A localized ceasefire around Oleshky in Ukraine's Kherson region brokered by Melania Trump began at 3 a.m. Tuesday, October 27, 2026, to allow an aid mission and later evacuation corridors.

Up to 2,000 civilians are stranded in Oleshky and the pause is meant to open space for assistance and possible evacuations. NPR Russian and Ukrainian negotiators and militaries confirmed the ceasefire in separate statements. NPR Trump brokered the pause after meeting U.N. officials and leading talks with Russian and Ukrainian civilian negotiators.

U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes issued a 70-page preliminary injunction on Monday, October 26, 2026, blocking the Trump administration from removing trees at East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C.

The order bars any damage to trees and requires at least 10 days' notice before any "irreparable modification" to the course. CBS News Reyes wrote that the D.C. Preservation League is likely to succeed on its claim that the government did not conduct the required environmental review. CBS News She concluded that more than 430 trees were felled earlier in October and said Interior's description of the work as mere "cleaning up" was not credible.

Antony Sun Liwanag, 33, was charged Monday in Hennepin County with two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct in an alleged July 2 assault that began at a Minneapolis bar.

Prosecutors requested an arrest warrant and formally filed the two counts against Liwanag as the case moved forward. FOX 9 The complaint says the alleged assault began during a pre-wedding party at a Minneapolis bar and continued later at a hotel in St. Louis Park. FOX 9 The victim told investigators she believed her drink was spiked, and hotel surveillance reportedly shows Liwanag dragging her while she appeared limp and unable to stand.

The Justice Department and Portland city officials are reviewing the removal of "Save Women's Sports" activists and a reporter from Providence Park during an October 23 Portland Thorns match.

Portland told OutKick on Monday it "was not involved in any decisions" about the removals and that decisions are handled by stadium operator Peregrine, LLC and its subcontractors. OutKick The city said it did not approve policies governing XX-XY clothing, "Save Women's Sports" messaging, transgender sports messages, banners, or press credentials at Providence Park. OutKick Portland cited Section 4.3 of the Stadium Operating Agreement, which requires Peregrine to implement a security, safety and traffic-control plan and to comply with all applicable laws.

The Department of Homeland Security announced Monday, October 26, 2026, that it will suspend the Electronic Visa Waiver-Travel Authorization Program (EVS-TAP) for Chinese nationals traveling to the Northern Mariana Islands.

The suspension takes effect at 1 p.m. Central on October 30, 2026, and will apply to new applicants and to previously approved travelers who have not yet entered.

On Monday, October 26, 2026, documents unsealed in federal court in Washington show the Trump administration is attempting to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey for what it calls disclosing classified information.

The Justice Department is bypassing a grand jury and instead proceeding by criminal information, an unusual move prosecutors say can toll the 10-year statute of limitations. NPR DOJ says multiple circuit courts have approved such tolling, and the filing links the allegation to a 2016 New York Times story about a secret FISA order to Yahoo. NPR Comey said in an on-camera statement, "I'm still innocent. I'm still not afraid of these people and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary." CBS News

On Sunday, October 25, 2026, opposition leader María Corina Machado returned to Venezuela after nearly a year in exile, reappearing in Lara state and raising immediate pressure for a presidential election.

Machado announced her return on X with the Spanish message "I am here. With you," and her team confirmed she had been out of the country for nearly a year after a clandestine December 2025 departure to accept the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.

A federal appeals court on Monday, October 26, 2026, dismissed the Justice Department's emergency bid to force California to sequester roughly 20,000 mail ballots the department said may belong to noncitizens.

A three-judge Ninth Circuit panel had heard nearly two hours of argument on Sunday and pressed DOJ on why the appeals court should act before a district judge ruled. Fox News The appeals court's dismissal ends this specific emergency request and did not specify whether its ruling rested on procedural grounds or on the merits. CBS News The broader legal fight continues in the district court, and federal prosecutors in California have separately charged dozens of people tied to the department's noncitizen-voter investigation.

On October 26, 2026, the Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed a district court acquittal and ordered six guilty verdicts in State v. Abdifatah Abdulkadir Yusuf reinstated, restoring a $7.2 million Medicaid-fraud judgment.

The case centers on Promise Health Service LLC, a Medicaid provider first registered in Burnsville and later listed at a Central Avenue address investigators said was only a mailbox. FOX 9 Trial evidence showed more than 40,000 fraudulent Medicaid claims and over $7.2 million paid out between October 2019 and August 2022. FOX 9 Investigators testified Yusuf personally received more than $1 million from Promise accounts, his brother more than $359,000, and about $361,000 in payments had no identified business purpose.

Voters in Colorado and Washington are set to decide November ballot measures that would ban transgender girls and women from competing on girls' and women's school sports teams.

Washington's Initiative 638 would extend the ban to college sports. PBS It would require a health-care provider to verify a student's "biological sex" using reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup or endogenous testosterone. PBS Critics say that requirement could lead to genital exams or expensive testing.

Ramsey County charged Eduart Gomez Ochoa, 28, with first-degree assault/burglary and attempted kidnapping for an Oct. 22, 2026 incident at a ground-level apartment on the 700 block of Como Avenue in St. Paul.

Police say the woman was cooking when a man was halfway through the window trying to pull her out as she kicked and screamed. FOX 9 Officers recovered a hat and a headband inside the kitchen that investigators tied to Ochoa.

Anthropic filed a 335-page public Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, October 26, 2026, seeking an IPO under the ticker ANT. PBS News The filing could value the company between $1.5 trillion and $2 trillion, and the S-1 does not yet specify how many shares will be sold or the price range. NPR The registration discloses a net loss of $80.7 billion in the first half of 2026, up from a $13 billion loss in the same period of 2025. PBS News Its nearly 100-page risk-factor section warns that Anthropic's models, if misused or compromised, could help malicious actors develop chemical weapons, assist authoritarian crackdowns, or pose "catastrophic or existential risks to humanity." PBS News

In February 2026 the Trump administration designated Anthropic a defense supply-chain risk after the company resisted unrestricted military uses of its AI. PBS News Anthropic sued the Pentagon in March 2026, and courts issued split rulings — a California judge largely for Anthropic and a Washington, D.C. judge siding with the government — with both decisions now on appeal.

