Britain says Iran's Revolutionary Guards almost certainly directed the plot at RAF Fairford, and sanctions two Iranians

The rest of the day

50 more stories on this beat.

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

1. 02

   EU adds 1,600 names to its Russia sanctions

   EU foreign ministers on Monday put sanctions on almost 1,600 Russian people and companies in Russia's arms industry, the biggest single listing since the 2022 invasion. [16] Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, said more than half are tied to making ballistic missiles. [16][23] The EU's list now holds more than 4,500 names, Putin among them. [16] Days earlier, President Trump eased US sanctions on Russian diesel, and Germany's chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said copying that was 'out of the question'. [17][24] EU leaders meet on Thursday and plan to call for more sanctions on Russian oil money. [25]

   Names added on Monday1,600

   All names on the EU's Russia list4,500

   Why it matters — The US and the EU are now pushing Russia's oil money in opposite directions. Kallas said the sanctions would be stronger if the US had joined in. [17]

2. 03

   Russia hits six energy sites after a truce

   Russia struck six Ukrainian energy sites after President Trump said on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to stop hitting each other's energy supplies. [26] Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said 33 people were hurt. [26] Ukraine's grid company reported new power cuts in Kharkiv, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia, and rationed electricity in some areas. [26] Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said Ukraine did not deserve the 'respite' a ceasefire would bring. [26] Zelensky said it was 'increasingly clear' that Russia did not want the truce. [27]

   Why it matters — Ukraine goes into winter with its power plants still under attack. Zelensky called the strikes 'Putin's answer to President Trump'. [26]

3. 04

   NATO's top general sets out a war plan

   Alexus Grynkewich, the US general who commands NATO's forces in Europe, set out on Monday how the alliance would fight an attack by Russia. [18] He told a security conference in Warsaw, Poland's capital, that NATO would 'block, blunt' and then 'break' any attacking force. [18] All 32 NATO members have approved the plan, which leans on drones, anti-drone systems and AI. [28] He said alliance troops would fight even if US forces were busy elsewhere. [18] Matthew Whitaker, the US ambassador to NATO, said the US is reviewing its troops in Europe. [19]

   Why it matters — European officials warn that Russia could be ready to attack a NATO country by the end of the decade. [19] The plan is meant to show Russia that an attack would fail, even with fewer US troops in Europe.

4. 05

   Ukraine passes the law Hungary asked for

   Ukraine's parliament passed a law on Monday that protects the use of minority languages in schools and at cultural events. [29] It passed with 266 of 450 votes. [29] About 100,000 Hungarians live in Transcarpathia, a region in western Ukraine, and their rights had soured relations for years. [29] Viktor Orban, Hungary's former leader, blocked Ukraine's EU membership talks from 2023. [29] His successor, Peter Magyar, made further progress depend on this law. [29] Diplomats expect Hungary to agree on Tuesday to open two more parts of the talks. [29]

   Why it matters — This removes one of the biggest blocks on Ukraine's path to joining the EU. It could also lead to the first meeting between Zelensky and Magyar, possibly at an EU summit on Thursday. [29]

5. 06

   Two men held over Poland's Starlink fire

   German police detained two Turkish men on Poland's behalf over a fire last month at a Starlink station in central Poland. [11][30] Starlink is a satellite internet service, and Ukraine's army relies on tens of thousands of its terminals. [11] Poland says the fire was sabotage meant to cut internet access, including for Ukraine's military. [11] Tomasz Siemoniak, a Polish minister in charge of the spy services, said Russia was behind it. [11] The men will face sabotage charges in Poland. [11]

   Why it matters — Siemoniak said Russia's spy services increasingly hire people from the criminal underworld for such attacks. [30] Britain made a similar charge against Iran on the same day.

6. 07

   French navy boards a 'shadow fleet' tanker

   French troops boarded an oil tanker called DF Peak in the Indian Ocean, about 450 nautical miles south of Reunion, a French island. [31] President Emmanuel Macron said it is suspected of sailing under a false flag and smuggling fuel. [31] Ukraine's military intelligence says the ship carries Russian crude oil. [31] The 'shadow fleet' is the name for old tankers Russia uses to sell oil despite Western sanctions, often hiding who owns them. [31] France stopped another such tanker off Sicily in June. [31]

   Why it matters — The shadow fleet lets Russia keep earning from oil despite Western sanctions. [31] The boarding came on the same day the EU added 1,600 names to its sanctions list.

