A drone strike kills at least 153 at a market in Abyei, the border area Sudan and South Sudan both claim, and South Sudan blames Sudan's army

The rest of the day

57 more stories on this beat.

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

1. 02

   Trump's envoy heads to Putin after Oslo talks

   Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, is due to meet Russia's President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Wednesday. [22] He met Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo, Norway's capital, on Tuesday. [22] Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said Witkoff will offer Putin talks with Trump and Zelensky together, which would be the first such meeting since Russia's full invasion in 2022. [12] Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has ruled out any political concessions. [22]

   Why it matters — Zelensky said land can only be discussed by leaders, and that Ukraine must help design any deal. [12] Europe and Ukraine say it is now up to Russia to answer. [22]

2. 03

   US missile warnings to Ukraine resume

   Zelensky said on Tuesday that the US is again warning Ukraine when Russia fires ballistic missiles, after the warnings seemed to stop last week. [23] 'Now it works,' he said, and called it life-saving. [23] The same day Trump said Zelensky 'can make a deal', and that the US had got 'nothing back' for its help except high diesel prices. [24] Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said Patriot interceptors are short worldwide and are not being held back on purpose. [9]

   Why it matters — The warnings give people in Ukrainian cities time to reach shelter before a missile lands. [25] Last week's pause showed they depend on a decision in the White House. [23]

3. 04

   Russian strikes kill nine across Ukraine

   Russian missiles and drones killed at least nine people in Ukraine, officials said on Tuesday. [9] In the Bucha district near Kyiv one woman died and 21 people were hurt, eight of them children. [9] On the Kyiv-Odesa highway three people died when a shuttle bus and another vehicle caught fire; the bus carried visitors to Ukraine's national military cemetery. [9] Ukrenergo, the national grid company, reported power cuts in 12 regions. [9]

   Why it matters — The strikes came while Zelensky was in Oslo asking for more air defence. [9] Russia said it shot down 136 Ukrainian drones over its own regions the same night. [9]

4. 05

   NATO sends patrol planes to the Black Sea

   NATO said on Tuesday it will send more patrol planes, radars, drones and intelligence staff to the Black Sea after a string of attacks on ships near Romania and Bulgaria, both NATO members. [26][27] Russia's army said it hit five more cargo ships that day, three in Ukraine's port of Reni and two on their way to Odesa. [10] At least five ships have been hit near Romania and Bulgaria in two weeks, with 23 sailors dead or missing. [10]

   Why it matters — Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, said the attacks cost Ukraine about 60 million euros a day in lost exports. [28] Most of what leaves by sea is wheat, maize and barley for buyers around the world. [28]

5. 06

   EU's top diplomat says the US pushed Ukraine to surrender

   Kaja Kallas told the European Parliament on Tuesday that US negotiators have tried to push Ukraine into surrender for about a year and a half. [29] She said Ukraine has not given in on Putin's terms because Europe supports it. [29] The same week Trump said Russia 'has been fine on Ukraine'. [30] Trump has also eased US sanctions on Russia until April 2027 and agreed a diesel deal with Putin. [29]

   Europe and the EU237 bn euros

   United States115 bn euros

   Why it matters — European countries and the EU have given Ukraine 237 billion euros, against 115 billion from the US, says Germany's Kiel Institute, which tracks the aid. [9] Kallas wants Europe at the table to balance the US. [29]

6. 07

   EU asks Canada and Britain to pay more for Ukraine

   The EU will ask Canada and the UK to give Ukraine more money, to fill a 70 billion euro hole in Ukraine's budget next year, EU officials told Politico. [31] The EU has promised a 90 billion euro loan for 2026 and 2027, about two-thirds of what Ukraine needs. [31] It expected Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Norway to give 45 billion euros more, but much of that is slow to arrive. [31] It will make the case at summits on 29-30 October and 20 November. [31]

   Why it matters — The EU and its members already give 80% of Ukraine's foreign aid, said Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission. [31] With US help in doubt, more of the bill falls on its allies. [31]

