The US strikes Iran's Qeshm Island again as Qatar offers a two-day plan to reopen Hormuz

The stories

41 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

   The US strikes Iran's Qeshm Island again as Qatar offers a two-day plan to reopen Hormuz

   $20 million

   offered by the US for information on Iran's nuclear programme

   it asked about sites, equipment and scientists [5]

   65%

   fewer trips through the Strait of Hormuz than before the war

   11 ships were attacked there in one week, and 3 sank [12]

   3

   US aircraft carriers in the region once the USS Theodore Roosevelt arrives

   together they carry up to 144 strike jets [13]

   What happened

   • US forces struck Iran's Qeshm Island again on Friday, and President Donald Trump called the strikes 'minor'. [2]
   • Qeshm sits in the Strait of Hormuz, the sea lane for oil disrupted since the war began in February. [2]
   • The same day, Trump told reporters the US is 'talking to Iran' through go-betweens. [2]
   • Iran's state media reported 2 explosions in the Suza area of the island. [3] Trump said US forces knocked out an anti-aircraft weapon. [3]
   • US forces had already struck Qeshm and nearby Hengam on Monday, in what they called defensive strikes. [3]
   • Friday's strikes were the first since Trump's party lost badly in Tuesday's midterm elections. [2]
   • Qatar, the main go-between, has put a 2-day plan to both sides, regional officials said. [4]
   • On day 1, the US would lift its naval blockade and free some frozen Iranian money. [4] Iran would let nuclear inspectors into its bombed sites. [4]
   • On day 2, Iran would reopen the strait along a route it has agreed with Oman. [1]
   • The inspectors would come from the IAEA, the UN body that checks nuclear sites. [1] Iran says it has lost faith in the IAEA's head, Rafael Grossi. [1]
   • The money freed would be part of $8bn of frozen Iranian assets, the Guardian reports. [1]
   • Iran is reviewing the plan, an Iranian and a Qatari official said. [4] But Iran will not talk about its nuclear work until the US meets its core demands. [4]
   • Those demands include ending the blockade, lifting sanctions, paying for war damage and ending Israel's fighting in Lebanon. [4]
   • Qatar's prime minister said on Friday that its mediation 'did not stop and will not stop'. [9]
   • A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran has sent the US a nuclear proposal through Qatar. [14] It would be discussed only after the US meets 7 demands. [14]
   • Iran's army spokesman, Mohammad Akraminia, said its forces are 'stronger' than at the start of the war. [6] He said the strait stays closed until the US meets Iran's demands. [6]
   • US Central Command offered up to $20 million for information on Iran's nuclear programme. [5]
   • Central Command runs US military operations in the Middle East. [2] It asked about nuclear sites, equipment and the scientists who work there. [5]
   • A third US aircraft carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, is heading for the region, The National reports. [13]
   • It should reach the Arabian Sea late next week. [13] The 3 carriers together hold up to 144 front-line strike jets. [13]
   • An analyst told The National the US gathers 3 carriers in one region only 'ahead of major combat operations'. [13]
   • Iran is handing out iodine tablets near its nuclear sites, the UK's Times newspaper reported. [7] Iodine protects the thyroid gland from radiation. [7]
   • The US government warned its citizens across the Middle East, from Lebanon to Oman, to take extra care. [10]
   • In the week to 4 November, 11 ships were attacked near the strait and in the Gulf. [12] 3 of them sank, said UKMTO, which tracks attacks on shipping. [12]
   • Ships made 325 trips through the strait that week, up from 277 the week before. [12] That is still about 65% below the level before the war. [12]

   week before277 trips

   week to 4 Nov325 trips

   Who is involved

   • Donald Trump the US president; he ordered Friday's strikes and says the US is talking to Iran
   • Qatar's emir and prime minister rulers of Qatar, the main go-between; they put a 2-day plan to both sides
   • Mohammad Akraminia spokesman for Iran's army; he says the strait stays shut until the US meets Iran's demands
   • US Central Command the part of the US military that covers the Middle East; it offered the $20 million reward

   How it unfolded

   1. Monday first strikes on Qeshm
   2. Tuesday US midterm vote
   3. Friday strikes again
   4. Day 1 US lifts blockade, Iran lets inspectors in
   5. Day 2 Iran reopens the strait
   6. February the US and Israel attack Iran, and the war begins [2][6]
   7. Mon 2 Nov US 'defensive' strikes on Qeshm and Hengam [3]
   8. Tue 3 Nov Trump's party loses the US midterm elections [2]
   9. Fri 6 Nov new US strikes on Qeshm, and a $20 million reward [2][5]
   10. Late next week a third US carrier is due in the Arabian Sea [13]

   Why it matters

   The strait normally carries about one-fifth of the oil the world uses. [6]

   Fuel prices pushed up by the war helped cost Trump's party the midterms, the Guardian reports. [2]

   How it works

   Strategists call it coercive diplomacy when a country strikes a little while it keeps talking, as the US does here. [2]

   Trump called Friday's strikes 'minor' and said on Thursday the US may 'destroy' the rest of Iran. [7] So a small strike sits beside a threat of a much bigger one. [7]

   Seen it before

   A parent who takes a phone away for one evening is showing what a week without it would feel like.

   The truth

   • What is really going on The US struck Iran's Qeshm Island again on Friday and sent a third aircraft carrier towards the Gulf, while Qatar carried a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. [2][13][1]In both wars, the strikes come while talks are being prepared. [9][22]
   • Why it works on people Calling strikes 'minor' and saying 'it's not a war' makes an attack sound small, so fewer people ask what it is for. [11]
   • Iran's army said it shot down a US drone over Qeshm. [8] Trump gave no details of the target. [3]
   • The US military only called the area 'relatively calm'. [8]
   • Who gains Ships from China, India, Qatar and Iraq — An Iranian MP said ships from these 4 countries are allowed through the strait while it stays shut to others. [1]
   • Who pays Seafarers in the Gulf — They crew the ships being hit; in one week 3 ships sank and a crew member on a dhow was killed. [12]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Iran will accept Qatar's 2-day plan.

     Iran says it will not talk about its nuclear work until the US meets its core demands, and the US government would not comment on the plan. [4]

   • Nobody knows yet

     What Friday's strikes on Qeshm actually hit.

     Trump says an anti-aircraft weapon; Iran's army says it shot down a US drone; Trump gave no details of the target. [3][8]

   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether the third US carrier adds to the force or replaces one.

