Ukraine hits Russian oil refineries again after Trump's energy truce collapses, and Trump calls it a disgrace

The rest of the day

52 more stories on this beat.

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

1. 02

   Satellite slowdown ordered from Trump's office

   Two US officials and a Western official told Reuters that the order to slow Starshield for Ukraine came from inside Trump's own office. [12] Starshield is the military version of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet, and the US defence department is its biggest customer. [12] The officials did not say who gave the order, and a senior US official said Trump never asked for it. [12] Ukraine says its drone links now work only below 100mph. [12]

   Why it matters — Ukraine says the slowdown made drone strikes harder and slowed the drones that shoot down Russian attack drones. [12] Britain's defence secretary, Wes Streeting, said his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, told him the link had been restored. [13]

2. 03

   School roof falls on 110 pupils in Peshawar

   The roof of an upper classroom at Al Khair, a private school in Peshawar, a city in north-west Pakistan, fell during lessons on Thursday morning. [27] It crushed the classrooms below, where 110 pupils were sitting, and at least 34 children and a teacher died. [24] Police said the weak building had been loaded with extra building work on its roof, and the owner was arrested. [24] Pupils had warned staff that morning that the building showed signs of collapse, a father told AFP, a French news agency. [28]

   34 of 110

   pupils in the classrooms that fell

   Why it matters — Pakistan spends less than 1% of its economy on schools, so many poor families use cheap private ones in rented houses. [24] A Lahore tutoring centre's roof killed 14 children in June, and the province has now ordered checks on private school buildings. [29]

3. 04

   Drones set tankers on fire off Romania

   A drone attack set the Wine Trader, an empty chemical tanker, on fire 24km off the mouth of the River Danube on Thursday. [16] Seven of its 12 crew are missing, and a second tanker nearby, the Yara J, was hit the day before. [16] Romania's president, Nicusor Dan, said it was too early to say for sure who sent the drones. [17] Russia said it had hit two ships carrying military cargo to Odesa, Ukraine's main port. [16]

   Why it matters — Romania and Bulgaria are members of NATO, the Western military alliance, and NATO will hold a special meeting on the Black Sea attacks. [17] Drones have killed at least 23 sailors near their coasts in ten days. [17]

4. 05

   Russia builds a drone base in six weeks

   Russia has nearly finished a large new base for launching jet-powered drones in its Rostov region, near Ukraine, Reuters found from satellite pictures. [30] The site was an empty field on 31 August and is now the size of about 126 football pitches. [30] An expert from DroneSec, a private intelligence company, said it could launch Russia's newest jet drones, which fly at up to 600km an hour. [30] Ukraine finds these faster drones hard to shoot down. [30]

   Why it matters — Ukraine expects more jet-drone and missile attacks this winter, aimed at its power and heating. [30] The expert said the base could fire 100 or more drones in a day. [30]

5. 06

   Russia arrests a Swede it calls a saboteur

   Russia's FSB, its main security service, said on Thursday it had detained a 35-year-old Swedish man near Pskov, close to Russia's borders with Latvia and Belarus. [31] It said he entered Russia saying he wanted to join its army, but planned sabotage for Ukraine. [31] In a video released by the FSB, the man, who gave his name as Freddy Lindholm, said he had trained to fly drones for a Ukrainian unit. [31] Sweden said it knew of the reports. [31]

   Why it matters — The FSB said it is looking at terrorism charges on behalf of Ukraine or Western spy services. [32] Two days earlier it detained a Japanese journalist on suspicion of spying. [31]

6. 07

   EU leaders fail to agree a budget

   Leaders of the 27 EU countries talked for 14 hours in Brussels on Thursday without agreeing the EU's next seven-year budget. [33] Antonio Costa, who chairs their summits, called an extra meeting for 26 November and will put forward new figures. [34] He wants a deal by December, before elections in France, Italy and Poland in 2027. [34] Emmanuel Macron, France's president, said he would not have the power to sign a deal close to France's election in April 2027. [34]

   Why it matters — If there is no deal, EU payments to farmers and researchers could be held up after 1 January 2028, when the new budget is due to start. [34]

7. 08

   Zelensky and Hungary's new leader meet

   Zelensky was due to hold his first formal meeting with Peter Magyar, Hungary's prime minister, at the EU summit on Friday morning. [35] Under Magyar's predecessor, Viktor Orban, Hungary used its veto to block Ukraine's talks to join the EU. [35] This week Ukraine passed a law on schooling for minorities, including ethnic Hungarians in western Ukraine. [35] Magyar called it a historic breakthrough, and Zelensky has been invited to Budapest on 23 October. [35]

