Israeli Settler Attacks Disrupt West Bank Olive Harvest and Diplomats
Masked Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians harvesting olives across the occupied West Bank on Friday, setting fire to cars and olive trees, hurling rocks and beating residents with clubs and other weapons. Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine was among the injured, saying she was beaten by the assailants; at least two people were hurt in one village assault. Reporters Without Borders condemned the assault as "brazen violence" against the press.
The violence continued over the following days, and Belgian officials said settlers had attacked European diplomats and a French mayor in the West Bank, drawing further international condemnation. The annual olive harvest is a cultural touchstone and economic lifeline in the Israeli-occupied territory, and settler attacks during the season have surged.
Australian Lawmaker Critically Injured in Suspected Deliberate Car Attack
Independent federal MP Helen Haines, 65, was struck by a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV outside her electoral office in Wangaratta, Victoria, on Monday afternoon and was taken to hospital in critical condition. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the incident was "no accident" and a "deliberate act"; the 43-year-old male driver was detained by civilians and then arrested by police, who said they found a knife in his car. Australia's counterterrorism team was activated, though Victoria police said there was "no ongoing threat to the community" and nothing indicated the two parties knew each other.
Political leaders across the spectrum condemned the incident, and colleagues described Haines, the member for Indi, as a respected and non-divisive figure.
Pope Leo XIV Resumes Public Duties After Lung Cancer Surgery
Pope Leo XIV left Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Saturday, four days after surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung to extract a cancerous tumour. On Sunday he appeared unaided on the balcony of the Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus prayer, telling the crowd in St Peter's Square that "this delicate phase" was behind him and that he would "gradually resume" his activities. The Vatican said he will hold a general audience with pilgrims at the Vatican on 20 October and remains scheduled to travel to Latin America in November.
World Food Programme Cuts Gaza Aid for 500,000 People
The United Nations World Food Programme said funding shortages are forcing it to slash monthly food assistance in Gaza from 1.6 million people to 1.1 million, ending support for about 500,000 people each month. Two-thirds of Gaza's population remains acutely food insecure, roughly 200,000 people are in danger of famine, and 1.4 million are suffering acute food shortages, according to the agency. The cuts come more than a year after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect, with promised reconstruction yet to materialise, and aid officials warned that winter will deepen hunger in the territory.
Four Soldiers Killed in Fast-Moving Fire at Canadian Military Base
Four service members were killed and dozens injured, several critically, when a violent, fast-moving fire swept through Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta during a training exercise on Saturday. Officials said a grass fire spread "a kilometre in 36 seconds" and that military and emergency crews fought the flames through the night in severe conditions; the blaze also jumped beyond the base into surrounding rural areas. Prime Minister Mark Carney called the incident one of the worst peacetime tragedies for Canada's armed forces on Canadian soil, while authorities said the cause remains under investigation.
Kenyan Cult Leader Convicted of 191 Starvation Murders
A Kenyan court has found doomsday cult leader Paul Mackenzie and about 30 co‑accused, including his wife Rhoda Maweu, guilty of murdering 190 children and one adult. Prosecutors said Mackenzie’s Good News International Church ordered followers to starve themselves and their children to death so they could “meet Jesus”; Mackenzie denied giving the order. He was arrested in 2023 after a police tip‑off.
Trump Endorses Netanyahu Days Before Israeli Election
U.S. President Donald Trump has endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israel's 27 October election, calling him a "great warrior prime minister" and a "strong, brave, and brilliant" leader. The endorsement comes after months of rocky relations and public divergence over strategy on Iran and Gaza; Trump warned that the United States might not "do this work" if Israel changes leaders. Polls suggest Netanyahu and his far-right partners currently lack a parliamentary majority, and some Israeli voters have expressed disappointment with Trump's handling of the Iran war and his ceasefire proposal.
Bomb Threat Forces Austrian Airlines Flight to Land in Bulgaria
An Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna made an emergency landing in Sofia, Bulgaria, after the crew received a bomb threat while flying near the Bulgarian-Romanian border. A Bulgarian MiG-29 fighter jet escorted the Airbus jet, which landed safely; all passengers and crew were unharmed, Bulgarian authorities said.
Musk Pledges SpaceX Share for Every U.S. Child
Elon Musk said on social media that he will give one share of his SpaceX company to "every kid in America" next year, adding that the gift "will be the first of many." The pledge came a day after artificial-intelligence company Anthropic said it would commit 5% of its shares to a new public-benefit fund, and follows similar moves by wealthy technology figures to create savings accounts for children.
Brazil Court Orders Meta to Prove Equal Political Treatment
Brazil's top electoral court has given Meta 24 hours to prove it is treating campaign content from President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro equally on its platforms, threatening a daily fine for noncompliance. A judge also doubled the daily fine for failing to obey an earlier order on political content. The ruling follows allegations by Lula's campaign that Meta is suppressing his material ahead of Sunday's closely contested presidential runoff.