     A former US Marine told The National that Iran could misread the move if the ship is only relieving another carrier. [13]

   Good news

   • Ship trips through the Strait of Hormuz rose to 325 in the week to 4 November, from 277 the week before.

   What comes next

   The new US Congress, run by Democrats, sits in January. [13] The National says that may give Trump 2 months to act first. [13]

1. 02

   Russia hits Kyiv's power before Tuesday's talks

   What happened

   • Russia fired 36 ballistic missiles and 172 drones at Ukraine overnight into Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. [19]
   • Kyiv's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said power, heating and water in the capital were in an 'extremely difficult' state. [20]
   • The temperature in Kyiv fell to 0 degrees Celsius that night. [19]
   • Ukraine's authorities said 1 person was killed and 8 were wounded. [19]
   • A bridge over the Dnipro river in Kyiv was damaged and closed to traffic. [20][22]

   Who is involved

   Russia's Defence Ministry said the bridge carried Ukrainian weapons. [19] It said it also hit a plant that makes Flamingo cruise missiles. [19]

   How it unfolded

   Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's power grid in winter since its full invasion in February 2022. [20]

   1. Feb 2022 full invasion
   2. Each winter attacks on the grid
   3. Saturday strike on Kyiv
   4. Tuesday talks in Abu Dhabi

   Why it matters

   Russia said on Thursday it hit a cargo ship carrying military supplies in the Black Sea, south of Odesa. [23]

   Ukraine has attacked ships using Russian ports for months. [23] Zelensky says lifting the Black Sea blockade is a top priority in the talks. [23]

   Zelensky said Russia is trying to push Kyiv and the whole country into a blackout. [19]

   How it works

   Power engineers split a grid into making electricity and moving it to homes. [20]

   Zelensky said Russia is hitting transformers and switchgear. [20] So some regions go short even when there is enough power to go round. [20]

   Seen it before

   A full water tank is no help if the pipe to your tap is cut.

   Why a country keeps bombing while it says the talks are going well

   Strategists call it coercive diplomacy: small strikes during talks show the other side what saying no will cost, while a yes stays possible.

   The twist

   The strike is not meant to win the war. It is a sample of the bigger strike that could follow, so that the other side agrees before it comes.

   The picture

   Small strikes on Qeshm

   ++

   A third carrier on its way

   ++

   Talks through Qatar

   Step by step

   1. 1 One side wants the other to agree to something
   2. 2 It strikes a little and keeps bigger strikes in reserve
   3. 3 Each strike shows what a no will bring next
   4. 4 Talks go on, so saying yes stays possible
   5. 5 The other side weighs more pain against the price of a deal

   The same force, elsewhere today

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

   • Russia hits Kyiv's power before Tuesday's talks

     Russia struck Kyiv's power three days before the Abu Dhabi talks, so Ukraine arrives counting the cost of a winter of blackouts if it says no.

   • The US sanctions Canadian money firms over Iran

     On the day Trump said talks with Iran were making progress, the US Treasury also squeezed the firms that move Iran's money: pressure kept on while talking.

   • China confirms talks on a Xi-Trump-Putin meeting

     US officials pressed China to keep its trade promises before the summit, while China complained of US trade restrictions that are still in place.

   Where you've seen this

   Strikes at work

   a one-day walkout shows the boss what a long strike would cost, while the union stays at the table

   Trade fights

   a small tariff now warns of bigger ones later unless the other country makes a deal

   Parking fines

   a fine for the first offence warns of towing for the next

   The catch

   It works only if the target believes worse is coming and believes a yes will stop it. If it thinks it can take the pain, or that giving in will only bring new demands, it digs in, as Iran's army now says it is stronger than before.

   And the whole of it

   The sailors in the strait, the families in Kyiv without heating and drivers paying more for fuel far away are all inside these bargains. None of them is at the table, and none of them can see how far either side is ready to go.

   The truth

   • The claim that the bridge carried weapons and the plant made missiles comes only from Russia's Defence Ministry. [19]
   • Who pays People in Kyiv — Strikes on the grid cut heating and water in the capital on a night that fell to 0 degrees Celsius. [19][20]

   What comes next

   Russian, Ukrainian and US negotiators meet in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, the fourth round of US-led talks. [22]

1. 03

   Trump makes Stephen Miller chief of staff

   What happened

   • President Donald Trump named Stephen Miller as his White House chief of staff on Friday, replacing Susie Wiles. [15]
   • Wiles, 69, was the first woman to hold the job. [15] She will keep working for Trump's political organisation. [18]
   • Miller starts on Monday. [15] Days earlier, Trump had said he was willing to work with the Democrats who won the US Congress. [17]
   • Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House, called Miller 'a dangerous xenophobe and reckless extremist'. [16]

   Who is involved

   The chief of staff is the US president's gatekeeper, sets his agenda and negotiates with the US Congress. [17]

   Miller, 41, is the architect of Trump's immigration crackdown. [15] He has been deputy chief of staff. [16]

   • Stephen Miller new chief of staff
   • Susie Wiles moved out

   How it unfolded

   1. Tuesday Democrats win the US Congress
   2. Friday Miller named
   3. Monday Miller starts

   Why it matters

   The BBC says picking Miller could mean Trump is getting ready to fight the US Congress, not bargain. [17]

   How it works

   Political scientists call a chief of staff a gatekeeper: the one person who decides what reaches the boss. [17]

   So the person in that seat shapes Trump's dealings with the US Congress. [17]

   Seen it before

   A school secretary who decides which parents see the head teacher shapes what the head hears.

   The truth

   • Trump praised Wiles for an 'outstanding job'. [15] The Guardian reports she was ousted. [15]
   • Who gains Stephen Miller — As chief of staff he becomes Trump's gatekeeper, setting his agenda and leading talks with the US Congress. [17]
2. 04

   Paraguay's Senate removes Pena; he is held at home

   What happened

   • Paraguay's Senate removed President Santiago Pena from office on Friday, with all 44 senators present voting yes. [28]
   • Minutes later, prosecutors had him placed under house arrest. [25]
   • His deputy, Pedro Alliana, was sworn in and will serve until August 2028. [26]
   • Pena tried to resign on Thursday. [26] Senators refused, so he lost the immunity and lifetime Senate seat ex-presidents get. [26]

   Who is involved

   Alliana, a former national basketball player, led the governing Colorado Party. [27] Prosecutors are investigating him too. [28]

   • Pedro Alliana president until August 2028

   How it unfolded

   Earlier this week Paraguay's central bank seized Ueno, a digital bank linked to Pena's business interests. [24]

   That froze the accounts of 2.9 million people, about 60% of Paraguay's adults. [25]

   Why it matters

   Alliana promised that people cut off from their savings will be 'fully compensated'. [24]

   How it works

   Bankers call it insider lending when a bank lends to firms in its own owners' group. [88]

   Ueno is believed to have lent to its own group, perhaps beyond legal limits, DW reports. [88] Paraguay's central bank found it no longer had enough capital to cover its risks. [88]

   Seen it before

   A shop that lends its till money to the owner's brother cannot pay its bills when the brother's business fails.

