Axios

The initial investigation into the attempted hijacking of the FlyDubai flight from the UAE to Israel found that the co-pilot went through religious Islamic radicalization in recent months, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News Thursday.

Why it matters: Netanyahu's remarks, confirmed by an Israeli intelligence official and people who worked with the co-pilot, strengthen the possibility that the incident was a terrorist attack.

A U.K. Iranian dual national was arrested on suspicion of preparing to carry out terrorist acts in connection with an incident at an English air base used by the U.S., British counterterrorism police said Thursday.

The big picture: Tehran has denied any involvement in the suspected bomb plot at RAF Fairford, while U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were "strong indications that Iran played a part" in it.

Energy stocks were some of the best-performing U.S. assets to own in the just-ended third quarter, as inflationary pressures related to the Iran war and irrepressible U.S. growth established themselves as key price-drivers.

Why it matters: The performance of oil-and-gas drillers, refiners and retailers was crucial to keeping broader indexes such as the S&P 500 in the black (+2%) during the three months that ended Wednesday.

• For the year so far, the S&P is up 11.8%.

China is making it clear that it wants to become a powerhouse on par with large Western pharmaceutical companies in the near future, and not just strike licensing deals for promising new drug candidates.

Why it matters: Some experts warn that big drug companies are prioritizing the short-term benefits of partnering with Chinese biotechs over the longer-term risk of China usurping the U.S. as the world's biopharmaceutical superpower.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanded on Monday that the Iranian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly immediately leave the country after negotiations stalled, according to a U.S. official and a second source with knowledge of the matter.

Why it matters: Though the Iranians were likely to depart soon anyway, Rubio's move was a highly unusual diplomatic rebuke and laid bare the deep distrust between the two countries amid fruitless efforts to broker an end to the war.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed new details about a FlyDubai flight bound for Israel during which a pilot stabbed a colleague, sending the plane spiraling thousands of feet.

The big picture: Netanyahu told CNN Wednesday evening that the Indian pilot who was stabbed, Capt. Smit Machchhar, unlocked the cockpit after being attacked and an Israeli passenger who works as a plumber, Yaniv Hayun, entered and found the Omani pilot apparently trying to interfere with the aircraft's controls.

A FlyDubai flight bound for Israel erupted into chaos after a pilot stabbed another pilot and sent the plane spiraling thousands of feet.

The big picture: The midair emergency triggered a multinational security response, but key details about what happened inside the cockpit remained unclear.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took aim at the U.S. media during a speech at a Marine Corps base in Virginia on Wednesday, saying, "Our so-called press makes Iranian state media look reasonable."

Why it matters: Hegseth cast news outlets as a threat to U.S. troops, escalating his attacks on journalists over reporting based on classified information.

The Massachusetts attorney general released a report Wednesday documenting more than 270 Catholic clerics accused of sexually abusing 944 children across three dioceses — but the investigation will result in no new indictments.

Why it matters: The dioceses created an illusion of safety while church leaders repeatedly exploited loopholes to protect the institution's reputation, systematically concealing staggering levels of abuse.

U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there are "strong indications that Iran played a part" in a suspected bomb plot at a British air base used by the U.S.

The big picture: Burnham's comments to the BBC come after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that the weekend incident at RAF Fairford "clearly involves the hands ‌of a foreign actor." Tehran denies any involvement.

NEW YORK — Dr. Sonia Ben Jaafar, CEO of the UAE-based Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation (AGF), used a flurry of engagements during UN General Assembly week to spread the word about a nonprofit model that emphasizes long-term relationships over fill-the-gap gifts.

Why it matters: Ben Jaafar, who holds a Ph.D. in educational leadership, is a global face of an approach to giving that, as she puts it, uses "philanthropic capital as something where we're building models that other people can then take and continue on."

The U.K. military is building up its space arms and is readying troops to use them, a move leaders said is needed to prevent growing enemy interference with its satellites.

Why it matters: After the United States' bombshell revelation that it has "on-orbit space control weapons," a key ally is advertising its growing space arsenal to deter Russia's aggressive space posture.

More than four years into its invasion of Ukraine, Russia is taking more risks and suffering "heavy losses for marginal territorial gains" — while intensifying its use of sabotage and cyberattacks against the West, according to a Danish intelligence report.

Why it matters: It's both a bleak outlook for Moscow and a red alert for Europe.