Here's a rundown of all the news you need to start Saturday, including Jordan declaring three days of mourning after a deadly church attack that killed at least seven people, a US-brokered temporary ceasefire in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky, and a Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap of 270 servicemen.
- Jordan declares 3 days of mourning after deadly church attack; king vows 'harshest retaliation'
Jordan declared three days of national mourning for the victims of a "terrorist attack" on a Greek Orthodox church in a village in the southern Karak governorate, after gunmen opened fire at a funeral, killing at least seven people and injuring 28, according to officials.
King Abdullah said the attack will be met with the "harshest retaliation," and that “those who delude themselves into thinking that they can divide Jordanians with their bullets have no chance in the face of our unity.”
Public Security Directorate spokesman Amer Sartawi described the shooting as a "criminal incident" and said security forces are pursuing the perpetrators.
- US first lady announces Oleshky ceasefire between Russia, Ukraine
US first lady Melania Trump announced an agreement between Russia and Ukraine to establish a temporary ceasefire in the southern Ukrainian city of Oleshky, intended to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and the evacuation of civilians who wish to leave, with the White House saying the truce is scheduled to begin on Oct. 29.
"The situation in Oleshky is dire. Oleshky is a front-line war city on the brink of disaster," she said, adding that the city's remaining population is primarily elderly residents in urgent need of medical attention, medicine, food, and clean water.
President Donald Trump said his wife’s focus is "to save children" and that "both sides are cooperating with her.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said military officials are working to coordinate the ceasefire and that "those who wish to leave the town will be able to do so," adding that the operation requires extensive and complex preparations and that the evacuation is expected to take at least several days.
- Russia, Ukraine swap 270 servicemen each in latest prisoner exchange
Russian said Moscow and Kyiv swapped 270 servicemen each in the latest prisoner exchange between the two countries, with the returned Russian servicemen currently in neighboring Belarus.
The Defense Ministry added that the service members will return to Russia after receiving necessary psychological and medical assistance and will be transported to medical facilities for further treatment and rehabilitation.
Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said on Telegram that seven Ukrainians have returned to Ukrainian-controlled territory, while seven individuals have also traveled to the Russian Federation as part of a family reunification effort supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
- Israeli forces shot and killed two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron following allegations they opened fire at Israeli settlers, wounding five people.
- Australia imposed sanctions on two North Korean companies and two financial brokers for their alleged role in funding Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs through fraudulent IT employment schemes.
- Storm Austen left more than 160,000 households without power in France, as strong winds prompted weather alerts in 23 departments in the northwest.
- A cybersecurity incident disrupted online systems in public schools in Richmond, capital of the US state of Virginia, forcing schools to shift to a technology-free learning environment while remaining open.
- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Türkiye continues efforts to promote peace across regions, highlighting Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchanges and mediation initiatives in Africa.
- The Collective Security Treaty Organization may decide on Armenia’s membership status at its summit in Moscow next month, with Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov saying the country’s withdrawal "could happen" if the issue is raised.
- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ottawa is seeking Türkiye’s expertise to strengthen its defenses and build joint military capabilities, while rejecting US allegations of Canadian election interference and reaffirming that Canada will never become America’s 51st state.
- International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol warned that the global energy crisis could persist into 2027, saying he sees little reason to expect a return to normal next year.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the "immediate closure" of Hebron and instructed security forces to prepare a "full lockdown" of the occupied West Bank.
- Greece’s parliament passed legislation banning children younger than 15 from accessing major social media platforms, with the measure set to take effect on Jan. 1.
- Austria expelled four Russian diplomats for activities deemed incompatible with their diplomatic status, with the Foreign Ministry citing findings by security authorities but providing no details.
- The Kremlin said the first tanker carrying Russian diesel fuel under a deal with the US has departed for its buyers, with additional shipments expected to continue regularly.
- Russia said trilateral peace talks on Ukraine are scheduled for the first half of November in Abu Dhabi, with discussions set to focus on security guarantees for Russia and Ukraine after a peace deal.
- France will deploy 70,000 police officers and gendarmes ahead of nationwide protests, with Interior Minister Laurent Nunez vowing an "extremely firm" response to violence, looting, and attacks on public buildings.
- Ebola has spread to an eighth province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as the UN food agency warns that hunger threatens treatment continuity for patients and 3.5 million people in outbreak-affected areas face crisis-level food insecurity.
- The Pentagon released its seventh batch of UFO records, including reports of a fast-moving black triangular object spotted by federal agents near a secure US facility, historical sightings, and documents on alleged paranormal activity.
- Canadian high diver Molly Carlson became the first woman to dive from a free-floating iceberg, completing a nearly 15-meter (49-foot) backward dive into freezing North Atlantic waters off Newfoundland and Labrador.
- A new Israeli poll showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc losing three seats to 48, trailing the opposition bloc’s projected 54 seats ahead of the Oct. 27 election, with neither side projected to secure a governing majority.
- Gold prices fell toward a three-month low as a selloff in technology stocks prompted investors to cover losses elsewhere, while rising oil prices fueled inflation concerns and expectations of higher interest rates.
- Greece suspended state funding to its basketball federation and ordered financial audits amid a match-fixing and bribery investigation involving federation President Vangelis Liolios and five others facing judicial proceedings.
- Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned that a new military attack on Iran would widen regional conflict, saying military intervention was “by no means a solution” amid concerns about renewed US-Israeli strikes.
- Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany was hospitalized after collapsing while watching the club’s reserve team train, with the 40-year-old Belgian set to undergo medical examinations as his coaching staff takes charge until further notice.