   The truth

   • Pena denies wrongdoing. [24] DW reports he sold his shares in Ueno's owner in April 2025. [26]
   • Who gains Pedro Alliana — Pena's removal makes him president of Paraguay until August 2028, though prosecutors are investigating him too. [26][28]
   • Who pays Ueno's 2.9 million customers in Paraguay — They cannot use their own money, even to buy bread and water. [25]
   • Nobody knows yet

     When Ueno's customers in Paraguay get their money back.

     Alliana has promised full compensation, but about 3 million depositors are still cut off. [24]

   What comes next

   Pena was due to be questioned on Saturday over breach of trust, influence peddling and misuse of funds. [24]

3. 05

   New Zealand's coalition clings to a 1-seat lead

   What happened

   • New Zealand's governing National Party and the opposition Labour Party each won just under 30% of Saturday's vote. [30]
   • National had 29.3%, only 0.1 points ahead of Labour, the Guardian reported. [31]
   • With more than 80% counted, the 3-party ruling coalition was on course for a majority of just 1 seat. [30]

   Who is involved

   Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's National governs with the ACT and New Zealand First parties. [31]

   A new centrist group, the Opportunity Party, passed the 5% needed to win seats and could become a kingmaker. [30]

   • National just under 30%
   • Labour just under 30%
   • ACT
   • New Zealand First

   How it unfolded

   New Zealand has used a mixed system since 1996: each voter picks a party and a local candidate. [29] That makes coalitions the norm. [29]

   Why it matters

   Unemployment rose to 5.7% in the third quarter, the highest in 11 years. [29] The cost of living dominated the campaign. [30]

   The war in West Asia and the fuel shock that followed are widely blamed for hurting New Zealand's trade-dependent economy. [32]

   How it works

   Political scientists call a system like this proportional: each party's seats roughly follow its share of the vote. [29]

   So when the 2 big parties are level, a party with just over 5% can decide who governs. [30]

   Seen it before

   In a tied tug-of-war, the one extra person who grabs the rope decides which side wins.

   The truth

   • Who gains New Zealand's Opportunity Party — With the 2 big parties level, its seats could decide who governs. [30]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Who will govern New Zealand.

     Special votes from abroad and outside home districts are counted last, with final results on 27 November, and they have tended to favour the left. [29]

   What comes next

   Luxon said coalition talks will begin after the final count on 27 November. [31]

4. 06

   Kenyan preacher jailed for 200 years

   What happened

   • A Kenyan court sentenced preacher Paul Mackenzie to 200 years in prison on Friday. [33]
   • He was convicted of murdering 191 people, all but one of them children, at Shakahola forest near Kenya's coast. [33]
   • 28 others were tried with him and got sentences of up to 160 years. [33]
   • Prosecutors wanted the death penalty, but Judge Diana Mochache declined. [33] Kenya has not carried out a death sentence since 1987. [33]

   How it unfolded

   He told his followers to starve themselves and their children to death so they could 'meet Jesus'. [33]

   More than 400 bodies were found in shallow graves from 2023. [34] Only 26 could be identified. [34]

   Why it matters

   Police searched his premises in 2017, and his church was shut in 2019 before he moved to the forest. [34]

   The case raised questions about how he kept operating while the authorities knew of him. [34]

   How it works

   In law, sentences can run at the same time or one after another. [33]

   Mackenzie got 100 years for homicide and 100 for starvation, served one after the other, so 200 in all. [33]

   Seen it before

   Two detentions served on the same afternoon take one afternoon; served on two afternoons, they take two.

   What comes next

   He still faces separate manslaughter and terrorism charges, which he denies. [33]

5. 07

   Tanzania clears Lissu of treason, then jails him

   What happened

   • A Tanzanian court cleared opposition leader Tundu Lissu of treason on Friday, a charge that can carry the death penalty. [35]
   • But the 3 judges convicted him of inciting unrest and jailed him for 4 years. [35]
   • The court said that slogan was enough to convict him of incitement. [35]

   Who is involved

   Lissu, 58, leads Chadema, Tanzania's main opposition party, and has been held since April 2025. [35]

   How it unfolded

   He was arrested after campaigning for election reform under the slogan 'No Reforms, No Election'. [36]

   Why it matters

   If the sentence stands, he cannot run in the next election, due in 2030. [35]

   How it works

   In criminal law, the prosecution must prove every part of a crime, or the charge fails. [35]

   The judges said prosecutors failed to prove one key part of treason, so Lissu was cleared of it. [35]

   Seen it before

   A cake needs every ingredient; leave out the flour and it is not a cake.

   The truth

   • Lissu says he was only ever charged with treason. [35] He told the judges they had 'manufactured' the incitement offence. [35]
   • Who pays Tundu Lissu's supporters — If his 4-year sentence stands, he cannot run in Tanzania's 2030 election. [35]

   What comes next

   His party says it will appeal and ask for bail. [37]

6. 08

   A market strike in Yemen kills 30, the Houthis say

   What happened

   • An air strike hit the Hadara market in Taiz province, in south-west Yemen, on Friday, the Houthis said. [38]
   • The Houthis' health ministry put the toll at 30 dead. [38]
   • The same day, the Saudi-led coalition said it shot down a Houthi drone over the region of Medina. [39] The Houthis denied launching it. [39]

   Who is involved

   The Houthis, an Iran-aligned group, hold Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and fight a government backed by a Saudi-led coalition. [39]

   Medina is home to one of Islam's holiest sites. [39]

   • Houthis hold Sanaa
   • Saudi-backed government backed by a Saudi-led coalition

   Why it matters

   Fighting between the two sides has grown during the US-Israeli war on Iran, opening another front. [39]

   How it works

   Journalists call a claim unverified until someone outside the fight can check it.

   Here only the 2 warring sides have spoken, and the AP could not check either account. [38]

   Seen it before

   When two brothers each say the other broke the vase, a parent who saw nothing cannot know.

