Trump lifts US sanctions on Russian diesel after a call with Putin, and Zelensky calls it a gift to Russia

The rest of the day

67 more stories on this beat.

Each with its own sources. None of these is a link to the story above.

1. 02

   US puts sanctions on the whole war crimes court

   The Trump administration put sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday. [23] The court, in The Hague, tries people accused of war crimes and genocide when their own countries will not. [23] US firms may no longer sell it goods or services such as banking or software, and have six months to wind down. [32][23] Until now the US had punished 13 of its judges and prosecutors one by one. [25] Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said: 'Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC.' [23]

   Why it matters — The court belongs to 125 member countries, and it asked them to defend it. [33] Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and Britain said they 'strongly disagree', and the EU said it was ready to take 'any necessary measures'. [33][34]

2. 03

   Navi Pillay wins the Nobel Peace Prize

   Navi Pillay, an 85-year-old South African judge, won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday 'for her efforts to promote peace and international law'. [35] She sat as a judge at the ICC and at the UN court for Rwanda's 1994 genocide, and later ran the UN's human rights office. [35][36] Last year a UN commission she chaired said Israel had committed genocide in Gaza. [35] She grew up under apartheid as a bus driver's daughter, and is South Africa's fifth peace prize winner. [36]

   Why it matters — She dedicated the prize to survivors of international crimes. [37] Israel's foreign ministry called the award a 'grotesque weaponisation' of the prize. [38]

3. 04

   Trump tells Norway 'we will not forget'

   At a rally in Syracuse, New York, Trump called the Nobel decision 'an indelible stain on the country of Norway'. [39] 'We will not forget,' he added. [40] He called Pillay a 'mystery person' he had never heard of. [41] The prize is chosen by an independent committee, not by Norway's government, as Norway's prime minister explained to Trump last year. [39] Trump also said he would soon 'settle or win' the wars with Iran and in Ukraine. [40]

   Why it matters — Trump has complained about missing the prize in every year of this presidency. [41] This time he aimed the complaint at a whole country, Norway, which is a NATO ally of the US. [39]

4. 05

   Russia asks for the ICC's president to be handed over

   Russia's chief prosecutor asked the Netherlands and other countries on Thursday to hand over nine ICC officials, including the court's president, Tomoko Akane of Japan. [24] A Moscow court had sentenced all nine in their absence last year. [24] Russia brought the cases after the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin in 2023 over the war in Ukraine. [24] Japan's government protested, calling measures against ICC staff 'unjust and unacceptable'. [24]

   Why it matters — In one week the court's president became the target of a Russian demand to hand her over. [24] In the same week her court was hit by US sanctions. [23]

5. 06

   A 7.7 earthquake shakes Panama

   A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck south-central Panama on Friday, about 12km underground, the US Geological Survey said. [30][42] Its centre was near Pitaloza Arriba, a small place in Herrera province about 200km from the capital. [43][42] A spire of the cathedral in Penonome fell, homes cracked, and President Jose Raul Mulino said some roads had 'completely collapsed'. [44][42] Officials reported no deaths and at least 27 people hurt. [45] The Panama Canal kept working normally. [46]

   Why it matters — About 4.6 million people felt moderate to severe shaking, the USGS said. [30] The quake struck three days before Panama's planned national earthquake drill. [30]

6. 07

   Hurricane Isaias cuts power to 860,000

   Hurricane Isaias came ashore near Destin, Florida, on Friday evening as a category 2 storm. [47][48] It is the first hurricane of this Atlantic season, and the first time in over 30 years that none formed before October. [48] By Saturday more than 860,000 homes and businesses had no power, most in Florida and Alabama. [29] Florida, Alabama and Georgia declared emergencies, and storm surges of up to 2.7 metres were forecast. [48]

   Florida436,745

   Alabama316,366

   Georgia87,334

   Why it matters — Oil companies cut output in the Gulf of Mexico as the storm passed, and oil prices rose for the week. [49] The wars in Iran and Ukraine had already left the world short of fuel. [2]

7. 08

   Hurricane Simon heads for Mexico's Pacific coast

   Hurricane Simon grew to category 4, with winds of 140mph, off Mexico's Pacific coast early on Saturday. [31] It is forecast to come ashore on Sunday between Manzanillo, Mexico's largest port, and Puerto Vallarta, a beach city of nearly 300,000 people. [50] Forecasters warned of 25 to 50cm of rain and of floods and mudslides. [31] Jalisco state closed schools in 22 coastal towns, and Mexico's navy closed ports to small boats. [31][50]

   Why it matters — Manzanillo is Mexico's main gateway for trade with Asia. [50] A forecaster said Simon could hit this coast harder than any storm since Lidia in 2023, which damaged thousands of homes. [50]

