October 27, 2025

MIDDLE EAST | Updates from regional conflicts:

• The U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, says it shot down an Israeli drone today after the aircraft approached a patrol "in an aggressive manner." Israeli officials say the drone was carrying out routine information-gathering and reconnaissance activity. [more]
• The Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, announced yesterday that its forces will withdraw from Turkey to Iraq "to avoid clashes or provocations" as part of peace negotiations with the Turkish government. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,341 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Russia fired 101 drones at targets in Ukraine overnight into Sunday, killing at least three people and wounding 29 others, according to officials in the capital Kyiv. [more]
• Russian officials say their forces shot down 193 Ukrainian drones fired at targets inside Russia overnight, including 34 that targeted Moscow. Reports say at least one person was killed, and five others were injured, in the attacks. [more]

U.S. GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN | Day 27. In a notice posted on its website, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says federal food aid will not go out as scheduled on November 1 due to the ongoing government shutdown. The notice, which blames Democrats for the shutdown despite Republican majorities in both houses of Congress and prohibitions against partisan government operations, follows a Trump administration announcement that it would not use part of some $5 billion in contingency funds to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as SNAP, which, according to reports, helps about 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries. [more]

U.S. MILITARY | A fighter jet and a helicopter based off the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz both crashed into the South China Sea within 30 minutes of each other today, according to the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet. Reports note that all crew members of the aircraft were rescued and that the causes of the two crashes remain under investigation. [more]

U.S. SOCIAL SECURITY | In its annual cost-of-living adjustment, the Social Security Administration announced Friday that social security benefit payments will go up by 2.8% in 2026 – an average increase of $56 per month in benefit payments to retirees. [more]

U.S. POLITICS | In the latest in a series of similar moves in both Republican- and Democrat-controlled states, Republican Gov. Mike Braun called today for Indiana state legislators to return to Indianapolis for a special session to redraw the state’s congressional districting map as part of efforts to help maintain GOP control of the House of Representatives following the 2026 mid-term elections. [more]

U.S. AND VENEZUELA | Amidst ongoing tensions centered on U.S. drug-related accusations against Venezuela, the U.S. Navy has moved two warships – the USS Gravely guided missile destroyer and the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier – into the Caribbean Sea region near Venezuela. U.S. President Donald Trump has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of facility drug trafficking to the United States, while Maduro has accused the U.S. of fabricating a "new eternal war" against his country. [more]

U.S. AND CANADA | President Donald Trump said Saturday that he plans to increase tariffs on goods imported from Canada by an extra 10% because of his objections to an anti-tariff advertisement featuring late U.S. President Ronald Reagan aired by Canada's Ontario province. Trump had previously called off trade negotiations with Canada over the ad. [more]

U.S. AND CHINA | Ahead of an expected meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday, trade officials from both China and the U.S. say they have reached initial consensus on a trade deal that could be finalized by the countries' leaders. [more]

U.S. AND JAPAN | Trade tensions are expected to be the main topic of discussion when U.S. President Donald Trump and recently installed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meet today in Tokyo. [more]

HURRICANE MELISSA | After strengthening to a rare Category 5 storm, Hurricane Melissa is predicted to make landfall on Jamaica tomorrow and cross Cuba and the Bahamas on Wednesday. Forecasters say some areas of eastern Jamaica could get up to 40 inches (1 meter) of rain from the storm, causing catastrophic flooding and landslides. Reports note that mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for vulnerable coastal areas of Jamaica ahead of the arrival of what is expected to be the strongest storm on record to hit the country. [more]

SOUTHEAST ASIA | East Timor was welcomed as the newest member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional economic and security cooperation organization yesterday – the bloc's first expansion since Cambodia was added in 1999. East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao called his country's membership a "dream realized." [more]

FRANCE | French authorities say arrests have been made in connection with last week's theft of precious jewels from Louvre Museum in Paris. Reports say two men have been arrested, but prosecutors have not confirmed that number, nor have they said if any of the stolen items have been recovered. [more]

CAMEROON | Reports say at least four people were killed, and more than 100 were arrested, in clashes with security forces in Cameroon yesterday amidst protests over alleged ruling government vote rigging and the expected announcement today of final presidential election results. [more]

MALI | Government officials in Mali announced yesterday that schools and universities across the West African nation will be closed for two weeks amidst a fuel shortage caused by a blockade on fuel imports by al-Qaida-backed militants. [more]

IRELAND | Left-wing independent Catherine Connolly won Ireland's presidential election on Saturday, defeating her center-right rival, former Cabinet minister Heather Humphreys. [more]

BASEBALL | The World Series is tied at one game apiece after the Toronto Blue Jays won Game 1 on Friday and the Los Angeles Dodgers won Game 2 on Saturday. Game 3 is scheduled to be played in Los Angeles tonight. [more]

COLLEGE FOOTBALL | LSU has fired head football coach Brian Kelly in the fourth season of his 10-year, $100 million contract period. LSU was ranked as high as No. 3 in the AP Top 25 College Football Poll this season, but has fallen out of the Top 25 following Saturday's loss to Texas A&M – the Tigers' second straight loss, and third in four games. [more]

WEEKEND MOVIES | "Chainsaw Man" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $17.3 million in receipts, followed by "Black Phone 2" and "Regretting You." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1978, Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Menachem Begin of Israel were awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace for negotiations that resulted first in the Camp David Accords and then in a peace treaty between their countries. [more history]