Sunday, 18 October 2026
President Trump has suspended tariffs and sanctions on Russia under the Graham Act, days before they were due to take effect. Zelensky calls the move a reward for Putin. It reshapes the pressure on Moscow at a moment when the war shows no sign of easing.
In the Gulf, Iran's Revolutionary Guards say two loaded supertankers caught fire after hitting mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and they declared the strait closed. In Yemen, Houthi forces have encircled Taiz and hit Aden's airport while attacking Saudi Arabia, and Egypt and the UAE are moving to back Riyadh. Russian attacks killed at least eight people across Ukraine, while Ukraine sent drone waves toward the Moscow and Leningrad regions. In the West Bank, masked settlers attacked European diplomats and a French mayor on Saturday, a day after a Washington Post photographer was beaten, and the US and Belgium demanded action from Israel.
Cost-of-living protests turned violent in France on Saturday, when rioters burned the town hall of Limoges, and clashes and marches followed in Italy, Belgium and Portugal. The IMF's Bangkok meetings ended the same day with warnings that the global economy's resilience is under strain. Debt trouble at CoreWeave, Oracle and SoftBank is raising doubts about how the AI data-centre build-out is financed, and Bloomberg reports the reversal has reached Asia's AI supply-chain stocks.
Off the radar, Al Jazeera reports that former president Joseph Kabila has joined a rebellion in Congo, and FAZ says Kabila leads a new rebel coalition aiming to overthrow the government in Kinshasa. Watch Tuesday, 20 October, when Lebanon and Israel are due to join US-backed talks in Tampa, Florida.
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In the Gulf, Iran's Revolutionary Guards say two loaded supertankers caught fire after hitting mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and they declared the strait closed. In Yemen, Houthi forces have encircled Taiz and hit Aden's airport while attacking Saudi Arabia, and Egypt and the UAE are moving to back Riyadh. Russian attacks killed at least eight people across Ukraine, while Ukraine sent drone waves toward the Moscow and Leningrad regions. In the West Bank, masked settlers attacked European diplomats and a French mayor on Saturday, a day after a Washington Post photographer was beaten, and the US and Belgium demanded action from Israel.
Cost-of-living protests turned violent in France on Saturday, when rioters burned the town hall of Limoges, and clashes and marches followed in Italy, Belgium and Portugal. The IMF's Bangkok meetings ended the same day with warnings that the global economy's resilience is under strain. Debt trouble at CoreWeave, Oracle and SoftBank is raising doubts about how the AI data-centre build-out is financed, and Bloomberg reports the reversal has reached Asia's AI supply-chain stocks.
Off the radar, Al Jazeera reports that former president Joseph Kabila has joined a rebellion in Congo, and FAZ says Kabila leads a new rebel coalition aiming to overthrow the government in Kinshasa. Watch Tuesday, 20 October, when Lebanon and Israel are due to join US-backed talks in Tampa, Florida.
