October 1, 2025

MIDDLE EAST | Updates from regional conflicts:

• Qatar, a key mediator in efforts to end the nearly two-year war in Gaza, said yesterday that further talks are needed to fully evaluate the 20-point peace plan announced by the U.S. and Israel earlier this week. [more]
• Palestinian health officials say at least 33 people were killed in Israeli military action across Gaza over the past 24 hours, including 17 reported to have been attempting to access humanitarian aid. [more]
• Yemen's Houthi rebel group claimed responsibility today for this week's missile attack on a Dutch-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden in which two crew members were wounded and the crew was forced to abandon the vessel. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,315 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi expressed concern yesterday about increased safety risks at the Russia-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southern Ukraine, which lost external power on September 23 and has been running on emergency diesel generators since that date to power critical cooling systems. Grossi noted that while there is no immediate danger to the plant, the power disruption is "clearly not a sustainable situation in terms of nuclear safety." [more]

U.S. GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN | A partial shutdown of the U.S. federal government began at 12:01 a.m. today after the Senate failed last night to pass legislation temporarily extending funding for operations. About 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed during the shutdown. Reports note that while many government services will be suspended, essential services such as defense, homeland security, and Medicare, Medicaid, and veteran health care programs are expected to continue operating. [AP summary of shutdown effects] [more]

U.S. MILITARY | Speaking yesterday at a summit of U.S. military generals, admirals, and senior enlisted advisors summoned from around the world, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth decried what he described as "wokeness" and loosening standards in the U.S. military and said the armed forces would focus on “the warrior ethos” and “peace through strength" going forward. President Donald Trump, speaking at the same summit, proposed using American cities as training grounds for the armed forces and spoke of needing U.S. military might to combat what he called an “invasion from within.” Reports say the gathered military leaders remained mostly silent throughout the speeches in keeping with the nonpartisan tradition of the armed services, but that Trump, noting the silence, encouraged the audience to applaud as they wished, adding that "“If you don’t like what I’m saying, you can leave the room — of course, there goes your rank, there goes your future.” [more]

U.S. FREE SPEECH | Boston-based U.S. District Judge William Young ruled yesterday that the Trump administration has violated the free-speech provision of the First Amendment by targeting non-U.S. citizens for deportation solely for supporting Palestinians and criticizing Israel. Young said in his ruling that the court "unequivocally" maintains that non-citizens lawfully present in the United States have the same free speech rights as citizens. [more]

U.S. REAL ESTATE | The U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit yesterday against real estate companies Zillow and Redfin, accusing the firms of entering into an agreement that regulators say illegally suppresses competition in online rental advertising. [more]

U.S. EMPLOYMENT | Labor Department data released yesterday indicates that job openings in the U.S. rose slightly to 7.23 million in August – up from 7.21 million in July – while both hires and total separations were little changed at 5.1 million. [full jobs report] [more]

U.S. MEDICAID | Drug maker Pfizer said yesterday that, under a deal negotiated with the Trump administration, it will implement most-favored-nation pricing to Medicaid and guarantee that pricing on newly launched drugs. President Donald Trump said during the White House announcement that he expects similar deals with other drugmakers to be forthcoming. [more]

NORTH CAROLINA | Authorities say five unoccupied seaside houses in the community of Buxton in North Carolina's Outer Banks collapsed yesterday amidst dangerous sea conditions brought on by Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda. [more]

MINNESOTA | In a ruling announced yesterday, the civil rights offices at the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services say the state of Minnesota and its governing body for high school sports are violating Title IX protections by "allowing males to compete in female sports and occupy female intimate facilities," and gave the state and league 10 days to voluntarily accept a list of conditions to reverse their policies or risk funding cuts and other enforcement action. [more]

HAITI | The U.N. Security Council voted yesterday to authorize an expansion of the international force in Haiti to boost efforts to fight widespread gang violence. The force will now be expanded to 5,500 members and be given the previously-withheld power to arrest suspected gang members. [more]

EUROPEAN SECURITY | Amidst increased security prompted by recent drone incidents at local airports, European leaders and defense officials are gathering in Copenhagen, Denmark, today for a pair of summits. The European Union leaders meeting is expected to focus on security, defense and the war in Ukraine, while the European Political Community summit is focused on security, trafficking, and migration. [more]

PHILIPPINES | Emergency officials say at least 69 people were killed in building collapses and other damage when a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the central Philippines last night. Authorities say rain and damaged bridges and roads have hampered rescue efforts across the affected region. [more]

GREECE | Protest marches and disruptions in public services are taking place today across Greece amidst a 24-hour general strike called by unions representing civil servants and private sector workers to protest recent changes to the country's labor laws. [more]

INDONESIA | Authorities in Indonesia's East Java province say at least 91 students are still unaccounted for as rescue efforts continue at an Islamic school that collapsed Monday in the town of Sidoarjo, killing at least three people and injuring more than 100 others. [more]

AFGHANISTAN | Taliban officials today denied reports of a ban on high-speed internet across Afghanistan as part of efforts to combat immorality, saying recent disruptions in internet and communications services were the result of “decaying fiber optic infrastructure” that is now being replaced. [more]

HUMAN RIGHTS AWARDS | This year's recipients of the Right Livelihood Awards for work in creating a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world were announced today and include: the youth-led Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change for "carrying the call for climate justice to the world’s highest court;" Justice for Myanmar for "exposing and eroding the international support to Myanmar’s corrupt military;" Taiwan's Audrey Tang for "advancing the social use of digital technology to empower citizens, renew democracy and heal divides;" and Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms network for "building a resilient model of mutual aid amid war and state collapse." [full award announcement] [more]

BASKETBALL | The Las Vegas Aces defeated the Indiana Fever last night to advance to the 2025 WNBA championship series, where they will face the Phoenix Mercury. Game 1 of the series is scheduled for Friday. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1949, with most of the Chinese mainland held by the communist People's Liberation Army, Mao Zedong proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of China. [more history]