Trump waives the new US sanctions on Russia two days before they were due to start

The rest of the day

49 more stories on this beat.

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

1. 02

   EU leaders put off Ukraine's money request

   Zelensky asked EU leaders in Brussels for another 70 billion euros next year for defence and to keep his country going. [13][21] The EU had planned on last year's 90-billion-euro loan covering both 2026 and 2027. [21] Leaders asked the European Commission, the EU's executive, to draw up a plan, and backed no option. [13] They also failed again to agree the EU's next long-term budget of nearly 2 trillion euros. [13] The countries that pay in most and those that receive most both refused to move. [21]

   Why it matters — Belgium, France and Italy objected last year to using about 300 billion euros of frozen Russian money, and Sweden's prime minister said 'nothing has changed'. [13] Antonio Costa, who chairs EU summits, is expected to offer a new budget plan before a special summit on 26 November. [21]

2. 03

   Russian strikes cut power in nine regions

   Russian attacks on nine regions of Ukraine cut power to hundreds of thousands of homes and wounded at least 15 people, officials said on Friday. [14] Missiles set factories on fire in Odesa and Zaporizhzhia, two cities in the south. [22] Russia attacks Ukraine's power grid every year before winter, to leave people without heat and running water. [14] Ukrainian officials say Russia is storing up ballistic missiles for more attacks. [14]

   Why it matters — Ukraine is short of the US-made Patriot missiles that can stop ballistic missiles. [14] Zelensky said only small numbers have arrived, many of them bought for Ukraine by European countries. [14]

3. 04

   Drones shut all four Moscow airports

   Ukrainian drones forced all four of Moscow's main airports to close for up to seven hours overnight, and more than 160 flights were cancelled. [18] Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said 94 drones heading for the city were shot down. [18] Pulkovo airport in St Petersburg also stopped flights twice. [18] A Russian investigative outlet counted 101 hours of closures at Moscow's airports in the first 14 days of October, against 46 in all of September. [18]

   All of September46 hours

   1-14 October101 hours

   Why it matters — Ukraine has not confirmed that it is running a campaign against Russia's airports. [18] The closures in Russia's capital more than doubled from September to the first half of October. [18]

4. 05

   Ukraine says it pushed Russia back in Donetsk

   Ukraine says a counter-attack called Operation Vivaldi has taken back about 275 square kilometres in Donetsk, a region in eastern Ukraine. [23][24] Its commander says the fourth phase is now finished and 16 settlements are back in Ukrainian hands. [24] Ukraine says 8,000 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded in the operation, a figure nobody outside can check. [23] The Institute for the Study of War, a US research group, says pro-Russian bloggers admit the Ukrainian advances. [23]

   Why it matters — No Russian official has publicly admitted the Ukrainian gains. [23] The gains come while Russia pounds Ukraine's cities from the air. [23]

5. 06

   Pope calls Putin from his hospital bed

   Pope Leo XIV phoned Putin from hospital on Friday to ask for a ceasefire in Oleshky, a Russian-held town in southern Ukraine. [25][26] About 2,000 civilians there need safe routes out, and food and water have been cut off. [26][25] Russia's government said it supported the Vatican's plan to get supplies in and agreed to cooperate, without mentioning a ceasefire. [25] The 71-year-old Pope was found to have lung cancer after surgery on Tuesday, and the Vatican released the first pictures of him since. [25]

   Why it matters — Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state and its most senior official after the Pope, said he hoped Putin taking the call was a sign the request would be carried out. [25]

6. 07

   Russia seizes five more European firms

   Putin signed a decree taking control of the Russian businesses of five Western companies, including Tarkett, a French maker of floors. [27] The others belong to Belgium's Ontex, Germany's Menshen and Sonoco of the US, plus one that was part of Ireland's Smurfit Kappa. [27] Together they earn more than 50 billion roubles (532 million euros) a year. [27] They now pass to a management company registered in February. [27]

   Why it matters — All five kept working in Russia after it invaded Ukraine in 2022, and staying did not protect them. [27] In September Russia did the same to the food giant Nestle and the retailers Metro and Auchan. [27]

