World News · Sunday, 1 November 2026

Gulf officials say US strikes on Iran could resume the day after the US midterms, as Iran's envoys talk in Qatar

35 stories 82 sources

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.

Young people marching over prices Building↑

Organisers said 100,000 people marched in Germany against prices and school cuts on Saturday. [14]
About 320,000 people marched in France, the third Saturday in a row. [15]
Police in Italy carried out 60 searches in 23 cities after marches there on Friday. [16]

Votes still being fought over High↑

Israel's election left neither side with the 61 seats needed to govern. [17]
Alaska's state government asked a judge to throw out a Trump-backed suit over its Senate ballots. [18]
India's opposition rallied in Delhi after 130 million names were cut from draft voter lists. [19]

Judges asked to stop leaders Building↑

A US judge threw out Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal. [20]
Virginia and Washington DC asked a judge to stop Trump's 250-foot arch. [21]
Poland's government and president each say the other side's top judges are not lawful. [22]

Talks held under the threat of force High↑

Gulf allies were told new US strikes on Iran could come on 4 November, while talks went on in Doha. [1]
Rubio said interest is growing in a ceasefire to protect grain ships in the Black Sea. [23]
Pakistan told Afghanistan's rulers that attacks from their soil are a red line. [24]

The stories

35 stories on this beat today.

Every story told the same way: what happened, who is involved, why it matters, how it works, the truth and the good news.

01
Gulf officials say US strikes on Iran could resume the day after the US midterms, as Iran's envoys talk in Qatar

4 Nov

the earliest date Gulf allies were told new US strikes on Iran could come

one day after the US midterm elections, three Gulf officials said [1]

26

US bases and sites damaged by Iranian strikes through August

Iran hit the radars that warn of incoming missiles first, an AP study found [12]

2 days

Iran's new timetable for reopening the Strait of Hormuz

cut from seven days at Qatar's request, if the US meets Iran's conditions [10]
What happened
- Gulf officials say the US warned them new strikes on Iran could come on 4 November. [1]
- That is the day after the US midterms, three Gulf officials told MSNOW, a US channel. [1]
- On Saturday, Iran's negotiators held talks in Doha, Qatar's capital, with Qatari mediators. [2]
- The same day, Iran's supreme leader ordered his forces to answer any attack, anywhere. [3]
- On Saturday Trump said one or two sites in Iran still need to be hit. [4]
- He said the US is in no hurry, because Iran's military is already badly damaged. [5]
- He told reporters in Palm Beach, Florida: "we can do that in 10 minutes." [1]
- He named Pickaxe Mountain, which Western intelligence thinks may store nuclear material. [1]
- Iran's government denies that any nuclear work is done there. [4]
- On Saturday his statement ordered an "immediate, impactful and geographically unrestricted response" to any attack. [3]
- He also told commanders to update Iran's list of US and Israeli targets. [7]
- Ebrahim Azizi, who chairs the Iranian parliament's security committee, promised a "harsher reply than before". [8]
- This year Iran fired a missile at Diego Garcia, a base about 4,000km away. [3]
- Qatar's envoys first spent more than 12 hours in talks in Tehran, Iran's capital, on Friday. [2]
- A Qatari government plane stayed about 16 hours in Tehran, flight-tracking data showed. [9]
- A source told Reuters the talks are coordinated with the US government. [2]
- Rezaei said: "Their tone has completely changed, and this is a good sign." [9]
- Trump says the letter was only about letting medical supplies into Iran. [2]
- Rezaei also said Iran is debating whether to drop its ban on nuclear weapons. [2]
- Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow sea lane for oil, since February. [9]
- It attacked ships and laid mines there; the US answered by blockading Iran's ports. [9]
- Abbas Araghchi, Iran's foreign minister, says the strait could reopen within 2 days. [10]
- On day one the US would take a set of steps. [10]
- On day two the strait would reopen and ships would move as before. [10]
- Iran's conditions include lifting US sanctions and freeing frozen Iranian money. [10]
- Qatar had asked Iran to shorten its 7-day plan to 5 days or fewer. [10]
- Araghchi said Iran has no plans to meet US officials now. [11]
- AP, a US news agency, found Iranian strikes damaged 26 US bases and sites by August. [12]
- Iran hit the radars first: the machines that warn of incoming missiles. [12]
- One radar destroyed in Jordan was 1 of only 13 the US Army owns. [12]
- Each costs about half a billion dollars, budget papers show. [12]
- Two regional officials say the US has moved many of its assets out of the Gulf. [12]
- On Saturday Iran's state TV said a US attack hit a fishing boat, wounding two. [13]
- Two fishermen reported missing after the attack were later found, it said. [13]
- Saudi Arabia's deputy foreign minister said the region wants peace back. [7]
- Egypt's foreign minister said "the second round will be more dangerous, more destructive". [7]
Hit firstwarning radars
Hit nextplanes
Thenbuildings
The order of Iran's strikes on US bases, as AP's study of satellite photos found it.
Who is involved

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, says Trump has not decided on new strikes. [6]
Mojtaba Khamenei became Iran's supreme leader after the strikes that killed his father in February. [7]
He has not been seen in public since, Reuters reports. [2]
JD Vance, the US vice-president, also wrote this week to Mohsen Rezaei, Iran's security chief. [2]
- Iran's negotiators
- Qatar's mediators the go-betweens; they held talks in Tehran and Doha this weekend
- Western intelligence may hold nuclear material
- Iran no nuclear work there
- Marco Rubio the US secretary of state; he says no decision on strikes has been made
- JD Vance US vice-president
- Mohsen Rezaei Iran's security chief
- Iran's ban on nuclear weapons under debate, no decision
- US blocks Iran's ports
- Saudi Arabia wants peace back
- Donald Trump the US president; he says one or two sites in Iran are left to hit
- Mojtaba Khamenei Iran's supreme leader since February; he ordered an answer to any attack, anywhere
- Abbas Araghchi Iran's foreign minister; he offers to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in two days
How it unfolded

