Hostage Releases Begin Under Gaza Ceasefire Deal
Trump Threatens Tomahawks if Russia Persists
IMF–World Bank Face Tariffs, Debt and AI Risk
Pritzker Defies Guard Plan; Insurrection Act Mulled
Madagascar Elite Unit Backs Protests, Power Bid Claimed
Pakistan–Afghanistan Clash Shuts Border Crossings
Coral Die-Off Marks First Climate Tipping Point
Vance Warns Deeper Cuts as Shutdown Drags On
Futures Rebound as US–China Tariff Rhetoric Eases
France Names Cabinet Before Budget Showdown
On this day …..
On this day in 1792, construction began on the White House in Washington, D.C., intended as the official residence of the U.S. president. Conceived as both a symbol of the new republic’s permanence and a working centre of executive power, it has since hosted moments that shaped global politics — from wartime decision-making to summit diplomacy.
Its evolution from a fledgling state house to one of the most recognisable buildings in the world mirrors America’s own rise from an experimental democracy to a central actor in international affairs.
The White House has emerged as a sometimes divisive symbol across the world but always as an embodiment of the worlds’ most powerful nation.
The release of living Israeli hostages from Gaza has begun, with the Red Cross confirming a multi-phase operation under a ceasefire agreement. Seven hostages were transferred to the Red Cross in northern Gaza and then to Israeli forces, with more expected later today. The first phase also includes freeing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israel.
US President Donald Trump is en route to Israel to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and address the Knesset, before travelling to Egypt for a summit on Gaza’s future alongside leaders from more than 20 countries.
In Israel, helicopters arrived at the Re’im base to receive the freed hostages for medical checks and transfer to hospitals around Tel Aviv. Crowds gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square cheered as the process got underway, while Hamas said it remained committed to releases provided Israel abides by the deal.
Sources : NBC News, CNN
President Donald Trump has warned that the United States may provide Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles if Russia does not move to end its war soon. Speaking aboard Air Force One after conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump said the missiles — capable of striking deep inside Russian territory — would represent “a new step of aggression” and increase pressure on Moscow to negotiate. He added that Washington could supply the weapons to NATO, which would then pass them to Ukraine.
The warning follows renewed Russian strikes on Ukraine’s power grid and comes amid heightened tension between Moscow and Washington. The Kremlin called the potential supply of Tomahawks a cause for “extreme concern” and warned it would mark a major escalation. Zelensky, who described recent talks with Trump as “productive”, said Kyiv is pushing for longer-range capabilities to pressure Russia into meaningful peace talks.
Sources: Le Monde, Reuters
Finance chiefs gathering in Washington this week will confront a “triple risk”: renewed trade tensions, record global debt and warnings of an AI-fuelled market bubble. The stakes have risen after President Trump threatened additional 100% tariffs on Chinese goods from 1 November, even as recent data showed resilience in the U.S. economy.
Global debt has jumped by over $21 trillion this year to nearly $338 trillion, heightening concern about vulnerabilities if financial conditions tighten. Officials are also weighing the risk that elevated tech valuations could correct, with scenarios showing slower global growth if a U.S.-focused tech downturn takes hold.
Trade prospects are weakening, too: the WTO projects merchandise trade growth of just 0.5% in 2026, down from 2.4% this year, as earlier tariff shocks feed through.
Sources: Bloomberg, Zhitong Finance
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker vowed to resist federal plans to deploy National Guard resources to Chicago, saying “come and get me” in a TV interview. His remarks followed a federal court ruling on Thursday that temporarily blocked the administration’s attempt to deploy federalised Guard personnel in the city.
At the same time, Vice-President JD Vance said the White House is considering invoking the Insurrection Act, which allows domestic troop deployments in limited circumstances. He told NBC that the president is “looking at all of his options,” as courts have recently restrained federal moves in Illinois and Oregon.
Trump has said from the Oval Office that he would enact the law “if I had to,” while judges have warned they have seen no credible evidence of rebellion in Illinois.
Sources: The Guardian, The Independent
Madagascar’s presidency says an “attempted illegal and forcible seizure of power” is under way after an elite army unit, CAPSAT, urged soldiers to disobey orders and back youth-led protests that began on 25 September over power and water shortages. CAPSAT officers said they now coordinate all branches of the military from their base outside Antananarivo and installed General Demosthene Pikulas as army chief, a move blessed at a ceremony by the armed forces minister.
