World News · Friday, 30 October 2026

01 Briefing what happened

China's Communist Party expels a record 33 members and leaves its army's top command with two men

Xi Jinping's party ended a four-day meeting with the most expulsions and empty seats ever, and promoted its anti-corruption general; a Russian drone killed 14 at Dnipro's station, Israel's final count left no one a majority, and the US sued over Alaska's Senate race.

Communist Party members expelled at this week's plenum, a record

16 of them were from the military [1]

279

members came to the meeting, the fewest under Xi

376 were named to the Central Committee in 2022 [2]

2 of 7

seats still filled on the commission that runs China's military

Xi Jinping and General Zhang Shengmin [2]

Central Committee members removed in Xi's third term, a record

against 35 in his first term and 5 in his second [1]

The lead story — what happened

China's Communist Party expelled a record 33 members at a meeting that ended on Thursday. [1] A plenum is a closed meeting of the party's Central Committee, its top few hundred officials. [2] It happens roughly once a year, and this one lasted 4 days in a Beijing hotel. [1] Only 279 members came, down from 364 in July 2024 and 315 last October. [1] It was the first time under Xi Jinping that fewer than 300 attended. [1]
16 of the 33 expelled members came from the military, the party's statement said. [1] The Central Military Commission, which commands China's armed forces, normally has 7 members. [1] Purges have left it with just 2: Xi himself and General Zhang Shengmin. [2] Zhang Shengmin is the army's anti-corruption chief, who checks officers for wrongdoing. [2] On Thursday the party promoted him to the Politburo, its top governing body. [3] He is now the only military member of that body. [2]
Those expelled include Zhang Youxia, once the second most powerful man in China's military. [2] Ma Xingrui, who ran the party in the region of Xinjiang, was expelled too. [2] Liu Jianchao, a well-known diplomat missing from view since July last year, was also named. [1] The party gave no charges beyond 'serious disciplinary and legal violations'. [1]
Xi's third term has now removed a record 51 Central Committee members. [1] His first term removed 35 and his second 5. [1] Across the whole party, 680,000 people were disciplined in the first nine months of this year. [1] More than 2 million have been disciplined since Xi took over in 2012, an official said. [1]
Xi has called corruption the 'biggest threat' to the party. [1] In January he warned of 'two-faced cadres' who claim loyalty but ignore orders. [1] Chong Ja Ian, a Carnegie China scholar, says the campaign now protects Xi's own authority. [1] Kerry Brown, a China expert at King's College London, sees a cost to it. [4] He says more pressure on officials risks killing their will to act on their own. [4]

2 of 7

seats still filled on the Central Military Commission

The commission that commands China's armed forces is down to Xi and Zhang Shengmin.

Who is involved

Xi Jinping

China's leader and head of the Communist Party since 2012; he set discipline as the meeting's theme
Zhang Shengmin

the general who runs anti-corruption checks in the army; promoted to the Politburo
Zhang Youxia

once the military's second in command under Xi; now expelled
Ma Xingrui

former party chief of the Xinjiang region; now expelled

How it unfolded

2012 Xi takes over and makes fighting corruption central [1]
2018 term limits for China's leaders are removed [4]
2022 376 people named to the Central Committee [2]
This week 33 expelled and 279 attend the fifth plenum [1]
2027 party congress expected to give Xi a fourth term [2]

Where this points

The party's next congress, held every five years, is due in the second half of 2027. [2] Xi is expected to win a 4th term there, the longest rule since Mao Zedong. [2] Analysts say the purges have left few suitable people to promote. [2]

Signals on this beat

The bar and the word are our reading of how hard each one is pushing, and the arrow is where it is heading.

Cheap drones getting through High↑

In Dnipro, a Ukrainian city, air defences stopped 3 of 4 drones and the 4th killed 14. [5] Three sea drones sank a cargo ship off Bulgaria. [6] North Korea tested attack drones, and its leader called for 'absolute superiority' in them. [7]

Interceptors in short supply Building↑

Each US Patriot interceptor costs over $4 million, and the US builds about 60 to 65 a month. [8] A former US envoy to NATO thinks the US is keeping them for a new Iran war. [9] Saudi Arabia used its air defences on 2 ballistic missiles fired at Riyadh. [10]

Election results under attack High↑

Netanyahu's Likud party said Israel's election was 'stolen'. [11] The US Justice Department asked a court to block Alaska's Senate result if the Republican narrowly loses. [12] Cameroon banned an opposition party for three months before next year's elections. [13]

Courts punishing opponents Building→

Bangladesh sentenced a leader of the ousted Awami League to death in his absence. [14] Tunisia gave journalist Zied el-Heni 4 more years in prison. [15] South Korean prosecutors asked for the death penalty for ex-President Yoon. [16]

The rest of the day

46 more stories on this beat.