The US and Israel started the war by attacking Iran on 28 February. [1]
In June both sides agreed a path to peace, but it quickly fell apart. [1]
The US has not struck Iran since 1 September. [1]
Donald Trump, the US president, promised to hold off until after the midterms. [1]
1. US vote day US midterm elections
2. 4 November earliest date for new strikes
3. 28 February the US and Israel attack Iran
4. June a deal is agreed, then falls apart
5. 1 September the last US strike so far
6. February his father is killed
7. Now Iran's supreme leader
8. Day one the US takes its steps
9. Day two the strait reopens
10. 28 Feb the US and Israel attack Iran, and the war begins [1]
11. June a deal on a path to peace is agreed, then falls apart [1]
12. 1 Sep the last US strike on Iran so far [1]
13. 31 Oct talks in Doha; Iran's leader orders readiness [2]
14. 4 Nov the earliest reported date for new US strikes [1]
Why it matters

Iran says it would answer new strikes by hitting US and Israeli targets in nearby countries. [2]
Gulf states are pressing the US government to calm things, fearing Iran's reply. [1]

How it works

An analyst at the International Crisis Group said talks and war plans are "proceeding simultaneously". [9]
Students of strategy call this coercive diplomacy: talking while showing you could strike. [9]
The truth
- What is really going on The US government is talking to Iran through Qatar while telling Gulf allies that strikes could resume on 4 November. [2][1]
- What is really going on Iran's foreign minister offers to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days, and its supreme leader has ordered his army to hit back anywhere if attacked. [10][3]
- Why it works on people A named date, 4 November, makes new strikes sound settled, though Rubio says Trump has not decided. [1][6]
- Iran's threat makes Gulf states that host US bases possible targets. [2]
- The contents of Vance's letter have not been made public. [9]
- Who gains Qatar — Its envoys carry messages between Iran and the US, in talks a source says are coordinated with the US government. [2]
- Who pays Gulf states that host US bases — Iran says it would answer new strikes by hitting US and Israeli targets in nearby countries. [2]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether the US will strike Iran after Tuesday's vote.
  
  Gulf officials were told 4 November; Rubio says Trump has not decided, and only the two governments know their plans. [1][6]
- Nobody knows yet
  What is inside Pickaxe Mountain.
  
  Western intelligence thinks it may store nuclear material; Iran's government denies any nuclear work there. [1][4]
- Nobody knows yet
  What JD Vance's letter to Iran says.
  
  It has not been published; Trump says it is about medical supplies, while US newspapers described it as a bid to restart talks. [9][2]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether Iran will drop its ban on nuclear weapons.
  
  Its security chief says this is being debated in case war resumes, and that no decision has been taken. [2]
What comes next

The next date to watch is 4 November, the day after the US vote. [1]

02
Germany's youth protests end in looting
What happened
- Tens of thousands of young Germans marched on Saturday against high prices and school cuts. [25]
- The group behind the marches is called Gen Z regelt, meaning "Gen Z takes charge". [26]
- Marches took place in more than 30 German cities. [16]
- They want better-funded schools and oppose a return of compulsory army service. [26]
- Organisers said 100,000 people took part across Germany. [14]
- Police counted about 5,000 in Berlin and 8,000 in Frankfurt. [27]
- After dark, masked rioters looted shops in Frankfurt, Germany's banking city. [28]
- They threw Molotov cocktails, bottles of burning fuel, at police and rescue crews. [26]
- Police seized two weapons after rioters smashed a gun shop's windows. [26]
Who is involved

Roman Poseck, Hesse state's interior minister, blamed about 100 "left-wing extremists". [26]
- Gen Z regelt the organisers
- Roman Poseck Hesse's interior minister
Why it matters

DW, Germany's international broadcaster, said the riots overshadowed a day of peaceful marches. [14]
How it works

The marches were inspired by movements in France and Italy; researchers call such spreading diffusion. [28]
Why a few rioters decide how a whole march is remembered

Sociologists call it the radical flank effect: when a few people at a protest turn violent, police, politicians and the news judge everyone by them.

The twist

In Germany on Saturday, about 100 people in Frankfurt decided what politicians said about marches the organisers put at 100,000.

The picture

100,000Marchers, organisers' count
about 100Extremists, minister's count
Two counts from Germany on Saturday: everyone who marched, as the organisers counted it, and the people Hesse's interior minister blamed for the riots.
Step by step
1. A big, mostly peaceful march also draws a few people who come to fight
2. Cameras, police and politicians watch the fighting, not the marching
3. The whole movement starts to be judged by its most violent members
4. Officials answer with rules for everyone: routes moved, marches stopped, masks banned
5. Peaceful marchers now spend their time arguing about the violence, not their demands
The same force, elsewhere today

Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.
- Germany's youth protests end in looting
  
  Hesse's minister blamed about 100 left-wing extremists, and DW said the riots overshadowed a day of peaceful marches.
- France marches for a third Saturday
  
  After looting on 17 October, France's government moved every Paris march to the city's edge, so 70,000 peaceful marchers walked a route chosen because of rioters.
- 139 arrested in London over a banned group
  
  Britain banned Palestine Action as a whole under its terror law, so retirees holding signs are now arrested under the same law as the group.
- Arab parties offer to back Israel's opposition
  
  Netanyahu's supporters called a government backed by Arab parties a "terrorist government", though those parties won 840,000 votes in an election.
Where you've seen this

Town meetings

one resident who shouts at the council can make it treat every complaint from that street as trouble.

