A gunman kills 6 in Krakow's main square and 3 at his home, and Poland's prime minister calls it terrorism

32 stories 74 sources

Signals on this beat

Small parties deciding who governs Building ↑

Israel's 2 ultra-Orthodox parties would take Gadi Eisenkot to exactly 61 of 120 seats. [11]
New Zealand's Opportunity Party could decide who rules if special votes cost the coalition its spare seat. [59]
In Johannesburg, the DA needs a partner such as ActionSA. [56]

The war around Iran spreading High ↑

Strikes near Sanaa, in Yemen, killed up to 33 people, the Houthis say. [16]
The US set up a task force to stop Iran moving weapons over land. [20]
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they lifted the limit on their missiles' range. [26]

Powerful people facing courts Building →

Paraguay's ousted president was charged and held at a military base. [48]
Malaysia's king ordered that former prime minister Najib Razak serve his sentence at home. [68]
Ukraine's anti-corruption agency charged senior security officers over a crime ring. [39]

Cold and rain on the homeless High ↑

Heavy rain flooded about 70,000 tents in Gaza. [45]
Russian strikes left Kyiv short of power and heat as nights fell to 0C. [37]
Conditions at the hospital on El Hierro, a Spanish island, became "undesirable" as boats arrived. [67]

The stories

32 on this beat today.

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

01
A gunman kills 6 in Krakow's main square and 3 at his home, and Poland's prime minister calls it terrorism

6

people killed in Krakow's Main Market Square

3 more were found dead at the gunman's home [2]

3 minutes

for armed police to stop the gunman

officials said this prevented a bigger massacre [1]

50,700

gun permits Poland issued in 2025, a record

active permits almost doubled from 2015 [2]
What happened
- A gunman drove into Krakow's Main Market Square at about 3pm on Saturday and fired at people from his car. [2]
- He killed 6 people and wounded 16. [3] Krakow is Poland's second-largest city. [3]
- Police shot him within 3 minutes, and officials said that stopped a bigger massacre. [1]
- Later, police found 3 more bodies at his home, most likely members of his family. [2]
- The 6 dead were 4 women and 2 men. [3] Of them, 3 were Polish women, 1 was British and 2 are not yet named. [3]
- Of the 16 people taken to hospital, 5 came from abroad: from Austria, Britain, Germany, Portugal and Russia. [1]
- Polish media first reported 2 dead, and police then said 5. [9] By evening police confirmed 6. [3]
- Two police officers were shot while stopping him. [1] One was hit 3 times and was in very critical condition. [1]
- Prime Minister Donald Tusk named them as Senior Constables Jakub Kulik and Artur Moranski. [1]
- Tusk said the officers "saved many people's lives". [5]
- The suspect is a 25-year-old Polish man who acted alone, police said. [3]
- He wore military-style clothes and a bulletproof vest, and fired a long gun. [4] Police found many more weapons in his car. [4]
- The car was registered to his 52-year-old father, who holds several gun licences, local media reported. [4]
- He had no police record, and Poland's defence minister said he had never served in the army. [4]
- His home is in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, another Polish city. [1] Counter-terrorism police helped search it. [1]
- Tusk said police found the 3 bodies there, 2 women and 1 man, using drone footage. [5]
- Tusk said there was "much to suggest" they were his close family. [3]
- Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said the man was "fascinated by far-right ideologies". [3]
- He also called the man's views "very radical" and "ultra-nationalistic". [2] He gave no further details. [1]
- Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz called the shooting an act of terror on Krakow's people. [2]
- Tusk said: "Until now in Poland we haven't had such drastic cases of terrorism." [3]
- Deadly shootings are rare in Poland, a country of 38 million people. [6]
- Poland issued a record 50,700 gun permits in 2025, police figures show. [2]
Who is involved
- Jakub Kulik senior constable
- Artur Moranski senior constable
- His father, 52 the car's owner, with several gun licences
- Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz Poland's defence minister
- Donald Tusk Poland's prime minister; he called the attack terrorism and named the wounded officers
- Marcin Kierwinski Poland's interior minister; he said the gunman was fascinated by far-right ideas
- The gunman a 25-year-old Polish man, not yet named; shot by police and in hospital
- Jakub Kulik and Artur Moranski Krakow police officers; both were shot while stopping him
How it unfolded