7. 08

   Every candidate for UN chief is vetoed

   All seven candidates to run the United Nations got a 'discourage' vote, which works as a veto, from at least one permanent member of the Security Council in a secret poll on Friday. [28][29] The five permanent members are the US, Russia, China, Britain and France. [30] Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, the UN's trade chief, led with nine 'encourage' votes of 15. [29][30] Argentina's Rafael Grossi, head of the UN nuclear watchdog, and Guyana's Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett got eight each, and all three drew two vetoes. [31][30]

   Grynspan9 votes

   Rodrigues-Birkett8 votes

   Grossi8 votes

   Why it matters — Diplomats say this opens the door to new names, such as Nickolay Mladenov, who works for the US-backed board on Gaza. [28] The council has less than three months, because Antonio Guterres's term ends on 31 December. [29]

8. 09

   Ship attacks near Hormuz hit a record

   Twelve ships reported attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz between 5 and 11 October, the most in one week since the US-Israeli war with Iran began. [20] The strait is the narrow sea lane out of the Gulf that carries much of the world's oil. UKMTO, a British navy agency that tracks shipping, says most ships that are hit do not report it. [32] Ship traffic through the strait is about 70% below pre-war levels. [32]

   Why it matters — Admiral Brad Cooper, who runs US forces in the region, said more than 20 sailors have been killed by Iran's attacks since February. [33] Two US aircraft carriers are in the Arabian Sea, and both sides are warning of more fighting. [34]

9. 10

   Houthi missiles land near Aden's runway

   Two Houthi missiles landed 500 metres from a plane about to take off at the airport in Aden on Friday, Yemen's information minister said. [19] Aden is the seat of Yemen's internationally recognised government, which Saudi Arabia backs against the Houthis, a rebel group aligned with Iran. [19] The day before, Houthi missiles hit Aden's presidential palace for the first time, killing five security staff. [35] Yemen's government says it will stay in Aden. [35]

   Why it matters — Yemen's civil war started again last month after a four-year lull. [35] Government forces claim big gains in Marib province, which cannot be checked. [19]

10. 11

    Britain warns against travel to Saudi Arabia

    Britain now advises against all but essential travel to the whole of Saudi Arabia, because of Houthi attacks. [36] It warns of a heightened threat to airports, ports and energy sites, and tells Britons to keep away from King Khalid airport in Riyadh. [36] A Houthi missile attack on that airport last Saturday killed 12 people and injured 309. [37] Saudi Arabia wants more air defence weapons, but defence sources say Britain and France cannot spare systems needed against Russia. [37]

    Why it matters — Ukraine, Saudi Arabia and NATO's eastern members are all asking Europe for the same scarce missiles that shoot down missiles. [37]

11. 12

    Settlers attack the olive harvest

    Masked Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians picking olives in at least eight West Bank villages on Friday, burning cars and trees. [38][39] At Abu Falah, near Ramallah, at least 80 settlers threw rocks at farmers in view of Israeli army vehicles. [39] Heidi Levine, a Washington Post photographer, was beaten for more than 10 minutes and robbed of her passport and phone. [39] A local official said 12 Palestinians were hurt there, four of them also US citizens. [40]

    185Whole 2025 season

    vsvs

    nearly 2002026 so far

    Why it matters — The UN's aid office counts nearly 200 harvest-season attacks this year, more than the 185 of all of 2025. [41] Several US lawmakers asked the Trump administration to hold the settlers to account. [42]

12. 13

    Unicef: 340 children killed since the ceasefire

    More than 340 Palestinian children have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire began just over a year ago, Unicef, the UN children's agency, said. [43] Seven were killed in the past two weeks by Israeli air strikes, drone strikes and gunfire. [43] About 800,000 children are still displaced, most in tents or damaged buildings. [43] The UN says nearly 44,000 people still live in damaged buildings that need to be pulled down. [44]

    Why it matters — All six of Gaza's sewage plants are out of service, and a fourth winter is coming. [43] Unicef says a half-full stormwater pond could flood homes because Israel has not let in the equipment to drain it. [43]

