Americans vote in the midterms after the US Supreme Court refuses to set aside 20,000 California ballots

The stories

41 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.

1. 01

   Americans vote in the midterms after the US Supreme Court refuses to set aside 20,000 California ballots

   20,000

   California mail ballots the US government wanted set aside

   every court up to the US Supreme Court said no [1]

   18 of 20

   midterms since 1946 where the sitting president's party lost House seats

   the average loss was 26 seats [5]

   32%

   of Americans approve of Trump's work, in a Reuters/Ipsos poll

   near his record low, on the eve of the vote [9]

   What happened

   • Americans vote on Tuesday for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 Senate seats. [6]
   • The House and Senate together make up the US Congress. [5] A bill must pass both before it reaches the US president. [5]
   • Republicans hold both houses now. [6] Democrats need 3 more House seats and 4 more Senate seats to take control. [7]
   • On Monday the US Supreme Court turned down a last-minute request from the Trump administration about California's votes. [1]
   • The US Justice Department wanted 20,000 mail ballots set aside. [1] It said they may have come from people who are not citizens. [1]
   • California officials say the US government's list is highly unreliable. [2] They say it likely includes many people who are citizens. [2]
   • Two lower courts had already said no, so their rulings now stand. [1]
   • Research shows that voting by people who are not citizens is extremely rare. [1]
   • California has about 23 million registered voters, and every one of them is mailed a ballot. [2]
   • Judge David Carter called the effort part of an "ongoing pattern of attempted election interference". [1]
   • A second judge, James Boasberg, ordered the Trump administration to stop demanding that California set ballots aside. [7]
   • That judge wrote that the US Constitution gives the rules of elections to the states and Congress alone. [3]
   • Voters say the cost of living worries them most. [4]
   • Diesel cost $3.75 a gallon before the war on Iran began in February. [4] It hit a record $6.52 in September. [4]
   • In a Reuters/Ipsos poll, 32% of Americans approved of how Trump does his job. [9] That is near his record low. [9]
   • In an NBC poll, 75% of people said they were unhappy with the state of the US economy. [13]
   • Republicans have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into adverts in states they usually win easily, such as Kansas. [4]
   • Trump told crowds: "I'm asking you to pretend, please, that I'm on the ballot." [4] He is not on it. [4]
   • The Cook Political Report, which rates US races, calls 7 Senate races toss-ups: too close to call. [12]
   • In 18 of the 20 midterms since 1946, the sitting president's party lost seats in the House. [5]
   • The average loss was 26 seats. [5]
   • Trump said on Monday: "For some reason, the sitting president doesn't win the midterms." [9]
   • The first polls open in Vermont at 5am local time, which is 10:00 GMT. [6]

   Who is involved

   • Justice Department wanted the ballots set aside
   • California officials say the list is unreliable
   • Donald Trump the US president, not on the ballot; his party holds both houses of Congress
   • The US Supreme Court the highest US court; it refused to let 20,000 California ballots be set aside
   • California's election officials they run voting in the largest US state; they called the Trump administration's list unreliable
   • The Democratic Party the main US opposition party; it needs 3 House and 4 Senate seats to take control

   How it unfolded

   1. 23:00 GMT first polls close
   2. 06:00 GMT Wed Alaska closes last
   3. 28 Feb the US-Israel war on Iran begins [9]
   4. October the US demands 20,000 California ballots be set aside [1]
   5. Friday an appeals court says no [1]
   6. Monday the US Supreme Court says no [1]
   7. Tuesday Americans vote [6]

   Why it matters

   If Democrats win the House, they can open investigations into the Trump administration. [5]

   If they win the US Senate, they can reject the judges Trump names, who serve for life. [5]

   How it works

   Political scientists call this pattern the midterm penalty. [5] The sitting president's party tends to lose seats simply because it holds power. [5]

   Trump's name is not on the ballot, so voters use the midterm to judge him through his party. [5]

   Seen it before

   When fans cannot sack an unpopular coach, they boo the players he picks.

   The truth

   • What is really going on Americans are choosing a Congress that can block or back Donald Trump for his last two years.On the eve of the vote his government asked the US Supreme Court to keep 20,000 California ballots out of the count, and the court said no, as two lower courts had. [1]
   • Why it works on people A list of 20,000 'likely' non-citizens sounds like evidence, though California officials say the list is highly unreliable and research finds such voting extremely rare. [1][2]
   • California officials say the method used to pick out the 20,000 voters was inaccurate. [1] The US Supreme Court gave no reason for its one-line order. [3]
   • Who gains Democratic candidates in Republican-leaning states — Voters hurt by high fuel and food prices are judging the sitting president's party, so seats once safe are now in play. [4]
   • Who pays Californians named on the Trump administration's list — Their ballots were targeted for setting aside, though officials say many of them are likely citizens. [2]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Which party will control the US House and Senate.

     Polls close in waves from 23:00 GMT, and Alaska, the last state, closes at 06:00 GMT on Wednesday. [6]

   • Nobody knows yet

     How many of the 20,000 voters on the Trump administration's list are in fact citizens.

