Hegseth accused Tehran of building a large conventional missile arsenal to deter military action while pursuing “nuclear ambitions”. / AP Archive

Hakan Fidan attends the 52nd Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Iraq, on October 17, 2026. / َAA

The drones were shot down by F-16 fighter jets some 20km southeast of the town of Sulina. / َAA

Bernard Baudoux says the attack took place in the Palestinian town of Taybeh, where he had planned to sign a cooperation agreement. (AFP)

Meta said the technical issues were already public and that the internal discussions concerned their severity, not political interference. / Reuters

Kenya confirms first Ebola case imported from Congo. / Reuters

Egypt's Sisi and Saudi Crown Prince stress need for security of Red Sea navigation. / AFP Archive

French Mayor Bernard Baudoux injured in Israeli settler attack on a European delegation in the West Bank, Oct. 17, 2026. (Social media)

Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he fears the US move is only the beginning of a broader relaxation of restrictions against Russia. (Reuters)

Protesters scuffle with police during a demonstration against rising living costs, joining students' grievances, in Paris on October 17, 2026. (AP)

FILE: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. /AA

Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and FM Fuad Hussein and OIC secretary-general pose with delegates in Baghdad, Iraq, October 17 2026. /Reuters

FILE: Palestinians shelter in tents amid the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the Israeli offensive, in Gaza. /Reuters

Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam. File photo / Reuters

US President Donald Trump speaks at a midterm campaign rally at Dalton Municipal Airport in Dalton, Georgia, on October 16 2026. /AFP

Pakistan's finance minister speaks during an interview at the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank Group in Bangkok on October 17 2026. /AFP

Daily News Brief

FILE: Firefighters and territorial defence officers stand close to the destroyed roof of a house, after Russian drones violated Polish airspace. /AP

Iran-flagged vessel Hamouna anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, May 2, 2026. File Photo / AFP

Crews make a stand in front of the Bryson Fire on October 15, 2026, in Malibu, California. / AP