Quick Hits

• France: President Emmanuel Macron admitted "failures in anticipation and intelligence" after days of violent unrest, declining his interior minister's resignation (Al Jazeera).
• Israel: President Donald Trump endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israel's October 27 election (Al Jazeera).
• Economy/energy: China's GDP grew 4.5% in Q3, beating forecasts on an AI-driven export boom, while Qatar warned that global energy shockwaves from the Iran war "have yet to peak" (Al Jazeera).
• Brazil: Lula and Bolsonaro held a fiery first run-off debate one week before the October 25 vote (Al Jazeera).
• Gaza: The World Food Programme cut aid to 500,000 Palestinians amid funding shortages it says threaten "modest and fragile" progress on food security (Al Jazeera).

Top Stories

• In France, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez acknowledged police "lost control" during weekend protests, while Macron ruled out his resignation; Al Jazeera is running live coverage of the spreading unrest.
• Trump's endorsement of Netanyahu comes as Al Jazeera reports Israel's Arab-led and ultra-Orthodox parties face attacks but could hold the balance of power after the October 27 vote.
• Rubio denied there was any US pause in intelligence sharing with Ukraine; Al Jazeera notes Ukraine relies on US intel through Starshield to spot fast-moving ballistic missiles Russia fires at its cities.
• Per Tangle, a viral rumor about Texas Senate candidate James Talarico collapsed within hours: conservative influencer Nick Sortor posted audio he said proved Talarico was discharged from an Ohio mental health facility, and the facility said he was never a patient.

Left Perspective

• MPR News reports Xcel Energy, Minnesota's largest electric utility, proposed keeping electricity rates flat for two years as complaints about rising utility costs mount.
• The Minnesota governor race reaches a milestone: Democrat Amy Klobuchar and Republican Lisa Demuth meet in their first debates this week at events in greater Minnesota (MPR News).
• MPR News documents drought damage in southwestern Minnesota, where Rock County farmer Peter Bakken shows shriveled, blackened corn — "so dry corn is eating itself."
• A direct-instruction reading program boosted students at the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School on the Leech Lake Reservation after Superintendent Dan McKeon flagged low reading scores (MPR News).
• On the campaign trail, MPR News reports Trump's new pitch for Republican candidates at a Kentucky rally: "Look at this beautiful guy," he said of a U.S. House candidate.
• Also from MPR News: Rochester tourism generated $1.1B in economic activity last year per a University of Minnesota Extension report; longtime "All Things Considered" host Noah Adams died Friday at his Ohio home; and Minnesota United ended St. Louis City's 19-match unbeaten streak with a 3-2 win on Marcus Caldeira's 86th-minute goal.

Right Perspective

No articles from right-leaning outlets were included in today's supplied source pool, so this section is omitted. (See International View for an opinion piece defending the Trump administration.)

International View

• Pope Leo made his first major appearance since lung cancer surgery, telling crowds in St. Peter's Square he will gradually return to duties (Al Jazeera).
• A reported $200M in aid from Iran to Hezbollah has put Lebanon's government under increased pressure from the US, according to Al Jazeera.
• Qatar's deputy PM called for dialogue with Tehran, highlighted US defense ties, and rejected Strait of Hormuz transit fees (Al Jazeera).
• Human Rights Watch says Mali's soldiers, fighters, and separatists are committing grave laws-of-war violations against civilians (Al Jazeera).
• A grass fire at a Canadian military base killed four soldiers; the cause is unknown, and PM Carney called it one of the worst peacetime tragedies for the Canadian military (Al Jazeera).
• In sports, Real Madrid beat Sevilla 4-1 (two goals from Mbappe, one from Guler) ahead of El Clasico, a day after Barcelona's 5-2 win over Betis (Al Jazeera).
• Opinion (clearly labeled by Al Jazeera as such): one piece argues media claims of Trump White House "chaos" are exaggerated following "Zacharia's short tenure"; another argues the Cuban Revolution's fall "will be a major loss."

Underreported

• Mexican protesters demanding clean water stormed a state congress, per Al Jazeera video.
• Al Jazeera video shows an elderly man forcibly restrained by police during a protest against Elbit Systems in Ulm, Germany.
• In Athens' pro-Palestine hub of Exarchia, residents say an influx of Israeli buyers and short-term rentals is driving up rents and eroding the area's character (Al Jazeera).
• NFL linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair honored Palestinian children for a fifth straight week, wearing eyeblack with the name of Maryam Ghanem, a Gaza girl who was forced to watch her mother burn alive (Al Jazeera).

Sources

• MPR News: Xcel rate freeze; Governor debates; Drought; Leech Lake school; Trump rally; Rochester tourism; Noah Adams; Minnesota United
• Tangle: Talarico rumor
• Al Jazeera: France live; Nunez; Trump–Netanyahu; Kingmakers; Rubio/Ukraine; China GDP; Qatar; Brazil debate; WFP Gaza; Pope; Hezbollah; Mali; Canada; Mexico; Germany; Athens; Al-Shaair; Real Madrid; White House op-ed; Cuba op-ed