World Food Forum 2026: FAO Director-General opens 5th Science and Innovation Forum

Event calls for accelerating science and innovation for food security impacts

Established by the Director-General in 2022, SIF is a key pillar of the World Food Forum (WFF), whose theme this year is "Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow."

©FAO
13/10/2026

Rome - The 5th edition of the Science and Innovation Forum (SIF) opened Tuesday at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with Director-General QU Dongyu calling for the benefits of science and innovation to reach those most in need at a time when 645 million people continue to face hunger worldwide.

Established by the Director-General in 2022, SIF is a key pillar of the World Food Forum (WFF), whose theme this year is "Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow." The Forum serves as a platform to advance science-based solutions and foster collaboration among policymakers, researchers, innovators and partners working to transform agrifood systems.

Held from 13 to 16 October 2026, the Forum highlights the importance of harnessing science, technology and innovation to build agrifood systems that are more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, helping to improve food security, nutrition and livelihoods.

While science and innovation are rapidly transforming how food is produced, accessed and consumed, one in four people worldwide still face food insecurity, and one in three cannot afford a healthy diet.

Groundbreaking innovations such as biotechnology, remote sensing, robotics and artificial intelligence are increasingly available. Yet their potential can only be realized if they are accessible, affordable and adopted by those who need them most.

‘Mass for Europe’ to be celebrated in Brussels on 15 October

12 October 2026

Invitation

EVENT | ‘Mass for Europe’ to be celebrated in Brussels on 15 October

The public is warmly invited to join the bishops of the European Union for the Mass for Europe, to be celebrated on Thursday, 15 October 2026, at 18:30 at the Église Notre-Dame des Victoires au Sablon, Place du Grand Sablon, 1000 Brussels. The celebration is open to everyone and no registration is required. Download Poster

The Mass will take place in the context of the autumn 2026 Assembly of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), to be held in Brussels from 14 to 16 October. The Assembly will bring together the bishops who compose COMECE and represent the episcopal conferences of the EU Member States.

The Mass will be presided over by H.E. Mgr Mariano Crociata, President of COMECE, and concelebrated by the bishops participating in the Assembly. Musical accompaniment will be provided by the Polish choir Domino Cantus.

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‘Just an excuse to riot’: Carnage in Belgium as riots turn violent

 

Activist Greta Thunberg joins a student protest in France

Russia-Linked Group Claims Armed Incursion Into NATO Territory, Threatens Further Sabotage

Oct 13, 2026 10:51

Updated Oct 13, 2026 13:01

Concrete anti-tank obstacles known as “dragon’s teeth” near the Latvia-Belarus border in Piedruja, Latvia, on August 17, 2026. (Source: Getty Images)

IVAN KHOMENKO
News Writer

An armed group calling itself “Black Rus” has claimed responsibility for a cross-border operation in Latvia involving masked individuals, damaged surveillance equipment, and an attempt to push 20 undocumented migrants across the border from Belarus.

A senior NATO strategic communications official said the incident showed signs of possible involvement by Russian and Belarusian intelligence services.

According to Latvia’s public broadcaster LSM on October 12, the group published a video statement on Telegram claiming responsibility for the incident, which took place overnight on October 5–6 near the Latvian-Belarusian border.

In the video, a masked man using a distorted voice and identifying himself as Neman, the group’s spokesperson, claimed that three members had participated in the operation. He also threatened further acts of sabotage against countries bordering Belarus.

Jānis Sārts, director of NATO’s Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, suggested that the group was unlikely to be operating independently. He said the involvement of armed individuals in moving migrants toward Latvia’s border bore characteristics of an operation potentially coordinated by Russian and Belarusian intelligence services.

During the initial incident, armed individuals accompanying migrants from Belarus reportedly threatened Latvian military personnel while attempting to force their way across the border.

Several hours later, masked individuals entered Latvian territory again near the village of Matuliški, stealing surveillance cameras and damaging border monitoring equipment.

Latvia’s State Security Service opened criminal proceedings on October 9 concerning the alleged establishment of a criminal organization intended to commit particularly serious crimes against peace, as well as against Latvia and Ukraine.