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

02
Russian drone kills 14 at Dnipro station

A Russian drone hit a crowded platform at Dnipro's main railway station on Thursday, killing 14. [17] Dnipro is a city in central Ukraine; a train to Zaporizhzhia stood at the platform. [17] At least 14 more were wounded, among them an 11-year-old boy. [17] Ukraine's air force said it stopped 3 of 4 drones, but the 4th got through. [5] A threat warning was out, yet many people were still on the platform. [17] In Chernihiv, in the north, a Russian missile killed 2 girls aged 15. [17] Officials said it was a Banderol, a relatively cheap jet-powered cruise missile. [18] In September alone, drone threats forced evacuations from more than 5,800 train services. [19]

Why it matters — Zelensky asked how many such attacks Russia has made since some sanctions were eased. [5] Ukraine, the US and Russia are due to hold talks in November, he has said. [19]
03
Ukraine waits for US Patriot missiles

NATO allies doubt Ukraine will get more US Patriot missiles before Tuesday's US midterm elections. [8] Patriots are interceptors: missiles that shoot down incoming ballistic missiles. [8] Ukraine has waited almost a month for Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, to approve them. [9] Each Patriot interceptor costs over $4 million and can take two years to build. [8] The US builds about 60 to 65 a month, by Ukraine's estimate. [8] Russia fired more than 100 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and nearby in two weeks, Zelensky said. [8]

Why it matters — CSIS, a Washington research group, says the Iran war used about half of US interceptor stocks. [8] Ex-US NATO envoy Kurt Volker thinks the US may keep them for a new Iran war. [9]
04
Sea drones sink a ship off Bulgaria

A container ship sank off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast after 3 sea drones hit it. [6] The Contship Jet carried 421 containers from Haifa in Israel to Constanta in Romania. [20] All 18 crew, 14 from the Philippines and 4 from Ukraine, were rescued. [6] At least 6 ships were hit by drones off Bulgaria this month, government statements say. [20] About two dozen sailors are feared dead. [20] A French patrol plane warned Bulgaria, but its navy could not stop the attack. [20] Nobody has said who launched the drones. [20]

Why it matters — Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, all NATO members, called for the attacks on ships to stop. [6] Some NATO members wonder whether Russia is testing their support for Ukraine. [6]
05
Aid due as the Oleshky truce holds

Aid was due to enter Oleshky on Friday, as a local truce passed 54 hours. [21] Oleshky is a Russian-held town in southern Ukraine, where about 2,000 people are trapped. [21] They have been short of food, water and medicine for months. [18] Human rights officials on both sides said no one had broken the truce. [21] Russian engineers were clearing mines from the roads for the aid convoy. [21] The Trump administration credits Melania Trump, the US first lady, with helping to broker it. [21]

Why it matters — The pause is planned to last six days, and residents will be able to leave. [21] France's President Macron said peace needs much more than one local truce. [5]
06
Russian diesel sails for the US

Seven tankers carrying about 288,000 tonnes of Russian diesel are sailing towards the US. [22] They are the first part of a deal Trump and Putin struck this month. [22] The deal reversed years of US sanctions, or punishments, on Russian oil. [22] Greenpeace, an environmental group, tracked the 7 ships using shipping websites. [22] It is unclear whether they can unload, amid a row over whether the shipments are legal. [22] The US is also moving to lift sanctions on Russia's 'shadow fleet' of tankers. [23] That fleet of old, often uninsured tankers carries oil around Western limits. [23]

Why it matters — It makes up nearly 19% of the world's oil tanker capacity, S&P Global estimates. [23]
07
EU reopens defence loans for Ukraine

The EU reopened 21.3 billion euros of unspent defence loans on Thursday. [24] The money comes from SAFE, a cheap-loan scheme to help EU countries arm faster. [24] Italy, Hungary and France borrowed far less than expected, leaving money unspent. [24] The European Commission wants countries to spend it on joint projects with Ukrainian firms. [24] Ukraine faces a 70 billion euro gap in its budget. [24] Missile defence, drones and ammunition are the most urgent needs, the EU defence commissioner wrote. [24]

Why it matters — Countries can apply until 13 November. [24]
08
Germany and Ukraine test an armed robot