13. 14

    Italy investigates Israel's defence minister

    Prosecutors in Rome have put Israel's defence minister, Israel Katz, and 12 senior officials, including army chief Eyal Zamir, under investigation. [45] The case is about Italian activists held after Israeli forces stopped two aid flotillas heading for Gaza in 2025 and 2026. [46] Fifty of them complained of beatings, tasers and rubber bullets, and the activists reported at least 15 sexual assaults. [45] Italian law lets Rome try crimes committed abroad against Italian citizens. [46]

    Why it matters — The case had centred on Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's national security minister. [46] It now reaches the minister in charge of Israel's army. [45]

14. 15

    Most children in Israeli jails were held alone

    Israel put 351 of the 635 children it held in prison in 2025 in solitary confinement at least once, figures obtained by two Israeli rights groups show. [47] Most were Palestinians, and five were boys aged 13 or 14. [47] A spell in isolation usually lasted seven days, and sometimes two weeks. [47] Israel's prison service said 92% of the children put in isolation had not been sentenced. [47]

    Why it matters — Of those, 115 were held without trial on orders from the Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service. [47]

15. 16

    Israel's new line cuts Syrian farmers off

    Israel has set up a new military line, called Sufa 53, beyond the Golan Heights it took from Syria in 1967. [48] About 250 Syrian farmers can no longer reach their land, and Israel has taken over 1,160 hectares of farmland near the line. [48] The UN counted 280 Israeli crossings into Syria in September alone. [48] US-backed talks between Israel and Syria have not settled the frontier. [48]

    Why it matters — Syria wants Israeli forces back behind the 1974 armistice line. [48] An Israeli researcher warns that a long stay could weaken Syria's president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and help ISIS and groups backed by Iran. [48]

16. 17

    Qatar to build power for Lebanon

    Qatar will pay for, build and run an electricity project in Lebanon, Lebanon's prime minister, Nawaf Salam, said on Friday. [49] The first project is a solar plant to be built by QatarEnergy and France's TotalEnergies. [49] Lebanon's treasury will pay nothing up front. [49] Lebanon's economy is expected to shrink by 6 to 7% this year, and its government relies heavily on outside help. [49]

    Why it matters — Salam said the aim is steadier power at a lower cost for a country whose power supply is in a dire state. [49]

17. 18

    Albania's protests spread to more cities

    Police and protesters clashed for a fourth day in Albania, and the unrest spread from the capital, Tirana, to Shkoder, Korca and Elbasan. [15] The protests began as a student movement over the cost of education and of living. [50] Earlier this week, protesters set fire to a floor of Albania's education ministry and other government buildings. [50][15] Prime Minister Edi Rama blamed 'foreign hands' and named no one. [51]

    Why it matters — Months of quieter protests began over the sale of part of the coast to a resort linked to Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law. [15] Clashes this size have not been seen in Albania for decades. [50]

18. 19

    Yellow Vests to join French students

    More than 1,000 protests were planned across France for Saturday, 17 October, against rising fuel prices. [12] Some leaders of the Yellow Vests, the 2018 movement over living costs that shook President Emmanuel Macron, say they will join. [12] They are backing high-school students who have protested for nearly a month for better classrooms. [12] The call began with a viral TikTok video by a young man angry about prices at the pump. [12]

    Why it matters — Left-wing leaders, including Communist Fabien Roussel and Green Marine Tondelier, back the protests. [12]

19. 20

    Argentine students clash with police

    Thousands of students, university staff and union members protested outside Argentina's parliament in Buenos Aires against President Javier Milei's cuts to education. [16] Masked people threw stones and injured at least eight police officers, and 25 people were arrested. [16] Milei vetoed a 2025 law telling Argentina's government to spend more on public universities. [16] It was the fifth such protest since he took office in 2023. [16]

    Why it matters — Milei's security minister said the right to protest is not a right to violence. [16] Other protesters tried to push the stone-throwers back. [16]