   The truth

   • The Houthis blamed Saudi aircraft for the market strike. [38] Local authorities in Taiz blamed the Houthis and said no air strike happened. [38]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Who carried out the strike on the market in Taiz.

     The Houthis blame Saudi aircraft; officials in Taiz blame the Houthis and say no air strike took place; the AP could not verify either. [38]

7. 09

   Hoax bomb threats move from flights to newsrooms

   What happened

   • Bomb threats emailed to 4 of Ireland's biggest newsrooms on Friday forced 3 of them to evacuate. [41]
   • They included the broadcaster RTE and the Irish Independent newspaper. [41] Police found no bombs. [41]
   • A fresh wave of threats hit at least 18 flights across Europe the same day. [40]
   • Threats on Tuesday and Thursday had already forced at least 35 flights to be diverted or searched. [40]
   • Hungary sent fighter jets 3 times to escort passenger planes. [40]

   Why it matters

   Ireland holds the EU's rotating presidency, and an Irish official said it expected more 'hybrid threats' because of that. [41]

   How it works

   Security experts call it a hybrid threat: harm done without soldiers, using hoaxes or hacking. [41]

   A hoax costs one email, but each one forces a search or a diverted flight. [40]

   Seen it before

   One prank fire alarm empties a whole school, though only one person pressed it.

   The truth

   • Ireland's government says it does not yet know who sent the threats. [43] Male State, a banned Russian group named in one email, denies any link. [42]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Who sent the hoax bomb threats across Europe.

     Ireland's government says it does not yet know, and Male State, the one group named in an email, denies any link. [43][42]

   What comes next

   Dublin hosts the European Political Community summit of leaders next week. [41]

8. 10

   Europe says no to a US-Russia deal over its head

   What happened

   • European leaders rejected any US-Russia deal on Europe's security made without them, Euronews reports. [44]
   • On Thursday Trump said a coming deal with Russia might 'involve all of Europe'. [44]
   • European officials said Europe's security arrangements already exist and cannot be renegotiated over their heads. [44]

   Who is involved

   His envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said the US was working on a wider plan for Europe's security. [44]

   • European Union says no
   • US and Russia talking
   • Kirill Dmitriev Putin's envoy

   How it unfolded

   The same day Trump met Kirill Dmitriev, an envoy of Russia's President Vladimir Putin, at the White House. [21]

   Why it matters

   They fear a deal that meets Putin's long-standing demands at Europe's expense. [44]

   How it works

   Historians call it a sphere-of-influence deal when big powers settle a region's future without it. That is the kind of deal Europe's governments fear here. [44]

   Seen it before

   Two older brothers who agree which of them gets the bigger bedroom have still not asked the younger one.

   The truth

   • What is really going on Russia struck Kyiv's power 3 days before peace talks in Abu Dhabi. [21]
9. 11

   Liberman bends on the draft to oust Netanyahu

   What happened

   • Avigdor Liberman, an Israeli opposition leader, said on Friday he would compromise on drafting ultra-Orthodox men into the army. [45]
   • He still refuses to govern with Arab parties, but called for talks with ultra-Orthodox ones. [45]
   • United Torah Judaism, an ultra-Orthodox party with 7 seats, would not back Netanyahu this time. [46] It had backed him after the last 5 elections. [46]
   • Arab parties won a record 19 seats. [47] Those seats would take Eisenkot's bloc past the 61 needed to govern. [47]

   Who is involved

   Liberman, once an aide to Netanyahu, ran on ending the ultra-Orthodox exemption from military service. [45]

   • Ultra-Orthodox parties talks offered
   • Arab parties refused

   How it unfolded

   Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor opposition chief Gadi Eisenkot won a majority on 27 October. [45]

   Why it matters

   Liberman said 'trying to have everything risks getting nothing'. [45]

   How it works

   Israel's parliament has 120 seats. [46] A government needs 61 of them to rule. [47]

   So Eisenkot needs either the Arab parties or ultra-Orthodox ones, and each brings demands the other side rejects. [45]

   Seen it before

   Picking a five-a-side team, each friend you add wants to choose where they play.

   The truth

   • Who gains Arab parties in Israel — Their record 19 seats are the ones that would take Eisenkot's bloc past 61. [47]

   What comes next

   President Isaac Herzog will decide who gets the first chance to form a government. [46]

10. 12

    China confirms talks on a Xi-Trump-Putin meeting

    What happened

    • China confirmed for the first time that it is discussing a meeting of Xi Jinping, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. [73]
    • It would take place this month at the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China. [73] Nothing is set. [73]
    • On Friday, US trade officials told China's Vice Premier He Lifeng to keep its 2025 trade promises 'fully and immediately'. [74]
    • Those include buying US farm goods and supplying rare earths and other critical minerals. [74]
    • He Lifeng raised 'serious concerns' about US trade restrictions in return. [75]

    Who is involved

    APEC is a group of 21 Pacific Rim economies that includes the US and Russia. [73]

    • Xi Jinping China
    • Donald Trump US
    • Vladimir Putin Russia

    How it unfolded

    The 2025 deal, struck in Busan, South Korea, capped US tariffs on Chinese goods at about 20%. [74] That truce expires in January. [73]

    Why it matters

    Trump is expected in Shenzhen to meet Xi for the third time this year. [73]

    How it works

    Diplomats call a meeting held mostly for the picture a photo opportunity. [73] Experts say the 3 leaders would gather for a photo rather than a deal. [73]

    Seen it before

    A team photo shows everyone smiling side by side, even when they do not get on.

    US officials pressed China to keep its trade promises before the summit, while China complained of US trade restrictions that are still in place.