A German and a Ukrainian company tested an armed ground robot for Ukraine's army. [25] The vehicle, GEREON, is built by ARX Robotics and drives with no one inside. [25] ROBONEERS, a Ukrainian firm, makes the weapons module mounted on top. [25] Soldiers fire it by remote control, from a safer distance. [25] Unarmed versions already carry supplies and wounded soldiers in Ukraine. [25]

Why it matters — The first armed ones are due by the end of 2026. [25] The deal was signed during Chancellor Merz's visit to Kyiv in early October. [25]
09
Israel's final count: no one has 61

Israel's final count gave Netanyahu's bloc 53 of the 120 seats in parliament. [26] The opposition bloc, led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, won 48 seats. [26] Two Arab-led parties won a record 19 seats between them. [27] A government needs 61 seats, so neither bloc can rule alone. [27] Netanyahu's Likud party said the election was 'stolen' with foreign money given to Arab parties. [11] The election committee's head asked Shin Bet, Israel's security service, to investigate. [28] Shin Bet said it was not blaming a whole community that voted lawfully. [26] Qatar, accused of sending the money, called the claims 'ridiculous'. [29]

Why it matters — Most Jewish opposition parties say they will not govern with Arab parties. [30] The new parliament is sworn in on 10 November. [30]
10
Abbas asks Cyprus to help restart talks

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he hopes to restart peace talks with Israel's next government. [31] He spoke in Nicosia, Cyprus's capital, beside Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. [31] He asked Cyprus to mediate, saying it has good ties with both sides. [31] Christodoulides said Cyprus was 'at Palestine's disposal'. [31] Talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been stalled for years. [32]

Why it matters — Israel's own election left neither bloc with a majority to form a government. [32]
11
Lebanon says talks with Israel are stuck

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun said talks with Israel have not yet settled the key issues. [33] They include a ceasefire, Israel pulling out of south Lebanon, the border and prisoners. [33] A Lebanese army team set out its demands at US-hosted talks in Tampa, Florida. [33] Those talks were held on 20 and 21 October. [33] A June deal tied a slow Israeli pull-out to disarming the armed group Hezbollah. [33]

Why it matters — Aoun said Israeli strikes in Lebanon are undermining stability. [33]
12
Gaza's food aid cut as donations fall

The World Food Programme, the UN's food agency, says hunger in Gaza is getting worse. [34] It cut the number of people it feeds from 1.6 million to 1.1 million. [34] Daily hot meals fell from 250,000 to 150,000. [34] Each family's monthly flour ration was halved, from 50kg to 25kg. [34] The agency blames falling donations. [34] Parents are skipping meals so their children can eat, a spokeswoman said. [34]

Why it matters — The cuts began almost three weeks before the WFP announced them on 19 October. [34]
13
Israel extends a preacher's Al-Aqsa ban

Israel extended a ban keeping preacher Ekrima Sabri out of Al-Aqsa Mosque until April 2027. [35] Al-Aqsa, in occupied East Jerusalem, is the third holiest site in Islam. [35] Sabri heads the Higher Islamic Council in Jerusalem. [35] It is the 5th such order against him since August 2024. [35] A Palestinian monitoring group counts over 1,000 bans from the mosque and Old City this year. [35]

Why it matters — Far-right Jewish activists are increasingly allowed to pray there under police protection. [35] That breaks a long-standing rule on who may pray at the site. [35]
14
Iran gets a letter from Vance

Iran says it has a letter from US Vice-President JD Vance, but has not replied. [36] The letter offers to restart talks to end the war between the US and Iran. [37] That war is in its 8th month and has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. [38] Trump played it down, saying the letter was about medical supplies. [38] The offer asks Iran to make nuclear promises first, in return for lifting sanctions. [37] Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Ghalibaf said its 7 conditions must be agreed first. [37]

Why it matters — The US told Gulf states to prepare for a short attack on Iran after the midterms. [39] Senator Chris Murphy, briefed on that plan, called it 'insane'. [39]
15
Iran says four tankers hit mines

Iran said four tankers caught fire after hitting mines near the Strait of Hormuz. [40] The strait usually carries about a fifth of the world's oil and gas. [40] Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the tankers had switched off radar and ignored warnings. [40] A day earlier, the US military said it had cleared mines from the main routes. [40] A Guards spokesman told the US to prove that with independent evidence. [40] No flags or owners of the tankers were given. [40]

