Two cargo ships sink near the Strait of Hormuz, and Iranian officials say their attacks aim at the US vote

The rest of the day

65 more stories on this beat.

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

1. 02

   Ukraine says the US gave no missile warning

   Russian missiles and drones killed at least nine people across Ukraine and hit power plants that heat and light Kyiv, the capital. [24] More than 600,000 people lost electricity. [25] For a second night, Ukraine said no warning of the ballistic missiles came from the US. [26] A senior Kyiv official said the US had threatened to stop sharing missile intelligence, and Donald Trump denied cutting it. [26] Russia then said Ukraine hit two of its oil refineries in breach of Trump's 'energy ceasefire', and Ukraine called that fake. [27]

   Why it matters — Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said his systems saw the missiles only as they neared Kyiv. [25] Trump has demanded that Ukraine stop hitting Russian refineries, which he blames for high diesel prices. [26]

2. 03

   Burnham welcomes Zelensky but spares Trump

   Britain's prime minister, Andy Burnham, met Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, in Downing Street, with a military honour guard Number 10 said it had no record of giving before. [28] Burnham was expected to promise faster delivery of air defence missiles and more sanctions on Russia. [28] Asked in parliament about Trump's Russian diesel deal, he refused to criticise it. [28] He said his job is to 'repair bridges' so that US support comes back. [28][29]

   Why it matters — Britain is trying to keep both Ukraine and the US on side while they fall out. [29] Zelensky goes on to Brussels on Thursday to meet Nato's chief at a European Union summit. [29][25]

3. 04

   Russia says the diesel deal is not yet signed

   Russia's deputy prime minister for energy, Alexander Novak, said contracts for the diesel deal are still being negotiated between the two energy ministries. [30] Trump had announced last week that Russia would supply 300,000 tonnes at once, then more. [30] Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev said the deal opens the way to more business with the US. [31] Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, called it 'a very risky choice' that gives Russia legitimacy while its bombs still fall. [32]

   Why it matters — The deal needed Trump to lift sanctions he had placed on Russia himself. [31] Meloni warned it weakens sanctions, the main tool meant to push Russia to negotiate. [32]

4. 05

   EU leaders meet on energy, money and China

   Leaders of the 27 European Union countries begin a two-day summit in Brussels on Thursday. [33] First on the list is energy: oil is above $100 a barrel and gas costs the most since winter 2022. [33] Italy and Greece want the EU's spending rules loosened so governments can help households. [33] The leaders also argue over the EU's next seven-year budget, about 2 trillion euros, and Ireland's plan to cut 141 billion euros from it. [34][33]

   Why it matters — France's Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Friedrich Merz both face pressure at home, which makes a budget deal harder this week. [34] Germany and France have also proposed a way to cut China off from the EU market if its trade surplus keeps growing. [33]

5. 06

   Another ship catches fire in the Black Sea

   The Yara J, a chemical and oil tanker, caught fire at anchor in Romania's waters, and its crew were taken off. [22] Romania's defence minister said it is not yet clear whether a drone hit it. [22] A day earlier drones hit two ships off Bulgaria and one sank. [22] Bulgaria's prime minister, Rumen Radev, said there was no clear proof of who did it, but that 'the outcome benefits' Russia. [22]

   Why it matters — India, which supplies more than 12% of the world's sailors, asked both Russia and Ukraine to stop attacking merchant ships. [35] The Black Sea carries grain and fuel from Ukraine and Russia to the rest of the world. [35]

6. 07

   German far right and far left team up on Russia

   The state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt, in eastern Germany, voted to call for an end to all German aid to Ukraine. [36] The motion passed with votes from the AfD, a far-right party, and the BSW, a party that mixes left-wing economics with a hard line on migrants. [36] The AfD won just under 44% in the state's September election but needs a partner to govern. [36] States have no power over foreign policy, so the vote changes nothing directly. [36]

   Why it matters — The BSW is the only party willing to talk to the AfD about governing the state, so observers read the joint vote as a sign of a lasting partnership. [36] The AfD now leads national polls. [37]

7. 08

   Internet cuts send Russian firms back to landlines

   Russian state companies spent more than three times as much on landline phones from January to August as a year earlier. [38] Mobile internet shutdowns now reach nearly 80% of the country. [38] Russia's government says it cuts the signal to stop Ukrainian drones that steer by it. [38] Experts dispute that, because drones can fly preset routes, and the cuts reach regions far from the front. [38]

   Why it matters — The outages hit banking, taxis, food delivery and maps, most of all in the countryside. [38] One independent monitor counted 2,099 outages in July 2025 alone, more than the whole world had in the year before. [38]