   Why it matters — A friendlier Hungary removes one of the biggest blocks on Ukraine's path into the EU. [35] The 23 October event marks 70 years since Hungary's uprising against Soviet rule. [35]

8. 09

   Houthi missiles hit Yemen's government palace

   The Houthis, an armed group backed by Iran that holds Yemen's capital, fired five ballistic missiles at al-Maashiq palace in Aden on Thursday. [36] Aden, a port in the south, is the seat of Yemen's government, which Saudi Arabia backs. [36] Five people were killed and 16 hurt, and the prime minister was unhurt. [36] It was the first attack on the palace in this round of fighting, which reignited in July. [37][38] The Houthis said they hit a Saudi command centre. [37]

   Why it matters — The UN Security Council condemned the Houthis' attacks on Saudi Arabia the same day. [37] More than 200,000 people in Yemen have fled their homes since the fighting resumed. [39]

9. 10

   Saudi-led forces tally the airport attacks

   The Saudi-led coalition said the Houthis attacked King Khalid airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital, 20 times this month, killing 17 people and wounding 333. [40] Its spokesman said the coalition has destroyed 127 Houthi weapons stores and launch sites in Yemen's mountains. [38] It also said it shot down a cruise missile over the region of Medina, one of Islam's holiest cities, and the Houthis denied firing one. [41]

   Why it matters — A Saudi official accused Iran of encouraging the Houthis, while saying Saudi Arabia still talks to Iran directly. [38] Iran has said it backs the Houthis only politically. [36]

10. 11

    Gulf and EU leaders put off a summit

    A meeting of EU and Gulf leaders, due in Riyadh on 24 October, has been postponed because of the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. [42][43] The head of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a group of six Gulf states, cited the safety of delegations and the closed airport. [42] France said it has started sending military help to protect Saudi oil sites. [43] Britain has sent a refuelling plane, and Italy has supplied radars and anti-missile batteries. [43]

    Why it matters — European governments are wary of being drawn into the war, but high energy prices weigh on them too. [43] Bulgaria is pushing a railway to carry Saudi oil to Europe around the Strait of Hormuz. [42]

11. 12

    No shop goods enter Gaza for two days

    No trucks of goods for sale entered Gaza for two days, said COGAT, the Israeli military body that runs crossings into the strip. [44] It blamed traders, who it said stopped shipments over a fee of 10,000 shekels ($3,220) a truck charged by Hamas. [45] Hamas called the fee a voluntary gift for widows and orphans. [45] The head of Gaza's truckers' union said Israel made the decision itself. [44] Traders bring in fruit, meat and winter clothes, while aid groups bring flour. [46]

    Why it matters — Gaza's 2.1 million people rely entirely on crossings Israel controls, and aid alone cannot meet their needs, the Norwegian Refugee Council said. [44] Under the ceasefire, Israel must let in at least 600 aid trucks a day, but about 300 a day get in. [45]

12. 13

    Settlers set up a camp facing Gaza City

    Nachala, an Israeli group that wants Jewish settlements in Gaza, said more than 700 people built a new community overnight next to the border fence, facing Gaza City. [47] It asked Israel's government to let it move into the north of the strip. [47] Israel removed its settlements from Gaza in 2005. [47] In the West Bank the same night, settlers threw stones at Palestinian cars and stole a farmer's tractor and olive harvest, Wafa, the Palestinian news agency, reported. [48]

    Why it matters — The move would put Israeli homes back inside the strip for the first time since 2005. [47] Israeli forces now hold about 70% of Gaza, against the 53% the ceasefire allowed. [49]

13. 14

    Netanyahu's rival promises to end Hamas rule

    Gadi Eisenkot, a former army chief who is Benjamin Netanyahu's main rival in Israel's 27 October election, promised on Thursday that Hamas would stop ruling Gaza within 18 months of his taking office. [49] He said he would do it through Trump's ceasefire plan or by 'creative' army operations. [49] The plan says Hamas must disarm and hand Gaza to a committee of Palestinian experts, which is not yet allowed inside. [49]