Nigeria's first confirmed Ebola patient in the current outbreak was medically evacuated from Abuja to Switzerland on Monday, October 26, 2026, under strict infection-control protocols, officials said.

Authorities said the patient, described in media as a Swiss woman, was flown to Geneva with her husband. PBS Nigerian Health Minister Muhammad Pate said she was stable, conscious and communicating but remained infectious and was evacuated under strict protocols. PBS Switzerland's federal health office said she is being treated at Geneva University Hospital while her husband, who has no symptoms, is isolating at Zurich University Hospital, and authorities see no risk to the Swiss public.

On Monday, October 26, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission and 20 states sued Dollar General in federal court in Tennessee, alleging years of register overcharges and seeking a permanent injunction and monetary relief.

The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, says thousands of Dollar General stores charged higher prices at the register than those shown on shelves, tags and advertisements. CBS News Regulators say the alleged deceptive pricing practices affected millions of purchases and extracted millions of dollars in unlawful overcharges from consumers. CBS News Dollar General operates about 21,000 stores nationwide and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman ruled Monday that the Trump administration illegally fired Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey in July 2025 and ordered reinstatement and back pay.

Furman held the dismissal violated the constitutional separation of powers, the Administrative Procedure Act, and Comey's Fifth Amendment due process and statutory rights, and he rejected the Justice Department's sweeping removal-power theory as contrary to long Supreme Court precedent. PBS He ordered retroactive reinstatement and back pay from Comey's July 2025 firing through December 20, 2025, and said she must be allowed to return to the Southern District of New York if she chooses. PBS The Justice Department said it disagreed with the decision and will appeal.

Last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed a rule requiring all states to issue chip-enabled SNAP EBT cards and for retailers to install tap-to-pay terminals.

The proposal opens a 60-day public comment period and would give states about two years after the final rule to comply. NPR USDA says the change aims to curb skimming that has siphoned benefits from recipients.

Massachusetts voters will decide in November 2026 whether to uphold a 2024 law that created a comprehensive state firearm registry.

The referendum appears on the ballot as Question 9, and gun owners must register by Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. PBS News Gov. Maura Healey signed the law with an emergency clause so it took effect in 2024, two years before the vote.

Microsoft announced voluntary buyouts for about 60,000 employees worldwide on October 26, 2026, affecting roughly one-quarter of its global workforce.

Eligible employees in the U.S., Canada, India and the UK who are vice president level or below may apply, with about 27% of staff qualifying. CBS News Microsoft said some business units are excluded, including data-center operations and parts of sales and marketing. CBS News The offer is the company's second voluntary exit program this year after an April early-retirement offer covering about 7% of its U.S. workforce.

Alberta voters decisively rejected a proposal to begin a legal process toward independence in a province-wide referendum held Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, with roughly 75% choosing to remain in Canada.

Unofficial tallies published Tuesday showed more than 1.8 million votes counted from about 81% of voting areas. PBS More than 1.35 million Albertans, roughly 43% of eligible voters, had cast advance or special ballots before the vote, and more than 100 polling stations extended hours on voting day. NPR Prime Minister Mark Carney called the result an affirmation of Canadian unity, and Premier Danielle Smith said, "Albertans have voted for a stronger Alberta in a united Canada." PBS

A Stanford NBER working paper warns California's proposed Proposition 40 billionaire wealth tax could shrink, rather than raise, public revenue and undermine funding for health care, the study found.

Proposition 40 would impose a one-time 5% state tax on billionaire wealth to fund the health care system. CBS News The paper estimates seven publicly known billionaire moves removed about $540 billion, roughly 30% of California's billionaire wealth, from the potential tax base. CBS News Authors project the levy could raise about $30 billion, not the $100 billion proponents claim. CBS News They warn permanent income tax losses from billionaire departures could outweigh the levy by about $39 billion in present value.

Malik Beasley is negotiating a plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, his attorney said Saturday, October 24, 2026, in Beasley's New York federal case over alleged game-fixing.

Beasley's lawyer said a direction on the talks is expected in the coming days. CBS News Beasley pleaded not guilty in July 2026 to charges that include wire fraud conspiracy and bribery in sporting contests.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said nearly 1,000 people were arrested across France as nationwide demonstrations resumed on Saturday, October 24, 2026.

The Interior Ministry estimated about 410,000 protesters nationwide, including roughly 110,000 in Paris. PBS News Clashes erupted near the Paris march endpoint, where police used tear gas and water cannons, and the Paris prosecutor reported 64 arrests linked to the demonstration. PBS News Authorities sent a major security deployment ahead of the marches, with plans for up to 70,000 officers backed by helicopters, armored vehicles and water cannons. CBS News Major Paris museums closed and many shops boarded up as authorities tried to limit damage and looting.

A Philadelphia police officer who was shot 12 times in an ambush that killed his partner was released from Penn Presbyterian Medical Center on Monday to cheers from fellow officers and supporters.

Officer Hector Rodriguez III, 33, left the hospital just over two weeks after the Oct. 10 shooting amid applause from colleagues and supporters. Fox News His partner, Officer Shane Seiber, 40, later died of his wounds.

High-level delegations from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey met Iranian leaders in Tehran on Monday to press for de-escalation as attacks on shipping mount and a U.S. naval blockade constrains Iran's trade. PBS The visiting delegations were reported to include Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistani army chief Gen. Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, and Qatari mediators were also involved.