Active gun permits in 2025 were almost double the number in 2015. [2]
A run of stabbings in October had already put Poland on high alert. [7]
Krakow, about 250 kilometres south of Warsaw, was Poland's capital in the past. [8][7]
1. First reports 2 dead
2. Afternoon police say 5
3. Evening police confirm 6
4. 2015 active gun permits
5. 2025 almost double
6. About 3pm a man drives into Main Market Square and fires from his car [2]
7. 3 minutes later armed police shoot and arrest him [1]
8. Saturday night 3 more bodies are found at his home [3]
9. 8-9 November Poland holds national mourning [4]
Why it matters

Poland is holding 2 days of national mourning, on 8 and 9 November. [4]
Krakow's mayor, Lukasz Gibala, said the city stays open to visitors: "The square will belong to us again." [5]

How it works

Lawyers define terrorism by its aim, not its size: violence meant to frighten the public for a political cause.
Tusk used that word on Saturday, while saying the motives will still be carefully studied. [5]

Seen it before

A window broken by a stray ball and one broken to scare a family are judged differently.
The truth
- What is really going on In Krakow, a 25-year-old gunman killed 6 people in the old square and 3 at his home, and Poland's prime minister called it terrorism while police were still studying the motive. [3][5]
- Why it works on people A word like 'terrorism', said by a leader on the first evening, sets how people remember an attack before the police have named the attacker.
- Police have not named the man, and the far-right account rests on one minister's early description. [1]
- Tusk warned against false claims about the attack spreading online. [5]
- Nobody knows yet
  Why the Krakow gunman attacked, and in what order the 9 deaths happened.
  
  Police have not named him, and Tusk said the motives will be studied; the only public account is one minister's early description of far-right views. [5][2]
- Nobody knows yet
  How the gunman got his weapons.
  
  Polish media say he had a firearms permit and may have taken the guns from his family home; police have not confirmed it. [1]
Good news
- In Krakow, armed police reached the gunman and shot him within 3 minutes of the first shots, and officials said that stopped a bigger massacre.

02
Eisenkot gets the first try at a government
What happened
- Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, chose Gadi Eisenkot on Saturday to try to form the next government. [12]
- Eisenkot, 66, was Israel's army chief from 2015 to 2019. [12] He leads Yashar, the second-largest party, with 21 seats. [13]
- In the 27 October election, Netanyahu's bloc won 53 seats and Eisenkot's 48, short of the 61 needed. [11]
- Two Arab-led parties won a record 19 seats, and both backed Eisenkot. [14]
- That gave him 67 backers in parliament, against 46 for Netanyahu. [14]
- Netanyahu said a government relying on Islamists would destroy Israel, and called again for a unity government. [14]
Seats of 120
Netanyahu's bloc53
Eisenkot's bloc48
Arab-led parties19
A government needs 61 seats, and no bloc has that many on its own.
Who is involved
- Isaac Herzog Israel's president
- Gadi Eisenkot opposition leader
How it unfolded
1. 2015 becomes army chief
2. 2019 leaves the army
3. Now leads Yashar, 21 seats
4. 28 days to build a coalition
5. 14 more days if the president allows
Why it matters

Eisenkot refuses to govern with the Arab parties, though with them he would have a majority. [13]
Winning the 2 ultra-Orthodox parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, would give him exactly 61 seats. [11]
How it works

Political scientists call the leader asked to build a coalition the formateur.
Herzog does not have to pick the leader of the biggest party. [10] That is Netanyahu's Likud, with 27 seats. [13]

Seen it before

A teacher picks the pupil most classmates will follow to run the trip, not the one with the biggest gang.
Why parties build the smallest coalition that can still win

Political scientists call it the minimal winning coalition: every extra partner wants a share of power, so leaders look for just enough seats.

The twist

After a close vote a small party can matter more than a big one, because its few seats are the ones that carry a group past half.