    Why it matters — It is the first Israeli election since Hamas's attack of 7 October 2023. [49] The ceasefire is stuck, because Hamas has not disarmed and Israel has not pulled its forces back. [49]

14. 15

    Hezbollah says seized explosives were its own

    A Hezbollah member of Lebanon's parliament said on Thursday that a truck of explosives stopped by Lebanese police last week belonged to the armed group. [50] He said the explosives were meant for use against Israel and asked for them back. [51] Lebanon's government banned Hezbollah's military activity in March. [51] Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, phoned Lebanon's president, Joseph Aoun, and said returning them should be out of the question. [52]

    Why it matters — Hezbollah's MP called the Lebanese government's ban 'null and void', so the case tests whether Lebanon's state can take its weapons. [50] Aoun asked Rubio to press Israel to stop its attacks in south Lebanon. [51]

15. 16

    Journalists kept out of south Lebanon

    Israel has stopped journalists from entering the part of south Lebanon it occupies since late September, UN peacekeepers told The National, a newspaper in the UAE. [53] Israel took a strip 10 to 12km deep during its war with Hezbollah, which restarted in March. [53] Reporters had gone in with the UN force, which says it cannot arrange visits and does not know when they will resume. [53] Reporters Without Borders, a press freedom group, condemned the ban. [53]

    Why it matters — Without reporters, the few villages still lived in and the destroyed ones nearby cannot be checked by anyone outside. [53]

16. 17

    Hundreds of Israeli army inquiries still open

    BBC Verify, the BBC's fact-checking team, found 300 cases where Israel's army said it was looking into killings or injuries since the Gaza war began. [54] Only 28 had an outcome published on the army's website. [54] Most of the open cases happened in Gaza, and one is a strike on a school in August 2024 that reportedly killed at least 93 people. [54] The army said it takes every allegation with the utmost seriousness. [54]

    • No public outcome254 · 85%
    • Outcome published28 · 9%
    • Unclear18 · 6%

    Why it matters — The International Committee of the Red Cross says such investigations should be as open as possible. [54] Some of the cases without an outcome date back to late 2023. [54]

17. 18

    Iraq names a US-sanctioned deputy leader

    Iraq's parliament completed Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's government on Thursday, five months after he took office. [55] It approved 11 ministers and three deputy prime ministers. [56] One is Laith al-Khazali, a leader of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, an armed group backed by Iran. [56] The US calls the group a terrorist organisation and has sanctioned him and his brother since 2019. [57]

    Why it matters — Reining in armed groups allied with Iran is one of the hardest jobs facing al-Zaidi's government, Reuters reported. [57] A leader of one of those groups is now his deputy. [57]

18. 19

    US cuts off an Iraqi bank over Iran

    The US Treasury put sanctions on the Iraq Development Bank on Thursday, saying it has ties to Iran's government and armed groups in Iraq. [19] It was one of 10 companies and 16 people hit in a campaign the US Treasury calls 'Economic Outcast'. [19] The US Treasury also told banks to watch for Iran using Shia religious donations to move money. [58] Iraq's oil money is held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, which gives the US a strong hold over Iraq's banks. [19]

    Why it matters — The US says the campaign aims to cut off Iran's money until it reopens the Strait of Hormuz. [19] An Iraqi analyst said Iraq's government does not control every institution in the country. [19]

19. 20

    Sanctions stretch Iran's flights to 18 hours

    In late September a direct flight from Iran's capital to Dubai took under three hours and cost $100 to $200. [20] It can now take up to 18 hours and cost more than $1,000. [20] The US put sanctions on 27 airlines in Iran and threatened foreign firms that serve them. [20] The UAE, Azerbaijan and Georgia then stopped Iranian flights, and flights to Oman and Baghdad stopped too. [20]

    $100-200Iran to Dubai, late September

    vsvs

    $1,000+Iran to Dubai, now

    Why it matters — The flights that remain run mostly to Russia, China, Turkey, Armenia and Iraq. [20] Most foreign airlines have still not returned to Iran since the war began. [20]

20. 21

    US weighs its biggest bomb for Iran

    The US military has made plans to use the MOAB, its biggest non-nuclear bomb, on Iran's energy sites and nuclear sites if Trump restarts the war, CNN reported. [59] Asked about it on Newsmax, a US TV channel, Trump said the bomb is 'not nuclear at all' and that no ground troops would go in. [60] He said talks with Iran are going on and the war 'will be over very soon'. [60]