     California says the list is riddled with errors, and nobody has published a checked count. [1]

   • Nobody knows yet

     How unpopular Trump really is going into the vote.

     A Reuters/Ipsos poll puts his approval at 32%. [9] Other final polls cited by the BBC put it around 38%. [4]

   What comes next

   Polls close in waves from 23:00 GMT, starting in Indiana and Kentucky. [6] Alaska closes last, at 06:00 GMT on Wednesday. [6]

1. 02

   US strikes an Iranian island in Hormuz

   What happened

   • US planes struck Iran's Qeshm Island late on Monday, US officials told CBS News. [14]
   • Qeshm sits at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz. [16] It has been used to launch attacks on ships. [16]
   • Officials said Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps had fired on a US aircraft. [14] The US hit the missile launcher in response. [17]
   • Iran's Guards said they destroyed a US MQ-9 drone east of the strait that same day. [15]
   • The Wall Street Journal reported a series of small US strikes in recent weeks, kept secret on purpose. [16]
   • Hours earlier, Vice President JD Vance said: "We've certainly made some progress" toward a deal. [16]

   Why it matters

   Brent crude, a main world oil price, rose 0.5% to $105.25 a barrel after the reports. [17]

   How it works

   Officials called the strikes defensive, aimed at the missiles used against US aircraft. [15] A US official said the jet acted in self-defence. [17]

   One official said the campaign was kept quiet to avoid signalling a return to major combat. [15]

   Seen it before

   When a younger brother pokes you, you push his hand away without starting a full fight that wakes your parents.

   Why a US president's party nearly always loses seats in a midterm

   Political scientists call it the midterm penalty: the US president is not on the ballot, so voters unhappy with him vote against his party instead.

   The twist

   The US president is not on the ballot, yet the vote is mostly about him. Voters who are unhappy with him can only show it by voting against his party's candidates.

   The picture

   Lost House seats18 midterms

   Gained House seats2 midterms

   Step by step

   1. 1 A midterm comes halfway through a president's four-year term
   2. 2 His name is not on the ballot, but his party's candidates are
   3. 3 Voters unhappy with him, often about prices or a war, vote against his party
   4. 4 Some voters also want a check on whoever holds the US presidency
   5. 5 So the US president's party usually loses seats, often its majority

   The same force, elsewhere today

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

   • Texas map faces its first vote

     Republicans redrew Houston's districts to win at least five seats, adding seats through the map before voters can take seats away at the polls.

   • US strikes an Iranian island in Hormuz

     Officials kept the small strikes quiet so they would not look like a return to the war that voters blame for high fuel prices.

   • Midterm spending heads for a record $11.9 billion

     Elon Musk spent almost half a billion dollars backing Republicans, mostly in Texas: money spent defending ground the party would normally hold.

   Where you've seen this

   By-elections in Britain

   voters in one seat often punish the governing party, because the prime minister is not on their ballot

   Shareholder meetings

   investors angry with a chief executive vote against the board members who back him

   European Parliament elections

   voters often use them to punish their own national government

   The catch

   It is a tendency, not a law. The US president's party gained House seats in 1998 and 2002, and a party can lose seats and still keep control.

   And the whole of it

   Each voter casts one ballot about one local race. Added up, the ballots become a verdict on a president none of them could vote for, and no single voter can see the whole of it.

   The truth

   • The account comes from unnamed US officials. [14] US Central Command did not comment. [16]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether the strike on Qeshm Island is the start of a wider US campaign.

     A US official told Fox News it was not, but the Wall Street Journal says several small strikes have been kept secret for weeks. [15][16]

1. 03

   Russian bombs kill 26 at an aid centre

   What happened

   • Russian bombs killed at least 26 people at an aid centre in Komyshuvakha, a Ukrainian village, on Monday. [18]
   • At least nine 3,000kg bombs hit the village, in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, its regional head said. [18]
   • The first bombs hit a school used to hand out aid. [19] A second strike hit the shelter nearby. [19]
   • Two rescuers and four police officers were among the dead. [19]
   • Russian drones then attacked the area again, slowing the rescue, a Ukrainian official said. [19]

   Who is involved

   • Rescuers two killed
   • Police officers four killed

   How it unfolded

   A local truce in Ukraine's Kherson region, the longest of the war, had ended on Sunday. [20]

   1. First bombs on the aid school
   2. Then bombs on the shelter

   Why it matters

   President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack showed Russia "does not want any de-escalation". [18]

   The truth

   • Zelensky said villagers came for aid there every week, so Russia must have known. [18] Russia's military has not commented. [18]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How many people are still missing in Komyshuvakha.