Football crowds

a few fans who fight can get a whole club's supporters banned from away games.

Strikes

one scuffle on a picket line lets an employer describe a whole strike as violent.

The catch

It can also run the other way: the sociologist Herbert Haines, who named the effect in 1984, found more money went to moderate US civil rights groups as radical ones grew.

And the whole of it

Most people in Frankfurt on Saturday marched, went home, and woke to read that their protest was a riot. A shopkeeper with a broken window, a police officer hit by a bottle and a 16-year-old with a placard all lived the same evening, and each of them saw only their own street.
The truth
- The movement itself rejected the violence, the Straits Times reported. [28]
- Nobody knows yet
  How many Germans really marched.
  
  Organisers said 100,000 and the Straits Times about 120,000; police counted about 5,000 in Berlin and 8,000 in Frankfurt. [14][28][27]

03
France marches for a third Saturday
What happened
- About 320,000 people marched across France on Saturday, its interior ministry said. [15]
- It was the third Saturday in a row of protests over prices and schools. [16]
- President Emmanuel Macron said marches would stay out of city centres to protect shops. [29]
- So 70,000 people in Paris marched along boulevards at the city's edge. [15]
- As marches ended, masked rioters threw paving stones at police in Paris. [15]
- Police arrested 565 people across France by late Saturday, France's interior ministry said. [15]
- One officer in Paris was hit by a Molotov cocktail; the minister called it "attempted murder". [15]
How it unfolded

The movement began last month with high school students angry about run-down schools. [29]
France's government counted 550,000 on 17 October and 410,000 on 24 October. [29]

Why it matters

Losses to shops from the unrest have passed $1.1 billion, The National reports. [30]
Fitch, a credit rating agency, has turned its outlook on France's debt negative. [30]

How it works

Public-order police plan routes away from targets; Macron said marches would avoid city centres. [29]

After looting on 17 October, France's government moved every Paris march to the city's edge, so 70,000 peaceful marchers walked a route chosen because of rioters.
The idea, in story 02: Why a few rioters decide how a whole march is remembered →
The truth
- The National says police limits on routes may have kept some people at home. [30]
- Who gains Shops in central French cities — Macron kept Saturday's marches out of city centres to protect shops. [29]
- Who pays Peaceful marchers in Germany and France — Police cancelled a Cologne march after some covered their faces, and kept the Paris march to the city's edge. [16][15]
What comes next

France's presidential election is six months away. [16]
04
Arab parties offer to back Israel's opposition
What happened
- Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc won 53 seats and Gadi Eisenkot's opposition bloc won 48. [31]
- Neither side has the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat parliament. [17]
- Israel's three Arab-led parties won 19 seats, up sharply. [31]
- Nearly 840,000 people voted for them, 64% more than in 2022. [31]
- Ahmad Tibi, a Joint List lawmaker, said his party would back Eisenkot without cabinet seats. [32]
- On Saturday Eisenkot set four conditions for anyone joining his government. [17]
- One is calling Hamas, the armed group that ran Gaza, a terrorist organisation. [17]
- Thousands rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday urging Eisenkot to govern with Arab parties. [31]
- Netanyahu's supporters held a rival rally with signs saying "No to a terrorist government". [32]
Who is involved
- Ahmad Tibi Joint List lawmaker
- Hamas named a terrorist group
- Netanyahu says the vote was stolen
- Qatar denies it
Why it matters

With the Arab parties, Eisenkot's side would have a 67-seat majority. [31]

How it works

Political scientists call this a hung parliament: with no majority, smaller parties decide who governs. [31]

Netanyahu's supporters called a government backed by Arab parties a "terrorist government", though those parties won 840,000 votes in an election.
The idea, in story 02: Why a few rioters decide how a whole march is remembered →
The truth
- Netanyahu accuses Arab parties of "stealing" the vote with money from Qatar, which Qatar denies. [31]
- Polymarket, a betting website, is checking suspicious last-minute bets on a Netanyahu win. [33]
- Who gains Israel's Arab-led parties — Their 19 seats are the votes Eisenkot needs for a 67-seat majority. [31]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether Eisenkot will govern with Arab votes.
  
  The Joint List offers support without cabinet seats, but Eisenkot's conditions include calling Hamas a terrorist group. [32][17]
05
Bulgaria picks a president between two views of Russia
What happened
- Bulgarians voted on Sunday in a runoff to choose their president. [34]
- Iliana Yotova, the acting president, favours talks with Russia and opposes military aid to Ukraine. [35]
- Andrey Gyurov, a banker and former caretaker prime minister, is backed by the pro-Western opposition. [35]
- In the first round on 25 October, Yotova won 34.76% and Gyurov 31.95%. [36]
- Only 23% of voters took part, a record low. [34]
- Bulgaria's president can veto laws and is commander-in-chief of the armed forces. [36]
- Drone attacks on ships off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast left 21 people missing in October. [35]
- Prime Minister Rumen Radev's government says nothing yet ties the attacks directly to Russia. [35]
Who is involved
- Iliana Yotova talks with Russia
- Andrey Gyurov backs Ukraine
- Gyurov name Russia
- Yotova talk with Russia
How it unfolded
1. Sunday 8pm exit polls
2. Monday official results
Why it matters

The vote is the first big test for Radev's Moscow-friendly party, which backs Yotova. [34]

How it works

In this two-round system, if nobody wins half, the top two face each other again. [36]
The truth
- Gyurov says Yotova avoids blaming Russia for the attacks on ships. [36]
- Yotova says aid to Ukraine "leads only to more destruction". [36]
- Nobody knows yet
  Who will be Bulgaria's president.
  