    Why it matters — The war that began with US and Israeli strikes in February has stalled, and polls show it is hurting Trump's party before the vote. [59]

21. 22

    Iranian reformer calls for a deal

    Gholamhossein Karbaschi, a reformist politician and former mayor of Iran's capital, said on Iranian state television that Iran should make a deal with the US. [61] 'We cannot take on America's power,' he said. [61] He blamed Iran's attacks on three tankers in June for breaking an interim deal signed with the US in Islamabad. [61] Iran's Revolutionary Guards, its most powerful military force, have said those attacks were authorised. [61]

    Why it matters — Iran's people face rising prices and petrol queues, and the remarks show a split inside Iran over the war. [61]

22. 23

    German court jails two in Iran plot

    A court in Hamburg, Germany, jailed two men on Thursday for plotting attacks on Jewish leaders in Germany for Iran's secret service. [62] A 54-year-old Dane of Afghan origin got eight and a half years as the leader, and a 43-year-old Afghan man got four and a half. [62] Prosecutors said the leader took orders from the Quds Force, the foreign arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards. [62] He also planned to set fire to a kosher deli in Berlin. [62]

    Why it matters — Both men were found guilty of spying and attempted murder. [62]

23. 24

    Saudi Arabia set to execute a young man

    Youssef al-Manasif faces execution in Saudi Arabia for going to protests and funerals when he was 15 to 17, human rights groups say. [63] He was arrested in 2017 and sentenced to death by a secret court set up for terrorism cases. [63] Reprieve, a rights charity, says he was tortured into a false confession and first met his lawyer five years after his arrest. [63] Saudi Arabia's supreme court has reportedly upheld the sentence. [63]

    Why it matters — Rights groups say Saudi Arabia is using the death penalty more and more for crimes that harmed nobody. [63]

24. 25

    Two Syrian pipelines damaged

    Two pipelines in Syria were damaged on Thursday, the state-owned Syrian Petroleum Company said. [15] An explosion hit the Jbessa gas pipeline in Hasakah province, which the company called a sabotage attack. [15] Hours earlier, a pipeline carrying fuel from the coastal city of Baniyas to Homs began leaking. [15] Neither the company nor state media named a suspect. [15]

    Why it matters — They are the latest of several attacks on Syria's oil and gas network in recent months, as Syria's government tries to restart its energy industry. [15]

25. 26

    Syria sentences two to death over sectarian killings

    A military court in Aleppo sentenced two men to death on Thursday over sectarian violence on Syria's coast in March 2025, state media reported. [64] The court found they had tried to start a civil war and led armed gangs against government forces. [64] Three other men were jailed for between three and 20 years, and two were cleared. [64] The public trials began in November 2025. [64]

    Why it matters — In that violence, pro-government fighters killed hundreds of members of the Alawite minority. [64] At an earlier hearing in September, one of four men accused of abuses was sentenced to death. [64]

26. 27

    Asian leaders and Israel meet in Baku

    Leaders from across Asia and the Middle East met in Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, on Thursday at a forum for building trust between Asian countries. [65] Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, and Iran's deputy foreign minister were in the same room. [65] China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, told Herzog that Israel should stop and reverse the 'forced establishment' of settlements in the West Bank. [66] He said the first task is to open access to Gaza fully. [66]

    Why it matters — China wants a bigger part in Middle East diplomacy, and the summit gave it a meeting with Israel's head of state. [66]

27. 28

    Azerbaijan's girls turned away for headscarves

    Schools in Azerbaijan began turning away girls who wear the hijab, an Islamic headscarf, last Monday, under new rules on secular state schools. [22] Rare protests broke out in Baku and southern districts, and police detained 37 people. [22] A mother protesting outside a school was detained, and an activist who set up free online lessons for barred pupils has not been heard from since. [22] President Ilham Aliyev has ruled since 2003 and jails many critics. [22]

    Why it matters — Most Azerbaijanis are Shia Muslims, like Iranians, while Turkey, its closest ally, is mostly Sunni, and the ban has caused a row with Turkey. [22]

28. 29

    Albania's leader refuses to resign

    Edi Rama, Albania's prime minister, said on Thursday he will not resign over student protests that entered a third day. [23] 'Governments are changed through democratic elections,' he told Reuters, a news agency. [23] Police used water cannon and tear gas, and parliament cancelled its session. [23][67] The students want cheaper university and an end to corruption. [23] The protests spread to smaller towns. [67]