8. 09

   Delhi shut down before a youth protest

   Police in Delhi, India's capital, detained the leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party as they landed on Saturday, before a protest the police had banned. [26][51] The party is a youth movement that began online as satire. [52] It wants the chief election commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, to resign, after a recheck of voter lists struck off about 130 million names. [52] Police said about 500 people were detained on their way to the protest. [26] Metro stations were shut and trains to Delhi cancelled. [52]

   Why it matters — The election commission says it removed only duplicate and ineligible names, and opposition parties say real voters lost their vote. [52] Senior lawyers told India's Supreme Court the shutting down of the capital was unprecedented. [53]

9. 10

   Houthi missiles kill a Saudi pilot in Riyadh

   Saudi Arabia said three of its citizens, including a pilot for Saudia, the national airline, were killed when Yemen's Houthis hit Riyadh's main airport twice on Thursday. [54][20] The Houthis are an armed movement backed by Iran that holds Yemen's capital, Sanaa. [55] Officials said the attacks damaged three planes. [56] The Saudi-led coalition said it destroyed three Houthi rocket launchers. [20] Houthi media said Saudi strikes on Sanaa's airport killed two people. [55]

   Why it matters — Lufthansa stopped flying to Riyadh until 16 October, and Air India cancelled its flights there. [20][57] Europe's air safety agency told airlines to avoid more of Saudi airspace. [20]

10. 11

    UN envoy says Yemen is back in full-scale war

    Hans Grundberg, the UN envoy for Yemen, told the UN Security Council on Friday that Yemen 'has slid back into full-scale war'. [21] Fighting has spread since September, when the Houthis took the port of Mocha beside the Bab el-Mandeb strait. [58] About 12% of world trade passes through that strait. [58] The Houthis have also cut the main road into Taiz, a big city in the south-west. [58] A 20-litre can of black-market petrol there rose from 30,000 riyals to 90,000. [58]

    Why it matters — At least 3,700 people have fled across the water from Yemen to Djibouti since September, the UN refugee agency says. [59] It is preparing for 10,000 more, in a dry region with no groundwater. [59]

11. 12

    Pakistan says its troops are already in Saudi Arabia

    Pakistan said on Friday that 'a substantial number' of its forces and resources are already in Saudi Arabia. [22] They are there under the Makkah defence agreement, a pact between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey. [22] Defence officials from the three countries met in Riyadh and agreed to move resources quickly when needed, a foreign ministry spokesman said. [22] He would not say how many troops are there. [22]

    Why it matters — The spokesman was answering a question about the threat that Yemen's Houthis pose to Saudi Arabia. [22]

12. 13

    UAE says the flydubai co-pilot meant to hit Tel Aviv's airport

    The UAE's attorney-general said on Friday that the co-pilot who attacked his captain on a flydubai flight on 30 September planned to crash into Israel's main airport. [60][61] Hamam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old from Oman, confessed to acting alone, though the search for helpers goes on. [61] He had flown to Tel Aviv twice before to learn the route. [61] The Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, though badly hurt, opened the cockpit door so passengers could overpower him. [60][62]

    Why it matters — An Israeli airline has started its own checks on the foreign crews of planes it rents, because those crews fall outside Israel's security rules. [63] Israel will give Machchhar its highest civilian award for bravery. [62]

13. 14

    Montenegro arrests a Russian war blogger

    Police in Montenegro arrested Mikhail Zvinchuk, a Russian pro-war blogger, and four others on Friday on suspicion of trying to destabilise the country. [64][65] Zvinchuk used to work in the press office of Russia's defence ministry. [64] He founded Rybar, a Telegram channel with more than 1.5 million followers. [64] Montenegro, a small Balkan country, was once close to Russia but is now in NATO and wants to join the EU. [64]

    Why it matters — Rybar said the group only planned to film a monastery. [64] The prime minister, Milojko Spajic, said attempts to destabilise Montenegro have followed its path towards the EU. [64]

14. 15

    Poland checks 50,000 schools after two attacks

    Polish police detained 76 people and checked nearly 50,000 schools after two attacks this week. [66] On Wednesday a 19-year-old injured nine people with a sharp object at a vocational school in central Poland. [66] On Thursday a 15-year-old killed a school caretaker and wounded two others in the same province. [66] Rumours of more attacks on a 'bloody Friday' spread online, and 59 schools cancelled classes. [66]

    Why it matters — Violence in schools by children is new in Poland. [66] Many parents kept their children at home on Friday. [66]