The agency declined to provide further details, citing the interests of the ongoing investigation. No official determination linking the group directly to Russian or Belarusian intelligence services has been publicly established.

Earlier, in July 2026, Latvia tightened security around critical energy infrastructure, including a major hydroelectric dam and its largest underground gas storage facility, following intelligence warnings of potential Russian sabotage. Latvian officials also called for additional NATO air defenses and a stronger allied military presence amid growing concerns over hybrid threats.

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Major economies approach their largest budget deficits since the COVID-19 pandemic

12:00, 13 October 2026
Source: LB.ua
 


The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned of deteriorating public finances in the world’s major economies. In 2026, budget deficits in China and the United States are expected to reach or exceed 8% of GDP, while net borrowing across advanced economies is projected to total 5.2% of GDP. This would be the highest level since 2021.

According to the IMF, net borrowing by the US general government sector will reach 8.5% of GDP in 2026, up from 7.1% in 2025 and 5.8% before the COVID-19 pandemic. The fiscal outlook has deteriorated compared with the IMF’s April projections amid turmoil in global debt markets.

At the same time, government borrowing costs are rising. Investors are concerned about growing public debt, inflation and large-scale investment in artificial intelligence. In September, a bond sell-off put additional pressure on government budgets as debt-servicing costs increased.

According to the IMF, global public debt is expected to approach 100% of world GDP by the end of the decade. The fund identified prolonged wars, cyberattacks and extreme weather events as factors increasing fiscal risks and exacerbating the global energy shock.

Meanwhile, the IMF slightly upgraded its forecast for global economic growth in 2026 by 0.1 percentage points to 3.1%. The global economy is projected to grow by 3.4% in 2027. The US economy is expected to expand by 2.3% in both years, while China’s growth is forecast at 4.5% in 2026 and 4% in 2027. India’s economy is projected to grow by 7% annually.

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You'll Never Watch Disney the Same Way Again (Documentary)

 You'll Never Watch Disney the Same Way Again (Documentary)

Taylor Alesia

What if the Disney movies we grew up loving have been teaching us more than we ever realized?

In this documentary, we take a closer look at the disturbing patterns woven throughout Disney films, the messages hidden in plain sight, and how they compare to what Scripture teaches us. From rebellion and following your heart to spiritual deception, it’s time to examine the stories we’ve welcomed into our homes through a biblical lens.

My prayer is that this documentary encourages you to think critically, exercise discernment, and see these familiar stories in an entirely new light.

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Hasan Piker Interview with Darializa Avila Chevalier

Hasan Piker Interview with Darializa Avila Chevalier

HasanPikerHQ

Oct 11, 2026

Hasan Piker had a set down talk with Darializa Avila Chevalier about the shooting of ICE and NYC protest, NYC Police attacking anti ICE protestor.

Left follows right in abandoning wall between church, state | Opinion

For a country with strong separation of church and state values, the sudden shift toward religious testimonials is one of the most surprising changes in American politics in decades.

Jonathan Turley
Opinion contributor
Oct. 12, 2026, 6:04 a.m. ET

Across the country, a curious trend is taking hold in the Democratic Party: The left has found God in politics.

As Politico noted most recently, Democrats are running for Congress by leaning on their Christian bona fides. Democrats hope they have found the key to political salvation in states like Texas. However, as Democratic candidates like Texas senatorial candidate James Talarico campaign on their religious credentials, the result has been to insert faith into the broader political debate, which now includes questions ranging from the gender of God to whether Christians have to believe that Jesus actually existed.

The rival views on Christianity by Talarico and his Republican opponent for the U.S. Senate, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, are now being debated by voters. Republicans have long emphasized faith-based politics, and the new Democratic shift has created arguably the most religious-themed election season in modern history.

For a country with strong separation of church and state values, the sudden shift toward religious testimonials is one of the most surprising changes in American politics in decades. The result has been a debate over the character of candidates based on their religious views and associations.Opinion: Polls are shouting in favor of Talarico in Texas. We'll seeLove crosswords? Explore the Crossword page and play the new MidGrid Crossword.