     A city official said 27 people were missing, and rescue work was slowed by more Russian drone attacks. [19]

   What comes next

   US-led talks between Russia and Ukraine are due in Abu Dhabi next week. [27]

2. 04

   Belgium's prime minister offers to resign

   What happened

   • Belgium's prime minister, Bart De Wever, offered to resign on Monday after budget talks collapsed overnight. [22]
   • His five-party government could not agree how to find €10 billion in cuts and tax rises. [22]
   • De Wever's Flemish nationalists and the liberals wanted deeper spending cuts, including to healthcare. [22] Their partners wanted higher taxes on the wealthiest. [22]
   • Belgium's deficit was 5.2% of its economy in 2025 and is expected to rise, Politico reported. [23]
   • King Philippe, who oversees forming governments in Belgium, has not yet decided whether to accept. [21]

   Who is involved

   • Nationalists and liberals deeper cuts
   • Their partners taxes on the rich

   How it unfolded

   1. Tuesday king meets party leaders
   2. Friday king sees De Wever again

   Why it matters

   The European Commission forecasts Belgium's debt at 110% of its economy's yearly output this year. [21]

   How it works

   Economists measure debt against GDP: the value of everything a country produces in a year. [21]

   The interest on that debt is a major challenge while Belgium's government wants to spend more on defence. [21]

   Seen it before

   A family paying interest on a big loan has less left over for anything new.

   The truth

   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Belgium's king accepts De Wever's resignation.

     King Philippe is holding back his decision and will see De Wever again on Friday. [21]

   What comes next

   The king will consult party leaders from Tuesday and see De Wever again on Friday. [21]

3. 05

   Bennett backs Eisenkot as Likud weighs rejecting the result

   What happened

   • Naftali Bennett, a former Israeli prime minister, said his party will back Gadi Eisenkot to form a government. [24]
   • Eisenkot leads the Yashar party. [24] Israel voted on 27 October, and neither main bloc won a majority of the 120 seats. [24]
   • Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party is weighing a vote against certifying the results on Wednesday, Haaretz reported. [25]
   • Such a move would be unprecedented in Israel. [25] Courts would likely overturn it quickly, because the committee's role is technical. [25]
   • Itamar Ben-Gvir's far-right party has already said it will vote against certifying. [25]

   Who is involved

   • Naftali Bennett former prime minister
   • Gadi Eisenkot Yashar party leader

   How it unfolded

   1. 4 November official results
   2. Then talks with the parties

   Why it matters

   Eisenkot called Likud's campaign against the results "a direct assault on Israeli democracy". [25]

   How it works

   In Israel, each party recommends a leader to Israel's president, who then asks one to form a government. [24]

   The truth

   • Likud says suspected foreign funding may have swayed the vote. [25] The election chief, Judge Noam Sohlberg, says it would not change the result. [25]

   What comes next

   President Isaac Herzog receives the official results on 4 November. [24] He will then meet the parties, smallest first. [25]

4. 06

   Europe rehearses a Ukraine force in Poland

   What happened

   • Nearly 3,000 troops from 12 European countries will rehearse sending a force to Ukraine, this month in Poland. [26]
   • Britain and France lead the plan, which is meant for after a peace deal. [26]
   • Officials say the force would not fight, keep the peace or watch a ceasefire. [26] It would reassure Ukraine and help rebuild its army. [26]
   • The US joined the discussions but is not sending troops. [26]
   • Russia opposes foreign troops in Ukraine. [26] Putin said last year they would be "legitimate targets". [26]

   Why it matters

   UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said: "This is not a hypothetical plan, it's a real force." [26]

   How it works

   Officials call it a reassurance force: its job is to be there and help, not to fight. [26]

   The truth

   • Officials will not say what the troops would do if attacked, only that they could defend themselves. [26]

   What comes next

   US envoy Steve Witkoff said Russia and Ukraine will hold talks in Abu Dhabi next week. [27]

5. 07

   US cuts South Africa and Rwanda from a trade deal

   What happened

   • The US will cut South Africa and Rwanda from a duty-free trade scheme on 1 January 2027. [28]
   • The scheme, AGOA, has let African countries sell thousands of goods to the US without import taxes since 2000. [29]
   • South Africa sold about $1.7 billion of goods to the US under it in 2025, the most of any country. [28]
   • Jamieson Greer, the US trade chief, said both countries' practices do not meet the scheme's rules. [28]
   • South Africa says the US has raised new issues that were never part of their talks. [30]

   Who is involved

   • US names new problems
   • South Africa says they are new

   Why it matters

   AGOA sales are only about 10% of South Africa's exports to the US, its trade department says. [28]

   How it works

   AGOA is a trade preference scheme: lower import taxes for poorer countries, on conditions. [29]

   The US reviews every country's eligibility each year, so the benefit can be taken away. [28]

   Seen it before

   A loyalty discount that the shop can cancel any time keeps you careful about what you do.

   The truth

   • The US statement gave no examples of the trade barriers or security threats it named. [29]
   • Who pays South African exporters — From January 2027 their goods face US import taxes they did not pay before. [28]
   • Nobody knows yet

     What South Africa and Rwanda did that broke the trade scheme's rules.