  Exit polls come after voting ends at 8pm on Sunday, and official results on Monday. [34]
What comes next

Exit polls come after voting ends at 8pm, and official results on Monday. [34]
06
Oleshky's evacuees reach Ukraine
What happened
- Hundreds of people evacuated from Oleshky reached Ukrainian-held land on Saturday. [37]
- A truce in the Kherson region began Tuesday and was due to end Sunday evening. [38]
- The evacuees went through Russia, flew to Belarus, then crossed by bus into Ukraine. [37]
- Melania Trump said the convoy could safely carry out more than 750 people. [38]
- Up to 6,000 people may still live in and around Oleshky, the BBC reported. [37]
- Mykhailo Palii's daughters ran screaming across the tarmac in Chernihiv to hug him. [37]
Who is involved

Melania Trump, the US first lady, helped broker the truce, the US president's office said. [38]
- Melania Trump US first lady
- Russia
- Ukraine
How it unfolded

Oleshky, a city on the Dnipro River, has been held by Russia since early 2022. [37]
Residents too afraid to go out cooked garden weeds to survive. [37]
1. 2022 Russia takes Oleshky
2. Saturday evacuees reach Ukraine
3. Tuesday the truce begins
4. Friday buses leave Oleshky
5. Sunday the truce ends
Why it matters

Officials from Russia and Ukraine worked together on it, which is rare in this war. [38]
The truth
- Olha, one evacuee, said her family has no relatives elsewhere in Ukraine. [37]
- Who pays People still living in Oleshky — Up to 6,000 may still be in and around the city, and the truce was due to end on Sunday evening. [37][38]
Good news
- Volunteers and Red Cross teams met the evacuees at the border with coffee and food. [39]
- Hundreds of people evacuated from Oleshky, a Russian-held city where some cooked weeds to survive, reached Ukrainian-held land on Saturday. In Chernihiv, Mykhailo Palii's daughters ran across the tarmac to hug him.
07
G20 talks end with no joint statement
What happened
- Foreign ministers of the G20, a group of the 20 biggest economies, met in Atlanta. [23]
- The two-day meeting ended on Saturday without a joint statement. [23]
- Europe and Canada objected to Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, taking part. [23]
- Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, said Lavrov told "a lot of lies". [40]
- Marco Rubio, the host, said the war cannot end without talking to Russia. [23]
- He said interest is growing in a limited ceasefire in the Black Sea. [23]
- It would protect grain and energy shipments from Russia and Ukraine. [23]
- The US is studying proposals from Turkey and India to get grain ships moving. [23]
Who is involved
- Europe and Canada against
- Sergei Lavrov Russia's foreign minister
- Turkey
- India
Why it matters

Kallas warned that Putin joining December's G20 summit in Florida risks normalising war crimes. [41]
The truth
- Lavrov welcomed the US approach and called Europe's stance an "arrogant boycott". [40]
- Who gains Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov — He sat at the G20 table in Atlanta, and Rubio defended inviting him. [23]
What comes next

Putin has not said whether he will attend the December summit. [41]
08
Israel shells south Lebanon and builds army roads
What happened
- Israeli artillery shelled towns in south Lebanon's Bint Jbeil district on Saturday, Lebanese media said. [42]
- An Israeli air strike also hit the town of Mansouri. [42]
- Israel is building roads linking the army posts it set up in the south. [42]
- Israel has killed more than 4,300 people in Lebanon since February and displaced one million. [42]
- Lebanon's foreign minister, Youssef Rajji, called for a full Israeli withdrawal. [43]
- He said Lebanon's government has banned Hezbollah's military activities. [43]
Who is involved

Hezbollah, an armed Lebanese group, attacked Israel in support of Iran after February. [42]
- Hezbollah armed Lebanese group
- Lebanon's government
How it unfolded

Israel invaded this year and occupies large parts of Lebanon's south and east. [42]

Why it matters

Rajji asked Gulf states to help Lebanon's government control its own territory. [43]
09
China's coast guard patrols east of Taiwan
What happened
- Taiwan says two Chinese coast guard ships patrolled off its east coast on Saturday. [44]
- Taiwan's coast guard said China is "trying to exert a fictional jurisdiction" and harassing ships. [44]
- Chinese state TV showed a ship radioing that it was carrying out law enforcement. [44]
- Another Chinese coast guard ship came close to the Pratas Islands, which Taiwan controls. [44]
- Taiwan says it has expelled Chinese coast guard ships from Pratas waters 13 times this year. [44]
Who is involved

China says Taiwan is part of its territory; Taiwan rejects that claim. [44]
- China claims Taiwan
- Taiwan rejects it
How it unfolded

China has run regular patrols east of the island since June. [44]

Why it matters

Taiwan's officials think China is practising a blockade of the island by sea. [44]
Taiwan sees its east coast waters as key supply routes in any war. [44]

How it works

Taiwan says China mixes military, paramilitary and civilian forces, which experts call grey-zone pressure. [44]
The truth
- Security experts see the Pratas Islands, over 400km from Taiwan, as vulnerable to attack. [44]
10
Poland's leaders split over the top court
What happened
- Poland's president, Karol Nawrocki, held crisis talks on Saturday over the country's top court. [45]
- On Friday, judges chosen by parliament suspended the court's chief judge, Bogdan Swieczkowski. [22]
- Prime Minister Donald Tusk's party stayed away from the president's talks. [45]
- In a TV speech, Tusk said: "In certain matters, there can be no compromise." [22]
- The European Commission, the EU's executive, said choosing the judges is parliament's power. [46]
- Law and Justice supporters protested outside the court again on Saturday. [45]
Who is involved