The picture

Seats in Israel's 120-seat parliament
Netanyahu's bloc53
Eisenkot's bloc48
Arab-led parties19
Needed to govern61
No bloc reaches 61 alone. Eisenkot's smallest route to a majority is the 2 ultra-Orthodox parties, which would take him to exactly 61.
Step by step
1. A government needs more than half the seats
2. Each partner wants jobs and policies in return
3. Every extra partner leaves less for the others
4. So leaders look for just enough seats to pass half
5. The party with the last few seats can ask the most
The same force, elsewhere today

Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.
- Eisenkot gets the first try at a government
  
  The 2 ultra-Orthodox parties would take him to exactly 61 of 120 seats, the smallest possible majority, so both blocs now need them.
- New Zealand's count ends one seat apart
  
  The coalition holds 67 seats where 66 are needed, and if special votes take one away, the Opportunity Party's 7 seats decide who governs.
- The ANC loses its hold on 6 big cities
  
  In Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni the DA and ActionSA could pass half together, and they are already arguing over who gets the top jobs.
Where you've seen this

A school group project

three friends who can finish it alone rarely ask a fourth to share the marks

Company takeovers

a buyer gathers just over half the shares, because every extra share costs money

Football transfers

a club tops up a squad only to the size it needs, since each new player wants wages

The catch

Parties also refuse partners whose ideas are far from theirs, and in a crisis leaders may ask for a bigger 'unity' government to share the blame, as Netanyahu did.

And the whole of it

Most people who voted in Israel, South Africa and New Zealand chose a big party. What their next government does will be shaped by a small party many of them did not vote for, in talks none of them will see.
The truth
- Ahmad Tibi, an Arab party leader, expects a minority government with Arab votes from outside. [11] Eisenkot has not ruled one out. [14]
- Who gains Israel's ultra-Orthodox parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism — United Torah Judaism backed Netanyahu after the last 5 elections but not this time, so both blocs now court it. [14]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether Eisenkot can reach 61 seats.
  
  His three paths are a minority government, the ultra-Orthodox parties or a unity government with Netanyahu, and analysts call all three unlikely. [13]
What comes next

Eisenkot has 28 days to build a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension. [10]

03
Strikes near Sanaa kill up to 33
What happened
- Air strikes hit homes in al-Shariya, a village near Sanaa, Yemen's capital, on Saturday. [17]
- The Houthi-run health ministry told AP that 27 people were killed. [17] It later put the toll at 33, with 39 wounded. [16]
- Most of the dead were women and children, the Houthi-run ministry said. [16]
- A hospital director in Sanaa said: "Just as rescuers arrive, another strike hits." [16]
- The Houthis, an armed group that holds Sanaa, blamed Saudi Arabia, which did not comment. [15]
- Later on Saturday the Houthis said they hit Aramco oil sites, Riyadh airport and Saudi troops in 6 attacks. [18]
Who is involved
- The Houthis hold Sanaa, backed by Iran
- Saudi Arabia no comment
How it unfolded

A truce broke down after Saudi Arabia struck Sanaa's airport, which the Houthis control. [15]
The UN says more than 1,600 people have been killed since the fighting resumed. [15]
1. Earlier 27 dead
2. Later 33 dead, 39 wounded
Why it matters

Strikes the Houthis blame on Saudi Arabia are landing on villages like al-Shariya. [16] Houthi replies, they say, aim at Saudi oil sites and Riyadh airport. [18]

How it works

War scholars call this a cycle of reprisals: each side answers the last attack, so neither stops first.
The Houthis said their attacks answered the village strike and a deadly market attack on Friday. [17]

Seen it before

Two brothers each hit back after being hit, and each one says the other started it.
The truth
- What is really going on Near Sanaa, up to 33 villagers died in strikes the Houthis blame on Saudi Arabia, and the Houthis answered with 6 attacks on Saudi oil sites and airports. [16][18]
- AP could not verify the Houthi figures. [17] Saudi Arabia did not answer AP's questions. [17]
- Who pays Villagers around Sanaa — Bani Hushaysh is a Houthi stronghold, and the strikes there hit family homes. [16]
- Nobody knows yet
  How many people died near Sanaa.
  