    The idea, in story 02: Why a country keeps bombing while it says the talks are going well →

    The truth

    • Sun Yun of the Stimson Center, a US research group, said China 'wants the image but not the costs'. [73]
11. 13

    UN counts a record year of attacks on olive pickers

    What happened

    • Israeli settlers carried out 377 attacks on the West Bank olive harvest since September, the UN's aid office said. [48]
    • 1 Palestinian was killed by a settler, more than 200 were hurt and over 3,850 olive trees were damaged. [48]
    • On Friday Israeli forces closed Hebron's Ibrahimi Mosque to Palestinian worshippers for a Jewish holiday. [49]
    • Thousands of Israeli settlers gathered at the site for a religious celebration. [49]

    Who is involved

    • Israeli settlers at the site
    • Palestinian worshippers barred

    How it unfolded

    That is the most since the UN began counting in 2006. [48]

    Why it matters

    Between 80,000 and 100,000 Palestinian families rely on the olive harvest for their income, the UN says. [48]

    The truth

    • The UN says Israeli limits on reaching the groves also cut the harvest, on top of the attacks. [48]
12. 14

    Israeli troops seize an olive picker in Lebanon

    What happened

    • Israeli troops fired near olive pickers outside Deir Mimas, in south Lebanon, and took one away, its mayor said. [50]
    • Mayor Tania Barnaba said Israeli limits leave more than half the village's olive groves out of reach. [50]
    • The village lives almost entirely from olives and olive oil. [50]

    How it unfolded

    Israel occupies a strip of south Lebanon about 10 to 12km deep, which it calls a security zone. [50]

    Deir Mimas lies inside Israel's 'yellow line', which marks where its troops restrict civilians. [50]

    Why it matters

    'In the end, it's their livelihood,' the mayor said of villagers who kept trying to reach their trees. [50]

13. 15

    Islamic State-linked fighters kill 33 in Congo

    What happened

    • Islamic State-linked fighters killed at least 33 people overnight in Cantine, a village in eastern Congo. [51]
    • They burned more than 50 houses, Justin Paluku, a local civil society leader, told the AP. [51]

    Who is involved

    The attack was blamed on the ADF, a group with roots in Uganda. [51] It pledged loyalty to Islamic State in 2019. [51]

    How it unfolded

    In July 2025, the ADF killed 66 people in eastern Congo, in what the UN called a 'bloodbath'. [51]

    1. 2019 ADF joins Islamic State
    2. July 2025 66 killed
    3. This week 33 killed in Cantine

    Why it matters

    Villagers fled to other parts of North Kivu province, where an Ebola outbreak has killed more than 5,000 people. [51]

    The fighting has slowed the response to the outbreak. [51]

    The truth

    • Paluku called it a major security failure, given how many soldiers are deployed in the area. [51]
14. 16

    Sudan's shelter aid runs out

    What happened

    • The UN says 15.4 million people in Sudan need emergency shelter after more than 3 years of war. [52]
    • Funding shortages meant aid agencies could target only 10% of them. [52] They reached 900,000 people. [52]
    • The International Organization for Migration's Sudan chief, Mohamed Refaat, said its warehouses are 'completely empty now'. [52]
    • Only a third of the $179 million needed for shelter this year has been paid. [52]

    How it unfolded

    The war between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces began in April 2023. [52] Aid workers estimate it has killed more than 200,000 people. [52]

    Why it matters

    The IPC, a system for measuring hunger, expects 825,000 children under 5 to be severely malnourished in 2026. [53] That is 7% more than in 2025. [53]

    About 8.6 million people are still displaced inside Sudan. [52]

    The truth

    • Who pays People displaced inside Sudan — Aid agencies say their warehouses are empty, and only a third of this year's shelter money has come in. [52]
15. 17

    Najib leaves prison, then is taken back

    What happened

    • Malaysia's palace said on Saturday that ex-prime minister Najib Razak's house arrest order is clear and must be respected. [54]
    • On Friday Najib left prison after his party paid a 50 million ringgit fine set by a royal pardon. [54] That is about $12.3 million. [54]
    • He was taken back hours later, after the attorney-general said more legal clarity was needed. [54]

    Who is involved

    Malaysia's king, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, granted the pardon. [54] It allows house arrest until 23 August 2028. [54]

    How it unfolded

    Najib has been in prison since August 2022 over the looting of 1MDB, a state investment fund. [54]

    1. August 2022 Najib jailed
    2. Friday fine paid, sent home
    3. 23 August 2028 house arrest would end

    Why it matters

    The palace warned that challenging the order amounts to defying the king. [54]

    How it works

    Lawyers call a power that belongs to the ruler alone a royal prerogative. [54]

    Here the palace says the pardon is the king's prerogative and must be respected, whatever the attorney-general's doubts. [54]

    Seen it before

    When the head teacher cancels a detention, a class teacher cannot keep the pupil behind anyway.

    The truth

    • The palace says the attorney-general attended the pardons board meeting that considered it on 18 September. [55]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether Najib Razak serves his sentence at home or in prison.

      The palace says the king's order is clear; the attorney-general blocked it, saying more legal clarity was needed. [54]

    What comes next

    If Najib loses an appeal in a second case, he could face 15 more years in prison. [54]

16. 18

    Belgium's king turns down the prime minister's resignation

    What happened

    • Belgium's King Philippe refused Prime Minister Bart De Wever's resignation on Friday. [56]
    • All 5 party leaders gave the king a 'formal commitment' to make concessions. [56]

    Who is involved

    A French-speaking liberal party, the Reformist Movement, opposes a rise in sales tax. [56]

    How it unfolded

    De Wever offered to quit on Monday after his 5-party coalition failed to agree a budget for 2027. [56]

    Why it matters

    He wants to find 10 billion euros by 2029 to close a gap in the budget. [56]

    How it works

    In Belgium the king decides whether to accept a government's resignation. [56]

    By refusing, he keeps the same coalition in office and sends it back to bargain. [56]

    Seen it before

    A teacher who will not let a group split up before the project is due makes them finish it together.

    What comes next

    He told him to restart budget talks at once and report back on Monday 16 November. [56]

17. 19

    Germany's conservatives pick a first woman president

    What happened

    • Germany's governing conservatives plan to name Ilse Aigner as their choice for president, DW and Politico report. [57][58]
    • If chosen, she would be the first woman to be head of state in post-war Germany. [57]
    • Politico's sources say the centre-left Social Democrats will back her too. [58]

    Who is involved

    Aigner, 61, is speaker of Bavaria's state parliament. [57] She was agriculture minister under Angela Merkel from 2008 to 2013. [58]

    Germany's president has a mostly ceremonial role. [57] Chancellor Friedrich Merz runs Germany's government. [57]

    • The president mostly ceremonial
    • Chancellor Merz runs the government

    How it unfolded

    Frank-Walter Steinmeier's second 5-year term ends in March 2027, and he cannot run again. [58]

    1. 2008 to 2013 agriculture minister
    2. Now speaker in Bavaria
    3. Sunday and Monday Merz names her
    4. 30 January 2027 the vote

    Why it matters

    Aigner would also be the first president from the CSU, Bavaria's own conservative party. [57]

    How it works

    A special assembly, the Federal Convention, elects Germany's president, not a public vote. [57]

    So a name backed by the conservatives and the Social Democrats starts with both their votes in that assembly. [58]

    Seen it before

    A class captain chosen by the class reps is all but decided once the biggest groups of reps agree.

