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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
IRAN WAR
Senior Iranian commanders are reviewing plans to expand potential targets beyond U.S. linked assets if the United States resumes large-scale military attacks, according to sources. The planning reflects a conviction within Iran’s leadership that any renewed U.S. campaign must be met with a stronger response than before, even as Iran seeks to avoid escalation through talks. Parisa Hafezi reports for Reuters.
A U.S. official yesterday said the U.S. military is dispatching around 9,000 troops and a third aircraft carrier to the Middle East. Konstantin Toropin, Michelle L. Price, and Aamer Madhani report for AP News.
President Trump yesterday said Iran would be struck “very hard” if links to the copilot who tried to crash an Israel-bound flight are confirmed. Trump added that based on what he heard, Iran likely was involved. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday said the initial investigation into the attempted hijacking found that the co-pilot went through religious Islamic radicalization, and his remarks were confirmed by an Israeli intelligence official. Melanie Lidman, Samy Magdy, Michelle L. Price, and Cara Anna report for AP News; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.
IRAN WAR – YEMEN
The military spokesperson for Yemen’s internationally recognized government today said that warplanes carried out 20 strikes targeting Iran-aligned Houthi movement, personnel, vehicles, and military equipment in Taiz province. Saudi Arabia yesterday said the Houthis attacked a power distribution station in Medina that supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque. A Houthi military source denied the claim and said it was intended to cover up Saudi’s failure to substantiate an earlier accusation that the Houthis had targeted the holy city of Mecca. Tala Ramadan and Mohammed Ghobari report for Reuters.
IRAN WAR – OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
The U.S. military in recent weeks sent two additional Patriot missile batteries to protect oil and gas facilities in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, according to sources. The sources added that lobbying efforts by Saudi Arabia and Qatar against U.S. bombing of Iran in August was a key reason Trump decided to pursue an economic pressure campaign instead. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.
U.S. Central Command headquarters will hold a daylong conference this month to discuss ways to limit civilian casualties during combat operations, according to a former Pentagon official. Other attendees will include former staff members from a Pentagon initiative created to limit civilian harm that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shut down early in his term. John Ismay, Malachy Browne, and Christiaan Triebert report for the New York Times.
The U.S. State Department yesterday said it has waived human rights conditions for more than $300 million of military aid to Egypt in light of Egypt’s “helpful role” since the Iran war began. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio “has made a determination to waive the certification requirement with respect to $320 million in FY 2025 Foreign Military Financing for Egypt,” according to a letter addressed to various congressional committees dated Sep. 21, seen by Reuters. Alexander Dziadosz, Patricia Zengerle, and Humeyra Pamuk report.
U.K. counter-terror police yesterday said a 25-year-old U.K.-Iranian national was arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts in connection with the incident at Royal Air Force Fairford. Henry Moore reports for BBC News.
LEBANON
The Turkish Presidency’s communications directorate yesterday denied Reuters’ report that Turkey last month hosted a meeting between Syrian government representatives and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The Syrian government on social media also called the claims “false.” Feras Delatey, Laila Bassam, and Timour Azhari report.
WEST BANK VIOLENCE
Israeli militant settlers yesterday shot two Palestinians, killing one and injuring the other, in an attack on Yasuf village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to Village Council Head Jumaa Abdel Fattah. Mashour Yassin was killed during an attack on his home. Ali Sawafta and Pesha Magid report for Reuters.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Kyiv officials today said Russian airstrikes killed one and injured two in the capital, and forced the closure of two bridges across the Dnipro River. Kyiv’s Mayor Vitalii Klitschko yesterday said a Russian drone struck a school. No casualties were reported as children and staff were in shelters when the drone hit. Jekaterīna Golubkova reports for Reuters; Susie Blann and Barry Hatton report for AP News.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday said Ukraine had launched a FP-7 ballistic missile at a Russian target for the first time in combat. Alistair MacDonald reports for the Wall Street Journal.
The U.S. Treasury Department yesterday issued economic sanctions against Russian company A7. A department statement described how A7 had developed a web of companies to help businesses, people, and governments subject to sanctions buy domestic and military goods from around the world, and labelled the company a “significant transnational criminal organization.” Aaron Krolik reports for the New York Times.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung today threatened unspecified measures against Ukraine unless Ukraine acknowledged a confidentiality agreement that South Korea says covered the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers, and issued an apology for reporting on it. Lee also expressed “grave regret” over what he described as Ukrainian remarks about an imminent military clash between North and South Korea. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha yesterday said Ukraine is working to heal tensions with South Korea, and described the situation as a “diplomatic misunderstanding” rather than an incident. Kyu-Seok Shim reports for Reuters; Ron Popeski reports for Reuters.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
The Ethiopian government yesterday severed diplomatic relations with Eritrea. Eritrean diplomats were given 48 hours to leave, raising fears that the conflict in Ethiopia might become a direct war with Eritrea. Nicholas Bariyo reports for the Wall Street Journal.