8. 09

   Turkey seizes the main opposition TV channel

   Police raided Halk TV, one of Turkey's most watched news channels and close to the opposition, and cut its live broadcasts. [18] The state put a trustee, its own manager, in charge of the channel and its owner's other companies. [39] Prosecutors accuse the owner, Cafer Mahiroglu, of bribery, rigging contracts and money laundering, and 11 people were detained. [39][40] Mahiroglu, who lives abroad, called the charges baseless. [39]

   Why it matters — The raid came hours before Ekrem Imamoglu, the jailed Istanbul mayor seen as President Erdogan's main rival, was due to start his defence in court. [18] Reporters Without Borders, a press-freedom group, says 90% of Turkey's national media is already under government control. [18]

9. 10

   Floods kill a boy in Istanbul

   Torrential rain flooded more than 800 homes in Istanbul, Turkey's biggest city, and roads caved in. [41] A 14-year-old boy was killed by an electric shock after stepping into a puddle in the Balat area. [41] Officials recorded 1,277 floods and 15 landslides, and water poured through the ceiling of a metro station. [41] The governor closed schools for Thursday and told people in basement flats to sleep upstairs. [41]

   Why it matters — About 16 million people live in Istanbul, and 8,000 workers were sent out with 2,000 vehicles. [41] Turkey's interior ministry warned of sudden floods in other provinces too. [41]

10. 11

    Albania's student protest turns to fire

    Thousands of students protested in Tirana, Albania's capital, for a second violent day. [42] Part of Albania's education ministry was set on fire, and the prime minister's office and the finance and interior ministries were attacked. [42] Clashes with police lasted more than 10 hours, and there was looting. [43] Students want better universities and jobs, and many now demand that Prime Minister Edi Rama resign. [42][44]

    Why it matters — The protests join months of rallies against Rama over a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law. [42] President Bajram Begaj asked students to talk to him and warned police not to use more force than the law allows. [43]

11. 12

    Ireland's public workers strike

    More than 300,000 nurses, doctors, teachers and civil servants went on a 24-hour strike across the Republic of Ireland. [45] Schools were expected to close and thousands of hospital appointments to be cancelled. [45] Workers say their pay no longer stretches as far as it did, and almost 97% of members of Forsa, the biggest public service union, voted for action. [45] Another strike is planned for 21 October. [45]

    Why it matters — One teacher said she had to move to Dubai for two years to save a deposit for a house. [45] The minister for public spending, Jack Chambers, called the strike 'deeply disappointing'. [45]

12. 13

    Brazil cuts the working week to 40 hours

    Brazil's Senate changed the constitution, with only one senator voting against, cutting the longest legal working week from 44 hours to 40. [16] It also bans six-day working weeks, which about 16 million people work now. [16] The change reaches more than 30 million workers, mostly in shops, restaurants and hotels. [16] Sixty days after it is signed, six-day weeks end and the limit drops to 42 hours; it reaches 40 hours 14 months later. [16]

    Longest legal week now44 hours

    From 60 days after signing42 hours

    14 months after that40 hours

    Why it matters — The vote came 11 days before the 25 October runoff between President Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro, who opposed the change for months and then voted for it. [16] Polls showed more than 70% of Brazilians backed it. [16]

13. 14

    Lula's party accuses Meta before the runoff

    The party of Brazil's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said it will complain to the Organisation of American States that Meta is interfering in the election. [46] Meta owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. [46] The campaign says Instagram stopped Lula's posts being promoted and hid leftist leaders from search before the first round. [46] Meta's Brazil office called the claims 'simply false'. [46]

    Why it matters — Lula faces Flavio Bolsonaro, son of Trump's ally Jair Bolsonaro, on 25 October, after Bolsonaro came first in round one. [46] Lula has also accused the US of trying to tip the vote. [46]

14. 15

    Colombians march against President de la Espriella's cuts

    Thousands marched in Bogota, Colombia's capital, and other cities against spending cuts by President Abelardo de la Espriella. [47] He is a far-right businessman who took office in August after a narrow win in June. [47] The marches, led by former left-wing president Gustavo Petro, defend Petro's reforms on universities, wages and workers' rights. [47] Before the protest Colombia's government gave police wider powers against blockades. [47]

    Why it matters — Colombia's Congress must pass the 2027 budget by Tuesday, and de la Espriella's allies want it smaller. [47] He also promised to build 10 large prisons and to expel millions of migrants. [48][47]

15. 16

    Colombia to open an embassy in Jerusalem

    Algeria condemned a decision by Colombia's government to open an embassy in Jerusalem. [49] Most countries keep their embassies in Tel Aviv, because Jerusalem's status is disputed and Palestinians want its east as their capital. Algeria called the move illegal and said it would damage the two-state solution, a separate Palestinian state beside Israel. [49]