Why it matters — Iran has restricted traffic through the strait since the war began on 28 February. [40]
16
Houthis claim six attacks on Saudi Arabia

Yemen's Houthis claimed 6 attacks on Saudi airports and oil sites on Thursday. [41] The Houthis are an Iran-backed armed group in Yemen. [41] Targets they named included the Ras Tanura refinery and Riyadh's main airport. [41] Saudi Arabia said it shot down 2 ballistic missiles fired at Riyadh, its capital. [10] Reporters heard at least 8 explosions in the city. [10] The Houthis said Saudi strikes killed 12 people in western Yemen. [10] Nobody has independently confirmed the Houthi claims. [41]

Why it matters — The attacks came days after Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani officials held peace talks in Tehran. [41]
17
Iran's top court spares a protester

Iran's Supreme Court overturned the death sentence of Leila Abolhasani, a nail technician. [42] She was accused of setting a shop on fire during protests in January. [42] Her supporters say she was only filming the burning shop. [42] She had been sentenced to death in August for 'enmity against God'. [42] Between 25,000 and 50,000 people were detained during those protests. [42] Iran has executed at least 34 people in cases linked to them, Amnesty International says. [42]

Why it matters — A UN-backed inquiry called the crackdown crimes against humanity. [42]
18
US sues over Alaska's two Dan Sullivans

The US Justice Department filed a revised lawsuit over Alaska's Senate race on Thursday. [12] It asks to stop the result being made official if Republican Dan Sullivan narrowly loses. [12] A second man named Dan Sullivan, a retired teacher, is also on the ballot. [43] The New York Times reported that Democrat Mary Peltola's team helped recruit him. [12] Peltola's campaign denies any link to either Sullivan campaign. [43] Alaska's Republican governor, Mike Dunleavy, ordered a criminal investigation. [12]

Why it matters — Under the US constitution, the states run elections, not the president. [12] Alaska's race is one of 7 toss-ups that decide who controls the US Senate. [12]
19
Four days out, the US Senate is in play

Americans vote on Tuesday in midterm elections that decide who controls the US Congress. [44] Republicans hold the US Senate 53 to 47, and 35 seats are being contested. [45] The Cook Political Report, an election analyst, rates 7 races as toss-ups. [45] 6 of the 7 are seats Republicans now hold; Michigan's is the exception. [45] Trump cancelled rallies in Iowa and Kansas on Thursday. [44] He will hold 'tele-rallies' instead, broadcast to nearly 20 states. [44]

Why it matters — Whoever controls the US Congress can pass or block Trump's plans for his last two years. [44]
20
A warning about Muslim voters

A Muslim American group warns that anti-Muslim provocateurs could keep Muslims from voting on Tuesday. [46] The Muslim Public Affairs Council published the report, written by a group that tracks Islamophobia. [46] It documented rallies outside mosques, confrontations and online claims of an 'Islamic takeover'. [46] Such events often bring calls for more police, which can scare people away from polls. [46] Trump and his allies have attacked Muslim Democrats such as Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. [46]

Why it matters — The report urges Muslim Americans to go to vote in groups, not alone. [46]
21
Ramaswamy drops an attack ad

Vivek Ramaswamy, Republican candidate for governor of Ohio, says his campaign stopped airing an attack ad. [47] The ad featured the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton. [47] Court records show Acton's mother lost custody of her in 1978. [47] Her stepfather had been charged with raping her as a child. [47] Ramaswamy's campaign had said it would spend $4 million to air the ad. [47]

Why it matters — Democrats and Republicans alike criticised it. [47]
22
G20 ministers meet without South Africa

Foreign ministers of the G20, the world's biggest economies, begin 2 days of talks on Friday. [48] US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosts them in Atlanta, in the US state of Georgia. [48] The US has uninvited South Africa, partly over its legal case against Israel. [48] It has invited Russia, but not Ukraine. [48] Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is under Western sanctions, will attend. [48] The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said she would urge more support for Ukraine. [48]

Why it matters — The war with Iran and its effect on energy and shipping hang over the talks. [48]
23
Spain hears audio from before the crash

Leaked audio appears to show a Madrid control centre clearing a high-speed train to move on. [49] Another train had stalled on the same track about 25km ahead. [49] The trains collided near Urda, in central Spain, on Wednesday morning. [49] Investigators revised the death toll to 69, down from 74 given earlier. [50] A computer fault shut the line's safety system on 63km of track at about 8:30. [51] The crash came at 8:53. [51]

