Afternoon Premium Edition · Sat, Oct 24 · 1:04 p.m.

The Essential 10 · about 4 minutes

1. U.S. officials warned of increased Iranian efforts to target Americans and reduced staffing at regional diplomatic posts

   An Oct. 23 memo from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Iran had substantially increased efforts to target U.S. personnel, with lethal plots at advanced stages. U.S. officials said diplomatic staffing is being reduced across the Middle East; personnel were ordered out of Saudi Arabia, with cuts also reported at four missions.

   Reporting: Axios, tasnimnews.ir, The New York Times, BBC News, haaretz.com, Bloomberg

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2. The Trump administration’s lawsuit seeks to block Alaska Senate election certification if the Republican incumbent loses

   The Justice Department sued Alaska’s Division of Elections, seeking to delay certification of the November 3 Senate result if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses to Democrat Mary Peltola by fewer votes than a namesake candidate receives. President Donald Trump said he ordered the suit, which would hold certification pending an investigation.

   Reporting: votebeat.org, Al Jazeera, instagram.com, alaskapublic.org, Agence France-Presse, PBS News, alaskabeacon.com

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3. The Justice Department demanded that California counties help identify suspected noncitizen voters and set aside related ballots

   The Justice Department directed officials in at least 18 California counties to identify suspected noncitizens and set aside ballots pending eligibility checks; outlets reported a 48-hour deadline. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli warned of legal jeopardy for knowingly processing such ballots. State officials say the information is unreliable, and a hearing on the lawsuit is set for next week.

   Reporting: CBS News, CNN, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, dailymail.com, PBS News (with Associated Press), Suara Garut, davisvanguard.org

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4. Ukraine restored high-speed Starlink and Starshield connectivity after restrictions disrupted military systems

   Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said Saturday monitoring showed Starlink and Starshield service was restored after officials said restrictions disrupted front-line operations for over a week. Commanders reported lost drones and canceled missions. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said speed or usage limits are set by the U.S. military and ultimately the president; neither Musk nor the U.S. government has acknowledged responsibility.

   Reporting: CNBC, Axios, Business Insider, NBC News, CBS News, Greenwich Time

5. Gunmen killed nine people and wounded dozens at a church funeral in Jordan

   King Abdullah II ordered Jordan’s security forces to respond with an “iron fist” as authorities searched for gunmen who killed eight people and wounded 40 during a Greek Orthodox church funeral in Karak on Friday, Reuters reported. Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour said two wounded people were in critical condition. Jordan declared three days of mourning; no group had immediately claimed responsibility.

   Reporting: The Guardian, dawn.com, South China Morning Post, CBC News, Reuters, National Public Radio

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6. Israel’s military operation in Hebron displaced families and included demolitions after a deadly checkpoint attack

   Israeli forces began an operation in Hebron Saturday, with demolitions and displacement, a day after an attack near the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint killed two Israeli soldiers. Reuters reported about 1,200 Palestinians displaced; France 24 cited around 250 families. Middle East Eye said residents reported five minutes to leave. The military said the operation in the area would last several days.

   Reporting: France 24, Al Jazeera, middleeasteye.net, The New York Times, Reuters

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7. Nationwide protests in France drew large crowds and clashes with police

   French demonstrations over cost of living and school funding drew hundreds of protests nationwide Saturday, with police saying 110,000 attended the main Paris march. The march reached its destination without incident despite rain. Paris police said officers stopped and checked more than 3,000 people and arrested 65; clashes were reported in six other cities, and the Louvre and Orsay closed.

   Reporting: France 24, The Guardian

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8. Two former FBI officials were charged with lying to Congress about the Hunter Biden laptop investigation

   Former FBI officials Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides surrendered and appeared in federal court in Washington Friday, each facing one count of making a false statement to Congress, prosecutors allege. The charges concern 2023 testimony about the Hunter Biden investigation and laptop. They are due back Tuesday.

   Reporting: Politico, Reuters, The New York Times

9. Melania Trump’s office said she helped broker a localized ceasefire in Oleshky, Ukraine

   The White House says first lady Melania Trump helped broker a localized ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky, Ukraine, after learning of the humanitarian crisis at a U.N. General Assembly event in September. Russia’s human rights ombudswoman Yana Lantratova confirmed an agreement to organize a humanitarian mission; Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets thanked Trump. The truce is set to begin Oct. 29.

   Reporting: thewellnews.com, The Daily Beast, NewsNation (with Associated Press), Deutsche Welle, news18.com

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10. Marco Rubio urged Cubans seeking political change to contact the CIA

    U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Cubans seeking political change to pursue a “discreet partnership with the CIA” in a Friday post on X. The CIA later posted a Spanish-language video explaining how people could submit information. Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio mocked the appeal as “public recruitment for the CIA.”

