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Peace negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States will meet at a technical level in the ‌first half of November in Abu Dhabi, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday. He further said that he expected leaders of the countries to meet soon.&nbsp;Zelensky spoke for the first time with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff on Friday after their meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week. He again stressed that any negotiation would require strong security guarantees for Ukraine and funding for 10 years ​to maintain the Ukrainian army.&nbsp;The ‌White House ⁠had no immediate comment on the plans for a trilateral meeting at the technical level.&nbsp;"The plan is to meet in the first half of November, and as early as possible, of course," Zelensky ​told the Hudson Institute think tank via ina video conference. He said that any peace agreement largely hinges on what Russia thinks and does. Zelensky highlighted that a ⁠similar meeting expected this month had failed to take place.&nbsp;Zelensky stressed upon the need for diplomatic efforts to continue in order to reach a ceasefire and end the war, which is in its fifth year. He also urged Europe to be involved in the talks.&nbsp;Speaking on the return of 270 soldiers from the Russian captivity, he stressed that more exchanges were required, with some Ukrainian troops held in Russia for over 12 years since Russia annexed the ​Crimea region.&nbsp;"If they want to raise any topic, we are ready, but territories is a sensitive issue which can be (addressed) during discussions on the level of leaders," he said.&nbsp;

Zelensky again stressed that any negotiation would require strong security guarantees for Ukraine and funding for 10 years ​to maintain the Ukrainian army.

Peace negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States will meet at a technical level in the ‌first half of November in Abu Dhabi, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday. He further said that he expected leaders of the countries to meet soon. Zelensky spoke for the first time with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff on Friday after their meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week. He again stressed that any negotiation would require strong security guarantees for Ukraine and funding for 10 years to maintain the Ukrainian army. The ‌White House ⁠had no immediate comment on the plans for a trilateral meeting at the technical level. "The plan is to meet in the first half of November, and as early as possible, of course," Zelensky told the Hudson Institute think tank via ina video conference. He said that any peace agreement largely hinges on what Russia thinks and does. Zelensky highlighted that a ⁠similar meeting expected this month had failed to take place. Zelensky stressed upon the need for diplomatic efforts to continue in order to reach a ceasefire and end the war, which is in its fifth year. He also urged Europe to be involved in the talks. Speaking on the return of 270 soldiers from the Russian captivity, he stressed that more exchanges were required, with some Ukrainian troops held in Russia for over 12 years since Russia annexed the Crimea region. "If they want to raise any topic, we are ready, but territories is a sensitive issue which can be (addressed) during discussions on the level of leaders," he said.

Zelensky again stressed that any negotiation would require strong security guarantees for Ukraine and funding for 10 years ​to maintain the Ukrainian army.

Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, United States to meet in Abu Dhabi: Zelensky

A video of a newborn appearing to have a dark moustache has gone viral on social media, drawing jokes and questions about whether such a feature is real. The video, which has spread widely across social networks, shows a baby with dark hair on the upper lip and parts of the cheeks. The video, as per social media posts, is from Ecuador. While the clip sparked laughter and curiosity, is it even real? Here's all you need to know.<h2>Can a newborn have a moustache?</h2>In some newborns, fine, soft hair called lanugo appears during foetal development and normally disappears naturally after birth. Some babies are born with traces of this hair on areas such as the back, shoulders, ears and face.However, lanugo is usually thin and poorly pigmented. It would not produce a thick, neatly shaped adult moustache like the one in the clip, and no credible medical documentation ties this exact video to such a case.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/horrific-video-shows-the-moment-18-year-old-fell-to-her-death-from-mexico-amusement-park-ride-1792729517008">Horrific video shows the moment 18-year-old fell to her death from Mexico amusement park ride</a><h2>Social media reaction: Born with a mid-life crisis</h2>The clip drew heavy attention online, with users joking that the baby looked middle-aged before taking his first steps. Watch video here:

<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-status="hidden">🚨#VIRAL BABY BORN WITH MOUSTACHE 🇪🇨

A newborn in Ecuador has taken the internet by surprise with a striking dark patch of hair above the lip. https://t.co/G5ikJHkNC5&mdash; Silent Observer (@YousufPash69914) <a href="https://x.com/YousufPash69914/status/2113839876957421928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
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"Bro skipped kindergarten and went straight to his midlife crisis," one comment read. Another said, "He was born retired, with 3 kids and 2 mortgages." A third joked, “Bro is 2 hours old and already looks like he's tired of his 9-to-5 management job.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">@MarioNawfal He was born retired, with 3 kids and 2 mortgages, LMAO...&mdash; José A. Agüero C.: 🇵🇾 (@joseagueropy) <a href="https://x.com/joseagueropy/status/2113749724134027769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">@MarioNawfal The new supreme leader 
Bro gonna rule the world. https://t.co/jk1lqzYhTs&mdash; MrBET (@MrBETB) <a href="https://x.com/MrBETB/status/2113765317541539923?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">@MarioNawfal Most babies arrive crying. This one arrived looking like he wants a word with the manager about the hospital's parking charges.&mdash; JM85Freedom (@JM85Freedom) <a href="https://x.com/JM85Freedom/status/2113746332334584154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The jokes quickly spilled into image edits, with users superimposing the baby into funny scenarios. In one widely shared edit, the newborn is dressed in a formal, gold-trimmed military uniform with medals, seated behind a desk with a plaque reading "Supreme Leader" and the slogan "Little Hands, Big Plans," flanked by two soldiers and North Korean flags. Another edit shows the baby in a business-style blazer, holding a cigar to his mouth, while a third places him in a Mario costume complete with a red cap and overalls. One image even imagined the baby as a Han warrior, complete with a metallic warrior helmet and armour.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">@MarioNawfal https://t.co/bEc0CP5FE2&mdash; Evan Kirstel #B2B #TechFluencer (@EvanKirstel) <a href="https://x.com/EvanKirstel/status/2113773370605240468?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">@MarioNawfal https://t.co/17n8QgBOmI&mdash; Carlos (@stronghart_) <a href="https://x.com/stronghart_/status/2113814389484826980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">@MarioNawfal Hey chico ! Say hello to my little friend… https://t.co/5Qvwu0gPmb&mdash; MXG (@Cli_ps1) <a href="https://x.com/Cli_ps1/status/2113790554752557185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/black-triangle-ufo-flying-at-1-800mph-spotted-over-sensitive-us-site-latest-trump-admin-ufo-file-dump-1792821137640">'Black triangle' UFO flying at 1,800mph spotted over sensitive US site: Latest Trump admin UFO file dump</a><h2>Is it real? Why experts say it is fake</h2>Multiple reports examining the clip point to clear signs of digital manipulation. The moustache does not track naturally with the baby's head and facial movements, showing minor flickering or "glitches" when the infant moves or gestures. The hair also has flat, inconsistent lighting that does not match the actual hospital room light and shadows on the baby's skin.No verified hospital, doctor confirmation, medical records, or family identity has surfaced for this specific case. The video is likely a real newborn in a common hospital setting, but the moustache appears to have been added via an AI face-mapping filter or similar editing tool for virality.

A viral video showing a newborn with a dark moustache has drawn millions of views and jokes online. Is it real? Can a baby be born with facial hair? WION fact-checks.

A video of a newborn appearing to have a dark moustache has gone viral on social media, drawing jokes and questions about whether such a feature is real. The video, which has spread widely across social networks, shows a baby with dark hair on the upper lip and parts of the cheeks. The video, as per social media posts, is from Ecuador. While the clip sparked laughter and curiosity, is it even real? Here's all you need to know. Can a newborn have a moustache? In some newborns, fine, soft hair called lanugo appears during foetal development and normally disappears naturally after birth. Some babies are born with traces of this hair on areas such as the back, shoulders, ears and face. However, lanugo is usually thin and poorly pigmented. It would not produce a thick, neatly shaped adult moustache like the one in the clip, and no credible medical documentation ties this exact video to such a case. Also read | Horrific video shows the moment 18-year-old fell to her death from Mexico amusement park ride Social media reaction: Born with a mid-life crisis The clip drew heavy attention online, with users joking that the baby looked middle-aged before taking his first steps. Watch video here:

A viral video showing a newborn with a dark moustache has drawn millions of views and jokes online. Is it real? Can a baby be born with facial hair? WION fact-checks.

'Already tired of his 9-to-5': Baby born with a moustache becomes internet sensation, video goes viral | Watch

Two senior military observers say they watched a mysterious black triangular object flying at extraordinarily high speed over a sensitive site in the western US earlier this year, in the latest tranche of reported UFO sightings released on Friday (Oct 23) by the Trump administration.The unidentified object, as per the latest UFO file dump, showed none of the characteristics of a conventional military aircraft. As per the military observers' report to the defence department, it vanished suddenly and silently within seconds, leaving no exhaust trail or other evidence of its existence.<h2>UFO sighting and the object: All we know</h2>The claimed sighting, by anonymous sources with "extensive operational experience working alongside government agencies," occurred at a location redacted in the file made public Friday.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/lizard-people-ex-us-army-sniper-claims-soldier-killed-by-reptilian-beings-in-battle-near-area-51-1792215428620">Lizard people? Ex-US Army sniper claims soldier killed by 'reptilian beings' in battle near Area 51</a>The "unidentified anomalous phenomenon" (UAP), a term that is used to refer to UFOs in military, governmental and scientific circles, resembled a delta-wing drone with a wingspan between nine and 15ft (2.75 to 4.5m), the observers recalled. They calculated its speed at 1,800mph.“We both observed the object ascend vertically over a ridge line situated approximately 3.2 miles west of our location on a heading of about 268 degrees. The object climbed to approximately 200 feet above the ridge line, then transitioned from vertical to horizontal flight at a significant velocity, approaching our position, then descending southeast into the [redacted] along [redacted]. We then lost visual contact while the object was flying along this [redacted] at an estimated range of about 1.5 miles from our position. The total duration of the sighting was approximately three seconds. Throughout the observation, neither [redacted] nor I detected any auditory output from the unmanned aerial system,” they claimed, as per a FBI release on the UAP. <a href="https://www.war.gov/medialink/ufo/release-07/documents/DOW-UAP-D176-Triangular_UAP_AARO_MFR_2026.pdf">Read the Pentagon report here.</a><h2>Scepticism over the images</h2>Similar to hundreds of other reports released by the Pentagon since May as part of Trump's promise to bring transparency to decades of classified or secret documents, many details are vague, inconclusive or blacked out.While many previous accounts came with real photographs or video footage, the "black triangles" report features nine identical images of the same unidentified canyon with tiny, trilateral silhouettes crudely added to replicate the object's movement."This does indeed look like little more than a black triangle shape superimposed on a landscape background to illustrate the report. I don't think it really adds anything substantive to the report itself," Greg Eghigian, professor of history and bioethics at Penn State University and author of the 2024 book "After the Flying Saucers Came: A Global History of the UFO Phenomenon" told The Guardian.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ai-cracks-napoleon-era-secret-letter-unsolved-for-more-than-200-years-what-was-hidden-in-the-ciphers-1792139231806">AI decodes Napoleon-era secret letter unsolved for more than 200 years. What was hidden in the ciphers?</a><h2>Thinning releases: When will the rest of Pentagon's secret UFO files be released?</h2>After an early flurry, the Pentagon's releases in the second Trump administration have become less frequent in recent months, and noticeably thinner since Trump declared in February that he was ordering full disclosure about the government's knowledge of UFOs and the search for alien life.The move followed allegations aired in Congress in 2023 by a former intelligence official that successive administrations engaged in a cover-up, and that the government had possession of crashed alien spacecraft. Notably, Friday's release contained fewer than 25 text documents, and no videos or images.

Two military observers claim they saw a black triangular object fly at 1,800mph over a US site, in the latest Trump administration UFO release. Here's all we know.

Two senior military observers say they watched a mysterious black triangular object flying at extraordinarily high speed over a sensitive site in the western US earlier this year, in the latest tranche of reported UFO sightings released on Friday (Oct 23) by the Trump administration. The unidentified object, as per the latest UFO file dump, showed none of the characteristics of a conventional military aircraft. As per the military observers' report to the defence department, it vanished suddenly and silently within seconds, leaving no exhaust trail or other evidence of its existence. UFO sighting and the object: All we know The claimed sighting, by anonymous sources with "extensive operational experience working alongside government agencies," occurred at a location redacted in the file made public Friday. Also read | Lizard people? Ex-US Army sniper claims soldier killed by 'reptilian beings' in battle near Area 51 The "unidentified anomalous phenomenon" (UAP), a term that is used to refer to UFOs in military, governmental and scientific circles, resembled a delta-wing drone with a wingspan between nine and 15ft (2.75 to 4.5m), the observers recalled. They calculated its speed at 1,800mph. “We both observed the object ascend vertically over a ridge line situated approximately 3.2 miles west of our location on a heading of about 268 degrees. The object climbed to approximately 200 feet above the ridge line, then transitioned from vertical to horizontal flight at a significant velocity, approaching our position, then descending southeast into the [redacted] along [redacted]. We then lost visual contact while the object was flying along this [redacted] at an estimated range of about 1.5 miles from our position. The total duration of the sighting was approximately three seconds. Throughout the observation, neither [redacted] nor I detected any auditory output from the unmanned aerial system,” they claimed, as per a FBI release on the UAP. Read the Pentagon report here. Scepticism over the images Similar to hundreds of other reports released by the Pentagon since May as part of Trump's promise to bring transparency to decades of classified or secret documents, many details are vague, inconclusive or blacked out. While many previous accounts came with real photographs or video footage, the "black triangles" report features nine identical images of the same unidentified canyon with tiny, trilateral silhouettes crudely added to replicate the object's movement. "This does indeed look like little more than a black triangle shape superimposed on a landscape background to illustrate the report. I don't think it really adds anything substantive to the report itself," Greg Eghigian, professor of history and bioethics at Penn State University and author of the 2024 book "After the Flying Saucers Came: A Global History of the UFO Phenomenon" told The Guardian. Also read | AI decodes Napoleon-era secret letter unsolved for more than 200 years. What was hidden in the ciphers? Thinning releases: When will the rest of Pentagon's secret UFO files be released? After an early flurry, the Pentagon's releases in the second Trump administration have become less frequent in recent months, and noticeably thinner since Trump declared in February that he was ordering full disclosure about the government's knowledge of UFOs and the search for alien life. The move followed allegations aired in Congress in 2023 by a former intelligence official that successive administrations engaged in a cover-up, and that the government had possession of crashed alien spacecraft. Notably, Friday's release contained fewer than 25 text documents, and no videos or images.

Two military observers claim they saw a black triangular object fly at 1,800mph over a US site, in the latest Trump administration UFO release. Here's all we know.

'Black triangle' UFO flying at 1,800mph spotted over sensitive US site: Latest Trump admin UFO file dump

A second polling hoax has rocked the US midterm elections after a firm tracked by top media outlets and political campaigns admitted to completely fabricating its poll results. The case involving Wedgewood Polls threatens to weaken trust in independent pollsters in an already deeply polarised political climate. Political pundits have also warned that fast-evolving AI tools are making it easier to fake results.&nbsp;The matter surfaced earlier this week when polling aggregator FiftyPlusOne contacted Wedgewood as part of an investigation into its surveys. In a statement on X, Wedgewood admitted that "most" of its data was made up. It said the firm had been experimenting to see how easily "an entirely fabricated polling firm" could gain traction and be taken seriously. Its X account has since been taken down.&nbsp;The experiment appears to have worked. Wedgewood's data covered high-profile races across several states and was featured by major polling aggregators and news outlets, including The New York Times. In an editors' note, the Times said its poll tracker database had included 15 Wedgewood surveys released between June and October, all of which have now been removed.&nbsp;Michigan Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow said a Wedgewood poll in late June showed her support in the single digits. She said donations dried up, volunteers were devastated and the media hounded her with calls to drop out. "It killed us," she wrote on X.President Donald Trump reacted on Truth Social on Thursday, calling the Times "ARTIFICIAL" for using Wedgewood's data. He said the paper had relied on a company that admitted its published numbers were made up. "This is what I've had to deal with, right from the beginning!" added Trump, who has repeatedly accused pollsters of dishonesty.&nbsp;Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr said there had been "a significant surge in entirely fake polls and suppression polls" aimed at interfering with the electoral process. He urged the media not to amplify such hoaxes or engage in "news distortions."&nbsp;In August, another group, Median Strategies, admitted to fabricating poll results. According to the Los Angeles Times, it said it was created as a short-term social experiment.&nbsp;On Thursday, FiftyPlusOne said in a blog post that it would no longer collect polling data from another firm, SoCal Strategies, after an investigation cast doubt on its authenticity. The firm could not be reached for comment, and its website, X account and Substack page appeared to have been taken offline.&nbsp;FiftyPlusOne warned that it is becoming easier to run low-quality polls or fake them altogether. The American Association for Public Opinion Research said sophisticated AI tools were making it harder to spot phony pollsters and fabricated data.&nbsp;"We are once again experiencing bad actors producing and distributing fabricated data and organisational information that undermines trust in public opinion and election polling," said association president Mary Losch. She added that such fraud should not be conflated with legitimate election polling.