7. 08

   South Korea pulls more staff out of Kyiv

   South Korea will withdraw more staff from its embassy in Kyiv, its foreign ministry said on Tuesday. [32] The row began when Zelensky told the UN on 23 September that Ukraine had handed two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. [32] South Korea says that was meant to stay secret, and Ukraine denies there was any such deal. [32] South Korea already called its ambassador home this month and blames Ukraine's lack of a 'constructive response'. [33]

   Why it matters — The two men were among thousands of North Korean troops sent to fight for Russia, and fear punishment if sent home. [32] South Korea will keep a small team in Kyiv to stay in contact. [32]

8. 09

   Report finds North Korean forced labour at a Russian drone plant

   Up to 12,000 North Koreans work at a Russian drone factory at Yelabuga, in Tatarstan, under conditions a new report calls human trafficking. [34] The report, from two US research groups, CSIS and the George W. Bush Institute, came out on 14 October. [34] It says the plant gives Russia more than 5,500 drones a month, with parts mostly from China and a design from Iran. [34] North Korea keeps up to 90% of the workers' wages. [34]

   Why it matters — A 2017 UN Security Council rule says North Korean workers abroad must be sent home. [34] A rights campaigner told DW that Russia and China, both permanent members of that council, ignore it. [34]

9. 10

   Britain sends fighter jets to defend Saudi Arabia

   Britain will fly RAF Typhoon fighter jets over Saudi Arabia to shoot down Houthi missiles and drones, its defence ministry said on Tuesday. [17] The jets will only defend and will not strike the Houthis, the Iran-aligned group that holds much of Yemen. [17] Saudi Arabia asked for the help. [17] A Houthi missile killed 13 people at Riyadh's main airport this month. [35] Britain is also sending a transport plane and military advisers. [17]

   Why it matters — It is the biggest military mission Andy Burnham has approved as prime minister. [35] Egypt will also send air defences to Saudi Arabia, but no troops to Yemen, an official told AP. [8]

10. 11

    Houthi siege squeezes Taiz

    A Houthi attack killed two teenage girls in a home district of Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, on Tuesday. [8] The Houthis have nearly surrounded Taiz and cut most roads into it. [8] Volker Turk, the UN human rights chief, said civilians there are at 'grave risk'. [8] A UN official said food and fuel prices in the city have doubled, and the fuel shortage puts hospital patients in danger. [36]

    Why it matters — The toll from Monday's Houthi missile strike on a training camp in Shabwa rose to 73, the deadliest since the war restarted this summer. [8][37] More than 200 recruits were wounded. [8]

11. 12

    Turkey asks parliament to approve the Makkah pact

    Turkey's government sent the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement to parliament for approval on Tuesday. [18] Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed it in August, and it treats an armed attack on one as an attack on all, like NATO's founding treaty. [18] The text says no member may leave in its first 10 years. [38] Each country still decides how much help to send, and approval would not by itself send Turkish troops. [18]

    Why it matters — Turkey has NATO's second-largest army, and its approval would bind that army more tightly to Saudi Arabia while the Houthis attack the kingdom. [38]

12. 13

    Pakistan's army chief carries talks to Iran

    Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan's army chief, met Iran's president, parliament speaker and foreign minister in Tehran on Tuesday to try to restart talks between Iran and the US. [39] President Masoud Pezeshkian told him the US must first lift its threats and sanctions. [40] Mohsen Rezaei, Iran's security chief, said 'not even a tiny bit' of Iran's enriched uranium will leave the country. [41] No breakthrough was announced. [39]

    Why it matters — Pakistan's efforts helped produce a peace deal in June that fell apart weeks later, Reuters reports. [11] Iran wants its seven-point plan accepted first. [39] It offers to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within a week if the US ends its blockade of Iran's ports. [40]

13. 14

    Iranian officials say Iran is stalling to hurt Trump

    Three senior Iranian officials and an insider told Reuters that Iran is deliberately dragging out talks with the US to weaken Trump before the 3 November midterm elections. [42] They said Iran expects new US attacks and does not trust the US. [42] 'The clerical establishment is determined not to give Trump a political victory,' one official was quoted as saying. [40] The officials spoke on condition that they not be named. [42]

    Why it matters — If they are right, there is little chance of a deal before Americans vote. [40] Trump has said the US will not strike Iran before 3 November. [40]