Why it matters — Vox, a far-right party, filed a homicide complaint against Transport Minister Oscar Puente. [52] Spain votes in an early general election next month. [52]
24
EU offers Canada a new kind of partnership

EU and Canadian leaders met in Montreal for a two-day summit on Thursday and Friday. [53] European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen set out an 'associate membership' for Canada. [53] No such status exists yet; she first floated it last month. [53] It would mean close ties on policy and shared research projects. [53] Germany and others question the name, fearing Canada gets special treatment. [53] The summit's declaration is expected to leave out the words 'associate member'. [54]

Why it matters — Prime Minister Mark Carney said the name matters less than what changes for Canadians. [54]
25
Serbia's winners demand police chiefs quit

Serbia's student movement demanded that top police, spy and court officials resign. [55] The students won last Sunday's election, ending 14 years of rule by Aleksandar Vucic's party. [55] Their movement began after a station roof fell in Novi Sad in 2024, killing 16. [56] They fear evidence of wrongdoing could be destroyed during the weeks-long handover. [56] Votes will be rerun at about 50 polling stations on Sunday, 1 November. [55]

Why it matters — Vucic's party took control of state institutions after coming to power in 2012. [55]
26
Flares in Albania's parliament

Opposition MPs in Albania set off smoke flares in parliament on Thursday. [57] They blocked the podium during a vote on a central bank law. [57] 4 opposition MPs were expelled from the chamber. [58] Students have protested since mid-October, demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama resign. [57] They are angry about corruption, a lack of jobs and poor schools. [57] Opposition leader Sali Berisha said ruling MPs deserved 'tear gas' and 'cracked skulls'. [57]

Why it matters — The opposition showed photos of hurt protesters; their claims of police violence are not confirmed. [58]
27
Italy strikes over prices and arms

Unions called strikes across Italy for Friday, against rising living costs and military spending. [59] The Unione Sindacale di Base, an Italian union, called public and private workers to strike. [59] A major demonstration is planned in Rome, the capital. [59] Rail services are disrupted from 9pm Thursday to 9pm Friday. [59] Air travel is hit all day Friday, and taxis too. [59] Students plan to march again in Italy's main cities. [59]

Why it matters — Dock workers in several countries also protest on Friday against arms shipments. [59]
28
France readies 70,000 police for Halloween

France will deploy 70,000 police for protests planned on Saturday, Halloween. [60] Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the day carries a 'very high risk' of disorder. [60] Protests over living costs have swept France, and some turned into looting and riots. [60] Last Saturday drew about 410,000 protesters, by the French interior ministry's count. [60] Unions put the number at roughly double. [60] More than 2,700 people were arrested a week earlier. [60]

Why it matters — Nunez warned protesters not to use Halloween as a reason to hide their faces. [60] Marches will be allowed, but not in city centres. [60]
29
EU helicopter crash kills four in Bosnia

An Italian army helicopter crashed in northern Bosnia on Thursday, killing 4 of 15 on board. [61] It flew for EUFOR, the European Union's peacekeeping force in Bosnia. [61] The dead were 2 soldiers and 2 Red Cross volunteers, Italy said. [61] 11 people were injured. [62] The Chinook was on routine training near Brcko, about 180km north of Sarajevo. [61]

Why it matters — EUFOR said it is carrying out a full investigation of the crash. [61]
30
Rock spire falls in Cappadocia

A rock spire collapsed at a tourist site in Cappadocia, Turkey, killing 3 people. [63] The spires, called fairy chimneys, are cone-shaped rocks made by ancient volcanoes. [63] It fell near the entrance of the open-air museum in Goreme, a UNESCO World Heritage site. [64] 5 people were hurt, the justice minister said. [63] Heavy rain set off a landslide that brought the rock down. [63]

Why it matters — Rescuers searched the rubble through the night for anyone still trapped. [63]
31
North Korea tests attack drones

North Korea tested attack drones, cruise missiles and rocket launchers, its state media said Friday. [7] Leader Kim Jong Un called for faster work on military drones and AI. [7] He said the North must seize 'absolute superiority' in drone technology. [7] State media claimed the drones hit an island target with 100% accuracy. [7] Experts say North Korean troops sent to fight for Russia have likely learned drone warfare. [65] A day earlier, the North fired about a dozen short-range missiles, South Korea said. [7]

Why it matters — In Seoul, Germany's Chancellor Merz accused North Korea of threatening Europe's freedom. [66]
32
Death penalty sought for South Korea's Yoon