A second polling hoax has surfaced ahead of the US midterms as fake pollsters distribute misleading election data. Learn how fake polls are impacting voters and midterm trends.

A second polling hoax has rocked the US midterm elections after a firm tracked by top media outlets and political campaigns admitted to completely fabricating its poll results. The case involving Wedgewood Polls threatens to weaken trust in independent pollsters in an already deeply polarised political climate. Political pundits have also warned that fast-evolving AI tools are making it easier to fake results. The matter surfaced earlier this week when polling aggregator FiftyPlusOne contacted Wedgewood as part of an investigation into its surveys. In a statement on X, Wedgewood admitted that "most" of its data was made up. It said the firm had been experimenting to see how easily "an entirely fabricated polling firm" could gain traction and be taken seriously. Its X account has since been taken down. The experiment appears to have worked. Wedgewood's data covered high-profile races across several states and was featured by major polling aggregators and news outlets, including The New York Times. In an editors' note, the Times said its poll tracker database had included 15 Wedgewood surveys released between June and October, all of which have now been removed. Michigan Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow said a Wedgewood poll in late June showed her support in the single digits. She said donations dried up, volunteers were devastated and the media hounded her with calls to drop out. "It killed us," she wrote on X. President Donald Trump reacted on Truth Social on Thursday, calling the Times "ARTIFICIAL" for using Wedgewood's data. He said the paper had relied on a company that admitted its published numbers were made up. "This is what I've had to deal with, right from the beginning!" added Trump, who has repeatedly accused pollsters of dishonesty. Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr said there had been "a significant surge in entirely fake polls and suppression polls" aimed at interfering with the electoral process. He urged the media not to amplify such hoaxes or engage in "news distortions." In August, another group, Median Strategies, admitted to fabricating poll results. According to the Los Angeles Times, it said it was created as a short-term social experiment. On Thursday, FiftyPlusOne said in a blog post that it would no longer collect polling data from another firm, SoCal Strategies, after an investigation cast doubt on its authenticity. The firm could not be reached for comment, and its website, X account and Substack page appeared to have been taken offline. FiftyPlusOne warned that it is becoming easier to run low-quality polls or fake them altogether. The American Association for Public Opinion Research said sophisticated AI tools were making it harder to spot phony pollsters and fabricated data. "We are once again experiencing bad actors producing and distributing fabricated data and organisational information that undermines trust in public opinion and election polling," said association president Mary Losch. She added that such fraud should not be conflated with legitimate election polling.

A second polling hoax has surfaced ahead of the US midterms as fake pollsters distribute misleading election data. Learn how fake polls are impacting voters and midterm trends.

US midterm elections face second polling hoax from fake pollsters

US President Donald Trump on Friday (Oct 23) said American warships returning from the Middle East could make a stopover in Cuba once they return from the Iran war. Speaking at an election campaign event for the midterms in Florida, Trump ominously said, "We'll take care of Cuba on our way back from Iran. Those beautiful ships, they'll pass Cuba. We'll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast. They'll raise up their hands, and then we're gonna send Marco Rubio in."This comes as United States Secretary of State Rubio called on Cuban people to "discreetly" become Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) informants.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-it-s-a-question-of-time-trump-vows-to-turn-us-focus-to-cuba-once-iran-conflict-is-finished-israel-tehran-carribean-island-1772759431337">'It's a question of time': Trump vows to turn US focus to THIS neighbour once Iran war is 'finished'</a><h2>Cuba rejects 'all threats'</h2>Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez rejected the remarks, dismissing "all threats regarding U.S. ambitions toward Cuba."In a post on X, Rodríguez wrote, "We reject every threat related to US ambitions toward Cuba. Our coastline is full of beautiful beaches, but there are also razor-sharp limestone spikes, an inhospitable environment for those who make it to our shores with hostile purposes and lust for domination."<h2>Rubio urges Cubans to work with the CIA</h2>Earlier in the day, Rubio called on the people of Cuba to form a discreet partnership with the CIA, saying the move would bring a "positive change" in their country.In a post on X, Rubio wrote, "To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba - now is the time. The disappointment of failed promises, corruption, and the privileged lives of only a few; seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discreet partnership with the CIA."Earlier in the day, a White House statement said, "The policies, practices, and actions of the Government of Cuba continue to constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the US. These policies, practices, and actions are also repugnant to the moral and political values of free and democratic societies."Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-charges-two-former-fbi-officials-with-lying-to-congress-about-hunter-biden-probes-politically-motivated-trump-grievance-or-something-else-1792807281508">US charges two former FBI officials with lying to Congress about Hunter Biden probes. 'Politically motivated' Trump grievance or something else?</a><h2>Trump's Cuba plans: A widening economic squeeze</h2>The Trump administration has been intensifying economic pressure on Cuba, subjecting nine state-owned firms in the construction, mining and metals sectors to new penalties while tightening enforcement of US regulations that restrict American citizens travelling to the island from doing business with state-controlled enterprises.Trump has repeatedly hinted at a change in leadership in Cuba. On May 2 this year, he said the US would "take over" Cuba immediately. Speaking at The Forum Club of the Palm Beaches Dinner, Trump said Cuba "has got problems. Cuba, which we will be taking over almost immediately. Cuba's got problems. We'll finish one first."

Trump says US warships returning from Iran could stop off Cuba's coast, while Rubio urges Cubans to partner with the CIA. Havana rejects "all threats." Here is the full picture.


US President Donald Trump on Friday (Oct 23) said American warships returning from the Middle East could make a stopover in Cuba once they return from the Iran war. Speaking at an election campaign event for the midterms in Florida, Trump ominously said, "We'll take care of Cuba on our way back from Iran. Those beautiful ships, they'll pass Cuba. We'll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast. They'll raise up their hands, and then we're gonna send Marco Rubio in." This comes as United States Secretary of State Rubio called on Cuban people to "discreetly" become Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) informants. Also read | 'It's a question of time': Trump vows to turn US focus to THIS neighbour once Iran war is 'finished' Cuba rejects 'all threats' Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez rejected the remarks, dismissing "all threats regarding U.S. ambitions toward Cuba." In a post on X, Rodríguez wrote, "We reject every threat related to US ambitions toward Cuba. Our coastline is full of beautiful beaches, but there are also razor-sharp limestone spikes, an inhospitable environment for those who make it to our shores with hostile purposes and lust for domination." Rubio urges Cubans to work with the CIA Earlier in the day, Rubio called on the people of Cuba to form a discreet partnership with the CIA, saying the move would bring a "positive change" in their country. In a post on X, Rubio wrote, "To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba - now is the time. The disappointment of failed promises, corruption, and the privileged lives of only a few; seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discreet partnership with the CIA." Earlier in the day, a White House statement said, "The policies, practices, and actions of the Government of Cuba continue to constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the US. These policies, practices, and actions are also repugnant to the moral and political values of free and democratic societies." Also read | US charges two former FBI officials with lying to Congress about Hunter Biden probes. 'Politically motivated' Trump grievance or something else? Trump's Cuba plans: A widening economic squeeze The Trump administration has been intensifying economic pressure on Cuba, subjecting nine state-owned firms in the construction, mining and metals sectors to new penalties while tightening enforcement of US regulations that restrict American citizens travelling to the island from doing business with state-controlled enterprises. Trump has repeatedly hinted at a change in leadership in Cuba. On May 2 this year, he said the US would "take over" Cuba immediately. Speaking at The Forum Club of the Palm Beaches Dinner, Trump said Cuba "has got problems. Cuba, which we will be taking over almost immediately. Cuba's got problems. We'll finish one first."

Trump says US warships returning from Iran could stop off Cuba's coast, while Rubio urges Cubans to partner with the CIA. Havana rejects "all threats." Here is the full picture.

Trump threatens Cuba with US warships 'stopover' as Rubio calls on Cubans to become CIA informants: US ready to 'take over' Havana?

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake off Vanuatu triggered a tsunami warning on Saturday (Oct 24), the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said. "Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters... hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 KM of the earthquake epicenter," the Hawaii-based monitor warned after the shallow quake in waters around the island nation of Vanuatu. The quake, with a magnitude of 7.2, had an origin time of 0231 UTC on October 24, 2026, at coordinates 13.8 degrees south, 165.7 degrees east. Its depth was 10 km (6 miles), in the Vanuatu region. It's epicentre was around 200 kilometres (124 miles) north-west of Vanuatu's Port-Olry, according to geological monitor USGS which later revised the magnitude of the tremor down to 6.9. It also reported a second quake of magnitude 6.3 nearby.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/several-injured-in-massive-explosion-and-fire-at-chemical-warehouse-in-mexico-s-le-n-san-nicol-s-1792809823352">Several injured in massive explosion and fire at chemical warehouse in Mexico's León</a><h2>Threat forecast and recommended actions</h2>The centre's bulletin lists Vanuatu as the threatened coastline. It advised government agencies responsible for coastal areas to take action to inform and instruct populations at risk, and urged people in threatened coastal zones to stay alert and follow instructions from national and local authorities.<h2>First wave arrival time</h2>The estimated time of arrival of the initial tsunami wave for Esperitu Santo, Vanuatu is 0301 UTC on October 24, the centre said, while cautioning that actual arrival times may differ and the initial wave may not be the largest. A tsunami is a series of waves, with the time between waves ranging from five minutes to one hour.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/horrific-video-shows-the-moment-18-year-old-fell-to-her-death-from-mexico-amusement-park-ride-1792729517008">Horrific video shows the moment 18-year-old fell to her death from Mexico amusement park ride</a><h2>Hawaii facing a tsunami threat?</h2>The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre on its website said, “A tsunami threat exists for parts of the Pacific located closer to the earthquake. However... Based on all available data... There is no tsunami threat to Hawaii.”In subsequent bulletins, the warning centre added that there was no threat to US territories, listing Guam, Rota, Tinian or Saipan, American Samoa, &nbsp;as safe.

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake off Vanuatu has triggered a tsunami warning for coasts within 300 km of the epicenter, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said. Read on.


A 7.2 magnitude earthquake off Vanuatu triggered a tsunami warning on Saturday (Oct 24), the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said. "Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters... hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 KM of the earthquake epicenter," the Hawaii-based monitor warned after the shallow quake in waters around the island nation of Vanuatu. The quake, with a magnitude of 7.2, had an origin time of 0231 UTC on October 24, 2026, at coordinates 13.8 degrees south, 165.7 degrees east. Its depth was 10 km (6 miles), in the Vanuatu region. It's epicentre was around 200 kilometres (124 miles) north-west of Vanuatu's Port-Olry, according to geological monitor USGS which later revised the magnitude of the tremor down to 6.9. It also reported a second quake of magnitude 6.3 nearby. Also read | Several injured in massive explosion and fire at chemical warehouse in Mexico's León Threat forecast and recommended actions The centre's bulletin lists Vanuatu as the threatened coastline. It advised government agencies responsible for coastal areas to take action to inform and instruct populations at risk, and urged people in threatened coastal zones to stay alert and follow instructions from national and local authorities. First wave arrival time The estimated time of arrival of the initial tsunami wave for Esperitu Santo, Vanuatu is 0301 UTC on October 24, the centre said, while cautioning that actual arrival times may differ and the initial wave may not be the largest. A tsunami is a series of waves, with the time between waves ranging from five minutes to one hour. Also read | Horrific video shows the moment 18-year-old fell to her death from Mexico amusement park ride Hawaii facing a tsunami threat? The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre on its website said, “A tsunami threat exists for parts of the Pacific located closer to the earthquake. However... Based on all available data... There is no tsunami threat to Hawaii.” In subsequent bulletins, the warning centre added that there was no threat to US territories, listing Guam, Rota, Tinian or Saipan, American Samoa, as safe.

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake off Vanuatu has triggered a tsunami warning for coasts within 300 km of the epicenter, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said. Read on.

Massive 7.2 magnitude quake off Vanuatu triggers tsunami warning for coasts within 300 km

A major fire broke out at a chemical and solvent facility in the San Nicolás neighbourhood of León, Guanajuato, Mexico, on Friday (Oct 23), triggering multiple explosions and sending a thick column of black smoke into the sky. The incident was reported during the afternoon near the intersection of Bahía and Río Amarillo streets, as flames rose high above nearby buildings and businesses. Videos from the scene show fire and smoke spewing from the warehouse.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Local media reports several injured after fire and explosion at chemical warehouse in León's San Nicolás neighborhood in Guanajuato, Mexico. https://t.co/oyt1QcNlow&mdash; AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) <a href="https://x.com/AZ_Intel_/status/2113804751347548234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/massive-7-2-magnitude-quake-off-vanuatu-triggers-tsunami-warning-for-coasts-within-300-km-1792811389728">Massive 7.2 magnitude quake off Vanuatu triggers tsunami warning for coasts within 300 km</a>The blaze erupted on the afternoon of Friday, October 23, at a facility storing chemicals and solvents in the San Nicolás area of León, Guanajuato. Witnesses described flames climbing high above surrounding buildings as a series of blasts shook the neighbourhood, sending a dense plume of black smoke into the sky. The site sits near the junction of Bahía and Río Amarillo streets.<h2>Rescue services at the scene</h2>Emergency crews, including firefighters, civil protection teams and municipal police, were quickly on the scene to bring the fire under control and keep the area secure. Local reports said containers inside the facility detonated one after another, though officials have yet to confirm what triggered the fire or exactly which substances were being stored there.<h2>Locals evacuated</h2>Around 1,000 residents and workers were moved out of nearby homes and businesses as a precaution, according to local reporting. León's municipal security authorities confirmed at least one person was injured and taken for specialist medical care. Some outlets have reported additional casualties, but the full tally and the condition of those affected have not been officially confirmed.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-threatens-cuba-with-us-warships-stopover-as-rubio-calls-on-cubans-to-become-cia-informants-us-ready-to-take-over-havana-1792808257345">Trump threatens Cuba with US warships 'stopover' as Rubio calls on Cubans to become CIA informants: US ready to 'take over' Havana?</a>The incident has renewed concerns about hazardous industrial chemicals and flammable solvents being kept close to residential and commercial zones. Crews continued working to extinguish the blaze and secure the site, while authorities began assessing the scale of the damage and investigating how the fire started. A fuller official account is expected as the situation develops.

Several people have been injured after a fire and explosion at a chemical warehouse in León's San Nicolás neighbourhood in Guanajuato, Mexico. Rescue and fire forces are on the scene.

A major fire broke out at a chemical and solvent facility in the San Nicolás neighbourhood of León, Guanajuato, Mexico, on Friday (Oct 23), triggering multiple explosions and sending a thick column of black smoke into the sky. The incident was reported during the afternoon near the intersection of Bahía and Río Amarillo streets, as flames rose high above nearby buildings and businesses. Videos from the scene show fire and smoke spewing from the warehouse.

Several people have been injured after a fire and explosion at a chemical warehouse in León's San Nicolás neighbourhood in Guanajuato, Mexico. Rescue and fire forces are on the scene.

Chemical warehouse explosion in Mexico: Several injured in multiple blasts, 1,000 evacuated in León

The US Justice Department has charged two former senior FBI officials with lying to Congress about their knowledge of investigations into Hunter Biden, according to court documents made public on Friday (Oct 23).Nikki Floris, 46, and Bradley Benavides, 56, who each held senior counterintelligence roles at the FBI, were charged in federal court in Washington. They allegedly misled a House panel about the role of an FBI foreign influence task force in investigations into Hunter Biden, according to a criminal complaint.Floris and Benavides served in leading roles on the FBI foreign influence task force, a group aimed at combating attempts to influence US elections that was disbanded during the second Trump administration after facing criticism from Republicans. The officials briefed two Republican senators in 2020, warning them of US intelligence concerns that some allegations against Hunter Biden were part of a Russian influence operation, according to prior media reports.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/whose-cocaine-was-it-hunter-biden-sarcastic-response-to-white-house-narcotics-accusation-goes-viral-i-d-never-forget-my-drugs-joe-biden-west-wing-1780562403574">Whose cocaine was it? Hunter Biden sarcastic response to White House narcotics accusation goes viral: 'I'd never forget my drugs'</a><h2>'Politically motivated' or 'a disgrace'?</h2>Lawyers for Floris condemned the case as the latest in a string of politically motivated prosecutions by the DOJ under the Trump administration."The government's reasons for charging Nikki are as transparent as they are unjust: to push a false narrative for a shot at political points," Floris' lawyers said in a statement. A lawyer for Benavides called the charges a "disgrace" and said Benavides is a "true patriot who devoted his career to protecting this country and its people."Floris and Benavides made an initial court appearance on Friday. A federal grand jury in Washington will have to approve an indictment for the case to move forward."Lying to Congress by anyone strikes at the heart of our democratic system, but when senior FBI agents lie to Congress believing they are above the law, it's time to bring the hammer of justice down on them," US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro wrote in a social media post.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/doj-opens-criminal-probe-into-trump-ally-corey-lewandowski-as-potus-warns-dishonest-staff-have-to-be-prosecuted-1792727902674">DOJ opens criminal probe into Trump ally Corey Lewandowski as POTUS warns dishonest staff 'have to be prosecuted'</a><h2>A Trump grievance</h2>The case centres on an issue that has long been a focus of Trump and his allies: the FBI's handling of a laptop purportedly belonging to Hunter Biden that surfaced in the weeks before the 2020 election, which Trump lost to Joe Biden.The complaint alleges that Floris and Benavides lied to the House Judiciary Committee in 2023 testimony, where they each claimed little knowledge of the Hunter Biden investigation and the laptop episode. It alleges they were in contact with members of the Hunter Biden investigative team in 2020 and took part in the FBI's response to public reporting on the laptop. Benavides told the House panel he learned about the probes through searching on Wikipedia, according to the complaint.Hunter Biden was later charged with federal gun and tax-related crimes during his father's administration. Joe Biden pardoned his son shortly before leaving office.The case against Floris and Benavides does not allege the FBI suppressed the laptop story, a claim Trump and his allies have long made.Notably, the DOJ under Trump has also investigated the US intelligence community's finding that Russia sought to aid Trump's 2016 campaign and the FBI raid of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in 2022, a probe mired in staff turmoil. The DOJ had previously also brought charges against former FBI Director James Comey for allegedly lying to Congress about media leaks, a case later dismissed.