15. 16

    Taiwan plans record defence spending

    Lai Ching-te, Taiwan's president, said on Saturday that more defence spending is meant 'to deter war', not to provoke one. [67][68] His government plans a record NT$1.1 trillion, about $34.5bn, for defence in 2027. [67] That is more than 3% of the island's economy. [67] China claims Taiwan as its own and has threatened to take it by force. [67] Lai also welcomed talks between the US and China aimed at lowering the risk of war. [69]

    Why it matters — China's office for Taiwan said the speech showed 'sinister motives'. [69] Taiwan's 23 million people live under the constant threat of an attack. [67]

16. 17

    China agrees to cut hybrid car sales to Europe

    The EU and China agreed on Friday to limit China's sales of hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars to Europe. [70] Maros Sefcovic, the EU's trade chief, said it 'opens the prospect of cutting China's exports by more than a half'. [70] The EU buys about one billion euros a day more from China than it sells there. [71] China also agreed to let in more EU goods, from car parts to olive oil, and to ease the supply of rare earths, metals used in motors. [71]

    Why it matters — France and Germany had pushed for tough action if China did not move. [70] EU leaders will look at the details at a summit next week. [71]

17. 18

    Ireland proposes a smaller EU budget

    Ireland, which chairs meetings of EU governments this half-year, proposed a smaller EU budget for 2028 to 2034 on Saturday. [72][73] Its plan is about 8% below the European Commission's draft of nearly two trillion euros. [72][73] Politico counted the cut at 159 billion euros and Euronews at 141 billion. [72][73] Farm subsidies and money for poorer regions were protected. [72] Most of the cut falls on foreign aid and on support for European industry. [72]

    Why it matters — A German-led group of countries wants far deeper cuts, and southern and eastern states want none at all. [72] EU leaders argue it out at a summit next week. [72]

18. 19

    Riot police clash with youths in Brussels

    About 30,000 people marched in Brussels on Friday in a national strike against the Belgian government's spending cuts, police said. [28] Hundreds of young people clashed with riot police near the central station. [28] Police fired water cannon and tear gas, and rioters set fire to city bikes and scooters. [28] Union leaders said the rioters had nothing to do with their march. [28] More than 200 people were arrested in Liege this week after student clashes. [28]

    Why it matters — Belgium, like France and Italy, carries heavy public debt and is struggling to agree next year's budget. [28] The Belgian student protests copied those in France. [28]

19. 20

    UN worried by France's school protests

    The UN human rights office said on Friday it was following France's high school protests 'with concern' as they entered a fifth straight day. [27] Nearly 7,000 people have been taken into police custody since mid-September, and 86% of them are under 18. [27] Students are protesting about missing teachers, packed timetables and classrooms that cannot cope with heat. [27] Police face 18 internal inquiries into claims of excessive force. [27]

    86 of 100

    of every 100 people held were under 18

    Why it matters — A 17-year-old in Sevran, a poor suburb of Paris, said some students stand in class because there are not enough chairs. [74]

20. 21

    Ethiopia tells the UN it is defending itself from Eritrea

    Ethiopia told the UN Security Council on Friday that it is acting in self-defence against Eritrea, its neighbour to the north. [75] Its foreign minister accused Eritrea of an 'all-out invasion' of Tigray, saying its troops had pushed up to 60km in. [76] Eritrea's information minister said his country faces 'an unprovoked war of aggression'. [76] The two fell out mostly over Ethiopia's wish to own a port on Eritrea's Red Sea coast. [76]

    Why it matters — Eritrea fought on Ethiopia's side in Tigray's 2020 to 2022 civil war, so a war between them would be a new and wider one. [76] An AFP report cited by DW put 5,000 to 8,000 Eritrean soldiers inside Tigray, quoting a foreign security source. [77]

21. 22

    Flights to Tigray's capital restart on Sunday

    Ethiopian Airlines will fly to Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, again from Sunday, three weeks after it stopped. [78] Flights halted on 23 September, when the TPLF, the party that ran Tigray, took the airports at Mekelle, Shire and Axum. [78] Ethiopia's federal forces took Mekelle back last Sunday. [78] Flights to Shire and Axum stay suspended. [78]

    Why it matters — The flights restore the main link between Tigray and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital. [78]

22. 23

    Drone kills 40 in Sudan's Blue Nile province

    A drone strike killed at least 40 people, including children, in Sudan's Blue Nile province near the Ethiopian border on Friday, a rights group said. [56] Emergency Lawyers, a group that tracks the war, blamed the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). [56] The RSF is a paramilitary force that has fought Sudan's army since 2023. [56] The strike hit the Abu Shandi area. [56]

    Why it matters — Blue Nile borders Ethiopia, where a separate war in Tigray widened this week. [56][75]

