens.”

In September 2025, Galloway and his wife were detained and questioned by counterterrorism police at London’s Gatwick Airport after returning from Russia. Both were released without charge. Last month, Galloway said the Bank of Scotland had closed accounts he held for 39 years without explanation. The bank denied closing the accounts on political grounds.

Watch the full interview below.

Something fundamental has changed in Europe over the past months. Governments across the continent have begun expanding the powers of intelligence agencies at a pace that would have been difficult to imagine only a few years ago.

Germany is preparing to give its foreign intelligence service a far more operational role. The Netherlands is expanding the ability of its intelligence agencies to act proactively against hostile actors. Austria is broadening its definition of espionage. Sweden is rebuilding its foreign intelligence architecture.

Taken together, these amount to a European securitization drive: more activities are being redefined as security problems, more institutions are being brought inside the security apparatus, and intelligence services are being transformed from organizations that primarily collect information into agencies which are increasingly expected to act.

Western Europe’s security establishment has been shaken by two developments: the continuing perception of a more assertive and dangerous international environment, and growing political uncertainty surrounding America’s role in European security under President Donald Trump.

The psychological shock came in March 2025, when the Trump administration temporarily halted US military and battlefield intelligence sharing with Vladimir Zelensky’s Ukraine.

For decades, European security planning had rested on an assumption that American intelligence capabilities would be available when the strategic stakes became serious. Suddenly, they could not be certain to rely on that anymore.

Later in 2025, the Netherlands reportedly stopped sharing certain information with US counterparts amid concerns over political interference and “human rights” considerations. Again, the immediate dispute was just one glimpse of the realization dawning on Washington’s European partners: intelligence cooperation is ultimately political, and political relationships can change.

The Europeans now had to confront a question they had largely been avoiding. What happens when an ally possessing the world’s most powerful intelligence apparatus can no longer be assumed to have the same political priorities?

The obvious answer is to build more European capacity. This does not mean that Europe is preparing to replace the US, or that trans-Atlantic intelligence cooperation is disappearing. But the European governments want to make sure their spies can still operate, even when Washington’s political priorities are different from theirs.

Germany: From spying to sabotage

Friedrich Merz’s Germany is perhaps the best example of how far the transformation could go. Berlin is pursuing the largest overhaul of the country’s intelligence system since World War II.

Under reforms expected to take effect in January, the Federal Intelligence Service, or BND, would receive substantially greater latitude to conduct offensive activities. In a state of tension or military defense, the service could conduct acts of sabotage abroad.

That’s a major conceptual departure for an organization traditionally associated primarily with foreign intelligence collection.

An intelligence agency that can collect more information is more powerful. An agency that can manipulate data, delete data, conduct offensive cyber operations or sabotage targets abroad becomes an instrument capable of exercising power, rather than simply informing those who exercise it.

In continental Europe, where historical experience has made the concentration of coercive authority particularly sensitive, that is a very big difference.

Austria is expanding what counts as espionage

The Austrian government is approaching the matter from a different angle. It has announced plans to strengthen its legal framework against espionage. Under the existing system, foreign intelligence activity could escape criminal liability when it was directed against entities other than Austria itself.

Under the proposed changes, espionage directed against international organizations headquartered in Austria could become a criminal offense. The list includes institutions such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations Office at Vienna, the OSCE and various EU bodies.

The definition of harm is also being revised to include activities that have the potential to damage Austria’s security and international standing or economic interests, rather than only when actual damage can be demonstrated. The law would also target the recruitment of individuals by foreign intelligence services, including so-called low-level agents.

This is another important feature of Europe’s new security politics: the security perimeter is expanding.

In August 2026, the Dutch government proposed changes to national security legislation that would broaden the powers of the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD), and the Defense Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD).

The proposed rules would allow the services to undertake certain proactive operations without obtaining prior permission and would facilitate greater intelligence sharing with the armed forces, other government bodies and private companies.

The government has explicitly identified China, Iran and Russia among the actors it regards as “obvious adversaries.”

It also increases private sector integration with the national security system. Technology companies, telecommunications firms and operators of critical infrastructure increasingly possess information that governments need, so the distinction between the intelligence community and the private economy is getting erased.

Sweden is rebuilding for the post-neutrality era

Sweden is undergoing its own institutional transformation.

On January 1, 2027, a new Swedish Foreign Intelligence Service, UND, is scheduled to begin operations, separating civilian foreign intelligence from military intelligence. The Swedish government argues that the division will clarify responsibilities and improve the country’s ability to assess a broader range of security threats.

Sweden’s accession to NATO fundamentally altered the country’s strategic environment, and the transformation of its intelligence architecture is a logical consequence.

Membership in NATO requires more than just military interoperability – a state needs to understand threats, produce intelligence, protect sensitive information and contribute intelligence to allies. Sweden is doing something which has become increasingly common across Europe: rebuilding national security institutions for a world in which strategic uncertainty is the baseline rather than the exception.

Brussels cannot build a European CIA – but it is building something

The irony is that the EU as a bloc remains remarkably weak when it comes to intelligence. National security is still firmly controlled by member states. Brussels can coordinate and analyze, but it does not command a conventional European intelligence service.

For decades, this was reinforced by national distrust. The EU’s most capable intelligence services preferred small circles of trusted partners. The Club de Berne, the continent’s best-known intelligence cooperation forum, has no permanent headquarters or secretariat and traditionally meets only periodically.

Politically, that remains unrealistic. Few member states are prepared to surrender control over their most sensitive intelligence capabilities to Brussels. But that does not mean European intelligence cooperation is standing still.

Intelligence liaison officers are increasingly present in EU member states’ permanent representations in Brussels. The European External Action Service is strengthening its intelligence-analysis capacity. The EU Intelligence and Situation Centre, INTCEN, is being developed as an increasingly important channel for classified information.

INTCEN does not conduct espionage itself. It relies on intelligence supplied voluntarily by national services and turns it into strategic assessments for European decision-makers.

That model may ultimately prove more realistic than a European CIA. Rather than one giant EU intelligence service, Europe is likely to develop smaller circles of national agencies sharing sensitive information, surrounded by stronger EU-level coordination and analytical institutions.

The real question is who controls the new power

There is a danger hidden inside this whole big transformation. Western European intelligence systems are historically diverse. They developed under different constitutional traditions, experiences of war, and conceptions of the relationship between intelligence and executive authority.

Intelligence services have traditionally been expected to support executive power, not become executive power themselves.

Giving intelligence agencies the ability to conduct offensive cyber operations, manipulate information, disrupt hostile networks or conduct sabotage may be justified under carefully defined circumstances. But every new capability raises the same questions: Who authorizes it? Who supervises it? Who can challenge it? What happens when a government wants to revise the perception of external threats?

Western Europe has legitimate reasons to strengthen its capacity to detect and disrupt threats. The strategic environment is more competitive. Cyber operations have become routine instruments of statecraft. Intelligence warfare increasingly targets companies, infrastructure, political institutions and individuals rather than simply military installations.

But the transformation should be watched closely. Europe’s intelligence revolution is happening through dozens of apparently technical decisions: a longer data-retention period here, a broader definition of espionage there, new cyber authorities somewhere else, closer cooperation with private companies, a new intelligence office in Brussels.

There is no single European ‘Intelligence Act,’ but there does not need to be one. The security state can expand incrementally – which may be exactly what is happening now.

The strategic shock created by the Ukraine war and uncertainty over America’s future role has accelerated a process that was already underway. European governments are concluding that they need more independent intelligence capacity, more operational flexibility and tighter cooperation among themselves.

The likely result will not be a European CIA. It will be something more distinctly European: powerful national intelligence services operating in increasingly dense networks, supported by a stronger Brussels-based analytical and coordinating layer.

The continent is giving its spies teeth. The next question is whether it will also build strong enough institutions to decide when – and against whom – they may bite.

Yemen’s Houthis have conducted a missile strike on the presidential palace in the southern city of Aden, where the internationally recognized, Saudi-backed government is located.

The group claimed the strike killed several Saudi officials and mercenaries, while the government acknowledged only two fatalities among security guards. Later in the day, the figure was revised to five dead and at least 16 wounded.

The Al-Maashiq presidential palace was hit by at least five missiles on Thursday, with footage circulating online showing black smoke and a large plume of dust emitting from the compound. Yemeni Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said the country’s prime minister and cabinet members were at the compound during the strike yet escaped the attack unharmed.

The militant group, known officially as the Ansar Allah movement, said that the compound served as military operations headquarters run by Saudi officers and was being used as a weapons depot. There were multiple casualties at the site, the Houthis claimed.

“The strike on the Saudi enemy’s military operations headquarters in Aden falls within the framework of the previously announced policy: targeting Saudi military concentrations wherever they may be and considering any military presence of the Saudi enemy a legitimate target for our forces, wherever it is located,” the group’s military spokesman, Yahya Saree, has said.

Throughout September, Ansar Allah inflicted a decisive defeat on pro-Saudi forces on Yemen’s western coast, reaching the strategic Bab-el Mandeb Strait. The most intense fighting is currently around the country’s third-largest city of Taiz, which is controlled by the Aden-based government. Houthi forces have cut off the city and report daily advances, tightening the encirclement.

The renewed fighting has been marked by long-range attacks by both sides. The Houthis have repeatedly attacked Saudi oil installations and international airports, warning air carriers against operating in the kingdom altogether. Riyadh has carried out air strikes against the Houthis, and both sides have repeatedly accused each another of hitting civilian targets.

Government employees sharing confidential information with journalists should face the death penalty, US President Donald Trump has said.

Addressing supporters during a midterm rally in Bullhead City, Arizona on Wednesday, Trump cited an occasion when the Pentagon allegedly had to put off an air raid against Iran after the bombers’ departure and arrival times were leaked to the press, including the New York Times and CNN.

It was not immediately clear which military operation Trump was referring to, although several media outlets conjectured that he was speaking about last year’s bombing campaign targeting Iran’s underground nuclear facilities.

“Somebody leaked – some sleazebag,” Trump said, adding that “they ought to go to jail and be shot.”

He argued that “in the old days we used to shoot leakers… [especially] when they leak what time you’re going to attack a country.”

“The leakers are the scum of the earth,” Trump concluded.

Since the start of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran in late February, the Republican leader has repeatedly lashed out at government officials leaking information to the press as well as media outlets publishing such materials.

In August, the US president similarly accused leakers of making “treasonous statements,” saying that they were “being hunted down” and that “long term jail sentences will be sought!”

The tirade was prompted by a Washington Post report alleging that Trump was frustrated with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth for providing misleading information about supposed ammunition shortages, especially with respect to long-range missiles and air defense interceptors.

Trump dismissed the allegations as “completely FALSE,” insisting that the “US has massive amounts of ‘munitions’,” with yet more being produced and supplied, as needed.

The New York Times subsequently reported that the Pentagon had subjected dozens of civilian employees and military officers to polygraph tests in a bid to identify the source of the leak regarding the supposed ammunition shortages.

In April, Trump demanded that the journalist who had reported the details of a rescue mission for the two crew members of the US F-15E Strike Eagle, which was shot down over Iran, divulge their sources or face jail. The US president suggested that the leak had put one of the service members’ lives in danger.

From October 13 to 23, 2026, Italy is hosting NATO’s annual nuclear deterrence exercise Steadfast Noon. The exercise will take place at air bases in Aviano and Ghedi in northern Italy. Flight operations and training involving mock nuclear weapons will take place in designated airspace over the Tyrrhenian Sea and other areas under NATO jurisdiction in Southern and Western Europe. The purpose of these exercises is to prepare NATO aircraft for the potential deployment of US nuclear weapons stationed at European airbases. 