Two former senior FBI officials face charges for allegedly lying to Congress about Hunter Biden investigations. Their lawyers call the case politically motivated. What's happening in Washington? All you need to know,

The US Justice Department has charged two former senior FBI officials with lying to Congress about their knowledge of investigations into Hunter Biden, according to court documents made public on Friday (Oct 23). Nikki Floris, 46, and Bradley Benavides, 56, who each held senior counterintelligence roles at the FBI, were charged in federal court in Washington. They allegedly misled a House panel about the role of an FBI foreign influence task force in investigations into Hunter Biden, according to a criminal complaint. Floris and Benavides served in leading roles on the FBI foreign influence task force, a group aimed at combating attempts to influence US elections that was disbanded during the second Trump administration after facing criticism from Republicans. The officials briefed two Republican senators in 2020, warning them of US intelligence concerns that some allegations against Hunter Biden were part of a Russian influence operation, according to prior media reports. Also read | Whose cocaine was it? Hunter Biden sarcastic response to White House narcotics accusation goes viral: 'I'd never forget my drugs' 'Politically motivated' or 'a disgrace'? Lawyers for Floris condemned the case as the latest in a string of politically motivated prosecutions by the DOJ under the Trump administration. "The government's reasons for charging Nikki are as transparent as they are unjust: to push a false narrative for a shot at political points," Floris' lawyers said in a statement. A lawyer for Benavides called the charges a "disgrace" and said Benavides is a "true patriot who devoted his career to protecting this country and its people." Floris and Benavides made an initial court appearance on Friday. A federal grand jury in Washington will have to approve an indictment for the case to move forward. "Lying to Congress by anyone strikes at the heart of our democratic system, but when senior FBI agents lie to Congress believing they are above the law, it's time to bring the hammer of justice down on them," US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro wrote in a social media post. Also read | DOJ opens criminal probe into Trump ally Corey Lewandowski as POTUS warns dishonest staff 'have to be prosecuted' A Trump grievance The case centres on an issue that has long been a focus of Trump and his allies: the FBI's handling of a laptop purportedly belonging to Hunter Biden that surfaced in the weeks before the 2020 election, which Trump lost to Joe Biden. The complaint alleges that Floris and Benavides lied to the House Judiciary Committee in 2023 testimony, where they each claimed little knowledge of the Hunter Biden investigation and the laptop episode. It alleges they were in contact with members of the Hunter Biden investigative team in 2020 and took part in the FBI's response to public reporting on the laptop. Benavides told the House panel he learned about the probes through searching on Wikipedia, according to the complaint. Hunter Biden was later charged with federal gun and tax-related crimes during his father's administration. Joe Biden pardoned his son shortly before leaving office. The case against Floris and Benavides does not allege the FBI suppressed the laptop story, a claim Trump and his allies have long made. Notably, the DOJ under Trump has also investigated the US intelligence community's finding that Russia sought to aid Trump's 2016 campaign and the FBI raid of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in 2022, a probe mired in staff turmoil. The DOJ had previously also brought charges against former FBI Director James Comey for allegedly lying to Congress about media leaks, a case later dismissed.

Two former senior FBI officials face charges for allegedly lying to Congress about Hunter Biden investigations. Their lawyers call the case politically motivated. What's happening in Washington? All you need to know,

US charges two former FBI officials with lying to Congress about Hunter Biden probes. 'Politically motivated' Trump grievance or something else?

US intelligence has found that Iran has ‘substantially increased’ its efforts to target American diplomats and officials in the Middle East and beyond, with lethal plots reaching ‘advanced stages’, according to an October 23 memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio obtained by Axios. The intelligence has raised concerns among US officials about potential threats to American personnel and is one reason the State Department is reducing staffing at several US embassies across the Middle East amid fears of a wider regional conflict.&nbsp;US officials are also concerned that Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen could expand their attacks beyond Saudi Arabia to other countries in the region. The possibility of renewed US and Israeli military operations against Iran, potentially after the midterm elections, is adding to the volatile security situation. President Trump addressed the possibility of further military action against Iran at a rally in Florida on Friday. "We may do another little Operation Epic Fury, or [the Iranians] will agree [to a deal]," President Trump said at a rally in Florida on Friday. "If they're smart, they will just say, 'Let's get down to business,' but I doubt they will do that because perhaps they're not smart."<h2>Intelligence memo warns of Iranian assassination plots</h2>In a one-page, unclassified memo obtained by Axios, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton warned Rubio that intelligence concerning Iranian assassination plots needs to be shared with more US personnel than are currently authorized to receive it. The memo does not identify specific targets, countries outside the Middle East or the nature of the plots. However, it states that the underlying intelligence has already been shared with senior State Department officials. Clayton offered to downgrade as much of the sensitive intelligence as possible, allowing Rubio to distribute it more widely among personnel who could be at risk.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/my-name-has-always-been-ilhan-omar-congresswoman-hits-back-at-trump-calls-him-a-creep-1792800716444">'My name has always been Ilhan Omar': Congresswoman hits back at Trump, calls him a ‘creep’</a>

The memo

<h2>US reduces diplomatic staffing across the Middle East</h2>Earlier this week, the State Department ordered family members and nonessential personnel to leave the US Embassy in Riyadh and the consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran. On Friday, the department also ordered reductions in US diplomatic and government personnel at embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan, a US official said. "We decided that due to the threat of Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots we need to reduce our footprint and keep only essential staff," the official said.

US intelligence warns of advanced Iranian assassination plots targeting American officials as the State Department reduces embassy staffing across the Middle East

US intelligence has found that Iran has ‘substantially increased’ its efforts to target American diplomats and officials in the Middle East and beyond, with lethal plots reaching ‘advanced stages’, according to an October 23 memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio obtained by Axios. The intelligence has raised concerns among US officials about potential threats to American personnel and is one reason the State Department is reducing staffing at several US embassies across the Middle East amid fears of a wider regional conflict. US officials are also concerned that Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen could expand their attacks beyond Saudi Arabia to other countries in the region. The possibility of renewed US and Israeli military operations against Iran, potentially after the midterm elections, is adding to the volatile security situation. President Trump addressed the possibility of further military action against Iran at a rally in Florida on Friday. "We may do another little Operation Epic Fury, or [the Iranians] will agree [to a deal]," President Trump said at a rally in Florida on Friday. "If they're smart, they will just say, 'Let's get down to business,' but I doubt they will do that because perhaps they're not smart." Intelligence memo warns of Iranian assassination plots In a one-page, unclassified memo obtained by Axios, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton warned Rubio that intelligence concerning Iranian assassination plots needs to be shared with more US personnel than are currently authorized to receive it. The memo does not identify specific targets, countries outside the Middle East or the nature of the plots. However, it states that the underlying intelligence has already been shared with senior State Department officials. Clayton offered to downgrade as much of the sensitive intelligence as possible, allowing Rubio to distribute it more widely among personnel who could be at risk. Also Read: 'My name has always been Ilhan Omar': Congresswoman hits back at Trump, calls him a ‘creep’

US intelligence warns of advanced Iranian plots targeting American officials as Washington reduces embassy staffing across the Middle East amid rising tensions

Iran targeting US diplomats? Intelligence warns of 'advanced' assassination plots: Report

US Representative Ilhan Omar responded sharply to President Donald Trump on Friday after he accused her of using a false identity, as his administration seeks to have the Minnesota congresswoman deported. In a post on Truth Social, Trump cited a US Department of Justice (DOJ) court filing that referred to Omar as ‘Ilhan Nur Said Elmi’ without providing an explanation for the name.&nbsp;“It was just revealed that Ilhan Omar’s name is not Ilhan Omar, the one she used to get elected and sworn into Congress, but rather, it’s an entirely different name, Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, and that her last name is, incredibly, also the exact name of her brother, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, the person they said she married and had children with,” Trump wrote on Thursday night, referencing another unproven conspiracy theory that Omar has long denied. “Because she used a fake name to be sworn in, I assume she must IMMEDIATELY resign from Congress. Please inform the Speaker of the House of Representatives, James Michael Johnson, that the Dumocrat Party has just conceded her seat.”&nbsp;A spokesperson for Omar told Fox News that the allegation that she had been living under an alias was completely false. Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reported that the 44-year-old congresswoman had used the name ‘Ilhan Omar’ as early as age 17, when she appeared under that name in her Edison High School yearbook as a junior. The Associated Press also found that she had used the name Ilhan Omar in marriage licenses, divorce proceedings, voter registrations and other public records dating back nearly two decades.&nbsp;Responding to Trump's remarks, Omar accused him of promoting conspiracy theories and criticised the Justice Department. “The pedophile protection party’s president is laundering right-wing conspiracy theories through the most corrupt DOJ in American history,” Omar wrote on social media. “Whenever the news turns bad, this creep reaches for one name: mine. So let’s make it crystal clear. My name has always been Ilhan Omar.” “Maybe you should focus on what your VP’s real name is,” she added, referring to Vice President JD Vance, who was born James Donald Bowman and has legally changed his name twice.<h2>See what Ilhan Omar posted on X</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The pedophile protection party’s president is laundering right-wing conspiracy theories through the most corrupt DOJ in American history.

Whenever the news turns bad, this creep reaches for one name: mine. So let’s make it crystal clear. My name has always been Ilhan Omar. 

Maybe you should focus on what your VP’s real name is.&mdash; Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) <a href="https://x.com/IlhanMN/status/2113678575601692766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/you-re-a-horrible-little-reporter-aren-t-you-trump-snaps-at-nbc-reporter-questioning-his-support-for-ramaswamy-s-campaign-ad-1792795146287">'You’re a horrible little reporter, aren’t you?': Trump snaps at NBC reporter questioning his support for Ramaswamy's campaign ad</a><h2>Federal investigation into Omar's citizenship</h2>The latest dispute follows a raid on Omar's home last week as part of an investigation into her citizenship by the US Department of Homeland Security. According to reports, the investigation is focused not on allegations involving Omar's brother but on whether she or members of her family provided false information during their immigration process and subsequent acquisition of US citizenship. Investigators are reportedly examining whether Omar or her father falsified her birth date, listing her as 17 instead of 18 so she could obtain citizenship through him as a minor. Omar has not been charged with a crime, and investigators have not publicly presented evidence supporting the allegation.<h2>Trump continues attacks on Omar</h2>Trump has repeatedly made attacks against Somali Americans during his presidency, calling for their deportation and describing them as ‘garbage’ with ‘low IQs’. His efforts to target Omar for deportation have frequently included remarks about her Somali heritage. Speaking at a campaign rally in Iowa this week, Trump criticised the congresswoman and her country of origin. “She’s been a scammer for a long time. I’m pretty good at watching that stuff, and she comes from a non-country, basically. Somalia has no government, has no nothing,” he said during the rally. “All they do is run around shooting each other. Then she comes over here.”&nbsp;Meanwhile, Representative Randy Fine, a Republican from Florida, announced plans to introduce a resolution on Friday seeking Omar's expulsion from Congress if she is found to have broken the law. Fine has previously described Omar as a 'terrorist' and called for the mass deportation of all Muslim immigrants from the United States.

Ilhan Omar responds to Donald Trump's fake identity allegations as a federal investigation examines claims related to her immigration and US citizenship

US Representative Ilhan Omar responded sharply to President Donald Trump on Friday after he accused her of using a false identity, as his administration seeks to have the Minnesota congresswoman deported. In a post on Truth Social, Trump cited a US Department of Justice (DOJ) court filing that referred to Omar as ‘Ilhan Nur Said Elmi’ without providing an explanation for the name. “It was just revealed that Ilhan Omar’s name is not Ilhan Omar, the one she used to get elected and sworn into Congress, but rather, it’s an entirely different name, Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, and that her last name is, incredibly, also the exact name of her brother, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, the person they said she married and had children with,” Trump wrote on Thursday night, referencing another unproven conspiracy theory that Omar has long denied. “Because she used a fake name to be sworn in, I assume she must IMMEDIATELY resign from Congress. Please inform the Speaker of the House of Representatives, James Michael Johnson, that the Dumocrat Party has just conceded her seat.” A spokesperson for Omar told Fox News that the allegation that she had been living under an alias was completely false. Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reported that the 44-year-old congresswoman had used the name ‘Ilhan Omar’ as early as age 17, when she appeared under that name in her Edison High School yearbook as a junior. The Associated Press also found that she had used the name Ilhan Omar in marriage licenses, divorce proceedings, voter registrations and other public records dating back nearly two decades. Responding to Trump's remarks, Omar accused him of promoting conspiracy theories and criticised the Justice Department. “The pedophile protection party’s president is laundering right-wing conspiracy theories through the most corrupt DOJ in American history,” Omar wrote on social media. “Whenever the news turns bad, this creep reaches for one name: mine. So let’s make it crystal clear. My name has always been Ilhan Omar.” “Maybe you should focus on what your VP’s real name is,” she added, referring to Vice President JD Vance, who was born James Donald Bowman and has legally changed his name twice. See what Ilhan Omar posted on X

Ilhan Omar hits back at Trump over a fake identity claim as a federal investigation examines allegations related to her immigration and citizenship

'My name has always been Ilhan Omar': Congresswoman hits back at Trump, calls him a 'creep'

To provide historical context to the peculiar relationship between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, let’s take a stroll down memory lane, back to 2018 and Helsinki, where Trump’s courtship of the Russian dictator began in earnest. At a news conference after an unusually secretive two-hour meeting, not even note-takers were allowed, the question of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential elections came up.&nbsp;US intelligence concluded in 2016 that Russia was behind an effort to tip the election in Trump’s favour with a state-authorised campaign of cyber attacks against Hillary Clinton. A reporter asked whether he believed his own intelligence agencies or Putin, who had denied any kind of interference. “President Putin says it’s not Russian,” Trump responded. “I don’t see any reason why it would be.” Reaction from American officials on both sides of the political divide was fierce. Arizona Republican John McCain, one of the most senior and experienced members of Congress, termed the response a “disgraceful performance” and said “no prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant.”&nbsp;Similar harsh comment came from several other senior Republicans. The Democratic minority leader, Chuck Schumer, said that siding with Putin against American law enforcement and American intelligence agencies was “thoughtless, dangerous and weak.” Just hours after the joint press conference, a prominent Kremlin critic, Bill Browder, CEO of Hermitage Capital Management, coined the phrase “Putin is playing Trump like a fiddle.” The phrase went viral on the Internet and shaped the perceptions of many in the foreign policy community.&nbsp;The phrase gained fresh currency in October, when critics of both parties objected to Trump easing sanctions on Russia and concluding a deal with Putin to import hundreds of thousand tons of Russian diesel. Its high price is a prominent topic in the campaign for control of Congress in mid-term elections next month. (Nov.3)&nbsp;Widespread anger over high prices for diesel, gasoline and grocery are widely expected to cost the Republicans their slim majority in the 435-seat House of Representative and possibly the Senate as well. The sharp rise in the cost of living is largely the result of Trump’s war of choice on Iran which retaliated by closing the Strait of Hormuz which carries a fifth of the world’s oil. The resulting shortages have affected economies around the world.&nbsp;Trump is not known for accepting responsibility for anything that goes wrong and therefore is trying to rewrite history, blaming Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries for the high price of fuel. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, social media postings and impromptu remarks have left little doubt that in the longest war in Europe since World War Two, the American president’s sympathies have been more with Putin than with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky.&nbsp;In the alternative reality of the White House, Zelensky provoked the war and missed multiple opportunities to end the fighting. Putin is the victim in the conflict. “Russia, frankly, has been fine on Ukraine,” Trump told reporters. “They haven’t been doing much.” This is a hard story to sell, particularly as Russia has been hammering Ukraine’s power grid with 170 attacks since mid-October. Neither Russia nor Ukraine observed a three-day “energy ceasefire” Trump declared they had agreed on. Rather than being an agreement between the two, the “ceasefire” looked like a unilateral declaration by Trump.&nbsp;His erratic handling of the Russia-Ukraine war deepened the anger of several Republicans enough to speak out. On CNN, Republican senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said: “Russians are lying. Putin is lying. Putin is playing Trump like a fiddle. And history is not going to look good on an America that failed to rise up and defend the Western world if Putin actually gets his way.”&nbsp;Democratic senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire echoed the “playing like a fiddle” theme. Foreign policy topics tend to have little impact on American voters. But they do when filling up their cars cost two dollars more per gallon than before the Iran war. A steep drop in Trump’s approval rating reflects their disenchantment. At 31 percent, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, it is the lowest since he took office in his first term.&nbsp;How worried Trump is about the elections has been highlighted by the fact that he has campaigned for Republican candidates even in deeply conservative states, including Kansas. The last time Kansas elected a Democratic senator was in 1932. But despite the bleak outlook for Trump’s party, he told a rally in North Carolina he was confident that the Republicans would defy history and the midterm odds. What are they? The incumbent party has lost seats in the House of Representatives in 36 of the last 39 midterm elections since 1946.