20. 21

    Spain's migrant plan splits EU leaders

    Denmark's prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, asked the European Commission to look into Spain's plan to give legal status to 600,000 migrants. [52] She said Spain was doing 'almost the exact opposite' of the rest of the EU. [52] Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, said the criticism did not match the figures. [53] He compared the Czech prime minister's words to the far right. [53] Denmark, Italy and Poland pushed for tougher EU wording on migration. [54]

    Why it matters — Spain votes in a snap election on 29 November. [55] Opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo wants the navy sent to Ceuta, a Spanish city in north Africa that borders Morocco, after reports of a Moroccan patrol boat. [55]

21. 22

    India arrests the 'cockroach' founder

    Indian police detained Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, a youth protest group, before a march in Delhi on Friday, and later formally arrested him. [56][17] The group says India's Election Commission cut voter lists to help Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party, the BJP. [56] Both deny it. [56] Thousands of police sealed off the planned site. [56] Police also said Jantar Mantar, Delhi's main protest street near India's parliament, will no longer be a protest site. [57]

    Why it matters — The three sites offered instead are far from India's parliament, or cost tens of thousands of rupees a day to use. [57]

22. 23

    China's envoy says it could 'easily win'

    China's ambassador to the Philippines, Jing Quan, said on Thursday that China 'may easily win' if it chose force, but that it loves peace. [58] President Ferdinand Marcos Jr called it a threat and 'not a very diplomatic statement'. [58] The two countries dispute the South China Sea, almost all of which China claims. [58] Chinese aircraft have repeatedly driven Philippine planes away from Scarborough Shoal, a reef both claim, in recent months. [59]

    Why it matters — Jing pointed to Ukraine, Gaza and Venezuela as regions without peace. [58] Marcos said he wants to understand what the ambassador meant. [58]

23. 24

    North Korea tests an 'AI' torpedo

    North Korea says it tested a torpedo on Thursday that uses artificial intelligence to find and steer towards targets. [60] Its state news agency did not explain what that means. [60] South Korea's military, which often says the North overstates its weapons, did not comment at once. [60] A day earlier, North Korea fired missiles from under water for the first time in nearly three years. [60]

    Why it matters — Experts say those tests probably used a submarine that North Korea says is designed to launch nuclear weapons. [60]

24. 25

    Pakistan rules out talks with no conditions

    Pakistan's foreign ministry said on Friday that talks with Afghanistan's Taliban government cannot be unconditional. [61] Its one demand is a way to check that attacks from Afghan soil have stopped. [61] Pakistan says the Pakistani Taliban, an armed group, use Afghanistan as a base, and the Afghan Taliban deny it. [61] Russia, the only country that formally recognises the Taliban government, has offered to help. [61]

    Why it matters — Talks hosted by Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and China have all failed over the armed groups. [61]

25. 26

    FBI warns a Sikh activist of a threat

    Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh activist with US and Canadian citizenship, says FBI agents warned him of 'an imminent threat' to his life. [62] He campaigns for India's Punjab state to become a separate country called Khalistan. [62] The warning came before an unofficial 'Khalistan Referendum' in Edmonton, Canada, on 18 October, which he plans to attend. [62] In February, an Indian man pleaded guilty in a US court to plotting to kill him. [62]

    Why it matters — Canada's federal police have also warned him about threats to his life. [62]

26. 27

    Ethiopia names a caretaker for Tigray

    Ethiopia's prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, set up a six-month caretaker government for Tigray, the country's northern region. [63][64] It is meant to restore services, bring displaced people home and prepare elections. [63] The Tigray People's Liberation Front, the party that ran the region, launched an uprising last month and has left the capital, Mekelle. [64][65] Hundreds of former fighters lined up in Mekelle to join a programme to help them return to civilian life. [63]

    Why it matters — The fighting has wrecked the 2022 peace deal that ended a two-year war. [63] Abiy's office says the TPLF leaders 'did not desire peace'. [65]

27. 28

    US urges Ethiopia and Eritrea to step back

    Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, phoned Abiy on Wednesday and urged dialogue between Ethiopia and Eritrea, its northern neighbour. [66] Ethiopia accuses Eritrean troops of occupying its land. [66] On Friday its foreign minister wrote to the UN Security Council that Ethiopia is acting in self-defence. [66] Eritrea has called Ethiopia's moves a declaration of war. [66]

