1Politicsenglish.aawsat.com
Lebanon Steps Up Diplomacy to Stay Out of Regional Escalation
Lebanon has increased diplomatic efforts to avoid being drawn into a regional conflict due to fears of fresh Israeli military action and uncertainty over security arrangements in the south. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has increased contacts with friendly countries and kept Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri informed of discussions. The move comes amid concerns that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could escalate military operations before or after Israel's parliamentary elections later this month. Aoun discussed the situation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who urged Lebanon to avoid giving Netanyahu a pretext to intensify Israeli strikes, particularly by preventing Hezbollah from joining any confrontation between Iran and Israel. The stalled effort to expand pilot zones in South Lebanon remains unresolved due to disagreements over verification arrangements.
2Sportsarkansasonline.com
Shohei Ohtani’s health and a possible lockout loom over an uncertain offseason for the Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are facing uncertain outlook for the next year following their earliest postseason exit in three years. Shohei Ohtani, a two-way star who was plagued by injuries to his left knee and right biceps, may need offseason surgery after a loss to Milwaukee completed a sweep of the National League Championship Series. Potential MLB lockout looms with the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire on Dec. 1, with team owners proposing a salary cap, something the sport has never had, and the players' union has rejected this idea. The Dodgers had baseball's second-highest opening day payroll this year at $323.3 million, behind the New York Mets at $358.4 million. Nine players are expected to become free agents after the World Series, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, who is expected to command a significant deal. Manager Dave Roberts refused to blame an aging lineup for the team's defeat.
3Politicstribune.com.pk
Trump threatens California officials with imprisonment over stance on mail ballots
The US Justice Department has warned Los Angeles County and California election officials they could be liable as abettors of a federal crime if they count mail ballots returned by more than 20,000 people the Trump administration believes are probably noncitizens. This comes after the department gave California 48 hours to review a list of alleged noncitizen voters or face legal action. The acting US deputy attorney general, Trent McCotter, called on the county and California's secretary of state to reconsider their refusal to take steps the administration argues are needed to deter voter fraud. Since July, the Justice Department is focusing on prosecutions of people accused of illegally voting while not holding US citizenship.
4Politicsdailytimes.com.pk
CNSC warns adversaries against miscalculation following provocative Indian statements
Commander National Strategic Command (CNSC) General Aamer Raza has warned against miscalculation by country adversaries, stating that any miscalculations will lead to a swift response. This comes after Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had threatened cross-border strikes against Pakistan, highlighting a regional posture of aggression. Pakistan's Foreign Office condemned Singh's statements, warning that they directly threaten regional stability. The warning was delivered during the passing-out parade of the 154th PMA Long Course at Kakul. Raza emphasized that Pakistan’s armed forces remain fully prepared to defend every inch of the country and established a firm deterrence posture against hostile regional provocations. He also warned graduating cadets against creating social divisions between the public and military institutions.
5Politicsiol.co.za
Audit watchdog flags weak controls and fraud risks at Sport, Arts and Culture entities
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSC) is facing governance and administrative challenges, according to the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA). The AGSA highlighted persistent internal weaknesses, including extensive performance reporting gaps, procurement and contract management violations, weak consequence management for internal failures, and a period without permanent leadership. Despite spending 99.6% of the department's R6.3 billion budget for the 2025/26 financial year, AGSA found that while the department achieved 80% of its planned targets, five key targets were not achieved, with inadequate supporting documentation and late approvals among the contributing factors. The AGS also identified non-compliance with legislation on procurement and contracting management, financial statement preparation, irregular expenditure, fruitless expenditure, and the use of transferred funds. The department has been under intense parliamentary scrutiny for recurring structural and financial issues.
6Entertainmenteuropesays.com
Elfriede Jelinek: from a figure who brought shame upon her homeland to a beacon of Austrian culture - EUROPE SAYS
In Vienna, author Elfriede Jelinek's adopted city, an agreement has been reached to acquire part of her literary archive, which includes manuscripts, typescripts, correspondence, documents, and a press clippings collection she herself had compiled over the years. This acquisition is smaller than the €2.1 million deal by the Austrian state in 2022 to transfer Thomas Bernhard's archive to the National Library. The current agreement includes a commitment to subject the materials to in-depth study and make them accessible to the public. The archive is housed alongside other archives and collections of correspondence belonging to notable figures from Vienna’s cultural, artistic and political spheres. There are also events planned to mark Jelineck's 80th birthday, including lectures and talks by Pia Janke at Austrian cultural institutes in Paris, Warsaw, New York, São Paulo and Tokyo.
7Sportsnorthweststar.com.au
Another day, another Wallabies Bledisloe Cup beating
The Wallabies have suffered another disappointing Bledisloe Cup defeat, with a 50-19 loss to New Zealand, marking the end of Les Kiss's honeymoon period for the new Wallabies coach. The All Blacks won the trans-Tasman silverware for the 23rd consecutive year with a seven-try rout. The Wallabies lost to New Zealander Beauden Barrett, who became New Zealand's highest-ever try-scorer against Australia with 47 and 48th strikes in the first half. The loss marked the end to Kiss's five wins and a draw from his first six Tests in charge of the Wallabies this year, while All Blacks coach Dave Rennie is enjoying the series successes, four years after Rugby Australia fired Rennee as mentor to usher in a disastrous second Eddie Jones era.
8Worldmanilatimes.net
ICC prosecution seeks admission of 5 more recorded testimonies in Duterte case
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has asked judges to admit the previously recorded testimonies of five more witnesses in former president Rodrigo Duterte's crimes against humanity case, citing their accounts of alleged killings and a policy of neutralizing suspected criminals. The prosecution has asked for the admission of interview transcripts and supporting materials of witnesses identified as P-1087, P-1151, P1158, P 1161 and P-1204 under Rule 68(3) of the ICC's Rules of Procedure and Evidence. This request is part of a series of efforts by the prosecution to introduce previously recorded witness accounts, following an earlier application involving three witnesses and a court ruling allowing the recorded testimony of another witness to be admitted. The application also seeks permission for limited supplementary questioning of each witness.
9Sportssportskeeda.com
BREAKING: 3-time IPL winning head coach steps down ahead of 2027 season
Three-time IPL-winning head coach Mahela Jayawardene has stepped down from his role ahead of the 2027 season. The announcement was made by the Mumbai Indians (MI) on October 17, 2026. Jayawardedene had been head coach of the Mumbai Indian team for two stints, winning three titles from 2017, 2019, 2020, and then taking on the role of Global Head of Performance in 2022. In 2024, he returned as head coach and was in until the 2026 season. If Hardik Pandya leaves the franchise, MI will also need a new captain and head coach for the upcoming season.
10Businessen.politis.com.cy
Guilfoyle Faces Fresh Allegations Over Financial Dealings and Foreign Links
New allegations have been made about former US ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, regarding financial transactions and the activities of individuals close to her. The allegations stem from Jonathan Constantine, president of the Greek branch of Republicans Overseas, who claimed that Christos Marafatsos, a close associate of Guilfloyle and an intermediary in her dealings with business interests, was responsible for transferring funds to the former ambassador. Konstantin also alleged that Marafatos was acting on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. He also claimed that his organisation had previously sent reports to Guilloyle regarding alleged Chinese intelligence activities targeting US diplomatic missions in Greece. The claims remain unverified and do not constitute evidence of bribery or links to foreign intelligence.