Important today
Iran says two supertankers hit mines as it declares Hormuz closed
Trump waives Russia sanctions, Kyiv warns of reward for Moscow
Houthis tighten Taiz siege and strike Aden as Egypt and UAE back Riyadh
Cost-of-living protests turn violent in France and spread across Europe
Russian strikes cut power to a million Ukrainians; drones target Moscow region
US and Belgium press Israel after settler attacks on journalist and diplomats
Stampede at Durga Puja pavilion in Kolkata kills at least 17
Albanian police use rubber bullets as student protests against Rama continue
Kenya's Ebola cases rise to seven as health workers are infected
Deaths and spreading fire after serious incident at Canadian base in Alberta
Romania shoots down two drones over Black Sea after tanker attacks
Debt trouble at AI data-centre builders spreads to Asian chip stocks
All stories
Global · 5
- Debt trouble at AI data-centre builders spreads to Asian chip stocks
- IMF meetings end with warnings on oil, debt and inflation
- Calls for AI oversight grow from Washington to Sacramento and London
- Delegates walk out of IMF meeting as Russian finance minister speaks
- Russia rejects idea of quick path to nuclear zero
Middle East · 6
- Iran says two supertankers hit mines as it declares Hormuz closed
- Houthis tighten Taiz siege and strike Aden as Egypt and UAE back Riyadh
- US and Belgium press Israel after settler attacks on journalist and diplomats
- Four dead in Istanbul floods
- Lebanon and Israel to join US-backed talks in Florida
- Israeli drone strikes kill six in Gaza as shelter crisis deepens before winter
Europe · 7
- Trump waives Russia sanctions, Kyiv warns of reward for Moscow
- Cost-of-living protests turn violent in France and spread across Europe
- Russian strikes cut power to a million Ukrainians; drones target Moscow region
- Albanian police use rubber bullets as student protests against Rama continue
- Romania shoots down two drones over Black Sea after tanker attacks
- Pope Leo leaves hospital and returns to Vatican after lung cancer surgery
- Ukraine calls Russian-held Oleshky a 'death trap' with starving residents
Asia · 7
- Stampede at Durga Puja pavilion in Kolkata kills at least 17
- Bangladesh struggles to contain world's largest measles outbreak this year
- Pakistan and Afghan Taliban exchange fire along border
- Ten killed in fire at Bangladesh beach resort
- Asean monitor issues highest haze alert as Singapore names firms over Indonesian fires
- India's Cockroach Party founder freed after arrest as US lawmakers urge Rubio to act
- North Korea says it tested new AI-equipped torpedo system
Africa · 4
North America · 5
- Deaths and spreading fire after serious incident at Canadian base in Alberta
- Hurricane Trudy strengthens to Category 2 as it nears Mexico's Pacific coast
- Calgary crowd rallies for Canada as Alberta's separation vote nears
- Orange County wildfire burns homes and forces thousands to evacuate
- Suspicious mailings reach offices of dozens of US lawmakers
South America · 1
Geopolitics · 32
- Iran says two supertankers hit mines as it declares Hormuz closed
- Trump waives Russia sanctions, Kyiv warns of reward for Moscow
- Houthis tighten Taiz siege and strike Aden as Egypt and UAE back Riyadh
- Cost-of-living protests turn violent in France and spread across Europe
- Russian strikes cut power to a million Ukrainians; drones target Moscow region
- US and Belgium press Israel after settler attacks on journalist and diplomats
- Stampede at Durga Puja pavilion in Kolkata kills at least 17
- Albanian police use rubber bullets as student protests against Rama continue
- Kenya's Ebola cases rise to seven as health workers are infected
- Bangladesh struggles to contain world's largest measles outbreak this year
- Deaths and spreading fire after serious incident at Canadian base in Alberta
- Romania shoots down two drones over Black Sea after tanker attacks
- Hurricane Trudy strengthens to Category 2 as it nears Mexico's Pacific coast
- Former president Kabila joins rebel coalition seeking to topple Kinshasa government
- Calgary crowd rallies for Canada as Alberta's separation vote nears
- Pakistan and Afghan Taliban exchange fire along border
- Pope Leo leaves hospital and returns to Vatican after lung cancer surgery
- Ten killed in fire at Bangladesh beach resort
- Asean monitor issues highest haze alert as Singapore names firms over Indonesian fires
- Four dead in Istanbul floods
- India's Cockroach Party founder freed after arrest as US lawmakers urge Rubio to act
- Tunisians stage biggest protest in years against President Saied
- Lula campaign accuses Meta of interference ahead of Brazil run-off
- Orange County wildfire burns homes and forces thousands to evacuate
- Lebanon and Israel to join US-backed talks in Florida
- Ukraine calls Russian-held Oleshky a 'death trap' with starving residents
- Israeli drone strikes kill six in Gaza as shelter crisis deepens before winter
- Delegates walk out of IMF meeting as Russian finance minister speaks
- Russia rejects idea of quick path to nuclear zero
- North Korea says it tested new AI-equipped torpedo system
- Suspicious mailings reach offices of dozens of US lawmakers
- Sudan's army claims dozens of RSF fighters killed in Nyala attack