    Why it matters — Rama won a fourth term last year on a promise to bring Albania into the EU, possibly by 2028. [23] The protests are the biggest challenge to him so far. [23]

29. 30

    French police accused over children's injuries

    France's interior minister told France's senate that police have opened 36 inquiries into officers' violence during school protests, now in their fourth week. [21] They include four children allegedly 'mutilated' by explosive police weapons. [21] Evan, 15, lost his left hand when a stun grenade went off near a school in Lens on 5 October. [21] Students are blocking hundreds of schools to demand more teachers and repairs to run-down buildings. [21]

    Why it matters — France's prime minister suggested the protests were being used for politics before next year's presidential election. [68] Hundreds more protests were called for Saturday. [68]

30. 31

    Police clear a housing camp in Porto

    Police in Porto, Portugal's second city, cleared a protest camp in a central square at about 3am on Thursday. [69] The Housing Movement, which organised it, said 37 people were hurt, two with broken bones. [69] The protesters had slept there since Saturday to protest about rents and house prices. [69] A police source said 'a more forceful intervention was necessary', and Porto's mayor had promised not to allow camping in the city. [69]

    Why it matters — Porto's mayor had said he would allow no camping in the city, and the movement called the police action disproportionate. [69]

31. 32

    Argentine students occupy their university

    Students at the University of Buenos Aires, one of Argentina's leading public universities, occupied a science building to protest against President Javier Milei's spending cuts. [70] They say the best professors are leaving for private universities because pay no longer covers their basic needs. [70] Argentina's Congress passed a law last year to raise money for public universities, overturning Milei's veto, but Milei's government has refused to carry it out. [70] A federal judge has begun fining it 100,000 pesos (about $70) a day. [70]

    Why it matters — Inflation has fallen to about 2% a month under Milei's cuts. [70] Public universities, pensioners and disabled people have lost support. [70]

32. 33

    Milei's adviser ties the Falklands to Islam

    Santiago Caputo, chief adviser to Argentina's president, Javier Milei, posted that Britain is being 'colonised by Islam' and that Argentina should take the Falkland Islands. [71] He pointed to the election of Sagal Abdi-Wali, a Muslim Labour MP in London, this month. [71] Milei shared the post. [71] The Falklands are a British territory 300 miles off South America, which Argentina claims. [71]

    Why it matters — Milei has threatened to criminalise executives in the islands' new oil industry, so the row between the two governments keeps growing. [71]

33. 34

    Monitors worry about Serbia's election

    The EU, the Council of Europe and the OSCE, which watches elections in Europe, all raised concerns about Serbia's parliamentary election on 25 October. [72] They pointed to violence, hostile language against journalists and activists, and claims of surveillance. [72] Aleksandar Vucic stepped down as president in September to lead his party's campaign. [72] He faces a list run by students whose protests began after a disaster at a railway station killed 16 people in 2024. [72]

    Why it matters — The vote will decide whether Vucic's party keeps the 14 years of power that have stalled Serbia's bid to join the EU. [72]

34. 35

    Maduro pleads not guilty to torture

    Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's former president, appeared in a New York court on Thursday on new charges of conspiring to torture political opponents. [73] He called the charges 'false accusations', so the judge entered not-guilty pleas for him and his wife, Cilia Flores. [74] US forces seized the couple in a raid on Caracas in January. [74] Prosecutors say Maduro told officials in 2014 to 'squeeze them harder' when detained soldiers would not talk. [75]

    Why it matters — Their trial is set for June 2027, and they argue they cannot be tried because they led a country. [73]

35. 36

    Brazil's court orders Meta to treat both candidates equally

    A judge on Brazil's top election court ruled on Thursday that Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, must treat both presidential candidates the same. [76] President Lula's campaign said Meta cut the reach of his posts and boosted accounts backing Flavio Bolsonaro. [76] Meta must pay 500,000 reais ($98,000) a day if it does not comply. [76] Bolsonaro won 47% to Lula's 45% in the first round. [76]

    Why it matters — The runoff on 25 October is close, so how far each side's posts reach could matter. [76] Meta has said it is not biased and blamed technical faults. [76]

36. 37

    Teenager kills three children at Oregon school

    A 16-year-old shot dead three children aged 5, 8 and 11 and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, a city in Oregon, on Thursday. [25] He got in by shooting through locked doors, police said. [77] A member of the public followed him inside and shot him dead. [25] A 7-year-old and a 54-year-old teacher are in hospital in a critical condition. [78] Police have not named him or said why he did it. [25]

