I'll round up today's biggest headlines for you — searching the latest coverage now.
As of Monday, October 5, 2026 (UTC), based on AP, Reuters and other wire coverage, the 10 biggest stories dominating headlines today are:
1.U.S. Government Shutdown / TSA Pay Order - President Donald Trump says he will sign an order instructing the Homeland Security secretary to immediately pay Transportation Security Administration workers as the Senate works late into the night to resolve the funding impasse. The Senate is working late to resolve the 41-day funding impasse that has jammed airports and left workers without paychecks, with senators narrowing in on an endgame before TSA workers miss another paycheck. The shutdown is becoming a way for President Trump to exercise new command over government.
2.U.S. - Iran War Hardens - Iran and the United States appear to be at an impasse, hardening positions over ceasefire talks and setting the stage for more potential escalation as thousands more U.S. troops draw closer to the region. President Trump on Thursday extended his deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz to April 6, and Tehran tightened its grip on the strait while Israel poured more troops into southern Lebanon.
3.Wall Street Plunge - U.S. stocks had their worst day since the war with Iran started, as doubt took over about a possible end to the conflict. The S&P 500 fell 1.7% Thursday, back on track for a fifth straight losing week, the Dow dropped 1%, and the Nasdaq sank 2.4%, with the Nasdaq now 10% below its record.
4.Trump Hits Canada With Extra 10% Tariff - President Donald Trump says he plans to hike tariffs on imports of Canadian goods by an extra 10% because of an anti-tariff television ad aired by the province of Ontario. The ad used former President Ronald Reagan's words to criticize U.S. tariffs, angering Trump who said he would end trade talks with Canada.
5.Trump's Asia Trip - Malaysia ASEAN Summit - President Donald Trump plans to try to boost his image as an international dealmaker by finalizing a trade agreement with Malaysia and overseeing an expanded ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand. The accords could be completed during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Kuala Lumpur, the first stop on a three-country tour that includes Japan and South Korea.
6.Russia Strikes Ukraine - Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine overnight into Saturday have killed at least four people and wounded 20. In Kyiv two people were killed and 13 wounded in a ballistic missile attack, with Ukraine's air force saying it intercepted four missiles and 50 drones. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed calls for Western air defense, seeking 25 Patriot systems from the U.S.. Reuters also highlights: Zelenskiy warns EU Ukraine faces foreign aid shortfall of up to $59 bln and EU leaders divided over using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine.
7.Ireland Elects New President - Left-wing independent Catherine Connolly, backed by Sinn Féin and other left-leaning parties, has won the presidential election in a landslide. She won 63% of first-preference votes once spoiled votes were excluded, compared to 29% for rival Heather Humphreys of Fine Gael, becoming Ireland's 10th president and third woman to hold the largely ceremonial post.
8.IOC Bans Transgender Women From Female Olympic Events - Transgender women athletes are now excluded from the Olympics after the IOC agreed to a new eligibility policy. It aligns with President Trump's executive order on women's sports ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games, limiting eligibility for any female category event to biological females determined by a one-time SRY gene screening.
9.Early Voting Begins in High-Profile U.S. Elections - Polling places open Saturday for in-person voting in the New York City mayor's race and the contest to pick New Jersey's next governor. New Yorkers choose between Democrat Zohran Mamdani, Republican Curtis Sliwa and former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo running as an independent, with Election Day Nov. 4.
10.Venezuela - U.S. Tensions and Maduro Court Case - Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro says the U.S. is forging a war against him as the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford moves closer. Separately, a U.S. judge has pressed the Trump administration about its basis for barring Venezuela's government from paying former President Nicolás Maduro's legal fees in his drug trafficking case in New York federal court. Reuters also notes: US approves $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan, largest ever and What's next for the Gaza ceasefire and will the truce last? remain leading world news questions today.