Good morning.
The US has imposed sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, Russia’s two largest oil companies, as the Trump administration increased pressure on the Kremlin to negotiate an end to its war against Ukraine.
The sanctions were the first against Russia since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, and were targeted to cut key revenues from oil sales that finance the Russian war machine.
The move against Russia marks the latest swing of the pendulum under the Trump administration from coercing Kyiv to sue for peace to growing frustration with Vladimir Putin’s maximalist demands.
How did the administration frame the sanctions? “Now is the time to stop the killing and for an immediate ceasefire,” said the treasury secretary, Scott Bessent. “Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine.”
Will it work? Taxes from the energy industry account for around a quarter of Russia’s budget and additional sanctions will further constrict Rosneft and Lukoil’s ability to do business, placing more pressure on Putin. But Thomas Graham, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, told Bloomberg: “The Kremlin has been very good at circumventing these kinds of sanctions.”
UN’s international court of justice orders Israel to allow aid into Gaza
Israel must allow aid into Gaza, and its restrictions on doing so over the past two years have put it in breach of its obligations, the UN’s top court has found.
The stinging advisory opinion by the international court of justice in The Hague also found that Israel had a duty not to impede the supply of aid by UN organisations, including the beleaguered Palestinian relief agency Unrwa, which has been in effect banned from the territory since January.
The court found Israel had not produced adequate evidence to justify ending cooperation with Unrwa on the basis it was not a neutral organisation under the Geneva conventions. Israel rejected the ICJ conclusions.
What did the findings show? In one of the most damning findings, the court said that Israel as the occupying power was under a duty not to use starvation as a method of warfare, and pointed out that the Israeli government had blocked all UN aid into Gaza from 2 March to 18 May.
What about the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation? The court found that the food agency set up by Israel was not an adequate substitute, and that its existence did not relieve Israel from the charge that it was using starvation as a method of warfare. More than 2,100 Palestinians had been killed near its distribution points, the ICJ found. Conditions continued to worsen and international food experts declared a famine in parts of Gaza in August.
Mamdani, Cuomo and Sliwa have heated exchanges in final New York City mayoral debate
New York City’s three mayoral contenders took part in a fiery debate on Wednesday night in their final televised face-off less than two weeks before voters decide the city’s next leader on 4 November.
The Democratic nominee, Zohran Mamdani; independent nominee, Andrew Cuomo, and Republican nominee, Curtis Sliwa, participated in a tense and often chaotic discussion. “If you want a candidate for mayor who tells you everything he can’t do, then Andrew Cuomo is your choice,” Mamdani said at one point.
Meanwhile, local and state officials in New York expressed outrage after dozens of federal agents carried out a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid in Manhattan’s Chinatown on Tuesday.
What are the polls saying? A Quinnipiac University poll conducted 3-7 October puts Mamdani on 46%, Cuomo on 33% and Sliwa on 15%.
What are the details of ICE’s Chinatown raid? Video footage captured scenes of masked and armed federal agents detaining several people on Tuesday, while crowds of New Yorkers gathered to protest. Administration officials said it was related to “selling counterfeit goods”. New York state has launched a tool to share videos of federal enforcement actions.
In other news …
Prominent Jewish figures around the world are calling on the UN and world leaders to impose sanctions on Israel, over what they describe as “unconscionable” actions amounting to genocide in Gaza.
The US military has for the first time attacked and destroyed two boats on the Pacific side of South America, killing five people, as part of its controversial fight against what it says are drug-trafficking activities.
The director of the Louvre acknowledged a “terrible failure”, days after thieves in Paris took seven minutes to steal jewels worth €88m.
Stat of the day: California earmarks $80m and deploys national guard to assist food banks amid shutdown
Gavin Newsom said he would earmark $80m and deploy the California national guard to assist food banks, as the state’s governor warned that the increasingly long government shutdown would affect those who rely on federal food support.
Don’t miss this: Iris Murdoch’s poems on bisexuality to be published – read one exclusively here
A previously unpublished series of poems by Iris Murdoch is to be printed. Murdoch, who died in 1999, is celebrated as one of the 20th century’s leading novelists but her poetry remains largely unknown. Read one poem here.
Climate check: Climate disasters cost $101bn in first half of 2025 – the costliest on record
The first half of 2025 was the costliest on record for major disasters in the US – with damages of $101bn – driven by the wildfires and major storms, according to research from the Climate Central group. There were 14 separate weather-related disasters costing at least $1bn.
Last Thing: Comedy Wildlife awards – in pictures
A red-throated loon landing on water, a guillemot headlock, sea eagles fighting, a smoking duck – here is a selection of the finalists in this year’s Nikon Comedy Wildlife awards.
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