Donald Trump faces criticism over his ties with Vladimir Putin, Russia policy and Ukraine war as rising fuel prices, falling approval ratings and midterm election concerns threaten Republican control of Congress

To provide historical context to the peculiar relationship between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, let’s take a stroll down memory lane, back to 2018 and Helsinki, where Trump’s courtship of the Russian dictator began in earnest. At a news conference after an unusually secretive two-hour meeting, not even note-takers were allowed, the question of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential elections came up. US intelligence concluded in 2016 that Russia was behind an effort to tip the election in Trump’s favour with a state-authorised campaign of cyber attacks against Hillary Clinton. A reporter asked whether he believed his own intelligence agencies or Putin, who had denied any kind of interference. “President Putin says it’s not Russian,” Trump responded. “I don’t see any reason why it would be.” Reaction from American officials on both sides of the political divide was fierce. Arizona Republican John McCain, one of the most senior and experienced members of Congress, termed the response a “disgraceful performance” and said “no prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant.” Similar harsh comment came from several other senior Republicans. The Democratic minority leader, Chuck Schumer, said that siding with Putin against American law enforcement and American intelligence agencies was “thoughtless, dangerous and weak.” Just hours after the joint press conference, a prominent Kremlin critic, Bill Browder, CEO of Hermitage Capital Management, coined the phrase “Putin is playing Trump like a fiddle.” The phrase went viral on the Internet and shaped the perceptions of many in the foreign policy community. The phrase gained fresh currency in October, when critics of both parties objected to Trump easing sanctions on Russia and concluding a deal with Putin to import hundreds of thousand tons of Russian diesel. Its high price is a prominent topic in the campaign for control of Congress in mid-term elections next month. (Nov.3) Widespread anger over high prices for diesel, gasoline and grocery are widely expected to cost the Republicans their slim majority in the 435-seat House of Representative and possibly the Senate as well. The sharp rise in the cost of living is largely the result of Trump’s war of choice on Iran which retaliated by closing the Strait of Hormuz which carries a fifth of the world’s oil. The resulting shortages have affected economies around the world. Trump is not known for accepting responsibility for anything that goes wrong and therefore is trying to rewrite history, blaming Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries for the high price of fuel. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, social media postings and impromptu remarks have left little doubt that in the longest war in Europe since World War Two, the American president’s sympathies have been more with Putin than with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky. In the alternative reality of the White House, Zelensky provoked the war and missed multiple opportunities to end the fighting. Putin is the victim in the conflict. “Russia, frankly, has been fine on Ukraine,” Trump told reporters. “They haven’t been doing much.” This is a hard story to sell, particularly as Russia has been hammering Ukraine’s power grid with 170 attacks since mid-October. Neither Russia nor Ukraine observed a three-day “energy ceasefire” Trump declared they had agreed on. Rather than being an agreement between the two, the “ceasefire” looked like a unilateral declaration by Trump. His erratic handling of the Russia-Ukraine war deepened the anger of several Republicans enough to speak out. On CNN, Republican senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said: “Russians are lying. Putin is lying. Putin is playing Trump like a fiddle. And history is not going to look good on an America that failed to rise up and defend the Western world if Putin actually gets his way.” Democratic senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire echoed the “playing like a fiddle” theme. Foreign policy topics tend to have little impact on American voters. But they do when filling up their cars cost two dollars more per gallon than before the Iran war. A steep drop in Trump’s approval rating reflects their disenchantment. At 31 percent, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, it is the lowest since he took office in his first term. How worried Trump is about the elections has been highlighted by the fact that he has campaigned for Republican candidates even in deeply conservative states, including Kansas. The last time Kansas elected a Democratic senator was in 1932. But despite the bleak outlook for Trump’s party, he told a rally in North Carolina he was confident that the Republicans would defy history and the midterm odds. What are they? The incumbent party has lost seats in the House of Representatives in 36 of the last 39 midterm elections since 1946.

Trump faces mounting criticism over his Russia policy, Ukraine war stance and rising fuel prices as declining approval ratings threaten Republicans ahead of midterms

US-Russia relations: Is Putin playing Trump 'like a fiddle'?

President Donald Trump has once again lashed out at a journalist, this time targeting NBC News correspondent Monica Alba after she questioned his support for a campaign advertisement by Vivek Ramaswamy that has drawn criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for governor of Ohio, released a new advertisement this week featuring the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton. In the advertisement, Acton's mother says she does not trust her daughter and claims she ‘lies about her past’.&nbsp;The advertisement does not mention allegations that Acton's stepfather, who is now deceased, sexually abused her when she was a child. According to the Associated Press, her stepfather was charged with raping her but failed to appear at a court hearing and was declared a fugitive. Acton's brother said that he and his sister were removed from their mother's custody at the time, while their mother continued living with their stepfather.<h2>Watch the video here</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">YIKES 😳 Trump snaps at a reporter asking him about why he's dismissing sexual abuse allegations 👇

WOMAN REPORTER: Do the sexual abuse allegations mean nothing to you, sir?

TRUMP: Wait. Wait! Wait wait wait. Slow down. Who are you with?

REPORTER: NBC, sir. But they are very serious sexual abuse allegations

TRUMP: Quiet! Isn't she a fresh person? You're a horrible little reporter, aren't you?&mdash; Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) <a href="https://x.com/atrupar/status/2113648411324907968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Speaking about the advertisement on Friday, Trump defended its use, saying, “A mother is saying, ‘Don’t put my daughter there because she’s a terrible person and she’s a liar. Why shouldn’t somebody use that?” Alba then questioned Trump about the allegations of sexual abuse. “But do the sexual abuse allegations mean nothing to you?” she asked. Trump continued speaking as Alba pressed him on the issue. “Who are you with?” he asked her. “I am with NBC sir,” she responded. “One of the worst networks you have,” he said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-midterms-2026-trump-revises-canada-tariffs-as-susan-collins-faces-tight-re-election-race-in-maine-1792793072406">US midterms 2026: Trump revises Canada tariffs as Susan Collins faces tight re-election race in Maine</a>&nbsp;As Alba continued asking about the sexual abuse allegations, Trump told her, “Quiet.” “Isn’t she a fresh person? You’re a horrible little reporter, aren’t you?” Trump said. Trump then defended the advertisement by comparing the situation to his own relationship with his mother. “If my mother said bad things about me, do you think the Democrats would put it up? I think so. But my mother thought I was wonderful.”&nbsp;He looked up in the air and said, “Thank you, Mom.” Referring to Acton's mother, Trump said, “She said her daughter is a disaster. Her daughter is a liar. And she felt she had a obligation. I should be so lucky to have an ad like that.” He subsequently challenged Alba over her questioning. “Why wouldn’t you listen to a mother that says that? Why? Miss NBC, why wouldn’t you, listen.” Alba responded, “She stayed with her stepfather.” “I don’t know anything about her stepfather,” Trump said.

Donald Trump clashed with NBC reporter Monica Alba over his support for Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign ad targeting Ohio Democratic nominee Amy Acton

President Donald Trump has once again lashed out at a journalist, this time targeting NBC News correspondent Monica Alba after she questioned his support for a campaign advertisement by Vivek Ramaswamy that has drawn criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for governor of Ohio, released a new advertisement this week featuring the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton. In the advertisement, Acton's mother says she does not trust her daughter and claims she ‘lies about her past’. The advertisement does not mention allegations that Acton's stepfather, who is now deceased, sexually abused her when she was a child. According to the Associated Press, her stepfather was charged with raping her but failed to appear at a court hearing and was declared a fugitive. Acton's brother said that he and his sister were removed from their mother's custody at the time, while their mother continued living with their stepfather. Watch the video here

Trump clashed with NBC reporter Monica Alba after she questioned his support for Vivek Ramaswamy's controversial ad targeting Amy Acton in Ohio

'You’re a horrible little reporter, aren’t you?': Trump snaps at NBC reporter questioning his support for Ramaswamy's campaign ad

Rescue teams were searching for seven people feared trapped beneath the rubble after a 16-storey building under construction collapsed in Kenya’s capital on Friday, Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said. Videos shared online captured the building collapsing dramatically, sending huge clouds of dust into the air in Eastleigh, a densely populated commercial and residential area of Nairobi.&nbsp;The structure was reduced to a pile of rubble as search and rescue teams reached the scene. Accessing the site proved difficult because the collapsed building was wedged between other high-rise structures. "Eleven shops on the ground floor and in the basement were occupied at the time of the collapse. Seven people have been reported missing," interior minister Kipchumba Murkomen posted on X late on Friday. Murkomen said 66 of the 67 people working at the construction site had escaped unharmed, while one person sustained injuries.&nbsp;&nbsp;Police earlier reported rescuing a woman from the rubble and said they could hear another person's voice beneath the debris. "The contractors and the engineers are supposed to ensure that the works are followed by professionals. But most are not," Bibiye Mahmoud, president of the Institution of Engineering Technology of Kenya, told news agency AFP at the scene. "This is why we are seeing these catastrophes. There is no accountability," she added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-midterms-2026-trump-revises-canada-tariffs-as-susan-collins-faces-tight-re-election-race-in-maine-1792793072406">US midterms 2026: Trump revises Canada tariffs as Susan Collins faces tight re-election race in Maine</a><h2>Watch the horrifying video here</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🇰🇪 An 18-storey building under construction collapsed in Nairobi, Kenya

Numerous people, including construction workers and nearby pedestrians, are trapped under the rubble. https://t.co/ErrXr9dzJE&mdash; Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) <a href="https://x.com/visegrad24/status/2113615564031598788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Building safety standards under scrutiny</h2>A report by Kenya's National Building Inspectorate found that 87 per cent of buildings audited across the country last year failed to meet required standards or did not have the necessary approvals. "Our concern is to save lives," Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja told reporters, adding: “This building has no occupation certificate, this has potentially cost lives.” An occupation certificate is an official document confirming that a building is safe and legally suitable for occupation.&nbsp;John Ogallo, vice-president of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya, who was also present at the scene, said there had been indications of possible structural problems before the collapse. "People here are saying distresses were observed, like cracks," before it collapsed, he told reporters. If you build with the wrong materials, ‘it becomes a time bomb’, he added. Nairobi has been experiencing a rapid construction boom, with high-rise buildings increasingly appearing across the city. The trend is particularly visible in Eastleigh, which is known for its busy markets and its role as a hub for the Somali community.<h2>Looting reported after collapse</h2>Local media reported incidents of looting shortly after the building collapsed around lunchtime. AFP reported seeing police use tear gas to disperse crowds gathered near the site. A report by the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis recorded 86 building collapses in Nairobi between 2009 and 2019, with an estimated 200 fatalities.&nbsp;Corruption has contributed to contractors cutting corners or bypassing construction regulations. In September 2022, five people were killed when a six-storey building collapsed in a town on the outskirts of Nairobi. Earlier, in April 2016, 49 people died when a six-floor apartment building collapsed in the northeastern part of the capital after days of heavy rain triggered floods and landslides.

A 16-storey building under construction collapsed in Nairobi, Kenya, leaving seven people missing and prompting a rescue operation amid building safety concerns

Rescue teams were searching for seven people feared trapped beneath the rubble after a 16-storey building under construction collapsed in Kenya’s capital on Friday, Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said. Videos shared online captured the building collapsing dramatically, sending huge clouds of dust into the air in Eastleigh, a densely populated commercial and residential area of Nairobi. The structure was reduced to a pile of rubble as search and rescue teams reached the scene. Accessing the site proved difficult because the collapsed building was wedged between other high-rise structures. "Eleven shops on the ground floor and in the basement were occupied at the time of the collapse. Seven people have been reported missing," interior minister Kipchumba Murkomen posted on X late on Friday. Murkomen said 66 of the 67 people working at the construction site had escaped unharmed, while one person sustained injuries. Police earlier reported rescuing a woman from the rubble and said they could hear another person's voice beneath the debris. "The contractors and the engineers are supposed to ensure that the works are followed by professionals. But most are not," Bibiye Mahmoud, president of the Institution of Engineering Technology of Kenya, told news agency AFP at the scene. "This is why we are seeing these catastrophes. There is no accountability," she added. Also Read: US midterms 2026: Trump revises Canada tariffs as Susan Collins faces tight re-election race in Maine Watch the horrifying video here

A 16-storey building under construction collapsed in Nairobi, Kenya, leaving seven people missing as rescue teams searched the rubble

Nairobi building collapse: Several feared trapped after 16-storey structure crumbles; rescue operation underway

The Trump administration announced on Friday that it would revise tariffs on Canadian products, removing duties on certain goods while imposing new tariffs on others. The move appeared to be a last-minute effort to ease pressure on American farmers ahead of the midterm elections. The decision followed lobbying by Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who is facing a close re-election contest in her state.&nbsp;&nbsp;The exemptions cover Canadian products such as corrugated paper, refrigeration equipment, plywood and packing machinery, which are widely used by farmers and growers in Maine. These items currently face 50 per cent tariffs imposed by President Trump on a range of Canadian goods in July. Under the revised measures, new tariffs will apply to Canadian exports including cocoa powder, vinyl flooring, shampoo, canoes and several other products. “Many of our farmers and growers rely on specialized equipment, packaging materials, and other products from Canada that are either unavailable from American suppliers or cannot be replaced without incurring significant expense,” Collins said in a post on social media. “I will continue working directly with Administration officials to seek additional relief and encourage a broader trade agreement with Canada, our neighbor, ally, and largest trading partner.”&nbsp;Collins said the exemptions would benefit Maine's blueberry, potato, apple and seaweed producers. In a proclamation issued on Friday, Trump said he had agreed to modify the tariffs. He said the changes would offset the burden or disadvantage on US commerce in a manner consistent with the interests of the United States. The revised tariffs will also cover Canadian products such as wooden coffins, yacht parts, carpets and archery equipment. According to the White House, the new measures will take effect at 12:01 am on October 30.&nbsp;The White House said the changes were a response to Canada's continued discrimination against American farmers, manufacturers and workers. “This administration will continue to use every available tool to restore reciprocity in our bilateral trade relationships and safeguard the economic prosperity and national security of the American people,” said Matthew Middleton, a White House spokesman.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-midterms-2026-trump-administration-sues-to-block-alaska-senate-election-certification-if-republican-dan-sullivan-loses-1792786643024">US midterms 2026: Trump administration sues to block Alaska Senate election certification if Republican Dan Sullivan loses. What's happening?</a><h2>US-Canada trade dispute continues</h2>The trade dispute between Trump and Canada began shortly after he returned to office, when he imposed tariffs on Canadian exports over what he claimed was Canada's role in channeling fentanyl into the United States. Trump has also angered Canadians by repeatedly referring to their country as the 51st state and threatening to withdraw defensive provisions for Canada.&nbsp;The tensions have escalated into a series of retaliatory trade measures that have proved unpopular with many Americans, particularly in states where Canada is the largest export market. After Canada refused to yield to some of Trump's trade demands, the administration imposed tariffs in August on more than $20 billion worth of Canadian exports. Canada responded by placing tariffs on hundreds of American products.&nbsp;In September, Trump went further by banning certain Canadian products outright, including alcoholic beverages, dairy byproducts and molasses. Earlier this week, a food importer sued the Trump administration over the tariffs, arguing that they could increase its annual tax burden by $40 million. Courts have struck down other tariffs imposed by Trump, but the outcome of this case remains uncertain.<h2>Susan Collins faces tight re-election contest</h2>Collins and her Democratic opponent, Troy Jackson, have been deadlocked in recent polls. Losing Collins's seat could shift control of the Senate to Democrats, potentially disrupting Trump's legislative agenda for the remainder of his term.Voters in Maine have expressed frustration with Trump's policies on tariffs, immigration and the war in Iran.&nbsp;During a debate with Jackson this month, Collins defended her record and described herself as the most outspoken opponent of the tariffs with Canada. She also pointed to her success in securing exemptions for road salt and cement.Jackson argued that those efforts had come too late and had not gone far enough. “Mainers can’t afford to pay their bills with a press release or a strongly worded letter,” he said. “What about everything else? We can’t eat road salt.”