7. 08

   Saudi Arabia vows a 'serious' response

   Saudi Arabia's energy minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, promised a 'serious' response to Houthi attacks on the kingdom's airports and oil sites. [32] The Houthis are an armed group backed by Iran that controls much of Yemen. [32] A missile killed 13 people at Riyadh's main airport on Saturday, and another strike on Sunday killed a Pakistani man. [32][33] The airport will stay shut until 17 October. [34] Nearly half of all flights in Saudi Arabia were cancelled on Monday. [14]

   Why it matters — Saudi officials told the Wall Street Journal that the kingdom is running low on missiles to shoot the attacks down, the Times of Israel reported. [35] The UAE's Anwar Gargash said a weak shared defence had encouraged the attacks, and called for stronger Gulf security. [36]

8. 09

   Fighting in Taiz kills more than 60

   Houthi fighters tightened their siege of Taiz, a city in south-west Yemen held by the Saudi-backed government. [37] More than 60 people were killed in 24 hours, military sources on both sides told AFP. [37] Government forces said they lost 22 fighters, and the Houthis said they lost at least 40. [37] The Houthis blocked every road out of the city and attacked overnight. [37] On Sunday, Yemen's health ministry warned that medicine and fuel in Taiz were close to running out. [37]

   Why it matters — The war in Yemen is now being fought inside Yemen and on Saudi soil at once. People in Taiz have no road out while the fighting goes on.

9. 10

   Iran sets a supertanker on fire at Hormuz

   Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they hit a supertanker trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Monday and set it on fire. [15] They said the ship had switched off its transponder, the radio that tells others where a ship is. [15] Iran has blocked the strait since the US and Israel attacked it in February, and the US blockades Iran's ports in return. [15] The same day, Chris Wright, the US energy secretary, said up to 14 million barrels of oil a day now pass through the strait. [38]

   Why it matters — Ship-tracking firm Kpler counted under 9 million barrels a day in September, so the two counts are far apart. [38] Diesel, jet fuel and petrol prices stay high either way. [38]

10. 11

    EU sets up a mission in Lebanon

    EU foreign ministers agreed on Monday to set up a civilian and military mission to strengthen Lebanon's army and police. [39] It will start with a three-year mandate and work on border and sea security and stopping drones. [40][39] It will not deploy in the south, where Israel is still fighting Hezbollah, an armed group backed by Iran. [39] UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping force in south Lebanon, ends its mission on 31 December. [40]

    Why it matters — The EU mission will not replace the UN force, so south Lebanon will have no outside peacekeepers next year. [40] Lebanon's president, Joseph Aoun, has asked for the UN mission to be extended. [39]

11. 12

    Lebanon seizes explosives bound for Beirut

    Lebanon's army said on Monday it seized 200kg of explosives being smuggled in from Syria through the Hermel border area. [41] The smugglers fled back to Syria. [41] It was one of three seizures in a few weeks, together about half a tonne, all bound for Beirut. [41] One package held nails and ball bearings. [41] Prime Minister Nawaf Salam promised 'no leniency' in the investigation. [41]

    Why it matters — The seizures have brought back memories of the 2005 lorry bomb that killed former prime minister Rafic Hariri and 20 others. [41] Some Lebanese officials link the smuggling to Hezbollah, but the investigation has not said who sent it. [41]

12. 13

    Old bomb kills a boy on a school trip

    A 14-year-old Israeli boy was killed and 24 people were hurt when an old munition exploded on a school trip near the border with Lebanon. [42] Israel's army said it was most likely a small bomb from a Hezbollah cluster rocket left over from the war. [43] A pupil had picked it up on the trail and put it in his backpack, police found. [42] Two teenagers were seriously hurt. [42]

    Why it matters — Unexploded bombs stay in the ground long after the fighting moves on. Police and Israel's education ministry are considering stopping school trips to the north for now. [42]

13. 14

    Israel bars crews from 29 to 31 countries

    Israel has barred pilots and cabin crew who are citizens of countries without diplomatic ties to Israel from flights into its airspace, dual citizens included. [44] The rule follows last month's attack on a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv by its Omani co-pilot. [44] Air France told staff the ban covers 31 countries, and a United Airlines memo lists 29. [45] At least 10 are African, including Algeria, Somalia, Sudan and Tunisia. [45]

    Why it matters — Airlines are now changing staff rotas to keep flying to Israel. [45][44] Crew members are judged by their passport, not by anything they have done.