U.S. Central Command says its warships, including the USS Rafael Peralta, are enforcing a "steel wall" blockade that allows only humanitarian shipments. Fox News CENTCOM also said U.S. forces helped roughly 400 merchant ships transit the Strait in a recent seven-day period and assisted in moving more than 100 million barrels of crude oil. Fox News The command confirmed the Singapore-flagged, Cyprus-owned container ship GFS Pride was struck in the Strait and later sank, and Adm. Brad Cooper said more than 20 civilian mariners have been killed since February. Fox News The International Maritime Organization called the region "severe and critical," saying about 6,000 seafarers are trapped near the Strait and reporting roughly 24 ship attacks in about two weeks.

Minneapolis police arrested seven people after a break-in at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis, officials said.

Authorities say the suspected offenses include burglary of a business, fleeing police on foot, and trespassing. FOX 9 A security monitoring company detected the intrusion through the Basilica's alarm system and guided officers during the response. FOX 9 Minneapolis police's juvenile unit is leading the investigation, and four minors were processed and released, police said. FOX 9 Pastor and rector Fr. Ralph Talbot said the Basilica will cooperate with prosecutors and thanked Minneapolis police and security staff.

On Monday, October 26, 2026, the Justice Department released preliminary 2025 National Crime Victimization Survey data showing a roughly 25% drop in violent victimization from 2024, excluding simple assaults.

The survey estimates about 669,000 fewer violent crimes overall and a 31% decline in aggravated-assault victimization, roughly 390,000 fewer incidents. CBS News It also recorded double-digit drops in robbery, property crime, burglary or trespassing, and motor vehicle theft.

Federal judges have dismissed the Justice Department's efforts to obtain unredacted statewide voter registration rolls in 27 jurisdictions, a major setback for the Trump-era push.

The dismissals include large states such as California, New York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin. CBS News The Justice Department has appealed most dismissals. CBS News Lawsuits remain pending in Delaware, Hawaii and Idaho, and DOJ voluntarily dismissed its Oklahoma case after the state agreed to provide its voter list. CBS News The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld a lower court ruling rejecting DOJ's attempt to obtain Michigan's unredacted rolls.

Brazil's electoral court declared President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva the winner of the presidential runoff on Sunday, October 25, 2026, with 51.8% of the vote.

He beat Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro by nearly 4.4 million votes. PBS Bolsonaro quickly refused to concede and asked that the results be annulled, citing late-day confusion at polling places tied to extended voting hours.

An F-16 flew a close "headbutt maneuver" to intercept a civilian plane near Mar-a-Lago about 11:20 a.m. Central on Saturday, October 24, 2026, and the pilot exited the restricted area afterward.

NORAD said the jet flew closely in front of the aircraft to get the pilot's attention and to establish communications, calling the tactic a "headbutt maneuver." CBS News The plane had entered a Temporary Flight Restriction tied to President Trump's presence, and officials said the pilot may face federal enforcement after landing.

Alaska Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola and her family suffered minor injuries in a two-vehicle crash in Anchorage on Saturday, Oct. 24, forcing her to pause campaign events.

The other vehicle struck the car carrying Peltola and her family as they were en route to the Alaska Federation of Natives Annual Banquet in Anchorage. Fox News Campaign officials said Peltola's planned appearances in Fairbanks and Bethel will be rescheduled for later in the week, and that she will rest Sunday and Monday before returning to the trail Tuesday.

Tallahassee police arrested a 15-year-old Sunday night in connection with a shooting near Florida A&M University's Bragg Memorial Stadium, Police Chief Lawrence Revell said.

At least 12 people, including six children, were injured in the shooting, according to earlier reports. CBS News Police said the 15-year-old faces 11 counts of attempted second-degree murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a delinquent.

Prosecutors in Naha formally indicted U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard on murder and robbery charges on October 25, 2026, in connection with a woman's killing in Okinawa.

Prosecutors say Ballard strangled 39-year-old Naha resident Anna Yagi with a telephone cord at a Naha hotel on October 3, 2026. CBS News Prosecutors also allege he stole Yagi's backpack, which contained her wallet and other belongings.

President Trump on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in Port Huron, Michigan, called Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed a "jihadist" and said he was "on the side of the terrorists," escalating attacks in a pivotal race.

He compared keeping El-Sayed out of the Senate to the actions of United Flight 93 passengers on Sept. 11, 2001, and said El-Sayed would "have to go through a metal detector" before entering the chamber. NPR Arab Americans for Trump co-founder Bishara Bahbah denounced the remarks as racist, while El-Sayed told supporters in Grand Rapids he expects to be called "senator" after November.

Jordanian security forces arrested three men at dawn on Monday, October 26, 2026, in Karak governorate in connection with a deadly attack on a Greek Orthodox church.

All three suspects were wounded in the operation and no security personnel were injured. CBS News Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya said the men were responsible for the October 23 attack at Saint George's Greek Orthodox Church in Hammoud. CBS News Officials said the assault killed nine people and wounded more than two dozen, revising earlier counts.

Three adults were injured and taken to local hospitals after an explosion and fire involving a food truck on St. Paul's East Side Sunday.

The St. Paul Fire Department responded and said firefighters faced difficult alley access but quickly brought the blaze under control. FOX 9 Officials said the cause of the explosion and fire has not been determined and the incident remains under investigation.

On Sunday, October 25, 2026, the Israel Defense Forces launched a 48-hour exercise across northern and central Israel to guard the October 27 election amid Iran tensions.

The drill mobilizes the 210th Division, the West Bank Division, and the 98th and 96th divisions, alongside Israeli Air Force units. Exercises will simulate surprise attacks and infiltrations by air and land.

Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat in Serbia's parliamentary election on Sunday. CBS News He said his Serbian Progressive Party expects about 105 seats while the student-backed Students' List would take roughly 135-140 of the 250-seat parliament.