This year’s exercise boasts a record number of participants – 17 NATO countries, compared to 14 in 2025 and 13 in 2024. While the complete list of participating nations hasn’t been disclosed, it is confirmed that the US, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and Türkiye will take part. Romania and Poland will likely provide fighter support and ensure integration along NATO’s eastern flank. New NATO members – Sweden and Finland – are fully engaged in the training missions. Finland may host US nuclear weapons in the future and has already started acquiring F-35 carrier aircraft.

Notably, France does not participate in NATO’s nuclear planning group and is not involved in these exercises, likely due to its own air-delivered nuclear capabilities.

The exercise involves around 70 military aircraft and over 2,000 service personnel. The main focus is on dual-capable aircraft, which can carry both conventional and nuclear payloads. In Europe, this currently includes F-35A Lightning II multi-role fighters, German Tornado IDS strike aircraft, and F-16 multi-role fighters. Under the US Nuclear Sharing program, these European planes are equipped to carry US nuclear bombs. Additionally, Swedish JAS 39 Gripen jets will also be involved in the exercise, although these planes are not equipped to carry American nuclear bombs.

Strategic support for the tactical air units is provided by American B-52H bombers. Air-to-air refueling during the exercises over the Tyrrhenian and Mediterranean seas will be carried out by KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-767A aircraft. Coordination of aircraft operations will be managed by NATO’s E-3A Sentry AWACS aircraft. Logistic support will be provided by Airbus A400M military transport planes.

What types of nuclear munitions could be involved in the 2026 exercise? It is known that B61-series US thermonuclear tactical bombs are stored in Europe, including at Aviano Air Base. 

B61-3 and B61-4 bombs belong to the penultimate generation of nuclear bombs. These are free-fall (gravity) nuclear bombs. Their yield can be adjusted – from a minimum of 0.3 kilotons to a maximum of 45–50 kilotons in TNT equivalent – depending on the mission requirements set before takeoff.

The B61-12 represents the latest modification in the US arsenal. A particular feature of this model is the tail kit produced by Boeing, which transforms a conventional bomb into a guided precision weapon. The high level of precision allows for reduced explosive yield while maintaining destructive power against heavily fortified command centers and other critical targets. Additionally, lowering the yield significantly mitigates collateral radioactive contamination of the surrounding area. The B61-12 is gradually replacing older munitions in the American nuclear stockpile.

As previously mentioned, Exercise Steadfast Noon takes place regularly. However, given the current geopolitical landscape, any routine military activity takes on added significance and is viewed by observers through the lens of a potential East-West confrontation. On the one hand, NATO emphasizes the defensive nature of these exercises, and there is a relatively small number of participating aircraft – for example, only three German Tornado aircraft. On the other hand, the number of participating nations is steadily increasing, and many NATO countries now possess nuclear-capable aircraft, particularly F-35 fighters. While today, Finland may participate in these maneuvers more as a student and observer, Finnish F-35s could soon be ready to transport nuclear bombs. 

There’s a growing sense that this ‘train’ is headed in the wrong direction. And it’s unlikely that the growing number of ‘Chekhov’s guns’ will contribute to fostering lasting peace in Europe. Perhaps it would be wiser for Europe to focus on peaceful initiatives rather than militarization and the proliferation of potential nuclear platforms.

Eight US states have sued OpenAI, accusing its ChatGPT chatbot of encouraging self-harm and violence, including among children, and misleading the public about its safety.

The states allege that ChatGPT is designed to be excessively agreeable and engaging, gaining users’ trust while reinforcing delusions, encouraging dangerous behavior, and even helping plan mass shootings.

“OpenAI claims ChatGPT is safe while it’s giving dangerous medical advice, encouraging people to hurt others, and coaching people to commit suicide – all while pretending to be their fake friend,” Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said.

Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, and Montana filed separate lawsuits in state courts on Wednesday. The complaints accuse the company of violating consumer protection laws and creating a public nuisance.

The states seek financial penalties, damages, and changes to ChatGPT. They also want OpenAI barred from developing self-improving AI models unless it can demonstrate that those systems are aligned with human values.

OpenAI spokesman Drew Pusateri defended the company’s age-specific protections, parental controls, and break reminders, saying that “while no system can be perfect, we’ll continue to work with experts to inform our work and build additional safeguards.”

The subpoenas reportedly exceed 50 pages each and cover security incidents, safeguards, marketing materials, and privacy policies. The regulator also plans to compel senior AI executives to testify. Neither the companies nor the FTC immediately responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.

OpenAI already faces numerous lawsuits alleging that ChatGPT contributed to suicides, delusions, and violence. Families affected by February’s Tumbler Ridge school shooting in Canada accuse the company of failing to alert police about the shooter’s violent conversations. OpenAI has acknowledged that it considered alerting police but ultimately did not do so before the attack.

Scrutiny has also intensified over AI agents acting outside their intended instructions. Anthropic recently disclosed that its models submitted a false homicide tip to police and incomplete visa applications, while OpenAI investigated its agents accessing outside systems without authorization during testing.

The Ministry of Education building has been set ablaze in Tirana. The Albanian capital is reeling from a third consecutive day of student-led mass protests.

The protests which began in the country this week were reportedly sparked by the ongoing unrest in France and were initially aimed at rising education costs, the poor condition of educational facilities, and widespread corruption.

The unrest promptly grew political and violent, and the protesters are now demanding the departure of socialist Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama as well as the leader of the country’s democratic opposition, Sali Berisha. The two have dominated Albania’s political landscape for about four decades, and both have repeatedly faced allegations of corruption.

The unrest comes on top of months of anti-government protests in Albania, which have mainly revolved around a major luxury tourism development project linked to US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The movement, which has become known as the ‘Flamingo Revolution,’ has been condemned by the prime minister as part of a “hybrid war” waged by the “enemies of Israel and Albania.”

On Wednesday, a large crowd of protesters breached the premises of the Education Ministry, setting the building on fire. Footage from the scene shows the fence of the compound damaged, with a large group of protesters watching black smoke billowing out of the windows.

Violent protests continue in Tirana, while the Ministry of Education building has caught fire.Citizens are demanding the resignation of PM Rama & the removal of opposition leader Berisha-two strongmen who have dominated Albania for nearly 40 years with abuse & massive corruption https://t.co/OXEJbCVwF0 pic.twitter.com/wfE4N6SM8d

— Tirana Report (@Tirana_Report) October 14, 2026

The protesters have been seen destroying surveillance cameras across Tirana. They justified their actions by claiming the companies operating them have been using “Israeli spyware.”

📌 Student protesters in Albania have destroyed surveillance cameras, accusing companies of allegedly using Israeli spyware

The protesters are demanding better conditions for young people and opposing what they describe as the growing influence of the “Kushner clan” in the… pic.twitter.com/IcdNY5EJ1K

— Context 360 (@NewsContext360) October 15, 2026

Numerous videos circulating online show riot police brawling with protesters in the streets, unleashing batons, tear gas, and water cannons in an attempt to quell the unrest. A large column of military trucks has been reported entering the capital, potentially indicating the government opted to deploy soldiers onto the streets.

🚨🇦🇱 BREAKING: COLUMNS OF MILITARY TRUCKS ENTER TIRANA, ALBANIA’S CAPITAL Columns of military trucks have reportedly entered Tirana as tensions continue amid ongoing student protests and wider anti-government demonstrations. https://t.co/JMIgO9GXnQ

— Anonymous TV 🇺🇦 (@YourAnonTV) October 15, 2026

The violence follows widespread rioting across the capital on Wednesday, when groups of protesters attacked government buildings, banks, and businesses. At least 89 people, including 61 police, were injured throughout the day, according to the Albanian Health Ministry.

The US has proposed unfreezing billions of euros in Russian assets held in the EU to give impetus to Ukraine peace talks, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing sources. Moscow has long described the freezing of its assets as “theft” while warning of significant retaliation if the funds are seized.

The proposal was raised last week during negotiations in Miami involving President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and officials from Ukraine, France, Germany, Britain, the EU, and NATO, four people familiar with the matter told the paper.

Washington reportedly floated several mechanisms for releasing the frozen funds as part of a comprehensive peace deal, including transferring some of them into a special-purpose vehicle overseen by the US. However, the exact arrangements have not been finalized, with numerous ideas about how the funds could be used being discussed, the FT said.

Kiev’s European backers, however, rejected the American initiative, refusing to surrender control over the assets, with the move requiring the unanimous approval of all 27 EU members, according to the newspaper. The proposal also reportedly “startled” European delegations and Kiev, with some wondering about Washington’s intentions.

Publicly, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ruled out any compromises on Russian assets, insisting that “they should remain frozen in Europe. This is our business and we are deciding over it.” Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski was even more blunt, saying that any returning of the funds to Russia could only occur “over our dead bodies.”

While EU countries managed to agree on using proceeds from the funds to support Ukraine, the proposal to confiscate them outright has met fierce resistance amid concerns that the move would undermine the bloc’s business reputation and trigger legal retaliation from Moscow.

Commenting on the FT article, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had no information about the purported American initiative. However, he stressed that Russia would make every effort to recover the “stolen assets,” including legal action, court proceedings, and the prosecution of those responsible.

The FT report comes after Trump last week announced an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to allow additional Russian diesel exports to alleviate the pressure on American and global markets.

In addition, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing sources, that Washington is also considering relaxing sanctions on some vessels belonging to what Western media call a Russian “shadow fleet” used to transport Russian oil.

The report also comes amid an escalating Trump-Zelensky feud, with the US president blaming Kiev’s strikes on Russian oil refineries for soaring fuel prices and calling for Ukraine to get a “new president.” Zelensky, in turn, said he felt betrayed by Trump over the Russian diesel deal and restrictions on Ukraine’s access to Starlink.

At least three people have been killed as torrential rains unleashed devastating floods across Istanbul, submerging streets, sweeping away vehicles and bringing much of Türkiye’s largest city to a standstill.

The storm battered the city overnight on Wednesday, flooding residential neighborhoods, businesses, and major roads on both the European and Asian sides. Schools were closed, public transport was disrupted, and authorities urged residents to remain indoors as further rainfall was forecast.

The downpour, described by local officials as the worst in decades, has triggered a massive emergency response, with thousands evacuated and dozens of flights diverted.

Reporting from the flooded streets of Istanbul on Thursday, RT correspondent Yasin Ekin said the scale of destruction was still being assessed, with emergency crews working to rescue stranded residents and clear debris.

İstanbul Sarıyer Ayazağa mahallesi korkunç görüntüler.. #yağmur https://t.co/zeCuRDGX4Q

— Zeki Bahçe (@zekibahce) October 14, 2026

Istanbul Governor Davut Gul described the rainfall as the heaviest in 84 years, according to Ekin, with some areas receiving up to 270 millimeters of precipitation.

The correspondent illustrated the extraordinary volume of water, explaining that such rainfall would amount to roughly 27 metric tons of water falling on an area of 100 square meters.

The flooding also reportedly forced a tanker carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) aground near the Sariyer district along the Bosphorus Strait.

The death toll rose to three on Thursday after another body was discovered in the Kagithane district, according to local media. Earlier fatalities included a 14-year-old electrocuted after stepping into a flooded puddle in Fatih and a 34-year-old who suffered a fatal head injury while attempting to cross a flooded road in Sariyer.

Sarıyer'de sel sularının geldiği korkunç anlar ortaya çıktı. https://t.co/9fkKaYkY5i

— Haber Report (@HaberReport) October 15, 2026

Footage from the district shows a massive surge of floodwater sweeping over buildings before cascading into the streets below.

Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said more than 2,700 stranded people had been evacuated. Authorities also reported thousands of emergency calls, dozens of landslides, and widespread damage to infrastructure.

Air traffic was severely disrupted, with 43 flights diverted from Istanbul Airport, while operations at Sabiha Gokcen Airport were temporarily suspended. Schools were closed across six provinces, and restrictions were imposed on motorcycles and scooters.

Istanbul’s geography and urban development have aggravated the disaster, with many residential and commercial areas built along former streambeds and valleys where floodwaters naturally accumulate. The combination of exceptionally heavy rainfall and construction in flood-prone areas left entire neighborhoods vulnerable.

Emergency workers continued clearing flooded streets on Thursday as authorities warned that further downpours could threaten already devastated districts.

The Pentagon is developing plans to use the largest conventional bomb in the US arsenal in its war on Iran, CNN has reported, citing multiple sources in US President Donald Trump’s administration.

If approved, the strike would mark only the second combat use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, or MOAB, following its deployment in Afghanistan in 2017 during Trump’s first term.

According to CNN, such an operation would primarily serve as “psychological warfare” against Iranian forces while potentially boosting domestic support for the Trump administration. Sources suggested the weapon, nicknamed the “mother of all bombs,” could be dropped ahead of the US midterm elections in early November.

The MOAB is a massive 9,800 kg (21,600-pound) airburst munition designed to devastate a large area and intimidate enemy forces witnessing the explosion. While capable of destroying relatively unfortified targets, it is not a penetrating “bunker-buster” designed to destroy deeply buried installations, such as those used by Iran for critical military infrastructure.

“The MOAB is a massive information operation type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else,” one of CNN’s sources said.

“POTUS has unfortunately put himself in a situation where he is almost compelled to do something,” the official added. With the president’s options limited, “you have to look at psychological effects for which the MOAB is well-equipped.”

In 2017, the US dropped a MOAB on a tunnel complex in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar Province, targeting militants identified by American officials as members of ISIS-K, a local offshoot of the now-defunct Islamic State terrorist group. Initial reports put the death toll at 36.

A series of recent US media reports has suggested that military officials are preparing options for renewed large-scale attacks on Iran, which would potentially be timed shortly before or after the midterm elections.

Meanwhile, Tehran retains the ability to threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, putting economic pressure on Washington. Iran could also launch large-scale attacks against strategic economic targets in US-allied Gulf states if it faces an imminent defeat.

At least 28 children and a teacher were killed when the roof of a private school collapsed during lessons in Pakistan’s northwestern city of Peshawar on Thursday. More than 50 others were injured, some critically.

The roof of an upper floor at the three-story Al-Khair School gave way, bringing down the ceilings of classrooms below. Students were attending lessons when the structure collapsed, trapping children and teachers beneath the rubble.

Rescue workers, assisted by police and local residents, pulled children from the debris and rushed the injured to Lady Reading Hospital, where an emergency was declared. The rescue operation concluded several hours later, with officials confirming that everyone trapped had been recovered.

A local resident, Samiullah Khan, helped rescue three young girls from the wreckage. His son, who attended the school, survived after stepping outside his classroom for a drink of water shortly before the collapse, he told the newspaper Dawn.

Look at the site of the collapsed school building in Peshawar, where all three floors have crumbled into rubble. Authorities say substandard construction materials were the main cause of the collapse. #PeshawarTragedy #SchoolTragedy #Pakistan https://t.co/IK5De81joV

— Sajjad Tarakzai (@SajjadTarakzai) October 15, 2026

Police have arrested the school’s owner as the authorities investigate the cause of the collapse. Peshawar police chief Mian Saeed Ahmed said the building was structurally weak and that additional construction had placed excessive weight on the roof. The provincial government has formed an inquiry committee.

A blaze has occurred at a Starlink satellite internet service facility near Bulgaria’s capital Sofia, Bulgarian Prime Minister Roumen Radev has announced.

In September a fire was reported at a data-relay station in Poland used by SpaceX, which serviced the Ukrainian military. Ukraine has relied heavily on Starlink during the conflict with Russia for battlefield communications and controlling drones.

Earlier this week, an MP for the opposition Democratic Bulgaria coalition, Ivaylo Mirchev, published a video he claimed shows masked men setting alight a facility used by Starlink outside Sofia, destroying 11 of its 17 antennas. 

🚨 Two masked men reportedly set fire to 11 of 17 antennas linked to SpaceX's Starlink network near Sofia, Bulgaria. via WarSurv https://t.co/RgvLK4sasG

— Post Open Source (@CocoPostel) October 14, 2026

Radev confirmed the incident to the Bulgarian parliament on Wednesday, but declined to say if it was a result of an arson attack.

“An investigation is underway. Just a little more patience, and there will be a result,” the prime minister said, urging other government officials against disclosing any details of the probe until it’s concluded. “If the specific findings are revealed, we will not achieve the outcome we are aiming for,” he added.

However, Democratic Bulgaria MP Bozhidar Bozhanov wasted no time waiting for the results of the investigation of the blaze to lash out at Moscow. “Why are you afraid to name Russia? Why don’t you act like Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk,” he asked Radev.

The prime minister responded by saying that Bozhanov apparently has “a crystal ball and therefore knows who the perpetrator is.”

Tusk previously called the fire at Wola Krobowska outside Warsaw last month “another act of hybrid warfare.” Polish special services coordinator Tomasz Siemoniak said this week that there was “no doubt that Russian intelligence services are behind this act of sabotage,” but provided no proof to the accusations. Two Turkish nationals have been arrested in Germany in connection with the incident.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian officials and frontline commanders complained that Starlink terminals had suddenly stopped working when drones flew faster than 100 mph, disrupting some combat missions. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk denied giving any instructions to restrict Kiev’s access to the service, saying that doing so is the prerogative of the American military and US President Donald Trump personally.

The problems occurred as Trump is working to increase pressure on Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries, which he blames for surging global energy prices.

Last month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that allowing Starlink to be used to facilitate Ukrainian strikes deep into Russian territory would be “a very harmful, potentially dangerous and misconceived step.” Moscow has all the means to respond to such actions, he warned.

Russia is in discussions with Bangladesh to build a new phase of high-capacity units at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant near Dhaka, Rosatom CEO Aleksey Likhachev said on the sidelines of the Russian Energy Week forum.

Rooppur, built in collaboration with state-owned Rosatom, is the South Asian country’s first nuclear plant. Its first unit is on track to be connected to the national power grid by the end of November.

”We are primarily talking about a possible additional phase of large units,” Likhachev told reporters. “Although our Bangladeshi friends are also discussing small-capacity units and a research reactor with us, the main trend for future development, in my view, is increasing the capacity of the Rooppur NPP.”

He said Bangladesh has asked for proposals from Rosatom for “small nuclear power plants and floating nuclear power plants.”

Rosatom expects to begin commissioning the second unit of the Rooppur plant next year, Likhachev said. The first unit attained criticality – where a self-sustaining chain reaction occurs – on Sunday.

Russia is providing equipment, nuclear fuel, and engineering assistance for the project, and the plant is expected to meet up to 12% of Bangladesh’s electricity demand when completed.

Ukraine will never repay the billions of euros lent to it by the EU to keep it afloat in the conflict with Russia, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has said. Slovakia is refusing to partake in another massive financing package for Kiev.

Speaking in Brussels on Wednesday, Fico noted that the existing €90 billion ($101 billion) EU loan package had already proved insufficient. The sum was intended to meet Ukraine’s needs in 2026–2027, with €60 billion allocated to the military and €30 billion to budget support. Under the agreement, Ukraine is required to repay the loan only after receiving Russian reparations – something that Moscow has categorically ruled out.

Fico said that the EU is now considering another loan, stressing that while Slovakia would not prevent other EU countries from providing additional funding, it would seek an opt-out for itself.

Under Fico, Slovakia has remained skeptical of Ukraine assistance as well as the country’s push to join NATO, and has halted government weapons shipments while consistently calling for peace talks.

Fico’s remarks come after Ukraine’s revelation in August of an unexpected $27 billion defense funding shortfall, reportedly catching European officials off guard. Many are said to doubt whether Kiev is overstating its needs.

Brussels refused to validate the figure, subsequently rejecting Kiev’s request to bring forward funding earmarked for 2027. Instead, it is demanding progress on reforms – including those meant to tackle rampant corruption – to unlock assistance already available.

Earlier this month, Vladimir Zelensky announced that Ukraine would be able to cover its budget deficit through austerity measures and spending reallocations. A Ukrainian government source told RBC-Ukraine that some funding would be found by cutting weapons expenditures. Kiev’s European backers had also agreed to work toward arranging for weapons production while shifting payments into January, the outlet reported.

Nine of the largest US banks discriminated against customers over their political views and business activities, including conservative organizations and individuals, the Treasury Department’s banking regulator has said. 

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) reviewed the policies of JPMorgan Chase Bank, Bank of America, Citibank, Wells Fargo Bank, US Bank, Capital One, PNC Bank, TD Bank, and BMO Bank under President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at ensuring “fair access” to banking services for all Americans. Trump has long accused Democrats of weaponizing institutions against his donors and supporters.

The review found that between 2020 and September 2025, all nine banks “have denied, debanked and discriminated against customers and lawful businesses,” Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould said on Wednesday.

According to the OCC, the banks closed accounts and denied financial services to customers whose activities risk managers considered “controversial,” including on issues such as abortion and LGBTQ rights. In some cases, bank employees openly stated that the activities of certain groups conflicted with their institutions’ values. Other decisions were reportedly based on “social risk” considerations and “polarizing” public opinion on issues such as gun rights.

The review examined nearly 100,000 complaints and about 420,000 pages of documents

The regulator cited a case in February 2021 in which a payment processor owned by an unidentified bank closed the account of a merchant selling merchandise promoting Trump and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) brand.

The report also found that the banks maintained public and internal policies restricting services to companies involved in Arctic oil and gas exploration, the construction or expansion of coal-fired power plants, the sale of certain firearms and tobacco products, and the construction or operation of detention centers.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott told Fox News Digital that denying banking services for religious or political reasons was “simply un-American” and pledged that the committee would take action.

Trump himself has accused major banks of politically motivated debanking. He sued Capital One in 2025 and JPMorgan Chase in 2026, alleging that they closed accounts belonging to him and his businesses following the January 2021 Capitol riot because of his political views. JPMorgan has denied political discrimination, maintaining that account closures are based on legal and regulatory risks.

A container ship sank after striking a mine in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, amid a wave of attacks on shipping in the region and stalled talks between the US and Iran. More than 20 oil tankers and other vessels have been attacked this month.

The Singapore-registered container ship GFS Pride caught fire and later sank. All 21 crew members were rescued, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

Photos and videos shared on social media show smoke rising from the listing vessel and dozens of shipping containers floating in the water.

A second Singapore-registered vessel, the GFS Giselle, was struck the same day, sustaining hull damage. It managed to leave the area under its own power, with no injuries reported among the crew.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said the GFS Pride, which was carrying more than 2,500 containers, sank while sailing along what it described as an “unauthorized and dangerous route.”

“Local vessels and fishermen must exercise the utmost safety when navigating this route so they do not collide with containers floating on the water,” the IRGC Navy said in a statement carried by Press TV.

BREAKING: Iran announces a large UAE-owned container ship carrying more than 2,500 containers hit a naval mine, exploded and sank this morning in the US-backed southern Omani corridor of the Strait of Hormuz. It is the first vessel sunk by a mine in the war. Initial reports indicate the cargo ship was carrying luxury perfumes and iPhones from Dubai.