    Why it matters — Magnus Taylor of the International Crisis Group, a conflict research group, warned that the gains in Tigray could raise the risk of war with Eritrea. [67] He said Tigray's fighters regrouped in the countryside after losing towns in the last war. [67]

28. 29

    UN calls for a drone ban in Sudan

    Rosemary DiCarlo, a senior UN official, told the Security Council that drones are now the main killer of civilians in Sudan's war. [68] UN data shows more than 1,100 people were killed by drones in the first half of this year. [68] She asked the army and the Rapid Support Forces, the paramilitary group it is fighting, to agree a mutual ban. [68] Separately, army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said he wrote to Trump to restate his commitment to ending the war. [69]

    Why it matters — The US proposes a 90-day truce that Sudan's army has opposed. [69] The war has pushed hundreds of thousands of Sudanese into dangerous work in remote gold mines. [70]

29. 30

    Congo bans parties linked to Kabila

    Congo's interior minister banned the activities of 13 political parties on Thursday, including the PPRD of former president Joseph Kabila. [71] Congo's government calls it a security measure, and opposition figures call it repression. [71] It follows Kabila's launch of the National Refoundation Front, a political and armed movement, in Goma in eastern Congo. [71] Provincial governors must enforce the ban. [71]

    Why it matters — The ruling party backs the ban, and analysts question whether it is legal. [71]

30. 31

    Eastern Libya executes 31, HRW says

    Human Rights Watch says the military rulers of eastern Libya have executed at least 31 people since late August. [72] They are the first known executions in Libya since 2010, and came after what the group calls 'grossly unfair' military trials. [72] At least 50 more prisoners at Gernada military prison could be executed at any moment. [72] Eastern Libya is run by forces under General Khalifa Haftar, rivals of the UN-recognised government in Tripoli. [72]

    Why it matters — Many of the men were arrested during fighting in Derna and Benghazi between 2014 and 2018. [72]

31. 32

    Al-Qaeda and IS fighters clash in the Sahel

    Fighters linked to al-Qaeda and to the Islamic State group have clashed on a scale never seen before where Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger meet. [73] The IS-linked group said it killed more than 400 al-Qaeda-linked fighters in Burkina Faso, which cannot be checked. [73] UN experts called it the most intense direct fight anywhere between the two networks. [73] The military governments of the three countries have struggled to contain either group. [73]

    Why it matters — The two groups compete for the same routes and villages, and that rivalry drives both to spread further. [73]

32. 33

    200 found in a church rehab centre

    South African police arrested a pastor and his wife after officials found about 200 people at a church-run drug rehab centre in Mpumalanga province. [74][75] Some were chained together and others had untreated sores. [74] The couple had told officials they housed 60 people. [75] Each resident paid 3,000 rand, about $182, a month. [75]

    Why it matters — South Africa found more than 100 illegal rehab centres last year as drug use spreads. [74] The couple face kidnapping charges. [75]

33. 34

    South Africa's police chief returns

    President Cyril Ramaphosa lifted the suspension of the national police commissioner, Fannie Masemola, who returns to work on Monday. [76] He was suspended in April after being charged over a police health contract given to a firm linked to an alleged crime boss, Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala. [76][77] Prosecutors dropped the charges last month, saying they had no reasonable chance of winning. [77]

    Why it matters — The contract is part of the Madlanga Commission, an inquiry into whether crime gangs have got inside South Africa's police and courts. [77]

34. 35

    Amazon forest loss hits a record low

    Brazil's Amazon lost 3,335 square kilometres of forest in the 12 months to July, the least since records began in 1988. [78][79] The figure comes from satellites run by Inpe, Brazil's space research agency. [78] It is a fall of about 42% in one year. [78] The previous lowest year, 2011-2012, lost 4,571 square kilometres, and in the mid-1990s the Amazon was losing nearly 30,000 a year. [78]