    What comes next

    The assembly votes on 30 January 2027. [58] Merz is expected to put her name forward at party meetings on Sunday and Monday. [57]

18. 20

    EU prosecutors search Spain's rail bodies after the crash

    What happened

    • EU prosecutors searched the offices of Spain's rail authorities on Friday in a fraud inquiry. [60]
    • It is the second EU fraud inquiry into the line this year, after 46 died at Adamuz in January. [59]

    Who is involved

    The European Public Prosecutor's Office, which investigates fraud with EU money, is looking at funds for safety and signalling upgrades. [60]

    How it unfolded

    The money was for the Madrid-Seville high-speed line, where 69 people died near Urda on 28 October. [59]

    Before that crash, the LZB system that tracks where trains are had gone down. [59]

    1. January 46 die at Adamuz
    2. 28 October 69 die near Urda
    3. Friday second fraud search

    Why it matters

    The 2 crashes, 9 months apart, have killed 115 people. [59]

    The truth

    • Prosecutors have not said what they are looking for, or whether any money was misspent. [60]
19. 21

    Melenchon's party promises to leave NATO

    What happened

    • Jean-Luc Melenchon's far-left party, France Unbowed, put leaving NATO into its official programme on Friday. [61]
    • It would quit NATO's joint military command at once, then leave the alliance in stages. [61]
    • It also rejects the 5% of national income for defence that the US demands. [61]

    Who is involved

    A growing number of polls put Melenchon second for next year's presidential election. [61]

    Why it matters

    Far-right leader Marine Le Pen also wants France out of NATO's joint command. [61]

    How it works

    France's vote has 2 rounds, and the top 2 go to a run-off to replace President Emmanuel Macron. [61]

    So Melenchon's second place could put him in a run-off with Le Pen, and both oppose NATO's joint command. [61]

    Seen it before

    Where the top two go through to a final, second place is as good as first for now.

20. 22

    France braces for a fourth weekend of protests

    What happened

    • France braced for a fourth weekend of mass protests over the cost of living and the state of its schools. [62]
    • France's interior minister, Laurent Nunez, said 70,000 police and security forces would be deployed. [62]
    • Lawyers for injured protesters plan to take Nunez to court over police weapons they say mutilate people. [63]
    • About 10 clients have joined the case. [63] The lawyers represent at least 18 people hurt in recent weeks. [63]

    Who is involved

    The Yellow Vests, known for violent fuel-tax protests 8 years ago, called for 'mass disobedience' at a banned event. [62]

    How it unfolded

    Rioting on 17 October caused more than 1 billion euros of damage. [62]

    Why it matters

    Nunez said the authorities will 'be ready' for 'rioters and looters'. [62]

    How it works

    They will use the Court of Justice of the Republic, the only French court that can try serving ministers. [63]

    The lawyers argue the minister is responsible for the orders that put those weapons in police hands. [63]

    Seen it before

    A coach who tells his team to foul is blamed along with the players who did it.

    The truth

    • The lawyers say these weapons are not used for crowd control elsewhere in Europe. [63]
21. 23

    854 migrants reach El Hierro in a day

    What happened

    • Spain's sea rescue service helped 854 migrants on 7 small boats off El Hierro, a Canary Island, from early Friday. [64]
    • The largest boat carried 235 people. [64] 350 were sent on to Tenerife by ferry to ease pressure on El Hierro. [64]

    How it unfolded

    In July more than 80,000 people entered Ceuta, Spain's city in North Africa, in 2 days. [65]

    Why it matters

    The same day, the European Commission named Spain, Italy, Greece and Cyprus as under 'migratory pressure'. [65]

    How it works

    Under the EU's solidarity scheme, other members take some asylum seekers or pay money instead. [65]

    So countries far from the EU's edge share some of the cost of arrivals there. [65]

    Seen it before

    Classmates who cannot carry the heavy box can chip in for the trolley instead.

    Good news

    • Spain's sea rescuers brought 854 people from 7 small boats into harbour on El Hierro, in the Canary Islands, on Friday.
22. 24

    The UK is sued for removing EU citizens' rights

    What happened

    • A campaign group, the3million, sued the UK's Home Office on Friday. [66] It says almost 1,500 EU citizens lost full rights to live in the UK. [66]
    • One is a Brazilian-Italian engineer in London since 2018. [66] He was told his Brazilian wife could not stay, before officials reversed it. [66]

    Who is involved

    The Home Office, Britain's interior ministry, told them their 'pre-settled status' after Brexit was given in error. [66]

    How it unfolded

    The group says the Brexit withdrawal agreement requires a right of appeal first. [66]

    Why it matters

    The group says these people built their lives in the UK on the Home Office's first decision. [66]

    How it works

    Lawyers call it a proportionality test: is removing a right fair, given the lives people built on it?

    The group says the Home Office skipped that test and the right to appeal. [66]

    Seen it before

    A school that gave you a locker cannot empty it without asking whether that is fair.

23. 25

    Senior US Justice Department officials quit

    What happened

    • Several senior officials have resigned from the US Justice Department since Tuesday's midterm elections. [67]
    • They include the civil rights chief, Harmeet Dhillon, and the national security chief, John Eisenberg. [67]
    • Also leaving is Jason Reding Quinones, a federal prosecutor in Florida. [68] His office ran an inquiry into ex-intelligence officials Trump accused of trying to remove him from power. [67]

    Who is involved

    Attorney General Todd Blanche, once Trump's personal lawyer, announced the departures. [67]

    • Harmeet Dhillon civil rights
    • John Eisenberg national security

    How it unfolded

    Dhillon tried and failed to get voter lists from about 30 states before the election. [67]

    Why it matters

    Under Trump, the department has brought cases against people he sees as enemies. [67]

    The truth

    • Dhillon says she handed in her resignation in October and stayed on until the election. [67]
24. 26

    A judge pauses Trump's arch for 14 days

    What happened

    • A US federal judge, Tanya Chutkan, paused building work on Trump's planned 'triumphal arch' in Washington for 14 days. [69]
    • Hours earlier, the National Capital Planning Commission voted 8 to 4 to approve the 250-foot arch. [69]
    • The Trump administration says the arch would also store military equipment, with the ability to deploy snipers and drones. [69]

