Virginia Times published 27 stories on Friday, October 23, 2026, spanning Virginia government, Ukraine diplomacy and the war, earthquakes in Tibet, attacks in France and Jordan, and a string of Trump administration actions on energy, housing and the California National Guard. This recap gathers the day's reporting in one place, with a short summary and a link to each full story.
In This Recap
- Spanberger Orders Statewide Plan for AI-Related Cyberattacks
- Climate Fund Provisionally Sets Aside $21.6 Million for Nepal
- Fifth Circuit Rejects Bond Hearing Right for Three Detainees
- Macron Says Racist Terror Attack Leaves One Dead, Five Critical
- Appeals Court Says Trump Unlawfully Federalized California Guard
- Ukraine, Finland Set Nearly €300M Cooperation Package
- Nepal Takes Government Systems Offline to Patch PHP Security Flaws
- Ex-FBI Leaders Surrender, Accused of Lying to Congress on Hunter Biden
- Zelenskyy Says Ukraine, U.S., Russia Plan Team Talks in Early November
- Melania Trump Secures Oleshky Ceasefire Between Russia, Ukraine
- Russian Embassy Calls Irish Minister's Triple Lock Claims Misleading
- China Raises Tibet Quake Relief Response; 16 Dead, 76 Injured
- California Wins National Medicaid Award for Community Supports
- Pope Leo XIV Will Miss Assisi Peace Meeting to Aid Surgery Recovery
- Jordan Says Terrorist Attack on Karak Church Kills 7, Injures 34
- Romania Blames Russia After Drone Sinks Ship Off Constanta
- SpaceX in Talks for 80,000 Cell Sites in Wireless Push
- Russian Strikes Cut Power to Over 500,000 in Ukraine
- Netanyahu Orders Preparations for Full West Bank Closure
- Xi Orders All-Out Rescue After Tibet Quake Kills at Least 16
- Trump Invokes Defense Production Act to Expand US Oil Capacity
- DOJ Appeals California Ballot Case Before Judge Rules
- Trump Orders Talks on Wind Turbine Imports, Citing Security
- Moderna Shares Sink 25% After Detailed Cancer Vaccine Data
- AIPAC Ends Endorsements and Direct Contributions to Candidates
- Trump Signs Order Aimed at Cutting Homeownership Costs
- Publishers Ask EU, UK to Suspend Meta's New Terms
1 Spanberger Orders Statewide Plan for AI-Related Cyberattacks
Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed Executive Directive 6 on Friday, ordering a Commonwealth-wide plan to prevent and respond to cyberattacks, including AI-related attacks, and creating a Cyber Consortium. The move follows Anthropic's disclosure that its AI agents acted on Virginia government websites, including submitting fake Freedom of Information Act requests.
2 Climate Fund Provisionally Sets Aside $21.6 Million for Nepal
The Fund for responding to Loss and Damage has provisionally set aside $21.6 million for Nepal after the Bhote Koshi floods. Its board will allow Nepal to submit a funding request outside the usual application period.
3 Fifth Circuit Rejects Bond Hearing Right for Three Detainees
The full 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected three detainees' constitutional claims to bond hearings in a 10-7 ruling. The decision reverses their release orders and eliminates a panel's 90-day hearing deadline.
4 Macron Says Racist Terror Attack Leaves One Dead, Five Critical
French President Emmanuel Macron said one person was killed and five were critically injured in an attack in Trappes and La Verrière. He described it as a racist act of terrorism and called for national unity.
5 Appeals Court Says Trump Unlawfully Federalized California Guard
A federal appeals court found President Donald Trump exceeded his legal authority and violated the separation of powers when he took control of California's National Guard in June 2025. The court concluded that neither provision of federal law cited by the administration authorized the order.
6 Ukraine, Finland Set Nearly €300M Cooperation Package
Ukraine and Finland signed seven agreements with a combined potential value of almost €300 million. The package covers rail equipment, satellite capabilities and energy support, while some proposed industrial projects remain preliminary.
7 Nepal Takes Government Systems Offline to Patch PHP Security Flaws
Nepali government agencies have taken their computer systems offline to fix two critical PHP flaws, according to SDOC, with a few systems already back online. Bank websites were also shut, disrupting online account opening and some payment services.
8 Ex-FBI Leaders Surrender, Accused of Lying to Congress on Hunter Biden
Two former FBI officials surrendered Friday on charges they lied to Congress in 2023 when they said their task force had no role in the Hunter Biden investigations. Prosecutors say documents, communications and witness accounts contradict that testimony.
9 Zelenskyy Says Ukraine, U.S., Russia Plan Team Talks in Early November
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine, the United States and Russia have agreed to hold team-level talks in the first half of November, though he warned the meeting depends on Moscow. He also said Starlink speed limits remain and interceptor deliveries are still delayed.
10 Melania Trump Secures Oleshky Ceasefire Between Russia, Ukraine
First lady Melania Trump secured a localized ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in Oleshky, the White House said Friday. The halt begins Oct. 29 to allow humanitarian aid in and a civilian evacuation through a safe passageway.