— The Hormuz Letter (@HormuzLetter) October 14, 2026

Top Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf reiterated earlier this month that Iran would not reopen the vital waterway, which normally handles around a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil and LNG trade, until the US accepts Tehran’s terms. The conditions include lifting sanctions and releasing frozen Iranian funds.

🇮🇷 Footage from the 2,500-container ship that was attacked and sunk in the Strait of Hormuz. Now you know why the insurance rates are so high... Writer: Samuel https://t.co/YSNxr87mT1

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 14, 2026

The US Navy said it had guided more than 1,600 vessels through the Strait of Hormuz between May and mid-September along routes that Iran considers illegal.

On Saturday, US forces struck and disabled the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Molica, which US Central Command (CENTCOM) said had attempted to violate the blockade of Iranian ports.

U.S. Forces Disable Cargo Vessel Attempting to Violate Blockade TAMPA, Fla. — U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman, Oct. 10, after the ship’s crew ignored repeated warnings and attempted to run the ongoing naval blockade against Iran. A U.S. military fighter jet struck the stern of Panama-flagged M/V Ocean Molica (also known as the “Arika Sun”) with a precision munition, fully disabling the ship’s propulsion without harming the crew. The large cargo vessel was attempting to transit regional waters after having previously departed an Iranian port. CENTCOM forces resumed America’s blockade against all ships entering or departing Iranian ports on July 14. Four commercial vessels have been disabled and 135 ships have been turned around during three months of strict enforcement. Additionally, U.S. forces have destroyed 10 tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' multibillion-dollar shadow network over the same period. All mariners are advised to heed blockade warnings from CENTCOM forces. Crews should also continue to monitor Notice to Mariners broadcasts and contact U.S. naval forces on bridge-to-bridge channel 16 when operating in the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz approaches.

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) October 11, 2026

On Wednesday, CENTCOM released a video showing an October 6 strike on a sailing vessel that it claimed had been “conducting surveillance and targeting the US Navy ships” on behalf of Iran.

On Oct. 6, U.S. forces destroyed an Iranian-affiliated dhow conducting surveillance and targeting U.S. Navy ships in the Gulf of Oman. Over the past seven months, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has continued to indiscriminately target thousands of civilian mariners transiting regional waters in addition to U.S. Navy warships. Crew members were safely removed prior to destruction of the dhow. Repatriation efforts are ongoing.

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) October 14, 2026

Elon Musk has denied instructing his company SpaceX to abruptly restrict Starlink and Starshield satellite communications services used by Ukrainian forces to operate drones.

Ukrainian officials and frontline commanders said terminals suddenly stopped working overnight Tuesday into Wednesday when drones flew faster than 100 mph, disrupting some combat missions. The problems with Starshield, the military-grade counterpart to SpaceX’s Starlink service, occurred as US President Donald Trump was pressuring Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries, which he blamed for surging energy prices.

“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS,” Musk wrote on X on Wednesday in response to criticism from Ukraine. He had earlier suggested that the disruption might have been “a mistake” and said he was working to restore connectivity.

Musk also said that Starlink should be used only for civilian and defensive purposes, arguing that using it for offensive operations would be “inappropriate for a commercial company.”

Although Trump has not commented directly on the restrictions, a senior US official told Axios that his administration had nothing to do with the disruption of Starlink services.

Ukrainian officials also said they had received no advance warning from their Western partners before Russian missile strikes on Kiev on two consecutive nights, Monday and Tuesday. According to media reports, US officials attributed the failure to detect the missile launches to bad weather, an explanation their Ukrainian counterparts reportedly found hard to believe.

Asked by British talk show host Piers Morgan on Wednesday whether he had been “betrayed” by the Trump administration, Zelensky replied, “Yes.”

“It’s a pity that we are losing a strong partner,” he added.

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fyodorov said Wednesday evening that Starlink connectivity at speeds of up to 100 mph was being restored, but urged the removal of speed restrictions on Starshield altogether.

Ukrainian media reported on Thursday that the operation of Starshield systems had been fully restored. Sources within the country’s Ministry of Defense said military units confirmed that communications were back online while officials continue to investigate the reasons for the restrictions.

Russia has argued that Ukraine would use a ceasefire without preconditions to regroup and replenish its forces. “We want not a ceasefire but a lasting peace, and we are ready to do everything possible to achieve it,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

The agreement to supply Russian diesel fuel to the United States has made a considerable political impact, and it comes amid another escalation of the Ukraine conflict during which both sides have been exchanging large-scale missile and drone strikes.

Meanwhile, the European Union has approved its 22nd package of sanctions against Russia, while Washington has adopted another round of punitive measures under the so-called Hellish Sanctions Act.

Yet against this backdrop, the US Treasury has issued a general license authorizing transactions involving the sale, delivery, unloading and import of Russian diesel fuel until April 2027, which, at first glance, appears extraordinary. 

In reality, however, such exemptions are a familiar feature of American sanctions policy as they illustrate a fundamental paradox of the US system: exceptionally severe restrictions coexist with considerable flexibility when Washington’s own interests are at stake.

On one hand, sanctions against Russia, particularly those targeting its energy sector, have become increasingly entrenched, and the latest legislation makes their removal considerably more difficult, adding to an extensive framework of federal laws, presidential orders and administrative regulations accumulated over recent years.

The latest exemption is particularly revealing because the administration didn’t need to invoke the waiver provisions contained in the new legislation, given that Section 115 of the Lindsey Graham Act, for example, permits exemptions provided the administration submits a written justification to Congress, so instead, the Treasury employed a much simpler mechanism.

Last week, Bradley Smith, director of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), signed a general license permitting the diesel transactions. Formally, therefore, the decision was taken not by President Donald Trump, or even by the Treasury secretary, but by a specialized department within the department.

There’s nothing unusual about this procedure. Under the sanctions program targeting what Washington calls Russia’s “malicious activities,” more than 100 general licenses have been issued covering a wide range of transactions, meaning another license is hardly a sensation.

Nor should it be mistaken for the lifting of sanctions because general licenses typically have limited validity and can be revoked before their expiry and a change in the political climate, a shift in Washington’s priorities, or an influx of imported diesel into the American market could be sufficient grounds for withdrawing the exemption.

There are precedents for licenses remaining in force for years. During the improvement in US-Belarusian relations in the 2010s, several major Belarusian enterprises benefited from exemptions that effectively suspended certain restrictions, but when relations deteriorated again in the early 2020s, those licenses were withdrawn.

No sanctions have been lifted and Washington has merely employed an established administrative mechanism that can be reversed at any moment.

Nevertheless, the episode demonstrates something important about American sanctions policy in that even as Congress seeks to make restrictions against Russia increasingly permanent, the executive branch retains considerable room for maneuver.

The US can impose unprecedented economic restrictions while simultaneously creating exceptions whenever its interests demand them.

The legal machinery is already in place, but what ultimately determines how it is used is political will.

This article was first published by Kommersant, and was translated and edited by the RT team

Former Israeli intelligence chief Ronen Bar has sued Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for defamation, accusing him of ignoring warnings ahead of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and attempting to shift the blame for the security failures.

Bar, who headed Israel’s Shin Bet domestic security agency during the assault, filed the three-million-shekel (nearly $1 million) lawsuit on Wednesday.

Netanyahu had accused Bar of withholding intelligence and failing to alert troops or evacuate attendees of the Nova music festival. Bar rejected the allegations, arguing that Netanyahu was attempting to deflect responsibility for the attack, which left around 1,200 people dead and saw 251 taken hostage. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 74,300 Palestinians, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry.

According to the lawsuit, Shin Bet officers began sharing intelligence about unusual Hamas activity with the military late on October 6 and issued a warning at 3:03 am. Netanyahu’s military secretariat was updated at 3:55 am, while Bar’s chief of staff briefed his military secretary shortly after 6 am. Bar denied speaking directly with Israel’s military chief or head of military intelligence that night, contrary to Netanyahu’s account.

However, he maintained that Netanyahu had been repeatedly alerted to the risk. Bar cited a February 2023 letter warning that Israel’s internal divisions and instability in the Palestinian territories could embolden its adversaries. In July, he said he had personally raised the prospect of an attack, cautioning that intelligence agencies might not be able to predict it.

The filing describes further warnings in September and early October about Hamas’s growing capabilities. Bar also alleged that Netanyahu repeatedly rejected or delayed proposals to target senior Hamas figures, favoring a policy of “quiet at any cost” in Gaza.

According to the lawsuit, the prime minister continued allowing Qatari money into the enclave despite warnings that humanitarian funds were reaching Hamas’ military wing.

Netanyahu rejected the claims, saying Bar could have contacted him through a secure emergency line. Bar said Netanyahu never provided him with his personal phone number.

Netanyahu also said he had submitted nearly 1,000 documents challenging Bar’s account.

The lawsuit follows reports that Netanyahu received advance warnings from foreign governments. Haaretz reported in September that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed had alerted him to a potential major Hamas operation ten days before the assault. Netanyahu’s office dismissed the allegation as an “absolute lie.”

The Atlantic and the Wall Street Journal have separately reported warnings from Egyptian officials, while the New York Times revealed that Israeli intelligence had obtained a Hamas battle plan known as Jericho Wall more than a year earlier. Netanyahu has denied receiving warnings from Egypt or being shown the Hamas plan.

Germany plans to make households and businesses pay for a national emergency gas reserve costing more than €3 billion over ten years, German media reported Wednesday, citing draft legislation.

First proposed in July, the 24 TWh reserve would equal 10% of Germany’s storage capacity, or two weeks’ winter consumption, protecting against import disruptions.

The Economy Ministry initially proposed funding it through household and industrial levies rather than the federal budget, but the plan stalled after governing coalition lawmakers rejected this notion, citing already excessive energy costs. Industry associations also demanded state funding. However, media reports claim that despite the backlash, the ministry is pressing ahead with its initial plan.

An October 12 draft leaked to Handelsblatt and other outlets estimates the reserve at €3.08 billion ($3.4 billion) over ten years, enough to replace Germany’s largest gas import facility for 30 days. Unlike seasonal storage, the government-controlled stockpile would be off-limits commercially, reserved for crises including sabotage and infrastructure failures. It would not lower gas prices.

Energy Minister Katherina Reiche previously considered budget funding or a hybrid model. However, severe budget constraints reportedly prompted the ministry to stick to its initial plan of 100% consumer funding. Frankfurter Rundschau reported that the draft has already been submitted for interministerial coordination. However, it remains far from becoming law, with government approval, parliamentary scrutiny, and votes still ahead, and discussions in the Bundestag over a possible hybrid financing model ongoing.

Julia Verlinden, deputy parliamentary group leader of the Greens in the Bundestag, has criticized the move, telling DPA that citizens would feel the impact of the ambitious gas plans “directly in their wallets.”

Germany’s post-Russian gas predicament

Germany has faced years of severe energy pressure since abandoning Russian supplies following the Ukraine conflict’s escalation in 2022. Alternative imports have sharply raised costs for energy-intensive manufacturers. Berlin has spent approximately €50 billion ($58 billion) cushioning soaring prices since cutting Russian gas imports, Die Süddeutsche Zeitung and Bild reported last month.

The US war on Iran and disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have intensified pressure. Although most German LNG comes from the US, the strait’s effective closure disrupted nearly 20% of global LNG supply, driving wholesale prices higher and undermining commercial incentives to buy and store gas.

Meanwhile, Germany’s conventional gas reserves have been under mounting pressure ahead of winter. Following a sluggish summer refilling season, they are reportedly hovering around 60% capacity, an unusually low level for October. German network operators earlier called the EU’s November 1 target of 80%-90% “virtually unattainable.” In September, Berlin even took the unusual step of ordering state-owned SEFE to purchase and inject 8 TWh to shore up winter supplies.