Vucic told supporters he believed SNS won roughly 1.7 million votes to the Students' List's about 2.2 million. PBS He blamed the loss on Serbia's independent media, unnamed European countries and what he called an "American deep state." PBS

U.S. measles cases have topped 4,500, with the CDC reporting more than 4,580 cases in 2026 as of Thursday, October 22, and Pennsylvania emerging as the outbreak's epicenter.

CDC data show 96% of U.S. measles patients this year were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status. NPR The Pennsylvania Department of Health said on Friday, October 23 that at least 1,338 cases have been confirmed in 44 counties in 2026, with more than 250 hospitalizations and five deaths, three in Lancaster County. NPR Officials say local Amish communities with low vaccination rates are among the hardest hit. NPR Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Debra Bogen held a roundtable with Mifflin County health providers on Thursday, October 22, and providers statewide administered more than 39,000 measles vaccine doses in the first three weeks of October.

On October 25, 2026, Rep. Joyce Beatty's attorneys asked U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington to order the Trump administration to turn over Kennedy Center emails, texts and related documents.

The administration is withholding the records on claims of presidential communications privilege, Beatty's lawyers say the messages directly bear on whether the center's planned closure and renovations were lawful. PBS News A records list cited by Beatty's team shows 19 texts between Kennedy Center CEO Matt Floca and Trump aide Natalie Harp and roughly 180 texts between Floca and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick about Kennedy Center matters. PBS News Those messages include exchanges on September 15, 2026, when the center's board again voted to close the building.

The National Weather Service kept a flood watch in effect Sunday, October 25, 2026, for much of the Four Corners region after days of heavy rain.

The Colorado Department of Transportation reported sharply increased San Juan River flows overnight and closed the San Juan River Bridge on Sunday. CBS News San Juan County, New Mexico, officials said floodwaters had receded but left sewage-contaminated mud, and that power outages could last several more days while damage is assessed.

Attorney General Todd Blanche on Sunday, October 25, 2026 defended a Justice Department lawsuit that asks a court to block Alaska from automatically certifying its U.S. Senate election results if the Republican incumbent loses.

Blanche said the DOJ is not "laying any groundwork" for midterm challenges and insisted President Trump is not trying to take over a state election "in any way, shape, or form." NPR He framed the suit's requested remedy as asking Alaska "to not certify if the law is broken." NPR He said the case tests whether a confusing ballot with two Dan Sullivans violated federal law and the Constitution. PBS News Blanche told CBS the effort is meant to "put guardrails in place" and to preserve evidence of possible voter confusion. PBS News He also rejected comparisons to Trump's post-2020 behavior and the January 6 lead-up as "crazy." NPR

On Oct. 1, 2026 Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to lead a reopened criminal investigation of an alleged October 2024 gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity.

James said her office will review the facts, gather evidence, interview witnesses and, if warranted, pursue prosecutions as part of an active criminal investigation. Fox News Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten has acknowledged he did not see a full Nov. 14-15, 2024 campus-police interview transcript before declining to charge the case in 2024. CBS News The transcript shows the woman identified as Jane Doe telling investigators, "I can say with 100% confidence I was raped," and that she reviewed and signed a six-page statement. CBS News Meanwhile, the online prediction market Polymarket removed a contract on whether any of the seven men named in the civil suit would be charged after more than $450,000 had been wagered and amid public and regulatory criticism.

Federal prosecutors asked a judge on Sunday, October 18, 2026, to detain ex-OpenAI engineer Abdulrahman Alfozan as a flight risk, saying he was "mere days" from flying to Saudi Arabia.

The prosecutors' memo says Alfozan's wife and young son left the U.S. on a new one-way itinerary the day after his October 9 arrest, with tickets purchased by a Saudi military official. PBS News The memo adds that Alfozan has at least two bank accounts in Saudi Arabia and "what appears to be considerable support from a foreign government," and it notes Saudi Arabia has no extradition treaty with the U.S.

The Archdiocese of New York and attorneys for about 1,300 parishioners alleging clergy sexual abuse agreed to an $800 million settlement on Sunday, October 25, 2026, ending a major wave of litigation in New York.

Archbishop Ronald Hicks emailed clergy on Saturday, October 24, 2026, confirming the agreement. PBS He said a formal signing is scheduled for the week of November 6 after all parties gave unanimous sign-off.

On Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, the Israeli military continued a massive operation across the occupied West Bank, displacing thousands in Hebron and keeping West Bank crossings into Israel closed until after the Oct. 27 election.

The army said it operated in more than 400 locations over the weekend and arrested 40 Palestinians it accused of links to Hamas or Islamic Jihad. PBS Military orders also barred most Palestinian workers with permits from entering Israeli settlements on Sunday and Monday. CBS News Hebron municipality officials say more than 2,200 people have been displaced and that all city entrances and exits remain sealed. CBS News PBS reported a higher estimate, saying more than 2,600 Palestinians were displaced from Deir Bahha, Al-Jalda and surrounding neighborhoods, and residents say the army told them Deir Bahha would be closed for 12 days.

Ukraine on Saturday, October 24, 2026, disputed Elon Musk's claim that its military broke Starlink's terms after Starlink and the U.S.-controlled Starshield service were restored following a roughly 10-day slowdown that hurt drone operations.

Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara said military Starlink/Starshield was working normally again and that drone tests showed stable connections above 400 kilometers per hour. Wall Street Journal President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had said earlier the network shut off above about 161 km/h in Ukraine, which limited intercepts and fast-drone missions while the service ran at higher speeds in the EU. CBS News Elon Musk wrote online that Starshield is "owned and controlled by the US government" and that any limits on speed or usage are set by the U.S. military and ultimately the president. NPR Musk also said Ukraine's military violated Starlink terms and that a "loophole was closed," a claim Kyiv rejects.

Saudi Arabia reopened King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday, October 25, after it had been closed since an October 10 Houthi cruise-missile strike.

