Geopolitics
With 70.7% of votes counted, Israeli media forecast Netanyahu’s right-wing, far-right, and ultra-Orthodox bloc at 54 Knesset seats against 47 for Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition, with Arab-list parties on 19. His bloc lost its majority, but opponents would need Arab-party backing to replace him, which many have ruled out, leaving him as caretaker. Netanyahu called for a right-wing government and action against Iran with President Trump. Eisenkot said Netanyahu lacked a mandate.
Speaking of action in Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported that the United States has told several Gulf Arab countries to prepare for a short, intense military campaign after the U.S. midterm elections, citing indications that Washington and Israel are readying new heavy operations against Iran. U.S. forces are sending an additional Patriot system to Israel, restocking munitions, and preparing aircraft for strikes. President Trump said, “We may do another little Epic Fury.”
Separately, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said Yemen’s forces scored a direct ballistic-missile hit on Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry headquarters in Riyadh and attacked the Ras Tanura refinery, which processes 550,000 barrels a day. The Saudi military said it intercepted a pair of missiles, with reports of explosions and debris in Riyadh. Vanguard reported a fire near Ras Tanura that had been contained, with any effect on oil loading unclear. Saudi authorities had not confirmed the attacks.
Energy
UBS chief economist Arend Kapteyn found that Western restrictions have mainly redistributed Russian oil. The EU’s share of Russian crude exports fell from 48% before the Ukraine war to 4% by September, while China, India, and Turkey rose from 29% to 77%. Volumes remain about 10% below pre-war levels, with an estimated 61% on a shadow fleet, and Russia is importing refined products after refinery strikes. Russia’s share of China’s mineral fuel imports rose from about 18% to 27% and of India’s from just over 1% to 24%.
Meanwhile, Saudi Aramco is seeking partners to store crude abroad, starting at Singapore’s Jurong Rock Caverns from the second half of 2027, rather than only increasing output at home to meet demand spikes. Saudi Arabia is expediting the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor via Oman outside the Strait of Hormuz.
Economy
Villa Vie Residences suspended its 650-passenger residential cruise Odyssey off Cambodia after fuel costs rose more than 300% since the Gulf conflict began in late February. Very low sulfur fuel oil reached $966 a metric ton in Singapore, up from about $500 before the conflict. Monthly fuel per cabin that historically averaged about $1,800 reached an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia, and the company is coordinating disembarkation. The company said it is pursuing restructuring and recapitalization over the next 60 days with no outcome assured.
US Politics
AAA data cited by Reuters show regular gasoline averaging $3.472 a gallon since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, compared with $3.471 during Joe Biden’s presidency, days before the November 3 midterms. The October 26 national average was about $4.29, versus $3.05 a year earlier, up roughly 43% since the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran began in February. Diesel averaged about $6.35 after a record $6.53 in September.
Analyst Karlyn Borysenko published a recording she says she made of a call involving Chicago Teachers Union members, student activists, and teachers in France. She said participants called for violence, destruction, killing, and the fall of the United States government. According to Borysenko, a student activist said people must be as completely destructive as in France, that the U.S. government must fall, and that there must be a willingness to kill. Borysenko identified a man on the call as a Chicago Public Schools employee.
Health
Danish researchers funded with $1.6 million from the CDC associated with RFK Jr. will not conduct a hepatitis B birth-dose trial in Guinea-Bissau after the government withheld approval. The design would have given 7,000 infants the shot at birth and delayed it until six weeks for 7,000 others. The World Health Organization said in February that no-treatment vaccine trials are acceptable only when no proven intervention exists, or such a design is indispensable, conditions it said were not met. Guinea-Bissau plans a universal birth dose in 2028.
In other news, a study in Cell Reports Sustainability found that treating PFAS (forever chemicals) results below EPA minimum reporting levels as zero captures only 44% of a model-based estimate of average concentrations of 25 PFAS types across 9,991 U.S. community water systems. About 98% of 1.86 million January 2026 results fell below those limits. First author Gehendra Kharel of Texas Christian University stated that a result below the reporting limit does not indicate zero presence and that the work estimates occurrence rather than whether water is unsafe. The EPA did not immediately comment on the study’s findings.