The court decides whether laws fit Poland's constitution. [45]
- Law and Justice supporters outside the court
- Tusk's government
- President Nawrocki
How it unfolded

He was appointed under Law and Justice, the right-wing party that ruled from 2015 to 2023. [45]
1. 2015-2023 Law and Justice governs
2. Friday its chief judge is suspended
Why it matters

Nawrocki called the suspension a threat to Poland's internal security. [45]

How it works

EU law matters too: the Commission says the tribunal must respect the EU court's rulings. [46]
The truth
- Each camp says the other's judges are not lawful judges. [22]
11
India's opposition rallies against the election chief
What happened
- Tens of thousands gathered in Delhi on Sunday for an opposition rally led by Rahul Gandhi. [19]
- They demand the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, India's chief election commissioner. [19]
- A review of voter lists has removed 130 million names from draft rolls. [19]
- The Election Commission says it is clearing out people who died or moved. [19]
- The opposition says eligible voters are being cut, helping Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party, the BJP. [19]
- Police with batons and riot vehicles surrounded the rally ground. [47]
- The BJP held its own march the same day, recalling the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. [48]
Who is involved

Gandhi leads the Indian National Congress, India's main opposition party. [19]
- Rahul Gandhi Congress party leader
- Gyanesh Kumar chief election commissioner
- Election Commission cleaning the lists
- Opposition voters cut
- Police batons and riot vehicles
- BJP and Election Commission deny it
How it unfolded

The Indian Express reported that Kumar acted over his two fellow commissioners' objections. [19]
1. 2014 Modi takes power
2. Now his worst crisis, analysts say
Why it matters

Analysts call the protests Modi's worst crisis since he took power in 2014. [47]
The truth
- Both the BJP and the Election Commission deny the opposition's charges. [19]
What comes next

India's next general election is not due until 2029. [47]
12
Ukraine asks for its Patriots now
What happened
- Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, thanked the US for approving a sale of 500 Patriot interceptors. [49]
- Patriots are interceptors that shoot down ballistic missiles, which Russia fires at Ukraine. [49]
- But he said deliveries may begin "only in a few years". [49]
- He wants them this winter, with partners' stocks refilled in later years. [49]
- The sale is worth an estimated $2.1 billion, paid by partners and allies, not the US. [49]
How it unfolded
1. This winter Ukraine gets the missiles
2. Later partners refill their stocks
Why it matters

Ukraine fears Russia will step up attacks on power plants to cause winter blackouts. [49]
The truth
- Politico says the sale signals a thaw between the US and Ukrainian governments. [49]
- Who pays Ukraine's power grid this winter — The 500 Patriot interceptors the US approved may not arrive for years, Zelensky says. [49]
13
Drones hit a big Russian refinery
What happened
- Russia says a "massive" drone attack hit an industrial site in the Nizhny Novgorod region overnight. [50]
- Gleb Nikitin, the regional governor, said more than 100 drones were destroyed. [50]
- He reported "significant damage" but no early reports of anyone hurt. [50]
- War-watching channels said the target was the Kstovo refinery, one of Russia's largest. [50]
- Lukoil, the Russian oil company that runs it, says it makes diesel and jet fuel. [50]
Who is involved
- Diesel
- Jet fuel
- Officials an industrial site
- War-watching channels the refinery
How it unfolded

Earlier this week a drone strike started a big fire at a refinery in Samara. [50]

Why it matters

Nearby homes may lose power, hot water and heating during repairs, Nikitin said. [50]
The truth
- Officials named only an "industrial enterprise"; war-watching channels named the refinery. [50]
14
Iran labels Britain's navy and air force 'terrorist'
What happened
- Iran named Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as "terrorist" organisations on Sunday. [51]
- It also called MI6, Britain's foreign spy service, a "hostile group". [51]
- Iran says the move follows international law and the rule of reciprocity: treating like for like. [51]
Who is involved
- Royal Navy
- Royal Air Force
How it unfolded

Iran says it is answering Britain's July decision to list Iran's Revolutionary Guards. [51]
1. July Britain lists Iran's Revolutionary Guards
2. Sunday Iran lists Britain's navy and air force
Why it matters

It accuses Britain of letting the US and Israel use British bases in the war. [51]
The truth
- Iran's foreign ministry said Britain would be responsible for "any consequences". [51]
15
A UN worker dies in Houthi custody
What happened
- Mohammad el-Shami, a UN human rights worker in Yemen, died in Houthi detention. [52]
- He died more than a month ago, but his family was only told recently. [52]
- The Houthis accused them of being part of an "American-Israeli spy network". [52]
- He is the second UN worker to die in Houthi custody, after one in February 2025. [52]
- 7 of his colleagues from the UN human rights office are still held. [53]
Who is involved

The Houthis, an Iran-backed armed group, had held him since June 2024. [53]
- Mohammad el-Shami UN human rights worker
How it unfolded

He was one of more than 60 UN and aid workers detained in June 2024. [52]
1. Over a month ago he dies
2. Recently his family is told
Why it matters

Antonio Guterres, the UN's secretary-general, demanded the release of every UN worker still held. [53]
The truth
- The Houthis have not said how he died. [52]
- The UN paused work in parts of Houthi-held Yemen in February 2025 to protect its staff. [52]
- Who pays UN workers held in Yemen — 7 of el-Shami's colleagues are still held by the Houthis, who gave no cause for his death. [53]
- Nobody knows yet
  How Mohammad el-Shami died.
  