A South Korean prosecutor asked a court for the death penalty for ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol. [16] Yoon briefly declared martial law in December 2024 and sent troops to seize parliament. [16] A lower court sentenced him to life in prison in February. [16] Yoon and the prosecutors both appealed; Seoul's High Court has set no ruling date. [16] South Korea has not executed anyone since 1997. [16]

Why it matters — Yoon's lawyers say he only meant to warn people about the opposition-led parliament. [16]
33
Bangladesh sentences an Awami leader to death

A Bangladesh tribunal sentenced Awami League leader Mahbubul Alam Hanif to death on Thursday. [14] It found him guilty of killing 6 people during the 2024 student uprising. [14] That uprising toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India. [14] Hanif and 3 others were tried in their absence, and all are on the run. [14] He is the 23rd Awami League leader sentenced to death since Hasina fell. [14] Hasina herself was sentenced to death last November. [14]

Why it matters — The Awami League, Hasina's party, has since been disbanded. [14]
34
Mongolia's copper stuck at China's border

Copper exports from Mongolia's Oyu Tolgoi mine to China fell about 70% in two weeks. [67] Oyu Tolgoi is one of the world's largest copper mines. [67] Truck convoys crossing the border fell from 12 or 13 a day to about 4. [67] Mongolian officials blame upgrades at China's Ganqimaodu border post. [67] China added face scanners for truck drivers in August, slowing the crossing. [67] Local media put the lost sales at about $300 million so far. [67]

Why it matters — China is the world's biggest buyer of copper and coal, Mongolia's main exports. [67]
35
Merz calls for a free-trade alliance

Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for a worldwide network of free-trading countries. [68] He spoke in Seoul on the last day of a four-day trip to Asia. [68] He made the same call in Singapore and Japan. [68] He warned against turning supply chains and raw materials into weapons. [68]

Why it matters — Germany's president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, also called for free trade on a trip to China. [66]
36
Machado says the US backs a 2027 vote

Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said the US backs a presidential election in 2027. [69] She spoke in Caracas, her first public remarks after 10 months in exile. [69] She said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has set out steps toward that vote. [69] Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said there 'will be elections', without giving a date. [69] Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize and presented it to Trump. [69]

Why it matters — The US captured former President Nicolas Maduro on 3 January. [69] Machado wants thousands of political prisoners freed. [69]
37
El Salvador sends 2,000 troops to Haiti

El Salvador has sent more than 2,000 soldiers to Haiti to find 4 missing Salvadorans. [70] The 4, air force technicians, vanished almost two weeks ago in a gang ambush. [70] They served with a UN-backed force fighting Haiti's armed gangs. [70] Haiti handed over 4 bodies, but President Nayib Bukele said they did not match. [70] He said one body was a child's. [70]

Why it matters — Bukele has threatened to wipe out Haiti's gangs as he did at home. [70]
38
El Salvador's ex-president Saca walks free

El Salvador's former president Elias Antonio Saca left prison after a 10-year corruption sentence. [71] He admitted diverting more than $300 million of public money as president, 2004 to 2009. [71] He was arrested at his son's wedding in 2016. [71] A plea deal spared him a possible 30-year sentence. [71]

Why it matters — He was also ordered to repay $260 million to the state. [71]
39
Raid on Libya's central bank

Unknown men raided the headquarters of Libya's central bank in Tripoli, the bank said. [72] It came hours after parliament accepted the resignation of the bank's governor, Naji Issa. [72] The bank blamed Libya's defence ministry, which is meant to guard the building. [72] Libya has been split since Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011. [72] Tripoli has a UN-recognised government; a rival one in the east is backed by Khalifa Haftar. [72]

Why it matters — Parliament named board member Fauzi Abokhzam as the interim governor. [72] A fight over the bank in 2024 helped halt Libya's oil production. [72]
40
Tunisian journalist gets four more years

A Tunisian court gave journalist Zied el-Heni 4 more years in prison. [15] The charges were terrorism-related, including forming a terrorist group, his lawyer said. [15] He had refused to hand over his phone without a warrant, to protect his sources. [15] He was already jailed for 1 year in May over remarks on press freedom. [15] He is an outspoken critic of President Kais Saied. [15]

Why it matters — Saied seized sweeping powers in 2021, and dozens of his critics are in jail. [15]
41
Cameroon bans an opposition party

Cameroon suspended opposition politician Issa Tchiroma Bakary's party for 3 months. [13] Cameroon's government cited calls for insurrection and threats to public order. [13] It also said one of the party's leaders lives abroad. [13] Paul Atanga Nji, the minister for territorial administration, announced the ban on Tuesday. [13] Opposition parties called the ban political and a threat to a fair vote. [13]