23. 24

    US lifts its 41-year ban on flights to Lebanon

    The US lifted a ban on direct flights between the US and Lebanon that had stood since 1985. [56] It was imposed after the hijacking of TWA Flight 847 that year. [56] Lebanon's president, Joseph Aoun, said it shows US confidence in Lebanon's airport safety. [56] Trump ordered the change about two weeks ago, and it was made public on Saturday. [56]

    Why it matters — It comes after two wars with Israel badly weakened Hezbollah, the armed group backed by Iran. [56]

24. 25

    UN counts 280 Israeli raids into Syria in a month

    The UN human rights office said Israel carried out 280 armed raids into southern Syria in September, the most of any month this year. [79] It said Israel is holding 49 Syrians, and released detainees describe beatings and threats. [79] Israeli troops moved into Syria after Bashar al-Assad's government fell in December 2024. [79] Syria says Israel is building fortifications along the occupied Golan Heights. [79]

    Why it matters — The US is overseeing talks between the two on a peace deal and on Israel pulling back to the line agreed in 1974. [79]

25. 26

    Israel's economy grows as its vote nears

    Israel votes for its parliament on 27 October, after three years of war. [80] Its economy grew 3.2% in the first half of this year, and unemployment is 2.8%. [80] Foreign investment hit a record $26.2bn last year, led by US firms buying Israeli cyber-security companies. [80] The campaign has been fought mostly on security, between Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot, a retired general. [80]

    Why it matters — In a poll last month, 38% of Jewish Israelis and 46% of Palestinian citizens of Israel named the economy and living costs among their top two issues. [80] Food prices rose 8% from early 2024 to mid-2026. [80]

26. 27

    Settlement building speeds up in the West Bank

    Fewer than 5,000 Israelis lived in the occupied West Bank in 1967, and more than 500,000 do now, according to Peace Now, an Israeli group that tracks settlements. [81] Nearly a quarter of the 40,000 settlement homes offered for building since 2002 were offered in the past two years. [81] More than half of about 430 outposts, settlements illegal even under Israeli law, were set up in the past three years. [81]

    Why it matters — On Friday Israeli soldiers blocked Palestinians and activists from an olive harvest near Birzeit, a West Bank town. [81]

27. 28

    Satellites show three in four Gaza buildings damaged

    About 246,000 buildings in Gaza, 74.5% of all those standing before 7 October 2023, are likely damaged or destroyed, a satellite study found. [82] It was made by Conflict Ecology, a research lab at Oregon State University in the US, using radar images up to 3 August this year. [82] Since last October's ceasefire, 25,801 buildings were damaged or destroyed on the Israeli-held side of the ceasefire line. [82]

    75 of 100

    of every 100 buildings in Gaza likely damaged or destroyed

    Why it matters — Gaza's health ministry says Israeli forces have killed more than 1,460 Palestinians since the ceasefire began a year ago. [82] The damage is worst in the two northern provinces, North Gaza and Gaza. [82]

28. 29

    The UAE starts flying food into Gaza

    The UAE began flying food aid to Gaza on Friday, aiming to supply more than 10 million meals. [83] Six flights are to carry 450 tonnes of food parcels, and one ship 4,000 tonnes of supplies. [83] The effort is named after Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid, a brother of Dubai's ruler, who died on 21 September. [83]

    Why it matters — The UAE says it has given more than $4bn in aid to Gaza since November 2023, which it puts at 46% of all aid from abroad. [83]

29. 30

    Britain's Gaza refugee route excludes people in Gaza

    Britain's new resettlement route for Palestinian refugees will only take people who have already escaped to Lebanon or Jordan, the body running it confirmed. [84] Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, announced it at her party's conference last month. [84] It will refer only 'a very small number of extremely urgent cases'. [84] Campaigners say people in Gaza were given false hope that they could apply. [84]

    Why it matters — The rule means that people still inside Gaza cannot use it at all. [84]

30. 31

    Iraq to send oil by lorry through Syria

    Iraq expects to start sending crude oil by lorry across Syria to a Mediterranean port from mid-October, the head of Syria's state oil company said. [85] Before the Iran war most of Iraq's exports, about 3.3 million barrels a day, left through the Strait of Hormuz. [85] Oil pays for at least 90% of Iraq's government. [85] Since April at least 2.1 million tonnes of Iraqi fuel oil have gone by lorry to Syria's port of Baniyas. [85]

    Why it matters — The deals tie Iraq more closely to Syria, as the US pushes the two countries to work together. [85]

31. 32

    Putin offers to help end the Iran war

    Putin promised on Thursday to do 'everything in our power' to help end the war between Iran and the US. [86] He spoke after meeting Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran's president, in Turkmenistan. [86] Pezeshkian said Iran and the US had swapped proposals to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. [86] He said talks can only succeed 'without pressure and threats'. [87] Qatar and Pakistan, not Russia, have led the talks so far. [86]