     The US statement named trade barriers and security threats but gave no examples. [29]

6. 08

   Uganda starts pulling its troops out of Somalia

   What happened

   • Uganda has begun pulling its troops out of Somalia, after nearly 20 years there. [31]
   • About 4,500 Ugandan troops serve in an African Union force there, and about 2,000 more under a direct deal. [32]
   • The first 109 soldiers left Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, on Friday. [31] All are to leave by the end of 2027. [31]

   How it unfolded

   Uganda was the first country to send troops, in 2007, to help Somalia's government fight al-Shabab. [32] Al-Shabab is part of al-Qaeda. [31]

   1. Friday first 109 leave
   2. End of 2027 all gone

   Why it matters

   Somalia has fought an insurgency led by al-Shabab for more than 20 years. [31]

   Uganda says Somalia's own army will take full responsibility for its security. [32]

   The truth

   • Somalia's president reportedly asked Uganda to stay longer, at a meeting in Kampala last week. [31] The pull-out began days later. [31]
7. 09

   UN plans talks with Sudan's RSF

   What happened

   • The UN plans to hold talks with Sudan's Rapid Support Forces before Christmas, its envoy Pekka Haavisto said. [33]
   • The RSF is a paramilitary force that has fought Sudan's army in a civil war since April 2023. [34]
   • The talks would be about moving Sudan to civilian rule. [33]
   • The war has driven more than 14 million people from their homes. [33] Nearly 20 million face hunger. [33]

   Why it matters

   The army's chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has repeatedly rejected ceasefire plans. [33]

   The truth

   • The RSF has not made clear commitments to the peace plans on the table. [33]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether the RSF will take part in the UN's talks on civilian rule in Sudan.

     The RSF has made no clear commitment to the peace plans on the table. [33]

8. 10

   Sudan takes Ethiopia to the UN over drones

   What happened

   • Sudan has complained to the UN Security Council and the African Union about drone attacks it blames on Ethiopia. [34]
   • It says the RSF launched them from Ethiopian land, hitting civilian sites and power stations. [34]
   • Sudan's army-led council counted 70 attacks with 187 drones between 15 February and 27 October. [34]
   • Ethiopia accuses Sudan's army of backing rebels from Tigray, an Ethiopian region. [34] Sudan denies it. [34]

   Who is involved

   • Sudan blames Ethiopia
   • Ethiopia blames Sudan

   Why it matters

   Sudan's foreign ministry said the attacks put Ethiopia "before international law". [34]

   The truth

   • The count of 70 attacks comes from Sudan's own army-led council, one side in the war. [34]
9. 11

   Rubio presses Venezuela over prisoners

   What happened

   • US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Venezuela's new foreign minister, Oliver Blanco, on Monday. [35]
   • Rubio pressed for the release of more political prisoners held under Nicolas Maduro. [35]
   • US forces removed Maduro, Venezuela's president, in January. [35] His former deputy, Delcy Rodriguez, now leads as interim president. [36]
   • The US backs a three-step plan: stability, then recovery and reconciliation, then democracy. [35]
   • The rights group Foro Penal counted 344 political prisoners in September. [35]

   Who is involved

   • Marco Rubio US secretary of state
   • Oliver Blanco Venezuela's foreign minister

   Why it matters

   Venezuela's government and opposition say elections will be held, but have given no date. [35]

   The truth

   • Maria Corina Machado leads Venezuela's opposition. [36] She said the US oil deal "does not reflect the levels of transparency that Venezuelan society wants". [36]
10. 12

    Haitian gang leader asks the UN for talks

    What happened

    • Wilson Joseph, leader of the 400 Mawozo gang in Haiti, said he wrote to the UN chief asking for talks. [37]
    • He wants the UN to send a team to Haiti to mediate. [37] It was his first interview with a major international media company. [37]
    • Fighting has grown since a UN-backed force began attacking gangs near Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. [37]
    • The force works with Haitian police and Vectus Global, a private security firm founded by Erik Prince. [37]
    • Joseph said 4 Salvadoran aviation technicians attacked on 18 October are dead. [37] He gave no evidence. [37]

    Who is involved

    • UN-backed force attacking gangs
    • Gangs near the capital
    • Vectus Global private firm

    Why it matters

    He wrote amid fears that Salvadoran troops, sent after the technicians vanished, could make the violence worse. [37]

    The truth

    • Haiti's government says the four were abducted. [37] El Salvador believes they are alive. [37]
11. 13

    Britain doubles the wait to settle

    What happened

    • Britain will make most foreign workers wait 10 years, not 5, before they can settle for good. [38]
    • Settling, called indefinite leave to remain, gives the right to work, study and use the free health service. [38]
    • People earning over £50,000 a year can still apply after 5 years. [38] Those earning over £125,000 can apply after 3. [38]
    • Refugees who arrive on small boats may wait up to 30 years. [38]
    • Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood exempted care workers after a backlash in her Labour Party. [39]

    Why it matters

    Hundreds of thousands of care workers will be exempt from the longer wait. [38]

    How it works

    The new rules tie the right to stay to how much a person earns. [38]

    The truth

    • Who gains Foreign workers in Britain who earn over £50,000 — The new rules tie the right to settle to income, so they keep a 5-year route while most others wait 10. [38]
    • Who pays Refugees who reached Britain on small boats — They may now wait up to 30 years before they can settle for good. [38]

    What comes next

    The rules take effect next year. [38]