    Reporting: informat.ro, Fox News, WION, Arab News, openthemagazine.com, France 24

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More stories

11. Iran said U.S. forces would not be allowed in the Gulf

    Iran’s armed forces chief of staff—identified as Ali Abdollahi by L’Orient Today and several other reports, but as Mohammad Bagher Abdollahi by Kurdistan24—said Saturday that U.S. military vessels would not be allowed into the Persian Gulf. Iran International reported that he claimed Iran had rendered the U.S. Navy ineffective.

    Reporting: lorientlejour.com, Iran International, Kurdistan24, newstimes.com, The Times of India

12. A Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted Houthi missiles aimed at Saudi cities

    The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted two ballistic missiles fired toward Taif and Yanbu on Saturday. Coalition spokesman Brig. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said they were destroyed, Arab News reported. Houthi outlet Al-Masirah reported Saudi airstrikes killed 11 people in Sanaa, and said a separate strike on a cement-worker residence in Sanaa governorate killed six women and one child.

    Reporting: CNBC, South China Morning Post, arabnews.jp

13. A drone attack damaged facilities in Togliatti, with Ukraine saying a petrochemical plant was hit

    Several industrial facilities were damaged in a drone attack on Togliatti on Saturday. Mayor Ilya Sukhikh said preliminary reports indicated no deaths or injuries and did not identify the sites. Ukraine’s General Staff said it struck the Togliattikauchuk petrochemical plant and the Proton electronics plant in Oryol, which Kyiv says makes cruise and ballistic missile components.

    Reporting: The Straits Times, Arab News, The Moscow Times, arise.tv, Kyiv Post, Al Jazeera

14. Typhoon Champi killed one person and injured hundreds in Taiwan as it moved toward China

    Typhoon Champi swept past Taiwan on Oct. 24, killing one person. Taiwan’s fire department reported 527 injuries, while Anews reported more than 600. A man died after being swept away by waves from Liuqiu. Anews said over 340,000 households were affected by outages, with power restored to more than 90%. Champi was weakening and moving north toward China’s coast.

    Reporting: AOL, gmanetwork.com, vietnam.vn, Reuters, Firstpost, protothema.gr, anews.com.tr

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15. Rescuers searched for survivors after a deadly earthquake in China’s Tibet region

    More than 5,000 people, including police and military personnel, have been deployed for rescue operations after a magnitude-7 earthquake in Tibet. Local authorities reported 16 deaths and 76 injuries. Nearly 400 aftershocks followed, and at least 339 homes collapsed or were severely damaged. Xinhua reported more than 12,000 residents were evacuated; officials cited difficult geography and low temperatures.

    Reporting: ABC News (Australia), The Independent

16. Minnesota officials said the Trump administration stopped sharing evidence in the Good and Pretti killings

    Minnesota officials say federal authorities stopped sharing evidence with state investigators probing Renee Good and Alex Pretti’s killings by federal officers. October filings say transfers stopped soon after a July announcement. Officials say investigators lack an officer’s recorded statement, officers’ firearms and phones, projectiles, casings and a gun taken from Pretti. Justice Department attorneys argued that sharing is discretionary.

    Reporting: southernminn.com (with Associated Press), PBS News

17. The U.S. Treasury proposed restrictions on high-tech investments in China and other countries of concern, drawing objections from China

    Treasury proposed expanding its Outbound Investment Security Program to add Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Russia to countries of concern, Kharon reported. The proposal also includes advanced biotechnology, high-performance computing and supercomputing, and hypersonic systems among prohibited or notifiable technologies. BioPharm International said biotech restrictions would focus on equity investments and joint ventures in China and other countries of concern.

    Reporting: PBS News (with Associated Press), biopharminternational.com, kharon.com

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18. The USDA said it would proceed with a Forest Service reorganization, including moving its headquarters

    USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the department is “full-bore ahead” with its Forest Service reorganization despite a district court stay. The stay bars office closures and employee or position moves outside local commuting areas. The proposal would move Forest Service headquarters from Washington to Salt Lake City, shutter 23 research stations and replace many regional offices with state offices.

    Reporting: jamoke.news, jhnewsandguide.com (with Associated Press), govexec.com

19. State officials raised concerns about expanded federal election monitoring ahead of the midterms

    The U.S. Department of Justice plans to deploy election monitors to Multnomah County, Oregon, on Nov. 3, after notifying Oregon election officials on Thursday. Oregon is among at least six states notified, the Oregon Capital Chronicle reported. Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read said the state’s election system is reliable and warned that observers may not interfere.