    Why it matters — Russia and Iran are partners: Iran supplied drone designs that Russia now uses against Ukraine. [86] The talks have been stuck since the summer. [87]

32. 33

    Sri Lanka will not help 19 stranded Iranian ships

    Sri Lanka said it has no immediate plan to help 19 Iranian ships anchored off its coast that are short of food, water and fuel. [88] The ships sit 24 nautical miles out, in international waters. [88] A spokesman said companies that supply ships know they could face US sanctions for helping. [88] In March a US torpedo sank the Iranian navy ship IRIS Dena, killing 87 sailors. [88]

    Why it matters — Sri Lanka says it will put its own interest first. [88] The spokesman said the US had sent no warning about the ships. [88]

33. 34

    Sri Lanka appeals a death sentence in Saudi Arabia

    Sri Lanka is asking Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court to overturn a death sentence on Sivarasa Anojan, a Sri Lankan engineer working there. [89] In June he posted a comment about the Prophet Muhammad, then deleted it and apologised. [89] Saudi courts called it blasphemy and gave him five years in prison, then raised it to death. [89] Sri Lanka sent senior lawyers to Riyadh to file the appeal. [89]

    Why it matters — Parties from all sides of Sri Lanka's politics, and its ethnic groups, have joined the appeal for a pardon. [89]

34. 35

    US drops sanctions on a Myanmar tycoon's daughter

    The US Treasury took Theint Win Htet off its sanctions list on Friday. [90] Her father's company supplied fuel to Myanmar's military, which seized power in a 2021 coup. [90] She sued in July, saying she plays no part in her father's company. [90] The decision followed a Reuters report that the Trump administration has opened talks with Myanmar's government. [90]

    Why it matters — Talks with Myanmar's government would break with years of US sanctions on the generals who led the coup. [90]

35. 36

    Trump doubts a live-streamed execution

    Trump said on Friday that Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people at Fort Hood, a US army base, in 2009, 'absolutely' deserves death by firing squad. [91] But he said he had not decided whether the execution, set for 3 December, will be shown live. [91] A day earlier Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, said people would be able to watch it. [91] JD Vance, the vice-president, said he would not watch it. [92]

    Why it matters — The last public executions in the US were hangings in 1936 in Kentucky, watched by about 20,000 people, and in 1937 in Missouri. [93] The Dutch prime minister called the plan 'absurd'. [94]

36. 37

    India calls Vance's words 'deeply offensive'

    India's foreign ministry called remarks by JD Vance, the US vice-president, 'unwarranted' and 'deeply offensive'. [95] Vance had called foreign workers, including Indian IT professionals, 'indentured servants'. [95] On Thursday the US stopped eight IT firms, five of them Indian, from sponsoring workers for green cards, accusing them of visa fraud. [95] The five include Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro. [95]

    Why it matters — India's foreign ministry said the US steps would not 'advance the shared ambitions of both countries'. [95] Trade between the two was already strained. [95]

37. 38

    Musk accuses India's richest man of blocking Starlink

    Elon Musk called Mukesh Ambani, India's richest man, 'Prime Minister Ambani' on Saturday and accused him of protecting a monopoly. [96] Musk's satellite internet service, Starlink, is still waiting to launch in India. [96] Musk says powerful firms are blocking it to keep their hold on India's market. [96] Musk also shared old reports that a Reliance-linked firm gave large sums to India's ruling BJP party. [96] Reliance has not replied. [96]

    Why it matters — India's government says its licensing rules are 'fair and non-discriminatory', and calls any claim of favouritism 'baseless'. [96]

38. 39

    Carney tells Musk Canadians will decide Canada's future

    Mark Carney, Canada's prime minister, said Canadians will decide their country's future, after Elon Musk backed Quebec, Alberta and Saskatchewan leaving Canada. [97] Musk posted after the Parti Quebecois, which wants Quebec to be independent, won Quebec's election on Monday. [97] The party won about 28% of the vote, so its win was not a vote for independence. [97]

    Why it matters — Carney warned against interference 'from foreign governments and large tech firms that think they can tell us what to do'. [97]

39. 40

    Britain bans an Orange march in Portadown

    Chris Bryant, Britain's minister for Northern Ireland, said late on Friday that the Orange Order may not march through the Catholic part of Portadown. [98] The Orange Order is a Protestant group, and it has been barred from that route since 1998. [98] Bryant reversed the Parades Commission, the independent body that rules on marches, which had allowed it. [98] The ban followed a two-week standoff in the town. [98]

    Why it matters — Fights over these marches caused years of street violence in Northern Ireland. [98] Irish republicans welcomed the reversal, and unionists, who want Northern Ireland to stay British, were furious. [98]

