New video captures the terrifying moment a deadly Houthi strike hits a Saudi airport, sending ceiling panels crashing down on passengers.
Plus, President Donald Trump is reportedly considering firing his ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, amid allegations she sought money from a donor in exchange for political access.
And a federal judge orders Trump’s $20 million taxpayer-funded ad campaign off the air, just hours before it was scheduled to end.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Monday, Oct. 12, 2026.
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Deadly Houthi attacks on Saudi airports raise fears of broader conflict
Saudi Arabia is hosting some of the world’s top energy leaders Monday morning, just hours after another deadly attack at its main international airport. Concerns are growing about how much longer the country can defend itself against these strikes.
New security video shows the moment a missile struck Riyadh’s international airport Saturday, sending ceiling panels crashing down on passengers. The attack killed at least 13 people, including an American, and injured more than 300 others.
Then on Sunday, another strike hit the same airport, killing one person and injuring 11 more.
The Iran-backed Houthis also targeted an airport in the Saudi city of Dammam.
Despite this, a major international energy conference will take place in Riyadh on Monday. Saudi Arabia’s energy minister thanked those who showed up but warned, “Our gathering here does not mean the risk is gone.”
He also vowed a serious response to the attacks.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is reportedly running low on the missiles it uses to shoot down incoming attacks. The Houthis have threatened to keep striking unless Saudi Arabia stops its military campaign in Yemen.
Trump condemned the attack Saturday when speaking to reporters.
President Trump reacted on Saturday to a deadly strike on Riyadh airport in Saudi Arabia that killed 12 people and left a further 300 injured, calling it a “terrible thing.” https://t.co/qaBwriopUn
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 11, 2026
“I think it’s terrible. Well. You’re going to find out, see, but I think it’s terrible. Terrible,” Trump said. “Well, they’re able to defend. Look, the Saudis are good fighters. But I think the attack was a terrible thing.”
Now, the Houthis claim Saudi warplanes have already struck Yemen’s capital in retaliation. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed those strikes.
Trump weighs firing Guilfoyle amid misconduct allegations: Report
Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece, could soon be out of a job.
Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are reportedly “extremely pissed off” over allegations about her conduct, The Associated Press said. According to a senior U.S. official, they could decide as soon as Tuesday whether to fire her.
The allegations include claims that Guilfoyle asked a Trump donor to pay a $100,000 credit card bill in exchange for access to top administration officials. She’s also been accused of threatening a Greek official and of accepting improper gifts and services.
Guilfoyle denies any wrongdoing. Her lawyers said the money she sought was payment owed for public appearances.
“We are evaluating all available legal remedies to collect this debt and any other potential causes of action,” her lawyers said.
Meanwhile, Senate Whip John Barrasso, R-Wy, said the reports are troubling, and he expects an investigation.
“Well, what we’ve seen in the reports is very troubling,” Barrasso said. “It’s concerning. And I’m sure there’s going to be an investigation. I would assume the State Department would conduct that. I know that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will have oversight and look into that as well. But I think the public has a right to know what was — what is found, and it is quite a bit of concern.”
The AP reported the State Department’s inspector general is already looking into the allegations, though it’s unclear whether a formal investigation has begun.
Judge halts Trump ads funded with $20 million in taxpayer money
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to stop airing a series of political-style TV ads paid for with taxpayer money.
The ads were already set to end Sunday night, but the judge ordered them off the air a few hours early.
The Department of Homeland Security used $20 million in taxpayer money to fund the campaign, including an ad from Trump’s last presidential run.
A watchdog group and other plaintiffs sued, arguing the government was illegally using public money to promote Trump’s political message. The White House said they’re public service announcements.
Trump said last week that his political fundraising would pay for future ads. As for the taxpayer money already spent? The White House said there are no immediate plans to pay it back.
The Democratic National Committee has filed a separate lawsuit over the ads.
Trump weighs livestream of December execution for Fort Hood killer
Trump said he’ll make the final decision on whether the military livestreams the execution of a former Army major who killed 13 people at Fort Hood.
The Pentagon announced the plan last week, and Republicans, including some in Trump’s own administration, have pushed back.
The Pentagon scheduled Nidal Hasan’s execution by a firing squad for Dec. 3 at the same Texas Army base where he carried out the 2009 mass shooting. A jury convicted the former Army psychiatrist of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others. It would be the first U.S. military execution since 1961 and the first firing squad execution since World War II.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the livestream plan Thursday. But the Pentagon hasn’t said where it would air or how the public would watch.
.@JackPosobiec “Has Major Hasan made any final request, reached out to the President, or anything like that?” @SECWAR “DON’T CARE. We’ll see him on December 3rd.”
— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) October 8, 2026
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski has urged the Pentagon to reverse course. On X, she wrote, “I would expect this from terrorists and dictators, but not here in America.”
There is no need to livestream any execution, including this one. I would expect this from terrorists and dictators, but not here in America. It would give this individual, who deserves no further notoriety, the martyrdom he seeks. How we carry out justice matters just as much as the justice itself, so I urge the Pentagon to reverse this gruesome decision. https://t.co/HtKIy8FpBX
— Sen. Lisa Murkowski (@lisamurkowski) October 9, 2026
Pope Leo also weighed in on Saturday, calling the death penalty “inadmissible.” He didn’t directly address Hasan’s case, but said justice can be served without capital punishment.
The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person. The common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment: effective systems of detention have been developed that protect citizens while at the same time do not completely deprive those who are guilty of the possibility of redemption. #NoDeathPenalty
— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) October 10, 2026
Vice President JD Vance was asked about the controversy Friday.
“So, whatever the controversy is about the method of execution, I hope that people don’t forget that this is a guy who brutally murdered a lot of innocent people. Now, that said, I mean, look, if it’s ultimately livestreamed, I’m not going to be watching it.”
On Saturday, Trump said he’s hearing arguments on both sides.
“He’s a vicious killer. Killed 13 people in cold blood, wounded over 20. Some of those people will never have their lives back in a true sense. He was vicious. He was violent. There are two thoughts. Don’t show it and show it. Because, you know, by showing it, maybe other people won’t be doing what he did. So, I’ll make a decision, ultimately.”
President Donald Trump
Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullin defended the plan Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.“
“I think people need to understand: if you attack America, we will come after you, and we will make sure that the punishment fits the crime,” Mullin said. “I have no sympathy for him, and I give absolutely zero thought to the way that this man dies.”
Under current Army rules, only select witnesses can attend a military execution. The Pentagon still hasn’t explained how a public livestream would work, and Trump hasn’t said when he’ll make his decision.
Flooding swamps Southern California; Newport Beach declares emergency
Parts of Southern California are still dealing with serious flooding Monday morning, and the threat remains. The remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel are causing dangerous surf and unusually high water levels along the coast.
Ocean water has pushed into coastal areas, causing flooding and damage.
Residents are now seeing what the water left behind.
Since Friday, waves have pounded the shore in Newport Beach, flooding streets and prompting the city to declare a local emergency. All city beaches and piers remain closed until further notice.
A coastal flood warning for Orange County remains in effect through Tuesday afternoon.
Forecasters warn that more flooding and beach erosion are possible as high surf continues into the new week.
Plus, Tropical Storm Rachel reached as far as Las Vegas, causing flash floods in the streets near the LINQ Promenade, just off the Strip.
Police blocked roads, leaving some drivers stuck in the water.
London skiers trade snow for ice blocks in quirky race
Who says you need snow to go skiing? Not these folks in a London suburb.
Welcome to Surbiton, where skiers strap blocks of ice to their feet and glide down a hill covered with plastic sheeting. Apparently, anything goes: costumes, bathtubs and even some local police joined in the fun.
The man behind it all has a pretty good explanation for why they do it.
“Why is it only wealthy people who can afford to go overseas to strap wood to their feet and go down ice? Our scientists came up with the idea that if we put ice on our feet, surely we could ski on anything. And here we are on St. Mark’s Hill, about to prove the point yet again, as people come from around the world — and I’m not joking — to take part in this amazing event.”
Robin Hutchinson, event organizer
The fastest run? Just 11.25 seconds.
Not bad, considering staying upright seemed to be half the challenge. And it’s all for a good cause, with entry fees going to a local charity.
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Politicians are making AI deepfakes of their rivals. The targets say it’s defamation
A recent online advertisement depicts Rebecca Cooke, a Democrat running for Congress in rural Wisconsin, with a frown and an unsettling message.
“Do you really think it matters what you peasants think?” Cooke is depicted saying in the video — an artificial intelligence-generated deepfake that, while synthetic, looks eerily similar to the centrist Democrat campaigning to unseat Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden in November.
“I am the anointed one,” the faux Cooke says in the video. “You will comply and you will vote for me. That is an order from your D.C. masters.”
The video is one in a flood of AI-generated images that show Cooke, who is campaigning in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, spouting gaffes that she has never uttered in real life. Each of them were uploaded to X by Van Orden, who lobs online attacks at his campaign opponent almost daily.
Attack ads are par for the course, particularly in contentious up-for-grab races like the one between Van Orden and Cooke. Indeed, Van Orden has made attacks on Cooke a staple of his online messaging. But AI-generated deepfakes that closely resemble her likeness, Cooke said, are on another level entirely.
“It looks real to people,” she told Straight Arrow. “It doesn’t look like it’s fake at all.”