Trump revises tariffs on Canadian goods, exempting farm supplies used in Maine while imposing new duties as Susan Collins faces a tight re-election race

The Trump administration announced on Friday that it would revise tariffs on Canadian products, removing duties on certain goods while imposing new tariffs on others. The move appeared to be a last-minute effort to ease pressure on American farmers ahead of the midterm elections. The decision followed lobbying by Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who is facing a close re-election contest in her state. The exemptions cover Canadian products such as corrugated paper, refrigeration equipment, plywood and packing machinery, which are widely used by farmers and growers in Maine. These items currently face 50 per cent tariffs imposed by President Trump on a range of Canadian goods in July. Under the revised measures, new tariffs will apply to Canadian exports including cocoa powder, vinyl flooring, shampoo, canoes and several other products. “Many of our farmers and growers rely on specialized equipment, packaging materials, and other products from Canada that are either unavailable from American suppliers or cannot be replaced without incurring significant expense,” Collins said in a post on social media. “I will continue working directly with Administration officials to seek additional relief and encourage a broader trade agreement with Canada, our neighbor, ally, and largest trading partner.” Collins said the exemptions would benefit Maine's blueberry, potato, apple and seaweed producers. In a proclamation issued on Friday, Trump said he had agreed to modify the tariffs. He said the changes would offset the burden or disadvantage on US commerce in a manner consistent with the interests of the United States. The revised tariffs will also cover Canadian products such as wooden coffins, yacht parts, carpets and archery equipment. According to the White House, the new measures will take effect at 12:01 am on October 30. The White House said the changes were a response to Canada's continued discrimination against American farmers, manufacturers and workers. “This administration will continue to use every available tool to restore reciprocity in our bilateral trade relationships and safeguard the economic prosperity and national security of the American people,” said Matthew Middleton, a White House spokesman. Also Read: US midterms 2026: Trump administration sues to block Alaska Senate election certification if Republican Dan Sullivan loses. What's happening? US-Canada trade dispute continues The trade dispute between Trump and Canada began shortly after he returned to office, when he imposed tariffs on Canadian exports over what he claimed was Canada's role in channeling fentanyl into the United States. Trump has also angered Canadians by repeatedly referring to their country as the 51st state and threatening to withdraw defensive provisions for Canada. The tensions have escalated into a series of retaliatory trade measures that have proved unpopular with many Americans, particularly in states where Canada is the largest export market. After Canada refused to yield to some of Trump's trade demands, the administration imposed tariffs in August on more than $20 billion worth of Canadian exports. Canada responded by placing tariffs on hundreds of American products. In September, Trump went further by banning certain Canadian products outright, including alcoholic beverages, dairy byproducts and molasses. Earlier this week, a food importer sued the Trump administration over the tariffs, arguing that they could increase its annual tax burden by $40 million. Courts have struck down other tariffs imposed by Trump, but the outcome of this case remains uncertain. Susan Collins faces tight re-election contest Collins and her Democratic opponent, Troy Jackson, have been deadlocked in recent polls. Losing Collins's seat could shift control of the Senate to Democrats, potentially disrupting Trump's legislative agenda for the remainder of his term. Voters in Maine have expressed frustration with Trump's policies on tariffs, immigration and the war in Iran. During a debate with Jackson this month, Collins defended her record and described herself as the most outspoken opponent of the tariffs with Canada. She also pointed to her success in securing exemptions for road salt and cement. Jackson argued that those efforts had come too late and had not gone far enough. “Mainers can’t afford to pay their bills with a press release or a strongly worded letter,” he said. “What about everything else? We can’t eat road salt.”

Trump revises Canadian tariffs, exempting key farm supplies after Susan Collins' lobbying while imposing new duties on other Canadian exports

US midterms 2026: Trump revises Canada tariffs as Susan Collins faces tight re-election race in Maine

French President Emmanuel Macron has described a shooting in a Paris suburb that killed one person and injured five others as a ‘racist terrorist attack’. Macron called the incident a turning point in the life of our Republic and our nation, describing it as the first random racial killing of its kind. The shooting took place over approximately 15 minutes, with the attacker reportedly firing from a car in Trappes, south-west of Paris, before continuing to nearby La Verrière. The gunman appeared to target people of migrant origin before being arrested.&nbsp;Three of the injured victims, including a 12-year-old girl, remain in serious condition. During a visit to the scene in Trappes, Macron said the victims had been targeted because of their skin colour or religion. He urged the public not to give an inch in the face of what he described as ideologies taking root. The motive behind the attack remains unclear. However, France's National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) said the incident appeared to be murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise.&nbsp;French media have identified the suspect as Kevin T. According to PNAT, the 39-year-old had four previous convictions that had been automatically expunged. Local media reported that the suspect was known to police but not to France's intelligence services. The national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office told BFMTV that he was not on a list of individuals considered to pose a serious threat to French security. PNAT also confirmed that a member of the suspect's immediate family circle had been taken into custody on Friday.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-navy-marine-corps-boards-defy-trump-s-transgender-military-ban-vote-to-retain-troops-1792788082871">US Navy, Marine Corps boards defy Trump's transgender military ban, vote to retain troops</a><h2>Shooting spree across two towns</h2>Trappes Mayor Ali Rabeh said that an individual fired shots from his vehicle at several people he encountered on Friday morning. According to witnesses, the gunman drove through several neighbourhoods in a grey Renault Clio, firing at people along the way. Rabeh said the attacker had fired randomly with the apparent aim of causing as many casualties as possible... he wanted to cause carnage, he said.&nbsp;The mayor said the victims had been targeted at a petrol station, a medical centre and a playground in Trappes before the suspect drove towards nearby La Verrière. A police union official said the suspect was detained in La Verrière on the main N10 road that runs through the town. The attacker reportedly travelled along a main road, intermittently firing through his car window.<h2>Twelve-year-old girl among the injured</h2>The mother of the injured 12-year-old girl told French broadcaster RTL that her daughter had suffered eight gunshot wounds and required surgery. "How could anyone do this to a child?" she asked. The mother said her daughter had been wearing a headscarf at the time of the attack and questioned whether it had made her a target. "She's a child who was born in France, in Trappes. She has the right to live in France, to make her life in France," she added.<h2>Anti-terror investigation underway</h2>A local police chief told BFMTV that the suspect had used an older-style semi-automatic weapon capable of firing in bursts. Le Parisien reported that the weapon dated back to World War II. PNAT said its investigation also covers possession of a Category A weapon, a classification that includes military-grade weapons and firearms capable of firing in bursts. The anti-terrorism office added that investigators are examining possible conspiracy with a terrorist group for the purpose of preparing crimes against persons. Although the suspect has been arrested, authorities have yet to establish the exact motive behind the shooting.

French President Emmanuel Macron condemns a deadly shooting in Trappes and La Verrière as a racist terrorist attack. One person was killed and five injured

French President Emmanuel Macron has described a shooting in a Paris suburb that killed one person and injured five others as a ‘racist terrorist attack’. Macron called the incident a turning point in the life of our Republic and our nation, describing it as the first random racial killing of its kind. The shooting took place over approximately 15 minutes, with the attacker reportedly firing from a car in Trappes, south-west of Paris, before continuing to nearby La Verrière. The gunman appeared to target people of migrant origin before being arrested. Three of the injured victims, including a 12-year-old girl, remain in serious condition. During a visit to the scene in Trappes, Macron said the victims had been targeted because of their skin colour or religion. He urged the public not to give an inch in the face of what he described as ideologies taking root. The motive behind the attack remains unclear. However, France's National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) said the incident appeared to be murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise. French media have identified the suspect as Kevin T. According to PNAT, the 39-year-old had four previous convictions that had been automatically expunged. Local media reported that the suspect was known to police but not to France's intelligence services. The national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office told BFMTV that he was not on a list of individuals considered to pose a serious threat to French security. PNAT also confirmed that a member of the suspect's immediate family circle had been taken into custody on Friday. Also Read: US Navy, Marine Corps boards defy Trump's transgender military ban, vote to retain troops Shooting spree across two towns Trappes Mayor Ali Rabeh said that an individual fired shots from his vehicle at several people he encountered on Friday morning. According to witnesses, the gunman drove through several neighbourhoods in a grey Renault Clio, firing at people along the way. Rabeh said the attacker had fired randomly with the apparent aim of causing as many casualties as possible... he wanted to cause carnage, he said. The mayor said the victims had been targeted at a petrol station, a medical centre and a playground in Trappes before the suspect drove towards nearby La Verrière. A police union official said the suspect was detained in La Verrière on the main N10 road that runs through the town. The attacker reportedly travelled along a main road, intermittently firing through his car window. Twelve-year-old girl among the injured The mother of the injured 12-year-old girl told French broadcaster RTL that her daughter had suffered eight gunshot wounds and required surgery. "How could anyone do this to a child?" she asked. The mother said her daughter had been wearing a headscarf at the time of the attack and questioned whether it had made her a target. "She's a child who was born in France, in Trappes. She has the right to live in France, to make her life in France," she added. Anti-terror investigation underway A local police chief told BFMTV that the suspect had used an older-style semi-automatic weapon capable of firing in bursts. Le Parisien reported that the weapon dated back to World War II. PNAT said its investigation also covers possession of a Category A weapon, a classification that includes military-grade weapons and firearms capable of firing in bursts. The anti-terrorism office added that investigators are examining possible conspiracy with a terrorist group for the purpose of preparing crimes against persons. Although the suspect has been arrested, authorities have yet to establish the exact motive behind the shooting.

Macron calls a deadly shooting near Paris a ‘racist terrorist attack’ as one person dies, five are injured and French anti-terror prosecutors investigate

Emmanuel Macron calls Paris suburb shooting a 'racist terrorist attack' after one killed, several injured

US Navy and Marine Corps review boards have voted to retain transgender service members in most of the cases they have considered, defying expectations under the Trump administration's policy to remove transgender personnel from the military. In September, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a slur while telling an auditorium of Marines that he was removing all transgender troops from the military.&nbsp;The Pentagon had established review boards at military bases around the world, staffed by serving military personnel and given instructions that appeared designed to ensure transgender service members would be discharged. However, at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, boards tasked with implementing the policy were reaching a different conclusion. Rather than dismissing transgender Marines, they were voting to retain them. Similar outcomes emerged in the Navy, where boards instructed to discharge sailors were instead voting to let them remain in service.&nbsp;The trend extends beyond isolated cases. Navy and Marine Corps boards have voted to retain transgender service members in nine of the 12 cases considered. The Pentagon has kept the proceedings confidential, barring outsiders, including spouses, from attending. Officials have not released official figures or publicly discussed the decisions. The number of Navy and Marine Corps cases remains small and could change as additional hearings take place. A similar pattern has not emerged in the Army or Air Force, where boards have overwhelmingly voted to discharge transgender service members.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-midterms-2026-trump-administration-sues-to-block-alaska-senate-election-certification-if-republican-dan-sullivan-loses-1792786643024">US midterms 2026: Trump administration sues to block Alaska Senate election certification if Republican Dan Sullivan loses. What's happening?</a><h2>Trump's administration says transgender troops affect military effectiveness</h2>The Trump administration estimates that transgender service members account for around 4,250 people, or approximately 0.1 per cent of the military. It argues that their presence imposes costs and undermines military effectiveness, a position contradicted by military findings. During his first week in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order barring transgender troops from serving, arguing that the measure was necessary to remove what he described as dishonourable radicals who damage morale and waste resources.&nbsp;“For the sake of our Nation and the patriotic Americans who volunteer to serve it, military service must be reserved for those mentally and physically fit for duty,” the order read. The Pentagon subsequently introduced a policy offering financial incentives to transgender service members who agreed to leave voluntarily. Hundreds of highly qualified personnel, including doctors, lawyers, pilots and nuclear technicians, departed. Those who remained to challenge their dismissal faced prolonged uncertainty, with some waiting more than a year for their cases to be heard.&nbsp;The administration then established three-member separation boards to review the remaining cases under a narrow set of instructions. Under the rules, any evidence of transgender feelings or tendencies, even without a formal transition, requires dismissal. The boards consist of officers and enlisted personnel temporarily assigned to hear individual cases, similar to civilian juries. They are not permitted to consider whether a service member is a high performer, works in a critical career field or has received decorations for combat service.&nbsp;Members receive a one-page findings sheet and are instructed to identify evidence that a service member is transgender and therefore ineligible to continue serving. However, the outcomes have not always followed the intended approach. Transgender Marines and sailors who appeared before the boards said they expected to be dismissed after months of criticism from senior government officials. Instead, they encountered fellow service members who considered their records and voted to retain them.<h2>Army boards continue to discharge transgender personnel</h2>Across the military, hearings generally follow a similar format. A government lawyer presents medical records and other documents indicating that a service member is transgender. The defence then spends hours presenting the individual's service history, achievements, awards and performance evaluations, often calling witnesses to speak about the person's character. “It all made no difference,” said Major. Kara Corcoran, an infantry officer who has served for 18 years and deployed to Afghanistan twice. An Army board voted in May to dismiss her in what she called a “kangaroo court.”&nbsp;“They cut off my character witnesses halfway through and said, ‘We get it, your service is commendable, that’s not what we’re here to decide,’” said Major Corcoran, who now heads the trans advocacy group SPARTA Pride. “The government lawyer, the board, they thought it was ridiculous, but I think they felt they had no choice.”&nbsp;Navy and Marine Corps hearings have followed a similar format, but their outcomes have differed significantly. In the Navy, which began hearings in July, nine boards have resulted in seven votes to retain sailors, according to lawyers involved in the proceedings. In the Marine Corps, which started hearings in August, three boards have resulted in two votes to retain service members. In the third case, the board voted to dismiss a Marine but recorded that its members unanimously believed the individual should be retained based on his commendable service record and unique skills.

US Navy and Marine Corps boards are resisting Trump's transgender military ban, voting to retain service members in nine of 12 reviewed cases

US Navy and Marine Corps review boards have voted to retain transgender service members in most of the cases they have considered, defying expectations under the Trump administration's policy to remove transgender personnel from the military. In September, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a slur while telling an auditorium of Marines that he was removing all transgender troops from the military. The Pentagon had established review boards at military bases around the world, staffed by serving military personnel and given instructions that appeared designed to ensure transgender service members would be discharged. However, at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, boards tasked with implementing the policy were reaching a different conclusion. Rather than dismissing transgender Marines, they were voting to retain them. Similar outcomes emerged in the Navy, where boards instructed to discharge sailors were instead voting to let them remain in service. The trend extends beyond isolated cases. Navy and Marine Corps boards have voted to retain transgender service members in nine of the 12 cases considered. The Pentagon has kept the proceedings confidential, barring outsiders, including spouses, from attending. Officials have not released official figures or publicly discussed the decisions. The number of Navy and Marine Corps cases remains small and could change as additional hearings take place. A similar pattern has not emerged in the Army or Air Force, where boards have overwhelmingly voted to discharge transgender service members. Also Read: US midterms 2026: Trump administration sues to block Alaska Senate election certification if Republican Dan Sullivan loses. What's happening? Trump's administration says transgender troops affect military effectiveness The Trump administration estimates that transgender service members account for around 4,250 people, or approximately 0.1 per cent of the military. It argues that their presence imposes costs and undermines military effectiveness, a position contradicted by military findings. During his first week in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order barring transgender troops from serving, arguing that the measure was necessary to remove what he described as dishonourable radicals who damage morale and waste resources. “For the sake of our Nation and the patriotic Americans who volunteer to serve it, military service must be reserved for those mentally and physically fit for duty,” the order read. The Pentagon subsequently introduced a policy offering financial incentives to transgender service members who agreed to leave voluntarily. Hundreds of highly qualified personnel, including doctors, lawyers, pilots and nuclear technicians, departed. Those who remained to challenge their dismissal faced prolonged uncertainty, with some waiting more than a year for their cases to be heard. The administration then established three-member separation boards to review the remaining cases under a narrow set of instructions. Under the rules, any evidence of transgender feelings or tendencies, even without a formal transition, requires dismissal. The boards consist of officers and enlisted personnel temporarily assigned to hear individual cases, similar to civilian juries. They are not permitted to consider whether a service member is a high performer, works in a critical career field or has received decorations for combat service. Members receive a one-page findings sheet and are instructed to identify evidence that a service member is transgender and therefore ineligible to continue serving. However, the outcomes have not always followed the intended approach. Transgender Marines and sailors who appeared before the boards said they expected to be dismissed after months of criticism from senior government officials. Instead, they encountered fellow service members who considered their records and voted to retain them. Army boards continue to discharge transgender personnel Across the military, hearings generally follow a similar format. A government lawyer presents medical records and other documents indicating that a service member is transgender. The defence then spends hours presenting the individual's service history, achievements, awards and performance evaluations, often calling witnesses to speak about the person's character. “It all made no difference,” said Major. Kara Corcoran, an infantry officer who has served for 18 years and deployed to Afghanistan twice. An Army board voted in May to dismiss her in what she called a “kangaroo court.” “They cut off my character witnesses halfway through and said, ‘We get it, your service is commendable, that’s not what we’re here to decide,’” said Major Corcoran, who now heads the trans advocacy group SPARTA Pride. “The government lawyer, the board, they thought it was ridiculous, but I think they felt they had no choice.” Navy and Marine Corps hearings have followed a similar format, but their outcomes have differed significantly. In the Navy, which began hearings in July, nine boards have resulted in seven votes to retain sailors, according to lawyers involved in the proceedings. In the Marine Corps, which started hearings in August, three boards have resulted in two votes to retain service members. In the third case, the board voted to dismiss a Marine but recorded that its members unanimously believed the individual should be retained based on his commendable service record and unique skills.

