US News

• A Customs agent refused to allow a Defense One writer to enter the US until he said he wrote propaganda. [Link]
• A key figure in Trump’s maximum pressures policy – Sigal Mandelker – is leaving the administration. [Link]
• The FBI detained a Russian lawmaker for an hour after she arrived in the US. [Link]

North Korea

• North Korea backs off talks with the US saying that the US is offering nothing new. [Link]

Afghanistan 

• Afghan Intelligence claims hardline members of the Taliban are joining ISIS and al-Qaeda. [Link]
• The US delegation met with Taliban officials in Pakistan. [Link]

Middle East

• An Israeli soldier killed one Palestinian protester on Friday. Israeli soldiers shot Eighteen other protesters. [Link]
• Turkey will start offshore drilling south of Cyprus beginning October 7th. [Link] Pompeo called on Turkey not to begin drilling in the area, calling it illegal and unacceptable. [Link]
• Erdogan says Turkey can start a military invasion of northeast Syria at any time. [Link] Trump and Erdogan spoke about the Syrian safe zone on Sunday. They agreed to meet next month. [Link] The Syrian Kurds say if Turkey attacks, it will lead to an all-out war. [Link]
• Over 100 people have been killed in protests in Iraq. This includes eight Iraqi security forces. Influential Iraqis Abadi and Sadr are calling for the Prime Minister to resign. [Link]

Saudi Arabia

• Saudi Arabia is considering a ceasefire deal proposed by the Houthi. [Link]
• Saudi killed a 14-year-old Yemeni girl with a cluster bomb. [Link]
• Saudi is pushing the US to remove Sudan from the state sponsor of terror list. [Link]

Africa 

• About 20 people were killed in an attack by suspected jihadists on a gold mine in Burkina Faso. [Link]
• A group in Rwanda attacked a tourist center killing 14 people. Rwandan security forces killed 18 people in response. [Link] 
• One UN peacekeeper was killed and four others wounded in Mali. The peacekeepers were in a vehicle that hit an explosive device. [Link]