    Why it matters — It is a sharp turn: Colombia's previous president, Gustavo Petro, cut diplomatic ties with Israel in 2024. Algeria asked the UN Security Council to act. [49]

16. 17

    Costa Rica opens a mega-prison

    Costa Rica opened a high-security prison for 5,100 people, about a fifth of everyone it now holds. [48] The country, long calmer than its neighbours, had a record 905 murders in 2023, and 873 in 2025, as drug gangs fought over routes. [48] President Laura Fernandez said Costa Rica will become 'a global benchmark for prison security'. [48] The first prisoners move in at the end of October. [48]

    Why it matters — Leaders in Peru, Colombia and Brazil's Flavio Bolsonaro all promise copies of El Salvador's giant prison. [48] Rights groups say El Salvador's crackdown cut murders but jailed many people without charge. [48]

17. 18

    Mexico closes the case over a deadly migrant fire

    A Mexican judge closed the criminal case against Francisco Garduno, the former head of the immigration agency. [50] He was on trial over a 2023 fire at a migrant detention centre in Ciudad Juarez that killed 40 people. [50] Video from the fire showed guards failing to answer cries for help. [50] The judge said Garduno had met the court's conditions for repair, and victims' groups will appeal. [50]

    Why it matters — It was the deadliest event ever at a Mexican immigration centre. [50] Victims' groups compare the ruling to a pardon. [50]

18. 19

    Mexico orders social media to protect children

    Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, signed an order telling platforms such as TikTok, Meta and X to protect children from violent and sexual content online. [51] They must limit what minors see by design and remove harmful material from children's profiles. [51] The companies have one month to comply, and Sheinbaum said a law with penalties will follow if they do not. [51]

    Why it matters — The order follows an attack by two 18-year-olds on their old school in Coahuila state that killed one person. [51] Officials have already met Meta, Google, Apple, TikTok and others about it. [51]

19. 20

    Families sue over a US boat strike

    The families of Chad Joseph and Rishi Samaroo, two men from Trinidad and Tobago, marked a year since a US missile hit their boat. [52] They say the men were fishermen and farm workers coming home from Venezuela, not drug smugglers. [52] Since September 2025 US strikes on small boats in the Caribbean and Pacific have killed at least 239 people. [52] The families are suing in a US federal court in Boston. [52]

    Why it matters — The US government has offered little evidence that the people killed were smugglers and has not named them. [52] Relatives in Colombia and Ecuador make the same claim about their dead. [52]

20. 21

    US moves to strip Ilhan Omar's citizenship

    The Trump administration is investigating Ilhan Omar, a Democratic member of the US Congress, with the aim of removing her US citizenship, the Wall Street Journal reported. [53] Omar came to the US as a refugee from Somalia in 1995 and became a citizen in 2000. [53] Agents searched her home this week and took her phone, and relatives were called before a grand jury. [54] Her office calls the inquiry baseless. [53]

    Why it matters — It comes three weeks before the 3 November midterms, in which Omar seeks a fifth term. [53] Democrats say the Trump administration is using the law against a political opponent. [54]

21. 22

    Trump says leakers should be shot

    Donald Trump told a rally in Arizona that people who leak government secrets to reporters 'should be shot'. [55] He was talking about leaks after the US bombed Iran's nuclear sites in June 2025, including a report that the damage was smaller than he said. [55] His government has given staff lie-detector tests and sent subpoenas to journalists at several papers to find their sources. [55]

    Why it matters — The words come from a president urging people to vote in the 3 November midterms. [55] The same week a judge ordered Trump's officials to keep letting in three outlets Trump had banned. [56]

22. 23

    Judge keeps three outlets in Trump's briefings

    A US federal judge, Timothy Kelly, ordered the US president's office to keep giving reporters from CNN, MS Now and Politico access while their lawsuit goes on. [56] Trump banned the three on 18 September, calling their reporting 'fake news'. [56] The judge said they are likely to win on the First Amendment, the part of the US constitution that protects a free press. [56]

    Why it matters — The ruling keeps the outlets in the briefing room until the case is decided. [56] An earlier court order had restored their passes until Tuesday. [56]

23. 24

    ICE refuses cameras that switch on by themselves

    ICE, the US agency at the centre of Trump's mass deportations, rejected a call for its agents' body cameras to start recording on their own. [57] The US Government Accountability Office, which checks spending for the US Congress, had said cameras should switch on when an agent draws a gun. [57] ICE cited privacy. [57] A CBS News count finds at least 30 shootings by immigration agents, with nine people killed. [57]

    Why it matters — In the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis in January, critics say video contradicted the official account. [57] Without automatic cameras, what is recorded depends on the agent pressing a button. [57]

