⚡ Today in History

On October 21, 1805, Admiral Horatio Nelson defeated a French-Spanish fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar, securing Britain’s rule of the seas for a century. In 1797, the USS Constitution — “Old Ironsides” — launched from Boston on this same date. Today? The most contested waterway is the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it is laying mines against commercial shipping.

Top News

SpaceX posts first-ever profit — revenue up 161% $14.6B REV

Driven by super intelligence and Starlink, SpaceX reported Q3 earnings of $0.35 per share on Tuesday — more than double the $0.13 Wall Street estimate. Revenue hit $14.6 billion, and net income reached $4.4 billion in the company’s first profitable quarter since going public in June.

France to deploy troops ahead of Saturday protests

After acknowledging failures in its response to last weekend’s riots, France announced Tuesday it will send Sentinelle military forces to reinforce police for planned protests on October 24. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called the planned security operation “massive” and said curfews remain in effect across several cities.

Hegseth and Netanyahu hold secret meeting at Israeli airbase

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an unannounced visit to Ovda Air Base in southern Israel on Monday to discuss the war with Iran. The meeting came as sources told The Jerusalem Post the Trump administration came “very close” to renewing strikes on Tehran.

Zelensky confirms missile early warning systems restored

After at least a week without alerts about incoming Russian ballistic missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that the systems are working again. The fix followed a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and came as Zelensky met U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo, Norway.

Netflix beats Q3 but lowers ad forecast — stock drops $0.87 EPS

Netflix reported Q3 earnings of $0.87 per share on revenue of $12.87 billion, topping estimates on both counts. The company then lowered its full-year ad revenue outlook to about $2.7 billion, sending shares lower after hours and extending a regular-session decline of 1.71%.

World

Lavrov visits Tehran — first trip since Iran war began

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made his first visit to Tehran since the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28, meeting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday. Araghchi said, “Never in our history have Iran and Russia worked as closely as now,” directly contradicting Trump’s claim that Russia is doing little to support Tehran.

Benny Gantz drops out of Israeli election eight days before vote ~1% IN POLLS

Former defense minister Benny Gantz formally withdrew from the October 27 parliamentary election on Monday after polls showed his Blue and White party at roughly 1% — well below the 3.25% threshold to enter the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Opposition leaders praised the decision, while right-wing figures warned his exit could split their side’s voters.

Russian strikes kill at least nine across Ukraine, including children

Russia launched another wave of missiles and drones at civilian areas across Ukraine on Tuesday, killing at least nine people. A strike on a park in the Kharkiv region killed six, including two children, while 15 more were injured.

IRGC claims mines halted two tankers in Strait of Hormuz 2 TANKERS

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said its naval mines stopped two tankers from crossing the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint for roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply. The claim came as U.S. and Iranian officials remain deadlocked over reopening the waterway, with shipping attacks continuing since early October.

Italy sends troops to streets after Milan protest clashes

After weekend clashes between demonstrators and police overwhelmed security forces in Milan, Italy ordered military units to the city’s streets on Tuesday. The deployment makes Italy the second European nation, after France, to use soldiers against domestic cost-of-living protests.

Politics

Trump: US gotten “nothing back” from Ukraine except “grief”

President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday that American taxpayers have given Ukraine hundreds of billions of dollars and received “absolutely nothing back except grief, death, tremendous monetary loss.” Trump also cited “high diesel” prices as a result of the conflict, renewing his call for the war to end.

Macron leaves for Gulf tour as France deploys troops at home

French President Emmanuel Macron departed for a tour of Gulf states on Monday, and on Tuesday his government announced it will deploy soldiers for Saturday’s planned protests. Opposition lawmakers criticized the timing, with curfews from last weekend’s riots still in effect across several French cities.

GOP Senate candidate Whatley trails as Trump rallies in NC 14 DAYS

President Trump held a rally Tuesday evening in Greenville, North Carolina, for Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley, the former RNC chair who trails his Democratic opponent in recent polling. The visit came 14 days before the November 3 midterm elections and was Trump’s second stop in the state in about five weeks.

Zelensky meets U.S. envoy Witkoff in Oslo for war talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo, Norway, on Tuesday, with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb also present. The talks came at a tense moment, with Zelensky publicly clashing with Trump over aid and intelligence sharing.

Rubio accuses Iran of “Nazi U-boat tactics” in Hormuz

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio compared Iran’s attacks on trade ships in the Strait of Hormuz to Nazi U-boat tactics, calling Tehran the “number one obstacle to peace in the Middle East.” Rubio also said oil shipments through the waterway have returned to near pre-war levels despite the ongoing attacks.

Markets

Dow jumps 530 points as earnings lift blue chips +1.02%

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 530 points, or 1.02%, to 52,496 on Tuesday, lifted by strong profit reports from companies including Equifax and Hasbro. The S&P 500 gained 0.28% to 7,713, while the Nasdaq ended flat at 26,425.

GM beats Q3 estimates but falls 6.8% on narrowed guidance -6.8%

General Motors reported record Q3 revenue of $50 billion and earnings of $3.70 per share, beating estimates, and announced a new $20 billion buyback program. The stock still fell 6.8% — the S&P 500’s worst performer on Tuesday — after GM narrowed its full-year earnings outlook.

Tesla and Meta report Q3 after Wednesday’s close

Tesla and Meta Platforms are both scheduled to report third-quarter results after Wednesday’s market close, making it the busiest earnings day of the week. The reports follow a volatile stretch for tech stocks, with the Nasdaq down more than 4% over the past two weeks.

Brent crude slips to $108.79 — gold drops below $4,140

Brent crude fell to $108.79 per barrel on Tuesday, still up 78% from a year ago as the Iran war and Hormuz disruptions keep prices elevated. Gold dropped to about $4,125 per ounce, while Bitcoin traded near $81,260.

Small-cap stocks rally as investors rotate from tech

The Russell 2000 — an index tracking smaller U.S. companies — posted its best session in weeks on Tuesday as investors shifted money out of large tech stocks. The rotation continued a recent pattern, with the Nasdaq held down by losses in chip and AI-related names.

Entertainment

Rays clinch ALCS, face Brewers in World Series starting Friday GAME 1 OCT 23

The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 in Game 6 on Monday to win the American League Championship Series four games to two. Pitcher Freddy Peralta was named ALCS MVP and will face his former team when the World Series opens Friday in Milwaukee — guaranteeing a first-time champion.

Kyle Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy’s granddaughter, dies at 42

Kyle Kennedy, daughter of Michael Kennedy and granddaughter of Robert F. and Ethel Kennedy, died at age 42, her family confirmed Tuesday. Kennedy suffered a spinal cord injury six years ago, and her cause of death has not been released.

Christina Applegate reveals she was misdiagnosed with MS

Actress Christina Applegate said on her podcast Tuesday that her doctor told her she does not have multiple sclerosis, nearly five years after her 2021 diagnosis. Applegate said the news left her “back at square one,” adding that her condition has not improved.

Theo Von’s Netflix special “I’m Doing Fine” premieres

Comedian Theo Von’s third Netflix stand-up special, “I’m Doing Fine,” premiered on Tuesday. The 62-minute set was taped in Lexington, Kentucky and marks Von’s first special in five years.

Cindy Crawford breaks silence on son Presley Gerber’s death

Supermodel Cindy Crawford shared a tribute to her son Presley Gerber on Instagram on Sunday, nearly a month after his death at age 27 in September. Police in Santa Monica, California, are investigating Gerber’s death as a suspected overdose.