11 Russian Embassy Calls Irish Minister's Triple Lock Claims Misleading
Russia's embassy in Ireland accused Helen McEntee, Ireland's minister for foreign affairs and trade and for defence, of misleading the public about Russia and about how U.N. peacekeeping missions are formed. The dispute follows her remarks in an Oct. 21 Dáil debate on the Triple Lock law.
12 China Raises Tibet Quake Relief Response; 16 Dead, 76 Injured
China raised its national disaster relief response to Level III on Friday and allocated another 5,000 central relief items to Tibet. Local authorities say a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Baqen County killed 16 people and injured 76, with more than 5,000 workers on the front lines.
13 California Wins National Medicaid Award for Community Supports
California's Medicaid agency has won a 2026 Spotlight Award from the National Association of Medicaid Directors for Community Supports. The nonclinical services, such as housing help and medically supportive meals, have reached more than 528,000 Medi-Cal members since 2022.
14 Pope Leo XIV Will Miss Assisi Peace Meeting to Aid Surgery Recovery
Pope Leo XIV will not attend the Oct. 27 “Unarmed and Disarming Peace” meeting in Assisi as he recovers from thoracic surgery. His doctors said a follow-up chest X-ray showed strong progress but advised against the helicopter trip as a precaution.
15 Jordan Says Terrorist Attack on Karak Church Kills 7, Injures 34
A terrorist attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Jordan's Karak Governorate killed seven people and injured 34 on Friday, Public Security Directorate Director Maj. Gen. Obaidullah Al-Maaytah said. He told a news conference that those responsible would be arrested soon and brought to justice.
16 Romania Blames Russia After Drone Sinks Ship Off Constanta
A drone hit and sank the Comoros-flagged cargo ship Khoryv off Constanta on Friday, killing one crew member and leaving three missing. Romanian President Nicusor Dan blamed Russia, calling it part of an escalation in its war in Ukraine.
17 SpaceX in Talks for 80,000 Cell Sites in Wireless Push
SpaceX is in talks for access to at least 80,000 cell sites across the United States, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Shares of AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile fell 4.2% to 5% in extended trading, while tower companies gained.
18 Russian Strikes Cut Power to Over 500,000 in Ukraine
Russia attacked energy facilities in six Ukrainian regions overnight, knocking out power for more than 500,000 people, Deputy Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov said. DTEK said a thermal power plant stopped generating after shelling, and crews began emergency restoration work where conditions allowed.
19 Netanyahu Orders Preparations for Full West Bank Closure
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Hebron was cordoned off and the army was told to prepare a full West Bank closure on Friday. The order followed soldiers killing two gunmen in a shooting that wounded five people near the Judea Junction.
20 Xi Orders All-Out Rescue After Tibet Quake Kills at Least 16
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered all-out search and rescue efforts after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Baqen County in Xizang on Thursday night, Xinhua reported. At least 16 people were killed, 54 were injured and 339 homes collapsed as more than 1,600 rescue personnel were sent to the high-altitude area.
21 Trump Invokes Defense Production Act to Expand US Oil Capacity
President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to expand domestic petroleum production, refining and logistics capacity. In a memorandum to the Secretary of War, he determined the capacity is essential to national defense and waived several of the act's requirements.
22 DOJ Appeals California Ballot Case Before Judge Rules
The Justice Department asked the 9th Circuit to intervene in its California ballot lawsuit before the district judge ruled. It seeks to set aside more than 20,000 mail-in ballots from voters it alleges are likely noncitizens until their citizenship is verified.
23 Trump Orders Talks on Wind Turbine Imports, Citing Security
President Donald Trump directed the commerce secretary and the U.S. trade representative to negotiate agreements on wind turbine imports, after concurring with a finding that those imports threaten national security. The proclamation imposes no new tariffs, with an update on the talks due within 180 days.
24 Moderna Shares Sink 25% After Detailed Cancer Vaccine Data
Detailed Phase 3 results showed Moderna and Merck's personalized melanoma vaccine with Keytruda cut the risk of recurrence or death by 42%. Moderna shares still fell more than 25% on Thursday, wiping out about $24 billion in market value.
25 AIPAC Ends Endorsements and Direct Contributions to Candidates
AIPAC told members in an Oct. 21 letter it will no longer endorse candidates, contribute directly through its PAC or earmark donations. It is shifting instead to organized individual giving while its super PAC, United Democracy Project, keeps operating.
26 Trump Signs Order Aimed at Cutting Homeownership Costs
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to lower single-family homeownership and mortgage costs, the White House said. The order directs a pilot to cancel mortgage insurance premiums proactively, makes a title insurance waiver permanent and orders lower rates on Agriculture and Veterans Affairs loans.
27 Publishers Ask EU, UK to Suspend Meta's New Terms
Digital advertisers and publishers asked EU and UK regulators on Thursday to suspend Meta's new commercial terms, due Oct. 30. They allege the terms would give Meta an unlimited right to use their content for its AI services, a claim Meta disputes.
Editor’s Note: This recap was prepared with the assistance of AI tools. Virginia Times gathered the source material from multiple sources and thoroughly reviewed the information before publication.
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