24. 25

    Former spy chief sues Netanyahu

    Ronen Bar, the former head of Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service, sued Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for defamation for about $975,000. [58] Netanyahu has said Bar knew of the Hamas threat in the hours before 7 October 2023 and did not tell him. [58] Bar's suit lists warnings he says he gave, including a 'strategic warning for war' on 23 July 2023. [58] Bar says the Shin Bet updated Netanyahu's office at 3:55am that day. [58]

    Why it matters — The suit lands two weeks before Israel's 27 October election, as Netanyahu's bloc falls to 51 seats in one poll, short of the 61 needed to govern. [59] Bar says he accepts his own share of the blame. [58]

25. 26

    Israel holds up a Gaza base for Trump's peace board

    Israel is not letting contractors build a base in Gaza for 150 international troops, the first step of the force planned under Trump's 'Board of Peace', the Guardian reported. [17] The board is a body chaired by Trump that is meant to rebuild Gaza. [17] Its first building contract went to a US firm in August, but trucks are not being let in. [17][60] The Palestinian committee meant to run Gaza signed an aid deal with Germany this week, but it also cannot enter. [61]

    Why it matters — Without that force, a source said, nothing else in the plan can start, from rebuilding to power lines. [17] The board expects Israel to allow it after its 27 October election. [17]

26. 27

    Palestinian factions meet again in Cairo

    Leaders of eight Palestinian factions, including Hamas, Islamic Jihad and a reformist wing of Fatah, gathered in Egypt to try again to end their split. [62] Egypt has tried for years without success. [62] The talks come after President Mahmoud Abbas put off next month's parliamentary vote to September next year. [62] They will discuss bringing Hamas into the PLO, the body that speaks for Palestinians abroad. [62]

    Why it matters — A year after the Gaza ceasefire, Israel's army holds more than 60% of Gaza. [62] Faction sources said Abbas delayed the vote mainly to settle the divisions first. [62]

27. 28

    Britain gets power to sanction settlement backers

    Britain's new sanctions rules come into force on Thursday. [63] They let Britain's government freeze the money of people and companies that help build illegal Israeli settlements, block aid or hold prisoners unlawfully, including banks that finance them. [63] Israel closed Britain's consulate in Jerusalem last week in protest. [63] Parliament must back the rules within 28 days. [63]

    Why it matters — The UK is moving fast because Israel plans E1, a settlement of 1,234 homes that critics say would cut the West Bank in two. [63] Bids for it close on 19 October. [63]

28. 29

    Settlers burn a mosque in the West Bank

    Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque in Mikhmas, a West Bank village between Ramallah and Jerusalem, and sprayed slogans in Hebrew on its walls. [64] Villagers put the fire out before it took the whole building, and a car was also burned. [64] Israel's army said it found no suspects and opened an inquiry. [64] Villagers have set up night patrols for fear of attacks on homes. [64]

    Why it matters — Settler attacks on Palestinians have risen sharply in recent months. [64] About three million Palestinians and more than 500,000 settlers live in the West Bank. [64]

29. 30

    Blast at Intel's Israel plant kills a worker

    An explosion at Intel's chip factory in Kiryat Gat, in southern Israel, killed one worker and badly burned two others. [65] Police said a gas cylinder seems to have exploded, and there is no sign of an attack. [65] Firefighters said the blast probably released nitrogen trifluoride, a toxic gas used in making chips. [65] Netanyahu was visiting the city at the time. [65]

    Why it matters — Two of the workers were revived with CPR and put in induced comas. [65] Specialist teams were checking whether the gas leak spread. [65]

30. 31

    US attacks a case against Lebanon's envoy

    The US State Department called it 'embarrassing' that Lebanon's military court is handling a complaint against Nada Moawad, Lebanon's ambassador to the US. [66] She had called Israel's ambassador to ask after his son, who was hurt in an attack. [66] The complaint came from a lawyer backing Hezbollah, the armed group backed by Iran. [66] The two envoys lead Lebanon's direct talks with Israel. [66]

    Why it matters — Lebanon and Israel have been in a state of war since 1948, and the talks aim at Israel leaving south Lebanon and Hezbollah giving up its weapons. [66] Both goals have barely moved. [66]

31. 32

    Riyadh's airport stays shut

    Saudi Arabia's aviation authority kept King Khalid airport in Riyadh closed until 17 October. [67] Houthi attacks on it at the weekend killed at least 13 people, the deadliest strike on Saudi Arabia in a decade. [21] The US embassy now says its staff need special permission to use any Saudi airport. [67] The coalition shot down another missile fired at Riyadh on Wednesday. [23] Iraq's prime minister became the first foreign leader to visit since. [21]