40. 41

    Arrested German spy chief had challenged his old agency

    August Hanning, a former head of Germany's foreign spy agency who was arrested this week, wrote to the agency in August demanding answers. [99] He complained that it had passed a former agent's claim that he spied for Russia to investigators without asking him first. [99] He was arrested on suspicion of attempted treason, among other things. [99] A former head of Poland's foreign intelligence called the case 'extremely concerning'. [99]

    Why it matters — Allied spy agencies share secrets with Germany's, and the Polish official warned the case could make them trust it less. [99]

41. 42

    Nord Stream trial opens in Hamburg next week

    A former Ukrainian special forces soldier, named only as Serhii K, goes on trial in Hamburg next week over the 2022 Nord Stream blasts. [100] The explosions under the Baltic Sea broke pipelines that carried Russian gas to Germany. [100] He is charged with causing an explosion and a war crime, allegedly acting for 'state agencies of Ukraine'. [100] He and Ukraine both deny it. [100]

    Why it matters — German police followed the evidence to Ukraine, a country Germany backs in its war with Russia. [100]

42. 43

    Latvia's border guard asks for more powers

    Latvia's border guard wants more powers after 20 migrants crossed from Belarus on 5 October using makeshift stairs over the fence. [101] The interior minister said armed, masked escorts threatened Latvian soldiers, and border surveillance equipment was damaged. [101] Latvia finished fencing its 173km border with Belarus this year. [101] The border guard's chief says the fence is making the smugglers more aggressive. [101]

    Why it matters — The minister called it 'a security threat, not simply a migration-management problem'. [101]

43. 44

    France and Germany argue over a joint tank

    France's top general told lawmakers on Thursday that Germany had pulled out of the two countries' joint project for a new tank. [102] The next day the French and German defence ministers insisted the project 'is not dead'. [102] The row came during a state visit to France by Germany's president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. [102][103]

    Why it matters — In Germany the far-right AfD now leads national polls. [103] In France, Macron could be followed by a president from the far left or the far right. [103]

44. 45

    Turkey bans social media for children under 15

    Turkey formally declared on Saturday a ban on social media for children under 15, starting on 1 November. [104] Platforms must check users' ages, and may not offer services likely to make children addicted. [104] Parliament passed the law in April. [104] Australia already has a similar ban, and Britain and France are working on one. [104]

    Why it matters — Rights groups have long complained that Turkey restricts free speech. [104]

45. 46

    Pakistan threatens emergency rule in Imran Khan's home province

    Pakistan's government said it had finished weighing emergency rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province in the north-west, and would use it if the province does not cooperate against terrorism. [105] The province is run by the party of Imran Khan, the jailed former prime minister. [105] That party has been marching since 4 October to demand his release. [106] Its chief minister called supporters to the Swabi interchange on Sunday. [106]

    Why it matters — Federal ministers have warned they could remove the province's government through emergency or governor's rule while the march goes on. [105]

46. 47

    Money sent home to Pakistan rises 14%

    Pakistanis working abroad sent home $10.9bn from July to September, 14% more than a year earlier, Pakistan's central bank said. [107] September alone brought $3.6bn. [107] Millions of Pakistanis work in Gulf countries, and the Iran war has not cut what they send. [107] This money from workers abroad brings in more than all of Pakistan's exports. [107]

    Why it matters — The rise keeps Pakistan on track for its goal of $44bn from workers abroad this year. [107]

47. 48

    Nigeria offers cheaper petrol before its election

    Nigeria's finance minister, Taiwo Oyedele, announced a discount on petrol sold by NNPC, the state oil company, for 30 days, with public transport first. [19] Petrol has risen to about 1,400 naira a litre, from 830 before the war in the Middle East. [19] President Bola Tinubu, who scrapped fuel subsidies early in his term, seeks re-election in January. [19] 'It's not a subsidy,' the minister said. [19]

    Why it matters — Nigeria is Africa's top oil producer and has its biggest refinery, yet Nigeria's government has left pump prices to the market. [19]

48. 49

    Zambia agrees a new $1.5bn IMF loan

    The IMF, which lends to countries in trouble, reached a deal with Zambia on Friday for a new loan of about $1.5bn over three years. [108] Zambia's last IMF programme helped it recover after it became Africa's first country to default on its debts during the Covid pandemic, in 2020. [108] That programme ended in January. [108] The IMF's board is expected to approve the new loan around December. [108]

    Why it matters — The money arrives in seven parts, every six months, as Zambia writes its 2027 budget. [108]

49. 50

    Niger reaches a $203m IMF deal

    The IMF reached a preliminary deal on Thursday to lend Niger about $203m over three years. [109] The fund expects Niger's economy to grow 7% this year, helped by farming and oil exports. [109] It warned of big risks from jihadist attacks, which happen regularly, and from climate shocks. [109] The IMF's board still has to approve the deal. [109]