14. 15

    Katz tells Israel's top court to keep out

    Israel's High Court on Monday told the army and defence ministry to give a timetable for letting displaced Palestinians return to camps in the northern West Bank. [46] Defence Minister Israel Katz replied that this is army business and the court should not interfere. [46] The army emptied camps in Jenin, Tulkarem and Nur Shams in 2025, saying they sheltered militants. [46] Tens of thousands of people were forced out and have not been allowed back. [46]

    Why it matters — Israel's top court and its defence minister now disagree in public about the camps. [46] Meanwhile tens of thousands of Palestinians still cannot go home.

15. 16

    Egypt's press union defends six journalists

    Khaled Elbalshy, head of Egypt's journalists' union, said it will keep defending six journalists held since late September. [47] They work for Matsadaash, an investigative website, and are charged with joining a 'terrorist' group. [47] Prosecutors say the site is tied to the Muslim Brotherhood, which Egypt lists as a 'terrorist' group. [47] Their lawyers say most of the six were tortured after arrest, which Egypt denies. [47]

    Why it matters — Pro-government commentators attacked the union for speaking up for its members. [47] The journalists are held under a 2015 counter-terrorism law, though the prosecution only accuses them of publishing false reports. [47]

16. 17

    PKK fighters leave four camps in Iraq

    Fighters of the PKK, a Kurdish armed group, have left four camps in northern Iraq near the Turkish border, Turkish security officials said on Monday. [48][49] Turkey's state news agency named the camps as Hebat, Yajk, Sabri and Sason. [49] The PKK has fought Turkey since 1984, and at least 40,000 people have died. [48] Last year it agreed to disarm and disband, after a call from its jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan. [49]

    Why it matters — Turkey's security council must confirm that the PKK has fully dissolved before a law letting former fighters return can take effect. [48] Kurdish politicians say the process is too slow. [48]

17. 18

    Agents search Ilhan Omar's home

    US immigration agents searched the Washington-area home of Ilhan Omar, a Democratic congresswoman from Minnesota, on Monday. [50] The US justice department said a judge had approved the warrant as part of a criminal investigation, and gave no more details. [50] Fox News, citing unnamed sources, said it concerns her immigration papers, which her late father filled out when she was a child. [20] Omar, who was born in Somalia, called it an attempt 'to target political enemies'. [50] Trump said he had 'nothing to do' with it. [50]

    Why it matters — Democratic leaders called it a 'rogue abuse of power' and noted the midterm elections are less than 30 days away. [20] Omar belongs to 'the Squad', a group of left-wing Democratic lawmakers. [51]

18. 19

    Musk has spent $366m on the midterms

    Elon Musk has spent about $366m on the US midterm elections so far, $276m of it since July, a spokesman for his America PAC confirmed. [52] That makes him most likely the biggest single donor in this year's races. [52] Of the money since July, $158m went to a group set up to help Republicans win Senate seats. [52][53] The New York Times first reported the figures. [53]

    Why it matters — Democrats in the House are calling for investigations into Musk's government contracts as head of SpaceX. [52] If Democrats win control of the US Congress, they would have the power to start them.

19. 20

    Military's archbishop condemns a filmed execution

    Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who leads Catholics serving in the US military, told Catholic soldiers to ask to be excused from a firing squad. [54] The US army plans to execute Nidal Hasan on 3 December. He shot dead 13 people at Fort Hood, an army base in Texas, in 2009. [55] Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the execution will be livestreamed to deter others. [54] Broglio asked whether the US wants to 'imitate the terrorists of this world'. [54]

    Why it matters — In Australia, the Greens asked the online safety regulator to stop Australians seeing the stream. [56] The Guardian reported that this could cause a diplomatic row with the Trump administration. [56]

20. 21

    Leaked files say Abramovich's wealth was hidden

    BBC Panorama reported that Deloitte in Cyprus signed off accounts that made $672m of Roman Abramovich's yachts, homes and jets vanish from a company's books. [57] Deloitte is the world's biggest accountancy firm. [57] Abramovich is a Russian billionaire who once owned Chelsea football club, and Britain sanctioned him in 2022. [57] A barrister called the scheme 'straightforward' tax evasion. Abramovich denies any wrongdoing, and Deloitte Cyprus says it obeys the law. [57]

    Why it matters — In Jersey, a British island, 5.4 billion pounds of his assets are frozen and a criminal investigation has run for four years. [57] The leak raises questions about the firms that keep the money of rich clients out of sight.