Parts of the gendarmerie have also broken ranks. The president’s whereabouts were unknown on Sunday, as his office called for dialogue. Beyond Madagascar, the African Union’s commission chair appealed for calm and restraint, and Air France–KLM suspended Paris–Antananarivo flights from 11–13 October citing security conditions.
Protests continued in the capital, with demonstrators calling for President Andry Rajoelina to step down, apologise for protester deaths, and dissolve the senate and electoral commission.
Sources: ABC News, Al Jazeera
Tensions spiked after one of the sharpest overnight clashes in years along the Pakistan–Afghanistan frontier. Both sides exchanged heavy fire; Pakistan’s military said 23 of its soldiers were killed and 29 injured, while the Taliban government reported nine Afghan soldiers dead and at least 16 wounded. Kabul said its forces struck Pakistani outposts in “retaliatory operations” following what it described as Pakistani airstrikes last week.
Each side claimed far higher enemy losses that could not be independently verified. Pakistan said it answered with heavy artillery, airstrikes and raids within Afghanistan; Afghan officials said the fighting stopped at midnight after Qatar and Saudi Arabia urged restraint.
Major crossings, including Torkham and Chaman, were closed on Sunday, disrupting trade amid already strained relations over militant sanctuaries and previous border clashes. Residents on both sides reported hours of gunfire overnight.
Sources: New York Times, Reuters
A new Global Tipping Points assessment by 160 researchers warns that climate thresholds are being crossed faster than expected, with worldwide coral reefs now in an almost irreversible die-off — described as the first tipping point in climate-driven ecosystem collapse.
The report lands weeks before COP30 in Brazil and revises down the threshold at which the Amazon rainforest could tip, indicating risks even around 1.5°C when combined with deforestation. It also flags possible disruption to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation.
Scientists note recent years were the warmest on record, with global temperatures already 1.3–1.4°C above the pre-industrial average and marine heatwaves stressing most reefs. While the study points to rapid progress in clean energy — renewables generating more power than coal in 2025 — it says current national policies still track toward ~3.1°C of warming, urging faster emissions cuts to avoid further tipping cascades.
Sources: Straits Times, Science News
On day 12 of the US government shutdown, Vice-President JD Vance warned “painful” workforce cuts will deepen the longer the standoff lasts. Hundreds of thousands of employees are furloughed, and an Office of Management and Budget filing said well over 4,000 federal workers would soon be fired, with seven agencies including the CDC beginning layoffs. A health department spokesman said some CDC notices were sent in error and around 700 staff were reinstated.
Negotiations remain scarce. Democrats rejected a short-term funding bill, seeking to attach Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies, while Republicans insist the government must reopen first; no vote is scheduled. Some services are closing, including Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo.
The administration is making an exception for service members: President Trump directed the defence secretary to find funds so troops are paid this week, with about $8bn reallocated from unobligated research and testing accounts.
Sources: PBS, BBC
US stock-index futures rose after the administration signalled openness to a deal with China following a sharp escalation in trade tensions. S&P 500 contracts gained 1.3% and Nasdaq 100 futures 1.8%, while oil rose 1.5%. Silver hit the highest in decades amid a short squeeze and gold set a new peak. European equity futures pointed to a stronger open.
The rebound follows China’s widened export curbs on rare earths and President Trump’s threat of an additional 100% tariff and new software export controls from 1 November.
On Sunday, trade envoy Jamieson Greer said Beijing rebuffed outreach to discuss the controls and called the move a “power grab”, while the administration sought to reassure markets by toning down its rhetoric. Asian shares, which missed Friday’s US headlines, fell as investors weighed whether the tariff threats will materialise or remain part of pre-negotiation positioning.
Sources: South China Morning Post, Bloomberg
Reappointed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu unveiled a new cabinet on Sunday, hours before a Tuesday deadline to present the 2026 draft budget. Most top ministers stayed on, including Roland Lescure at finance, Jean-Noël Barrot at foreign affairs and Gérald Darmanin at justice. Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez became interior minister, while Catherine Vautrin moved to defence and Edouard Geffray took education. Lecornu, who quit after a 14-hour cabinet last week before being reinstated Friday, pledged cross-party work to pass the budget.
However, the government lacks a parliamentary majority and faces motions of no confidence from France Unbowed and the National Rally, while the Socialists have yet to commit.
President Emmanuel Macron sought to have the team named before leaving for Egypt for a Gaza ceasefire ceremony, a trip that could delay the budget’s presentation. Lecornu must now seek compromises as opposition parties threaten to vote down his government.