12. 14

    Britain asks for help shaping a slavery apology

    What happened

    • Britain's prime minister, Andy Burnham, will ask countries hurt by Britain's role in slavery to help shape an apology. [40]
    • He will start the talks at the Commonwealth summit in Antigua and Barbuda, which opens on Tuesday. [40]
    • Burnham has ruled out financial reparations: money paid to make up for the harm. [41]
    • He is expected to offer plans to restructure debts for countries facing higher debt costs. [40]

    Who is involved

    • An apology offered
    • Reparations ruled out

    Why it matters

    Ghana's President John Mahama said the dialogue must go beyond an apology to wider reparatory justice. [41]

    Mahama listed investment in education, health and climate, and the return of stolen cultural treasures. [41]

13. 15

    Bangladesh garment factories shut over pay

    What happened

    • Hundreds of garment factories in Bangladesh have closed after days of protests over pay. [42]
    • Workers want a monthly minimum wage of 30,000 taka ($242). [42] Most now take home about 13,000 taka ($105). [42]
    • On Sunday protesters in Dhaka, the capital, set vehicles on fire. [42] Police fired tear gas and arrested dozens. [42]
    • Workers say their rent and living costs keep rising. [42]

    Why it matters

    The industry employs about 4 million people and earns nearly $40 billion a year. [42] That is about 10% of the economy. [42]

    It makes clothes for H&M, Primark and Uniqlo, and only China exports more garments. [42]

    The truth

    • Who pays Bangladesh's garment workers — They take home about 13,000 taka a month while their rent and living costs rise. [42]
14. 16

    US lawmakers try to stop Afghans being deported

    What happened

    • At least 150 Afghans were due to be flown from the US to Pakistan from Tuesday. [44]
    • Some are relatives of Afghans who helped US forces before they left in 2021. [43]
    • A group of 66 US lawmakers wrote to the Trump administration on Monday asking it to stop. [44]
    • Afghanistan's Taliban government voiced "serious concern" about the plan. [43]
    • The US has no diplomatic ties with Afghanistan, which the Taliban have ruled since 2021. [44]

    Why it matters

    The lawmakers wrote that sending them back is "a death sentence". [44]

    The truth

    • The Taliban promised an amnesty to Afghans who worked with Western forces. [43] The UN has recorded killings and detentions. [43]
    • Who pays Afghans due to be deported from the US — US lawmakers say those sent back are likely to be targeted for their families' past work with US forces. [44]
15. 17

    South Africa votes in local elections on Wednesday

    What happened

    • South Africans vote in local elections on Wednesday 4 November. [45]
    • Special voting began on Monday for people who cannot vote on the day. [46] Rain slowed it in Soweto, a large township. [46]
    • A monitoring group logged 79 harmful posts online between 22 and 29 October. [45]
    • One post urged people to gather at polling stations to stop foreigners from voting. [45]

    How it unfolded

    1. Monday special voting begins
    2. Wednesday election day

    Why it matters

    Monitors fear that hostility online could spill into tensions at polling stations. [45]

    How it works

    Special voting lets registered voters who cannot reach their station on the day apply to vote early. [46]

    It covers elderly people, pregnant women, people with disabilities and others who cannot vote on the day. [46]

    The truth

    • Of the 79 posts, 51 were tagged as false or misleading. [45]
16. 18

    Two guilty of stealing from Ramaphosa's farm

    What happened

    • A South African court found two people guilty of stealing $580,000 from President Cyril Ramaphosa's farm. [48]
    • Imanuwela David took the cash from a sofa at Phala Phala farm in February 2020. [47]
    • He bought cars, including three Mercedes and a Porsche. [47]
    • Froliana Joseph, a cleaner there, was also convicted. [47] Her brother was acquitted. [47]

    Who is involved

    • Imanuwela David guilty
    • Froliana Joseph guilty
    • Her brother acquitted

    Why it matters

    The case dragged Ramaphosa into an attempt to impeach him. [47]

    How it works

    The magistrate said no direct evidence, like fingerprints or video, linked the accused to the break-in. [48]

    He relied on circumstantial evidence, like David's spending, and drew the inference that David was one of the thieves. [48]

    Seen it before

    If only one child has crumbs on his shirt, nobody needs to see him take the biscuits.

17. 19

    Algerian troops reach northern Niger

    What happened

    • Algerian soldiers escorting about 60 fuel tankers reached Agadez, a city in northern Niger, on Saturday. [49]
    • Algeria's parliament approved sending troops to Niger on 25 October. [49] It is Algeria's first deployment abroad since the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. [49]
    • The soldiers are to help Niger fight armed groups along the two countries' border. [49]

    How it unfolded

    1. 1973 last deployment abroad
    2. 25 October parliament says yes
    3. Saturday convoy reaches Agadez

    Why it matters

    Algeria also wants to protect a gas pipeline being built from Nigeria to Algeria through Niger. [49]

    The truth

    • The arrival was reported by RFI, a French radio station. [49]
    • Who gains Algeria's government — Its troops in Niger help guard the route of a gas pipeline meant to carry Nigerian gas to Algeria. [49]
18. 20