14. 15

    Iran threatens undersea internet cables

    Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran's top security council, said undersea internet cables, data centres and AI sites in the region could be attacked if fighting with the US resumes. [40] Qatar's foreign ministry warned that cutting cables in the Strait of Hormuz would hurt Iran too. [40] On Tuesday Iran's Revolutionary Guards, its most powerful armed force, said two oil tankers using a route near Oman that Iran calls illegal hit its mines and caught fire. [43][44] They also claimed to have shot down a US drone, which a US official denied. [43]

    Why it matters — International sea law gives Iran no right to decide who passes through the strait. [43] Before the war it carried about a fifth of the world's oil. [44]

15. 16

    UN inspectors praise the UAE after a nuclear plant drone strike

    Inspectors from the IAEA, the UN's nuclear watchdog, said on Tuesday that the UAE responded quickly and well when a drone hit its Barakah nuclear power plant in May. [45] The drone, launched from Iraq, struck a generator outside the plant's inner fence on 17 May, and the fire was put out. [45] A six-person team checked the plant's emergency plans from 12 to 20 October. [45] Dozens of countries and the EU condemned the attack at the time. [45]

    Why it matters — The strike cut the plant's power supply from outside, and the inspectors found the plant and Barakah's regulators handled that properly. [45]

16. 17

    Israel's election watchdog rules against Likud

    Israel's Central Elections Committee found on Tuesday that Likud, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party, broke election law by using army photos and videos in its ads without paying. [46] The law bars public property from campaign ads unless it is paid for. [46] The committee's chairman, Justice Noam Solberg, said army footage counts as public property. [46] Israel votes on 27 October. [47]

    Why it matters — Polls show neither Netanyahu's bloc nor that of his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, near a majority. [21] Eisenkot leads by about one seat on average in the main surveys. [21]

17. 18

    Netanyahu says Iran wants to sway the vote

    Netanyahu told Army Radio on Tuesday that Iran and its allies want to interfere in next week's election, and said this was intelligence, not spin. [48] Asked whether Iran might attack by surprise, he said Israel was preparing for that. [48] Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel's army could seize more land in southern Lebanon if Hezbollah, the armed group Iran backs, joins any Iranian attack. [48] US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Israel in secret on Monday. [48]

    Why it matters — Katz said people would be moved out of any land Israel takes, and it would join Israel's security zone in Lebanon for good. [48]

18. 19

    Vance stays out of Israel's election

    US Vice-President JD Vance declined on Monday to back Netanyahu for re-election, a day after Trump endorsed him. [49] 'I'm not getting involved in Israeli elections,' Vance said, adding that he backs American candidates. [49] Vance did campaign last spring for Hungary's Viktor Orban, whose party then lost. [49] Trump has written that if anyone but Netanyahu wins, the US will have to fight Iran itself and he is 'not inclined to do so'. [46]

    Why it matters — Trump's words tie the US war with Iran to the result of Israel's vote. [46]

19. 20

    Young Israelis lean right before the vote

    More than half a million Israelis will vote for the first time on 27 October. [50] A poll for the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth found more than 16% of them plan to back far-right parties, Itamar Ben-Gvir's Jewish Power or Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism. [50] Ben-Gvir, now Israel's national security minister, was once turned away by the army for being too extreme. [50] Polls also point to a big rise in turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel, about a fifth of its people. [21]

    Why it matters — With the two blocs level, young voters and Palestinian citizens could each decide who governs. [50][21]

20. 21

    Gazans put their lives on hold for Israel's vote

    In Gaza, people are delaying weddings and rebuilding until after Israel's election, The National reports. [51] Munir Abu Wadi, whose supermarket in Jabalia refugee camp was destroyed, is waiting to see whether Netanyahu loses before he rebuilds. [51] Gazans have no vote in it. [51] Israeli strikes killed seven people across Gaza on Tuesday, among them a married couple in Gaza City, rescuers and hospitals said. [52]

    Why it matters — Many Gazans fear Netanyahu could start a new escalation before polling day. [51] His main rivals also back a hard line on Gaza. [51]