21. 22

    India's opposition marches to the top court

    Thousands of opposition supporters marched through Delhi on Monday to India's Supreme Court. [22] They demand that Gyanesh Kumar, the chief election commissioner, resign. [22] More than 130 million names have been removed from voter lists since last year in a check he led. [58] Opposition parties say it helps Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party, which the election body denies. [22] Rahul Gandhi, the opposition leader, handed a petition to the chief justice. [59]

    Why it matters — Police detained thousands of protesters over the weekend, and now the opposition is asking judges to step in. [59] A court ruling could decide whether millions of people can vote.

22. 23

    Pakistan holds Khan's chief minister

    Pakistan's government confirmed that Sohail Afridi, the elected chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, is in custody with some of his ministers. [60] Pakistan's government suspended his provincial government on Sunday and put the province under emergency rule. [61] Afridi belongs to the party of Imran Khan, the jailed former prime minister. [61] Police said 278 party members have been detained. [21] Ministers said Afridi's government worked 'hand in glove' with the Pakistani Taliban, and claimed 'solid evidence'. [62]

    Why it matters — The suspension will last at least six months, the law minister said. [62] Khan's party says it is a way to stop his supporters marching on Islamabad, the capital, to demand his release. [61]

23. 24

    ASEAN to talk about the haze

    Foreign ministers of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, will discuss the haze from Indonesia's fires before their summit next month. [63] Malaysia's foreign minister, Mohamad Hasan, said he would raise it himself. [63] Forest fires on Sumatra and Borneo are Indonesia's worst in 11 years. [63] Their smoke has covered Singapore and Malaysia, which closed schools in several states last week. [63]

    Why it matters — ASEAN has plans for floods and volcanoes but not for haze, Hasan said. [63] Millions of people breathe the smoke from one country's fires.

24. 25

    South Korea recalls its envoy to Ukraine

    South Korea's ambassador to Ukraine went home on Saturday, the latest step in a fast-growing row. [64] It began when Zelensky told the UN that Ukraine had handed two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. [64] South Korea says both sides had agreed to keep that secret. [64] Then a Zelensky adviser said 176,000 tons of fuel went from South Korean ports to Russia, which South Korea denies. [64]

    Why it matters — South Korea wanted secrecy partly so North Korea would not punish the soldiers' families, an expert told DW. [64] Two governments on the same side of the war are now arguing in public.

25. 26

    Thales plans a defence base in Japan

    Thales, a large French defence company, will set up a base in Japan to maintain military equipment, the Nikkei newspaper reported. [65] It could be the first such base run by a foreign defence firm in Japan. [65] It will first serve Japan's navy. [65] Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is raising defence spending because of worries about China's growing military and North Korea's weapons. [65]

    Why it matters — Thales's chief named radar and sonar as areas where it could help Japan. [65] Japan Steel Works will start making a Thales heavy mortar in Japan in 2027. [65]

26. 27

    Boy shoots two staff at a French school

    A 14-year-old boy shot a headteacher and a teacher at a middle school in Aubagne, near Marseille, on Monday. [66] He brought a shotgun into the school in a guitar case, officials said. [66] A member of staff disarmed him. [67] No children were hurt, and the two adults' injuries are not life-threatening. [66] Prosecutors opened an attempted murder inquiry, and both his parents were taken into custody after weapons were found at home. [66]

    Why it matters — Police said it was not linked to the protests over school conditions that have spread across France. [66][67] The boy had no record of crime or radical views, officials said. [67]

27. 28

    Stolen Renoirs found behind a wall

    French police found two paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir behind a false wall in a private home. [68] They were stolen in September from the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, on the French Riviera, and are worth about 4.2m euros. [68] DNA on a cover the thieves left behind and car tracking led police to the suspects. [69] Six people were arrested, and police say a second theft, at the Fondation Maeght art museum, was about to happen. [68]