    Russia agrees to stop recruiting Ghanaians

    What happened

    • Russia has agreed to stop recruiting Ghanaians to fight in Ukraine, Ghana's government said. [50]
    • Putin reportedly gave the promise at last week's Russia-Africa summit in Moscow, after Ghana's President John Mahama raised it. [50]
    • More than 270 Ghanaians had fought for Russia by mid-August. [50] At least 62 were killed. [50]
    • Ghana said its citizens were being "tricked" into joining. [50]

    Why it matters

    Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Cameroon and The Gambia have made similar complaints. [50] They say false job offers lured their citizens. [50]

    Good news

    • Russia agreed to stop recruiting Ghanaians to fight in Ukraine, after at least 62 were killed, Ghana's government said.
19. 21

    Israel sends its first ambassador to Somaliland

    What happened

    • Israel's first ambassador to Somaliland, Michael Lotem, presented his credentials in Hargeisa. [51]
    • Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991. [51] Israel became the first UN member to recognise it, in December 2025. [51]
    • Somalia still claims the territory. [51]
    • Somalia's president accused Israel of seeking access to the Red Sea and a naval base. [51]

    Who is involved

    • Somalia claims the land
    • Somaliland says it is a state

    How it unfolded

    1. 1991 Somaliland breaks away
    2. December 2025 Israel recognises it

    Why it matters

    Somalia, the Arab League and the African Union have criticised the relationship. [51]

    The truth

    • Somaliland officials have signalled they are open to an Israeli military base. [51] Its president says no talks have taken place. [51]
20. 22

    Houthis raid Saudi border posts

    What happened

    • Yemen's Houthi rebels have raided Saudi border posts several times in recent months, officials told Middle East Eye. [52]
    • At least one raid came at the end of October. [52]
    • The raids hit posts in Saudi Arabia's mountainous south-west. [52]

    Why it matters

    They would be the first Houthi attacks inside Saudi Arabia since a ceasefire in Yemen collapsed. [52]

    The truth

    • The claim rests on two officials, one Western and one Arab, who were not named. [52] The raids have not been publicly reported. [52]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether the Houthi raids into Saudi Arabia happened as described.

      They rest on two unnamed officials and have not been publicly reported. [52]

21. 23

    Xi tells Oman's sultan the Gulf is no battlefield

    What happened

    • Oman's Sultan Haitham met China's President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday. [53]
    • It was the first visit by an Omani head of state since the two set up ties in 1978. [53]
    • Xi said the Gulf "should not become an arena for great-power rivalry". [53]
    • Both called for ships to move safely through the Strait of Hormuz again. [53]

    Who is involved

    • Sultan Haitham Oman's ruler
    • Xi Jinping China's president

    How it unfolded

    1. 1978 ties set up
    2. Monday first visit by Oman's ruler

    Why it matters

    China is Oman's largest trading partner. [53] Oman is open to a trade and investment deal with China. [53]

22. 24

    UNESCO: most attacks on journalists go unpunished

    What happened

    • UNESCO, the UN's culture body, says 86% of crimes against journalists go unpunished, in a report published on Monday. [54]
    • More than 1,600 journalists were murdered worldwide in the last 20 years, UNESCO says. [54]
    • Nine in ten victims are local journalists. [54]
    • 2 November is the day the UN marks to end impunity for crimes against journalists. [54]

    How it unfolded

    It honours two French radio reporters murdered in Mali on 2 November 2013. [54] The investigation into their deaths is still open in France. [54]

    1. 2013 two reporters killed in Mali
    2. Now the case is still open

    Why it matters

    Impunity means nobody is punished for a crime. [54] The report says it endures even as threats change. [54]

23. 25

    Israel arrests an Al Jazeera reporter near Hebron

    What happened

    • Israeli forces arrested Montaser Nassar, a correspondent for Al Jazeera Arabic, at his home near Hebron on Tuesday. [55]
    • Video shows him blindfolded and handcuffed. [55]
    • He was one of more than 13 Palestinians detained in the town of Dura that day. [55]
    • A Palestinian journalists' union recorded 84 alleged press violations in August alone. [55]

    Why it matters

    Israeli forces raided Al-Ghad TV's Hebron office last week. [55] Israel shut Al Jazeera's Ramallah bureau in 2024. [55]

    The truth

    • All those detained were taken to an undisclosed place. [55]
24. 26

    Israeli attacks kill five in Gaza

    What happened

    • Israeli attacks killed at least 4 Palestinians across Gaza on Monday, medics said. [56]
    • A fifth man died of wounds from a strike on a police post on Sunday. [56]

    How it unfolded

    The Palestinian health ministry says Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,593 people since the October 2025 ceasefire. [56]

    Why it matters

    Israeli Army Radio said Nickolay Mladenov, of a US-created board for Gaza, came seeking permission to bring in tents. [56]

    The truth

    • Israel's military said it targeted fighters in three strikes, but gave no details. [56]
25. 27

    Israel detains 18 settlers at an outpost

    What happened

    • Israeli forces arrested 18 settlers who attacked troops while an illegal outpost was removed on Monday. [57]
    • The outpost, Givat Ora Yisrael, is near the Palestinian town of Salfit in the northern West Bank. [57]
    • Border police and soldiers from the Civil Administration came to demolish it. [57]
    • The settlers rioted and attacked the troops, the military said. [57]