  The Houthis have given no cause, and the UN is asking for his medical and detention records. [53]
What comes next

Volker Turk, the UN human rights chief, wants his medical and detention records disclosed. [53]
16
Syria weighs joining a Saudi-led defence pact
What happened
- Syria is weighing whether to join the Mecca pact, its foreign minister said on Saturday. [54]
- Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed the pact in August. [54]
- Asaad al-Shaibani, Syria's foreign minister, spoke at a security forum in Bahrain. [54]
- Turkey and Pakistan have pledged military help to Saudi Arabia against the Houthis. [54]
Who is involved
- Saudi Arabia
- Turkey
- Pakistan
- Asaad al-Shaibani Syria's foreign minister
How it unfolded

Saudi Arabia backs Syria's government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa since Bashar al-Assad fell in 2024. [54]

Why it matters

Al-Shaibani said the region needs "a structure that protects its security". [7]

How it works

Alliance experts call this collective defence: an attack on one is an attack on all 3. [54]
The truth
- Neither has announced any attack on the Houthis yet. [54]
17
Jordan turns back gunmen from Syria
What happened
- Jordan's army says border guards repelled about 14 gunmen crossing from Syria on Friday night. [55]
- They crossed under heavy covering fire; several were hurt before the group fled back. [55]
- Jordan said its strikes hit Islamic State hideouts linked to a deadly church shooting. [55]
Who is involved
- Jordan hit Islamic State
- Syria civilians died
How it unfolded

Two days earlier, the two countries had reopened their only border crossing. [55]
It was shut after Jordanian air strikes in southern Syria. [55]
1. Two days earlier crossing reopens
2. Friday night gunmen turned back
Why it matters

Syria's foreign minister says border security is shared, with talks due next month. [7]
The truth
- Syria said the strikes killed 7 civilians, including three children. [55]
- Nobody knows yet
  How many fighters Jordan's strikes in Syria killed.
  
  AP reports Jordan said 20 Islamic State militants; The National reports Jordan's army said two, and Syria says 7 civilians died. [7][55]
18
50 million Americans have voted early
What happened
- More than 50.5 million early votes had been cast in the US midterms by Saturday morning. [56]
- That is nearly 5 million more than all early votes in the 2022 midterms. [56]
- Tuesday's vote decides which party controls the US Congress, the country's parliament. [56]
- Registered Democrats have cast 10.7 million early votes and registered Republicans 7.8 million. [56]
- Republicans are defending a 53-47 majority in the US Senate, the upper house. [56]
Who is involved
- Texas
- Alaska
- Kansas
Why it matters

Democrats hope to win Senate seats in states such as Texas, Alaska and even Kansas. [56]
The truth
- A party label is not a vote, but polls show wide unhappiness with Trump. [56]
- Who gains Democratic Senate candidates — Registered Democrats have cast 10.7 million early votes to registered Republicans' 7.8 million, though a party label is not a vote. [56]
19
Texas Senate race becomes the costliest ever
What happened
- Spending on the Texas US Senate race has passed half a billion dollars, the most ever. [57]
- Democrat James Talarico, a 37-year-old state lawmaker and former teacher, faces Republican Ken Paxton. [57]
- Paxton, Texas's attorney general, beat Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary with Trump's help. [58]
- AP calls it a tossup: a race either could win. [58]
- More than 7 million Texans have already voted early, 1.5 million more than in 2022. [56]
- Paxton told supporters in Fort Worth the race will "go down to the wire". [58]
Who is involved
- James Talarico Democrat
- Ken Paxton Republican
How it unfolded

Democrats have not won a Senate seat in Texas since 1988. [57]

Why it matters

A Democratic win in Texas could decide which party controls the US Senate. [57]
20
Alaska rejects Trump's bid to set ballots aside
What happened
- Alaska's Republican-run state government asked a federal judge on Saturday to throw out a Trump-backed lawsuit. [18]
- The US Justice Department filed it to stop certifying a possible win by Democrat Mary Peltola. [18]
- Alaska's Senate ballot lists two Dan Sullivans: the Republican senator and a retired teacher. [59]
- Peltola rejects the accusations. [59]
- The department also asked to set aside every vote for the second Dan Sullivan. [18]
- Alaska called that request "both disturbing and impossible". [18]
Who is involved
- Mary Peltola Democratic candidate
- US Justice Department brought the suit
- Dan Sullivan Republican senator
How it unfolded

The New York Times reported that Peltola's aides helped recruit candidates with similar names. [59]

Why it matters

The suit asks the judge to delay certifying any Peltola win until the case ends. [18]
The truth
- Election law experts have roundly criticised the Justice Department's suit, AP reports. [18]
21
Michigan's Democrats fall out days before the vote
What happened
- Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan's Democratic Senate candidate, asked Representative Haley Stevens to stay away from his events. [60]
- El-Sayed, a progressive, beat Stevens, a more moderate Democrat, in a bitter August primary. [60]
- The two had planned to appear together at a Detroit church service on Sunday. [60]
- Stevens had demanded that El-Sayed denounce an outside group's political ad. [60]
- She has condemned the ad as antisemitic, Reuters reports. [61]
- El-Sayed told reporters: "I don't want any distractions." [60]
Who is involved
- Abdul El-Sayed Senate candidate
- Haley Stevens member of Congress
- Mike Rogers Republican candidate
How it unfolded
1. August El-Sayed wins the primary
2. Sunday a joint event called off
Why it matters

Michigan is one of the races Democrats need to win back the US Senate. [60]
The truth
- The Republican candidate is Mike Rogers; Stevens's fiance has campaigned for him. [60]
22
139 arrested in London over a banned group
What happened
- London police arrested 139 people outside the US embassy on Saturday. [62]
- Most had shown support for Palestine Action, a group Britain banned under its terror law. [62]
- Supporting it can mean up to 14 years in prison. [62]
- Many of the protesters were retirees, AP reported. [62]
- Margaret Owen, a 94-year-old former human rights lawyer, was arrested again. [64]
- Organisers say more than 4,000 people have been arrested since the ban began. [62]
Who is involved
- Margaret Owen 94, a former human rights lawyer
How it unfolded

