US Reassesses Middle East Role, Moves Beyond Oil‑Security Pact | JQJO

U.S. envoys met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Oslo on Tuesday as Kyiv accused Washington of pulling back crucial aid. The meeting, attended by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son‑in‑law Jared Kushner (via videoconference), also included Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Kyiv’s criticism came after Trump waived sanctions and agreed to a diesel deal with Russia, actions that have raised doubts about U.S. mediation efforts. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he hoped Trump’s envoys could meet in Russia “in the near future.”

The Justice Department announced on Monday it was charging twenty‑eight green card holders in California with election crimes for allegedly registering to vote or voting in U.S. elections. This action escalates the Trump administration’s dispute with the state over its voting system as the midterm elections approach. The DOJ also filed an emergency request to block California from processing ballots from people on its voter rolls that the federal government says are likely noncitizens. Meanwhile, TikTok staff have repeatedly raised child‑safety concerns with executives, who have failed to act, according to court records. President Trump is campaigning in key purple states, including Georgia, North Carolina, Kansas, Iowa and Florida, as Election Day nears.

Marseille, France’s second‑largest city, experienced some of the worst violence during Saturday’s protests, with local business leaders reporting damage to more than 500 premises, most of which were looted. Police union officials described the weekend as an “apocalyptic hell,” noting that 118 officers were injured—over a tenth of the national total. Authorities have made 101 arrests, a quarter of whom are minors. In response, demonstrations and gatherings were banned for eight hours, and an overnight curfew for minors will take effect in parts of the city from Tuesday evening. The unrest has highlighted Marseille’s status as one of France’s most ethnically diverse cities, where new arrivals and long‑time residents alike have been drawn into the turmoil.

President Donald Trump is on the road to support Republican Senate nominees, including Michael Whatley in North Carolina and former congressman Mike Rogers in Michigan. Trump’s Kansas rally also featured a $8 bn aid package for farmers hit by soaring diesel prices, a cost that has nearly doubled since last year due to the U.S. war on Iran. The announcement came 15 days before the midterm elections, as Republicans face growing voter anger over fuel costs and the war. Trump’s remarks also touched on the French riots, repeating unverified claims that mass migration caused the unrest, despite no evidence from French authorities. The president’s presence in Kansas underscored the urgency of the electoral challenges ahead.

Federal investigators questioned Sahra Noor, older sister of Representative Ilhan Omar, following a Homeland Security Investigations raid on Omar’s Washington, D.C. residence. The raid, conducted on October twelfth, 2026, was part of an immigration fraud probe into whether Omar or her father falsified citizenship documents. Noor voluntarily spoke with agents after the search, and her book tour stop in Minnesota was canceled amid the fallout. Omar’s personal belongings were seized, and her attorneys demanded the return of some property. The investigation has prompted calls for denaturalization if allegations are proven.

A Guardian investigation found that Louisiana’s justice of the peace courts may violate tenants’ constitutional rights by allowing eviction fees to boost judges’ incomes.

In a case in Baton Rouge, Marchana Watts, who earned $20 an hour as an insurance analyst, presented receipts proving she had paid $950 in rent for a year and a half.

The judge, Tracy Batieste, reportedly ignored her evidence and instead focused on a court fee, instructing the trailer‑park manager to pay.

The judge accepted a $100 bill and told Watts she had 24 hours to move.

Louisiana’s 390 part‑time justices of the peace handle thousands of evictions each year, earning income directly from court fees that can exceed $150 per case.

Advocates argue that the fee‑based compensation creates a conflict of interest that incentivizes judges to favor landlords and expedite evictions.

Bradley Benton, a former legal‑aid attorney, said landlords prefer justice of the peace courts because they are faster, cheaper, and easier to win against tenants.

In one suburban court, eviction fees helped a part‑time judge earn more than $400,000 last year, surpassing the chief justice of the United States.

Australian independent MP Helen Haines was struck twice by a white Toyota Landcruiser outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, north‑east of Melbourne. The incident, described by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as a deliberate act, left Haines in critical condition and she was airlifted to a Melbourne hospital for surgery. Counter‑terrorism police are investigating; the driver, a 43‑year‑old man from Tarrawingee, was arrested and a knife was seized. Haines, 65, has lost one leg and surgeons are working to save the other.

Protests erupted in France and several European countries as citizens demanded relief from soaring living costs, inadequate schooling, and a housing crisis. In France, more than 500,000 people marched, with most demonstrations peaceful but some incidents of looting, vandalism, arson at city halls, and attacks on police. Separate protests occurred in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Albania, driven by high fuel and energy prices, housing affordability, and university conditions. The unrest highlights the challenge for governments to improve living standards while managing public finances.