    Why it matters — The IMF says its current loan helped Niger stay steady despite 'exceptional economic shocks'. [109]

50. 51

    South Africa drops an asylum rule after riots

    South Africa's home affairs department withdrew a rule meant to carry out a court ruling on asylum, a day after riots in Soweto and Durban. [110] At least 24 vehicles were burned and shops looted on Thursday. [111] In July the Constitutional Court ruled that asylum claims must be heard even from people who entered illegally. [110] The minister, Leon Schreiber, said refugee offices were overwhelmed within days. [110]

    Why it matters — South Africa's government must still obey the court's ruling, so the withdrawal leaves it unclear how asylum seekers will now be treated. [110]

51. 52

    Zuma in hospital before South Africa's local elections

    Jacob Zuma, South Africa's president from 2009 to 2018, was taken by ambulance to a clinic in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday, local media reported. [112] His MK Party called it a routine check-up, but President Cyril Ramaphosa said Zuma had been unwell. [112] Zuma led the new MK Party to third place in the 2024 national election. [112]

    Why it matters — The party is preparing for local elections, and it is not clear whether Zuma can attend a planned rally on 18 October. [112]

52. 53

    Morocco's king puts young people first

    Morocco's King Mohammed VI told parliament on Friday that young people's problems must be 'at the forefront of public policies'. [113] Young Moroccans protested earlier this year for better hospitals, schools and more jobs. [113] Many of those who crossed into Ceuta, Spain's city on Morocco's coast, in July were young. [113] The king also said Morocco would set out a new plan for its partnership with Spain. [113]

    Why it matters — He warned that the partnership 'cannot be subject to any pressure or threat, nor to any form of blackmail'. [113]

53. 54

    Brazilian police rescue 13 children held hostage

    Police in Curitiba, a city in southern Brazil, rescued 13 children held hostage at a kindergarten on Friday, after killing the man holding them. [114] He had climbed the gate, spread a flammable liquid in a classroom and held a lighter. [114] He also carried a knife and what turned out to be a fake gun. [114] At least one child was hurt. [114]

    Why it matters — Police said their negotiators 'saw no alternative' to shooting him. [114]

54. 55

    Brazil cuts fuel taxes before the runoff

    Brazil's government scrapped federal taxes on petrol for 30 days on Friday and raised its subsidy for diesel importers. [18] The vote between President Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro, son of the former president, is on 25 October. [18] Bolsonaro got about two million more votes than Lula in the first round. [18] Brazil's government says money from the state's oil fields will pay for the tax cut. [18]

    Why it matters — Fuel prices are among the issues voters feel most, and the cut lands two weeks before they choose. [18]

55. 56

    US missionary held in Haiti over child abuse claims

    Police in Cap-Haitien, a city in northern Haiti, said a US missionary accused of running an unlicensed orphanage is in custody. [115] Thomas Osbeck was detained on 30 September, and his phone held explicit messages sent to children, a police spokesman said. [115] Twelve children, 11 of them girls aged 7 to 17, were given medical checks. [115]

    Why it matters — Police expect him to be sent to the US for trial. [115] Another US missionary, Maylon Foshee, is in a US federal court on Monday on charges of abusing children in Haiti. [115]

56. 57

    Paris court jails Indian man who led a child abuse ring

    A court in Paris sentenced Rohan Rane, a 29-year-old Indian man who came to France to study, to 20 years in prison on Friday. [116] He led an online group that forced girls, many under 15, to make violent and sexual videos. [116] Most of the dozens of victims were girls in the US, and others were in Britain and Canada. [116] Prosecutors had asked for 30 years. [116]

    Why it matters — The crimes were committed online against girls in three other countries, and were tried in France, where Rane lived. [116]

57. 58

    Mexican court convicts three over surfers' murders

    A court in Mexico convicted three men on Friday of murdering two Australian brothers, Jake and Callum Robinson, and their American friend, Carter Rhoad, in 2024. [117] The three surfers were shot during a robbery while camping near Ensenada in Baja California. [117] Their bodies were found in a well. [117] Prosecutors asked for 210 years each, though the state's maximum is 60. [117]

    Why it matters — The brothers' father said the verdict was 'an important step towards justice and accountability'. [117]

58. 59

    Journalist shot dead in Mexico's Oaxaca

    Hamurabi Huesca Manzano, who ran a news website called Pinotepa Comunica, was shot dead in Oaxaca state on Friday. [118] He was the ninth journalist killed in Mexico this year, the rights group Article 19 said. [118] Prosecutors said he was working as a taxi driver, and the target may have been his passenger, a local gang figure who also died. [118]