    2011-12, old record low4,571 sq km

    Year to July 20263,335 sq km

    Why it matters — Lula promised to end Amazon deforestation by 2030 after it soared under Jair Bolsonaro. [78] Lula faces Bolsonaro's son Flavio in a runoff on 25 October. [80]

35. 36

    Lula backs trying 16-year-olds as adults

    Brazil's President Lula said he now supports lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16 for 'heinous' crimes, dropping a position he has long held. [81] Polls show 80% of Brazilians back lowering the age. [81] Flavio Bolsonaro and his father want it lowered to 14. [81] 'Heinous' crimes in Brazilian law run from murder and rape to drug trafficking, the crime of about a quarter of Brazil's 816,000 prisoners. [81]

    Why it matters — Lula is slightly behind in the polls before the 25 October runoff, and the switch is widely seen as a bid for votes. [81]

36. 37

    Meta staff say Lula's reach was cut

    Messages inside Meta, the company that owns Instagram, show staff accepted that restrictions hurt the reach of President Lula's Instagram accounts during the election, a Brazilian newspaper, Folha de S.Paulo, reported. [82] The messages also said the platform recommended Flavio Bolsonaro's profile. [82] Meta said the problems were technical and already public. [82] It said 'any suggestion that Meta favors one side is false'. [82]

    Why it matters — A day earlier, a judge on Brazil's top election court ordered Meta to treat both candidates equally before the runoff. [82]

37. 38

    Floods drive thousands from their homes

    Rivers swollen by El Nino rains flooded parts of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, forcing thousands of people from their homes. [83] El Nino is a natural warming of the Pacific Ocean that shifts rain around the world. [83] The Parana River rose to 4.7 metres at Ituzaingo in Argentina's Corrientes province, and towns were evacuated. [83] The water comes from three rivers that start in Brazil: the Parana, the Uruguay and the Iguazu. [83]

    Why it matters — Ranchers moved cattle to higher ground, and officials in Corrientes are digging canals before more heavy rain. [83]

38. 39

    Mexico jails three for killing surfers

    A Mexican judge sentenced three men to 158 years and nine months each for murdering two Australian brothers, Jake and Callum Robinson, and their American friend, Carter Rhoad. [84][85] The three friends were camping near Ensenada in Baja California in April 2024 when they were shot in a robbery. [85] Their bodies were found in a well. [84] The girlfriend of the alleged ringleader was jailed for 20 years last year. [84]

    Why it matters — The killings shocked Australia because the area is usually safe from the violence seen elsewhere in Mexico. [84]

39. 40

    US lifts limits on Mexican airlines

    The US Department of Transportation lifted limits that stopped Mexican airlines starting new US flights from Mexico City's two international airports, Mexico's government said. [86] The US said Mexico had taken steps to meet a 2015 air travel agreement between the two countries. [86] Two other US orders from the dispute stay in place. [86] Mexican airlines must still file their schedules and get approval for large aircraft. [86]

    Why it matters — A US official said the US will watch closely whether Mexico keeps its promises. [86]

40. 41

    Coastguard pulls 16 from the sea off Mexico

    The US coastguard rescued 16 people after a boat sank about 225km west of Ensenada, Mexico, early on Friday. [87] A helicopter arrived about two hours after a Mayday call, and it took 90 minutes to pull everyone from the water. [87] The rescued are Mexican; one had a suspected shark bite and two were in a critical state. [87] The search goes on for 11 people still missing. [87]

    Why it matters — The boat sank in waters used by smugglers taking migrants to the US. [87]

41. 42

    Oregon attacker was a former pupil

    The 16-year-old who killed three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, was a former special-needs pupil there, police said. [88] He attacked a class of special-needs children with a shotgun. [88] A teacher threw her phone at him and tackled him. [89] A father of two pupils, driving past, ran in with a pistol and killed him. [89]

    Why it matters — Police said he had about 44 more shotgun rounds when he was stopped. [89] Oregon law lets a minor have a shotgun if a parent agrees. [88]