    Why it matters — School shootings keep happening across the US, and the state's governor praised the man who stopped this one. [79]

37. 38

    Trump drops the plan to stream an execution

    Trump said on Thursday that the army will not stream online the firing-squad execution of Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people at Fort Hood, a US army base, in 2009. [80] Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, had announced the livestream. [81] Seventy-two retired generals, admirals and senior officers called it 'barbaric', and lawmakers from both main parties objected. [82] The execution is still set for 3 December, and victims' families may watch in person. [83]

    Why it matters — It will be the first US military execution in more than 60 years. [80]

38. 39

    Powder letters sent to US election offices

    The FBI and the US Postal Inspection Service are investigating letters with an unknown powder sent to election offices in several US states. [84] Offices in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arizona were evacuated, and a letter to Ohio's election chief was stopped in the post. [84] Police in Oklahoma said the powder sent there was not dangerous. [84] The letters arrived weeks before the US midterm elections on 3 November. [84]

    Why it matters — Arizona's election chief called it a sobering moment for the people who run elections. [84] The FBI has not said who sent them. [84]

39. 40

    Trump government sues California over voters

    The US Justice Department sued California on Thursday, asking a court to stop it counting postal votes from about 20,000 people it says are not citizens. [85] It had given counties 48 hours to check the list. [85] California's chief election official said the list was never sent to her office, and called it 'an emergency of the DOJ's creation'. [85] Los Angeles County said it would not open a thumb drive that came with a handwritten password. [85]

    Why it matters — The order came 21 days before the midterms, and could decide whose postal votes are counted in California. [85]

40. 41

    Tip-off stops a plot on a Hindu temple

    Police near Chicago charged Alexandros Paporakis, 19, with planning a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois. [86] A co-worker told police after he sent a message about it, officers said. [86] Police say he drove to the temple, tried to fire, and drove home when his gun jammed. [86] Writings found by police show white supremacist views and hatred of people of Indian descent. [87]

    Why it matters — The arrest came during Hindu festivals and two weeks after a Hindu temple in Ohio was vandalised. [87]

41. 42

    US judge shields groups that help the ICC

    Jesse Furman, a US federal judge, blocked the Trump administration from enforcing sanctions on two rights groups that help the International Criminal Court look into alleged war crimes in Gaza. [88] He ruled that the groups, DAWN and TAAG, were likely to win their case because the rules limit their free speech. [88] The ruling covers only these two groups. [88] It came days after the US put sanctions on the court itself. [88]

    Why it matters — DAWN said it will now resume sending evidence to the court about alleged crimes by Israeli and US officials. [88]

42. 43

    Bus hits a train at the Channel Tunnel

    A minibus carrying lorry drivers hit a departing freight train at the Channel Tunnel loading platform in Coquelles, near Calais in France, on Thursday evening. [89] Nineteen people were hurt, and the driver and one passenger were flown to hospital. [89] Officials said no one's life was at risk. [90] The shuttle service through the tunnel stopped for 90 minutes, and Eurostar passenger trains were not affected. [90]

    Why it matters — An inquiry has begun into why the bus hit the train. [89]

43. 44

    Taiwan tells people to skip a Chinese anniversary

    Taiwan's government told its people not to go to China for events on 12 November marking 160 years since the birth of Sun Yat-sen. [91] Sun helped end China's last empire in 1911, and both Taiwan and China honour him. [91] His Republic of China government fled to Taiwan in 1949, and it is still Taiwan's formal name. [91] Taiwan says China uses him to push for unification. [91]

    Why it matters — China claims Taiwan and has never ruled out force to take it. [91]

44. 45

    Afghanistan's hunger at its worst on record

    Hunger in Afghanistan has reached the highest level ever recorded, the IPC, a global system that grades hunger, said on Thursday. [92] It found 15.9 million people short of food, including 3.4 million in emergency conditions. [92] That is expected to rise to 19.2 million from November to April, the winter months. [92] Better rain helped harvests, but less aid means families cannot cope, the report said. [92]

    Now (Aug to Oct)15.9 m

    This winter (forecast)19.2 m

    Why it matters — The World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, both UN agencies, asked for urgent money. [92] A separate UN report found rights abuses falling hardest on women and girls, and a new ban on demonstrations. [92]