    Why it matters — The Houthis, an armed group backed by Iran that holds Yemen's capital, have vowed more strikes on airports and oil sites. [23] Pakistan's foreign minister called the attacks 'totally unacceptable'. [68]

32. 33

    Houthis build missiles with Chinese parts

    The Houthis are trying to build a longer-range version of an Iranian missile using parts from China, according to an assessment by Conflict Armament Research, a British group that tracks weapons, reported by the Wall Street Journal. [69] The Iranian missile can already fly about 1,450km, enough to reach much of Israel and the Gulf. [69] China says it does not arm the Houthis and obeys the UN ban on doing so. [69]

    Why it matters — A longer range would put more of Saudi Arabia and Israel within reach. [69] The finding lands as the Houthis fire at Saudi airports and oil sites. [69]

33. 34

    Iran hangs a man over attacks during the war

    Iran hanged Ali-Sina Mostafavi, 38, in Kerman. [70] The judiciary said he fired on people in a square in March, during the US-Israeli strikes, and wounded a girl. [70] It also said he took part in protests last winter and sent footage to Persian-language media abroad. [70] Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's last shah, said he confessed under torture. [70][4]

    Why it matters — UN experts called on Iran this month to stop all executions. [4] Rights groups say Iran is using the death penalty to frighten people out of protest. [71]

34. 35

    Saudi court lifts a death sentence over a post

    Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court set aside the death sentence on Anojan Sivarasa, a Sri Lankan migrant worker. [72] He was sentenced for blasphemy over a Facebook comment he deleted and apologised for. [72] Sri Lanka's government had pressed hard for months. [73] The case goes back to the lower court, which is expected to give a new sentence within two weeks. [73]

    Why it matters — Sri Lanka's president called it 'immense relief' and credited patient diplomacy. [73] Human Rights Watch says Saudi speech laws fall hardest on migrant workers. [72]

35. 36

    Ambush kills four Syrian security men

    Gunmen ambushed two patrols on a motorway in Hama province, in central Syria, killing four road-security officers. [74] The road links central Syria with the east and borders the desert, where armed groups and Islamic State fighters hide. [74] Syria's interior ministry said it is hunting the attackers. [74]

    Why it matters — The Salamiya-Athriya road is a key route between central and eastern Syria. [74] Syria's interior ministry said the attack will not stop it pursuing the killers. [74]

36. 37

    Sisi says Egypt's constitution will not change

    Egypt's president, Abdel Fattah El Sisi, said there are no plans to change the constitution so he can stay past 2030, when his last term ends. [75] His supporters have campaigned for him to stay. [75] He also said 'the people alone will decide', which leaves the door open. [75] A 2019 change had already lengthened his terms and restarted the count from 2018. [75]

    Why it matters — By 2030 he will have ruled for 16 years. [75] Egypt's economy is under strain from the Iran war, with higher energy bills and lost Suez Canal income. [75]

37. 38

    Egypt builds a railway around the Suez Canal

    Egypt is building a 2,000km electric railway, costing $8.7 billion, to carry goods from its Red Sea ports to the Mediterranean. [15] The Suez Canal once carried about 12% of world sea trade, but attacks in the Red Sea pushed ships around Africa. [15] The line could carry up to 13 million tonnes a year. [15]

    Why it matters — The Iran war has badly cut Egypt's income from the canal. [75] The railway gives traders a route that does not depend on the sea lane staying open. [15]

38. 39

    Floods paralyse Libya's capital

    Heavy rain flooded the streets of Tripoli, Libya's capital, and water entered the corridors of the central hospital. [76] A bank worker died from an electric shock as floodwater covered power boxes. [76] Libya's government in Tripoli closed the ring road and cut power in some districts. [76] Drains are often blocked by sand blown in from the desert. [76]

    Why it matters — Forecasters had warned the whole north of the country the night before. [76] Every summer the city clears its drains, and the streets still flood. [76]

39. 40

    Fighting in South Sudan kills about 70

    Armed young men from two rival communities fought in Rumbek, in South Sudan's Lakes state, killing about 70 people, including four soldiers, South Sudan's government said. [77] The toll has not been checked. [77] Both sides are from the Dinka people. [77] Nepalese UN peacekeepers helped soldiers patrol the town. [77]

    Why it matters — Fights over cattle, grazing land and revenge killings have caused repeated violence in Lakes state. [77] The hospital in Rumbek was overwhelmed with the wounded. [77]

40. 41

    Niger protests France's expulsion of its agents

    Niger's military government condemned France for expelling two of its security agents, calling it 'ingratitude'. [78] French media say the men were watching Niger's opposition figures living in France. [78] Niger says one was wounded fighting alongside French troops in 2014. [78] Relations have been bad since General Abdourahamane Tiani seized power in 2023. [78]