US Navy and Marine Corps boards have voted to retain transgender troops in most reviewed cases, challenging the Trump administration's military ban

US Navy, Marine Corps boards defy Trump's transgender military ban, vote to retain troops

The Trump administration has filed a preemptive lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska's US Senate election if Republican incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan loses a closely contested race that could help determine control of the Senate. The lawsuit marks the latest effort by the Trump Justice Department to intervene in election administration, raising questions about the limited role the Constitution assigns to the executive branch. The complaint alleges that a candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan could confuse voters and asks a court to potentially delay certification if the incumbent loses but would have won if ‘all votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan’ had been cast instead for Senator Sullivan.&nbsp;President Donald Trump took credit for the legal action. “Well, I’m the one that said ‘do it,’” Trump told reporters in Florida on Friday when asked about the lawsuit. The president has repeatedly complained about the presence of the non-incumbent Sullivan on the ballot. &nbsp;The battle for Senate control could hinge on Alaska, where reliable polling has been limited. Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola have been campaigning in a closely contested race.&nbsp;Democrats need to gain four seats in November to win control of the Senate. Alaska is among several Republican-held states that Democrats are hoping to flip. The presence of the second Sullivan has added controversy to the contest and has already prompted litigation. Republicans have alleged that his candidacy is intended to confuse voters and act as a spoiler. Daniel J. Sullivan is a registered Republican, but state election officials listed him on the ballot without a party affiliation. The incumbent, meanwhile, is identified as ‘Registered Republican’ and ‘incumbent’.&nbsp;Trump also held a rally in Wasilla, Alaska, this month, where he criticised the presence of the two candidates with similar names. “It’s just cheating,” he said of the ballot having two Dan Sullivans. “They found a guy named Dan Sullivan. They put him up to get a little confused.” Nate Adams, a spokesman for Senator Sullivan, said the incumbent would “let the DOJ complaint run its course.”&nbsp;“Alaskans can tell the difference between a Democrat sideshow and Senator Sullivan’s strong record of delivering for Alaska, a record he’ll keep building on for the next six years,” Adams added. Mary Peltola's spokesperson, Harry Child, criticised the lawsuit. “This is a despicable political threat to overturn an election,” said Peltola spokesperson Harry Child. “We will fight to ensure every single eligible voter in Alaska can make their voice heard and that no bureaucrat or politician from the Lower 48 can interfere with our lawful, secure elections.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-midterms-2026-elon-musk-s-political-spending-hits-445-million-as-republicans-battle-to-retain-senate-control-1792717980206">US midterms 2026: Elon Musk’s political spending hits $445 million as Republicans battle to retain Senate control</a><h2>DOJ claims second Sullivan could divert votes</h2>The Justice Department's lawsuit cites the preface of a federal law governing state voter registration procedures, which refers to protecting the integrity of the electoral process, as the basis for seeking judicial intervention. “The United States likewise suffers an injury when the certification of the election for a federal office is tainted by a frivolous candidacy because that undermines confidence in the make-up and workings of the federal government,” the lawsuit says. Muller said he had never seen the introduction of the federal voter registration law used in this way. “They’re just plucking from the preface and saying this gives them a free-wheeling right to enjoin operations in a state, and I just don’t think a court is going to buy that,” Muller said.<h2>How Alaska's ranked-choice voting system works</h2>Under Alaska's election system, the four candidates who receive the most votes in the primary, regardless of party affiliation, advance to the general election. On the general election ballot, voters can rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the additional rankings are used to determine the winner. During each round of counting, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and those votes are transferred to the next-ranked candidate on each affected ballot. The process continues until a winner emerges.&nbsp;The DOJ alleges that some voters intending to support the incumbent could fail to rank him or could rank Daniel J. Sullivan ahead of him. If the election proceeds to additional rounds of counting, votes for the second Sullivan could ultimately transfer to the Democratic candidate. “Even if a majority of Alaskans wish to vote for Senator Sullivan, Daniel J. Sullivan’s presence on the ballot will result in a victory for Peltola,” the lawsuit states.&nbsp;However, Alaska's ranked-choice voting system could help limit the effects of potential confusion. Voters who intend to support the incumbent can rank both candidates named Sullivan first and second, in either order. If Peltola does not secure a majority of first-choice votes, those voters' preferences could ultimately benefit the incumbent, who is expected to have considerably greater support than the other candidate named Sullivan.&nbsp;In June, before the state's primary election, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that Daniel J. Sullivan should remain on the ballot after the state's Division of Elections had removed him. Muller said election officials had went out of their way to reduce potential voter confusion by including the candidates' middle initials, identifying Dan S. Sullivan as the incumbent and omitting the Republican party designation from the other Daniel Sullivan. “This is friendly fire, this is suing Republicans in Alaska, I don’t know that is going to be taken well by state officials,” Muller said.<h2>DOJ seeks to delay certification pending investigation</h2>The Trump administration is asking the court to declare unlawful the certification of an election result impacted by voter confusion and to prevent election officials from certifying that result until an investigation determines whether voters who intended to support the incumbent had instead voted for the other Sullivan. A Justice Department spokesperson defended the legal action. “Alaska’s Division of Elections determined that Daniel J. Sullivan’s candidacy was intended to mislead voters and compromise the fairness of the ballot,” a DOJ spokesperson said in a statement.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Therefore, the Justice Department, consistent with the National Voter Registration Act enacted by Congress, is taking the necessary steps to ensure that this frivolous candidacy does not undermine the integrity of Alaska’s election or the will of its voters.” However, because ballots would be counted together, it is unclear how investigators could determine which voters might have selected the wrong candidate, Muller said. “This is just the stuff that is just impossible to measure after the fact,” Muller said.&nbsp;He also pointed to several possible outcomes that could render the lawsuit irrelevant, including a straightforward victory for the Democratic candidate without additional rounds of vote counting. If the case proceeds, Muller said, there is a high likelihood it is thrown out for legal reasons.

Trump's DOJ sues over Alaska's Senate election, seeking to block certification if Republican Dan Sullivan loses amid concerns over voter confusion

The Trump administration has filed a preemptive lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska's US Senate election if Republican incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan loses a closely contested race that could help determine control of the Senate. The lawsuit marks the latest effort by the Trump Justice Department to intervene in election administration, raising questions about the limited role the Constitution assigns to the executive branch. The complaint alleges that a candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan could confuse voters and asks a court to potentially delay certification if the incumbent loses but would have won if ‘all votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan’ had been cast instead for Senator Sullivan. President Donald Trump took credit for the legal action. “Well, I’m the one that said ‘do it,’” Trump told reporters in Florida on Friday when asked about the lawsuit. The president has repeatedly complained about the presence of the non-incumbent Sullivan on the ballot. The battle for Senate control could hinge on Alaska, where reliable polling has been limited. Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola have been campaigning in a closely contested race. Democrats need to gain four seats in November to win control of the Senate. Alaska is among several Republican-held states that Democrats are hoping to flip. The presence of the second Sullivan has added controversy to the contest and has already prompted litigation. Republicans have alleged that his candidacy is intended to confuse voters and act as a spoiler. Daniel J. Sullivan is a registered Republican, but state election officials listed him on the ballot without a party affiliation. The incumbent, meanwhile, is identified as ‘Registered Republican’ and ‘incumbent’. Trump also held a rally in Wasilla, Alaska, this month, where he criticised the presence of the two candidates with similar names. “It’s just cheating,” he said of the ballot having two Dan Sullivans. “They found a guy named Dan Sullivan. They put him up to get a little confused.” Nate Adams, a spokesman for Senator Sullivan, said the incumbent would “let the DOJ complaint run its course.” “Alaskans can tell the difference between a Democrat sideshow and Senator Sullivan’s strong record of delivering for Alaska, a record he’ll keep building on for the next six years,” Adams added. Mary Peltola's spokesperson, Harry Child, criticised the lawsuit. “This is a despicable political threat to overturn an election,” said Peltola spokesperson Harry Child. “We will fight to ensure every single eligible voter in Alaska can make their voice heard and that no bureaucrat or politician from the Lower 48 can interfere with our lawful, secure elections.” Also Read: US midterms 2026: Elon Musk’s political spending hits $445 million as Republicans battle to retain Senate control DOJ claims second Sullivan could divert votes The Justice Department's lawsuit cites the preface of a federal law governing state voter registration procedures, which refers to protecting the integrity of the electoral process, as the basis for seeking judicial intervention. “The United States likewise suffers an injury when the certification of the election for a federal office is tainted by a frivolous candidacy because that undermines confidence in the make-up and workings of the federal government,” the lawsuit says. Muller said he had never seen the introduction of the federal voter registration law used in this way. “They’re just plucking from the preface and saying this gives them a free-wheeling right to enjoin operations in a state, and I just don’t think a court is going to buy that,” Muller said. How Alaska's ranked-choice voting system works Under Alaska's election system, the four candidates who receive the most votes in the primary, regardless of party affiliation, advance to the general election. On the general election ballot, voters can rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the additional rankings are used to determine the winner. During each round of counting, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and those votes are transferred to the next-ranked candidate on each affected ballot. The process continues until a winner emerges. The DOJ alleges that some voters intending to support the incumbent could fail to rank him or could rank Daniel J. Sullivan ahead of him. If the election proceeds to additional rounds of counting, votes for the second Sullivan could ultimately transfer to the Democratic candidate. “Even if a majority of Alaskans wish to vote for Senator Sullivan, Daniel J. Sullivan’s presence on the ballot will result in a victory for Peltola,” the lawsuit states. However, Alaska's ranked-choice voting system could help limit the effects of potential confusion. Voters who intend to support the incumbent can rank both candidates named Sullivan first and second, in either order. If Peltola does not secure a majority of first-choice votes, those voters' preferences could ultimately benefit the incumbent, who is expected to have considerably greater support than the other candidate named Sullivan. In June, before the state's primary election, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that Daniel J. Sullivan should remain on the ballot after the state's Division of Elections had removed him. Muller said election officials had went out of their way to reduce potential voter confusion by including the candidates' middle initials, identifying Dan S. Sullivan as the incumbent and omitting the Republican party designation from the other Daniel Sullivan. “This is friendly fire, this is suing Republicans in Alaska, I don’t know that is going to be taken well by state officials,” Muller said. DOJ seeks to delay certification pending investigation The Trump administration is asking the court to declare unlawful the certification of an election result impacted by voter confusion and to prevent election officials from certifying that result until an investigation determines whether voters who intended to support the incumbent had instead voted for the other Sullivan. A Justice Department spokesperson defended the legal action. “Alaska’s Division of Elections determined that Daniel J. Sullivan’s candidacy was intended to mislead voters and compromise the fairness of the ballot,” a DOJ spokesperson said in a statement. “Therefore, the Justice Department, consistent with the National Voter Registration Act enacted by Congress, is taking the necessary steps to ensure that this frivolous candidacy does not undermine the integrity of Alaska’s election or the will of its voters.” However, because ballots would be counted together, it is unclear how investigators could determine which voters might have selected the wrong candidate, Muller said. “This is just the stuff that is just impossible to measure after the fact,” Muller said. He also pointed to several possible outcomes that could render the lawsuit irrelevant, including a straightforward victory for the Democratic candidate without additional rounds of vote counting. If the case proceeds, Muller said, there is a high likelihood it is thrown out for legal reasons.

Trump's DOJ has sued to block Alaska Senate election certification if Dan Sullivan loses, citing voter confusion over two candidates with similar names

US midterms 2026: Trump administration sues to block Alaska Senate election certification if Republican Dan Sullivan loses. What's happening?

In the last few weeks, Europe has been rocked by protests over deteriorating conditions in schools and the rising cost of living. However, the unrest took a deadly turn last weekend, with large-scale violence breaking out in France. Now, in neighbouring Italy, it has emerged that the mafia is seeking to infiltrate the protests. Truckers and farmers have been protesting over rising fuel and fertiliser costs, causing major disruption in southern Italy this week.&nbsp;While seeking to address their concerns, the Giorgia Meloni-led government has accused mafia syndicates of hijacking the protests to blackmail the state amid high-profile criminal trials. According to reports, drug lord Michele Senese has been directing criminals from his jail cell, resulting in 15 bombings in recent times. Now, France remains on the boil. To avert possible violence, it is deploying 70,000 security personnel to manage protests this weekend. Police have authorised only one demonstration, rejecting requests for rallies called by France's main student union and the anti-establishment Yellow Vest movement.&nbsp;Many French cities, including Marseille and Lyon, have also banned protests. Adding to tensions, an individual in a car opened fire with a military-grade weapon on five people at different locations in Paris. While one person died, four others, including a 12-year-old girl, were seriously injured. The gunman was subsequently taken into custody. The police are now investigating whether the shooting was a terrorist act or motivated by race or religion.&nbsp;Fearing fresh violence, shopkeepers in France are taking preventive measures. While some have cleared their stocks, others have installed wooden panels on their windows to protect their premises against theft. In last weekend's riots, 228 businesses in Paris were looted. This situation has also prompted many business owners and shopkeepers in Paris to purchase weapons for self-defence. Sales of guns have reportedly increased tenfold since the riots, with shopkeepers desperate to prevent looting.&nbsp;A day earlier, French students again took to the streets of Paris under a heavy police presence. They chanted slogans and carried placards asking, ‘When will there be jail for those who break people?’ Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron blamed seditious ultra-left groups and vandals for the riots and looting. He also declared that illegitimate protests would be banned in the coming days.&nbsp;Before the weekend protests, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu held meetings with leaders of different political parties, including France Unbowed. However, the opposition hit out at the government over its security failure. Now, take a look at these visuals from Serbia, where a student movement is seeking to oust veteran leader Aleksandar Vučić. As the country heads for parliamentary polls on Sunday, around 150,000 people rallied in Belgrade. Even as governments across Europe impose restrictions, it remains to be seen whether they can prevent the protests from turning violent this weekend.

Europe protests intensify as France deploys 70,000 security personnel, Italy raises concerns over mafia infiltration, and Serbia sees mass rallies

In the last few weeks, Europe has been rocked by protests over deteriorating conditions in schools and the rising cost of living. However, the unrest took a deadly turn last weekend, with large-scale violence breaking out in France. Now, in neighbouring Italy, it has emerged that the mafia is seeking to infiltrate the protests. Truckers and farmers have been protesting over rising fuel and fertiliser costs, causing major disruption in southern Italy this week. While seeking to address their concerns, the Giorgia Meloni-led government has accused mafia syndicates of hijacking the protests to blackmail the state amid high-profile criminal trials. According to reports, drug lord Michele Senese has been directing criminals from his jail cell, resulting in 15 bombings in recent times. Now, France remains on the boil. To avert possible violence, it is deploying 70,000 security personnel to manage protests this weekend. Police have authorised only one demonstration, rejecting requests for rallies called by France's main student union and the anti-establishment Yellow Vest movement. Many French cities, including Marseille and Lyon, have also banned protests. Adding to tensions, an individual in a car opened fire with a military-grade weapon on five people at different locations in Paris. While one person died, four others, including a 12-year-old girl, were seriously injured. The gunman was subsequently taken into custody. The police are now investigating whether the shooting was a terrorist act or motivated by race or religion. Fearing fresh violence, shopkeepers in France are taking preventive measures. While some have cleared their stocks, others have installed wooden panels on their windows to protect their premises against theft. In last weekend's riots, 228 businesses in Paris were looted. This situation has also prompted many business owners and shopkeepers in Paris to purchase weapons for self-defence. Sales of guns have reportedly increased tenfold since the riots, with shopkeepers desperate to prevent looting. A day earlier, French students again took to the streets of Paris under a heavy police presence. They chanted slogans and carried placards asking, ‘When will there be jail for those who break people?’ Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron blamed seditious ultra-left groups and vandals for the riots and looting. He also declared that illegitimate protests would be banned in the coming days. Before the weekend protests, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu held meetings with leaders of different political parties, including France Unbowed. However, the opposition hit out at the government over its security failure. Now, take a look at these visuals from Serbia, where a student movement is seeking to oust veteran leader Aleksandar Vučić. As the country heads for parliamentary polls on Sunday, around 150,000 people rallied in Belgrade. Even as governments across Europe impose restrictions, it remains to be seen whether they can prevent the protests from turning violent this weekend.