    Who is involved

    • Settlers rioted
    • Troops came to demolish

    Why it matters

    Israeli authorities have cleared the outpost before. [57]

26. 28

    French pupils block schools again

    What happened

    • Pupils blockaded dozens of French high schools on Monday, as classes resumed after a two-week holiday. [58]
    • They want more replacement teachers and repairs to school buildings. [58]
    • The blockades have run since September. [58] They are among the biggest protests of Emmanuel Macron's presidency. [58]
    • Police dragged away bins piled at school gates and made arrests. [58]

    Who is involved

    • Pupils pile bins at gates
    • Police drag bins away

    How it unfolded

    1. September blockades begin
    2. Monday they return after the holiday

    Why it matters

    Weeks without lessons are putting some pupils' final exams at risk. [58]

    What comes next

    University students planned barricades at their faculties on Tuesday. [58]

27. 29

    500,000 sign a petition against CNews

    What happened

    • More than 500,000 people signed a petition asking France to take the TV channel CNews off air. [59]
    • It follows the racist killing of a Black man in Trappes, west of Paris. [59]
    • The 39-year-old suspect said he targeted people who looked Muslim or African, a prosecutor said. [59]
    • CNews is owned by the billionaire Vincent Bollore. [59] Critics say it gives too much airtime to anti-immigrant views. [59]

    Who is involved

    • Vincent Bollore owner
    • Critics too much anti-immigrant talk

    Why it matters

    The petition calls CNews "a propaganda machine", not a news channel. [59]

    The truth

    • The link to CNews rests on French media reports that the suspect watched it often. [59]
28. 30

    Japan scolds the US after a second Marine arrest

    What happened

    • Japan asked the US to enforce discipline after a second US Marine was arrested. [60]
    • The Marine is suspected of drink driving during a night curfew. [60]
    • US forces on Okinawa, a southern Japanese island, have a curfew after a woman was killed, allegedly by a Marine. [60]
    • Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi asked the US "to strictly enforce discipline among its personnel". [60]

    Why it matters

    The killing revived anger in Japan over the heavy US military presence on Okinawa. [60]

29. 31

    Former Maldives foreign minister arrested

    What happened

    • Maldives police arrested former foreign minister Abdulla Shahid on Monday night on child sexual abuse charges. [61]
    • Shahid denies the allegations, local media said. [61]
    • He led the UN General Assembly in 2021-22. [61]

    Who is involved

    • Maldives police made the arrest
    • Abdulla Shahid denies it

    How it unfolded

    1. 2021-22 led the UN General Assembly
    2. 2028 next presidential election

    Why it matters

    He is one of the main opposition party's leading hopefuls for president in 2028. [61]

    He recently accused President Mohamed Muizzu of steering the Maldives against India. [61]

30. 32

    Florida jet may have broken apart in the air

    What happened

    • US investigators are checking whether parts of a jet broke off before it crashed in Florida on Sunday. [62]
    • All 9 people on board the Learjet 60 died. [62] It was flying from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas. [62]
    • The crew reported ice and moderate turbulence and asked to climb. [62]
    • Less than 30 seconds later, the plane began to descend and the crew called mayday. [62]

    How it unfolded

    1. First crew asks to climb
    2. Under 30 seconds later descent and mayday

    Why it matters

    The crash came down on a street about 9 miles from Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. [62]

    The truth

    • Investigators do not yet know whether a cockpit voice recorder was on board. [62]

    What comes next

    The safety board says finding the cause will be a "lengthy investigatory process". [62]

31. 33

    Australia's under-16 social media ban goes to court

    What happened

    • Australia's High Court began hearing a challenge to its social media ban for under-16s on Tuesday. [63]
    • The ban began on 10 December last year. [63]
    • A digital rights group says the ban robs children of their right to free communication. [63]
    • Reddit, one of the world's 10 most-visited websites, brought a separate challenge heard alongside it. [64]
    • Reddit's lawyer said the law passed within a week, with 24 hours for public comment. [64]

    How it unfolded

    1. 10 December ban begins
    2. Tuesday court hearing begins

    Why it matters

    Supporters say the ban protects children from harm online. [63]

    How it works

    Reddit argues the ban breaks the "implied freedom of political communication" in Australia's constitution. [64]

    What comes next

    Hearings run for two days. [63]

32. 34

    Two helicopters collide in Nepal

    What happened

    • Two helicopters collided while landing at Pheriche in Nepal's Solukhumbu district on Tuesday morning. [65]
    • A 47-year-old Indian passenger, Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu, was killed. [65]
    • Another passenger, a 49-year-old New Zealand resident, was hurt. [65] He was flown to hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital. [65]
    • The collision happened at about 8.11am local time, police said. [65]

    Why it matters

    Pheriche lies on the route to Mount Everest's base camp, 150km northeast of Kathmandu. [65]

    The truth

    • Police have not yet confirmed how many people were on board the two helicopters. [65]
33. 35

