America’s top intelligence official said Iran made detailed plans to kill American citizens in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Donald Trump will exempt more Canadian products from his 50% tariffs. Susan Collins said, "Levies will be removed from packing machinery and plastic boxes." These changes follow recent requests from the senator.
America's top intelligence official said that Iran had drawn up detailed plans to kill American citizens in the Middle East. In a leaked memo, Jay Clayton claimed that the "lethal plotting efforts" had reached "advanced stages". Donald Trump has suggested that America's bombing of Iran will resume after midterm elections on November 3rd. Last week America ordered the withdrawal of some embassy staff in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital.
Mr Trump will exempt more Canadian products from his 50% tariffs. Levies will be removed from packing machinery and plastic boxes among other things, according to Susan Collins, Maine's Republican Senator who is running for re-election in a competitive midterm race. The Trump administration recently dropped tariffs on Canadian goods that include cement at her request.
Melania Trump brokered a ceasefire in Oleshky, a city in southern Ukraine occupied by Russian forces, according to the White House. The front-line city has suffered a severe food crisis. Aid workers will deliver medicine and supplies when the ceasefire begins next week; residents will be allowed to leave. Earlier, Vladimir Putin praised Mrs Trump's efforts to reunite Ukrainian children with their families, though Russia is responsible for many separations.
Israel's army began demolishing homes in a Palestinian area of Hebron in the West Bank. Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, ordered the destruction of the neighbourhood after gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers. The 's human-rights office denounced such "collective punishment". Mr Netanyahu also threatened "extensive" military action in the city. Israel holds its general election on Tuesday; the prime minister's right-wing coalition is fighting to stay in power.
Emmanuel Macron said that a fatal shooting in a Paris suburb was a "racist terrorist attack". A gunman opened fire from a car in Trappe in the south-west of the city, killing one person and injuring five, three of them seriously. He reportedly targeted people who looked like immigrants. The president called the incident a "turning point" for France. The gunman was arrested.
America's Justice Department sued to block Alaska from certifying the results of its toss-up Senate race in the midterms if the Republican incumbent, Dan Sullivan, loses. Another Republican with a near-identical name, Daniel J. Sullivan, is also on the ballot. The oargues he is confusing voters to benefit the Democratic candidate, Mary Peltola. It recently sued to block California from counting certain mail-in ballots.
The tech-heavy index closed 0.2% lower on Friday. On Thursday it fell 2.6%, its worst day since June. The broader & 500 index closed around 0.5% lower. Investors are fretting about the debts of companies and inflationary effects of fighting in the Middle East. The price of Brent crude briefly breached $116 a barrel for the first time since April.
Word of the week: Casseurs, balaclava-wearing troublemakers who infiltrate protests looking for a fight. Read about why demonstrations in France have spiralled out of control.