What Happened on
October 19, 2026?

By Kira Shishkin

This is what factual news looks like, in as few words as possible. No ads, bias, or clickbait sensationalism. We deliver news for people who make up their own mind. Every weekday morning, informed.now texts the news that changed the world in the last 24 hours. Researched down to primary sources, cited, and fact-checked. Our readers got the news by text the morning of October 19, 2026. You can get today's brief here.

Summary: Trump waives recent sanctions and tariffs on Russian officials, banks, and energy firms; France arrests roughly 2,400 after cost-of-living protests; US fiscal 2026 deficit reaches $2 trillion, up 12%

  1. 1

    Trump signs order waiving recent sanctions, restrictions & tariffs on Russian officials, bank & energy firms, citing "US national interests"; Waiver includes 500% tariffs on Russian goods imposed Sep 18

  2. 2

    French police arrest ~2.4K people after clashes & looting during Oct 17 nationwide protests over rising living costs & poor school conditions; Interior Ministry counts 550K demonstrators (vs ~800K reported by organizers)

  3. 3

    Forest Declaration Assessment 2026: Global deforestation falls to 7M+ hectares in 2025 (-15% vs 8.2M in 2024) but remains 70% above ~4M-hectare target, leaving world off track to end deforestation by 2030

  4. 4

    US federal budget deficit (when spending exceeds revenue) rises to $2T in fiscal 2026 (+12% vs $1.8T in 2025, largest since 2021) as federal spending grows 6%, outpacing 3% federal revenue growth

  5. 5

    ~11.4K people protest rising living costs across 5 Italian cities; Clashes in Milan, Turin & Bologna leave 141 police officers injured & 28 people arrested

  6. 6

    Gallup: Share of 18-29yo US adults reporting they're "thriving" falls to 44% in 2026 (vs 64% in 2010); Decline linked to rising depression, weaker personal relationships & reduced daily enjoyment

October 2026

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