The October 10 strike on a passenger terminal killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 300, prompting a weeks-long suspension of operations and rerouted flights. New York Times Airport authorities advised travelers to verify bookings before heading to the airport as Houthi forces warned airlines to avoid the facility and called it a "military target." New York Times

On Saturday, October 24, 2026, Kim Jong Un crossed a newly opened bridge into Dandong, China, and formally inaugurated it, framing the visit as a front against U.S. influence.

Kim met senior Chinese Communist Party official Wang Huning, who conveyed greetings from President Xi Jinping and called the memorial visit "of great significance" for bilateral ties. CBS News He visited a Korean War memorial and pledged the DPRK would "firmly carry forward" DPRK-China friendship "forged at the cost of blood." CBS News He also toured a local car factory and returned to North Korea via the new bridge.

One person was killed in a shooting Saturday night on the 700 block of 6th Street East in St. Paul, police said.

Officers found the person dead at the scene, and St. Paul police say the investigation is ongoing. FOX 9 Police have not released details about the victim, suspects or the circumstances of the shooting.

Minnesota is projected to reach 400 solar-powered schools by the end of 2026, and state grants have funded 23 electric school buses plus charging infrastructure for districts across the state.

The Solar for Schools program has awarded or reserved roughly $32.6 million for nearly 25 megawatts of capacity and about 29 million kilowatt-hours of expected annual generation. FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul State officials estimate participating schools will save about $46 million on electricity over 20 years.

On Friday, October 23, 2026, the Ninth Circuit ruled that President Donald Trump illegally seized the California National Guard in 2025.

The court said Mr. Trump unlawfully ordered Guard troops onto Los Angeles streets during immigration protests despite objections from Gov. Gavin Newsom. New York Times The panel explicitly relied on Supreme Court reasoning from a prior case that blocked Mr. Trump from federalizing Guard troops for deployment in Chicago. New York Times Legal experts quoted in the opinion said the decision undercuts any attempt to federalize state Guard units for deployment to polling places in the upcoming midterms.

A 15-year-old was seriously injured after being struck by a vehicle while crossing County Road 81 at 4th Street SE around 8:13 p.m. The teen was transported to a hospital with serious injuries.

Police said the driver remained at the scene, cooperated with investigators, and is not believed to be connected to earlier disturbances. FOX 9 Brooklyn Park Police Department is leading the ongoing vehicle-pedestrian crash investigation. FOX 9 Earlier in the evening, a person in the Osseo High School parking lot suffered a minor injury after being hit by a vehicle backing up and was treated at the scene.

Marva Cook, a 66-year-old Syracuse resident, was charged federally with illegally voting as a noncitizen after appearing in federal court in Syracuse on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, and now faces possible prison, fines and deportation.

Cook voluntarily turned herself in and was placed in shackles during the hearing. PBS She told Homeland Security investigators earlier in October 2026 that she only recently learned she was born in Germany after long believing she was a U.S. citizen.

Six Flags said it will add seat belts to the Goliath roller coaster and other rides with similar clamshell restraints after a rider was ejected and killed on October 12 at Six Flags Over Georgia.

CEO John Reilly announced on October 23 that seat belts will be installed on Goliath and on other coasters that use the same clamshell restraints. PBS News Six Flags has temporarily closed eight other Bolliger & Mabillard coasters at five parks in the U.S. and Canada while safety reviews proceed. PBS News The company said independent engineers and inspectors have been brought in to review safety procedures across Six Flags parks.

An 18-year-old suspect was arrested in Hamburg on Thursday, October 22, 2026, accused of helping drive a 14-year-old Indiana girl to suicide, German prosecutors said.

Hamburg prosecutors say he faces charges as the indirect perpetrator of murder and grievous bodily harm in the girl's death. CBS News The arrest followed an FBI tip, and authorities say the suspect was linked to the "Nefarious Maniac Kult" inside the global 764 network. CBS News Fort Wayne Police Department's homicide unit and FBI Indianapolis provided information used by German investigators. CBS News FBI officials warned there is no safe haven for people who target children online.

The Minnesota Department of Health reported an early rise in flu hospitalizations, with 46 people hospitalized so far and cases concentrated in the Twin Cities metro.

MDH officials say most hospitalizations involve adults over 65 and described counts as "slightly higher" than usual for this time of year.

Sen. Marco Rubio urged Cubans seeking "positive change" to work secretly with the CIA through a "discrete partnership" in a post on X on Friday, October 23, 2026.

The CIA reposted Rubio's message and a Spanish-language appeal, and it published a video explaining how Cubans could contact the agency. CBS News President Trump, at a South Florida campaign rally the same day, said U.S. warships returning from the Strait of Hormuz would "take care of Cuba" and mentioned sending Rubio "to finish up the deal." CBS News Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla rejected the threats on X and warned that Cuba's shores are inhospitable to hostile forces.

On Friday, October 23, 2026, the U.S. reduced staff and placed embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on restricted operations amid intelligence of advanced Iranian plots targeting Americans.

Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton sent an unclassified memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning Iran has "substantially increased" efforts to target U.S. personnel. New York Times The memo said lethal plotting had reached "advanced stages" in the Middle East and other countries, and U.S. officials later authenticated the document.

The Supreme Court refused to let the Trump administration immediately enforce a Bureau of Prisons policy that would limit gender-affirming care for transgender federal inmates on Wednesday, leaving a lower-court injunction in place.

The application was first presented to the chief justice, referred to the full Court and denied; Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito said they would have granted the stay. NPR The lawsuit, Kingdom v. Trump, covers about 1,000 Bureau of Prisons inmates diagnosed with gender dysphoria; the ACLU says more than 2,000 people in BOP custody identify as transgender and about 800 class members were prescribed hormones.

St. Paul leaders unveiled a three-part winter homelessness plan that orders a 60-day outreach window, a six-month temporary shelter and a permanent indoor village in converted warehouse space.