'Resistance preaching'

Morality and faith have long been part of American politics. However, the November midterm elections at times have sounded like candidates are running for the College of Cardinals rather than Congress.

For more secular voters, the debate has the unnerving sense of a plebiscite of the devout covering church dogma.

For religious voters, it can be equally unnerving as religion is reduced to political sound bites and bumper stickers.

Archbishop of the U.S. military says Catholic soldiers should not serve on firing squad

The Associated Press

Updated Mon, October 12, 2026 at 2:04 PM EDT

FILE - Military Services Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, speaks during a press conference at a plenary assembly in Baltimore on Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who oversees the Catholic Church's pastoral services to Catholics in the U.S. military, is condemning the proposed livestream of the firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan.

Broglio, in a statement Monday, also stipulated that any Catholic soldier assigned to the U.S. Army firing squad should ask to be excused from that duty, which he described as contrary to the teachings of the church. He joins other Catholic leaders in speaking out against the death penalty and the livestream plans.

Hasan, an Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people in 2009 at Fort Hood in Texas, is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on Dec. 3.

Broglio recalled that he presided over the funeral of Michael Grant Cahill, the only civilian killed in that attack.

The crime committed by Hasan "was heinous, but does exposing the public to his execution serve any purpose?" Broglio asked.

"The US military generally enjoys a good reputation in the world," Broglio added. "Is there really a value to throwing them in the same boat with terrorists by broadcasting the image of the execution of a man in a wheelchair to the whole world?"

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Event hosted in parliament hears speaker who argued 'influence of Islam' should be 'resisted'

Tim Dieppe, who delivered the talk in parliament, has said 'Islam is already threatening our democracy and changing our culture'

People look out from south of the River Thames toward the Palace of Westminster (behind) in central London on July 19, 2026. (AFP)

Imran Mulla

Published date: 17 September 2026 17:04 BST|Last update: 3 weeks 4 days ago

A talk was delivered in the British Parliament this week by a writer who argues that the "influence of Islam in our society needs to be resisted", that some Islamic practices should be banned in Britain and that "the West is quite right to be suspicious of Islam".

The talk by Tim Dieppe, entitled "The Challenge of Islam", was held on Tuesday evening in the Attlee Suite in Parliament.

According to a poster circulated on social media, the event was hosted by the MP Jim Allister, the leader of the right-wing Northern Irish party the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV).

Christian Concern, an organisation which Dieppe is part of, advertised the event on its website, and said: "Tim is speaking for the Protestant Truth Society, and the event is primarily for Parliamentarians and church leaders – though anyone can attend."

A recording of the event has not been released, but news of the talk is likely to attract attention in Westminster because of some of Dieppe's previously expressed views.

Dieppe is the author of a 2025 book entitled The Challenge of Islam: Understanding and Responding to Islam's Increasing Influence in the UK.

He wrote in 2024: "The influence of Islam in our society needs to be resisted in law and in politics."

Dieppe explained: “The church needs to build up resources for Christians to help them confidently challenge and confront Islam in our society at every level; whether it is with friends and neighbours, or in the public square and in the media.”

'Islam is already threatening our democracy and changing our culture'

- Tim Dieppe

- An Index to Character | Our High Calling - October 13

 

Federal agents raid Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar's home in D.C.

 

LIVE: Federal agents raid Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar's home in D.C.

ABC 7 News - WJLA

Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar's home was searched by federal agents with Homeland Security on Monday morning as part of a criminal investigation, sources confirmed to the Associated Press.

Mass Immigration DESTROYS England, Social Breakdown COMING

Sheila Holm on the coming election steal by liberals, Maduro reveals names

No Power, No Water? Do This First

Haiti & Jesuit Refugee Service

 AI Overview

JRS in relation to Haiti most commonly refers to the Jesuit Refugee Service (known as Service jésuite aux réfugiés or through its close regional/partner network like SJM Haïti / Service Jésuite aux Réfugiés et Migrants).

Key Activities and Context

• Accompanying Migrants & Returnees: Operating in Haiti since 1999 (via partner networks like SJM Haïti), JRS and its partners defend the rights, safety, and dignity of migrants, displaced persons, and returnees facing violence, abuse, or forced repatriation.