    Why it matters — Prosecutors say the attackers are identified but did not say whether his reporting played any part. [118]

59. 60

    Supermarket ceiling falls in South Korea

    Part of a plaster ceiling fell at a supermarket in Daegu, a city in South Korea, on Saturday morning, hurting at least 38 people. [119] All the injuries were minor, fire officials said, and 66 others got out safely. [119] The collapse happened on the second floor of a four-storey building. [119] The cause was not yet known. [119]

    Why it matters — President Lee Jae Myung ordered officials to make every effort to rescue people. [119]

60. 61

    Kenya's Ebola patient passed three countries undetected

    Africa CDC, the continent's public health agency, traced how Kenya's first Ebola patient travelled for six weeks before anyone found the disease. [120] The 40-year-old businessman fell ill in DR Congo around 15 September and was told he had a skin infection. [120] He passed health checks at airports in Uganda and Kenya, and died in Nairobi on 5 October. [120] More than 4,000 people have died of Ebola in DR Congo this year. [120]

    Why it matters — No one tested him for Ebola on the whole journey. [120] The missed chances may have let dozens of people come into contact with the virus. [120]

61. 62

    Europe paid record sums for Russian Arctic gas

    EU countries paid about 7.9 billion euros for gas from Russia's Arctic gas project in the first nine months of this year, the campaign group Urgewald said. [121] A record 12.18 million tonnes of the cooled, liquid gas reached European ports. [121] The EU banned new Russian energy contracts this year, and a full ban on Russian liquid gas starts on 1 January 2027. [121]

    Why it matters — Europe's gas stores are at a record low, and the EU faces a hard energy winter. [121]

62. 63

    China lets fuel exports restart

    China has approved about 3.7 million tonnes of diesel, petrol and jet fuel for export in October, four traders said. [122] China began limiting fuel exports in March to keep enough at home after the Iran war cut oil supplies. [122] It eased the limits from July to September, then paused during its Golden Week holiday. [122] It now checks shipments month by month. [122]

    Why it matters — The fuel will help ease tight world fuel markets, the traders said. [122]

63. 64

    A new giant waterlily is found in Colombia

    Scientists have found a new species of giant waterlily in the Inirida river in Colombia. [123] Carlos Magdalena, an expert at Kew Gardens in London, spotted it three years ago in an Instagram photo of someone swimming among the leaves. [123] He spent years studying satellite images before a five-day trip into the rainforest with Colombian scientists and local indigenous people. [123] Giant waterlilies can be three metres across. [123]

    Why it matters — The plant is already considered critically endangered. [123]

64. 65

    Violence keeps rising in Australia's migrant detention centres

    Internal papers show new stabbings, overdoses and fires in Australia's immigration detention centres, the Guardian reported. [124] Six detainees went to hospital after a fight with home-made weapons in Melbourne on 18 August. [124] The centres are run by a subsidiary of Management and Training Corporation, a US prison firm that also holds detainees for US immigration authorities. [124] It won a contract worth 2.3 billion Australian dollars in late 2024. [124]

    Why it matters — The papers suggest Australia's government may be breaking laws meant to protect staff and detainees. [124]

65. 66

    Ukraine's drones knock out Yandex data centres

    Yandex, which runs Russia's most popular search engine and a taxi and food app, said Ukrainian drones hit two of its five data centres in two days. [125] Its centre in Sasovo, in the Ryazan region, stopped working completely. [125] Another, in Kaluga, lost part of its equipment. [125] Zelensky said the attacks answered weeks of Russian strikes on Ukrainian data centres. [125]

    Why it matters — Yandex said it is 'very difficult to predict' when its services will be fully back. [125] Ukraine says it is hitting the money that pays for Russia's war. [125]

66. 67

    Ukraine pushes Russia back near Lyman

    A Ukrainian counter-attack called Operation Vivaldi has taken back 175 square kilometres around Lyman, a town in Donetsk province. [126] The Institute for the Study of War, a US research group, says this broke one arm of a Russian plan to surround the rest of Donetsk. [127] Even a Kremlin-friendly Telegram channel admitted Russian troops were losing villages south of Lyman. [126]

    Why it matters — Taking all of Donetsk is a long-held Russian aim, and this year's push for it has stalled. [127]

67. 68

    EU admits its help for Ukraine will not be enough

    EU diplomats now accept that their money and weapons for Ukraine will not cover what the war needs, Euronews reported. [128] 'This war will last longer than we thought,' one said. [128] Russian strikes have hit railways, bridges, power stations and schools, and on Thursday left Kyiv in darkness. [128] A glide bomb that set two buses alight in Kramatorsk killed more than 30 people. [128]

    Why it matters — Ukraine is running short of air defences as the coldest months begin. [128]