Israel imposes West Bank lockdown and launches military operations after Hebron attack
Two Israeli soldiers were killed and two suspected gunmen were shot dead in an attack at a military checkpoint near Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Friday morning, the Israeli military said. At least five people were injured, some of them critically, and emergency services evacuated the wounded to hospitals.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office ordered the army to prepare for a full closure of the West Bank and warned that an extensive military operation was imminent. By Saturday, a lockdown was in effect and operations were underway across the territory and in the Hebron area, although some official statements continued to describe the measures as ordered or pending.
Netanyahu said Israel had thwarted a major attack and vowed to displace some Hebron residents. With Israel’s parliamentary election less than a week away, one report said Israeli authorities had removed around 250 Palestinian families from the city.
Fire Engulfs Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest Retreat in Bavaria
A major fire has gutted the Kehlsteinhaus, Adolf Hitler’s former mountaintop retreat known as the Eagle’s Nest, in the Bavarian Alps near the Austrian border. The blaze broke out late Friday, drawing roughly 200 firefighters and emergency personnel to the remote site.
Bavarian police detained a 33-year-old German man in connection with the fire and said no injuries were reported. The historic structure, completed in 1938 as a retreat for Nazi officials and a long-standing tourist attraction, was rarely used by Hitler himself, and authorities said it is probably beyond repair.
Kim Jong Un Crosses New Bridge into China
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has crossed into China over the newly opened New Yalu River Bridge, arriving in the border city of Dandong, according to South Korean officials cited by the Yonhap news agency. The trip, reported Saturday, marks his first known journey abroad in more than a year.
The bridge opened about a week ago. The visit comes as Pyongyang deepens ties with Beijing and Moscow and frames its diplomacy as part of a united front against the United States.
Two Former FBI Officials Charged in Hunter Biden Laptop Probe
Federal prosecutors have charged two former FBI intelligence officials with making false statements about their involvement in the investigation into Hunter Biden’s laptop ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, who worked on the bureau’s Foreign Influence Task Force, each face one count of lying to Congress, according to the Justice Department.
The charges allege the pair misrepresented their knowledge of the probe. Defense lawyers contend the department is reviving the controversy for political effect before the midterms. The case adds to longstanding Republican accusations that the FBI mishandled the laptop matter.
Trump DOJ Sues to Block Alaska Senate Certification
The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit asking a federal court to block certification of Alaska’s U.S. Senate race if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan loses, citing potential voter confusion over a second candidate with the same name on the ballot. The suit claims the independent candidate Dan Sullivan was included to mislead voters.
Donald Trump said he ordered the filing, which argues that the incumbent would have won had the other Sullivan’s votes been counted for him. Voting-rights experts have called the move an unprecedented federal intervention in an election whose outcome could help determine control of the Senate.
Oregon Father Describes Stopping School Shooter in Bend
Kaylub Giamanco, the Oregon father who killed a 16-year-old gunman at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend on Oct. 15, has spoken publicly for the first time about the confrontation. In an interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting, Giamanco said he was driving past the school when he saw an armed person dressed in black climb a fence and enter the grounds.
He told a 911 dispatcher, “I have to go in. People are going to die,” before engaging the shooter. The attack left three children and a teacher dead. Giamanco, whose two daughters attend the school, said he was the children’s “last line of defense” and expressed regret that he could not save more.
Gunmen Kill Seven at Church Funeral in Jordan
Gunmen attacked a funeral service at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, Jordan, on Friday, killing seven people and wounding dozens more, Jordanian authorities said. State television footage showed multiple assailants approaching the church and opening fire; one appeared to carry a semiautomatic rifle.
The violence struck the southern city, about 110 miles south of Amman, which has a long-established Christian community. Security forces said they were pursuing the attackers. The death toll stood at seven, with the number of wounded reported at between 34 and 40.
White House Says Melania Trump Brokered Ceasefire in Oleshky
The White House said Friday that First Lady Melania Trump helped secure a localized ceasefire in Oleshky, a Russian-occupied city in southern Ukraine where residents have faced severe food shortages and a collapsing humanitarian situation. The agreement is scheduled to take effect on Oct. 29 and is meant to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.
Neither Ukrainian nor Russian officials have confirmed the truce. The White House described the agreement as intended to facilitate humanitarian aid in a city where some residents have resorted to eating garden weeds to survive.
Bayern Munich Coach Kompany Hospitalised After Training Collapse
Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany was taken to hospital on Friday after collapsing at the club’s training ground. The former Belgium defender had been battling a viral infection and had missed recent sessions; the club said he was undergoing thorough medical examinations.
The incident occurred while Kompany was observing the club’s second team. Sporting director Max Eberl had said recently that Kompany had also been dealing with a hip injury.
Rubio Urges Cubans Seeking Change to Work With CIA
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio called on Cubans seeking “positive change” to form a discreet partnership with the Central Intelligence Agency, as the Trump administration steps up pressure on Havana. The CIA posted a video on X outlining how individuals can contact the agency.
The appeal follows repeated administration statements that it seeks to replace Cuba’s leadership and comes after the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which has increased pressure on Havana.
Trump Takes Credit for Alaska Senate Certification Lawsuit
President Donald Trump said Friday that he instructed the Justice Department to file a lawsuit to block certification of Alaska’s U.S. Senate race if Republican Senator Dan Sullivan loses, arguing that the presence of two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the ballot could confuse voters.
The action drew warnings that the federal government may be preparing to contest an unfavorable outcome, intensifying questions about whether the administration would accept a potential defeat in a race that could decide control of the Senate.
Typhoon Champi Kills One and Injures Hundreds in Taiwan
Typhoon Champi slammed Taiwan with heavy rain and winds reaching 180 kilometres per hour, leaving at least one person dead and hundreds injured, authorities said. The storm toppled trees, caused brief flooding, disrupted power lines and forced about 5,000 people to evacuate.
Roughly 56,000 households lost electricity across the island. After passing Taiwan, the typhoon was forecast to move toward China and Japan.