Protests sweep Europe as France deploys 70,000 security personnel, Italy warns of mafia infiltration, and Serbia witnesses mass demonstrations

Gravitas | France deploys more than 70,000 personnel to avert violence, drug mafia adds fire to flames across Europe

As elections in Israel and America draw closer, tensions in West Asia are rising again. The USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, with 10,000 troops is heading towards the region. With Tehran too prepared for a large-scale retaliation, speculation is growing over the possibility of US and Israel striking Iran as early as this weekend. The first indication came earlier this week as US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth visited Israel and met Netanyahu on Monday. IDF reportedly simulated new strikes on Iran.&nbsp;According to reports, dozens of fighter jets flew more than 800 miles from Israel, passed through Syrian and Iraqi airspace and turned around at Iran's border. This may also have been a bid to provoke Iran into firing on the jets, thereby creating pretext for an Israeli strike. According to reports, US and Israel are preparing to resume attacks on Iran even before the Israeli general election, scheduled on October 27.&nbsp;This is likely to be a short but intense operation. Potential targets include Iran's energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities and missile and drone stockpiles. But what is the rationale behind this? Well, according to some observers, this could be used as a pretext to delay the Israeli elections as Netanyahu seeks to exploit the Iran war to his advantage. This comes as he is facing a tough bid for re-election with opinion polls showing Yashar party chief Gadi Eisenkot, as the more preferred prime ministerial choice.

For Trump too, the stakes are high. Ahead of the midterm polls on November 3, his popularity ratings are at a historic low. Multiple opinion polls have predicted a majority for Democrats in the US House of Representatives as well as the Senate. With Iran refusing to bend under pressure, the thinking in the US camp seems to be that one more heavy attack will push Tehran's economy over the edge and force it to negotiate for ending the war. Amid this, Trump has also hinted at a fresh wave of strikes on Iran.&nbsp;In another indication of impending hostilities, several Russian military aircraft have reportedly landed in Iran, as Moscow prepares to evacuate personnel from the Bushehr nuclear power plant. The first time Russia did so was on February 28, when the Iran war started. Amid heightened tensions, the US has ordered the departure of non-emergency employees and their families from Saudi Arabia and has also reportedly planned to withdraw staff from other missions in the region. Additionally, there has reportedly been a surge in the departure of wealthy expatriates, diplomats and members of royal families from West Asia in the last few days.&nbsp;On its part, Tehran has issued a terse warning. The IRGC has threatened to launch a ground invasion targeting its West Asian neighbours if the US and Israel resume strikes. And this is not all. Iran has threatened to target oil facilities, undersea cables, data centres, pipelines, airports and other civilian infrastructure in the region. Now, this warning cannot be understated. During the initial phase of the war, Iran inflicted significant damage on US military bases across the region with its barrage of missile and drone attacks, costing the US billions. According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the US has spent over 11 billion US dollars solely on missile defence for Israel in the last three years.&nbsp;A day earlier, the IRGC claimed to have hit four vessels allegedly involved in illegal oil transfers, claiming that three more vessels collided with mines near the Strait of Hormuz. It warned the US that continued provocations would lead to a wider response against its regional bases. According to a report, Iran is rebuilding an underground airbase called Eagle 44, which can shelter fighter aircraft, drones and ballistic missiles. Located in Hormozgan province, it sits on the foothills of the Zagros Mountains. Unveiled in 2023, it has been described by Iranian state media as one of the most important air bases, with fighter jets equipped with long-range cruise missiles. While this base was repeatedly struck this year, the report cited satellite imagery to claim fresh construction at the site.&nbsp;The other underlying factor is the Houthis, who have been on the offensive. Apart from seizing considerable territory in Yemen, the Iran-backed group has directly attacked Saudi Arabia's airports, oil facilities and even its defence ministry headquarters. As of now, France and Britain have deployed fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to help shield it from Houthi attacks. No country is ready to carry out offensive action against the Houthis in Yemen. Even Türkiye and Pakistan, which signed the Mecca Pact, have refrained from sending troops into Yemen.&nbsp;Now, without giving any evidence, Netanyahu again claimed that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons. Citing this, he instructed Israel's military and intelligence agencies to overthrow the Iranian government. According to Israel's Channel 13, though, Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir said that he does not see an operational need to strike Iran before the general election.&nbsp;Amid this, the mood on the streets of Tehran remains pensive. Some people expressed concerns that potential fresh strikes may increase their economic hardship. So, is an early end to the war out of the equation? According to America's envoy to the UN, Mike Waltz, the war could drag on for another year. He told the Financial Times that the US will not achieve its goal until Iran disposes of its highly enriched uranium, something that Tehran has already ruled out.

US-Israel tensions with Iran rise as a possible new strike looms. Explore military deployments, Tehran's retaliation threats, and regional security risks

As elections in Israel and America draw closer, tensions in West Asia are rising again. The USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, with 10,000 troops is heading towards the region. With Tehran too prepared for a large-scale retaliation, speculation is growing over the possibility of US and Israel striking Iran as early as this weekend. The first indication came earlier this week as US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth visited Israel and met Netanyahu on Monday. IDF reportedly simulated new strikes on Iran. According to reports, dozens of fighter jets flew more than 800 miles from Israel, passed through Syrian and Iraqi airspace and turned around at Iran's border. This may also have been a bid to provoke Iran into firing on the jets, thereby creating pretext for an Israeli strike. According to reports, US and Israel are preparing to resume attacks on Iran even before the Israeli general election, scheduled on October 27. This is likely to be a short but intense operation. Potential targets include Iran's energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities and missile and drone stockpiles. But what is the rationale behind this? Well, according to some observers, this could be used as a pretext to delay the Israeli elections as Netanyahu seeks to exploit the Iran war to his advantage. This comes as he is facing a tough bid for re-election with opinion polls showing Yashar party chief Gadi Eisenkot, as the more preferred prime ministerial choice.

US and Israel may strike Iran again as regional tensions escalate, military deployments grow, and Tehran warns of retaliation against US bases

Gravitas | US attack could trigger WW III: Russian planes in Tehran, Israeli jets, US warships in action

US President Donald Trump said on Friday, October 23, that he has not spoken to the SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, but he would if there were still problems related to Ukraine's military-grade version of the Starlink service."If there is a problem, I will get it straightened out," Trump told reporters in White House before leaving for a rally in Florida."I have not spoken to him. I might have to, but I have not. I've heard it was fixed, but if it's not, I'll speak to him." Trump added that he had heard the issue was resolved. He also rejected that the tech mogul had too much control over a system that is vital for Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion, now in its fifth year."I don't think he does," Trump said. "Elon will never do anything wrong. I know him very well; he is a fair person." The pair have shared a complicated relationship, including a public fallout after Musk exited the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in 2025. The two then maintained a cordial relationship when they appeared in Trump's caravan several times, including in Beijing and in White House while meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahu-unprecedented-west-bank-offensive-hebron-demolitions-1792773228295">Netanyahu warns of unprecedented offensive unseen since 1967 in occupied West Bank</a>Trump's statement comes in direct contradiction to the Wall Street Journal report, which claimed that he had spoken to the SpaceX CEO. According to the report, which cites anonymous US officials, Trump called Musk and expressed frustration over the network being capped. According to those sources, Trump asked Musk to lift a 100 mph speed limit that was causing Ukrainian defence and offensive drones to lose connectivity behind Russian lines. Musk previously said he was not behind the slowdown, which affected Ukraine's ability to use attack drones and coordinate defensive operations.According to a BBC report which cites Ukrainian defence officials, &nbsp;there was "currently no confirmation that these restrictions have been lifted".&nbsp;

Donald Trump says he may contact Elon Musk over reported Starlink restrictions affecting Ukraine's military operations, while Kyiv has yet to confirm the limits were lifted.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday, October 23, that he has not spoken to the SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, but he would if there were still problems related to Ukraine's military-grade version of the Starlink service. "If there is a problem, I will get it straightened out," Trump told reporters in White House before leaving for a rally in Florida."I have not spoken to him. I might have to, but I have not. I've heard it was fixed, but if it's not, I'll speak to him." Trump added that he had heard the issue was resolved. He also rejected that the tech mogul had too much control over a system that is vital for Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion, now in its fifth year. "I don't think he does," Trump said. "Elon will never do anything wrong. I know him very well; he is a fair person." The pair have shared a complicated relationship, including a public fallout after Musk exited the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in 2025. The two then maintained a cordial relationship when they appeared in Trump's caravan several times, including in Beijing and in White House while meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping. Also Read: Netanyahu warns of unprecedented offensive unseen since 1967 in occupied West Bank Trump's statement comes in direct contradiction to the Wall Street Journal report, which claimed that he had spoken to the SpaceX CEO. According to the report, which cites anonymous US officials, Trump called Musk and expressed frustration over the network being capped. According to those sources, Trump asked Musk to lift a 100 mph speed limit that was causing Ukrainian defence and offensive drones to lose connectivity behind Russian lines. Musk previously said he was not behind the slowdown, which affected Ukraine's ability to use attack drones and coordinate defensive operations. According to a BBC report which cites Ukrainian defence officials, there was "currently no confirmation that these restrictions have been lifted".

Donald Trump says he may contact Elon Musk over reported Starlink restrictions affecting Ukraine's military operations, while Kyiv has yet to confirm the limits were lifted.

Trump says he may contact Musk over Starlink restrictions affecting Ukraine

The United States could strike Iran as soon as this weekend, US envoy Tom Barrack said on Friday, amid escalating threats from Washington and Israel. "Could there be a strike this weekend? Absolutely," Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and point man on Syria who does not have a direct role on Iran, told podcast host Mario Nawfal.&nbsp;President Donald Trump is very clear. He's open and available and accessible to a deal and we've been at the table for months and months and months, Barrack said in an interview during his visit to the Gulf. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed in recent days to topple Iran's clerical leadership. His remarks come after two major bombing campaigns against the country since last year, as he faces elections on Tuesday.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/race-to-power/the-verdict-france-s-protest-crackdown-when-protecting-democracy-risks-restricting-it-1792771638035">The Verdict | France's protest crackdown: When protecting democracy risks restricting it</a>&nbsp;Trump has also hinted that he is open to resuming strikes following a prolonged diplomatic deadlock. However, he previously said that such action would not take place before the US congressional elections on November 3. Barrack's remarks contradicted Netanyahu's position, with the US envoy saying that Washington was not seeking to overthrow the Islamic republic. Iran has been a sworn enemy of the United States and Israel since the 1979 revolution that toppled the pro-Western shah.&nbsp;"If you keep threatening the world, our allies, the Gulf, there will be a consequence. The consequence won't be regime change," Barrack said. "The United States, the president of the United States, has said he's not interested in regime change," he added. "The problem with regime change always is, what's the day-two scenario?" Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations, and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.

US envoy Tom Barrack warns a strike on Iran could happen this weekend as Trump remains open to a deal and rules out regime change

The United States could strike Iran as soon as this weekend, US envoy Tom Barrack said on Friday, amid escalating threats from Washington and Israel. "Could there be a strike this weekend? Absolutely," Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and point man on Syria who does not have a direct role on Iran, told podcast host Mario Nawfal. President Donald Trump is very clear. He's open and available and accessible to a deal and we've been at the table for months and months and months, Barrack said in an interview during his visit to the Gulf. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed in recent days to topple Iran's clerical leadership. His remarks come after two major bombing campaigns against the country since last year, as he faces elections on Tuesday. Also Read: The Verdict | France's protest crackdown: When protecting democracy risks restricting it Trump has also hinted that he is open to resuming strikes following a prolonged diplomatic deadlock. However, he previously said that such action would not take place before the US congressional elections on November 3. Barrack's remarks contradicted Netanyahu's position, with the US envoy saying that Washington was not seeking to overthrow the Islamic republic. Iran has been a sworn enemy of the United States and Israel since the 1979 revolution that toppled the pro-Western shah. "If you keep threatening the world, our allies, the Gulf, there will be a consequence. The consequence won't be regime change," Barrack said. "The United States, the president of the United States, has said he's not interested in regime change," he added. "The problem with regime change always is, what's the day-two scenario?" Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations, and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.

US envoy Tom Barrack says a strike on Iran could happen this weekend, while stressing that President Trump remains open to a diplomatic deal

Will the US attack Iran this weekend? Trump's envoy says, 'absolutely'

With more than a week away, Julliaina Stratton is projected as the favourite in Illinois. Stratton won the Democratic primary, defeating two sitting US House members in a race that tested the influence of Governor JB Pritzker. &nbsp;The billionaire Governor JB Pritzker, with whom she was a running mate seven years ago in 2019 and is hinting towards a Presidential run, is pouring millions into her campaign. Stratton edged out Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly in a contest marked by heavy fundraising and sharp exchanges between the candidates.&nbsp;Stratton will face Don Tracy, the former chair of the Illinois Republican Party, who won the GOP nomination after six Republican candidates appeared on the ballot. Tracy has said he can raise money to close a fundraising gap and appeal to moderate voters in an effort to flip the seat, which has not been open in about 30 years. Durbin is retiring after three decades in the Senate. &nbsp;Stratton is pushing for Medicare for all and a $25-per-hour national minimum wage."We need Democrats to get in and be prepared to be a wall of resistance to stand up against what this president is trying to do," she said.While Tracy blames Joe Biden for the high cost of living and attacked Stratton, branding her a Democratic Socialist from the camp of Bernie Sanders."People are hurting from the cost of living, there's no doubt about that, but keep in mind, it started under [President] Biden with the highest inflation in 47 years," said TraceyAlso Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brent-crude-oil-prices-iran-war-gulf-oil-spill-1792770006567">Brent crude hits $116 as UAE reports oil spill and Trump threatens to seize Iran's oil</a>"She's a democrat socialist. Look, she's for ruining Medicare," he said. "She's a democrat socialist. She supports Bernie Sanders, who is an avowed, admitted democrat socialist."&nbsp;If Stratton wins in November, Illinois will have its fourth Black senator, and she would be the sixth Black woman to serve in the current Senate and replace Senator Dick Durbin after three decades.Krishnamoorthi, who has represented the 8th Congressional District since 2017, gave up the seat to run for the Senate, setting off a crowded primary across the northwest suburbs. Twelve candidates, eight Democrats and four Republicans, appeared on the ballot. Former Representative Melissa Bean, who previously represented the district for three terms, was declared the Democratic nominee. On the Republican side, Jennifer Davis held a strong lead in her primary.The district stretches across parts of Cook, DuPage and Kane counties, including Schaumburg, Elgin and parts of the far Northwest Side of Chicago. Cook Political Report and Inside Elections rated the general election as Solid Democratic, and Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it Safe Democratic. There are 17 other House races in Illinois, and they heavily leaned Democratic.

Juliana Stratton enters the Illinois Senate race as the favourite against Republican Don Tracy, with healthcare, inflation and JB Pritzker's influence in focus.

With more than a week away, Julliaina Stratton is projected as the favourite in Illinois. Stratton won the Democratic primary, defeating two sitting US House members in a race that tested the influence of Governor JB Pritzker. The billionaire Governor JB Pritzker, with whom she was a running mate seven years ago in 2019 and is hinting towards a Presidential run, is pouring millions into her campaign. Stratton edged out Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly in a contest marked by heavy fundraising and sharp exchanges between the candidates. Stratton will face Don Tracy, the former chair of the Illinois Republican Party, who won the GOP nomination after six Republican candidates appeared on the ballot. Tracy has said he can raise money to close a fundraising gap and appeal to moderate voters in an effort to flip the seat, which has not been open in about 30 years. Durbin is retiring after three decades in the Senate. Stratton is pushing for Medicare for all and a $25-per-hour national minimum wage. "We need Democrats to get in and be prepared to be a wall of resistance to stand up against what this president is trying to do," she said. While Tracy blames Joe Biden for the high cost of living and attacked Stratton, branding her a Democratic Socialist from the camp of Bernie Sanders. "People are hurting from the cost of living, there's no doubt about that, but keep in mind, it started under [President] Biden with the highest inflation in 47 years," said Tracey Also Read: Brent crude hits $116 as UAE reports oil spill and Trump threatens to seize Iran's oil "She's a democrat socialist. Look, she's for ruining Medicare," he said. "She's a democrat socialist. She supports Bernie Sanders, who is an avowed, admitted democrat socialist." If Stratton wins in November, Illinois will have its fourth Black senator, and she would be the sixth Black woman to serve in the current Senate and replace Senator Dick Durbin after three decades. Krishnamoorthi, who has represented the 8th Congressional District since 2017, gave up the seat to run for the Senate, setting off a crowded primary across the northwest suburbs. Twelve candidates, eight Democrats and four Republicans, appeared on the ballot. Former Representative Melissa Bean, who previously represented the district for three terms, was declared the Democratic nominee. On the Republican side, Jennifer Davis held a strong lead in her primary. The district stretches across parts of Cook, DuPage and Kane counties, including Schaumburg, Elgin and parts of the far Northwest Side of Chicago. Cook Political Report and Inside Elections rated the general election as Solid Democratic, and Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it Safe Democratic. There are 17 other House races in Illinois, and they heavily leaned Democratic.