21. 22

    A family home is pulled down near Bethlehem

    Israeli forces demolished a two-storey family home near Bethlehem on Tuesday, saying it had no building permit, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. [53] The family was not allowed to take out its belongings. [53] A Palestinian commission counted 13 attacks by soldiers and settlers that day, including thefts of crops and sheep. [53] A settler rammed the car of a village council head east of Bethlehem. [53]

    Why it matters — Jerusalem's church leaders condemned Saturday's settler attack on olive pickers and European diplomats near Ramallah. [53] The attacks fall on farmers during the olive harvest. [53]

22. 23

    A fifth firm steps away from a Jerusalem cable car

    ROPES, an Italian cable car consultancy, has turned down work on a planned cable car from West Jerusalem into occupied East Jerusalem, the fifth foreign firm to step away, the Guardian reports. [47] The 1.4km line would end at a tourist complex run by Elad, a settler group working to strengthen Israeli control of Palestinian areas. [47] Israel's government approved it in 2019, and its high court upheld it in 2022. [47] ROPES said it had another job in India. [47]

    Why it matters — The route would take land and property rights from dozens of Palestinian families. [47] The Jerusalem Development Authority says the project is going ahead as planned. [47]

23. 24

    UN force in south Lebanon nears its end

    UNIFIL, the UN force that has watched the line between Israel and Lebanon since 1978, will most likely start leaving on 31 December, DW reports. [54] Lebanon's prime minister, Nawaf Salam, wants a new international force so the south is not left empty, but has not won an extension. [54] On Tuesday Israel's army said Lebanon's army was failing to stop Hezbollah south of the Litani River. [55] Lebanon's army called that baseless, hours before US-mediated talks between the two countries. [55]

    Why it matters — The force has 7,565 soldiers from 46 countries. [54] Israel still holds a self-declared security zone inside Lebanon. [54]

24. 25

    Lebanese judge summons two Hezbollah officials

    A Lebanese judge on Tuesday ordered two Hezbollah officials to come for questioning about more than half a tonne of explosives seized at a checkpoint on 8 October. [56] Two suspected Hezbollah members were caught carrying them in a vehicle heading for Beirut, Lebanon's capital. [56] Hezbollah said the explosives were part of its weapons for use against Israel. [56] A judicial official told the AFP news agency about the summons. [56]

    Why it matters — It comes as Israel says Lebanon's army is failing to disarm Hezbollah. [55]

25. 26

    Iran says Iraq will expel Kurdish opposition groups

    Mohammad Al Sadegh, Iran's ambassador in Baghdad, said on Tuesday that Iraq has agreed to expel Iranian Kurdish opposition groups from its Kurdistan region, or hand them to Iran. [57] He spoke after a meeting of the two countries' joint security committee. [57] A 2023 deal already bound Iraq to disarm the groups and stop attacks on Iran from its soil. [57] Thousands of Iranian Kurdish refugees have lived in the region since the 1980s. [57]

    Why it matters — Handing people to Iran raises serious legal and humanitarian concerns, The National notes. [57]

26. 27

    Gulf states will sell France diesel

    The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain will sell France about a tenth of the diesel it normally uses in the coming weeks, French government sources said. [58] The fuel will go through TotalEnergies, the French oil company, to bring prices down. [58] President Emmanuel Macron arranged it on a Gulf tour that ends in Qatar. [59] In Abu Dhabi, France and the UAE also signed an agreement on the Rafale F5, the newest version of France's fighter jet. [60]

    Why it matters — The deal aims to bring down energy prices, which have drawn protests and anger in France. [58]

27. 28

    Qatar says US-Iran talks are still going on

    Majed al-Ansari speaks for Qatar's foreign ministry. [13] He said on Tuesday that the US-Iran talks Qatar helps run are still going on, with both sides taking part. [13] 'The fact that we are not hearing about it is a good sign,' he said. [13] Qatar's intelligence chief said Qatar moved its whole air defence system in six hours to meet Iran's threats. [13] Tom Barrack, a US envoy, told the same Doha forum that the US wants a deal but trust is missing. [13]

    Why it matters — Qatar is one of the mediators between the US and Iran, along with Pakistan. [40]