    Why it matters — The paintings are back, though damaged. [68] Four men face preliminary charges. [69]

28. 29

    Burnham wants closer ties with the EU

    Andy Burnham said Britain's relationship with the EU is 'not good enough' and promised a 'serious dialogue' about its future. [70] A UK-EU summit on 20 November should sign deals on food, youth travel and carbon trading. [70] Separately, Burnham said Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit vote. [71] His office then said the vote's result was legitimate, and a minister said Russia had not succeeded. [71][72]

    Why it matters — Burnham is the first British prime minister to say openly that Russia interfered in the Brexit vote. [72] Nigel Farage, who campaigned for Brexit, called him a 'liar'. [71]

29. 30

    Reform UK pledges to pause asylum

    Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, said his party would end Britain's asylum system for up to five years if it wins power. [73] Farage also repeated a promise to stop all small-boat crossings from France within 100 days. [73] The next general election is not due until 2029. [73]

    Why it matters — Farage said Britain has 'no idea who is here'. [73] The pledge would shut the door on everyone who arrives in Britain asking for protection, for up to five years.

30. 31

    Britain reviews protection for politicians

    Britain will urgently review security for public figures after the killing of Ann Widdecombe, a former government minister, said Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary. [74] Widdecombe was found dead at her home in Devon on 9 July. [74] Sir Stephen Lovegrove, a former national security adviser, will lead the review. [74] Former MPs, peers and party spokespeople will also be offered police support. [74]

    Why it matters — The review covers threats from terrorism and foreign states as well as harassment. [74] The offer of police support reaches people outside parliament, such as former MPs and party spokespeople. [74]

31. 32

    German labour minister quits

    Barbel Bas resigned on Monday as Germany's labour minister and as co-leader of the centre-left Social Democrats, who govern with Merz's conservatives. [75] She said she needs time to grieve after her stepdaughter's death. [75] She also blamed public attacks, some from inside the coalition partner, Chancellor Merz's conservatives. [75] The coalition has been waiting for her ministry's drafts on pension reform. [75]

    Why it matters — Merz's party wanted the pension plans turned into law quickly, and the minister writing them has now gone. [75]

32. 33

    Three leaders want a brake on EU laws

    The leaders of Germany, Italy and Belgium asked for an 'emergency brake' that would let EU governments stop new EU laws they see as too costly. [76] Friedrich Merz, Giorgia Meloni and Bart de Wever wrote to Antonio Costa, who chairs EU summits. [76] They also want some rules suspended for a set time and faster planning approvals. [76] EU leaders meet in Brussels on Thursday. [76]

    Why it matters — The three say heavy rules are costing Europe its factories and investment. [76] A brake would let one government slow laws that the others want.

33. 34

    Portugal starts its fast railway

    Building work began on Monday on a high-speed railway between Lisbon and Porto, Portugal's two biggest cities. [77] When it is finished, the trip will take 1 hour 15 minutes. [77] The first 71km section, from Porto to Oia, includes a new bridge over the Douro river and costs about 2bn euros. [77] Portugal's government says the line will help make Lisbon to Madrid a three-hour trip by 2034. [77]

    Why it matters — Portugal's infrastructure minister called it one of the country's largest building projects this century. [77] It links to a new Lisbon airport and to Spain's rail network.

34. 35

    Greece moves to ban social media under 15

    Greece's government presented a bill to ban children under 15 from social media. [78] It is due to go to parliament's committees on 13 October and to a final vote on 22 October. [78] The ban would start on 1 January 2027. [78] Platforms, not parents, would have to check users' ages. [78]

    Why it matters — The ban covers Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. [78] Greece's government says its digital 'age tokens' can confirm a user's age without handing over other personal details. [78]

35. 36

    France's far right campaigns in Ceuta

    Jordan Bardella, president of France's far-right National Rally, began a trip to Spain in Ceuta, to meet Santiago Abascal, leader of Spain's far-right Vox. [79] Ceuta is a Spanish city on Morocco's coast where more than 70,000 migrants arrived in late July. [80] Abascal accused Morocco of sponsoring an 'invasion'. [79] In a September poll for Politico, 58% of Spaniards said tensions over Ceuta could lead to an armed conflict with Morocco within ten years. [80]

