“President Trump on Sunday endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for reelection, saying on social media that he ‘has been a Great Warrior Prime Minister, and an even greater Partner for Peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran.’ This is a coveted boost for Netanyahu because of Mr. Trump’s popularity in Israel but one that the U.S. leader withheld for months as their strategies in the Middle East diverged. … Israelis are set to vote on Oct. 27, which will be the first national elections since the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.” (10/18/26)
“Iran’s foreign minister said Sunday the Strait of Hormuz would reopen within days if the U.S. complies with the conditions set out in the seven-day ceasefire proposal presented in September, which called for an end to the American naval blockade, lifting sanctions on Iranian oil and a ceasefire on all fronts.The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations monitoring agency said at least 10 vessels have been attacked in or near the Strait of Hormuz since last Sunday, a weekly high since war broke out in February, and 23 attacks were recorded since the start of the month, almost double the average.” (10/18/26)
“The SNP-led Scottish government is set to drop its long-standing opposition to new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea. Two senior members of the Scottish government — granted anonymity to discuss a strategy not yet ready for publication — told POLITICO the government will revise its energy plans to take a more pro-oil and gas exploration position. Tests on compatibility with the government’s climate targets will remain, but Scotland will no longer begin from a position of opposition to new oil and gas projects. The move marks a major change in the Scottish government’s energy policy.” (10/16/26)
“A woman drove a truck through a soccer field during a youth game in Kansas on Saturday, killing two people and sending 11 other victims to the hospital, authorities said. A 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man were killed, Wichita Police Capt. Aaron Moses said. The ages of the injured people ranged from 5 to 68. Moses said the driver, a 34-year-old, was in custody. He did not say whether authorities believe it was intentional.” (10/18/26)
“Iran’s parliament approved Mehrdad Akhlaqi Ketabchi as defence minister on Sunday, ending months of interim leadership at the ministry and placing a former defence sector veteran in charge of the country’s defence production and procurement apparatus. Akhlaqi replaces Majid Ebn al-Reza, who took over in an interim capacity after then Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh was killed by US-Israeli strikes in February. Akhlaqi has spent decades in Iran’s defence industry and has held senior roles in its aerospace and missile sectors. He is subject to US and EU sanctions over his work in Iran’s defence sector. In a programme presented to lawmakers, Akhlaqi pledged to rebuild the country’s military-industrial infrastructure, accelerate the development of defence technologies and expand cooperation with private-sector companies.” (10/18/26)
“US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that US President Donald Trump’s waiver of sweeping sanctions and tariffs on Russia would be a 60-day pause to ‘analyse’ their impact on the global economy. … US lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle have sharply criticised Trump after he signed an executive order Friday that waived sweeping sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia – measures adopted by Congress last month. The law passed in September, and signed by Trump, included sanctions targeting Russian officials, oligarchs and financial institutions, and provided Trump with the authority to impose sanctions on major buyers of Russian oil and gas.” (10/18/26)
“Paris police said Sunday that 855 people were arrested in the French capital region after violent groups clashed with officers and looted shops during a protest march that drew about 110,000 people who denounced rising living costs and poor conditions in schools. Violent clashes, fires and looting on Saturday marred demonstrations across France. Authorities said groups of masked protesters targeted public buildings, including city halls and local government offices. Authorities said about 550,000 people took part in protests across France, while organizers counted about 800,000.” (10/18/26)
“Thousands of young Albanians gathered outside the Education Ministry in the center of the capital Tirana on Saturday on the fifth day of a growing student-led movement to force Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign. The protest turned violent when a group of young people wearing masks hurled rocks at riot police, who responded with stun grenades, tear gas and a water cannon. Demonstrations over corruption and a lack of jobs have begun spreading throughout Albania. In Tirana this week, protesters smashed windows, set alight government buildings and clashed with police.” (10/17/26)
“Prosecutors who had failed to convict Mr. Simpson of murder have given little credence to the notion of an accomplice. The police, too. Many people considered the details of Mr. Simpson’s hypothetical confession a fantasy, part of a desperate effort to cash in on his waning fame and notoriety amid growing money struggles and scrapes with the law. But today, more than 30 years after the ‘trial of the century,’ newly uncovered evidence suggests that Mr. Simpson’s account should not have been so readily dismissed. A New York Times examination, based on recently unsealed court files, interviews and other evidence, details long-hidden information about the missing murder weapon, Mr. Simpson’s supposed efforts to cover up the crime, as well as the possibility of an accomplice. … The double murder prosecution of Mr. Simpson, who was acquitted by a jury, remains one of the most scrutinized cases in popular culture, spawning endless theories.” (10/18/26)
“An 80m (263ft) luxury vessel has been repeatedly spotted in satellite images off North Korea’s Wonsan coast from July to mid-October this year. What stands out is the 50m swimming pool along the deck, with a cluster of waterslides at one end. After sitting idle for months at a maintenance facility, it relocated in early July to waters off a strip of coastline known as the Kalma Peninsula. This is close to Wonsan, a seaside resort with a sprawling villa used by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his family. It was not the only large vessel on the move. A handful of others were also repeatedly seen near Kim’s villa, in satellite images analysed by the BBC. The vessels are widely believed to be used by Kim and his family.” (10/17/26)