Soaring bills have deepened political divisions. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has gained traction by calling for a return to cheaper Russian energy, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s increasingly unpopular coalition faces pressure over costly gas-fired backup plants and climate-neutrality commitments.

Nord Stream, drones and the ‘Russian threat’

The proposed reserve’s focus on sabotage is particularly notable given the 2022 Nord Stream bombings, which severed key routes for Russian gas to Germany and compounded the country’s energy crisis. Berlin initially refrained from assigning blame, but in July 2026, German prosecutors charged former Ukrainian military officer Sergey Kuznetsov, alleging the attack was carried out by individuals acting on behalf of Ukrainian state bodies. Kiev denies involvement, while Moscow has blamed the West.

Moscow calls Western energy sanctions illegal and counterproductive, arguing that they redirect Russian exports while forcing Europeans toward costlier supplies. Russia has repeatedly offered to cover shortages and resume deliveries but says it received no response. Kremlin economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev warned earlier this year that EU countries would “inevitably beg” for Russian gas as prices rise.

Admitting Ukraine to the EU would amount to “hara-kiri” for the bloc and inflict immense damage on France, right-wing French politician Marine Le Pen has warned, using the Japanese term for ritual suicide.

Le Pen has long criticized military and financial support for Ukraine, repeatedly pledging to end France’s direct aid to Kiev and calling for sharp cuts to EU-wide assistance.

The politician has emerged as the frontrunner in France’s 2027 presidential race, according to the latest opinion polls, and is projected to defeat both left-wing and centrist rivals in potential runoffs.

Le Pen made the remarks in an interview with the Financial Times published on Wednesday, arguing against Kiev’s longstanding ambition to join the bloc. Making Ukraine a member would be tantamount to “committing hara-kiri,” a scenario bound to result in “absolutely huge economic losses” and the effective loss of sovereignty for France, Le Pen stated.

Le Pen also reiterated her position on aid to Ukraine, arguing that France, as well as the EU as a whole, could no longer afford to bankroll Kiev.

“The honest thing to do with Zelensky is to tell him, to warn him, in fact, that, listen, we can’t do more, we can’t manage more. [The EU] has already done €90bn of loans; that’s €18bn for France. €18bn is really a lot,” Le Pen told FT.

Separately, she made similar remarks to the Dutch VRT NWS broadcaster, insisting that Paris must tell Zelensky it “can no longer provide this financial assistance” and that the Ukrainian leader should seek monetary help elsewhere. “Perhaps there are other EU countries that are in better financial shape,” Le Pen said, without specifying any candidates for footing France’s bill on Ukraine.

In nanny states, men become state-dependent tradbros whose solution to an inadequate allowance is to pitch a fit, women get infantilized, and kids become insufferable. But what happens when someone dares to step out of line?

Enter Louise Montagnon – a 22-year-old master’s student, right-wing activist, and recent municipal National Rally candidate from Bordeaux, who has been all over French media debating the young left-wing activists indulging in synchronized tantrums across France, some burning their schools down to protest the lack of educational space. When a country is sufficiently infantilized, you may as well send young people to fight each other on ideological front lines over problems ginned up mostly by grey-haired men. 

Montagnon is refusing to sing the dominant tune. “You are the useful idiots of this movement,” she told 17-year-old Erwan on television. He made his name by publicly draping himself over left-wing leader Jean-Luc Melenchon and kissing him on the cheek, having already mastered the politician’s mannerisms while explaining why student life sucked at his slum of a Parisian school near Montmartre. The academy boasts a majestic courtyard and a €120 million renovation project. His particular hardship was having to put in full days.

Montagnon’s message was that the kid hadn’t seen much of the working world and might want to compare class timetables with her before declaring himself a victim. Her argument is dangerous to the movement because if one person can manage, then why can’t you? And when that person is a young woman, the reality becomes especially inconvenient for young men.

Which would explain the violent reaction to this young woman’s mere existence. “Last year, I had to leave my classes during the year because it was no longer possible for safety reasons,” she said during a media appearance. “When you arrive at university and there are 80 people waiting to kick you out, you are no longer safe.” She also explained that during student elections, the library staff wanted her to leave despite what she described as about 200 “brainless leftists” waiting for her outside.

Women’s groups lament the Taliban’s exclusion of girls from education, yet appear conspicuously absent when a young woman in France says that intimidation has interfered with her university life. Women should be able to study and participate in public life without being threatened into submission – but only subject to ideological approval or an adequate score on the most superficial diversity scale, apparently.

Montagnon’s offence is actively denouncing the left-wing status quo, exercising her democratic right to dissent. The very sort of independent thinking that feminism is supposed to celebrate – until the independent thinker backs the wrong party or causes.

She fails the longstanding litmus test to qualify for sisterly support. Feminism has become entangled with identity politics in much of the movement, to the point where a woman on the right can demonstrate intellectual independence, self-determination, and meritocratic qualities, yet still be treated as a threat to the ideological monoculture that became synonymous with the feminist movement ever since it sprang up around left-wing actions in the civil rights era.

There’s something ironically paternalistic about a movement that champions women’s freedom while demonstrating – through its action or inaction – that it reserves the right to decide which of them are valid.

Turns out that the system that Montagnon is being told to navigate may not even be capable of delivering the meritocratic returns that her hard work warrants. Not anymore. Just look at France’s finances.

The country’s debt has climbed well above the EU’s 60%-of-GDP reference value. Now the government needs to rummage around in the couch cushions to find savings in the hope that ordinary people won’t notice, by scratching a few bucks here and there from health-care reimbursements and by de-indexing pension spending from inflation. Seems that the best outcome that Montagnon can hope for is a worthy spot in a broken system that won’t parasitize her hard work too much.

Montagnon also happens to have stumbled upon institutional feminism’s most shameful secret: the sisterhood is universal in its advertising, but highly selective in its customer service. And particularly as the broke nanny state fails in its effort to placate the handout-insistent masses, women’s liberation should mean embracing and championing independent, freedom-minded women on the right actively seeking to break those shackles. Otherwise, we’re just arguing over who gets to hold the leash.

The trial of Nord Stream bombing suspect Sergey Kuznetsov is underway in Germany, and the Ukrainian veteran’s defense team have revealed their strategy: say nothing and blame Russia. The entire trial, after just one day, has begun to look more like a managed discussion than an inquisition.

What happened to Nord Stream in September 2022?

On September 26, 2022, a seismometer on the Danish island of Bornholm detected two spikes consistent with underwater explosions – one just after 2 AM, and another just after 7 PM. Danish and Swedish authorities then determined that both Nord Stream 1 lines had been destroyed and one Nord Stream 2 line damaged roughly 60 km northeast of Bornholm, while an explosion around 25 km southeast of the island had destroyed the other Nord Stream 2 line.

Both Nord Stream lines were opposed by Ukraine, and by every US president since George W. Bush.

RT covered the competing Nord Stream narratives in depth here – pulling apart the means, motive, and opportunity that the real culprit had to carry out the attack.

What is Sergey Kuznetsov accused of?

Kuznetsov arrived at the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court of Hamburg under heavy security on Wednesday. The hearing is the first of 24 sessions scheduled between now and February, as German prosecutors attempt to prove that the Ukrainian military veteran led the sabotage operation that destroyed the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines in September 2022, an act that they say constitutes a war crime.

The allegations against Kuznetsov largely follow the German government’s version of events, which have been drip-fed to Western media outlets in a series of leaks over the last four years. Kuznetsov, prosecutors claim, entered Germany in September 2022 using a forged Ukrainian passport, rented a pleasure yacht with six accomplices, and planted explosives on one of the four undersea lines comprising the Nord Stream project while his team sabotaged the remaining three, all “on behalf of Ukrainian state authorities."

Variations on the story – that the CIA approved or didn’t approve of the operation, and whether or not Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky personally ordered it – have circulated in the media, but Kuznetsov’s alleged involvement remains a constant in most retellings.

American journalist Seymour Hersh has shot down the German story, arguing that the Ukrainian saboteurs would not have been able to transport the requisite deep-sea diving gear and explosives aboard a 15-meter yacht, and almost certainly would have been caught in the act, as NATO was conducting active military exercises in the same area of the Baltic Sea at the time of the alleged sabotage operation. Citing intelligence sources, Hersh maintains that the CIA, working with the Norwegian Navy, used the NATO exercises as cover to plant remotely-detonated explosive devices on the Nord Stream lines.

Where are Kuznetsov’s accomplices?

Kuznetsov is the only one of the seven alleged saboteurs currently on trial. Another suspect, identified as ‘Vladimir Z’, was detained on a film set in Croatia in August and is currently fighting extradition to Germany. According to German media, three civilian divers and the yacht’s skipper – all Ukrainians – remain at large, while a military explosives expert who reportedly took part in the operation was, according to media reports, killed in Ukraine in 2024.

What is the evidence against Kuznetsov?

The prosecution did not present any evidence against Kuznetsov at Wednesday’s hearing. However, Germany’s state ARD and NDR broadcasters have published details from the 136-page indictment against him. According to this report, prosecutors intend to focus on:

• A phone call from Kuznetsov to his wife, made in Italian custody last year, in which he defended the bombing as “an official military operation”

• Photographs from tourists and speed cameras placing Kuznetsov in Germany at the time of the alleged operation

• Traces of the military explosives RDX and HMX from the yacht, the ‘Andromeda’

• Internet searches for technical data on the Nord Stream lines and Baltic Sea depths, obtained from Kuznetsov’s phone

What did Kuznetsov say in court?

Kuznetsov remained completely silent throughout Wednesday’s proceedings. His lawyers explained that as Kuznetsov was an officer in the Ukrainian military at the time of the Nord Stream attack, he cannot testify without divulging state secrets. He will remain silent for the rest of the trial.

What did his defense team say?

Kuznetsov’s lawyers did not outright deny their client’s involvement in the attack. Instead, they argued that the evidence linking him to the operation is circumstantial, pointing out that his fingerprints were not among the prints lifted from the Andromeda, and that the prosecution has no eyewitnesses to call. 

“It’s the prosecution’s job to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was involved,” legal adviser Ilya Novikov told reporters after the hearing. Pressed by a reporter, Novikov refused to say whether or not Kuznetsov was denying guilt. “He keeps silent, and this is his position,” he replied.

Justifying the attack

Kuznetsov’s legal team put far more energy into arguing that the Nord Stream attack – the costliest act of industrial sabotage in history – was justified. “Is it unlawful to destroy an aggressor’s infrastructure without harming any human beings?” Defense attorney Nicola Canestrini asked the court. Jes Meyer-Lohkamp, another defense attorney representing Kuznetsov, said that the court should consider whether the pipelines “should have been operating at all in light of Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, and whether action against them could have been justified.”

Canestrini, an Italian lawyer who specializes in defending war crimes and genocide suspects in The Hague, pushed for the case to be dropped, arguing that Kuznetzov had originally been extradited for “sabotage,” not “war crimes.”

Prosecutors countered that the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines was “attack by military means against civilian objects,” and therefore a war crime.

What happens next?

Canestrini and Lohkamp may be pre-emptively justifying the destruction of Nord Stream in anticipation of some smoking gun evidence tying Kuznetsov to the crime. However, they are adamant that the prosecution has no evidence to draw on or witnesses to call, and that Kuznetsov’s position in the military will protect him from testifying.

“He is not permitted to speak. His two immediate superiors told him that he does not have authorization to make any statements – not even to his lawyers,” Lohkamp told the court, adding that under German law, “Anyone who cannot speak out cannot be convicted.”