Why it matters — Cameroon holds legislative and local elections in early 2027. [13] Tension has stayed high since the presidential election of October 2025. [13]
42
Cameroon families want sons back from Ukraine

Families in Cameroon marched to Russia's embassy in Yaounde to demand relatives back from Ukraine. [73] They say the men were promised civilian jobs in Russia, then sent to the front. [73] A report counts at least 1,417 Africans recruited into Russia's army. [73] More than 300 of them have reportedly been killed. [73] One woman has not heard from her husband in nine months. [73]

Why it matters — Russia hosted African leaders at a summit in Moscow this week. [74]
43
Russia backs Ghana's bid for BRICS

Russia will back Ghana's bid to become a BRICS partner country, Ghana's foreign minister said. [74] BRICS is a group of emerging economies that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. [74] It has 11 members; Egypt and Ethiopia are its only other African ones. [74] Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa met Russia's Sergei Lavrov at the Moscow summit. [74] Ghana hopes to attract investment and trade. [74]

Why it matters — Ghana says the bid will not replace its ties with Western partners. [74]
44
UN: Al Obeid lives in constant fear

UN investigators say Al Obeid, a city in Sudan, lives in 'constant fear'. [75] The Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group fighting the army, hit it with drones. [75] The army's security units have arrested thousands, the UN mission says. [75] The city's prison holds 2,000 people but was built for 450. [75] Fewer than 1 in 3 of its hospitals still work. [75] October saw the most drone attacks on civilians since the war began in April 2023. [75]

Why it matters — The drone strikes may amount to war crimes, the investigators said. [75]
45
Abu Dhabi jails eight over Sudan arms

An Abu Dhabi court jailed 8 men for life for smuggling arms to Sudan's army. [76] Ammunition came into the UAE disguised as medical supplies, the court found. [76] Several companies in the network were fined $272,294 each and lost their licences. [76] The court said the trade could harm the UAE's relations with other countries. [76]

Why it matters — Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces have been at war since April 2023. [75]
46
Three bodies found in Gabon's sunken rig

Underwater robots found 3 bodies inside an oil rig that sank off Gabon on Saturday. [77] The Prospector 5 had 115 people on board, and 110 were found safe. [77] 2 people are still missing. [77] A serious failure in its structure sank the rig off Mayumba, in southern Gabon. [77]

Why it matters — The images do not yet show who the dead are. [77]
47
South Africa's local vote nears

South Africa holds local elections on 4 November, with 546 parties standing. [78] Almost 137,000 candidates are competing for just over 10,500 council seats. [78] The ANC and the DA are the two biggest parties in the national unity government. [79] One poll puts the DA at 35% in Johannesburg and the ANC at 21.8%. [79] In Bronkhorstspruit, over 800 people fell ill after water went out unchlorinated for 3 weeks. [80]

Why it matters — Experts expect hung councils, where no party wins a majority. [79]

02 Lesson why it matters

Why stopping cheap drones with $4 million missiles drains the defender first

Military planners call it the cost-exchange ratio: when each shot down costs far more than the drone, the defender's money runs out first.

The twist

Stopping 3 of 4 drones looks like winning. But if each stop costs far more than the drone, the attacker can keep sending them for longer than the defender can keep paying.

The picture

3 of 4

drones Ukraine's air force stopped at Dnipro

Ukraine stopped 3 of the 4 drones aimed at Dnipro on Thursday. The one that got through killed 14 people on a station platform.

How it works

Military operations research, the study of war in numbers, compares what each side pays per shot
An attacker sends many cheap drones or missiles
Each one could kill people, so the defender must try to stop it
The best interceptors, like a Patriot, cost over $4 million each
So each drone stopped costs the defender far more than the attacker
The defender's stock or money runs low, and the next drone gets through

The same force, elsewhere today

Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.

The strike on Dnipro's station

Ukraine's defences stopped three of four drones, and the one that got through killed 14, so the defender needed every shot to work.
Ukraine's wait for Patriots

Each Patriot costs over $4 million and the US builds 60 to 65 a month, so the US holds them back for its own possible war.
The missiles fired at Riyadh

Saudi Arabia shot down two Houthi ballistic missiles, spending its own interceptors on each one the Houthis chose to fire.
The ship sunk off Bulgaria

Three sea drones sank a ship carrying 421 containers, even though a patrol plane had warned that an attack was coming.

