The key facts

  • Trump issued an executive order under the Graham sanctions law against Russia and Iran, raising duties on Russian goods by 500% but suspending tariffs and part of the sanctions
  • The EU expressed regret over the temporary lifting of sanctions on Russian diesel; Congressman Gregory Meeks introduced a bill to ban purchases of Russian diesel
  • Transit through the Strait of Hormuz remains roughly 70% below pre-war levels; UKMTO reported 12 attacks on ships in a week

Trump enacts sanctions law but suspends tariffs and part of the restrictions

US President Donald Trump issued an executive order implementing the 'Lindsey Graham Russia and Iran Sanctions Act' of 2026, while simultaneously suspending its tariffs and many sanctions. According to Anadolu, the law provides for raising duties on Russian goods by 500% and an additional 100% duty on goods from the five largest importers of Russian oil and gas making new purchases on October 18 or later.

EU and congressman against the Russian diesel deal

Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks introduced the bipartisan Prohibit Corrupt Russia Oil Deals Act, which is intended to ban the Trump administration from purchasing and importing Russian diesel. In his view, the deal benefits Moscow but will not bring meaningful savings to American consumers. EU leaders, following a two-day summit in Brussels, expressed regret over the temporary lifting of sanctions on Russian diesel and reaffirmed support for Ukraine. They called for tougher measures against hybrid threats and stated they would urgently consider additional restrictive measures and tighter visa requirements for Russians. French President Emmanuel Macron said the deal 'sends a negative signal' and will not affect world prices.

Attack on a journalist in the West Bank

The US State Department said it is 'deeply concerned' after Israeli settlers attacked Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine in the occupied West Bank, offered the newspaper consular assistance, and condemned 'criminal violence by any party' in the region. UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq called for a thorough investigation, describing the incident as 'yet another case of a journalist's right to do their job without harassment being violated.' The Washington Post also condemned the attack.

Strait of Hormuz: transit 70% below pre-war levels

The British agency UKMTO reported that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains roughly 70% below pre-war levels: over the week, 125 outbound and 129 inbound transits were recorded, compared with 129 and 146 the week before. Twelve attacks on ships were registered during the week, including a container ship hit by an unidentified projectile off Ras Sheikh Masud on October 13: the vessel caught fire and sank the next day, and the crew was evacuated. The agency warned that the actual number of attacks is difficult to establish, as most ships do not report incidents; 84 incidents have been recorded since the conflict began in late February. Iran's KMS reported that a supertanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of oil struck a naval mine in the strait, with an explosion and fire occurring.

World news in brief

The Bryson fire in Malibu (California) grew to roughly 200 acres (809 decares), with evacuation warnings and orders issued in Los Angeles County. Belgium will deliver 10 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in 2026, Prime Minister Bart De Wever said. The foreign ministers of Turkey and 18 other countries condemned Colombia's opening of an embassy in Jerusalem as a violation of UN Security Council resolutions. Gaza's Health Ministry reported on World Food Day that at least 466 Palestinians, including 157 children, have died from malnutrition and hunger in Gaza since 2024. Pope Leo XIV, on his fourth day of hospitalization, continues to recover from lung surgery, Vatican News reports. Student protests took place in Italy on a 'Day Without Meloni' against education policy, rising prices, and military spending. A Maariv poll showed parity between Netanyahu's bloc and the opposition — 51 seats each in the 120-seat Knesset 11 days before the October 27 elections. Zelensky said Starlink in Ukraine was not fully switched off, but speed restrictions hinder military and humanitarian use; Trump denied ordering Starlink access suspended for the Ukrainian army. Cuba's UN Ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán condemned a US-organized event at UN headquarters on October 19. A CNT/MDA poll ahead of the second round of Brazil's presidential election on October 25 gives Flávio Bolsonaro 50.5% versus Lula's 49.5%. Putin said the creation of a 'sanitary zone' on the border with Ukraine will not be a subject of peace negotiations. Von der Leyen said dependence on imported fossil fuels cost the EU an additional 106 billion euros. A new government has been formed in Morocco led by Fatim-Zahra El Mansouri — the country's first female prime minister, heading a four-party coalition. Hurricane Trudy strengthened to category three off Mexico's Pacific coast. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned of 'external' forces seeking to divide the country ahead of Monday's referendum in Alberta. Following the magnitude 7.5 earthquake in Panama on October 9, 746 aftershocks have been recorded. CERT-In reported unauthorized access by autonomous AI agents to Indian computer systems during research. FIFA fined the Spanish federation $20,000 and ordered a partial stadium closure for the next home friendly match due to anti-Islamic chants by fans during the match against Egypt on March 31.

Sport, culture, business and technology

A player from the South African rugby club Lions died in a hotel on the Île de Ré in France a day before the team's Champions Cup debut against La Rochelle; he was found unconscious in the shower, resuscitation efforts failed, and his name has not been disclosed. Real Madrid demanded the immediate resignation of La Liga president Javier Tebas and his removal as vice-president of the Spanish federation after he compared the club's management methods to those of Goebbels; the club called the comparison 'absolutely intolerable.' BTS became the first group to exceed 10 billion streams on Spotify in a year (versus 4.5 billion in 2025), largely thanks to the album Arirang released on March 20 with more than 5 billion streams. The UK government may intervene in Sky's (Comcast) deal to buy ITV's broadcasting and streaming business for £1.6 billion ($2.1 billion): Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said she is 'inclined' to issue a public interest intervention notice, which would trigger Ofcom and CMA reviews. Nikkei reported the compromise of about 1.83 million personal data records in an unauthorized access to a cloud service, of which about 150,000 contained personal information; the incident has been referred to Japan's Personal Information Protection Commission. Turkish Airlines and CFM International signed a memorandum to purchase more than 300 engines for up to 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and for long-term maintenance of a fleet of over 600 engines, including the creation of an MRO facility in Turkey. White House Press Secretary Karoline Zacharia, who confirmed her 'transition' from the post, called working for Trump an honor. Ticket sales will cover 75% of the Louvre's €1 billion renovation plan, its president Christophe Leribault said. Nearly 70% of French people approve of Saturday protests against rising prices (BFMTV poll). Students in Berlin blocked school entrances, demanding more education funding and opposing compulsory military service. In Czechia, 26 cyber incidents were recorded in September — the third-highest figure of the year.