    Why it matters — Spain votes on 29 November, and Vox hopes to gain. [79] A new centrist party led by Miriam Gonzalez, a lawyer, will also stand in Madrid and Barcelona. [81]

36. 37

    Algeria arrests 61 Moroccans

    Algeria says it arrested 61 Moroccans earlier this month on suspicion of planning sabotage, and alleges they belong to a criminal network. [13][12] One is a former Moroccan soldier, and the group reportedly came in from Tunisia on mountain paths. [13] Algeria and Morocco have been rivals for decades over Western Sahara, a territory Morocco controls and Algeria wants to be independent. [13] Their land border has been closed since 1994, and Algeria cut diplomatic ties in 2021. [13]

    Why it matters — In May the UN Security Council backed Morocco's plan for self-rule in Western Sahara under Moroccan control. [13] A claimed plot adds to the anger between two neighbours that no longer talk.

37. 38

    Kabila joins forces with M23 rebels

    Joseph Kabila, who ruled the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2001 to 2019, said he will lead a new political and military movement with the M23 rebels. [82] M23 is an armed group backed by Rwanda that has held Goma, a big city in eastern Congo, since January 2025. [82] A Congolese court sentenced Kabila to death in his absence last year for helping M23. [82] He announced the alliance at his home in Goma. [82]

    Why it matters — President Felix Tshisekedi's second and last term ends in 2028, and his allies have been preparing people for a change to the constitution. [82] A US-backed deal and a ceasefire signed earlier have not stopped the fighting. [82]

38. 39

    Ethiopian troops take Adwa

    Ethiopian federal forces entered Adwa, a town in Tigray near the Eritrean border, without a fight after rebels left it. [83][12] Fighting broke out in late September between the army and the TPLF, Tigray's main armed movement. [83] The rebels are being pushed back towards Eritrea. [83] Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of backing them, and many fear a new war between the two countries. [83]

    Why it matters — Fighting this close to the border has raised fears of a new war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. [83] Eritrea's army is just across the frontier from Adwa.

39. 40

    Groups ask Sudan to let in weapons inspectors

    African civil society groups asked Sudan to let inspectors from the OPCW, the body that polices the ban on chemical weapons, investigate claims against its army. [84] The US found that Sudan's army used chemical weapons in 2024 and has put sanctions on it twice. [84] Sudan's own interim report found no evidence of chemical weapons use. [84] The US said its own checks were no substitute for independent ones. [84]

    Why it matters — Both sides in Sudan's war face accusations of grave crimes. [84] Only outside inspectors could settle this one.

40. 41

    UN poverty count rises for the first time

    A UN poverty index rose for the first time since it began in 2010, the UN Development Programme said on Monday. [85] It counts 1.2 billion people living in 'acute' poverty, 51.5 million more than a year before. [85] More than half are children. [85] The index measures lack of housing, clean water, electricity, cooking fuel, food and schooling, not only money. [85]

    Added in one year51.5 m

    Now in acute poverty1,200 m

    Why it matters — The UNDP said population growth was a big cause, and only 13 of 108 countries had new data. [85] 33 countries have halved their poverty rate in the past 15 years. [85]

41. 42

    South Africa's deputy police chief quits

    Shadrack Sibiya, South Africa's deputy national police chief, resigned through his lawyer as his disciplinary hearing began on Monday. [86][87] He is in custody, charged with grooming a 16-year-old girl and raping an 18-year-old woman, which he denies. [86] He also faces a human trafficking charge. [86] A public inquiry into police links to crime bosses had already named him. [88]

    Why it matters — Police said his exit counts as a dishonourable discharge. [87] His bail hearing was set for 13 October. [88]

42. 43

    Chris Hani's killer may stand in Poland

    Janusz Walus, who murdered South African anti-apartheid leader Chris Hani in 1993, may stand for Poland's parliament in 2027, a Polish newspaper reported. [89] South Africa deported him to Poland in December 2024. [89] He has become a hero to Poland's far right and to football hooligans. [89] His daughter has cut off contact with him. [89]