Where you've seen this

Email spam

sending millions of messages costs almost nothing, while every inbox has to spend effort sorting them

Guarding wildlife

rangers must watch every animal all the time, while a poacher needs only one gap

Piracy at sea

a small boat costs pirates little, while a navy escort for each ship costs a fortune

The catch

Money is not the only score. One drone that kills 14 people costs a country far more than any missile, so defenders keep firing. Cheaper defences, like guns, robots and interceptor drones, can also change the sum.

And the whole of it

Taxpayers in many countries pay for each interceptor fired, and commuters on a platform feel it when the stock runs low. No general, factory or passenger sees the whole bill from where they stand.

03 Truth what's really going on

What is really going on

Xi Jinping used this week's party meeting to expel 33 members and leave China's military command with two men: himself and the general who runs its anti-corruption checks. [1][2] In Israel, the prime minister's party, which lost seats, called the election stolen. [11] In Alaska, the US government sued to block the Senate result if its Republican ally narrowly loses. [12]

Why it works on us — A charge of foreign money or a fake candidate sounds like defending the vote, so it can make people doubt a result before any evidence is shown.

Who gains

Xi Jinping — The purges come a year before the 2027 congress, where he is expected to win a fourth term, and analysts ask whether they also remove rivals. [2]
General Zhang Shengmin — As the only general left on the military commission besides Xi, he now also sits on the Politburo. [2]
Russia's diesel sellers — The Trump-Putin deal reversed sanctions, so seven tankers of Russian diesel are now heading for the US. [22]
Netanyahu's camp — Critics say the fraud claims are meant to block a government that relies on Arab parties and could remove him. [81]
Senator Dan Sullivan — The US Justice Department's lawsuit could stop a narrow loss from being made official. [12]

Who pays

Rail passengers in Ukraine — A drone killed 14 on a Dnipro platform, and drone threats forced evacuations from more than 5,800 trains in September. [17][19]
Families in Gaza — Falling donations cut the people the WFP feeds from 1.6 million to 1.1 million. [34]
Arab citizens of Israel — Their record turnout is being cast as fraud by the prime minister's party. [29]
Sailors in the Black Sea — At least 6 ships were hit off Bulgaria this month, and about two dozen sailors are feared dead. [20]
Prisoners in Al Obeid — Its prison holds 2,000 people in space built for 450, UN investigators say. [75]

What nobody knows yet

Open questions from across today’s stories — ours included.

01

What the 33 expelled party members are said to have done.

The party named no charges beyond 'serious disciplinary and legal violations', and many other absences from the meeting were not explained. [1][2]
02

Whether foreign money reached Arab parties in Israel's election.

The election committee's head said he cannot vouch for the claims, and an unnamed security official told Kan news that things will become clear in the coming days. [28] Police sources told Haaretz there was no sign of fraud. [29]
03

Whether Mary Peltola's campaign helped put a second Dan Sullivan on Alaska's ballot.

The New York Times reported it, Peltola's campaign denies it, and the governor's investigation has only just been ordered. [12][43]
04

Who launched the sea drones that sank the Contship Jet.

Bulgaria has not named anyone, and no one has claimed the attack. [20]
05

How many ships have been hit off Bulgaria this month.

AP reports it was the fifth drone attack in Bulgaria's economic zone this month, while Reuters cites government statements that at least six ships were hit. [6][20]
06

Whether the US will release Patriot missiles to Ukraine, and when.

NATO sources call the situation unpredictable, and Pete Hegseth has not signed off after almost a month. [8][9]
07

How Iran will answer JD Vance's letter.

Iran says it received the letter and has not replied, and Trump says it was only about medical supplies. [36][38]
08

Whose tankers hit mines near Hormuz, and where the mines are.

Iran gave no flags for the four tankers, and the US military says it has cleared the main routes. [40]
09

Why Madrid's control centre let the train move on.

Investigators are focusing on the failed safety system and the order to proceed, but have reached no conclusion. [51]

04 Hope carry this

Iran's Supreme Court overturned the death sentence of Leila Abolhasani, a nail technician and mother of two who her supporters say was only filming a burning shop during January's protests.

Also true today

All 18 crew of the Contship Jet, 14 from the Philippines and 4 from Ukraine, were pulled from the Black Sea by Bulgarian boats before their ship sank.
In Oleshky, a town in southern Ukraine, Russian and Ukrainian officials said a local truce had held for 54 hours with no violations, and aid was due to reach about 2,000 trapped people on Friday.