28. 29

    King Charles honours Oman's sultan as a peacemaker

    King Charles welcomed Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, the first state visit to Britain by a sultan of Oman in 44 years. [61] At a banquet the king called Oman 'a trusted interlocutor to all parties' and thanked it for trying to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. [61] Oman has carried messages between the US and Iran since the war began in February. [61] The sultan meets Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Wednesday. [61]

    Why it matters — Oman borders the Strait of Hormuz and is a close British military ally. [61]

29. 30

    France arrests a man over the Limoges town hall fire

    French police arrested a man on Tuesday over the fire that destroyed Limoges town hall, a listed building from 1883, during Saturday's riots. [62] A source close to the case said he had been flagged as a possible threat and is linked to the far left. [62] Anti-terror police were called in, and anti-terror prosecutors will decide whether to treat the fire as terrorism. [62] Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said 149 people were in custody after the weekend. [63]

    Why it matters — Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu accuses far-left groups of an 'insurrectionary' plan. [63] Jean-Luc Melenchon, the far-left leader, told him to prove it or apologise. [63]

30. 31

    France brings in soldiers before Saturday's protests

    France will use soldiers from Operation Sentinelle, its 10,000-strong anti-terror patrol, to guard buildings on Saturday so police are free to face protesters, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said. [64] Lecornu promised a 'massive' security operation and meets five unions on Wednesday. [64][65] School students were not invited. [65] Curfews cover parts of Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Lille and Bordeaux this week. [63]

    Why it matters — A first poll after the riots found almost no change in next spring's presidential race, with the far-right Marine Le Pen ahead on 34% to 38%. [66] The US, China and Germany have warned their citizens about travel in France. [65]

31. 32

    Italy passes tough new protest laws

    Italy's cabinet on Tuesday approved 500 more soldiers for Milan and new laws against violent protest, which take effect at once. [14][67] Anyone in a group of five or more who endangers public safety at a protest faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to 20,000 euros. [14] Police may now hold 14- to 17-year-olds who have committed no crime if there is evidence they are a danger. [14] Parents can be made to pay for damage their children do. [68]

    Why it matters — The cabinet did not give soldiers police powers, after objections from President Sergio Mattarella, Italian media reported. [14] Truck drivers in southern Italy are also blocking roads over diesel prices. [14]

32. 33

    Portugal's housing protesters return after police clear camps

    Police cleared housing protest camps in Lisbon and Porto before dawn on Tuesday, arresting 55 people and taking 228 tents and other structures. [69][70] Protesters said about 30 of them were hurt and arrested. [69] By evening more than 1,000 people were back in each square, organisers said. [15] They want Portugal's government to drop a bill that makes evictions easier and ends rent caps on new leases. [15]

    Why it matters — The bill has passed its first vote in parliament. [15] Fuel prices, schools, public services and housing costs are behind protests from Portugal to Albania this autumn. [71]

33. 34

    Albania's protests reach an eighth day

    Police in Tirana, Albania's capital, used tear gas and water cannon on protesters for an eighth day running on Tuesday. [16] Many are school and university students who want lower fees and an end to corruption, and they want Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign. [16] About 300 people have been hurt, more than half of them police. [72] Rama blames a 'hybrid war' by foreign actors, which he has linked to Russia and Iran. [72]

    Why it matters — Rama says the campaign works because the complaints about living costs are real. [16] He also called the students part of 'emerging currents of political extremism'. [16]

34. 35

    Serbia's students run for power on Sunday

    Student List, a movement born from two years of student protests in Serbia, runs 250 candidates in Sunday's parliamentary election. [20] It is the biggest challenge yet to Aleksandar Vucic, who has led Serbia for 12 years and quit as president last month to run for prime minister. [20] The protests began after a station roof in Novi Sad fell on 1 November 2024, killing 16 people. [20] Polls vary widely. [20]

    Why it matters — Observers fear neither side will accept a loss, which raises the risk of unrest after the vote. [20] The students hope to repeat the April defeat of Vucic's ally Viktor Orban in Hungary. [20]

35. 36

    Romania finally gets a government

    Romania's parliament approved a new government led by Luca Niculescu, a diplomat and former journalist, by 280 votes to 58 on Tuesday. [73] He was President Nicusor Dan's fourth choice, after three earlier picks failed. [73] The vote ends a crisis that began in May, when Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan was voted out. [73] Niculescu says cutting a large budget deficit comes first. [73]