Juliana Stratton enters the Illinois Senate race as the favourite against Republican Don Tracy, with healthcare, inflation and JB Pritzker's influence in focus.

US midterms: JB Pritzker-backed Juliana Stratton leads Illinois Senate race

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned of a major offensive in the occupied West Bank, on a scale unseen since Israel first occupied the Palestinian territory in 1967, after two Israeli soldiers and two Palestinians were killed in an exchange of fire near a checkpoint in Hebron. The Israeli Prime Minister has ordered a full closure of the occupied West Bank and said that IDF would go house to house and demolish homes in Hebron.“I have reviewed a very extensive operation in the West Bank that will be unprecedented since ’67, and we will choose the timing of its implementation,” Netanyahu said."Our first step will be to demolish this site and completely transform it," Netanyahu said.&nbsp;"The IDF will enter the neighbourhoods from which the terrorists emerged, evacuate the residents, go house-to-house, and dismantle the terror infrastructure. We are prepared for an extensive operation in Judea and Samaria," he said, using Israel's name for the West Bank.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-china-border-tensions-mea-congress-modi-1792764991109">China border situation gets ‘disturbed’ over changing patrolling patterns: MEA</a>The security crisis and Netanyahu's declaration come just four days before Israel's parliamentary elections.&nbsp;Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right Israeli finance minister, called for a military campaign in the occupied West Bank and to turn it “exactly like in Gaza”. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, said that the Palestinian Authority should be dismantled.“There is no other option but a comprehensive military campaign to dismantle the Palestinian Authority, collect weapons and eliminate terrorists. Exactly like in Gaza and Lebanon,” said Smotrich. Bezalel Smotrich said that demolitions will target illegal structures that were built without a permit. However, according to a human rights group, the Israeli Civil Administration rejects approximately 95% of Palestinian building permit applications in Area C, so most of the constructions are without permit.After Netanyahu's statement, the IDF entered the Farsh al-Hawa neighbourhood. Video footage verified by international news networks shows armed soldiers giving residents of housing complexes as little as five minutes to evacuate before these demolitions started.&nbsp;

Benjamin Netanyahu warns of an unprecedented Israeli offensive in the occupied West Bank as forces order evacuations and begin demolitions in Hebron.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned of a major offensive in the occupied West Bank, on a scale unseen since Israel first occupied the Palestinian territory in 1967, after two Israeli soldiers and two Palestinians were killed in an exchange of fire near a checkpoint in Hebron. The Israeli Prime Minister has ordered a full closure of the occupied West Bank and said that IDF would go house to house and demolish homes in Hebron. “I have reviewed a very extensive operation in the West Bank that will be unprecedented since ’67, and we will choose the timing of its implementation,” Netanyahu said. "Our first step will be to demolish this site and completely transform it," Netanyahu said. "The IDF will enter the neighbourhoods from which the terrorists emerged, evacuate the residents, go house-to-house, and dismantle the terror infrastructure. We are prepared for an extensive operation in Judea and Samaria," he said, using Israel's name for the West Bank. Also Read: China border situation gets ‘disturbed’ over changing patrolling patterns: MEA The security crisis and Netanyahu's declaration come just four days before Israel's parliamentary elections. Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right Israeli finance minister, called for a military campaign in the occupied West Bank and to turn it “exactly like in Gaza”. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, said that the Palestinian Authority should be dismantled. “There is no other option but a comprehensive military campaign to dismantle the Palestinian Authority, collect weapons and eliminate terrorists. Exactly like in Gaza and Lebanon,” said Smotrich. Bezalel Smotrich said that demolitions will target illegal structures that were built without a permit. However, according to a human rights group, the Israeli Civil Administration rejects approximately 95% of Palestinian building permit applications in Area C, so most of the constructions are without permit. After Netanyahu's statement, the IDF entered the Farsh al-Hawa neighbourhood. Video footage verified by international news networks shows armed soldiers giving residents of housing complexes as little as five minutes to evacuate before these demolitions started.

Benjamin Netanyahu warns of an unprecedented Israeli offensive in the occupied West Bank as forces order evacuations and begin demolitions in Hebron.

Netanyahu warns of unprecedented offensive unseen since 1967 in occupied West Bank

France is preparing for another weekend of mass demonstrations, but the confrontation unfolding on its streets raises a question far greater than public order: how far can a democratic government go to restore calm without undermining the freedoms it is supposed to protect? President Emmanuel Macron's government is mobilising approximately 70,000 police officers and gendarmes ahead of Saturday's demonstrations, following widespread violence, looting and vandalism during last weekend's protests. Restrictions on demonstrations, curfews and heightened security measures have become central to the government's response. Macron has accused organised ultra-left groups of exploiting legitimate demonstrations to provoke violence and destabilise the French Republic. There is little dispute that the violence requires a firm response. Businesses have been vandalised, public property damaged and communities left fearful of further unrest. But an important distinction must not disappear amid the destruction. The right to protest is not the right to riot. Equally, the existence of rioters does not invalidate the right to protest. France's demonstrations have been driven by genuine economic and social grievances. Rising energy costs, mounting household expenses, concerns about public services and frustration among young people have contributed to the mobilisation.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/france-s-unrest-raises-a-fundamental-question-about-democracy-and-the-limits-of-state-power-1792772470237/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/france-s-unrest-raises-a-fundamental-question-about-democracy-and-the-limits-of-state-power-1792772470237/embed</a>These problems cannot be resolved through policing alone. The government's responsibility is twofold: prevent violence while protecting peaceful political expression. Whether its restrictions strike that balance is now a central question. The controversy has also crossed the Atlantic. US President Donald Trump has blamed migrants and extremist groups for France's unrest, promoting an explanation that has not been substantiated by available evidence. Macron has pushed back, accusing foreign leaders of exploiting France's difficulties for their own political campaigns. That exchange illustrates how domestic unrest can become a convenient instrument in international political messaging. For Trump, the French crisis has become part of a broader debate over immigration and security. For Macron, it presents an immediate challenge involving public confidence, political authority and constitutional freedoms. Yet neither political messaging nor an overwhelming security presence can substitute for addressing the underlying grievances. France's authorities must protect lives, businesses and public institutions. Those responsible for violence should face appropriate legal consequences. But the country's response must also preserve the distinction between peaceful demonstrators and those responsible for criminal acts. The coming demonstrations will test the government's ability to uphold both responsibilities. Because the ultimate measure of a democracy is not the absence of public anger. It is whether citizens can express that anger peacefully, freely and without fear of unjustified punishment. And that is The Verdict.

France's demonstrations have been driven by genuine economic and social grievances. Rising energy costs, mounting household expenses, concerns about public services and frustration among young people have contributed to the mobilisation.

France is preparing for another weekend of mass demonstrations, but the confrontation unfolding on its streets raises a question far greater than public order: how far can a democratic government go to restore calm without undermining the freedoms it is supposed to protect? President Emmanuel Macron's government is mobilising approximately 70,000 police officers and gendarmes ahead of Saturday's demonstrations, following widespread violence, looting and vandalism during last weekend's protests. Restrictions on demonstrations, curfews and heightened security measures have become central to the government's response. Macron has accused organised ultra-left groups of exploiting legitimate demonstrations to provoke violence and destabilise the French Republic. There is little dispute that the violence requires a firm response. Businesses have been vandalised, public property damaged and communities left fearful of further unrest. But an important distinction must not disappear amid the destruction. The right to protest is not the right to riot. Equally, the existence of rioters does not invalidate the right to protest. France's demonstrations have been driven by genuine economic and social grievances. Rising energy costs, mounting household expenses, concerns about public services and frustration among young people have contributed to the mobilisation. https://www.wionews.com/videos/france-s-unrest-raises-a-fundamental-question-about-democracy-and-the-limits-of-state-power-1792772470237/embed These problems cannot be resolved through policing alone. The government's responsibility is twofold: prevent violence while protecting peaceful political expression. Whether its restrictions strike that balance is now a central question. The controversy has also crossed the Atlantic. US President Donald Trump has blamed migrants and extremist groups for France's unrest, promoting an explanation that has not been substantiated by available evidence. Macron has pushed back, accusing foreign leaders of exploiting France's difficulties for their own political campaigns. That exchange illustrates how domestic unrest can become a convenient instrument in international political messaging. For Trump, the French crisis has become part of a broader debate over immigration and security. For Macron, it presents an immediate challenge involving public confidence, political authority and constitutional freedoms. Yet neither political messaging nor an overwhelming security presence can substitute for addressing the underlying grievances. France's authorities must protect lives, businesses and public institutions. Those responsible for violence should face appropriate legal consequences. But the country's response must also preserve the distinction between peaceful demonstrators and those responsible for criminal acts. The coming demonstrations will test the government's ability to uphold both responsibilities. Because the ultimate measure of a democracy is not the absence of public anger. It is whether citizens can express that anger peacefully, freely and without fear of unjustified punishment. And that is The Verdict.

France's demonstrations have been driven by genuine economic and social grievances. Rising energy costs, mounting household expenses, concerns about public services and frustration among young people have contributed to the mobilisation.

The Verdict | France's protest crackdown: When protecting democracy risks restricting it

Brent Crude futures, the benchmark oil index, climbed to $116.20 per barrel on Friday, October 23, its highest level in five months, in May 4. At the same time, US West Texas Intermediate futures traded about 3% higher at $102.56 a barrel. This comes after Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia, and investors are spooked by concerns over the US resuming strikes on Iran and further disruption to energy supplies.US President Donald Trump, before leaving for a rally in Florida, said that we could take all of Iran's oil if we wanted to. "Iran is not able to do much now. And we could, if we wanted to, just take all of the oil," Mr Trump said. "We could take the whole country.""And as you know, the Hormuz Strait is ours, and that's the way we'll keep it," the president added.Meanwhile, Iran's army chief said the country’s military is fully prepared for “asymmetric warfare” while it is actively engaged in the production, distribution, and maintenance of such weapons, while providing personnel with the necessary training to operate them.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-china-border-tensions-mea-congress-modi-1792764991109">China border situation gets ‘disturbed’ over changing patrolling patterns: MEA</a><h2>UAE reports oil spill in its coast</h2>Earlier on Friday, the UAE reported an oil spill from a tanker off the coast of Umm Al Quwain; it did not specify the reason for the spill. The report comes a day after Iran claimed to have struck four commercial vessels in Persian Gulf waters and said three others had hit sea mines in the region.The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said in a statement, "teams immediately began containment, cordoning, clean-up and remediation ... to limit environmental impacts," adding that Umm Al Quwain beaches had been closed."The slick is considerably larger, covering approximately 160 square km (60 square miles), and looks to be coming from the ship," Leon Moreland, a researcher at ⁠the Conflict and Environment Observatory, said.&nbsp;The authorities have not disclosed the identity of the tanker, while Martin Kelly, CEO of Orbital Risk Intelligence, told Reuters the oil slick was coming from a vessel called the Gem No 2.

Brent crude hits $116.20 a barrel, its highest level in five months, as fears of renewed US strikes on Iran and Gulf oil supply disruptions rattle markets.

Brent Crude futures, the benchmark oil index, climbed to $116.20 per barrel on Friday, October 23, its highest level in five months, in May 4. At the same time, US West Texas Intermediate futures traded about 3% higher at $102.56 a barrel. This comes after Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia, and investors are spooked by concerns over the US resuming strikes on Iran and further disruption to energy supplies. US President Donald Trump, before leaving for a rally in Florida, said that we could take all of Iran's oil if we wanted to. "Iran is not able to do much now. And we could, if we wanted to, just take all of the oil," Mr Trump said. "We could take the whole country." "And as you know, the Hormuz Strait is ours, and that's the way we'll keep it," the president added. Meanwhile, Iran's army chief said the country’s military is fully prepared for “asymmetric warfare” while it is actively engaged in the production, distribution, and maintenance of such weapons, while providing personnel with the necessary training to operate them. Also Read: China border situation gets ‘disturbed’ over changing patrolling patterns: MEA UAE reports oil spill in its coast Earlier on Friday, the UAE reported an oil spill from a tanker off the coast of Umm Al Quwain; it did not specify the reason for the spill. The report comes a day after Iran claimed to have struck four commercial vessels in Persian Gulf waters and said three others had hit sea mines in the region. The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said in a statement, "teams immediately began containment, cordoning, clean-up and remediation ... to limit environmental impacts," adding that Umm Al Quwain beaches had been closed. "The slick is considerably larger, covering approximately 160 square km (60 square miles), and looks to be coming from the ship," Leon Moreland, a researcher at ⁠the Conflict and Environment Observatory, said. The authorities have not disclosed the identity of the tanker, while Martin Kelly, CEO of Orbital Risk Intelligence, told Reuters the oil slick was coming from a vessel called the Gem No 2.

Brent crude hits $116.20 a barrel, its highest level in five months, as fears of renewed US strikes on Iran and Gulf oil supply disruptions rattle markets.

Brent crude hits $116 as UAE reports oil spill and Trump threatens to seize Iran's oil

France is set to deploy nearly 70,000 cops across the nation ahead of new protests this weekend, as some of the worst urban violence erupted in the country this year on the sidelines of demonstrations a week ago, the government confirmed on Friday (October 23). Amid the development, President Emmanuel Macron is postponing his scheduled visit to Nigeria and Senegal, which was set for later this month. Meanwhile, he held a meeting of his defence council of top ministers and officials and was to meet security forces. The president will also host representatives of high school pupils for the first time, after protests over the conditions at their schools started, which later sparked the movement that turned into a nationwide violent protest against the government over the rising cost of living.<h3>Sensitive timing for France</h3>Interior Minister Laurent Nunez claimed at a press conference in Paris that some 70,000 security personnel will be deployed on Saturday. He warned that calls for violence and looting were circulating on social media. The timing of the unrest is especially sensitive for France, coming just six months before elections to choose Macron’s successor, with a fresh poll showing far-right leader Marine Le Pen as the frontrunner, her lead reportedly bolstered by the recent turmoil. Tensions are set to rise further this weekend as Le Pen hosts her National Rally (RN) party congress in Orleans, an event expected to draw thousands of supporters even as local authorities brace for possible clashes with opponents converging on the city. At the prime minister’s office’s request, Nunez was due to visit Orleans on Friday to review security preparations. At Macron's meeting with students, "we will present our demands to him which remain the same: the state of school infrastructure and an overhaul of the Parcoursup (university admissions) system," Nathanael Combary, president of Renouveau Lyceen (High School Renewal), told AFP. Macron’s government, meanwhile, has tried to distinguish between protesters’ legitimate grievances and the looting, arson and vandalism that broke out alongside demonstrations last Saturday. &nbsp;

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez claimed at a press conference in Paris that some 70,000 security personnel will be deployed on Saturday. He warned that calls for violence and looting were circulating on social media. 

France is set to deploy nearly 70,000 cops across the nation ahead of new protests this weekend, as some of the worst urban violence erupted in the country this year on the sidelines of demonstrations a week ago, the government confirmed on Friday (October 23). Amid the development, President Emmanuel Macron is postponing his scheduled visit to Nigeria and Senegal, which was set for later this month. Meanwhile, he held a meeting of his defence council of top ministers and officials and was to meet security forces. The president will also host representatives of high school pupils for the first time, after protests over the conditions at their schools started, which later sparked the movement that turned into a nationwide violent protest against the government over the rising cost of living. Sensitive timing for France Interior Minister Laurent Nunez claimed at a press conference in Paris that some 70,000 security personnel will be deployed on Saturday. He warned that calls for violence and looting were circulating on social media. The timing of the unrest is especially sensitive for France, coming just six months before elections to choose Macron’s successor, with a fresh poll showing far-right leader Marine Le Pen as the frontrunner, her lead reportedly bolstered by the recent turmoil. Tensions are set to rise further this weekend as Le Pen hosts her National Rally (RN) party congress in Orleans, an event expected to draw thousands of supporters even as local authorities brace for possible clashes with opponents converging on the city. At the prime minister’s office’s request, Nunez was due to visit Orleans on Friday to review security preparations. At Macron's meeting with students, "we will present our demands to him which remain the same: the state of school infrastructure and an overhaul of the Parcoursup (university admissions) system," Nathanael Combary, president of Renouveau Lyceen (High School Renewal), told AFP. Macron’s government, meanwhile, has tried to distinguish between protesters’ legitimate grievances and the looting, arson and vandalism that broke out alongside demonstrations last Saturday.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez claimed at a press conference in Paris that some 70,000 security personnel will be deployed on Saturday. He warned that calls for violence and looting were circulating on social media.&nbsp;

France deploys 70,000 Police ahead of fresh protests, President Macron scraps Africa trip

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