Teodoro skips personal welcome for Chinese exec at Asean defense talks

Inquirer.net - Oct 29, 2026

[Updated: 740 p.m.] MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. did not personally welcome China’s representative to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, on Thursday, Oct. 29. Instead, Defense Undersecretary Ignacio Madriaga received Senior Captain Yang Lei, China’s defense attaché to the Philippines, on his behalf.

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Ukraine, Russia, US peace negotiators to meet between Nov. 6 and 10, Zelenskyy says
Oct 29, 2026

Ukraine, Russia, US peace negotiators to meet between Nov. 6 and 10, Zelenskyy says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that he hoped that a trilateral meeting between peace negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States would take place in Abu Dhabi between November 6 and November 10. Zelenskyy said that Kyiv wanted Europe to be involved in the talks on how to end the war, adding that unity and stronger pressure on Russia were needed.

Netanyahu and top rival face postelection choices that could redefine Israeli politics
Oct 29, 2026

Netanyahu and top rival face postelection choices that could redefine Israeli politics

JERUSALEM — Israelis braced for perhaps weeks of political uncertainty Wednesday after an election that has challenged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’s grip on power and raised the almost unthinkable possibility of some Jewish and Arab parties teaming up in an effort to unseat him. Final election results could come as early as Thursday evening, though no clear winner is expected to emerge. Arab-led parties made a historic showing, but it’s not clear if the other opponents of Netanyahu's far-right government would form a coalition with them to reach a majority of seats in parliament. Issues around the Palestinians and their descendants remain incredibly sensitive, and Israelis are already renewing a debate about the identity of the nation founded as a state for the Jewish people. On Wednesday, Netanyahu warned against a “dangerous government” that might include Arab parties, whose constituents make up 20% of Israel’s population. And even as it leads in the vote count, Netanyahu's Likud party claimed that Tuesday’s election was “stolen” by Arab parties and asked Israe

Trump expands hunt for noncitizen voters with broad subpoena campaign before midterms
Oct 29, 2026

Trump expands hunt for noncitizen voters with broad subpoena campaign before midterms

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US visa troubles for Korean lawmakers 'very unusual': ex-US diplomat
Oct 29, 2026

US visa troubles for Korean lawmakers 'very unusual': ex-US diplomat

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US Fed keeps rates unchanged despite elevated inflation, gives little signal of next move
Oct 29, 2026

US Fed keeps rates unchanged despite elevated inflation, gives little signal of next move

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Apple shows first touchscreen laptops amid product blitz
Oct 29, 2026

Apple shows first touchscreen laptops amid product blitz

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Iran war's cost to American taxpayers grows to an estimated $47.1 billion
Oct 29, 2026

Iran war's cost to American taxpayers grows to an estimated $47.1 billion

WASHINGTON — The cost of the Iran war to American taxpayers has grown to $47.1 billion, according to a new estimate the Pentagon has provided to Congress. The fallout from the conflict has become a key issue in the midterm elections and could increase as President Donald Trump leaves open the possibility of renewed hostilities. The figure from U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, is as of Oct. 16 and offers the most up-to-date cost for the conflict since it was launched in late February by the United States and Israel. The latest price tag, obtained by The Associated Press this week, shows a $3.5 billion bump in U.S. spending since early September, when that figure stood at about $43.6 billion. The growing cost of the unpopular war and its economic ripple effects on energy prices could hurt Republicans in next week's midterm elections. Voters on Tuesday will decide which political party controls Congress during Trump's last two years in office. The Republican president has said new strikes on Iran are an option after the midterms and is sending more mili

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Oct 29, 2026

US stocks hold steady ahead of Fed rate decision

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks are drifting Wednesday as the countdown ticks toward this afternoon’s announcement from the Federal Reserve on what it will do with interest rates. The S&P 500 rose 0.2 percent and pulled within 1 percent of its all-time high, which was set earlier this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 149 points, or 0.3 percent, as of 12:46 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was mostly unchanged. The day’s highlight will likely be what the Federal Reserve says, if anything, about where interest rates are heading. The Fed raised its main interest rate last month for the first time in three years in hopes of slowing the high inflation that’s squeezing the economy and discouraging Americans. The widespread expectation on Wall Street is that the Fed will leave the federal funds rate alone at this meeting, and the question is whether it will give hints about what may happen at later meetings. Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh, though, has been adamant since taking over the Fed about wanting it to give fewer indications about its future moves. Wall Street cares so

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Oct 29, 2026

Federal Reserve likely to skip rate hike despite elevated inflation

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Oct 29, 2026

For Israel's Arabs, record turnout may bring political clout

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Netanyahu set to remain caretaker after inconclusive Israeli election
Oct 29, 2026

Netanyahu set to remain caretaker after inconclusive Israeli election

JERUSALEM — Benjamin Netanyahu looked set to remain Israel's caretaker prime minister after unexpectedly strong backing among Jewish voters left his opponents little apparent prospect of unseating him, despite his right-wing bloc losing its parliamentary majority. With nearly 86 percent of votes tallied on Wednesday, Israel's three main broadcasters projected Netanyahu's bloc of right-wing, far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties would win 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, well ahead of the 48 for rival Gadi Eisenkot's opposition bloc. Parties representing Arab Israelis were projected to win an unprecedented 19 seats, leaving Eisenkot little realistic path to power without their broad backing, which many Jewish political leaders reject. The results could still change as counting continued, but Eisenkot's bloc of anti-Netanyahu parties, ranging from the centre-left to the hard right, had fallen short of pre-election polls that forecast a tight race. Netanyahu would remain caretaker prime minister during any coalition negotiations and potentially until another election next year. While a ca

High-speed train collision kills at least 68 in Spain's 2nd deadly rail crash this year
Oct 29, 2026

High-speed train collision kills at least 68 in Spain's 2nd deadly rail crash this year

URDA, Spain — A high-speed train slammed into another that had stopped on the tracks Wednesday in Spain, killing at least 68 people and injuring dozens in the second deadly rail collision this year. The regional government of Castilla La Mancha confirmed the death toll and said another 58 people were receiving medical treatment at hospitals. Rescue workers searched the wreckage through the day for survivors and bodies. The collision came just nine months after another deadly crash involving high-speed trains operated by the same two companies in southern Spain in January. “Today all of Spain is grieving,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said from the crash site, where he announced that his government would declare three days of mourning. Sánchez called for increased safety measures to restore confidence in a high-speed rail system that was once a source of national pride. “It is unacceptable for a country like Spain to suffer two high-speed rail accidents in the same year,” said Sánchez, who faces an election on Nov. 29. Spain’s rail system operator ADIF said the crash

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