    Why it matters — His minority government has promises of support from the Social Democrats and others for six months while a longer deal is worked out. [73]

36. 37

    Poland's lower house votes to ease the abortion ban

    Poland's lower house of parliament passed two bills on Tuesday to loosen the country's near-total ban on abortion. [74] They would end criminal penalties for helping a woman get an abortion, and allow abortion again when the foetus has severe abnormalities. [74] Neither allows abortion on request up to 12 weeks, which Prime Minister Donald Tusk's party promised in 2023. [74] President Karol Nawrocki, who sides with the opposition, is likely to veto them. [74]

    Why it matters — The bills now go to Poland's Senate, where they look set to pass. [74]

37. 38

    Hackers steal emails from Germany's AfD

    Hackers took more than 421,000 emails from members of Germany's far-right AfD party last month, including messages from co-leader Alice Weidel, the newspaper Bild reported. [75] A website has published summaries, which Bild says include ID card photos, bank statements and membership lists. [75] The AfD says a few email accounts, most unused for years, were copied, and the attack was quickly stopped. [75] Nobody has said who did it. [75]

    Why it matters — The AfD leads Germany's national polls. [75] Weidel presents a plan on Wednesday to shrink the EU's powers rather than leave it. [76]

38. 39

    Two men rearrested over the RAF Fairford plot

    UK counter-terror police rearrested two men on Tuesday on suspicion of helping Iran's intelligence service. [77] They were among seven men first held after vans carrying petrol were found near RAF Fairford, a US-run air base in England, on 27 September. [78] Laurence Taylor, head of UK counter-terror policing, said Iranian state involvement is 'highly likely'. [78] Nobody has yet been charged. [77]

    Why it matters — The base has been used to bomb Iran during this year's war, and the US pulled its bombers out after the incident. [77][79]

39. 40

    Alberta votes to stay in Canada

    Voters in Alberta, Canada's oil-rich western province, rejected a plan on Monday to start a process toward independence, by about 76% to 24% with nearly 1.9 million votes counted. [80] A yes would only have started a path to a second vote. [81] Prime Minister Mark Carney, who grew up in Alberta, said 'Albertans chose Canada'. [80] Separatist leader Jeffrey Rath said the movement will now try to take control of the United Conservative Party, the province's governing party. [82]

    Stay in Canada76%

    Start leaving24%

    Why it matters — Alberta holds most of Canada's proven oil, which Carney needs as Canada fights a trade war with the US. [83]

40. 41

    Lula's campaign asks to disqualify his rival

    Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's campaign planned to ask the top electoral court on Tuesday to disqualify his rival, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, from Sunday's runoff. [84] It says Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, used its algorithms to bury Lula's posts and boost Bolsonaro. [84] Meta denies any bias and blames technical faults. [85] A PoderData poll puts the two men level at 50% each. [19]

    Why it matters — Flavio Bolsonaro won the first round with 47% to Lula's 45%. [84] His father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, was jailed for trying to hold on to power by a coup. [19]

41. 42

    Gangs hit Haiti's new international force

    Gangs fired on an armoured vehicle of the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force in Croix-des-Bouquets, near Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, on Sunday. [86] Four soldiers from El Salvador have been missing since they fled the burning vehicle. [86] It is the first major attack on the force since it began work almost six months ago. [86] Its UN envoy, Jack Christofides, said attacks on it rose from two to fifteen in one month. [86]

    Why it matters — Gangs control about 70% of Port-au-Prince as Haiti prepares for its first general election in more than a decade. [86] Gang violence has killed more than 21,000 people in four years. [86]

42. 43

    Trump puts $400m into the midterms

    Trump said on Tuesday he will spend more than $400m to help Republicans win the 3 November midterm elections. [87] He wrote that more than $300m had already gone on advertising, rallies and getting voters out. [87] He gave no breakdown of where the money goes. [87] His party faces anger over the economy and the war with Iran. [87]

    Why it matters — The vote decides who controls the US Congress for Trump's last two years in office. [24]