Egyptian authorities yesterday arrested the entire editorial team of independent media outlet Matsadaash, accusing them of belonging to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. The six journalists are alleged to have produced fabricated news for an online outlet in exchange for foreign funding. Matsadaash co-founder Abedlrahman Mansour denied the allegations and said he and the arrested individual’s families have no idea where those who were arrested are. AP News reports.
Bolivian Interior Minister Marco Antonio Oviedo yesterday said Bolivia’s Attorney Gen. Roger Mariaca on Wednesday was arrested, two days after the United States revoked his visa and accused him of accepting bribes to facilitate drug trafficking. Mariaca was arrested alongside 13 other people as part of an operation targeting what authorities described as a “criminal organization” embedded within the judiciary and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Daniel Ramos reports for Reuters.
An International Criminal Court spokesperson yesterday said the Hague-based court ended its contract with French life and health insurer Axa and will now be using a new health insurance provider. The spokesperson gave no reason for the decision. Kanjyik Ghosh and Chandni Shah report for Reuters.
CLIMATE DEVELOPMENTS
The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service today said 52% of Europe experienced “very strong” levels of heat stress at times this summer, exposing people in a record-high share of the continent to the health risks of extreme heat. Western Europe experienced its hottest summer since records began, recording “very strong” heat stress on 13 days. Kate Abnett reports for Reuters.
A coalition of 21 U.S. states and four cities yesterday sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over its move to erase all limits on planet-warming emissions from powerplants. The suit alleges that the EPA acted unlawfully when it repealed regulations on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants that burn gas and coal. Brad Plumer reports for the New York Times.
AI DEVELOPMENTS
A Tokyo court on Wednesday awarded legal protection to the human voice in a case in which voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda demanded that TikTok close an account over its unauthorized use of an AI clone of his trademark baritone. The ruling was the first acknowledgement of the right of one’s voice in Japan. The judge said the human voice is “symbolic of individual personality, just like one’s portrait,” according to a court document seen by AP News. Mari Yamaguchi reports.
U.S. AI DEVELOPMENTS
OpenAI has fired three researchers on its safety team for alleged misconduct, including sharing confidential company information with a third-party AI-safety organization, sources told the Wall Street Journal. An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the firings “for violating our policies on accessing and handling sensitive company information.” Keach Hagey, Maxwell Zeff, and Berber Jin report.
The Justice Department yesterday said a California man was arrested on federal charges alleging he smuggled more than $300 million worth of export-controlled computer servers containing U.S. manufactured graphics processing units, commonly used for AI applications, to China. Greg Lui was charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act and the Export Administration Regulations, one count of outbound smuggling, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Kanishka Singh reports for Reuters.
U.S. cybersecurity firm Proofpoint yesterday said suspected Chinese hackers impersonated an Anthropic employee and ex U.S. officials in an espionage campaign aimed at gaining insights into U.S. AI developments. The hackers targeted the email accounts of experts in AI export controls and military applications of AI, among other topics. Sean Lyngaas reports for CNN.
U.S. CHINA DEVELOPMENTS
The Commerce Department has been taking steps to turn China’s dependence on U.S. aviation suppliers into leverage for trade negotiations, sources told Reuters. The department slowed export licensing for airplane parts bound for China in recent weeks, among other efforts to position itself to increase pressure on China should the Trump administration call upon it to do so. Karen Freifeld and Allison Lampert report.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Israeli President Isaac Herzog yesterday called Trump Israel’s “No. 1 friend,” downplaying strains between Israel and the United States over the Iran war. Herzog accused the United Kingdom of intervening in Israel’s elections through sanctions he called “unfair and politically motivated.” Jalen Beckford reports for POLITICO; Jalen Beckford reports for POLITICO.
The Korean government yesterday denied that it has finalized an investment for an Alaskan natural gas project, a day after Trump tried to use the investment to boost Sen. Dan Sullivan’s re-election prospects. Lee and other members of South Korea’s government said their investment in the pipeline remains conditional on its commercial viability and its compliance with the legal procedures of South Korea. Daniel Desrochers reports for POLITICO.
The State Department yesterday said Rubio will visit Iceland, Greece, and Portugal next week to discuss economic and security cooperation, among other issues. Rubio will lead the U.S. delegation for the sixth session of the U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue. Simon Lewis and Jonathan Landay report for Reuters.
Democrats in the Senate and House foreign affairs committees yesterday urged the State Department to review the conduct of U.S. ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle after a Wall Street Journal investigation into her efforts to promote gas deals with a Greek company across southeastern Europe. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) sent a letter to Rubio about Guilfoyle’s “inappropriate uses of an official position.” Dana Mattioli, Rebecca Ballhaus, Joe Parkinson, and Drew Hinshaw report.
The State Department has stripped tens of millions of dollars in U.S. military assistance from European and Middle Eastern countries and will give the funds to Latin American conservative governments instead, sources told the Washington Post. The department notified Congress of its intentions in September, but Democrat lawmakers placed a hold on the diversion. On Wednesday, the Trump administration notified Congress it was defying the hold and moving ahead. John Hudson reports.