    Why it matters — Walus is admired by followers of Grzegorz Braun, who leads a far-right, pro-Russia party in Poland. [89] His daughter Ewa said she does not want her own daughter to grow up 'in Mr Braun's country'. [89]

43. 44

    Senegal's crackdown on gay people grows

    Human Rights Watch said Senegal's crackdown on LGBT people is driving them into hiding and away from HIV tests and treatment. [90] In March, parliament doubled the longest sentence for same-sex relations to 10 years. [90] Rights groups count at least 212 arrests between February and July. [91] Senegal hosts the Youth Olympic Games at the end of this month. [90]

    Why it matters — Lawyers are afraid to defend those arrested, the group said. [90] Less HIV testing means the virus can spread unseen.

44. 45

    Burundi set for a UN rights seat

    Burundi was set to be re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, with no rival candidate. [92] Human Rights Watch said its government has not improved its abusive record. [92] Four African countries were standing for four African seats. [92] Every other region also had no contest, so all 15 candidates were sure of a seat. [92]

    Why it matters — The council is the UN's main human rights body. [92] With no contest, no member country can vote a candidate off it.

45. 46

    Malawi's fuel shortage enters a second week

    Malawi's fuel shortage has lasted more than a week, with long queues at petrol stations. [93] Many drivers sleep in their cars to be first when a station is refilled. [93] Minibus fares have risen, and some people now walk to work. [93] Malawi imports almost all its fuel and is short of the foreign money it needs to pay for it. [93]

    Why it matters — Malawi's government has not said when supplies will return. [93] Workers and small businesses carry the cost each day it lasts.

46. 47

    Bolivia investigates Evo Morales

    Bolivia's acting attorney general opened an inquiry into former president Evo Morales over a 2009 police raid that killed three foreigners. [94] Police shot dead a Bolivian-Croatian, an Irishman and a Hungarian-Romanian at a hotel in Santa Cruz. [94] Two survivors said they were tortured. [94] Morales's government said at the time that the men were plotting to split the country. [94]

    Why it matters — Morales, Bolivia's first Indigenous president, is already in hiding from two arrest warrants on other charges, which he denies. [94] An Inter-American human rights body found in 2021 that Bolivia's government had violated their rights. [94]

47. 48

    Carney calls for unity before Alberta votes

    Canada's prime minister, Mark Carney, called for unity in a Thanksgiving message, a week before Alberta votes on starting to leave Canada. [95] Alberta is an oil-rich western province. [95] The 19 October vote is not binding, but a 'yes' would start the legal steps to a binding vote. [95] A newspaper investigation found that US Republican activists met Alberta separatists. [95]

    Why it matters — A Quebec separatist party also won the most seats in that province's election last week. [95] Canada faces pressure to split in two places at once.

48. 49

    Lula rallies for a two-day weekend

    Brazil's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, led a huge rally in Sao Paulo on Sunday before the 25 October runoff. [96] Polls show his rival, Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of a former president, as the favourite. [96] Lula is campaigning for a law to give workers two paid days off a week and cut the working week from 44 to 40 hours. [96] Brazil's Senate votes on it on Wednesday. [96]

    Why it matters — Bolsonaro proposes spending cuts like those made in Argentina. [96] That Senate vote comes 11 days before the runoff.

49. 50

    Cuba turns to solar under the oil blockade

    Cuba has built 144 solar farms with about 1,418 megawatts of capacity, its energy minister told Reuters. [97] The US has blocked most oil shipments to Cuba since January, and only one Russian tanker has reached Havana since. [97] China is the main supplier of solar panels. [97] The minister admitted long blackouts and a lack of fuel for cooking and transport. [97]

    Why it matters — Cubans live with shortages of medicine, water and fuel. [97] In 2023 only 9% of Cuba's energy came from renewable sources. [97]

50. 51

    Two storms kill two in Mexico

    Hurricane Simon and the remains of storm Rachel brought floods to Mexico's Pacific coast, killing at least two people. [98] A 71-year-old man died in Guerrero state when a wall fell on him. [98] A girl died in Baja California, where at least 10 people are missing. [98] Simon weakened to category 2 on Monday and could reach land on Thursday or Friday. [98]

    Why it matters — Hurricane warnings remain for western Mexico, where landslides are a danger. [98] Officials say the death toll may rise. [98]