The ban on the direct-action group took effect in July 2025. [63]

Why it matters

It was the first mass protest against the ban under Prime Minister Andy Burnham. [63]

How it works

Britain banned Palestine Action as a whole under its terror law, so retirees holding signs are now arrested under the same law as the group.
The idea, in story 02: Why a few rioters decide how a whole march is remembered →
The truth
- Amnesty International UK called the arrests "a disgraceful attack on freedom of speech". [63]
What comes next

Britain's Supreme Court hears an appeal against the ban on 4 November. [62]
23
Britain's prime minister is open to a slavery apology
What happened
- UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham says he is open to apologising for Britain's slave trade. [65]
- He offered "structured dialogue" with those affected, in a newspaper article. [65]
- But he rejected paying reparations, the money Caribbean countries demand for slavery. [65]
- Burnham goes to a Commonwealth summit in Antigua and Barbuda that runs until Wednesday. [65]
Who is involved
- Burnham apology, maybe
- Caribbean leaders want reparations
How it unfolded

Barbados's prime minister, Mia Mottley, set out a Caribbean case for reparations in June. [65]
1. Sunday the summit opens
2. Wednesday the summit ends
Why it matters

A row over reparations marred Keir Starmer's visit to the last summit, in 2024. [65]
The truth
- He wrote that today's Britons cannot be "held liable for historical wrongs". [65]
24
Trump says Brazil's Flavio Bolsonaro can stay
What happened
- Trump said Flavio Bolsonaro can stay in the US "as long as he wants". [66]
- He reached Miami on Wednesday, after being ordered to hand in his passport. [67]
- He is under investigation in Brazil for corruption, money laundering and tax evasion. [67]
- Marco Rubio said the US government "didn't facilitate anything". [67]
- CNN Brasil reports a former agent of Mossad, Israel's spy service, took him to Argentina. [68]
- He entered the US under humanitarian parole, which usually lasts one year. [66]
Who is involved
- Lula da Silva won
- Flavio Bolsonaro lost
- US
- Brazil
How it unfolded

Bolsonaro lost Brazil's presidential runoff to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva last weekend. [67]

Why it matters

Relations between the US and Brazil may stay strained for some time. [66]
The truth
- Trump called Brazil's election "a disgrace". [66]
- Outside observers described it as free and fair. [66]
- Nobody knows yet
  Who helped Flavio Bolsonaro leave Brazil.
  
  Rubio says the US government did not; CNN Brasil reports a former Mossad agent took him to Argentina. [67][68]
25
Judge throws out Trump's lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal
What happened
- A US judge permanently dismissed Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal. [20]
- Judge Darrin Gayles said Trump was "grasping at straws". [20]
- The case was dismissed "with prejudice", so Trump cannot file it again. [69]
Who is involved

Epstein was a financier and convicted sex offender. [20]
- Jeffrey Epstein financier, convicted sex offender
How it unfolded

The 2025 story described a rude birthday letter Trump allegedly sent Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. [69]
1. 2003 the alleged letter
2. 2025 the newspaper's story
3. Saturday the case is thrown out
Why it matters

Ads about the Epstein files have cost candidates and outside groups more than $35m, CNN found. [70]

How it works

In US law, a public figure must prove "actual malice": the paper knew it was false. [20]
The truth
- Trump denies wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crime linked to Epstein. [69]
26
Study finds errors in Trump's 'non-citizen' voter list
What happened
- The Trump administration sent California a list of 20,930 "likely non-citizens" on its voter rolls. [71]
- It is suing to stop ballots sent to those names from being counted. [71]
- Two UCLA data scientists found more than 4 in 10 names were not on California's rolls. [71]
- They also found thousands of eligible US citizens wrongly marked as unable to vote. [71]
- CHIRLA, an immigrant rights group, filed their study in court on Saturday. [71]
Who is involved
- CHIRLA immigrant rights group
Why it matters

Trump has said he fears being impeached if Republicans lose the US Congress. [71]
The truth
- Trump has a record of spreading false claims about elections, Al Jazeera notes. [71]
27
Virginia and Washington DC sue to stop Trump's arch
What happened
- Washington DC and Virginia sued on Saturday to stop Trump's planned memorial arch. [21]
- The arch would rise 250 feet, 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty. [21]
- It would stand on an island in the Potomac River, by the bridge to Arlington cemetery. [21]
- The Trump administration says building could start as early as next week. [21]
- There are now three lawsuits, including one by three Vietnam war veterans. [21]
Who is involved
- Judge Tanya Chutkan weighing a pause
How it unfolded
1. Saturday two new lawsuits
2. Next week building could start
Why it matters

Their lawyers say breaking ground would cause "irreparable harm" to both places. [72]

What comes next

Judge Tanya Chutkan is considering an order to pause the project. [21]
28
Quad ministers warn about trade pressure
What happened
- Ministers from the US, India, Japan and Australia met in Atlanta on Saturday as the Quad. [73]
- They voiced "grave concerns" about economic coercion, including arbitrary export bans. [73]
- It is also likely aimed at China's strict limits on exports of rare earth metals. [73]
Who is involved
- US
- India
- Japan
- Australia
How it unfolded

It was the third Quad ministers' meeting this year, after Delhi and Manila. [74]
1. May Delhi
2. July Manila
3. October Atlanta
Why it matters

The Quad is seen as a counterweight to China in the Asia-Pacific. [73]
The truth
- They named no country, but such criticism usually targets China, The Hindu notes. [73]
What comes next