As such, the case will ultimately rest on the strength of the prosecution’s evidence. However, with no fingerprints and no witnesses, securing a conviction will be no easy task. Given the fact that a guilty verdict would implicate the Ukrainian military in a war crime against Kiev’s largest foreign donor, a logical next question is whether the trial is set up to fail.

Stick with RT for all the latest news on the Nord Stream trial over the coming months.

Europe risks becoming little more than a tourist attraction unless it dramatically expands its military capabilities, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has warned, calling for an increasingly confrontational stance against Russia and refusing to return its frozen assets.

Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum on Tuesday, Sikorski argued that Europe must translate its economic power into military strength to avoid being sidelined as the US, China, and Russia compete for global influence.

”What’s at stake is not whether we will be occupied,” referring to speculation of a Russian invasion, which Moscow has dismissed as nonsense. The main question, according to Sikorski, is Europe’s “status in the global division of power.”

“The triumvirate that divides the world into spheres of influence” will either be composed of the US, China, and Russia, while Europe serves as “suppliers of data and tourist attractions,” or Europe will be the “third leg” of the group instead of Russia, he said.

Sikorski called for a more assertive military posture toward Russia, including the creation of a European army that Russia would never attack.

The Polish foreign minister also rejected the idea of returning Russia’s frozen sovereign assets, declaring that Moscow will recover the assets “over our dead bodies.”

Around $300 billion in Russian central bank reserves have been frozen by Western countries since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. The EU has already begun channeling proceeds generated by the assets to Kiev but has stopped short of confiscating the principal, amid legal and financial concerns.

Belgium – which hosts Euroclear, the clearinghouse that holds most of the frozen assets in the EU – has resisted outright confiscation. Officials warn that doing so could undermine confidence in Europe’s financial system and send “a very bad signal to other countries worldwide” that hold assets in the EU.

Russia has denounced the proposals to seize the assets as outright theft, warning that doing so would trigger legal action and retaliation against Western assets in Russia.

Poland is mulling reintroducing compulsory military service that was abolished in 2009, Deputy Defense Minister Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka has said. Her comments came shortly after an opinion poll indicated that over a half of Poles under 24 were against the reinstatement of conscription.

In an interview with RMF FM radio station on Wednesday, Sobkowiak-Czarnecka revealed that “discussions at the Ministry of National Defense today cover all possible scenarios.” The official said that she personally is a proponent of universal conscription modelled after the Israeli draft system, where both men and women are called up for service.

Sobkowiak-Czarnecka argued that the pool of volunteers should first be exhausted before moving toward the reinstatement of the draft. The Polish deputy defense minister acknowledged, however, that she has “colleagues who are absolutely opposed” to the idea of compulsory military service.

Earlier on Wednesday, RMF FM reported that a recent Opinia24 poll indicated that 46% of respondents were in favor of reintroducing conscription, while 38% were against, with the other 16% undecided. The share of those opposing the draft rises to 53% in the 18-24 cohort. Following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Warsaw has announced plans to expand its military from the current 220,000 personnel to 500,000, including 200,000 reservists, by 2039. 

In recent years, Poland has emerged as one of the most rapidly militarizing EU nations, with its military spending reaching around 4.7% of its GDP. The country has also been one of Kiev’s staunchest backers in its conflict with Moscow, providing Ukraine with weapons, including artillery systems, tanks, armored vehicles, warplanes, and ammunition. Some estimates place Poland in first place among all other Western countries in terms of the volume of assistance provided relative to its own GDP. Poland has also served as a key logistical hub for Ukraine-bound arms shipments from other countries.

Neighboring Germany has emerged as Ukraine’s top backer in Europe in absolute terms, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. The German government is likewise aiming to increase the number of active-duty troops to more than 260,000 by 2035, backed by 200,000 reservists. In recent months, several politicians in Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s ruling coalition have floated the idea of reinstating conscription.

A new military service system introduced in early 2026 requires all 18-year-old men to register for potential service. While enlistment remains voluntary for now, parliament can activate compulsory service if recruitment targets are not met or the security situation deteriorates.

The new model has sparked nationwide student protests, with an estimated 45,000 demonstrators taking to the streets in some 100 cities and towns late last month.

Both Poland and Germany have justified their respective military buildups by claiming that Russia is harboring aggressive plans against NATO member states. Moscow has repeatedly dismissed these allegations as “nonsense” and even suggested providing written guarantees that it has no such plans.

President Vladimir Putin has accused
European NATO member states of openly preparing for war with Russia while using bogus claims. Moscow has also repeatedly warned Western nations against supplying ever more sophisticated weaponry to Ukraine, saying that the bloc is becoming increasingly involved in the conflict with Russia, with potentially dire ramifications.

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky may have tested the limits of his relations with US President Donald Trump too much, likely leading to a full breakdown in ties between the pair, international law analyst and academic Alexandre Guerreiro has told RT.

Zelensky and Trump have been engaged in a bitter public spat in recent days, primarily revolving around Washington’s decision to ease restrictions on Russian diesel exports. Zelensky branded the move a “weak decision by strong partners” while demanding more support from the US. Trump, in turn, suggested it is time for Ukraine to get a “new president” instead of Zelensky, whose tenure formally ended two years ago, although he has refused to hold new elections under the pretext of the conflict with Russia.

Zelensky has a long history of engaging in public spats with foreign leaders and high-profile figures, Guerreiro said, pointing out that these situations “repeat themselves whenever a partner or an ally opposes Zelensky.”

With Trump, however, Zelensky may have become “overconfident” thanks to the backing he has received from the EU and UK, Guerreiro suggested, adding that the Ukrainian leader ultimately “suffers from ingratitude and opportunism.”

“He refuses to acknowledge all the support he has received, including the sacrifices of Western bloc citizens, attacks those who help him, and only says ‘thank you’ once he gets what he wants,” Guerreiro added.

The analyst suggested that the Ukrainian leader has likely reached the point when the US president will “lose his temper once and for all” with him. “I believe that now President Trump is about to [lose] his patience with him,” he said.

Watch the full video interview below:

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s attempt to blame Russia for the Brexit vote is a crude attempt to undo the referendum and tie the UK back to Brussels. It’s also imploding dramatically.

In an appearance on the ‘The Rest is Politics’ podcast on Sunday, Burnham said that he sought answers about alleged meddling in the 2016 Brexit referendum after taking office this summer.

“I asked the question coming to Downing Street: Well, was there interference in the 2016 referendum from Russia? I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was.”

Burnham did not identify who had provided the assessment or present any evidence to back it up. Nor did he say whether the alleged interference actually affected the result of the referendum. However, he insisted that anti-establishment movements in Britain, France, and Germany – where Chancellor Friedrich Merz has claimed that the right-wing AfD are “Russian-backed” – are “instigated via our enemies, namely Russia.”

Haven’t we heard this all before?

Six months later, Labour MP Ben Bradshaw announced in parliament that Russia “probably interfered” in the vote. Bradshaw conceded that “we do not have the evidence for that yet, but it is highly probable.” His claims were picked up by media outlets in Britain and the US, where the ‘Russiagate’ hoax was taking root in Washington. 

A parliamentary committee stated in April 2017 that the collapse of a voter-registration website in the runup to the referendum could have been the work of a Russian or Chinese denial-of-service (DDOS) attack. In November of that year, City University alleged that 13,000 bot accounts – some of them Russian – were tweeting about Brexit before and after the referendum.

X, then called Twitter, rejected the City University study, stating that it found no evidence linking the bot accounts with Russia; separate research tying Russia to the ‘leave’ campaign was found to be fabricated by an anti-Brexit group funded by liberal billionaire George Soros; and in 2020, a parliamentary report found “no evidence of successful interference in the EU referendum.” At the time, Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared that “a retrospective assessment of the EU referendum is not necessary” in light of the report. 

All of this begs the question: ten years after the Brexit vote, why is Burnham conjuring up the specter of “Russian interference” again?

Burnham’s big break

Burnham’s political maneuvering is obvious here. The British PM has repeatedly said that he would like to see the UK rejoin the EU, and two weeks before appearing on ‘The Rest is Politics’, he opened his speech at the UN General Assembly with a reference to Brexit, lamenting that “my country has lived through the disruption it brought.”

Speaking at his Labour Party’s annual conference a week later, Burnham argued that “Brexit has done more harm than good.” The following day he pledged to forge closer relations with Brussels and, if politically feasible, “go all the way” and rejoin the union.

Burnham has refused to say whether he intends to run his next election campaign on a platform of EU membership. However, he has promised to have “a serious dialogue about the different options for our relationship in the long-term” when he meets EU leaders in Brussels next month.

With the UK and EU both embroiled in a proxy war with Russia, there is no more effective way to delegitimize the Brexit vote at the moment than by tying it to Moscow. Burnham made this explicit in an address to Parliament on October 12, arguing that it would be “a dereliction of duty” not to pursue closer relations with the EU, given Russia’s alleged interference in the referendum.

The hoax crumbles

The prime minister’s confidence began to crumble under questioning. Asked by Conservative MP Julian Lewis “exactly how he thinks Russia was able to alter the result of the referendum,” Burnham replied that Moscow’s interference in British elections was “a matter of record,” without elaborating further.

Responding to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, Burnham claimed that he never implied that the result of the referendum was invalid, before repeating the same “matter of record” line. 

Burnham’s lack of evidence became clear when his foreign secretary, Stephen Doughty, appeared on ITV’s ‘Good Morning Britain’ the same day. 

“What did Russia do during that Brexit referendum?” host Susanna Reid asked Doughty, who responded that he was “not going to get into the specifics.”

“Why are you not getting into specifics when the Prime Minister has just got into the specifics on the podcast?” Reid pressed.

Asked repeatedly about Russian interference in the Brexit vote, Doughty gave a variation on “Russia attempts to interfere in all of our democratic processes. They’ve been doing this for many, many years” every time. 

“This is embarrassing,” co-host Ed Balls interjected. “It’s really bad for politics when you just blatantly don’t answer the question on something so important and go back to a nonsensical line, which is contradicted by what the prime minister just said.”

The final nail in the coffin came from MI5 Director Ken McCallum. McCallum is no stranger to anti-Russian opportunism, having pushed for mass internet surveillance to prevent Russia causing “mayhem on British and European streets.” However, he warned on Tuesday against exaggerating “Russian influence” on Brexit, arguing that debating the influence of “Russian trolls” on the vote “play[s] into our adversaries’ hands by making these trolls look 10ft tall.”

The Burnham playbook

Burnham has a habit of making extraordinary claims without the extraordinary evidence to back them up. After five Londoners were arrested outside RAF Fairford in an apparent terror bust last month, the British PM told the BBC that there are “strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened.” 

Tehran has described the incident as “a clumsy false-flag operation,” aimed at “advancing an anti-Iran campaign and evading accountability for Britain’s involvement in the US-Israeli military aggression against the Iranian people.”

Likewise, Moscow has repeatedly denied interfering in the Brexit referendum. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described Burnham’s allegations as “the latest baseless accusations made without any proof.”

One final irony

Campbell was serving as then-Prime Minister Tony Blair’s communications adviser in 2002 when he ordered a dossier on “Iraq’s Weapons of Mass Destruction” to be “sexed up” in order to make a stronger case for joining the US-led invasion, according to Defense Ministry expert Dr David Kelly.

An inquiry found that Campbell changed multiple lines within the dossier to make Iraq appear more threatening. Among them was a line stating that Iraqi forces “may be able to deploy” chemical weapons against British troops within 45 minutes of receiving an order, which became “are able to deploy.”

Campbell then compiled a second dossier, now known as the “Dodgy Dossier.” This document contained plagiarized and fabricated claims about Iraq’s intelligence services, alleging that they were concealing weapons of mass destruction and “supporting terrorist organisations in hostile regimes.” None of these claims were true.