    Why it matters — Niger has accused France of being behind a failed army mutiny in May. [78] The quarrel now reaches France itself, where the agents were said to be watching Nigeriens. [78]

41. 42

    Somalia braces for El Nino floods

    A strong El Nino, a warming of the Pacific that shifts rain around the world, is set to peak in December. [79] The Red Cross says Somali farmers must choose between planting and risking floods, or leaving fields bare and facing hunger. [79] The last El Nino, in 2023, affected about two million Somalis and drove half a million from their homes. [79]

    Why it matters — Aid groups say they now know better where floods will hit. [79] But the Red Cross says aid money has been cut sharply since 2025, so it can do less to prepare. [79]

42. 43

    Mozambique's opposition leader will not get a live trial

    Mozambique's Supreme Court refused to let the trial of Venancio Mondlane, a former presidential candidate and opposition leader, be shown live. [80] Reporters may attend and the public can watch in court. [80] Mondlane faces five charges over mass protests after that vote, which he says was rigged. [80] His trial starts on 17 November. [80]

    Why it matters — Mondlane is the country's leading opposition figure and draws large crowds. [80] The court said live pictures could lead people to judge him before the verdict. [80]

43. 44

    Malawi court blocks a preacher's extradition

    Malawi's High Court gave its full reasons for throwing out an order to send Shepherd Bushiri, a famous preacher, and his wife back to South Africa. [81] South Africa wants them to face court cases there. [81] The court said the couple were not heard before the order was made. [81] The couple left South Africa for Malawi in 2020. [81]

    Why it matters — Only an appeal by Malawi's government can now revive the case. [81] It is one of southern Africa's most watched legal fights. [81]

44. 45

    Gunman kills four leaving a memorial

    A gunman shot at mourners leaving a memorial for a local politician in Katlehong, near Johannesburg, killing four people and wounding three, including a child. [82] Local media said some victims were members of the youth wing of the ANC, South Africa's largest party. [82] The memorial was for a local ANC leader killed this month. [82] A suspect gave himself up. [82]

    Why it matters — A police unit for political killings is investigating. [82] South Africa has high rates of gun crime, including shootings tied to local political rivalries. [82]

45. 46

    Nobel winner Pillay attacks US sanctions on the court

    Navi Pillay, the South African judge who won this year's Nobel Peace Prize, called US sanctions on the International Criminal Court illegal. [83] The court tries people for war crimes and genocide, and the US is angry about its arrest warrant for Netanyahu. [83] The sanctions start in six months and would cut it off from US banks and tech. [84] Fifty-eight European Parliament members asked the EU to shield the court. [84]

    Why it matters — Most of the world's payment and software firms are American, so the court could struggle to pay its bills. [84] Pillay said the sanctions came hours after her prize as a reaction to Trump not winning it. [83]

46. 47

    North Korea tests missiles made for submarines

    North Korea said it tested two kinds of cruise missiles designed to be fired from submarines, off its east coast. [85] State media called them strategic, which suggests they are meant to carry nuclear warheads. [85][86] It did not say whether they were fired from a real submarine. [86] North Korea also tested hypersonic missiles on 20 September and 3 October. [85]

    Why it matters — A missile hidden under the sea is hard to find and destroy before it is fired. Kim Jong Un has said building nuclear weapons is his top priority, and talks with the US and South Korea are frozen. [86][85]

47. 48

    India jails two leaders of the youth protests

    A Delhi court sent Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, leaders of the 'Cockroach' youth movement, to jail for five days. [19] They had climbed barricades into Jantar Mantar, a long-time protest site that police recently struck off the list of allowed venues. [87][19] The movement wants India's election chief to resign after 130 million names were cut from voter lists. [87]

    Why it matters — The movement began as an online joke and already forced out India's education minister in July. [87] A US congresswoman, Pramila Jayapal, became the first US lawmaker to criticise the voter-list cuts. [88]

48. 49

    Boat capsize kills 13 children in India

    An overloaded boat taking people to a Hindu festival overturned on the Ganges in Vaishali, in Bihar state, killing 13 children. [89] Villagers used phone torches to search the dark water and pulled out six people alive. [89] A villager said the small boat was in poor condition and crammed. [89] Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced payments to the families. [89]

    Why it matters — Some families lost all their children, a villager said. [89] Two of the rescued children were in a critical condition. [89]

49. 50

    Pakistan's parliament backs emergency rule

    Both houses of Pakistan's parliament approved Pakistan's national government's emergency rule over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province on the Afghan border, as opposition senators walked out. [90] Pakistan's government says the provincial leaders, from Imran Khan's party, stopped fighting militants. [90] Imran Khan's party asked the Peshawar High Court to cancel the emergency, and troops have been sent in. [91] The media regulator told TV channels not to show attacks live. [20]