    How it unfolded

    It is meant to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States. [69]

    Why it matters

    Opponents say it would block the view of Arlington National Cemetery, where thousands of US soldiers are buried. [69]

    The truth

    • A White House spokesperson called the court 'activist' and said the government expects to win. [69]

    What comes next

    Several lawsuits still seek to block the project. [69]

25. 27

    Houston limits police help to US immigration agents

    What happened

    • The mayor of Houston, Texas's most populous city, sharply limited police cooperation with ICE, the US immigration agency. [70]
    • Police will now contact ICE only when someone is arrested for a jailable offence. [70]
    • People stopped for minor traffic offences will no longer be handed over just for an immigration warrant. [70]

    How it unfolded

    He reverses a rule he set in April under pressure from the outgoing Republican governor, Greg Abbott. [70]

    Abbott had threatened to withhold about $110m of state public safety grants. [70]

    1. April rule set under pressure
    2. This week rule reversed

    Why it matters

    'Elections matter,' Mayor Whitmire said, after talking to Texas's newly elected governor. [70]

26. 28

    Mississippi's Senate race heads for a fight over ballots

    What happened

    • Democrat Scott Colom led Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith by about 2,500 votes in Mississippi, with 97% counted on Friday. [71]
    • About 3,600 absentee ballots sent by post were still to be counted. [71]
    • Mississippi is the only US state with no set rule to trigger a recount. [71]

    How it unfolded

    1. 10 Nov last day for postal ballots
    2. 13 Nov result certified

    Why it matters

    A Democratic win would end almost 40 years of Republican control of the state's Senate seats. [71] It also sets the size of the Democrats' Senate majority. [71]

    How it works

    Election officials use a recount trigger: a margin so close that the votes must be counted again. [71]

    With no trigger, lawyers for each campaign are preparing to argue over the ballots instead. [71]

    Seen it before

    A game with no rule for a tie ends with both teams arguing over who really scored.

    The truth

    • Nobody knows yet

      Who wins Mississippi's Senate seat.

      Colom leads by about 2,500 votes with about 3,600 postal ballots left, and the state has no set rule to trigger a recount. [71]

    What comes next

    Postal ballots count if posted by election day and received by 10 November. [71] The state must certify by 13 November. [71]

27. 29

    A man with 3 guns is arrested near the White House

    What happened

    • Secret Service officers arrested a man parked near the White House on Thursday with 3 guns in his car. [72]
    • The Department of Homeland Security said he told officers voices in his head were telling him to kill Trump. [72]
    • The car had been reported stolen. [72] He is charged with weapons possession and theft. [72]
    • It is the latest of several arrests over threats to Trump since his return in January 2025. [72]

    Why it matters

    The Secret Service guards the US president. [72] Its director, Sean Curran, spoke of a 'heightened threat environment'. [72]

    The truth

    • The man's name and the claim that he entered the US illegally come from the department's statement. [72]
28. 30

    The US sanctions Canadian money firms over Iran

    What happened

    • The US Treasury sanctioned 8 Canadian currency-exchange firms on Friday for helping Iran get round sanctions. [76]
    • It says some turned Iranian rials into cryptocurrency to hide the money. [76]
    • The firms are based in Ontario and British Columbia. [76]
    • The US Treasury calls the campaign 'Operation Economic Outcast'. [76] It says some of the firms also helped an alleged drug-ring leader. [76]

    Who is involved

    Canada's financial intelligence unit, FINTRAC, said it worked with the US on the move. [76]

    Why it matters

    The sanctions freeze any US assets they hold and bar them from deals with Americans. [76]

    Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Canada 'cannot be a safe haven' for such firms. [76]

    How it works

    On the day Trump said talks with Iran were making progress, the US Treasury also squeezed the firms that move Iran's money: pressure kept on while talking.

    The idea, in story 02: Why a country keeps bombing while it says the talks are going well →
29. 31

    Bangladesh frees 57 from traffickers in a gun battle

    What happened

    • Bangladesh's army rescued at least 57 people, including Rohingya refugees, in a gun battle with suspected traffickers. [77]
    • It happened on Thursday night in the hills near Teknaf, close to the Myanmar border. [77]
    • One soldier, Titash Sheikh, 27, was shot and killed. [77]
    • The army acted on a tip that a gang of 15 or 16 had abducted about 120 people. [77]

    How it unfolded

    Bangladesh hosts more than 1.2 million Rohingya, who mostly fled a Myanmar army crackdown in 2017. [77]

    Why it matters

    Trafficking gangs prey on refugees in the camps who look for work or a way abroad. [77]

    Good news

    • Bangladesh's army freed at least 57 people, Rohingya refugees among them, from a gang of suspected traffickers near the Myanmar border.

    What comes next

    The 2017 crackdown is the subject of a genocide case at the UN's top court. [77]

30. 32

    Myanmar's army-backed government sets by-elections

    What happened

    • Myanmar will hold by-elections in 39 seats on 4 April 2027, its election commission said. [78]
    • About a third are places where voting was called off for security reasons, by an AFP count. [78]
    • Fighting still rages in some of them, including Sagaing, Mandalay and Chin. [78]

    How it unfolded

    The army overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government in 2021, starting a civil war. [78] ACLED, a conflict monitor, estimates it has killed over 100,000 people. [78]

    Why it matters

    The move suggests the army feels more sure it controls territory after recent offensives. [78]

    The truth

    • Coup leader Min Aung Hlaing was voted in as civilian president. [78] Suu Kyi's party was dissolved, and she is still detained. [78]
31. 33

    Haiti's police kill a gang leader

    What happened

    • Haiti's police said gang leader Mathias Saintil was killed in an operation, hit by 'multiple bullets'. [79]
    • Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime wrote 'one less gang leader' on social media. [79]

    Who is involved

    He led the Boston gang, named after a part of Cite Soleil, a poor district of Port-au-Prince. [79]

    How it unfolded

    Gangs control as much as 90% of Port-au-Prince, the UN says. [79]

    The UN counted 1,123 Haitians killed between July and October. [79] At least 1.4 million have been forced from their homes. [79]

    No national election has been held since President Jovenel Moise was killed in 2021. [79]

    Why it matters

    The UN thinks half of Haiti's gang members are under 18. [79]

    What comes next

    A UN-backed Gang Suppression Force has a mandate until March 2027. [79]

