Bedtime rundown: the day's news, Monday 19 October 2026
France's curfews and a rejected resignation, an MP critically injured in Victoria, Zelensky's Bloomberg interview and Rubio's reply, Russia's cabinet reshuffle, and the day's markets, in one place.
Monday’s later stories, gathered in one place. Each item links to our full report.
Earlier today
Russian ballistic missiles hit Kyiv on Sunday evening, and Zelensky said Russia attacked energy sites 76 times in a week (report). Trump said on Truth Social that Zelensky “doesn’t want to end this war” (report). Challenger received an A$11.80-a-share takeover proposal from TAL Dai-ichi Life Australia (report).
Breaking
At 12:55am GMT we reported that The Wall Street Journal said Vladimir Putin had proposed meeting Donald Trump and Xi Jinping next month to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, without Kyiv. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there was “no clear understanding yet” on the meeting or its agenda.
At 8:15am GMT we reported that independent MP Helen Haines was critically injured when she was struck by a vehicle outside her Wangaratta office at about 3.35pm. Police said a 43-year-old man was detained and are investigating whether it was intentional. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a suspect is in custody and the joint counter-terrorism team had been activated.
Politics
- Paris police reported 108 arrests on Sunday as looting continued, while President Emmanuel Macron began a three-day Gulf tour (report).
- After a crisis meeting, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said prefects can impose partial, localised curfews, and Macron refused Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez’s offer to resign (report).
- Italy’s Giorgia Meloni met security chiefs after more than 200 people were detained in Milan, about 80% of them minors, ANSA reported (report).
- Marco Rubio said “there has been no pause” in US intelligence sharing with Ukraine (report).
- Putin backed a cabinet reshuffle that makes Finance Minister Anton Siluanov a deputy prime minister; the State Duma must approve it (report).
- Katie Zacharia is out as White House press secretary after five days (report).
- The European Commission condemned violence at protests in Albania, where police report 167 arrests (report).
Geopolitics
- Zelensky told Bloomberg that “steps have been taken to convince Ukraine to capitulate”; in a 7:47am GMT post on X he said there had again been “no early warning from our partners” (report).
- Tracker Marco Langbroek said Cosmos 2612 made another manoeuvre at about 12:26pm GMT on Sunday; no statement from ICEYE, Russia or Finland had been reported as of 10am GMT (report).
- Taiwan said it drove away 16 Chinese vessels around its main island and Pratas (report).
Business and Finance
- France’s 10-year bond yield rose 7.8 basis points to 4.866% and the CAC 40 fell 1.23%, MarketWatch and AFP reported (report).
- RBA Assistant Governor Christopher Kent said neutral interest rates appear to be rising (report).
- South Korea’s Kospi opened 3.2% lower after Friday’s US tech sell-off (report).
- NextDC entered a trading halt over a power delay at its Melbourne M3 data centre (report).
Crypto
- Stablecoin payments reached $482 billion in the first nine months of 2026 while supply grew 0.4%, Allium said (report).
Technology
- Apple’s US online store showed late-January shipping dates for the iPhone Duo within about 30 minutes of pre-orders opening, MacRumors reported (report).
Entertainment
- Sergei Loznitsa’s “Imperium” won best film at the 70th BFI London Film Festival (report).
Sport
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Zakharova calls European accusations of Russian involvement in protests 'self-exposure'; European leaders differ on foreign role in the unrest
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said European politicians blaming Russia for their internal problems showed "the level of madness". Italy's defence minister has spoken of a "hybrid war", while President Emmanuel Macron said there was no evidence of foreign interference in the events themselves.
France: Lecornu says curfews helped bring a calm night, more to be decided Tuesday; suspect held over Limoges town hall fire
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said Monday night's partial curfews had contributed to calm and that prefects and mayors would decide new ones on Tuesday evening. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said 123 people had been jailed since the weekend, and French media reported the first arrest over the Limoges town hall fire.
Bedtime rundown: the day's news, Tuesday 20 October 2026
Witkoff's Oslo talks, Zelensky's Patriot offer and Trump's comments on Ukraine, Hegseth's visit to Israel and Iran's response, France's first curfews and Italy's troop plan, and the day's sport, in one place.
France protests: first partial curfews in Paris, Lyon, Lille and Nice after Lecornu's crisis meeting; Macron rejects Nuñez's resignation
After an interministerial crisis meeting on Monday, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced partial, localised curfews, which authorities then imposed in parts of Paris and other cities, a "massive judicial operation" and full short-time-work cover for looted shops. President Emmanuel Macron refused Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez's offer to resign.
Rubio denies US paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine, says Zelensky should focus on ending the war
Speaking in Uzbekistan, the US Secretary of State rejected Kyiv's account of a three-day halt in missile-warning intelligence. He said a possible Trump–Putin–Xi meeting had been discussed but he did not know whether it had been finalised.
Zakharova says France condemns rioting at home but criticises crackdowns abroad
Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said France condemns rioting at home while criticising other governments for suppressing protests. She also rejected suggestions of Russian involvement in unrest in EU countries.