    Reporting: oregoncapitalchronicle.com, The Oregonian

20. Flooding in the Four Corners region prompted evacuations, emergencies and rescues

    Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declared emergencies in 11 counties and authorized National Guard help in southwest Colorado as Four Corners flooding continued. In Pagosa Springs, the San Juan River reached 15.02 feet Friday morning, its second-highest level on record. The Navajo Nation Police Department reported rescuing 30 people; flooding damaged more than 100 homes and recreational vehicles in Hurricane, Utah.

    Reporting: Demokratis, NBC News (with Associated Press), Around Prague, kanw.org, UA News, The Guardian

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21. Protests demanding the Albanian prime minister’s resignation turned violent in Tirana

    Anti-government protesters gathered in Tirana on Saturday amid demonstrations over corruption and environmental concerns. Daily Sabah reported fires as protesters targeted ministries, the Supreme Court and Socialist Party headquarters. Demonstrators said a project threatened ecologically sensitive areas around Sazan Island and Vjosa-Narta; the unrest posed the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government in more than a decade.

    Reporting: dailysabah.com

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22. The WHO announced an Ebola vaccine clinical trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo

    The World Health Organization announced the start of the first Ebola vaccine clinical trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo outbreak. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said participants received the Ervebo vaccine in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province and the outbreak’s epicentre. Vaccinations took place Friday.

    Reporting: Al Jazeera

23. Amgen said a drug combination reduced the risk of death for patients with aggressive lung cancer

    Amgen said its drug Imdelltra, combined with AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi as first-line maintenance therapy for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, reduced the risk of death by 58% in Phase 3 results. Median overall survival was 21.1 months, versus 12.7 months with Imfinzi alone. Amgen Chief Medical Officer Paul Burton said the findings could transform care; Amgen plans to share them with regulators.

    Reporting: CNBC, pluang.com, Moneycontrol, amgen.com, Reuters, marketscreener.com, briefs.co

24. JetBlue creditors hired advisers as the airline’s shares and bonds fell

    JetBlue creditors are working with restructuring advisers as the airline faces cash burn and high oil prices, according to people cited by Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal. Bloomberg said the group includes holders of $2 billion in 2031 notes and a $742 million first-lien loan. The notes fell to 42 cents on the dollar Thursday.

    Reporting: viewfromthewing.com, tradingview.com, theaviationhub.co.uk, Seeking Alpha, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, onemileatatime.com

25. Defense attorneys in the Charlie Kirk killing case said they need years to prepare for trial

    Defense attorneys for Tyler Robinson, accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk, proposed a 2029 trial, citing years of preparation, tens of thousands of prosecution files and investigations into possible mitigating factors if convicted. Erika Kirk’s attorney, Jeffrey Neiman, called the schedule “absurd” and urged a trial in October 2027. Judge Tony Graf set no date, scheduling a Nov. 9 hearing.

    Reporting: PBS News, telegraphherald.com, Killeen Daily Herald, djournal.com, Marietta Daily Journal

26. Jordan Bardella was reelected president of France’s National Rally

    Jordan Bardella was reelected president of France’s far-right National Rally, also called the Rassemblement National, at its congress in Orléans on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Unopposed, he was reappointed with 98.98% of the vote, Bloomberg reported. The party held its congress in Orléans.

    Reporting: Bloomberg

27. Dengue cases continued to rise in Florida after an emergency declaration

    Hillsborough County extended its state of local emergency over dengue through Oct. 22, as mosquito-control crews stepped up efforts, the Osprey Observer reported. County Administrator Bonnie Wise signed the order. The county reported more than 200 locally acquired cases across nearly 60 ZIP codes. The latest CDC data cited by The Washington Post showed 352 cases, up from 177.

    Reporting: The Washington Post, ospreyobserver.com

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28. Six Flags is considering safety changes, including seat belts on the Goliath roller coaster, after a death

    Six Flags signaled Goliath will reopen and plans to add seat belts to it and similar rides at other parks, CNN reported. FOX 5 Atlanta said safety reviews led to the temporary closure of eight additional rides across five parks, while the parks remain open. The investigation into the fatal fall continues, The Wall Street Journal reported.

    Reporting: atlantanewsfirst.com, FOX 5 Atlanta, CNN, 11alive.com, WSB-TV Channel 2 Atlanta, The Wall Street Journal

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29. A fire gutted Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest retreat in Bavaria, and police detained a suspect

    Fire engulfed the Eagle’s Nest, the Alpine retreat of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, in Bavaria, on Friday night, and reports said it was almost completely destroyed. German police said they detained a suspect. The BBC reported the suspect was a 33-year-old man. The Kehlsteinhaus stands above Berchtesgaden; local media reported that the public was urged to avoid the area.

    Reporting: BBC News, theaustralian.com.au, istitutoimpariamo.it, gephardtdaily.com, herefordtimes.com