45. 46

    Indian actor ordered out after a protest

    Indian authorities have ordered Imran Khan, an actor and nephew of Bollywood star Aamir Khan, to leave India by 28 October. [93] He is a US citizen with a card that lets people of Indian origin live in India, but not vote. [93] Police said he broke the rules by joining a protest in Mumbai calling for India's chief election commissioner to resign. [93] His lawyer said no law stops card-holders from protesting, and will challenge it in court. [93]

    Why it matters — The protest was called by a movement of young people that accuses India's election body of vote fraud, which it denies. [93] Two of the movement's leaders were jailed for five days on Wednesday. [93]

46. 47

    Somalia sets election dates for 2027

    Somalia's election commission said on Thursday that parliament will be elected on 15 April 2027 and a president on 15 May. [94] President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term was due to end this May, but lawmakers voted in March to let it run up to a year longer. [94] He wants direct elections in place of the old system run by clan elders. [95] Regional leaders call that a grab for power, and al-Shabaab, an armed group linked to al-Qaeda, holds much of the countryside. [95]

    Why it matters — Voter registration opens from 1 to 22 November, the first test of whether a vote can be held. [96]

47. 48

    Zimbabwe's president promotes a likely successor

    Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe's president, promoted Kudakwashe Tagwirei, a close ally, to the top committee of the ruling Zanu-PF party. [97] Tagwirei became a minister a week ago and is tipped to take over from Mnangagwa. [97] Obert Mpofu, once the party's powerful secretary general, was moved to a council of elders. [97] A change to the constitution this year lets Mnangagwa stay in power until 2030. [97]

    Why it matters — The moves suggest Mnangagwa is choosing who comes after him, inside the party, before any election. [97]

48. 49

    Building falls in Cairo, killing six

    Six people, three of them children, died when a five-storey building fell down in Cairo, Egypt's capital, local media reported. [26] Seven people were taken to hospital, and rescuers kept searching the rubble. [26] Nearby buildings were emptied and propped up with steel supports. [26] The city government has started legal action and is investigating. [26]

    Why it matters — Buildings fall often in Egypt because of poor building, little upkeep and weak checks on the rules. [26] Egypt's government has tried to stop illegal building and move people out of unsafe homes. [26]

49. 50

    Cameroon's killings of women spark protests

    Nearly 70 women have been killed in Cameroon this year because they are women, Cameroon's women's affairs ministry says. [98] It counted at least 50 in 2023 and 67 in 2024. [98] One was Geraldine Achiah, a primary school teacher; her husband is charged with her murder and denies it. [98] Cameroon's law has no crime of femicide, the killing of women for being women, and Cameroon's government is writing a bill to create one. [98]

    Why it matters — Activists say women's dependence on husbands for money and land keeps them in violent marriages. [98] Protests are pushing Cameroon's government to pass the new law. [98]

50. 51

    South African court puts ANC candidates back

    South Africa's Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday that 181 council candidates from the ANC, the governing party, can stand in local elections on 4 November. [99] The Electoral Court had removed them because the party did not finish its online nominations before the deadline. [99] The ANC said the candidates' details had already been uploaded. [99] The ruling covers six municipalities. [99]

    Why it matters — Without the ruling the ANC would have lost 181 candidates in those six councils. [99]

51. 52

    Kenya raises fuel prices

    Kenya's energy regulator raised the price of petrol by 6% and diesel by 4.5% this week. [100] Kenya gets nearly all its fuel from the Middle East, where attacks on ships and oil sites have pushed up costs. [100] Owners of matatus, the minibuses most Kenyans ride, said they would raise fares at once. [101] Kenya's government kept a lower tax on fuel until 14 January. [100]

    Why it matters — Kerosene, which many Kenyans use to cook, went up too. [100] Higher fares and fuel put new pressure on household spending. [100][101]

52. 53

    Gaza patients go home from Abu Dhabi

    Dozens of Palestinians treated at Emirates Humanitarian City in Abu Dhabi are preparing to go home to Gaza. [102] The UAE has treated 1,000 cancer patients and 1,000 injured children from Gaza since 2023. [102] Ibtisam Salout, 59, came for breast cancer treatment three years ago and is packing presents for her 45 grandchildren. [102]

    Why it matters — They return to a strip where most people live in shelters and goods are short. [102][45]