  The Houthi-run ministry gave 27 dead to AP and later 33, and AP could not verify either figure. [17][16]
04
Syria may send troops to fight the Houthis
What happened
- Thousands of Syrian troops are set to deploy to Saudi Arabia and Yemen, Yemeni officials told AFP. [19]
- A Yemeni defence source said about 3,000 would go first, and as many as 10,000 later. [19]
- Syria's state news agency quoted a source saying no troops had gone to Yemen "at this time". [19]
Who is involved
- France troops
- Britain fighter planes
How it unfolded

Syria's president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, visited Riyadh this week, and the two countries signed a defence deal. [19]
France said last month it was sending troops, and Britain fighter planes, to help Saudi Arabia. [19]

Why it matters

Saudi Arabia is rallying help from abroad because the Houthis fire at it daily. [19]

How it works

Political scientists call this a patron-client tie: a rich state backs a weaker one and gets help back. [19]
Syria relies on rich Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia to pay for its rebuilding after years of war. [19]

Seen it before

A friend who lent you money for a bike asks you to help him move house.
The truth
- Both accounts come from unnamed sources: Yemeni officials on one side, a Syrian diplomat on the other. [19]
- Who gains Syria's government — Saudi Arabia is a key backer of its post-Assad government, and the new deal adds military training and visits. [19]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether Syrian troops are already in Yemen.
  
  Unnamed Yemeni officials say hundreds are; Syria's state news agency quotes a source saying none have gone 'at this time'. [19]
05
The US moves its Iran blockade onto land
What happened
- The US military set up Task Force Iron Gate on Saturday to stop Iran moving weapons over land. [20]
- The team of about 20 people will work from Tampa, in Florida, with other US agencies. [21]
- It will target weapons, goods with military uses and illegal money crossing Iran's borders and the Caspian Sea. [21]
- The US says its naval blockade has stopped Iran selling more than $25 billion of crude oil. [22]
- Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, said it will limit Iran's ability to "rebuild weapons factories". [20]
- On Saturday a US aircraft also disabled a cargo ship from St Kitts that had visited an Iranian port. [23]
Why it matters

US sanctions have already pushed Iran onto new trade routes, Al Jazeera reports. [26]

How it works

Economists who study sanctions call this leakage: trade that is blocked one way finds another.
With its ports blockaded, Iran's trade turns to land borders and the Caspian, which Iron Gate now targets. [21]

Seen it before

Close the front door of a party, and people start coming in through the back gate.
The truth
- The $25 billion figure is the US military's own estimate. [24]
06
The US offers $20m for Iran's nuclear secrets
What happened
- The US State Department offered up to $20 million for information on Iran's nuclear programme. [24]
- It also offered "possible relocation" to whoever gives the information. [25]
- It wants details of nuclear sites, equipment and people, such as scientists. [25]
Who is involved

Rewards for Justice, the US programme that pays for such tips, was set up in 1984. [25]
How it unfolded

Trump said last year that US and Israeli bombing had "completely and totally obliterated" Iran's nuclear sites. [24]

Why it matters

The US State Department says the UN's nuclear agency has lost track of how many centrifuges Iran makes. [24]
Centrifuges are machines that enrich uranium, which can make a bomb if enriched to about 90%. [24]

How it works

Intelligence officers call this human intelligence: secrets learned from people rather than from satellites.
The UN agency can no longer count Iran's centrifuges, so the US is offering money to people who can. [24]

Seen it before

If a teacher cannot see who took the sweets, she asks the class and promises a prize for the truth.
The truth
- Trump says the sites were destroyed. [24] His own State Department now offers money for information on them. [24]
- Nobody knows yet
  How many centrifuges Iran now has.
  