• Education & Community Support: JRS has historically supported localized educational infrastructure and school construction projects in vulnerable or rural Haitian communities (such as in Thiotte) and aided children and stateless people of Haitian descent.

• Advocacy in North America: JRS/USA actively advocates for Haitian migrants abroad—including campaigning for the protection and extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and humanitarian relief for hundreds of thousands of Haitians affected by ongoing domestic instability and violence.

(Note: "JRS" can also occasionally appear in sports contexts as an abbreviation or reference tied to Haitian football/athletes, such as player Jean-Ricner Bellegarde or Derrick Etienne Jr.).

Hospitality Day: a message from father general Arturo Sosa SJ

They that Pierced Him | Maranatha: The Lord Is Coming - October 12

HUNDREDS of Migrants CONTINUE March toward US after Leader is ARRESTED

 

Trump Touts Pastor’s Support for Hasan Execution Livestream as Pope Objects

Trump Touts Pastor’s Support for Hasan Execution Livestream as Pope Objects


PUBLISHED

OCT 10, 2026 AT 05:27 PM EDT

UPDATED

OCT 11, 2026 AT 09:39 AM EDT

By Steve Mollman

News Editor

President Donald Trump promoted a pastor’s biblical defense of livestreaming Fort Hood mass shooter Nidal Hasan’s execution on Saturday, even as the president said he would personally decide whether the controversial broadcast goes ahead.

Trump reposted a report featuring Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas and a longtime Trump ally, who argued that the public execution would demonstrate the sanctity of human life.

The post sharpened a divide among religious leaders after Pope Leo XIV reiterated the Catholic Church’s opposition to capital punishment and the head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops directly condemned the proposed livestream.

It also came as opposition widened among Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans who support executing Hasan but oppose livestreaming it.

Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment on Saturday.

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Four dead and thousands without power after Hurricane Isaias lashes US

Madeline Halpert

New York





Watch: Florida thrashed as Hurricane Isaias makes landfall


Four people have died and hundreds of thousands are without power after Hurricane Isaias battered parts of the southern US with powerful winds and heavy rain.

Officials reported two deaths each in the states of Alabama and Florida, which included people who were killed when trees fell on their houses.

An estimated 500,000 people in total were without power in several states as of Saturday evening, according to tracker PowerOutage.

Isaias made landfall in Florida late on Friday with maximum sustained winds of 105mph (168km/h) before being downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone.

The storm felled trees and ripped the roofs off buildings. Alabama, Florida and Georgia all declared states of emergency ahead of its arrival, while both Florida and Alabama issued mandatory evacuation orders to thousands of people.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Simon is bearing down on Mexico's Pacific coast and has strengthened to category four. It is expected to make landfall sometime overnight.

Tropical Storm Rachel, also in the Pacific Ocean, is expected to hit southern California later on Saturday.

Getty Images

The roof was blown off an apartment complex in Milton, Florida

Mamdani advisor’s secret Cuba diary exposes anti-US plot, luxe trip

By David Spector
Published Oct. 11, 2026, 5:13 a.m. ET

A friend and advisor to socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani met with the president of Cuba during a luxe trip to the communist nation — where they conspired to subvert US foreign policy, according to a since-deleted travel diary obtained by The Post.

Danny Valdez, who hosted a fundraiser for Mamdani’s mayoral campaign in 2025, traveled to Cuba with a delegation from the DSA International Committee from Oct. 22 to Oct. 26, 2023, according to the Nov. 9, 2023 blog post, entitled “The Cuba Diaries.”

The delegation met with President Miguel Diaz-Canel on the third day of the trip with the purpose of partnering to end the US embargo, in place since 1962, three years after Fidel Castro imposed a communist dictatorship on the island, he recalled.

DSA national co-chair Ashik Siddique and Valdez are seen posing in a group photo with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.Obtained by the NY Post

“It was genuinely a big accomplishment for our delegation that this meeting took place. It was a sign that the Cuban government took our organization seriously and saw us as potential partners in the work of ending the US blockade,” Valdez wrote.

