The World

ADDIS ABABA — Fighting that began Sept. 23, when a rebel alliance including the Tigray People's Liberation Front attacked federal forces across Tigray, Afar and Amhara, is turning into a regional confrontation. Federal troops and the allied Tigray Peace Force entered the regional capital, Mekelle, in early October after the TPLF pulled out. They have since pushed north and west. Ethiopia and Eritrea cut diplomatic ties on Oct. 1. Ethiopia told the UN Security Council that Eritrean troops had advanced as far as 60 km into Tigray and called it an act of aggression. Eritrea denies any involvement, and the claims are not independently verified, though ACLED and witnesses cited by AP and other outlets report Eritrean movements. Crisis Group lists both countries among its October conflict risk alerts and warns that a direct war would pull in the wider Horn of Africa and Red Sea region.

GAZA CITY — A year after the Gaza ceasefire took effect, more than 100 aid and rights groups, including Amnesty, Oxfam and the Norwegian Refugee Council, say it exists in name only. Gaza's Health Ministry counts 1,493 Palestinians killed since the truce as of Oct. 12, and a cumulative toll above 74,000. Al Jazeera reports that no international stabilization force has deployed. It also reports that aid trucks enter at about a third of the agreed rate and that Israel holds nearly two-thirds of the Strip, against roughly half planned. The Board of Peace's adviser says about $18 billion in reconstruction pledges is in hand and a six-month recovery program is ready. Qatar and France on Wednesday called for the truce to be implemented and for Israeli forces to withdraw. Israelis vote Oct. 27, and Crisis Group warns that the coalition could escalate on several fronts beforehand.

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan and Afghanistan's Taliban government kept trading fire along the border this month. On Oct. 17 they exchanged artillery and small-arms fire for nearly four hours in Kurram and in Afghanistan's Paktia province, with each side blaming the other. The fighting followed a Sept. 18 suicide attack in northwestern Pakistan that killed 31 people. Pakistan says the Taliban shelter anti-state militants, and the Taliban deny it. The New York Times reported, as relayed by Afghanistan International, that Pakistani military and intelligence officials have met armed anti-Taliban groups. A Crisis Group analyst called the shift toward proxies dangerous. Mediation by China, Russia, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia has produced nothing. A Moscow-hosted regional meeting on Oct. 5 ended without a joint statement. Pakistan says it will not negotiate until the Taliban end their support for militants. Islamabad also suspended Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's provincial government amid security concerns.

BRUSSELS — On Oct. 12 the EU Council listed 1,569 individuals and entities in Russia's military-industrial complex, 826 companies and 743 company chiefs. It is the biggest single set of listings since the 2022 invasion and takes the total close to 4,600. Over half of the listings relate to the ballistic missile supply chain. Separately, the EU sanctioned 77 people over the State Duma voting held in occupied Ukrainian territory. At their Oct. 15-16 summit, EU leaders welcomed the measures. They called for steps to cut Russian energy revenues and for a coordinated crackdown on the shadow fleet, and said they were weighing tighter visa rules for Russians. Their conclusions also regretted Washington's decision to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian diesel. Brussels is also debating whether to move sanctions decisions to majority voting. The Commission has proposed this to avoid single-country vetoes after the contentious delisting of two oligarchs.

WASHINGTON — Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Jim Himes, the senior Democrats on the Senate and House intelligence committees, said Wednesday that the intelligence community has documented a covert Russian online influence campaign ahead of the midterms. They said the classified report reached their offices Tuesday. According to the lawmakers, Moscow is targeting Democrats and candidates of either party who back Ukraine. Its aim is to sow distrust in institutions and voting machines. Warner said Russia is using AI tools to spread content faster and aim it more precisely. He cited news reports of AI-generated ads aimed at Sens. Jon Ossoff and James Talarico. Both lawmakers said they have seen no sign of an attempt to manipulate voting machinery or ballots. Himes said several legally required threat assessments are still outstanding. The report is not public, and the account comes from the two lawmakers. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not respond to Politico's request for comment.

MCKINNEY, Texas — Federal authorities arrested a 17-year-old in McKinney, Texas, on Oct. 5 over an alleged plan to kill Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, and carry out a separate ISIS-inspired attack in North Texas. The account comes from WFAA, which cites federal law enforcement sources. The suspect is unnamed because he is a minor. He had reportedly been on the FBI's radar and was arrested after acquiring a gun. The reporting says the target date was Oct. 17, when Self was to judge a chili cook-off at a veterans' hall in McKinney. Self said he and his family are safe and thanked the FBI. The FBI and Justice Department have not publicly detailed the charges or the evidence in the sources reviewed. It is also unclear whether the teen had any direct contact with ISIS. The case follows other recent FBI arrests in alleged online-radicalization plots, including the Mall of America case in Minnesota.

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin announced Thursday a framework agreement covering a decade of F-35 production and sustainment, Breaking Defense reported. It covers at least 850 U.S. aircraft over 10 production lots, with initial spares and 10 years of sustainment and modification kits. Under the Pentagon's release, Lockheed will fund $7 billion in unspecified F-35 initiatives. Lockheed says production will stay at 156 jets a year, so unlike other recent Pentagon framework deals, this one does not boost the build rate. Contract terms, pricing and schedules are still to be finalized, and only if Congress grants multiyear authority and funds it. The Senate's fiscal 2027 defense bill would allow multiyear buys. The House version adds conditions: a full spares package and at least 5 percent savings. More than 1,300 F-35s have been delivered so far.