October 20, 2026 — World news | The World in Summary

October 20, 2026

Updated 10/20 07:00 (Eastern time)

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World

Defense Secretary Hegseth makes unannounced visit to Israel

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unannounced visit to Israel and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the Associated Press.

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Economy

Jobless rate falls as small firms scale back hiring over labor costs

The jobless rate has fallen, but the Office for National Statistics says small firms are scaling back hiring, citing labor costs as a key factor.

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Chancellor rejects calls to raise capital gains tax in the Budget

The chancellor rejected calls from influential Labour figures to equalize capital gains tax and income tax, amid criticism that the move could drive wealthy people out of Britain.

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World

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Suspect arrested after historic French town hall was set on fire during unrest

A suspect was arrested after the historic town hall in Limoges was set ablaze during unrest, with the clock tower’s spire collapsing in the fire, French media reported.

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Trump’s push for deals with Russia fuels frustration over Ukraine

Recent steps by President Trump that appear to favor Vladimir Putin reflect his growing desire to normalize relations with Moscow, even if Ukraine is further undercut, The New York Times reported.

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Tech

Nvidia CEO urges German manufacturers to adopt AI rapidly

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang urged German automakers and industrial manufacturers to adopt artificial intelligence rapidly and use their manufacturing data and expertise to strengthen the economy.

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China defends DeepSeek after U.S. ban on its AI in government systems

China criticized a U.S. ban on products from Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek in federal civilian agencies, highlighting tensions in the technology competition between the two countries.

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US

Trump signs order to expand women’s health research

President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the federal government to expand women’s health research, including by creating a division at the National Institutes of Health and a White House task force.

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Justice Department charges more than two dozen in California noncitizen-voting sweep

The Justice Department charged more than two dozen people in California in a sweep targeting alleged noncitizen voters ahead of the November midterm elections; such voting is rare and has not been shown to affect election outcomes.

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Supreme Court to hear challenge over race in magnet middle-school admissions

The Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge involving admissions policies at four magnet middle schools. The parents argue that a policy described as race-neutral was designed to increase Black and Latino admissions while disadvantaging Asian American students.

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Sports

Cleveland falls short in ALCS, extending its World Series title drought to 78 years

The Cleveland Guardians lost 7-3 to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. Tampa Bay will face the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series, a matchup between teams seeking their first title.

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NFL prepares for first regular-season game in Paris amid security concerns

The NFL is preparing for its first regular-season game in Paris, where the Pittsburgh Steelers will play the New Orleans Saints amid heightened security concerns as part of the league’s expanding international schedule.

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