Sunday, October 18, 2026

Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.), who holds the seat of her late brother Lindsey Graham, said Saturday she would prefer sanctions pressure on Russia remain, after Trump waived sanctions under the Graham Act her brother championed. She said she looks forward to talking to Trump. Other Republicans and Democrats had already criticized the move; Rep. Thomas Massie praised it. Zelensky called the waiver unfortunate, saying it would encourage Russia, while Trump told Congress the pause served the national interest.

A woman drove a pickup truck through a youth soccer game at Stryker Soccer Complex in Wichita, Kansas, on Saturday afternoon, killing a 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man, both from McPherson, police said. Sources reported 10 to 11 others injured, including several children. The driver was taken into custody. Police have not stated a cause.

The Justice Department asked Judge Ana C. Reyes to recuse herself from a lawsuit over the removal of trees at a National Mall golf course in East Potomac Park. The move follows a Monday hearing where Reyes ordered senior Trump administration officials to testify about whether President Trump prompted the tree-cutting to rebuild the course. The DOJ accused her of 'egregious' conduct.

Katie Zacharia departed as White House press secretary on Friday, less than a week after her appointment, following a rocky debut at the podium and widely scrutinized television interviews. Her exit coincided with questions about chief of staff Susie Wiles' future, which Trump moved to dismiss. Former Rep. George Santos (R-Fla.) said he would "jump to serve" as replacement. No successor has been named.

Four people were killed and two wounded in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon. The two wounded survivors remained hospitalized as of October 18. A father was reported to have confronted the gunman during the attack, though further details about the shooter or a motive have not been reported. Governor Tina Kotek addressed the shooting publicly as the community mourned the victims.

A man was shot and killed Saturday afternoon following a dispute at the 7th Avenue subway station on 53rd Street near Times Square, in Manhattan's Theater District, police said. No arrests had been made as of Saturday evening.

Steven Hamilton, 71, was attacked and killed around 5 p.m. Friday by a nearly 12-foot alligator while fishing along Lake Apopka in Winter Garden, near Orlando, police said. Rescuers could not immediately reach him because other alligators were in the water; his body was recovered by 7 p.m. The alligator was later trapped and killed. It was the second fatal alligator attack in Florida this year.

Firefighters made progress containing the Norte Fire, which began Friday near San Clemente amid strong Santa Ana winds and had destroyed multiple homes. Thousands of residents evacuated earlier were allowed to return home as crews gained ground against the blaze, one of several wildfires that sparked across Southern California this week.

Mexican authorities arrested a former Chihuahua state attorney general on treason accusations, alleging he allowed unauthorized participation by the US CIA in a drug raid. The case centers on claims that foreign agents took part in the operation without proper authorization, a charge Mexican officials consider a breach of national sovereignty. Further details of the raid were not disclosed.

U.S. Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said the "vast majority" of Iran's attempted attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz are unsuccessful, with about 97% of ships transiting safely with U.S. military protection. Hawkins spoke after CENTCOM said the Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride was hit by an Iranian projectile on Wednesday and sank while being towed after catching fire.

Protests across France, including Paris and Marseille, turned violent with cars burned and shops looted amid anger over affordability and government budget cuts. Police reported sharply differing arrest figures: one report cited around 1,800 people arrested nationwide, while another put the figure at 855 in Paris. Peaceful demonstrations occurred alongside the unrest.

Demonstrators protesting rising living costs and government budget cuts joined students in nationwide marches across France on Saturday, including in Paris and Marseille. Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse hooded protesters throwing fireworks near Place de la République. The interior ministry reported assaults on police, looting and damage to public buildings. Macron earlier said young people's concerns were legitimate but being exploited for political purposes.

Pro-Western opposition parties won a majority of seats contested Saturday in elections for one-third of the Czech Senate, the upper house of Parliament. The result allows the current opposition to retain control of the chamber, while Prime Minister Andrej Babis's ruling ANO party lost ground.

A crush occurred during a Hindu festival event in Kolkata, India, killing at least 19 people according to the Associated Press and New York Times, while Reuters and the BBC reported at least 17 dead. Many others were injured. The cause was unclear, and authorities detained the event's organizer and others involved, the New York Times reported.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the beating of a Washington Post photojournalist by Israeli settlers in the West Bank on Friday, calling it "vicious" and "cowardly" and demanding a "full investigation, arrest and prosecution." The attack followed a Saturday incident in which masked settlers attacked European diplomats near Taybeh, breaking a diplomatic vehicle's window. Israel's military condemned the violence; the prime minister's office called reporting on it a "smear" campaign.

Canada's defense minister David McGuinty said Saturday that an incident at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta caused fatalities and injuries and sparked a major fire that spread beyond the base's perimeter. Officials did not specify a death toll, number of injured, or cause, calling the situation "very active and delicate." No evacuation orders were issued. Prime Minister Mark Carney acknowledged the incident on social media.

Pope Leo XIV, 71, led the Angelus prayer from the papal apartment window on Sunday, a day after leaving Gemelli Hospital following surgery that removed the lower lobe of his right lung and confirmed lung adenocarcinoma. In his first public appearance since the operation, he said, "This experience has made me feel a special closeness to all those who are battling illness and infirmity." He is scheduled to travel to Latin America in November.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said Egypt's military stands ready to defend Saudi Arabia from escalating Houthi attacks and asked parliament to convene an emergency session to authorize such action if needed. The statement follows a strike on a Riyadh airport that killed 13 people, including an American, according to the New York Post. The Wall Street Journal reported Iran is providing the Houthis targeting and intelligence support.

Kenya's Health Ministry confirmed four new Ebola cases on Saturday, bringing the national total to seven, in the country's first recorded outbreak of the virus. Three of the new cases are health workers who had cared for Kenya's first confirmed patient.