32. 34

    Machado calls for every political prisoner to be freed

    What happened

    • Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado joined prisoners' families outside a prison in Guatire on Friday. [80]
    • She called on acting President Delcy Rodriguez to free all political prisoners. [80]
    • 'Freedom for all political prisoners,' she shouted outside the prison. [80]
    • She read out dozens of names near a spot where relatives say prisoners can hear them. [80]

    Who is involved

    Machado came back from exile less than 2 weeks ago. [80]

    How it unfolded

    Rodriguez's government began freeing prisoners under US pressure after Nicolas Maduro was deposed in January. [80] Hundreds are still held. [80]

    1. January Maduro deposed
    2. Since then some prisoners freed
    3. Now hundreds still held

    Why it matters

    Some relatives have kept vigil outside the prison for months, hoping to see their family walk free. [80]

33. 35

    A man denies spying on an Iran-critical channel in London

    What happened

    • Ioannis Aidinidis, a 46-year-old Greek man, pleaded not guilty at London's Old Bailey court to spying on a journalist. [89]
    • Prosecutors say he came to Britain twice, in April and May. [89] He filmed addresses and number plates linked to the journalist. [89]
    • They say he hid a camera in a sock that could send pictures 'to persons unknown abroad'. [89]

    Who is involved

    The journalist works for Iran International, a London-based TV channel critical of Iran's government. [89]

    How it unfolded

    In July, 2 Romanians were jailed for 20 years in total for stabbing the channel's journalist Pouria Zeraati. [89]

    1. April first trip
    2. May second trip, hidden camera
    3. May next year trial

    Why it matters

    Threats in early 2023 led London police to guard the channel's studios around the clock. [89]

    The truth

    • Police believe he acted for Iran. [89] Iran has repeatedly denied plots in Britain. [89]

    What comes next

    He is held in prison until his trial in May next year. [89]

34. 36

    The Pope starts his Latin America tour after surgery

    What happened

    • Pope Leo XIV, 71, arrived in Uruguay on Friday at the start of a 12-day tour of Latin America. [81]
    • He had surgery for lung cancer 3 weeks ago, and told reporters he is in 'pretty good health'. [81]
    • The tour also covers Argentina and Peru, where he worked for years as a missionary and then a bishop. [81]

    How it unfolded

    1. Uruguay first stop
    2. Argentina next
    3. Peru a homecoming

    Why it matters

    In his first speech he said healthcare should be 'accessible to everyone'. [81]

    Good news

    • His doctors say the operation succeeded and the cancer has not spread. [81]
35. 37

    The ANC falls below a third as coalition talks begin

    What happened

    • South Africa's governing ANC had 31.8% in local elections with more than 80% of ballots counted. [82]
    • That is almost 14 points below its 2021 local result. [82]
    • Turnout rose to 54.5%, from 46% five years ago. [82]

    Who is involved

    The Democratic Alliance had 24.1% and Jacob Zuma's MK party 9.3%. [82]

    • Democratic Alliance
    • MK party

    How it unfolded

    The ANC, Nelson Mandela's party, has led national governments since apartheid ended in 1994. [82]

    Why it matters

    It is set to lose first place in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, the 2 most populous provinces. [82]

    How it works

    Negotiators call the worst deal they would still accept their bottom line, and keep it secret.

    DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis would not say whether his party will insist on posts in line with seats won. [83] He said saying so would weaken it in the talks. [83]

    Seen it before

    At a market stall, a buyer who says his top price first usually ends up paying it.

    What comes next

    Final results are due on Sunday, and coalition talks have begun behind closed doors. [82]

36. 38

    The UN's peacekeeping budget shrinks by a tenth

    What happened

    • UN members approved a $5.1 billion peacekeeping budget for 2026-27, about 10% less than the year before. [84]
    • Pakistan, one of the biggest contributors of troops, warned on Friday that cuts could weaken the missions. [84]

    Who is involved

    More than 170,000 Pakistani soldiers and police have served in UN missions, and 183 have died. [84]

    How it unfolded

    A funding crisis last year forced the UN to send home a quarter of its uniformed peacekeepers. [84]

    Why it matters

    Its ambassador, Syed Haider Shah, said what is needed is 'political will in the Security Council'. [84]

37. 39

    A Gaza war-crimes complaint is filed in the Netherlands

    What happened

    • The Hind Rajab Foundation filed a criminal complaint in the Netherlands on 4 November against a former US-Israeli soldier. [85]
    • It names Noam Himmelman and accuses him of war crimes in Gaza, including attacks on schools sheltering displaced people. [85]
    • The group says he posted the arrests in an Instagram story, which it located on a map. [85]

    Who is involved

    He served in the army's Netzah Yehuda battalion and is now in Amsterdam, the group says. [85]

    • Noam Himmelman Netzah Yehuda battalion

    Why it matters

    If Dutch prosecutors act, he could face trial there, since the law covers suspects on Dutch soil. [85]

    How it works

    Lawyers call it universal jurisdiction when a country can try grave crimes committed somewhere else.

    Dutch law allows it when the suspect is on Dutch soil, so the group filed while he was in Amsterdam. [85]

    Seen it before

    A shop can stop someone caught inside with stolen goods, even if they were stolen down the road.

38. 40

    250 couples marry at a mass wedding in Gaza

    What happened

    • 250 couples married at a mass wedding in Gaza on Friday, organised by the United Arab Emirates. [86]
    • Many had put off marrying because of the war, money troubles and being forced from their homes. [86]
    • Brides wore wedding gowns and carried bouquets, and many grooms wore keffiyeh scarves. [86]

    How it unfolded

    The UAE says its aid operation has sent over 136,000 tonnes of aid, worth $4.16 billion, since November 2023. [86]

    Why it matters

    The UAE gives about 46% of all international aid reaching Gaza, The National reports. [86]

    The truth

    • The aid figures come from the UAE's own operation, as reported by The National, a UAE newspaper. [86]

    Good news

    • 250 couples in Gaza married on Friday at a mass wedding, many after putting off their weddings because of the war.
39. 41

    Gulf states are due to sign a railway deal

    What happened

    • Ministers of the 6 Gulf Cooperation Council states are due to sign a railway deal in Bahrain on 8 November. [87]
    • The planned 2,100km network would carry passengers and freight, with a 2030 target. [87]
    • Bahrain can only join through a planned new causeway to Saudi Arabia. [87]

    Why it matters

    The National says Iranian attacks and the Hormuz blockade have made other routes more urgent. [87]

    What comes next

    The signing is set for 8 November in Manama, Bahrain's capital. [87]