The proposal comes after the clearing of the Pig's Eye Park encampment, where officials say they engaged roughly 200 residents but only about seven accepted services and many moved to other camps. FOX 9 City leaders say they must fund the effort while managing a $26 million budget deficit, a gap that will force choices about how much to invest in outreach, shelter and permanent low-barrier housing.

Minneapolis police officer Chanica Hall was fired in April 2026 after she recognized her brother on an internal Minneapolis Police Department shooting bulletin, photographed it and sent the image to him.

She failed to disclose her brother on required family-disclosure forms and did not report him as a suspect. AlphaNews Then-chief Brian O'Hara authorized her termination.

3M's Fairmont plant will lay off 62 workers beginning Dec. 18 and will close on Dec. 31, the company said in a WARN notice filed with Minnesota DEED.

The State Rapid Response Team's WARN filing lists Dec. 31 as the scheduled closure date and says layoffs will run through that day. FOX 9 Adhesives and fastener production from Fairmont will move to 3M plants in Knoxville, Iowa, and Aberdeen, South Dakota, consistent with 3M's April restructuring plan. FOX 9 The WARN/DEED filing does not disclose 3M's post-closure plans for the Fairmont property.

A chemical tank exploded at an MC Tank Transport terminal in Toledo around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, forcing more than 900 people to evacuate a one-mile radius amid warnings of additional blasts.

Officials said the tank held up to 5,500 gallons of glycidyl methacrylate, a liquid that can vaporize when released and may remain explosive for up to 12 hours. PBS News Authorities ordered more than 900 residents within a one-mile radius to evacuate and told people within three miles to shelter in place; officials said by Wednesday morning everyone in the evacuation zone had left.

The St. Paul school board unanimously voted Tuesday night to postpone a decision on midyear cuts to English Learner teaching positions, leaving potential layoffs unresolved as the district seeks alternatives.

District leaders said enrollment is 542 students below projections, creating an estimated $4.9 million budget shortfall for this year. FOX 9 The board directed staff to develop at least one alternative to reduce or avoid midyear cuts and set a deadline to vote no later than Oct. 30.

Russia freed American Stephen Hubbard on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026; state media said he was at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg as U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff began talks.

Witkoff confirmed the release and thanked President Vladimir Putin during the meeting, calling him "a humanitarian" in remarks that were later widely criticized. CBS News President Trump said on Truth Social he had asked Putin to free Hubbard and asserted the release required no U.S. prisoner swap. PBS News Hubbard is 74 and is a retired Michigan schoolteacher who served in the National Guard and Air Force. CBS News He was captured in eastern Ukraine in 2022 and is expected to be flown to a Texas military hospital because of poor health.

Israeli forces detained about 80 American and Israeli activists, including U.S. congressional nominee Brad Lander, during an olive-harvest solidarity effort near Nahalin on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.

The group included rabbis from the U.S. nonprofit T'ruah and Israel's Rabbis for Human Rights. NPR They were loaded onto buses after roughly two hours in the grove and taken to a police station for questioning. NPR Israeli troops had declared the area a closed military zone and used drones before arriving, and authorities had not immediately said whether they would press charges. NPR The detentions came after Israeli police arrested 10 suspected settlers in a pre-dawn sweep earlier this week in connection with violent assaults on Palestinians, a U.S. photojournalist and visiting European diplomats.

On Wednesday, October 21, 2026, DOJ Inspector General Don Berthiaume declined to investigate alleged prosecutorial misconduct in the David Hearn Reflecting Pool case.

Berthiaume instead referred the matter to the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility, the unit appointed by the attorney general to review allegations against prosecutors.

Anna Marlene Somoza, a woman described as linked to Mexican cartels, was arrested Sunday, October 18, 2026, in Xochitepec, Mexico, after U.S. Marshals tracked her to the Cuernavaca area.

U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine said federal prosecutors are seeking Somoza's extradition to Arizona so she can face first-degree murder charges in the 1997 death of 3-year-old Crystal Reyes. CBS News Authorities described Somoza as having ties to organized crime and said she had been a fugitive for more than a decade.

Australian MP Helen Haines lost both legs after being deliberately struck by a car near her office in Wangaratta, Victoria, on Monday in what police called a targeted attack.

Surgeons subsequently amputated both legs, and Haines' husband said she is alive and in stable condition at a Melbourne hospital. CBS News Police charged 43-year-old Brendan Nugent with dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury, harming a public official, and cannabis offenses. CBS News Nugent appeared in a Wangaratta court, did not seek bail, and is due back in court on February 4, 2027.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in the Rose Garden on Monday, October 19, 2026, creating an NIH Division of Women's Health and a White House task force on women's health research.

First lady Melania Trump framed the initiative as this generation's fight to find cures, saying, "Beginning today we will change the reality of women's health." PBS White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, recently treated for breast cancer, will co-lead the task force with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. PBS The executive order lists maternal health, mental health, endometriosis, Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis, heart disease and stroke as top priorities. PBS It directs agencies to boost research and diagnostic technology for women's health but sets no specific funding goals.

Armed Homeland Security Investigations agents have been knocking on doors in multiple states since September 2026 to ask residents about immigration status and whether they registered or voted.

An internal Department of Homeland Security directive describes a "Criminal Voter Fraud" initiative with field reviews in at least six states and reassigns hundreds of agents from other cases. CBS News Protect Democracy has filed suit saying the door-knocking unlawfully inserts federal agents into state voter-roll checks and intimidates lawful voters, and a former HSI agent calls the practice unprecedented in his 23-year career.

U.S. Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick ruled on Oct. 13, 2026 that Elon Musk and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem led a false smear campaign against former FEMA CFO Mary Comans.