The second dossier was published in February 2003. Five weeks later, Parliament held a vote to join the invasion, with Burnham one of 139 Labour MPs voting in favor of the war. Burnham has since said that, if he could go back to 2003, he “wouldn’t have voted for it.” 

More than two decades later, Burnham is once again making “dodgy dossier”-tier accusations in service of two foreign conflicts, and in aid of his own political ambitions.

The British Navy has been left without its only icebreaker after HMS Protector suffered double engine failure at sea, The Telegraph reported on Tuesday. The breakdown adds to mounting concerns about Britain’s readiness for a major war and persistent funding problems.

HMS Protector, which was originally built in Norway in 2001, suffered simultaneous engine defects while departing Britain and had to be towed back to the Devonport naval base in Plymouth, the report says.

Maintenance failures are suspected, according to The Telegraph, although the full extent of the damage is unclear. If it cannot be repaired, a replacement may not arrive until the 2030s, the paper said.

“These ships cost a tiny fraction of the defense budget yet deliver an outsized effect in presence and soft power,” Sharpe said.

HMS Protector typically deploys to the South Atlantic and Antarctic, conducting hydrographic surveys, supporting scientific stations, and carrying personnel for inspections under international agreements. The vessel, which has a crew of around 88, does not have any heavy weapons but can carry machine guns and embark specialist Royal Marines.

The reported incident comes after the UK Navy announced in July the retirement of two more Type 23 frigates, leaving the fleet with just five frigates alongside six destroyers. Around the same time, retired Naval Staff chief Lord Alan West suggested that the British fleet has been reduced to the worst state in history.

In March, First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins acknowledged that the Navy is not ready for war, saying it aims to reach that level of preparedness by the end of the decade.

Officials have also sounded the alarm over the hollowed-out military budget, with the Treasury struggling to find £4.7 billion ($6.2 billion) for its multi-year military investment strategy.

French police have launched violence charges against student protesters in Paris, arresting young demonstrators as security forces crack down on schoolchildren protesting against staff shortages and underfunding in education, RT correspondent Nadege Abderazzak has reported.

The protests began in late September at a high school in Créteil, a Paris suburb, where teachers and students protested severe staff shortages and deteriorating facilities. The movement quickly spread across France, with thousands of students demanding better education funding and an end to cuts in public services. Demonstrators have also challenged government spending priorities, calling for money to be spent on schools rather than weapons.

Abderazzak said that tensions had persisted for two hours, with an estimated 300 to 400 protesters facing three to five times as many police officers and gendarmes. The march had begun at Paris City Hall, she said, noting that two demonstrations had been authorized by the Paris Police Prefecture.

Since the protests erupted last month, the unrest has repeatedly escalated into confrontations, with police deploying tear gas, water cannon, and stun grenades against demonstrators. Thousands have reportedly been detained and hundreds injured nationwide since late September, including minors. A 15-year-old boy reportedly lost a hand after picking up a police grenade.

By early October, protests had disrupted more than 1,000 educational institutions, with over 160,000 demonstrators taking to the streets on Tuesday, according to authorities. Protesters have challenged France’s spending priorities, demanding: “Allocate money to education, not to buying arms,” according to media reports.

The protests come as President Emmanuel Macron’s government cuts public spending while pouring billions into militarization and military aid to Ukraine. France has boosted its 2026 defense budget by €6.7 billion to €57.1 billion, with another €36 billion earmarked for military spending through 2030.

Meanwhile, France’s budget deficit is expected to hit 5.4% of GDP this year, with public debt climbing to 119.3%. Despite the mounting financial strain, Paris has pledged to keep supplying Kiev with weapons, including missiles and air defense systems.

Watch RT's full report:

Berlin police have been unable to carry out planned migrant deportations because of a shortage of functioning vehicles, Welt has reported, citing a police union warning about the German capital’s deteriorating fleet.

Several operations could not proceed as planned because officers simply did not have enough vehicles to collect people scheduled to be returned to their home countries, Frank Teichert, Berlin chairman of the German Police Union, told the newspaper.

The shortages have caused considerable frustration, turning every promised “deportation offensive” into “real-life satire” on the ground, he said.

Some 159 of Berlin’s 3,304 police vehicles have been unavailable because of workshop work, according to a parliamentary inquiry. Teichert also said more than half the fleet meets at least one criterion for replacement.

The problems stem from years of underfunding, Benjamin Jendro, a police union spokesman, said. Officers regularly encounter worn brakes, seat belts, buckles and interiors, while the vehicle budget remains at 2016–17 levels despite higher prices and increased demand.

Berlin’s interior administration maintains that reserve vehicles ensure operational readiness, while acknowledging that limited funding and rising procurement costs are hampering efforts to replace aging equipment.

The failures come despite Germany’s promises to tighten migration controls, expand border checks and accelerate deportations. Growing public frustration over immigration, housing shortages, and subsequent pressure on public services has continued to fuel mass protests in recent months both in Germany and across the EU.

European governments have pledged faster removals, but implementation has continued to lag. EU countries issued around 110,000 deportation orders in the second quarter of 2026, while fewer than 37,000 people were actually removed from the bloc, according to Eurostat. Missing documents, legal challenges and receiving countries’ refusal to cooperate have remained obstacles to deportation.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has disrupted Ukrainian drone missions by abruptly restricting the military’s high-speed access to the Starlink satellite network, according to officials in Kiev and frontline commanders. The complaints come as US President Donald Trump has ramped up pressure on Vladimir Zelensky to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries and hold a long-overdue presidential election.

The development was reported on Wednesday by Sergey Beskrestnov, Zelensky’s technology adviser, who claimed that SpaceX had imposed a speed limit of 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) on Starshield, its military-grade satellite communications service, without informing Kiev in advance.

“Our defense forces were not notified of this restriction, and it has resulted in the disruption of several missions,” he wrote, adding that the move was clearly connected to the “current political situation.” 

The disruption was corroborated by four Ukrainian frontline sources cited by Ukrainskaya Pravda. According to the article, one commander provided footage showing two drones losing connectivity above cloud cover and becoming unable to complete their mission.

Sergey Sternenko, a Ukrainian activist and former Defense Ministry adviser, suggested that SpaceX had acted at the request of the Trump administration. Neither Washington nor Musk has commented on the reports.

Starlink has become a cornerstone of Ukraine’s military communications since the escalation of its conflict with Russia in 2022, with Kiev’s forces relying on the network for reconnaissance, logistics, and drone control. However, SpaceX has refused to enable the service for strikes deep inside Russia, with Musk reportedly believing that doing so would escalate the conflict.

The reported disruption comes as Trump has ramped up pressure on Kiev to stop attacking Russian oil refineries – something Zelensky said he was ready to agree to on the condition that Moscow stops targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The US president has also eased restrictions on Russian diesel exports following talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, triggering Zelensky’s pushback.

Musk echoed Trump’s criticism of the strikes, writing on X that “Zelensky has gone too far.” 

The Trump-Zelensky feud also turned personal, with the US president suggesting that Ukraine needs “a new president.” The Ukrainian leader’s presidential term ended in 2024, and he has refused to call a new election, citing martial law. Russia has since declared him “illegitimate,” arguing that his dubious status is a major obstacle to signing a binding peace deal.

Yemen’s Houthis will continue retaliatory strikes against Saudi airports and oil facilities as long as Riyadh continues its military operations in Yemen, the Houthi administration’s acting foreign minister, Abdulwahid Abu Ras, has told RT.

He said the fighting could end if Saudi Arabia lifted its blockade and withdrew its forces from Yemeni territory.

Recent Houthi-claimed strikes on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport have killed at least 14 people and injured more than 300 over the weekend. On Tuesday, the Saudi-led coalition struck a fuel depot near Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.

The minister described the group’s approach as “an eye for an eye,” saying Houthi forces were targeting Saudi oil facilities, infrastructure, and military positions in retaliation.

“Siege for siege, airport for airport, ports for ports, and escalation for escalation,” Abu Ras told RT India Managing Editor Ashok Bagriya in an exclusive interview.

The renewed confrontation began in July when strikes on Sanaa airport were followed by Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, breaking years of relative calm following a United Nations-brokered truce in 2022. United Nations envoy Hans Grundberg warned last week that Yemen had returned to full-scale war.

“Our red lines are that the blockade on Yemen, our airports, and our ports must not continue,” Abu Ras said. He also demanded access to the country’s oil and gas resources.

The minister also sought to separate the fighting in his country from the conflict between the US and Iran, the Houthis’ main backer. “The Yemeni position is a declared position regarding its internal cause, its national cause… which have nothing to do with any external agenda.”

“Whether the brothers in the Islamic Republic of Iran reach solutions with the American side or not, this is a completely separate issue,” he said.

British troops have practiced retaking the disputed Falkland Islands in the event of another Argentine attempt to take over the territory, The Times has reported.

The exercise comes as tensions rise between Britain and Argentina over a British-Israeli oil project near the islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas. Buenos Aires claims sovereignty over the territory and surrounding waters.

The drills, held from September 27 to October 2, included amphibious landings for the first time in years, according to the newspaper. During the exercise, Argentina announced international arbitration proceedings against Britain in an effort to block the $2.2 billion oil project.

British forces regularly hold exercises with local troops on the islands. The latest Cape Upholder drills involved around 150 British paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment (2 PARA), and 100 members of the Falkland Islands Defense Force.

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The exercise took place in several locations on East Falkland, including near San Carlos where British troops landed during the 1982 war with Argentina. According to The Times, the drills included amphibious operations to retake the islands, rather than the usual focus on defending them.

Argentine President Javier Milei, an ally of US President Donald Trump, has renewed his country’s claim to the islands and opposed the Sea Lion oil project. British firm Rockhopper and Israeli company Navitas plan to begin oil production about 220 km (137 miles) north of the islands in early 2028.

Britain has also urged Interpol to reject Argentine requests to arrest people involved in the Sea Lion project, including British nationals, The Guardian reported. London argues that the requests are politically motivated.

Trump has also questioned whether Britain retains the military capabilities it had under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during the 1982 Falklands War, while declining to give a clear commitment of US support in the event of another conflict.

“You went there and you just took it back very quickly,” Trump said in a September interview with GB News. “I just don’t know if you have the capacity to do it.”

The Times quoted the commanding officer of the 2 PARA contingent as saying the exercise “gave us the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of our forefathers” while also exploring “how the cyber and space domains could affect missions like this in the modern era.”

The islands had no permanent indigenous population before European settlement. France, Britain, Spain, and Argentina subsequently established settlements or asserted authority over the archipelago before Britain took control in 1833.

The Russian government supports neither side’s territorial claim, advocates for peaceful resolution of the dispute, and opposes possible militarization of the South Atlantic.

Pope Leo XIV has had part of a lung removed after being diagnosed with cancer, the Vatican has announced. The diagnosis has exposed a gap in Vatican law, which has no clear procedure for transferring papal authority if the pontiff becomes too ill to govern. 

The 71-year-old pope underwent surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday after doctors discovered a small tumor. The Vatican confirmed that surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung and that tests identified the cancer as pulmonary adenocarcinoma, one of the most common forms of lung cancer.  

“The surgery was completed successfully, within the expected timeframe and as planned,” the Vatican said in a statement. The operation lasted approximately 90 minutes, with the pope spending about three hours in the operating room. Doctors reported no complications.  

The pontiff, elected in May 2025, had previously said the lung nodule was small and detected at an early stage. Doctors have yet to say whether he will need further cancer treatment.

