“Voters in Israel are heading to the polls to elect 120 members of parliament, or the Knesset, in the first general vote since the October 2023 start of the genocidal war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s Likud Party and the far-right coalition it leads are facing off against an opposition bloc that includes the Yashar party, led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot.” (10/27/26)
“The US Justice Department has launched a third attempt to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey, accusing him of illegally disclosing national defense information in 2016. … The Justice Department filed a legal document known as a ‘criminal information’ in early October, shortly before the 10-year deadline for prosecuting the alleged offense. Unlike an indictment, a criminal information does not require approval from a grand jury or judge. Prosecutors say the filing allows them to extend the statute of limitations, which determines how long authorities have to bring criminal charges. Comey’s lawyers dispute that interpretation. They argue that federal law explicitly requires an indictment within 10 years and that the government’s filing does not meet that requirement. They have asked a judge to dismiss the case. A ruling is still pending.” (10/26/26)
“Anthropic publicly filed for an initial public offering (IPO) on Monday morning in what is expected to be a historic stock market debut. The S-1 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) brings the Claude maker a step closer to becoming the first large frontier AI lab to go public. It is expected to be a major test for investors’ interest in the technology. The stock will trade under the ticker ANT on the Nasdaq exchange, according to the filing, and could happen as soon as November. The filing showed Anthropic’s revenue has drastically jumped in the past year, yet the company reported a net loss of $80.7 billion in the first half of this year. The company was valued earlier this year at $965 billion by private investors, The Associated Press reported.” (10/26/26)
“Algeria on Sunday approved sending troops to neighbouring Niger to protect energy facilities, according to statements from both houses of parliament, in what is the country’s first foreign deployment of military forces since the 1970s. The rare measure comes as Algiers and Niamey strengthen security ties after moving earlier this year to repair strained relations and following a thwarted mutiny in Niger in August. The overseas deployment will be a first since Algiers sent troops to support Egypt during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.” (10/26/26)
“New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced viral backlash on Friday after posting instructions in Spanish on how residents should handle interactions with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). … Mamdani explained ‘what every New Yorker should know’ if they ‘encounter ICE’, adding that ICE ‘cannot enter private spaces like your home, school, hospitals or private areas of a workplace without a judicial warrant signed by a judge.’ Mamdani reminded New Yorkers they have the right to remain silent and gives tips on best practices for interacting with ICE, saying that ‘these are very frightening times for many people’. Mamdani’s post was quickly criticized by conservatives on social media, with many characterizing the video as the mayor encouraging obstruction of federal law enforcement and encouraging illegal immigration.” (10/26/26)
“A federal judge ruled Monday that the Department of Justice (DOJ) unlawfully fired and must provide back pay to Maurene Comey, former FBI Director James Comey’s daughter who was terminated as a prosecutor last year. U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman rejected the Trump administration’s arguments that it had constitutional authority to fire her. ‘Defendants’ argument is contrary to an unbroken line of Supreme Court decisions dating back almost two centuries, and the Supreme Court itself has not formally overruled any of those decisions. That is sufficient, in itself, to reject the argument,’ Furman wrote in his 55-page opinion. Maurene Comey has since taken another job and won’t be returning to the DOJ. But the judge’s ruling retroactively reinstates her, provides her with back pay and restores pension benefits for the four-month period before she took that new role.” (10/26/26)
“Walter Koenig, who originated the role of Ensign Pavel Chekov in the 1960s Star Trek TV series and several subsequent movies about the adventures of the USS Enterprise, has died, according to his rep. He was 90. Zachery McGinnis of Galactic Productions posted Monday on Facebook that Koenig died of natural causes in North Hollywood but did not provide other details. George Takei, who played Sulu on the original Star Trek, also posted on Koenig’s death.” (10/26/26)
“A United Airlines flight heading to New Jersey returned to Las Vegas following an apparent hijacking threat Saturday. United Flight 1681 was carrying 150 passengers and six crew members from Harry Reid International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport on Oct. 24 when a flight attendant noticed a traveler sending messages with reference to taking control of the plane. The crew member did not engage with the passenger and quickly alerted the pilot. ‘The flight attendant saw him texting that he was going to hijack the aircraft. They called me. We went into lockdown, and we returned to Vegas,’ the flight’s pilot told an air traffic controller shortly after the plane took off, reported CBS News. When the controller inquired whether the passenger was cooperative or under restraint, the pilot said that the traveler showed ‘no restraint’ because ‘he’s unaware’.” (10/26/26)
“The Communist Party has started a key four-day conclave focused on party discipline and fighting corruption, as official media outlets say adherence to the party’s leadership under President Xi Jinping is key to the country’s success. The meeting – the fifth plenum of the Communist Party’s 20th Central Committee – began in Beijing on Monday, according to state news agency Xinhua. It said the main agenda for the plenum included a work report by the Politburo to the Central Committee and the adoption of a document aimed at ‘deepening party self-governance’.” (10/26/26)
“Mary Peltola, Alaska’s Democratic Senate candidate, has paused campaigning ahead of the US midterm elections after sustaining ‘minor injuries’ in a car crash. Peltola, 53, and her family were travelling to an event on Saturday when the vehicle they were in was hit by another driver, her campaign said in a statement. She is running in one of the most closely watched races in the elections, which take place on 3 November – one that could help decide the balance of power in government. Peltola has rescheduled campaign events ‘as she takes time to recover’ on the advice of medical professionals, her campaign manager, Cheryl Bruce, said in a statement. ‘Mary and her family sustained minor injuries but are in good spirits,’ Bruce said.” (10/26/26)