Fitzpatrick concluded that Department of Homeland Security officials and other senior figures falsely accused Comans of bypassing leadership to send "egregious" migrant hotel payments to New York City. CBS News He named Noem, Elon Musk and Corey Lewandowski among the defendants he found responsible for spreading the false claims. CBS News Court records show the disputed payments to state and local governments, including New York City, were approved by senior DHS and FEMA officials and by staff at Dogecoin-related companies overseen by Musk.

The Federal Aviation Administration approved the Boeing 737 Max 10 for passenger service in the United States on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, ending years of regulatory delays and clearing the way for airline deliveries.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, speaking at Boeing's Everett, Washington factory, said the certification followed "extensive safety reviews," including thousands of hours of test flights, and called it a major win for American manufacturing. NPR Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stephanie Pope said the certification "clears the path to deliver an airplane" and described it as a major milestone in Boeing's recovery and future growth. NPR Boeing expects to begin 737 Max 10 deliveries in 2027. NPR The Max 10 will typically seat 185-210 passengers, compared with 175-195 on the Max 9 and 160-180 on the Max 8.

An annual U.N. emissions report released in October 2026 found that U.S. greenhouse gas emissions rose dramatically last year while global emissions were flat, marking the United States as a major outlier.

The report says the U.S. was the only major economy with a dramatic rise and is now tied with Russia for the highest per-capita emissions among G20 countries. NPR It attributes the increase to higher electricity demand and to Trump administration measures that extend coal-plant operations, roll back vehicle fuel-economy standards, and phase out tax credits for solar and wind.

Florida executed William Reaves by lethal injection immediately after 6:00 p.m. Central on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. CBS News He took several big breaths about 30 seconds after the injection, then stopped moving, was checked by a medic and was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. Central.

Reaves was convicted of killing Vero Beach Deputy Richard Raczkoski after a September 1986 struggle over a gun at a convenience store. CBS News A 911 call placed by Reaves led to the encounter, a gun fell from his shorts, the two fought and Reaves shot Raczkoski four times as the deputy ran away. CBS News He was 77 at his execution and was the eighth Florida prisoner over age 70 put to death in 2026. CBS News More than 100 military veterans sent Gov. Ron DeSantis a clemency letter citing Reaves' reported 100% VA-rated Vietnam War PTSD, and his attorneys said jurors were never told of that rating. CBS News Florida's Supreme Court rejected his last state appeals last week, and petitions remained pending before the U.S. Supreme Court when he was put to death.

On October 20, 2026, the Memphis City Council voted down a proposed one-year moratorium on new data centers and instead approved a 135-day construction ban to pause projects while officials study their local impacts.

Council members and proponents said the shorter ordinance was intended to complement Mayor Paul Young's separate 90-day executive order to study data center development and its effects on the city.

A shooting in Burnsville about 7 p.m. Tuesday wounded one person and prompted police to issue a shelter-in-place order near the 1700 block of McAndrews Road West.

Police said the victim was struck by gunfire and suffered injuries that are not life-threatening. FOX 9 Officers called in mutual-aid partners and remained on scene as they worked an active investigation.

Minnesota and federal authorities announced a coordinated crackdown Monday that brings 46 federal, state and local agencies together under the state's Crime Gun Intelligence Center to target recent Somali gang violence across the Twin Cities.

The effort will expand existing task forces, rely on NIBIN shell-casing matches and be framed as a "data-driven" policing strategy, officials said. FOX 9 FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Dotson said federal tools, including possible RICO prosecutions, are "on the table" as part of the operation. FOX 9 Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher estimated about 300 Somali gang members in roughly 13 groups and urged arrests of about 50, with RICO charges sought against roughly 25.

Minnesota officials announced that 46 law enforcement agencies have agreed to share gun evidence and intelligence through the Minnesota Crime Gun Intelligence Center as part of a New Jersey-modeled, data-driven Twin Cities anti-gang effort.

State leaders said the coordination will run through the Crime Gun Intelligence Center and focus on intelligence sharing across jurisdictions. FOX 9 Officials said the framework intentionally builds on existing task forces rather than creating a brand-new statewide gang task force. FOX 9 BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said the aim is to identify "trigger pullers" because gangs are more mobile and cross city lines more often. FOX 9 ATF Special Agent in Charge Joe Persails said combining local intelligence with federal resources and heavier use of ballistic databases such as NIBIN will help identify shooters more effectively. FOX 9 FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Dotson said RICO is one possible federal charging avenue among several investigative tools, and local leaders urged that focusing on Somali and East African gangs not be seen as blanket blame of the Somali community.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey commuted Toforest Johnson's death sentence to life in prison without parole on October 20, 2026, in the case over the 1995 killing of a Jefferson County deputy.

Ivey said there was not enough direct evidence to justify execution but she stopped short of declaring Johnson innocent. CBS News Johnson was convicted in the 1995 killing of Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff William Hardy, who prosecutors say was shot twice in the head while working off-duty at a hotel. CBS News Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr and several former Alabama judges and prosecutors have questioned the conviction and urged a new trial. CBS News A key prosecution witness testified she overheard Johnson confess on a phone call and was later paid $5,000 for her testimony, a payment the defense says was not disclosed at trial.

President Donald Trump said in an Oval Office exchange on Oct. 20 that Rep. Ilhan Omar "could" be deported and "could also go to jail," escalating the spotlight on a federal citizenship probe.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Oct. 16 called investigators' case "strong" as the inquiry into Omar's immigration records widened.

Trump administration lawyers argued before the D.C. Circuit on Friday that presidential papers belong to Donald Trump personally rather than to the American people under the Presidential Records Act.

The appeal comes as the administration asks the court to overturn a post-Watergate rule that treats presidential records as public property. NPR The case is before the D.C. Circuit on arguments tied to whether the Presidential Records Act can be applied to documents held after a president leaves office.

Hennepin County Judge Rachel Hughey on Tuesday ordered 17-year-old Nyzeir A'shoun Reay of Inver Grove Heights certified to stand trial as an adult on two counts of second-degree murder in a Brooklyn Park park shooting.