    Steel plant blast kills four in Cameroon

    What happened

    • An explosion and fire at a steel plant in Douala, Cameroon, killed at least 4 workers on Monday. [66]
    • 16 others were badly hurt, most with severe burns. [66]
    • The Metafrique Steel plant had a fire in May. [66] Safety measures were ordered afterwards. [66]
    • The regional governor said the firm had not followed those measures. [66]

    How it unfolded

    1. May first fire
    2. Monday explosion and fire

    Why it matters

    Questions about worker safety in Douala are being raised again. [66]

    What comes next

    The governor said the factory might be shut down. [66]

34. 36

    Dutch police offer a record reward for a drug lord

    What happened

    • Dutch police offered a record €2 million reward to catch Jos Leijdekkers, one of Europe's most-wanted men. [67]
    • Police accuse him of being a key player in the world cocaine trade. [67]
    • A Rotterdam court sentenced him to 24 years in his absence in 2024, for smuggling over 7 tonnes of cocaine. [67]
    • Police said in January 2025 that he was believed to be living in Sierra Leone. [67] Sierra Leone has refused to hand him over. [67]

    Who is involved

    • Netherlands wants him
    • Sierra Leone refuses to hand him over

    Why it matters

    The reward is ten times larger than before. [67]

    The truth

    • Images have appeared that seem to show him with Sierra Leone's president, Julius Maada Bio. [67]
35. 37

    Syria names a Druze presenter as peace adviser

    What happened

    • Syria's foreign minister appointed Mozna Alatrash, a Druze TV presenter and activist, as an adviser on peace. [68]
    • The Druze are a religious minority whose heartland is Sweida, in southern Syria. [68]
    • She was born in Sweida in 1987. [68] A relative, Sultan Pasha Alatrash, led an uprising against French rule in the 1920s. [68]

    Who is involved

    • Asaad al-Shibani Syria's foreign minister
    • Mozna Alatrash new peace adviser

    How it unfolded

    1. 1920s a relative leads a revolt
    2. 1987 she is born in Sweida

    Why it matters

    The choice hints at an effort to include the Druze amid tension with Syria's government. [68]

36. 38

    Texas map faces its first vote

    What happened

    • Texas Republicans redrew the state's congressional map last year, after an appeal from Trump. [10]
    • Redrawing districts in the middle of a decade is rare. [10]
    • In Houston, the new lines moved a Black church community out of Democrat Al Green's district. [10]
    • Green then lost a primary against another Black Democrat, Christian Menefee. [10]

    Who is involved

    • Al Green lost
    • Christian Menefee won

    Why it matters

    Republicans hope the new map wins them at least 5 seats. [10]

    How it works

    Critics call the method "cracking and packing". [10] It squeezes one group's voters into fewer districts, so they elect fewer members. [10]

    Seen it before

    Put all the best players in one team and they win one match by ten goals, then lose the rest.

    Republicans redrew Houston's districts to win at least five seats, adding seats through the map before voters can take seats away at the polls.

    The idea, in story 02: Why a US president's party nearly always loses seats in a midterm →
37. 39

    Midterm spending heads for a record $11.9 billion

    What happened

    • Open Secrets, which tracks campaign money, projects the midterms will cost $11.9 billion, the most ever. [8]
    • That is about 30% more than in 2022. [8]
    • Political action groups made up more than half of the $9.5 billion spent by mid-October. [8]
    • Super PACs can take unlimited money but cannot give it to candidates directly. [8]
    • Elon Musk has spent almost half a billion dollars backing Republicans, mostly in Texas. [8]

    Why it matters

    The top 40 donors gave $2.4 billion by 14 October, the most ever by that date in a midterm. [8]

    How it works

    Elon Musk spent almost half a billion dollars backing Republicans, mostly in Texas: money spent defending ground the party would normally hold.

    The idea, in story 02: Why a US president's party nearly always loses seats in a midterm →

    The truth

    • Who gains The biggest political donors — Super PACs may take unlimited money, so a few rich donors pay for a growing share of the adverts voters see. [8]
38. 40

    Prosecutors charge six more in California

    What happened

    • Federal prosecutors in California charged 6 more people with voter fraud on Monday. [11]
    • All six hold green cards: they live legally in the US but may not vote. [11]
    • Each faces one charge of lying on an application to become a citizen. [11]
    • Prosecutors charged 28 people in California last month. [11]

    Why it matters

    The prosecutor, Bill Essayli, is a close ally of Trump. [11]

    The truth

    • Experts say non-citizens who end up on voter lists are usually there through confusion. [11]
39. 41

    Karl Bushby walks home after 28 years

    What happened

    • Karl Bushby, 57, reached his hometown of Hull in England on Monday, after walking for 28 years. [69]
    • He set off from the far south of South America in 1998. [69]
    • He walked 50,000km across four continents. [69]
    • His rule was never to use motor transport to move forward. [69]
    • A cheering crowd met him in the centre of Hull. [70]

    Why it matters

    Bushby thanked strangers, "the poorest of the poor", who gave him rice and drink along the way. [70]

    Good news

    • Karl Bushby walked 50,000km across four continents over 28 years and reached his home city of Hull on Monday. He met a granddaughter he had never seen.