U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS
The relatives of Renee Good, who was killed by an ICE agent on Jan. 7, 2026, yesterday filed two federal lawsuits. The first suit accused ICE agent Jonathan Ross of having placed himself at risk by standing in front of Good’s car during a confrontation and unjustifiably using deadly force. The same suit also names former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and White House Border Czar Thomas D. Homan, amongst others, as defendants, and argues that Good’s death was the result of an immigration operation in Minnesota that was driven by unconstitutional racial animus against Somali and Hispanic people. The second suit names the U.S. government as a defendant, and is filed under a 1964 law that allows plaintiffs to seek redress for deaths caused by negligence. Ernesto Londono reports for the New York Times.
The Department of Homeland Security pays local agencies as much as $2 million for each arrest in a nationwide task force, according to a Wall Street Journal report released yesterday. The DHS task force program enlists local police as paid partners in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, and departments qualify to receive $60,000 a year for each deputized officer, regardless of additional immigration arrests. Brenna T. Smith, Marianne LeVine, and Jack Gillum report.
Wilber Rafael Garces Perez yesterday had surgery to remove the bullet shot into his back during an ICE operation nearly two weeks ago. A spokesperson for Garces Perez’s legal team said he is recovering in the custody of the U.S. Marshalls. In light of recent escalated vehicle stops, ICE officers on Wednesday were ordered to not engage in high-speed car chases and to make vehicle stops only if they have completed specific training, according to an internal memo obtained by AP News. The memo said that officers should instead take down the vehicles’ information for further investigation. AP News reports; Ryan J. Foley reports.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
The State Department directed millions of dollars, originally set to promote human rights, to promote far-right causes, a source told CNN. The department defied a hold by Congress on the diversion, and the funds were due to lapse on Wednesday. Jennifer Hansler reports.
The DOJ is reviewing whether the special prosecutor’s office that investigated former President Nixon over Watergate committed misconduct during the investigation, sources told the Wall Street Journal. Former Nixon aide turned Watergate historian and revisionist Geoff Shepard recently gave a two-hour presentation at DOJ headquarters that laid out his theory that the deep state took Nixon down. The title of his 78-page slide was “Watergate As Lawfare.” Philip Wegmann and Sadie Gurman report.
Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Bill Pulte this week moved to slash the inspector general’s office that scrutinizes his actions. It was the second time that Trump administration officials have taken steps to limit scrutiny of the FHFA, and the inspector general’s office has remained without a permanent leader. Luke Broadwater reports for the New York Times.
The Democratic National Committee yesterday filed a lawsuit accusing the Defense Department of trying to disenfranchise overseas voters by altering a form used to register vote and request mail ballots. The suit argued that the changes, which included removing a check box from the Federal Post Card Application form, were made in an attempt to block overseas voters. Tim Balk reports for the New York Times.
Hegseth on Wednesday said he is launching an office of religious affairs which will report directly to him. The office will help offer “first-class religious support” to members of the Pentagon. Tiffany Stanley reports for AP News.
The federal judge of the ‘Broadview Six’ case yesterday said she will create a list of issues she wants further evidence on amid claims of a ‘cover-up.’ Federal prosecutors in April assured the judge that they had no contact with the White House or DOJ officials about their pursuit of six Operation Midway Blitz protestors, but the judge yesterday said further “under oath” fact-finding is needed, with the possibility that she will name a special prosecutor to investigate U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros and others. Jon Seidel, Sophie Sherry, and Tom Schuba report for the Chicago Sun Times.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier yesterday filed a lawsuit in state court against Pfizer and its CEO Albert Bourla. The suit accused the drugmaker of misleading consumers about the safety and effectiveness of its Covid-19 vaccine. Kamal Choudhury and Christy Santhosh report for Reuters.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTION
Trump yesterday did not rule out demolishing the Kennedy Center during his interview with Eric Cortellessa from TIME magazine. Trump said he would not commit to anything, but that “if I build it, and if I agree that for the rest of my life, I’m going to be putting up $100 million to have it open to people… then I think the Trump administration should be recognized.” Mallory Wilson reports for The Hill.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION
A Washington D.C. judge yesterday barred the Trump administration from any future attempt to charge former Olympian David Hearn with vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The ruling called the circumstances in Hearn’s case “exceptional” and said allowing the government to reinitiate a prosecution would put him at risk of being charged for a crime prosecutors have determined he didn’t commit. Lydia Wheeler reports for the Wall Street Journal.
A federal judge yesterday reinstated Roger Rogoff as the U.S. attorney in Seattle. The ruling found the Trump administration overstepped its authority in firing the prosecutor minutes after he took office earlier in the year, and barred the administration from attempting to remove Rogoff again. The judge also denied the administration’s motion to stay his ruling, and said it was “in the public’s interest to have the executive branch follow the law.” Danny Hakim and Taylor Mirfendereski report for the New York Times.
A federal judge yesterday dismissed a case that accused a Jamaican national of illegally voting. The ruling found the law criminalizing noncitizen voting was unconstitutional, but the ruling is not binding for other judges in other cases. Tom Hals reports for Reuters.
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