- Yemen said it neutralized 620 Houthi fighters and destroyed or damaged 190 military vehicles and weapons systems in 1,392 operations under "Operation Dawn of Yemen" in 24 hours.
- US President Donald Trump warned of possible renewed military action against Iran if Tehran rejects negotiations, while saying Washington would "take care of Cuba" after dealing with Iran.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency said it is ready to verify Iran’s nuclear activities, with chief Rafael Grossi urging a diplomatic agreement and saying most technical preparations needed for adequate verification have been completed.
- The Trump administration removed several Canadian products from its 50% tariff list, with changes taking effect Oct. 30 ahead of hard-fought US midterm elections.
- LeBron James' 76ers rally from 29-point deficit to beat Cavaliers
The Philadelphia 76ers erased a 29-point deficit to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106 in the NBA, taking control with a 15-0 fourth-quarter run in their first home game of the season to improve to 2-0.
Making his first home appearance for Philadelphia, LeBron James had the biggest comeback victory of his career, finishing with 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals. Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 32 points and six assists.
Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 32 points and 10 rebounds.
- Kenya’s marathon champion Jepchirchir provisionally suspended after blood test
The Athletics Integrity Unit provisionally suspended Kenya’s reigning world marathon champion and former Olympic gold medalist Peres Jepchirchir after an out-of-competition sample, collected in Kenya before her recent Sydney Marathon victory, returned an adverse analytical finding for Erythropoietin.
The suspension bars the 33-year-old from competing while the case proceeds, but does not constitute a final ruling on whether she committed an anti-doping rule violation.
- Racecar driver Lewis Hamilton calls for freedom for Palestine, Congo, Sudan, and Syria
Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton called for efforts to secure freedom for Palestine, Congo, Sudan, and Syria, saying he hoped peace would eventually prevail.
"I think we need to make sure we’re pushing to free Congo, free Sudan, free Syria, free Palestine," the 41-year-old British driver said at a news conference ahead of the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.
Hamilton made the remarks while discussing Formula 1’s planned return to Africa, with Rwanda expected to host a Grand Prix in the early 2030s, saying that holding a race in the country did not mean ignoring events elsewhere on the continent.
He also criticized the limited teaching of African history in British schools, arguing that many of the continent’s present-day difficulties remain connected to colonialism and Western intervention, adding: "Growing up in England, they never taught us anything about Africa. It needs to be on the curriculum."
- Japanese novelist Ryu Murakami dies at 74
Japanese novelist Ryu Murakami, known for works such as Almost Transparent Blue and Coin Locker Babies, died last Saturday at age 74, Jiji Press reported.
Murakami won the Gunzo Prize for New Writers and the prestigious Akutagawa Prize in 1976 for his debut novel Almost Transparent Blue, written while he was a student at Musashino Art University, which became a bestseller with some 3.5 million copies sold.
His works pushed beyond traditional literature, exploring themes of violence, drugs, sexuality, and alienation, and he was also known as a film director and screenwriter who hosted TV Tokyo’s “Cambrian Palace” for almost two decades.
- 90-year-old Japanese-Filipino woman gets Japanese passport decades after separation from father to visit grave
Adelaida Kakazu, 90, a Japanese-Filipino woman, received a Japanese passport at the Japanese Embassy in Manila decades after she was separated from her Okinawa-born father in 1946, allowing her to visit Japan and his grave.
Her father had moved to the Philippines to trade coconut oil before the war and served as an interpreter for the Imperial Japanese Army, but was captured by US forces and repatriated to Okinawa, leaving his family behind, before dying in 1951.
Kakazu said she hopes to "tell him everything that happened" since they were separated when she was 10, while Consul General Maya Hamada said Japan would continue striving to fulfill the "earnest wishes" of Kakazu and other people of Japanese descent left behind in the Philippines after World War II.
- Microsoft says AI system outperforms doctors in simulated disease diagnosis
Microsoft said its AI Diagnostic Orchestrator (MAI-DxO) diagnosed complex medical conditions more than twice as accurately as physicians in simulated tests, citing research published in the journal Science.
The system achieved 83% diagnostic accuracy, compared with 36% for physicians using textbooks and online resources, according to a company statement.
Physicians working without external reference materials achieved 22% accuracy, while researchers evaluated 304 complex cases drawn from The New England Journal of Medicine, using a system in which multiple AI agents work together to assess symptoms, select diagnostic tests, and reach conclusions.
- Bill Gates warns of 20 years of turmoil from AI
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates warned that artificial intelligence could trigger two decades of economic and social upheaval, disrupting jobs and life even if the technology is managed successfully.
"My big concern is this 20-year transition period, where they’ll have winners and losers and a lot of disruption," the 70-year-old said in an interview, describing the timeframe as an estimate rather than a firm prediction.
Gates said advances in AI and humanoid robotics could eventually allow machines to perform much of the physical labor carried out by humans, including building homes, growing food, and even performing surgery, adding that societies might deliberately reserve certain activities for humans, including childcare, food preparation, arts, and sports.
- Brent crude hits highest since June 2022 on fears of renewed US strikes on Iran
Oil prices rose as fears of renewed US strikes on Iran and escalating regional tensions heightened supply concerns, pushing international benchmark Brent to its highest since June 2022.
Brent climbed 2.7%, or $3.06, to $116.20 per barrel, surpassing the peak recorded at the start of the war.
US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) advanced 3.04%, or $3.02, to $102.50 per barrel, its highest in five weeks. Brent has gained around 5% this week and WTI about 3%, putting both on course for a third consecutive weekly advance.
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