Reay faces two counts of second-degree murder for the July 5 shooting at Hartkopf Park that left a 16-year-old boy critically wounded and later dead. FOX 9 U.S. Marshals arrested Reay on July 29 in Peoria, Illinois, on a Hennepin County warrant before he was extradited back to Minnesota.

On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, British counterterrorism police rearrested a 24-year-old British national and a 25-year-old dual UK-Iranian national on suspicion of assisting Iran's intelligence service under the National Security Act.

Police said one man was first arrested on September 27, 2026, when a suspected plot at RAF Fairford occurred. PBS News The other was first arrested on October 1 and both were released on bail before the rearrests.

Jamal Jevonte Nash, 29, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder after police say he struck his 69-year-old father twice with a hammer at a North St. Paul home on Oct. 18.

Court records show Nash is being held on $1 million bail in Ramsey County. FOX 9 Police say Nash told officers, after being read his rights, that he hit his father because he believed his father was holding him hostage and someone was attacking his family.

President Donald Trump announced a Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program in the Oval Office on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, and said he will personally decide who gets paid.

He said whistleblowers could receive 1% of reported fraud amounts with no cap and that awards would not require criminal charges, remarks that conflict with guidance on the government site. CBS News The America.gov/fraud page states awards are capped at $30,000 and conditioned on criminal charges, creating an apparent contradiction with the president's remarks.

A judge rejected an insanity defense and convicted Jack Joseph Ball, 25, of first-degree premeditated murder in the killings of his sister and her unborn child on Tuesday.

The judge found Ball spent months planning the attack and arranged to be alone with his sister. FOX 9 Court records show he hid weapons and kept journals describing fantasies of killing and dismemberment. FOX 9 The judge said the writings, which included necrophilia and cannibalism fantasies, showed he understood his actions were criminal and wrong.

A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, published Monday, found midwater marine life in the Gulf of Mexico's "twilight zone" declined roughly 60% after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill.

From 2011 to 2015 researchers recorded a 63.5% fall in midwater fish, a 62% drop in crustaceans, a 59.7% decline in squid and octopus, and a 72% fall in krill. PBS News Follow-up sampling through 2023 found populations remained far below 2011 levels, with only slight and statistically weak upticks in 2022-2023.

On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar were "very, very close" to a bilateral trade agreement after talks in Mumbai.

Rubio told reporters that only a "small number of items" remain to be wrapped up and he expects the deal to be completed shortly. PBS News Jaishankar said the talks in Mumbai covered ways to strengthen ties in trade, energy, technology and defense and included discussion of regional developments. PBS News They also took part in a trilateral meeting with United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. PBS News Rubio is scheduled to visit Reliance Industries' Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat on Wednesday, October 21 and to meet business leaders as part of the trip's commercial focus.

Ukraine's 92nd Assault Brigade says it used a heavy-lift aerial drone to evacuate a wounded soldier from a front-line position on Monday, October 19, 2026, in a life-saving medevac operation.

The soldier, Konstantyn Vlasenko, had been trapped for almost 500 days. CBS He had carried out partial self-amputations of both legs while isolated in an area that was too heavily mined and exposed to Russian drones for ground or robotic rescue.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts could miss the rest of the 2026 season after tests showed deep vein thrombosis in his left leg and blood clots in both lungs, the team said by Oct. 19-20.

Hurts was first hospitalized in London on Saturday, October 10, 2026, where doctors detected a superficial blood clot in his left calf and told him to stay awake overnight. CBS News Despite that diagnosis, Hurts was cleared to play on Sunday, October 11, 2026, and threw for 222 yards and a touchdown in the Eagles' 19-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. CBS News Head coach Nick Sirianni said he is not a medical expert and that he fully relies on the team's medical staff, declining to explain why Hurts flew and played after the initial clot was detected.

Fifteen defendants tied to Minneapolis anti-ICE protests are scheduled to appear in federal court Tuesday at 2 p.m. for a hearing on motions over what evidence will be admissible at trial.

An eight-count indictment charges them with conspiracy to impede a federal officer and interstate stalking and threats. FOX 9 It also charges solicitation to commit a crime of violence, multiple assaults on federal officers, and destruction of government property.

President Donald Trump announced at a Kansas rally on Monday, October 19, 2026, that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will launch an $8 billion Harvest Fuel Relief program to offset farmers' diesel costs during the harvest.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the program will cover part of farmers' estimated 2026 crop-year losses with payments tied to Farm Service Agency acreage reports and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates yields and prices. CBS News USDA said it will announce payment rates for major commodity crops in November, that farmers can apply via Login.gov, and that crop insurance will not be required to qualify.

Israel Defense Forces military police detained at least 40 ultra-Orthodox Jewish men at Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, on suspicion of evading mandatory military service.

The IDF said the men had passed through the airport border crossing and are subject to mandatory service. CBS News The military police said the suspects will be tried in accordance with Israeli law.

Elon Musk donated $158 million in September to the Senate Leadership Fund, which quickly routed the money to a Texas political committee supporting Attorney General Ken Paxton in a close Senate race.

Federal Election Commission filings show Musk gave $75 million on Sept. 9 and $83 million two weeks later, for a combined $158 million. CBS News The Senate Leadership Fund disbursed equal amounts the day after each contribution to a Texas PAC that has reported more than $100 million in pro-Paxton and anti-Talarico spending.

On Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, Sens. Ron Wyden, Elizabeth Warren and Raphael Warnock released a report urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to tighten oversight of contractors that run state Medicaid eligibility systems.

The inquiry singled out Deloitte, General Dynamics Information Technology, Gainwell Technologies and Conduent as the firms that build and operate most states' Medicaid eligibility IT systems. CBS News The senators asked CMS to require specific contract standards, to publish contracts and amendments, and to disclose vendor performance data and change orders as a condition of federal funding.