Daily Brief · Friday, October 23, 2026

Daily Brief: Friday, Oct. 23, 2026

Israel says two soldiers were killed in a West Bank attack days before its election, the Kremlin says U.S.-brokered talks with Ukraine are planned for November in Abu Dhabi, a judge orders Trump to sit for a deposition in his BBC lawsuit, AI stocks drag Wall Street to its worst day since July as oil hits a five-month high, and Colorado's governor declares a flood disaster emergency in the southwest.

World

Israeli military says two soldiers were killed in a West Bank attack; Netanyahu orders preparations for a full lockdown

BBC News reported two suspected Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a military checkpoint at the entrance to Hebron on Friday, killing two soldiers and wounding three Israelis before being shot dead, according to the Israeli military. The military said it found a large quantity of ammunition in the attackers' vehicle and believes they had planned a larger attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered the military to prepare a full lockdown of the West Bank, with Israel's general election four days away, BBC and AP reported.

Source: BBC News (also AP, The Times of Israel) (opens in new tab)

Kremlin says U.S.-brokered talks with Ukraine are planned for the first half of November in Abu Dhabi

Al Jazeera and AFP reported Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said trilateral talks among Russia, Ukraine and the United States are "planned for the first half of November in Abu Dhabi," after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg this week. Putin said talks should aim at final security arrangements, not a short ceasefire. Strikes continued overnight: Ukraine's Energy Ministry said Russian attacks on energy facilities cut power to more than 500,000 people, and Russia's Defense Ministry said it downed 443 Ukrainian drones, CNBC reported. Russia's Defense Ministry also said the sides exchanged 270 prisoners of war each.

Source: Al Jazeera/AFP (also CNBC/Reuters, The Kyiv Independent) (opens in new tab)

China says 16 people were killed and 76 injured in a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Tibet

Xinhua reported the quake struck Baqen County in Nagqu city in the Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region at 10:33 p.m. Thursday local time, citing local authorities, with casualty figures updated as of 1 p.m. Friday. More than 5,000 personnel have been deployed for search, rescue, medical care and shelter, and damaged power and telecommunications facilities are being restored. AP also reported 16 deaths in the magnitude 7 quake.

Source: Xinhua (also AP, NBC News) (opens in new tab)

U.S.

Judge orders Trump to sit for a deposition in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC by Dec. 11

AP reported U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett in Miami ruled Thursday that Trump must be deposed by Dec. 11 or face sanctions up to dismissal of the suit, unless the discovery period, set to end Dec. 18, is extended. BBC attorney Charles Tobin said Trump canceled an agreed Oct. 16 date for a "matter of national importance" and was campaigning that day. The BBC has apologized for editing of Trump's Jan. 6, 2021, speech in a documentary but denies defaming him, AP reported.

Source: AP via PBS News (also NBC News, The Guardian) (opens in new tab)

Many of the 28 green-card holders charged in a California voter fraud crackdown had applied for U.S. citizenship, AP finds

AP reported most of the legal permanent residents charged this week face charges tied to allegedly lying on naturalization forms or in interviews, which carry heavier penalties than illegal voting. The Justice Department said six people would be charged with voting as a noncitizen, a misdemeanor, and 22 face felony charges including false statements on naturalization or voter registration forms. Some defendants told AP they did not know they had been registered through California's driver's license process; a federal prosecutor said "the voting rights of American citizens must be protected."

Source: AP via Scripps News (also U.S. Justice Department, The Washington Post) (opens in new tab)

Workers' share of employer family health premiums rose 9% this year, KFF survey finds

KFF said its annual survey of more than 1,900 employers found workers pay an average of $7,471 a year toward family coverage, up $621 from 2025, while total family premiums including employers' share rose 5% to $28,303. Wages rose 3.7% and inflation 2.7% over the same period, KFF said. Workers at firms with fewer than 200 employees contribute an average of $9,687, and the average single-coverage deductible is $1,955.

Source: KFF (also States Newsroom) (opens in new tab)

Money & Tech

AI stock slide hands the S&P 500 its worst day since July as Nasdaq falls 2.6%

AP reported via AAP that the S&P 500 fell 1.2% to 7,663.43 Thursday and the Nasdaq composite dropped 2.6%, while the Dow edged up 11.89 points and two of every three S&P 500 stocks rose. Meta fell 7% after its profit missed forecasts despite stronger revenue, and Nvidia lost 4.4%. The 10-year Treasury yield fell to 4.97% from 5.13% as investors sought safer assets, and weekly jobless claims fell to 194,000, Euronews reported.

Source: AP via AAP/CommBank Newsroom (also Euronews) (opens in new tab)

Brent crude tops $114 a barrel, near a five-month high, on worries about the Iran war

Euronews reported Brent traded at $114.73 Friday morning after a 4% jump Thursday, and U.S. crude rose to $100.75. AP reported U.S. stock futures were lower Friday as oil reached levels not seen since May amid halting efforts to bring the U.S. and Iran back to negotiations. Euronews, citing MarketWatch, said the cost of shipping Gulf crude to Asia on a large tanker had topped $37 a barrel, more than five times its prewar level.