A Quad leaders' summit is planned in the Philippines next month. [74]
29
Pakistan calls attacks from Afghanistan a 'red line'
What happened
- Pakistan says it will take "all necessary measures" against attacks launched from Afghanistan. [24]
- Its information ministry called terrorism a "red line" on Saturday night. [24]
- Pakistan blames the TTP, a banned militant group it says shelters in Afghanistan. [76]
- Rubio said the US would play a "productive role" if there is one. [76]
Who is involved

It was answering Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban, who rule Afghanistan. [75]
- Zabihullah Mujahid Taliban spokesman
- Pakistan attacks come from Afghanistan
- Taliban Pakistan won't talk
Why it matters

Rubio said the US does not have the closest relationship with the Taliban. [76]
The truth
- Mujahid said Pakistan does not want to settle the conflict through talks. [75]
30
Congo asks Putin for help against rebels
What happened
- Congo's president, Felix Tshisekedi, asked Vladimir Putin on Friday for help making peace with Rwanda. [77]
- They met at the end of a Russia-Africa summit. [77]
- Congo accuses Rwanda of backing M23, an armed group fighting its government. [77]
- Tshisekedi also asked Russia to back renewing the UN peacekeeping force, which ends in December. [77]
Who is involved
- Felix Tshisekedi Congo's president
- Vladimir Putin Russia's president
- UN peacekeepers mandate ends in December
- Rwanda denies it
- UN experts say it helps
How it unfolded

The two countries signed a US-mediated peace deal in December, but fighting goes on. [77]

Why it matters

Russia is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, which renews such missions. [77]
The truth
- Rwanda denies any role, but UN experts say its forces still help M23. [77]
- Russia has been seeking more military and economic influence in Africa. [77]
31
US warns Russia of a plot in Moscow
What happened
- Russia's security service, the FSB, says the US warned it of a planned attack in Moscow. [78]
- The US embassy said it knew of a "credible threat of a mass casualty event". [78]
- The threat named Tsaritsyno, a palace park in southern Moscow, which was closed. [78]
- The FSB said it was taking "appropriate measures". [78]
Who is involved
- US
- Russia's FSB
How it unfolded

In March 2024 the US also warned of a Moscow attack. [78]
Days later, gunmen killed more than 140 people at Crocus City Hall, a concert venue. [78]
1. March 2024 a US warning
2. Days later the Crocus City Hall attack
Why it matters

The FSB said the warning came through "established partner channels". [78]
32
US plans to deport 150 Afghans
What happened
- The Trump administration plans to deport more than 150 Afghans to Afghanistan, US media reported. [79]
- The first flight could leave as soon as Monday, via Pakistan. [79]
- Some are relatives of Afghans who helped the US military before Kabul fell in 2021. [79]
Who is involved
- Advocacy groups lives at risk
How it unfolded

Trump banned travel from Afghanistan last year and sought to end Afghans' protection from deportation. [79]

Why it matters

The US cannot deport people straight to Afghanistan, US officials told the New York Times. [79]
The truth
- Advocacy groups say the deportations could put their lives in danger. [79]
- Who pays Afghans facing deportation from the US — More than 150 could be flown out via Pakistan from Monday, including relatives of Afghans who helped the US military. [79]
33
UN closes its political mission in Somalia
What happened
- The UN's political mission in Somalia has closed after more than three decades. [80]
- Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud asked the UN to end it in May 2024. [80]
- A two-year handover followed, under a new name, UNTMIS. [80]
- Its jobs now pass to Somali institutions or other UN teams. [80]
Who is involved
- Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Somalia's president
How it unfolded

It began as a UN political office in 1995 and became UNSOM in 2013. [80]
1. 1995 UN political office opens
2. 2013 UNSOM begins
3. Now the mission closes
Why it matters

"Significant challenges remain," said Raisedon Zenenga, the mission's officer-in-charge. [80]
The truth
- Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked group, is still fighting Somalia's government. [80]
Good news
- The UN says Somalia has made considerable progress since its early recovery efforts. [80]
- The UN closed its political mission in Somalia after more than three decades, handing its work to Somali institutions and other UN teams.
34
Ethiopia's ministers do army training
What happened
- Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has put his ministers through military training, the BBC reports. [81]
- Photos show them training at the Hurso military centre. [81]
- They include the finance minister, Fitsum Assefa, and the health minister, Mekdes Daba. [81]
- Senior civilian officials in Ethiopia are rarely seen doing military training. [81]
- Abiy said: "Soldiers have targets while civilians have goals." [81]
- It is unclear when the training began or how long it will last. [81]
Who is involved
- Fitsum Assefa finance minister
- Mekdes Daba health minister
Why it matters

Abiy says military discipline makes stronger leaders and helps the country develop. [81]
35
Dutch rescue 38 men adrift off the coast
What happened
- Dutch authorities rescued 38 men from a rubber boat drifting off the Netherlands' coast. [82]
- The boat had no motor, and no one wore a life vest. [82]
- 36 of the men were from Afghanistan, AFP reported. [82]
- Two Sudanese men were arrested on suspicion of people smuggling. [82]
- The boat was off Zeeland province, far south-west of Amsterdam. [82]
- Small boats usually cross from France to the UK; Dutch waters rarely see them. [82]
Why it matters

"We rarely see it here in the Netherlands," a military police spokesman said. [82]
Good news
- Dutch rescuers pulled 38 men from a rubber boat drifting off the coast of Zeeland. The boat had no motor, and none of them wore a life vest.
What comes next

Dutch authorities open an investigation on Sunday. [82]

Gulf officials say US strikes on Iran could resume the day after the US midterms, as Iran's envoys talk in Qatar

35 stories on this beat today.

Why a few rioters decide how a whole march is remembered