🇺🇸🚴- On this day in 2012, Lance Armstrong was formally stripped of his seven consecutive Tour de France victories and banned for life by the International Cycling Union.

From 1999 to 2005, he dominated professional cycling during an era of rampant PED use. Even USADA acknowledged that 20 of the 21 Tour de France podium finishers during those years were linked to doping, roughly 95%. When essentially everyone at the highest level is doing it, it isn't cheating. Lance competed against the best cyclists in the world and defeated them seven consecutive times.

Lance survived advanced testicular cancer that had metastasized to his lungs, abdomen, and brain, returned to competition, and became an inspiration to millions. By 2012, his Livestrong foundation helped raise nearly $500 million for cancer awareness and support, which gave hope to countless patients and families.

He is a great American who brought unprecedented attention to cycling in the United States and dominated Europe's most prestigious race for seven straight years. His subsequent punishment made him the singular face of a problem that permeated the entire sport.

They can take his titles. They can rewrite their record books. They can spend the next hundred years pretending those seven summers never happened. But Lance Armstrong beat the best cyclists on earth seven consecutive times, and no bureaucrat in Switzerland can change that.

The greatest cyclist who ever lived.

🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡️- Two Palestinians have carried out an attack on an IDF checkpoint in Hebron, West Bank. Five Israeli soldiers have been wounded, two of them in critical condition.

Prime Minister Netanyahu is conducting a situational assessment of the incident.

🏳️🇵🇰⚡- "Pakistani military and intelligence officials have met with leaders of anti-Taliban armed groups in recent months to offer potential support.

The conflict between the two countries escalated when Pakistan declared 'open war' in late February and has killed or injured at least 1,100 Afghan civilians," - The New York Times, citing a Pakistani intelligence official.

🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡- "I have just concluded a situation assessment:

I have instructed the IDF and the security forces to immediately impose a closure on the city of Hebron and to prepare for a full lockdown across all of Judea and Samaria starting today," - Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel.

🇬🇷🇪🇬⚡- In response to the Turkish-Libyan maritime agreement, Greece and Egypt are in talks to extend their Exclusive Economic Zones towards Cyprus, Greek City Times reports.

🇷🇴🇷🇺⚡- Russian drones struck the bulk carrier KHORYV in Romania's EEZ. One crew member was killed, 3 remain missing.

🇦🇿🇮🇳⚡- India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar was in Baku today, meeting President Aliyev and Foreign Minister Bayramov. They discussed trade, energy, the North-South transport corridor, Baku Port, and more direct flight. Bayramov said he wishes to take the relations with New Delhi “to an even higher level".

Note, Pakistan was the only UN member state that refused to recognize Armenia, and it held that position for over three decades out of solidarity with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh file.

🇦🇿🇹🇷🇮🇷⚡- On September 21, 2026, Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers adopted Resolution No. 309, which effectively bans students from wearing the hijab in schools nationwide. The move sparked protests, and users reported that social media platforms were restricted for a time.

According to the pro-Baku Azerbaijani Press Agency, APA, nearly two-thirds (64%) of what it calls “information attacks” over the issue have come from Turkey, with Iran accounting for just 11%. The outlet also suggested the two countries had swapped roles, with Turkey acting the way Baku would expect from Iran, and Iran behaving the way expected of Turkey.

Baku has since added 31 Turkish citizens to its list of undesirable persons, while President Aliyev, without naming Turkey, warned against interfering in the country’s way of life.

🇫🇷⚡️- A shooting occured in Trappes, France. Early informations indicating it was a racially motivated anti-African attack are unproven. The culprit "wandered aimlessly" in several areas before "blindly opening fire" according to the mayor. For now, five casualties are reported, all five are of non-French origins.

🇫🇷⚡️- The mayor of Trappes confirmed there was no ideological reasoning behind the attack besides "making a carnage". The suspect is one of the rare remaining Whites of the city.

🇫🇷⚡️- The French antiterrorist prosecution service has been summoned to deal with the event.

🇫🇷⚡️- The shooting was reportedly carried by a White man named Kevin, 39 years old, who is described online as a "cassos" (French term for low-intelligence white individuals, similar to "trailer park trash"). Trappes is a city in the advanced stages of being racially replaced by people of African descent. Whether the shooting was racially motivated or not, it is very likely the event will add further issues to the ongoing turmoil in France.

🇫🇷⚡️- The shooter was already known by the local police for damaging public property, receiving stolen goods and drug trafficking. The shooter is also said to have worked in a company that employs people with disabilities.

🇯🇴⚡️- Initial reports of a shooting attack against a church in Karak, eastern Jordan.

🇯🇴⚡️- At least seven fatalities are reported in an attack against a funeral procession. Two gunmen are responsible, according to Al Arabiya.

🇯🇴 - Al-Karak is one of the most Christian cities in Jordan, with 25% of the population adhering to Orthodox Christianity.

🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡️- Two of the Israeli soldiers wounded in an attack at a Hebron checkpoint in the West Bank earlier today have died of their injuries.

🇾🇪🇸🇦⚡- Saudi Arabia has carried out airstrikes on Sana'a, Tai'zz, Mocha, and Sa'adah, Ansarullah-controlled Yemen, in the past few hours.