Source: Euronews (also AP, The Wall Street Journal) (opens in new tab)

SK hynix halts plans for a U.S. IPO of its memory-chip unit Solidigm, citing market conditions

Yonhap reported the South Korean chipmaker said Friday it stopped reviewing a pre-IPO fundraising round and subsequent listing of California-based Solidigm "after taking into account overall capital market conditions." South Korean regulators had said the offering could be a "duplicate listing" that dilutes existing shareholders, though SK hynix said that was not the direct reason. The company said its commitment to investing in Solidigm's growth is unchanged.

Source: Yonhap (also SK hynix Newsroom, Reuters) (opens in new tab)

Washington State

State parks commissioners voice skepticism of a proposed golf course at Westport Light State Park

Washington State Standard reported commissioners questioned the Westport Golf Links proposal after a packed hearing in Aberdeen, and Commission Chair Holly Williams said "work on the project should be discontinued"; the commission could decide in November. Developers say the links-style course would bring $15 million to $18 million a year in revenue by the mid-2030s, while the Department of Ecology estimates direct impacts to more than 30 acres of wetlands. The Quinault Indian Nation opposes the project as proposed.

Source: Washington State Standard (also The Spokesman-Review, Washington State Parks) (opens in new tab)

At least 11 hurt when a farmworker bus and a semitruck collide on SR 24 west of Othello, State Patrol says

KOMO News reported the Washington State Patrol said the work bus pulled onto State Route 24 from Road 24 Southwest and failed to yield to the semi, which struck it Thursday morning. Eleven of 13 adult passengers were taken to hospitals, and neither driver was injured, WSP said. The Seattle Times reported the bus was carrying farmworkers and that the highway reopened Thursday afternoon.

Source: KOMO News (also The Seattle Times, KREM) (opens in new tab)

UW researchers say Postal Service changes could put 20,000 or more Washington mail ballots at risk of arriving late

KIRO 7 reported University of Washington researchers said USPS operational changes could delay ballots enough that they are rejected, with research lead Scott W. Allard saying the impact could be consequential in rural and outer-suburban communities. They recommend using drop boxes or mailing ballots at least a week before Election Day. Postmaster General David Steiner said he is confident the Postal Service will deliver "a successful Election Mail season."

Source: KIRO 7 (also UW Election Data report, Brookings) (opens in new tab)

Colorado

Polis declares a disaster emergency for 11 southwest Colorado counties as flooding forces evacuations

9News reported mandatory evacuations were ordered for low-lying areas along the San Juan, Rio Blanco, Navajo and Piedra rivers in Archuleta County, and Pagosa Springs declared a local disaster emergency. Gov. Jared Polis' verbal declaration covers La Plata, Archuleta, Montezuma, Dolores, Hinsdale, San Miguel, Ouray, San Juan, Mineral, Alamosa and Rio Grande counties and authorizes Colorado National Guard support. U.S. 160 between Pagosa Springs and South Fork and U.S. 550 over Red Mountain Pass were closed, 9News reported.

Source: 9News (also CBS Colorado, Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management) (opens in new tab)

Justice Department says it will send Election Day monitors to Adams County, calling a Douglas County notice an error

CBS Colorado reported the DOJ Civil Rights Division notified both counties this week, then told Douglas County its letter was sent "in error." The Colorado Secretary of State's Office replied that the statutes cited don't give the DOJ authority to observe nonpublic election spaces, and said it will review the request under a rule adopted Oct. 9. Adams County is part of the 8th Congressional District race between Republican Rep. Gabe Evans and Democrat Manny Rutinel.

Source: CBS Colorado (also Colorado Public Radio, 9News) (opens in new tab)

Broncos

Pat Surtain II limited again Thursday as Hufanga, Elliss and Badie miss practice before Arizona

The Denver Gazette reported safety Talanoa Hufanga is not expected to play Sunday and outside linebacker Jonah Elliss is expected to go on injured reserve, while Surtain and receiver Jaylen Waddle were limited for a second day. Cornerback Riley Moss and running back Jonah Coleman were full participants, the team's report showed. For Arizona, Budda Baker, Carson Beck, Jeremiyah Love, Max Melton, Walter Nolen III and Andrew Wingard did not practice Thursday, Mile High Report listed.

Source: The Denver Gazette (also Mile High Report, Cardinals Wire) (opens in new tab)

Bo Nix says 'I can play better' as Payton takes blame for Denver's offense ahead of Cardinals game

ESPN reported Nix ranks 31st in QBR and 32nd in yards per attempt through six games, while the 4-2 Broncos are 26th in rushing and 31st in third-down conversions. Nix said his ankle is fine but acknowledged a mental side to his recovery, and Payton said, "I've got to be better," adding Nix's play will be "a by-product of all of us doing our jobs better." Denver plays the 2-4 Cardinals Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET in Glendale.

Source: ESPN (also AP, WhyNFL) (opens in new tab)

Every story links to its source. Spot an error? [email protected]

All briefs