Pulmonary adenocarcinoma can affect both smokers and nonsmokers. While tobacco use is a major risk factor for lung cancer, exposure to secondhand smoke, radon and asbestos can also contribute. Leo has no known history of smoking, although cancer has affected several members of his family. His mother died of cancer in 1990, while the Vatican announced on Tuesday that his older brother is also battling the disease.  

Under canon law, even a pope who is unconscious or permanently unable to govern remains in charge. Unlike secular heads of state, he has no deputy who automatically assumes his powers.  

“We were all struck by the serenity with which the pope announced this procedure,” Parolin told reporters on Tuesday. “Am I worried? Yes, because I certainly didn’t expect something like this.”  

The problem has troubled the Vatican for decades. In 1965, Pope Paul VI prepared letters proposing his resignation in the event of serious illness. Pope Francis later drafted a similar letter to be invoked if he became medically incapacitated.  

Neither document was ever used and their legal validity remains uncertain. Canon law requires a pope to resign freely, leaving no clear way to transfer power if he becomes permanently incapacitated.

A missile alert interrupted a speech by a Saudi minister, Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al Rajhi, while he was addressing an economic forum in Riyadh on Monday, amid escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom.

The incident occurred at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre, when warning notifications sounded simultaneously on the minister’s phone and those of audience members.

Al Rajhi, the human resources and social development minister, briefly acknowledged the alerts before calmly continuing his speech.

“We are under the protection of the Lord of the Worlds. God willing, may God turn their plot back upon them,” he told the audience.

The interruption came after two consecutive Houthi attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh over the weekend, which killed more than a dozen people, including several foreign nationals.

Residents reported hearing several powerful explosions in the Saudi capital on Monday night, according to Al Jazeera. The Saudi military said its air defenses had intercepted at least one Houthi ballistic missile targeting Riyadh, along with two additional projectiles launched toward the southwestern city of Khamis Mushait.

The Houthis claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attack. In an exclusive interview with RT, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a spokesperson for the group, described the strike as retaliation for years of Saudi bombardment of Yemen’s civilian infrastructure.

He warned that the Houthis would continue targeting Saudi military facilities and critical infrastructure until Riyadh ended its involvement in Yemen, lifted its blockade and agreed to a “comprehensive and permanent peace.” 

Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015, leading a military coalition supporting the internationally recognized government against the Houthis.

Large-scale fighting largely subsided following a UN-brokered truce in 2022 but flared up again in July after Saudi-backed Yemeni forces struck the Houthi-held Sanaa Airport.

Saudi-backed government forces have since launched a counteroffensive, claiming to have recaptured key positions near the vital shipping route connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

Riyadh has stepped up its air support for the offensive, intensifying strikes on Houthi-held territory in recent days. According to the group, Saudi bombardments have killed nearly 400 people since early September, many of them civilians.

Clashes between protesters and police continued in Paris on Tuesday as high school and university students staged their fifth round of nationwide demonstrations demanding better learning conditions.

In the capital, the most intense clashes took place at Place Vauban, a square near Les Invalides, the historic military complex housing Napoleon’s tomb.

Police fired volleys of tear gas, while protesters hurled cobblestones and launched fireworks at officers.

More than 6,800 people have been detained since the demonstrations began last month, when students joined striking public sector workers. Around 161,500 people took part in protests on Tuesday, including 41,500 in Paris, according to the Interior Ministry. Organizers put nationwide turnout at 480,000.

La tension ne retombe pas place Vauban. Les forces de l'ordre multiplient les charges et l'emploi de grenades pour repousser les manifestants en marge de la manifestation des lycéens et étudiants. https://t.co/Ac8YyhJ2Cz

— CLPRESS / Agence de presse (@CLPRESSFR) October 13, 2026

🔴 La police complètement submergée par les jets de pavés, place Vauban Une voiture en flammes et des équipements des forces de l’ordre abandonnés 📸 @AdrienAdcaZz @LibreQg #13Octobre #blocus #lycées #BlocusUniversités https://t.co/kkcbfVIjCy

— QG le média libre (@LibreQg) October 13, 2026

While government officials acknowledged the legitimacy of students’ grievances, they blamed far-left activists for the violence and accused La France Insoumise (LFI), the third-largest party in parliament, of inciting unrest. The party rejected the allegations and called on protesters to refrain from violence.

Regain de tensions dans le cortège parisien de la mobilisation des lycéens et étudiants, les forces de l'ordre sont visées par des tirs de mortiers d'artifice et des projectiles https://t.co/0UL198v5VV

— CLPRESS / Agence de presse (@CLPRESSFR) October 13, 2026

Une voiture a été incendiée en marge de la manifestation des lycéens et étudiants. Intervention des forces de l'ordre et des pompiers. https://t.co/lQ04gw7Bn1

— CLPRESS / Agence de presse (@CLPRESSFR) October 13, 2026

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez also accused the left-wing groups Le Poing Leve and Revolution Permanente of encouraging violence during student protests in the Paris suburbs. Both groups rejected the allegations, accusing the minister of overseeing a “brutal crackdown.”

On Tuesday, a police officer was charged with “aggravated violence” in connection with an incident in Tours on September 30, when a 16-year-old student lost an eye after being struck by a projectile fired from an LBD, a police weapon that fires less-lethal rounds.

In an effort to address student demands, Education Minister Edouard Geffray said on Tuesday that the government is sending 3,000 substitute teachers to high schools that face the most severe staff shortages.

An OpenAI employee has been arrested for allegedly planting a recording device in a conference room at the company’s California office where executives discussed highly confidential information, the US Department of Justice said on Tuesday.

FBI Director Kash Patel identified the suspect as Abdulrahman Alfozan, a Saudi national who had worked as an engineer at OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, since July 2025.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to an unsealed criminal complaint, OpenAI staff discovered an audio recording device plugged into a USB port on the back of a television in an executive conference room at the company’s San Francisco office around September 30. The device “had been concealed in toilet paper,” and its contents were encrypted.

Security camera footage allegedly shows Alfozan entering the conference room and looking behind the television where the device was planted. OpenAI security personnel later discovered that the suspect left a bag containing a second recording device in another room.

“This serious situation underscores why winning the global super intelligence race is a national security prerogative,” Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton said.

The incident comes amid intensifying technological competition between the US and China, as well as concerns raised by OpenAI and other technology companies that increasingly capable AI models could access external networks or act without authorization.

Former Anthropic and OpenAI researcher Jacob Coxon claimed earlier this month that China “already has spies” at both companies. Beijing has denied allegations of stealing trade secrets.

Trump has backed calls for stronger safeguards at AI companies but rejected proposals to slow the development of AI models. Earlier this month, he appointed Clayton to lead a White House AI task force.

A bipartisan group of 12 US senators has urged President Donald Trump to abandon a diesel deal with Russia, arguing that it will betray Ukraine while doing little to curb surging energy prices.

The decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports, announced on October 9, reportedly blindsided Ukraine and America’s European allies, reigniting Trump’s public feud with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky.

The dispute comes ahead of the November midterm elections, with Republicans seeking to retain control of Congress.

In a letter sent on Tuesday, the senators argued that “granting Moscow the ability to sell Russian diesel freely in global markets damages American security interests and is a betrayal of the people of Ukraine.” They claimed that the move will have “a negligible impact on fuel prices,” while the proceeds will allow Russia to fund its military operations in Ukraine and “advance its security cooperation with China, Iran, and North Korea.”

“It will also endanger servicemembers operating overseas in support of Operation Epic Fury,” the senators wrote, referring to the US war with Iran. They urged Trump to impose additional sanctions on Russia and its trading partners under legislation named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham, a vocal Russia hawk, which the president signed into law last month.

The letter was signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal, Thom Tillis, Jeanne Shaheen, Susan Collins, Dick Durbin, Alan Armstrong, Sheldon Whitehouse, Lisa Murkowski, Jack Reed, Chris Coons, Mitch McConnell, and John Cornyn.

According to Axios, Trump decided to strike a deal with Moscow after Zelensky rejected “half a dozen” US requests to stop attacking Russian oil refineries, which Trump blamed for rising gas prices.

Trump also suggested that it is “time for Ukraine to get a new president” after Zelensky criticized him for easing sanctions on Russia. Zelensky’s five-year presidential term expired in May 2024, but he has not called new elections, citing martial law which was imposed following the escalation of the conflict with Russia.

Trump also pointed out that the EU has continued to import Russian energy despite pledging to phase it out. The bloc has spent more than $320 billion on Russian energy since 2022, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak said earlier this month.

MI5 chief Ken McCallum has urged the public not to exaggerate the impact of alleged Russian attempts to influence the outcome of the UK’s 2016 Brexit referendum.

McCallum’s comments came after some pro-Brexit politicians accused Prime Minister Andy Burnham of questioning the legitimacy of the vote by claiming it is “clear” that Russia interfered.

Russia has firmly denied that it meddles in British domestic politics, including the 2016 referendum.

“There is a really important difference between interference attempted and outcome swayed… It’s quite important to focus on the difference between what may have been attempted and what actually resulted,” the UK spy chief said on Tuesday, as quoted by The Guardian.

McCallum suggested that “Russian trolls” would “be delighted because they are front page news again despite the comparative unimpressiveness of what they do at all points along the journey.”

“I am a little bit anxious that we don’t play into our adversaries’ hands by making these trolls look 10ft tall,” he said.

Without providing supporting data, the MI5 chief claimed that Russian media outlets, including RT and Sputnik, “came in pretty strongly around the referendum,” and that “there was a certain amount of interference attempted through trolls and bots and so forth.”

Appearing on ‘The Rest Is Politics’ podcast over the weekend, Burnham said, “I asked the question coming to Downing Street, was there interference in the 2016 referendum from Russia? And I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was.” According to Reuters, he did not provide evidence of the alleged interference attempts.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who was a leading figure in the Leave campaign in 2016, called Burnham “a liar.”

“There was no Russian interference. And the Russia hoax has run all the way through this,” Farage said.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused the prime minister of having “implied that the referendum result was illegitimate because of Russian interference.”

Following the backlash, the government said Burnham “absolutely accepts the referendum result.”

RT has long denied that it attempted to sway the Brexit vote. “British PR professionals failed to properly promote the benefits of Britain’s EU membership and blamed their failure on RT and Sputnik. They cannot accept that their fellow citizens are capable of thinking for themselves, reading something other than The Times, and voting as they please,” RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan said in 2018.

More than half of EU citizens oppose fast-tracking Ukraine’s accession to the bloc, according to a new survey by the Bertelsmann Foundation.

The German-based foundation published its latest study exploring sentiment within the bloc on Tuesday. The study was conducted through the foundation’s Eupinions public opinion research tool this June and sampled 16,795 people across all EU member states and 2,153 people in Ukraine.

The survey shows a continuing decline in support for fast-track accession of Ukraine into the bloc, which has fallen below 50% for the first time since the pollster began measuring the trend. The idea was overwhelmingly supported at the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in March 2022. It has declined over the years and is now just 47%, with 53% opposed.

The idea of EU expansion in general has shown a similar trend, declining from 73% support in March 2022 to just 48% now. In contrast, the idea of joining the EU remains very popular in Ukraine, with 83% backing it, and the same percentage supporting the general idea of EU expansion, the poll suggests.

While joining the EU has been a key talking point for pro-Western Ukrainian politicians for decades, the process gained momentum after the escalation of the conflict with Russia. The bloc, however, has been reluctant to grant Kiev exemptions to facilitate accession.

Earlier this month, the EU rejected Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s demand that Ukraine be admitted by January 2027. Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said the deadline is not possible, and that Kiev must meet all the requirements for “merit-based” membership.