    Why it matters — The province is now run by a governor and appointed advisers instead of its elected government. [91] The emergency followed the party's plan to march on Islamabad to demand Imran Khan's release. [90]

50. 51

    Hunger index ranks Pakistan worst in South Asia

    The 2026 Global Hunger Index, published on Wednesday, gave Pakistan the worst score in South Asia. [92] Hunger is rising worldwide again: the global score worsened from 17.6 in 2018 to 18.1. [92] It has risen in 32 countries since 2018. [92] The report blames wars, now at their highest level since World War II, and extreme weather. [92]

    World, 201817.6 score

    World, 202618.1 score

    Why it matters — The report says the Iran war and blocked sea routes are pushing up fuel, transport and fertiliser costs. [92] About 218 million people in South Asia, counted with Iran, did not get enough to eat in 2023 to 2025. [92]

51. 52

    Najib loses a bid to delay his second sentence

    A Malaysian court refused to suspend a 15-year jail term for former prime minister Najib Razak in a case over 1MDB, a state fund from which billions were stolen. [93] Najib, 73, has been in prison since 2022 for an earlier 1MDB conviction. [93] Last month the king let him serve the rest of that term at home if he pays a $12.25 million fine. [93] The second sentence starts when that ends, in August 2028. [93]

    Why it matters — The ruling keeps a former leader facing years in jail for one of the world's biggest thefts of public money. [93] He denies wrongdoing. [93]

52. 53

    US drops its case against a Korea expert

    The US Justice Department agreed to drop its case against Sue Mi Terry, a former CIA analyst accused of secretly working for South Korea's government. [94] She was charged in 2024 with taking luxury bags and other gifts in return. [94] Under the deal she admits no wrongdoing, and charges go away after 12 months of good behaviour. [94] The department gave no reason. [94]

    Why it matters — The case was weeks from trial. [94] Terry says she always acted in US interests as an expert on North Korea. [94]

53. 54

    Bali runs short of petrol

    Long queues formed at petrol stations across Bali, the Indonesian island, and one resident said she waited seven hours. [14] Pertamina, Indonesia's state energy company, blamed a tanker's anchor problem and traffic, not empty stocks. [14] Panic buying made it worse. [14] Pertamina said 57.9 million litres of petrol would arrive by 17 October, and 60 stations opened round the clock. [14]

    Why it matters — Queues went on even after extra deliveries arrived. [14] Diesel is short worldwide because of the war around Iran, the International Energy Agency says. [13]

54. 55

    Taiwan gives its own numbers on Alaska gas

    Taiwan's economy ministry said it plans to buy 6 million tonnes a year of gas from a planned Alaska pipeline and could invest up to $4.4 billion. [95] Trump had told a rally Taiwan agreed to buy 30% of the gas for 20 years. [95] Taiwan's statement gave no number of years, and said supply would start in 2032 at the earliest. [95] The terms are still to be negotiated. [95]

    Why it matters — Taiwan needs US goodwill: a $14 billion US arms package for it has been stalled since Trump met China's leader in May. [95] South Korea was also more cautious than Trump about its own Alaska investment. [95]

55. 56

    Denmark says Greenland deal gives no drilling rights

    Trump wrote that 'massive' oil, gas and mineral exploration is about to begin in 'our new and beautiful Greenland'. [96][97] Denmark's foreign ministry said the September deal with the US did not change the rules for mining and gives US firms no special access. [96] Greenland, which governs itself under Denmark, banned new oil exploration in 2021. [96] No mining or drilling there has ever got past the exploring stage. [98]

    Why it matters — The post came after Trump campaigned in Alaska, where rising fuel prices weigh on voters before 3 November. [98] The deal did give the US room for two new military bases. [96]

56. 57

    Britain threatens to ban Eritreans

    Britain's home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, threatened to ban all Eritreans from entering the UK unless Eritrea takes back more people refused the right to stay. [99] From Thursday, Eritrean diplomats may not travel more than 60km outside London without permission. [99] Eritreans were the largest group crossing the Channel in small boats in the year to June, 18% of arrivals. [99]

    Why it matters — Britain used the same threat on Angola, Namibia and Congo, and all three later agreed to take people back. [99] Small-boat arrivals are down 40% this year. [99]

57. 58

    Sally Rooney's books pulled from sale in the UK

    Faber, the publisher of Irish novelist Sally Rooney, said it will stop supplying her books in the UK. [100] Rooney has said she uses her royalties to support Palestine Action, a group Britain banned under its terrorism laws last year. [101] Faber said the law means it cannot pay her UK earnings. [100] She has sold 2.3 million books in the UK, and shops may sell the copies they already hold. [100]