43. 44

    Trump says Ilhan Omar could go to jail

    Trump said on Tuesday that Ilhan Omar, a Democratic member of the US Congress born in Somalia, 'could also go to jail', as officials investigate her immigration papers. [88] He called Omar 'a sick and very dishonest person' and insulted Somalia. [88] Omar, a US citizen, says the claims are false and political. [88] He spoke at an event launching a reward scheme for people who report fraud. [88]

    Why it matters — Trump has also attacked other Muslim candidates, such as Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan's Senate race, The National reports. [88]

44. 45

    Florida's 18th execution, and a reprieve in Alabama

    Florida executed William Reaves, 77, on Tuesday for killing a sheriff's deputy in 1986, its 18th execution this year under Governor Ron DeSantis. [89] He was the eighth Florida prisoner over 70 put to death this year. [89] The same day Alabama's governor, Kay Ivey, changed Toforest Johnson's death sentence to life in prison, saying there was not enough direct evidence. [90] Johnson says he is innocent. [90]

    8 of 18

    of Florida's 18 people executed this year were over 70

    Why it matters — Ivey said her decision does not mean Johnson is innocent. [90] She has overseen 27 executions and spared three people. [90]

45. 46

    Burkina Faso brings back the death penalty

    Burkina Faso has brought back the death penalty after a unanimous vote by its unelected parliament, its justice ministry said on Tuesday. [91] The country abolished it in 2018 and last executed anyone in 1988. [91] Crimes that can now carry death include terrorism, spying, treason and importing banned products that kill. [91] The army has ruled since a 2022 coup led by Captain Ibrahim Traore. [91]

    Why it matters — Amnesty International, the rights group, had urged Burkina Faso's military rulers not to do it. [91]

46. 47

    A smuggler gets 30 years for 53 migrant deaths

    A US judge sentenced Rigoberto Ramon Miranda-Orozco, a Guatemalan man, to 30 years in prison on Tuesday for his part in a smuggling run that killed 53 migrants. [92] They died in an abandoned truck near San Antonio, Texas, in June 2022, one of the deadliest such cases on the US-Mexico border. [92] He was arrested in Guatemala in 2024 and sent to the US in March 2025. [92]

    Why it matters — 64 people had been packed into the truck on a journey from Guatemala through Mexico. [92]

47. 48

    Islamic State fighters kill dozens in Mali

    Fighters from Islamic State Sahel Province killed 48 people in Mali's eastern Menaka region on Sunday night and Monday morning, a Tuareg leader and lawmaker told AP. [93] Security and community sources gave AFP a toll of more than 40, mostly in camps of the Daoussahak community. [94] The lawmaker said the fighters accused villagers of telling Mali's army where they were. [93] Mali's army said it had struck a militant base near Menaka on Saturday. [94]

    Why it matters — Mali has fought jihadists, separatists and gangs since 2012, and its military rulers now rely on Russian fighters. [94]

48. 49

    Ethiopia's leader warns Eritrea

    Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed warned Eritrea on Monday of 'very, very, very severe consequences' if it keeps backing rebels in Ethiopia. [95] Rebels of the TPLF, the party that ran Tigray for decades, attacked federal forces last month but retreated and lost control of the region. [95] Eritrea had sent thousands of troops to help them, and they also pulled back under drone strikes. [95] Abiy spoke in Tigrinya, Tigray's main language. [95]

    Why it matters — The fighting raised fears of a regional war between the two neighbours. [95]

49. 50

    The Gambia pays a dictator's victims from his US mansion

    The Gambia's reparations commission said on Tuesday it has received just over $2.5m from the sale of a mansion near Washington DC that belonged to former President Yahya Jammeh. [96] A US court ordered the house seized in 2022, after US prosecutors said it was bought with money from corruption. [96] The money can only be used to pay victims of Jammeh's 22-year rule, which ended in 2017. [96] An inquiry found his forces killed 240 to 250 people. [96]

    Why it matters — Jammeh lives in exile in Equatorial Guinea. [96] President Adama Barrow said official auditors will advise how the money is shared. [96]