42. 43

    White House spokeswoman out after five days

    Katie Zacharia is leaving her job as White House press secretary, the US president's spokesperson, less than five days after starting. [90] Her first briefing lasted 14 minutes and took three questions. [91] Trump had called her a lawyer, but she later said she took the bar exam once and did not pass. [91] Trump said he told her 'if I were you, I'd reconsider'. [90]

    Why it matters — Democrats are using her exit against the Republicans before the November midterm elections. [90] The New York Times reported she was fired. [91]

43. 44

    Trump repeats a false election claim

    At a rally in Georgia, Trump again claimed that the 2020 election there was fraudulent, and said Senator Jon Ossoff 'was never elected'. [92] The Guardian reported the claim as false. [92] Ossoff, a Democrat, faces Republican Mike Collins in November and leads by nine points in recent polls. [92] Trump also said voters would get a $5,000 government cheque if Republicans keep the House of Representatives. [92]

    Why it matters — He said foreign factory investment would pay for the cheques, but most of those pledges have not been kept. [92]

44. 45

    Wildfire burns homes in southern California

    The Norte fire spread from San Clemente into San Juan Capistrano in Orange County, California, and destroyed at least six homes. [93][94] By Friday evening it had burned about 230 hectares. [93] About 16,000 people were told to leave their homes. [94] Unusual heat, dry air and the Santa Ana winds, hot gusts that blow towards the coast in autumn, fed it. [93]

    Why it matters — More hot, windy weather was forecast through Saturday. [94]

45. 46

    Istanbul's worst rain in 80 years

    At least three people died and five are missing after Istanbul's heaviest rain in at least 80 years on Thursday, officials said. [95] In Ayazaga, a district on the city's European side, a stream burst its banks and swept away dozens of vehicles. [95] Some homes lost electricity, running water and gas. [95]

    Why it matters — Rescue and clean-up work went on as officials counted the damage. [95]

46. 47

    Norwegian teen jailed for a UK murder plot

    A British court jailed Johannes Natland, a 19-year-old from Norway, for 20 years for travelling to England to carry out a contract killing. [96] He was arrested in a hotel in northern England in March 2025 with two guns and 19 bullets. [96] He was hired by the Foxtrot crime network, which the US and Britain have sanctioned for attacks on Jewish and Israeli targets on behalf of Iran. [97] Europol, the EU's police agency, calls its use of hired teenagers 'violence-as-a-service'. [97]

    Why it matters — It is still not known who he was sent to kill. [96]

47. 48

    German MPs debate the Namibia genocide

    Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, debated this week whether to recognise the killing of the Herero and Nama peoples in what is now Namibia, from 1904 to 1908, as genocide. [98] The Left party drafted a resolution calling for recognition and compensation. [98] Since 2021 the two governments have negotiated a declaration pledging 1.1 billion euros of rebuilding aid over 30 years. [98] Herero and Nama leaders came to Berlin and say aid cannot replace reparations. [98]

    Why it matters — Germany's foreign ministry says recognising genocide creates no legal right to compensation. [98] Germany's president is due to apologise only once the declaration is signed. [98]

48. 49

    Western countries send Russian dissidents home

    More anti-war Russians are being sent back to Russia by Western countries, a BBC investigation found. [99] US removals of Russians rose from 222 in 2023 to more than 1,200 in 2025. [99] Germany deported seven Russians in 2023 and more than 110 in 2025. [99] One deported activist, Leonid Melekhin, was jailed for six years after posting online against Putin. [99]

    222US removals, 2023

    ↓→

    1,200+US removals, 2025

    Why it matters — One deportee told the BBC that Russia's FSB security service handed the men on her flight military papers on arrival. [99] Men are often sent from there to the war in Ukraine. [99]

49. 50

    A fault halves Italy's air traffic

    A fault in the data network of ENAV, Italy's air traffic control company, forced it to cut the country's air traffic to half the normal level on Friday. [100][101] At Rome's main airport at least 12 flights were cancelled by mid-morning, and others were delayed by up to an hour. [101] ENAV ruled out a cyberattack or sabotage. [101]

    Why it matters — Shorter flights were the most likely to be cut, as ENAV kept long-haul departures going. [100]