    Why it matters — Her books will still be sold outside the UK. [101] Rooney said she is 'wholly prepared to accept the consequences'. [100]

58. 59

    Report says Britain lacks China experts

    A report by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a group of lawmakers wary of China, says Britain's China policy is 'beset by incoherence'. [102] It cites a visiting Chinese delegation noting that no senior British official dealing with China spoke Mandarin or had lived there long. [102] It calls for clear red lines on infrastructure, new technology and human rights. [102] China's embassy said the report 'distorts the facts'. [102]

    Why it matters — Britain did its own review of China ties in 2024 but kept most of it secret. [102] The report says climate goals cannot be met without some reliance on Chinese supply chains. [102]

59. 60

    Channel smuggling trial opens in Iraq

    The trial of Hajar Mina Abdullah, known as Bashdar, opened in Erbil, in Iraq's Kurdistan region. [103] He is accused of a role in the November 2021 crossing in which 31 people drowned trying to reach Britain from France. [103] A Paris court convicted 13 men over the same crossing in September. [103] Under Iraq's trafficking law, a death caused by trafficking can carry the death penalty. [103]

    Why it matters — Most of the dead were Iraqi Kurds, and their families sat in court. [103] It was the deadliest migrant shipwreck in the Channel. [103]

60. 61

    Frontex runs out of money to help deported migrants

    Frontex, the EU's border agency, stopped taking new people into a programme that helps deported migrants rebuild their lives at home. [104] It ran out of money for the year after cases ran 63% above target in September. [104] The programme pays for training, healthcare and advice. [104] Frontex has asked the European Commission for more money. [104]

    Why it matters — The EU wants to send home more people refused asylum, and the UN's migration agency says this support makes people less likely to try again. [104] People already accepted are not affected. [104]

61. 62

    Croatia's war claims slow Montenegro's EU bid

    Croatia sent other EU governments eight demands that Montenegro must meet before it can join the EU. [105] They include payment for about 300 Croatians held at the Morinj prison camp in 1991 and 1992, and help finding 14 people still missing. [105] Croatia is blocking four of the 33 chapters of Montenegro's talks. [105] Montenegro has closed 21 and hopes to join by 2028. [105]

    Why it matters — Every EU member has a say over who joins, so one neighbour's old grievances can stop the front-runner. [105] The disputes go back to the wars of Yugoslavia's break-up. [105]

62. 63

    Three Indians die in a German flat fire

    Three people from Kerala, in southern India, died in a fire at a block of flats in Bochum, Germany, and five others were hurt. [106] Police arrested a 41-year-old Romanian man who lived in the building on suspicion of murder. [106] Investigators have ruled out a technical fault and suspect arson. [106] Kerala's government is working with India's embassy to bring the bodies home. [106]

    Why it matters — Police have not yet said whether the fire was set on purpose or started by accident. [106] The man was questioned by murder detectives. [106]

63. 64

    Officials in Victoria hid a $285m grants loss

    Senior public servants in Victoria, an Australian state, hid from ministers losses of up to 285 million Australian dollars from Covid grants paid to firms that did not qualify, an anti-corruption body found. [107] About 9,000 businesses got grants they should not have. [107] A deputy secretary had all mention of the losses wiped from a draft report to the minister. [107]

    Why it matters — The watchdog found no wrongdoing by Ben Carroll, a minister at the time who is now Victoria's premier. [107] The watchdog said the hiding 'was not a one-off event, nor was it due to an oversight'. [107]

64. 65

    World's oldest shipwreck found off Turkey

    Archaeologists found the remains of a trading ship off Kekova Island in southern Turkey that sank 4,400 to 4,700 years ago. [108] That is around when the Great Pyramid was built, making it the oldest shipwreck known. [108] The wood is gone, but more than 30 large clay jars and three stone anchors lay 30m down. [108] Some jars still hold a glossy residue that may be olive oil, wine or resin. [108]

    Why it matters — The cargo can show what people traded across the Mediterranean in the Early Bronze Age. [108] The team is now testing what the jars carried. [108]

65. 66

    Africa makes the fastest gains in disaster readiness

    Africa's regions improved fastest in the world at coping with disasters since 2023, a poll of more than 143,000 people in 140 countries found. [109] North Africa gained five points on a 100-point scale. [109] More internet access, better household planning and savings drove the gains in Kenya, Egypt, Nigeria and others. [109] But in Central and Western Africa only 47% of people hit by a disaster got a warning. [109]

    47 of 100

    warned before the disaster

    Why it matters — People in poor countries were almost twice as likely to face a disaster in five years as people in rich ones. [109] The poll is run by Gallup for the Lloyd's Register Foundation. [109]