50. 51

    South Africa's ex-deputy police chief denied bail

    A court in Randburg, Johannesburg, refused bail on Tuesday to Shadrack Sibiya, South Africa's former deputy national police chief. [97] He faces six charges, including rape, grooming a 16-year-old girl and human trafficking, and pleads not guilty. [98] The magistrate said he might try to influence witnesses, especially the girl. [98] Prosecutors also feared he could leave the country. [97]

    Why it matters — South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority welcomed the ruling and said it will fight any appeal. [97]

51. 52

    Bus crash kills 13 in Egypt

    A truck crashed into a tour bus on the Cairo-Asyut Western Desert Road, west of Egypt's capital, on Tuesday, killing 13 people and hurting 34, state media reported. [99] Almost 6,000 people died on Egypt's roads last year, says the state statistics agency. [99] Last month a bus crash in Sinai killed 22 people, including 10 Jordanian tourists. [99]

    Why it matters — Crashes there are often blamed on reckless driving, poor upkeep of vehicles and weak enforcement of traffic laws. [99]

52. 53

    UN experts tell India to stop excessive force

    Two dozen independent UN experts called on India on Tuesday to stop using excessive force on protesters, and asked for an impartial inquiry. [100][101] Students and opposition parties have protested this month against a revision of voter lists that removed about 130 million names. [101] The experts said police beat unarmed students with batons and stopped thousands from joining the protests. [101] India usually rejects such criticism as interference in its affairs. [101]

    Why it matters — Opposition parties say the cuts hit poor people and Muslims hardest, which India's election commission denies. [101] About 28 million of the removed names are listed as dead. [102]

53. 54

    Pakistan warns India over nuclear weapons

    Khalid Kidwai, a retired general who advises Pakistan's nuclear command, said on Tuesday that Pakistan may review where it deploys its nuclear forces. [103] He said India is moving toward a nuclear stance that may be ready to strike first. [103] He and another former head of Pakistan's nuclear planning pointed to India's reported nuclear weapons on a submarine, and to recent clashes between the two countries. [103]

    Why it matters — India and Pakistan both have nuclear weapons, and Kidwai said Pakistan will keep its nuclear policy deliberately unclear. [103]

54. 55

    Accused attacker of Australian MP stays in custody

    Brendan Nugent, 43, did not ask for bail in court on Wednesday, charged with driving into Helen Haines, an independent member of Australia's parliament, on Monday. [104] Haines has lost a leg and is in a critical but stable condition. [104] The head of Australia's federal police said one person a week is now charged over threats to MPs. [104] A barber, Ricky Jefferies, pulled the man from his car and took a knife from his pocket. [105]

    Why it matters — Police say they had no warning that Nugent might attack. [104] Victoria's state government announced new steps to protect politicians. [104]

55. 56

    Photos of Kim Jong Un quash a death rumour

    North Korea's state newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, published photos of leader Kim Jong Un touring a clothing show with his daughter. [106] They appeared hours after Wanjun Xie, a Chinese dissident living in the US, claimed without evidence that Kim had died in a Beijing hospital. [106] Xie has spread unproven claims before, including about China's leader Xi Jinping. [106]

    Why it matters — North Korea shares so little that rumours about its leader are hard to check and spread fast. [106]

56. 57

    UN to launch a forum on AI in war

    UNIDIR, the UN's disarmament research institute in Geneva, will launch the first world forum on military uses of artificial intelligence on Thursday. [107] Its head, Robin Geiss, said 'the margin for human judgment is increasingly narrow, including in the nuclear domain'. [107] All five big nuclear powers, the US, Russia, China, Britain and France, fund its AI centre. [107] It will also draw up voluntary rules for arms companies. [107]

    Why it matters — AI is already used in early-warning systems and spying, and armed groups use it to plan attacks, Geiss said. [107]

57. 58

    The UN is still owed $1.46bn

    India told a UN budget committee on Monday that member states owe the UN's regular budget $1.46bn, down from $1.87bn a year ago but still 'unacceptably high'. [108] It said more than 90% of that is owed by one member state, which it did not name. [108] The US pays 22% of the regular budget, more than any other country. [108]

    A year ago$1.87bn

    Now$1.46bn

    Why it matters — The US paid $725m into the regular budget in September but still owes more than $4bn, The Hindu reports. [108]