During the meeting, the Cuban president whined about the US-imposed blockade.

“No other country has to operate under such conditions. Vietnam and China are not under blockade, and are able to develop their approach to socialism,” Diaz-Canel said, according to Valdez.

Who Thought This Was OK?

Who Thought This Was OK?

Steve Watson

10th October 2026

City-Backed Festival Let a Man STRIP for Cash in Front of CHILDREN
184 views

A small city in upstate New York sponsored a “family friendly” arts festival, then stood by while grown men stripped down and took cash tips a few feet from toddlers. Rather than issuing an apology, the Democratic mayor issued a lecture on free speech.

Footage from the September 19 City of the Hills Festival in Oneonta now circulating online shows one performer peeling off clothing, working the crowd for money, and dancing like a stripper in Muller Plaza, a public downtown space.

Local parents have started a petition. City Hall has treated their objection as the real problem.

The hour-long show was billed by organizers as “Draglesque to Downtown.” It was put on by the Community Arts Network of Oneonta and held on the plaza’s stage area during a festival that, according to a Daily Caller report, drew sponsorship from the City of Oneonta and the New York State Council on the Arts.

Advertisements did not warn that stripteases were part of the act. Videos and photos reviewed by the Caller show toddlers and young children seated just feet from the performers.

One performer, identified on Facebook as Teejae Dee, stripped down to a thong-style costume, did floorwork, climbed across picnic tables, and took money from the audience.

Dee promoted the slot in advance as a “Sickening Showcase,” with shows at 4 p.m. Asked whether the performance was appropriate for children, the organization did not answer.

Can churches help make an alternative asylum system a reality?

Dr Torsten Moritz, general secretary of the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME), reflects on a recent conference, “Protecting People More Than Borders,” and how churches can help make an alternative asylum system a reality.

Photo:
Joy Eva Bohol/CCME/UMCOR
08 October 2026

Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe
Refugees and migration


What were your biggest takeaways from the conference?

Dr Moritz: We met 28-30 September with some 30 participants representing churches from all over Europe. Discussions were around a draft paper outlining what elements of an alternative, protection-oriented asylum system in Europe could look like – a system which protects people more than borders.

These were very earnest discussions. They showed how important it is in asylum policy and practice to put the human being first - and how often this is not the case in Europe these days. There is thus great support for the draft paper. At the same time, there is a fear that any policy reform might even more be influenced by the extreme right and those following their agenda. Last not least, the message protecting people more than borders is a good common message, but it needs to be translated and contextualised into the different languages and contexts of churches in Europe.

What is the most crucial information for churches to know right now?

Dr Moritz: We – that is the CCME office and a task force from among members – will be working with the input we received from churches in Europe.

In early 2027 we will make an updated version of the proposals for an alternative asylum system in Europe available. It will be mainly policy-oriented and will contain specific suggestions for organising recognition of people asking for protection in Europe, their reception and integration, how this can happen while social cohesion increases, and how it doesn’t have to cost more than the current policy of dissuasion. The proposals are informed by good practices, as we could for example find them in the protection of Ukrainians fleeing in and since 2022. We will present an outline which shows that protecting people is not an a lofty illusion, but a real option if we dare to be values-based and realistic at the same time.

We will also provide accompanying information templates – like an explanation of policy proposals in a less technical language, which non-expert church members and members of the public can relate to. Throughout 2027, we will spread this information—online but also through events across Europe – to a church audience and policymakers, but also a broader public.

What is your urgent call to churches?

Dr Moritz: First of all, continue your work around the principle of protecting people more than borders. With hardening of policy and practice towards the most vulnerable, damage control is essential. Churches in many places make a different for upholding the dignity of persons seeking protection in Europe, while working to uphold social cohesion for all.

And, secondly, work with us on making an alternative asylum system a reality. Let us know what will help you in making an argument for a policy which prioritises protecting people – what information do you need, do you want us to visit and explain, and whom would you like to reach with your arguments? We all know that times are difficult and our resource at different levels are limited, but if we work together, we can have impact!

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