Privacy & Surveillance
Ontario began a phased rollout of digital provincial ID with a digital Ontario Photo Card, with driver’s licenses and health cards to follow. Officials said physical ID remains valid and plan late-2027 legislation to that effect. The announcement did not name the vendor, what data checks send, or whether they are logged.
Meanwhile, Apple’s iOS 27.2 adds facial age estimation from a selfie where required by law, including in Texas, Australia, Brazil, Singapore, South Korea, and the UK. It can be required to create an account, update software, change safety settings, or download 18+ apps. Apple says the selfie is deleted after confirmation and is inaccessible to the company, and has not disclosed the model’s accuracy or what record is kept. In Texas, age range is always shared with developers.
Preparedness
On October 22, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu asked four mobile operators to prepare a several-hour DNS block of Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, and later X after riots he said were coordinated on social networks. Staff were placed on call for a 2 p.m. October 24 cutoff, but no order was issued. Operators said they could not limit a cutoff to mobile service in certain areas on short notice and asked for a signed, published act. An article by Reclaim the Net states that this incident highlights the importance of having a plan for staying online. VPNs, Tor, Signal proxies, and a mesh app are several suggestions offered in the article. Peak Prosperity recommends ProtonVPN for most users.
Sources
EPA Treats ‘Not Detected’ as Zero—Study Says PFAS in Tap Water May Be More Than Twice as High
A new study suggests the U.S. may be underestimating PFAS levels in its drinking water by roughly half.
France Plotted a Social Media Blackout. Prepare Your Escape Hatch Tonight.
While people who set up VPNs and alternative DNS services now may lose an evening, those who don’t may eventually lose the ability to do it at all.
Fuel Shock Ends ‘Never-Ending’ Cruise, Stranding Passengers in Cambodia
Villa Vie Residences suspended operations of its 650-passenger residential cruise ship on Tuesday, citing “extraordinary” fuel costs that have placed its business model under unsustainable financial pressure.
Source | Submitted by PhilH
Sanctions Don’t Stop Russian Oil—They Just Send It East
The most visible effect of the restrictions on Russia’s oil exports seems to have been to redistribute the global supply of oil.
Saudi Ditches Core Oil Rule as US Shield Against Iran Cracks
Saudi Arabia’s desire to partner with other countries to expand its strategic oil stockpile marks a seismic shift in policy.
“US Gov’t Must Fall”: Analyst Infiltrates CTU Call With French Activists Urging Violence and Revolution
The United States Government must fall.
WHO Kills RFK Jr.-Backed Newborn Hep B Vaccine Trial in Guinea-Bissau
The trial now appears DOA for good.
Iran War Pushes Trump Gas Averages Past Biden’s Before Midterms
The average price Americans have paid for gasoline during President Donald Trump’s second term has now surpassed the average recorded during Joe Biden’s presidency, marking a politically significant milestone just days before the November 3 midterm elections.
Houthis Claim Direct Hits on Saudi Defense HQ and Ras Tanura Refinery
Our armed forces targeted the Ministry of Defense in the enemy Saudi capital, Riyadh, with a ballistic missile and the hit was direct.
Ontario’s ‘Optional’ Digital ID: Convenient Until Physical Cards Don’t Count
A digital identity can be optional on paper and unavoidable in practice.
Apple Embeds Facial Age Scans in iOS as Digital ID Mandates Spread
Once the age gate is put in the operating system, every law that wants to introduce an age gate will have one ready to use.
US Warns Gulf Allies of Post-Midterm Iran Strikes, Oil Climbs
The US has told several Gulf Arab countries to be prepared for a “short, intense military campaign” after the US Midterm elections, per WSJ.
Netanyahu Holds as Israeli Jews Defy Polls and Isolation
Benjamin Netanyahu won the support of an unexpectedly clear majority of Israeli Jews in an election billed as a major turning point in his nation’s history, apparently ensuring he will survive as prime minister at least in a caretaker role.
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: The Washington Post, Reclaim The Net, Bloomberg, and Ynetnews.
by westcoastjan