Morning Brief: US Navy Marks 250th Anniversary, Indirect Gaza Truce Talks Underway, Kim Jong Un Inspects New Destroyer

Judge Blocks Trump Administration From Sending National Guard Troops to Oregon A federal judge temporarily barred the Trump administration from deploying any National Guard units to Oregon over the weekend, halting the president’s effort to send troops from California and Texas after an earlier order blocked the use of Oregon’s own Guard. US District Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, issued the sweeping restraining order after accusing federal lawyers of trying to sidestep her previous ruling. She said there was no legal basis or change in conditions that justified military involvement in Portland’s small-scale protests. A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to federalize and deploy the Oregon National Guard to Portland, saying it risks blurring the line between civil and military rule. @selinawangtv has details. https://t.co/df2RSA3vvx pic.twitter.com/CpdlAA1uyz — World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) October 6, 2025 The decision followed the administration’s plan to reassign about 200 federalized California Guard members and activate 400 from Texas to protect federal buildings in Portland and other cities. Oregon and California argued that the move violated state sovereignty and the court’s prior order. Governors Tina Kotek and Gavin Newsom condemned the deployments as political misuse of the military, while Texas Governor Greg Abbott defended them. Immergut’s ruling temporarily halts all National Guard deployments to Oregon as related lawsuits proceed.   Trump Turns Navy’s 250th Anniversary Celebration Into Rally Amid Ongoing Government Shutdown US President Donald Trump marked the Navy’s 250th anniversary in Norfolk, Virginia, on Sunday with a speech that blended military tribute and campaign-style rhetoric, even as the federal government remained partially shut down for a fifth day. Addressing about 10,000 sailors, Trump praised the Navy’s strength, criticized Democrats for the shutdown, and promised that service members would receive back pay. The event featured military flyovers, a display of warships, and ended with Trump’s campaign theme song, “YMCA.” .@POTUS: We are gathered on this storied waterfront to celebrate 250 years of strength, tenacity, and unwavering courage by the greatest fighting force ever to roam the seas — the UNITED STATES NAVY. pic.twitter.com/sOYwKP8V3x — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 5, 2025 Trump appeared alongside First Lady Melania Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and other top officials. During his visit, he boarded the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), spoke with sailors, and watched live-fire demonstrations at sea.   Former NFL Quarterback Mark Sanchez Stabbed, Charged After Late-Night Altercation in Indianapolis Former NFL quarterback and Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez was hospitalized after being pepper-sprayed and stabbed several times during a confrontation with a 69-year-old truck driver in downtown Indianapolis early Saturday, according to police and court records filed Sunday. Authorities say Sanchez, appearing intoxicated, confronted the driver of a box truck at a hotel loading dock, leading to a violent struggle in which the driver used pepper spray and a knife in self-defense. Sanchez suffered stab wounds to his upper torso and was listed in stable condition, while the driver sustained a cut to his face. Breaking News: Mark Sanchez, the former NFL quarterback who is a Fox Sports commentator, was in stable condition after a stabbing in Indianapolis, the police said. https://t.co/n5DlPkD2iu — The New York Times (@nytimes) October 4, 2025 Police charged Sanchez with battery resulting in injury, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, and public intoxication — all misdemeanors. Video evidence cited in an affidavit shows Sanchez grabbing and throwing the driver, attempting to enter the truck, and blocking his calls before being pepper-sprayed and stabbed. Sanchez, in Indianapolis to call Sunday’s Raiders-Colts game, was replaced on Fox’s broadcast as the network and prosecutors said they were still gathering details. His initial court hearing is set for Tuesday.   US Coast Guard’s Newest Polar Icebreaker Storis Returns to Seattle After First Arctic Patrol The US Coast Guard Cutter Storis (WAGB-21), the service’s newest polar icebreaker and first in more than 25 years, arrived in Seattle on Friday after completing a 112-day inaugural patrol. Commissioned in August and departing Mississippi on June 1, Storis sailed through the Panama Canal to the Arctic, where it relieved the USCGC Healy (WAGB-20) and monitored Chinese research vessels Jidi and Xue Long 2. The mission marked the cutter’s first operations in polar waters amid growing security activity in the Arctic as melting ice opens new sea routes. During the deployment, the crew conducted flight and gunnery exercises, outreach events, and port visits in six locations, hosting more than 1,500 visitors. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Storis, commissioned in August, arrived at its temporary berth in Seattle after 112 days at sea on its inaugural patrol. https://t.co/t2Tb1GOvIE — Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) October 5, 2025 The 420-foot vessel, refitted from a commercial tow ship for $125 million, joins the aging Polar Star (WAGB-10) and Healy as the Coast Guard’s only polar icebreakers. The service says it needs at least eight to meet Arctic demands. Storis will remain in Seattle for training before moving to its permanent homeport in Juneau next year.   Arkansas National Guard Deploys 120 Troops and Four Helicopters to US-Mexico Border Nearly 120 Arkansas National Guard members departed Sunday from Camp Joseph T. Robinson in North Little Rock for a 13-month deployment to the southern US border in Texas. The troops, part of the 1st Battalion, 114th Security and Support Aviation Regiment, 77th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, left with four UH-72 Lakota helicopters to assist US Customs and Border Protection. They will replace existing National Guard units and are scheduled to return in November 2026. The deployment includes pilots, crew chiefs, mechanics, flight operations personnel, and support staff. After mobilizing at Fort Hood, Texas, they will be assigned to various locations along the border. Nearly 120 Arkansas National Guardsmen and four UH-72 Lakota aircraft from 1st Battalion,114th Security and Support Aviation Regiment, 77th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, departed Oct. 5 for a 13-month Title 10 federal active duty deployment pic.twitter.com/TNinq3GDkN — Ark National Guard (@arkansasguard) October 5, 2025 Brig. Gen. Chad Bridges praised the soldiers’ professionalism and readiness, calling the mission a demonstration of Arkansas’s commitment to national security.   Russia Launches Massive Air Assault on Ukraine, Killing Five and Damaging Civilian Infrastructure Russia carried out one of its largest aerial assaults in months early Sunday, launching hundreds of drones and missiles across Ukraine and killing at least five people, Ukrainian officials said. The strikes hit nine regions, including the western city of Lviv, where four people, among them a 15-year-old, died in the biggest attack there since the war began in 2022. Another woman was killed in Zaporizhzhia, where airstrikes destroyed homes and left tens of thousands without power. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it targeted military and energy infrastructure, but Ukrainian officials said civilian sites were struck. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Western allies to accelerate delivery of air defense systems, warning that Moscow aims to cripple Ukraine’s power grid ahead of winter. Last night, Ukraine once again came under a combined Russian attack – more than 50 missiles and about 500 attack drones. The Russians struck with cruise missiles, “shaheds” and Kinzhals among other things. The Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv,… pic.twitter.com/lcRrBTqXF1 — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 5, 2025 Russian forces also bombed the eastern city of Sloviansk and continued attacks on railway and gas networks. Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin warned that US supplies of long-range missiles to Kyiv would sharply escalate tensions, following President Donald Trump’s recent statements supporting Ukraine’s efforts to reclaim occupied territory.   Israel and Hamas Begin Indirect Ceasefire Talks in Egypt as Hostage Deal Nears Israel and Hamas prepared Monday for indirect negotiations in Egypt aimed at securing a ceasefire and the release of hostages, marking what US officials called the closest point yet to ending the Gaza war. The talks in Sharm el-Sheikh come as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a hostage release could be announced this week, two years after Hamas’s initial attack. Under the US-backed proposal, Hamas would release 48 hostages, about 20 believed alive, within three days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and agree to disarm and cede control of Gaza. As Israel and Hamas enter indirect talks in Egypt, people are wrestling with fragile hope and deep mistrust. pic.twitter.com/Wy6UPTfW0T — DW News (@dwnews) October 5, 2025 The Israeli delegation, led by Ron Dermer, and Hamas representatives are joined by US envoy Steve Witkoff. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the framework involves an Israeli pullback to prewar positions and a halt to bombardments. Despite Trump’s order to stop airstrikes, Gaza officials reported continued attacks Sunday that killed at least 12 people, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to over 67,000. At least 24 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces on Sunday, including four near an aid centre north of Rafah, as Israel and Hamas prepare for Monday’s US-led indirect ceasefire talks https://t.co/QXiDGVUfd8 pic.twitter.com/PkdkRqWt3O — Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 6, 2025 Support for a ceasefire has grown internationally, with Muslim-majority nations and protesters across Europe calling for an end to the war and the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza. Netanyahu and Trump remain in close contact, with Israel signaling the talks will last only a few days and warning that if diplomacy fails, military operations will resume.   Syria Holds First Parliamentary Elections Since Assad’s Ouster as Transition Government Takes Shape Syria held its first parliamentary elections on Sunday, nearly a year after a rebel-led offensive toppled longtime leader Bashar Assad. The 210-member People’s Assembly will oversee the drafting of a new constitution and elections law during the country’s political transition after more than a decade of civil war. Voting took place through provincial electoral colleges rather than a direct popular vote, with two-thirds of seats elected and one-third appointed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Elections were postponed in Sweida province and Kurdish-controlled regions due to ongoing tensions. 🗳️Syria counts votes in 1st parliamentary elections since Assad’s fall A total of 1,578 candidates competed for 210 seats in the assembly, with women making up 14% of the candidate https://t.co/Gb3oHN5EjO pic.twitter.com/gjYjNTKOWY — Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) October 5, 2025 Officials called the vote a step toward rebuilding national institutions, while critics said the process favored connected elites and fell short of full democracy. Early results showed limited representation for women and minorities. Voters and candidates in Damascus and Aleppo described greater freedom and debate compared with elections under Assad’s rule. In Latakia, a symbolic shift occurred as Sunni candidates won in a historically Alawite stronghold still marked by postwar sectarian tension. The new assembly will serve for 30 months as Syria attempts to stabilize and implement reforms under interim leadership.   Somali Forces End al-Shabab Prison Siege in Mogadishu, Kill Seven Attackers Somali government forces ended a six-hour siege at Mogadishu’s Godka Jilacow prison on Saturday, killing all seven al-Shabab militants involved, officials said Sunday. The government reported no civilian or security casualties and confirmed that no inmates escaped. The al-Qaeda-linked group claimed responsibility for the attack, which targeted a high-security facility near the president’s office. Somali government forces end a 6-hour siege at a major prison in #Mogadishu, killing all 7 Al-Shabab attackershttps://t.co/yNH4SmlznD#Somalia pic.twitter.com/F4of8FGAxB — Arab News (@arabnews) October 5, 2025 The assault occurred just hours after the government removed long-standing roadblocks in the capital, a move aimed at easing traffic but seen by some as a security risk. Emergency workers said around 25 people were transported to hospitals for treatment. State media reported that the attackers used a vehicle disguised as one belonging to the intelligence service. The incident marks a rare major attack in Mogadishu following months of relative calm as government and allied forces continue to push al-Shabab out of key regions.   Kim Jong Un Inspects New 5,000-Ton Destroyer, Vows to ‘Punish Enemy Provocations’ North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected the country’s 5,000-ton destroyer Choe Hyon on Sunday, calling it a symbol of the nation’s growing naval power and pledging to use it to “punish the enemy’s provocations,” state media reported Monday. The warship is one of two new destroyers launched this year as part of Kim’s military expansion, with a third vessel planned by October 2026. Kim inspects his latest weapon — the destroyer ‘Cho Hyun’ He vows to ‘punish enemy provocations’ as Pyongyang showcases new naval strength A clear signal of full deterrence at sea pic.twitter.com/zTTIrKQri2 — RT (@RT_com) October 6, 2025 South Korea’s military has suggested Russia may have helped develop the ship in exchange for North Korean troop deployments to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Kim’s visit followed his announcement of deploying unspecified “special assets” in response to US military activities in South Korea. The US currently stations about 28,500 troops in South Korea and recently held joint exercises with Seoul and Tokyo, which Pyongyang denounced as invasion drills.   Sources: News Agencies