  The US State Department says the UN nuclear agency has lost track of Iran's production and stock of them. [24]
07
Iran says its forces are stronger, and moves arms underground
What happened
- An Iranian army spokesman said its forces are "stronger than they were at the beginning of the war". [28]
- Iran's Revolutionary Guards, an armed force, said they had moved missile and drone production underground. [26]
- Its spokesman also said limits on the range of Iran's missiles had been lifted. [26]
- Early on Sunday, the Guards' navy said 2 oil tankers were on fire after hitting mines on an unauthorised route. [29]
How it unfolded

The Strait of Hormuz normally carries about one-fifth of the world's oil. [28] Iran's army says it stays closed until the US meets its demands. [28]

Why it matters

Iran has warned it will hit Gulf energy sites if the fighting resumes. [26] That would likely push energy prices higher. [26]

How it works

Military planners call this hardening: putting factories where bombs cannot reach them.
Iran says moving production underground let it keep building missiles while its enemies thought stocks were running out. [26]

Seen it before

Keeping your bike in a locked shed, not on the front lawn, so nobody can take it.
The truth
- The underground missile site has not been shown; the Guards say it will be unveiled. [26]
- It was not clear whether the tankers were linked to explosions heard on Qeshm Island on Saturday night. [29]
08
Iran's foreign minister calls 12 neighbours
What happened
- Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said he spoke to 12 foreign ministers in 48 hours. [30]
- They included Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Iraq and Pakistan. [27]
- He asked for regional security "without the involvement of powers from outside the region". [30]
- Qatar's prime minister said: "We cannot wait to reach a perfect agreement." [30]
How it unfolded

Qatar is carrying messages between Iran and the US to stop the war restarting. [30]
Iran has offered its own 7-day plan since September, and Trump has so far rejected it. [30]
1. September Iran offers a 7-day plan
2. So far Trump rejects it
Why it matters

The US warned Americans in the Middle East of possible attacks on US officials by Iran and the Houthis. [30]

How it works

Scholars of international relations call this balancing: a weaker state gathers friends against a stronger one.
Araghchi asks Iran's neighbours for security arrangements that leave the US out. [30]
The truth
- Trump said there was "a lot of progress" with Iran on the same day as US strikes on Qeshm Island. [30]
09
Iraq says others use its land to attack its neighbours
What happened
- Iraq's foreign minister, Fuad Hussein, said Iraq has evidence that outside groups use its land to attack neighbours. [31]
- He said Iraq is investigating attacks launched from its soil on Gulf states. [31]
- Hussein said Iraq is negotiating with Iran-aligned armed groups to put their weapons under state control. [31]
Who is involved
- Ali al-Zaidi Iraq's prime minister
- Mohammed bin Salman Saudi crown prince
How it unfolded

In September, Iraq confirmed that drones which hit Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline came from Iraqi land. [31]
Last month Iraq's prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, promised Saudi Arabia's crown prince that Iraq would not be a launchpad. [31]
1. September drones from Iraq hit a Saudi pipeline
2. Last month Iraq's prime minister gives a promise
Why it matters

Iraq lost about $60 billion while its oil could not pass through the Strait of Hormuz, Hussein said. [31]

How it works

Political scientists call this a monopoly on force: in a working state, only the state holds the guns.
Iraq's government does not yet control the armed groups on its soil, so their attacks are blamed on Iraq. [31]

Seen it before

Parents get the call from school when their child breaks a window, even if they were not there.
The truth
- Hussein named no group and did not show the evidence he said Iraq has. [31]
10
Iran executes a man over a police station attack
What happened
- Iran executed Mohammad Aref Shahbakhsh on Saturday for an armed attack on a police station, its judiciary said. [32]
- It said he was linked to Jaish al-Adl, a banned armed group in Sistan-Baluchistan province. [32]
- Sistan-Baluchistan, in Iran's south-east, is one of its poorest provinces. [32]
- He was convicted of "armed rebellion against the Islamic state" and "waging war against God". [32]
Who is involved
- Jaish al-Adl a banned armed group
Why it matters

Clashes between armed groups and security forces there have flared again in recent months. [32]

How it works

Human rights lawyers call this a capital crime: an offence the state punishes with death. [32]
Iran uses the death penalty for security crimes, not just murder. [32] Rights groups say only China executes more people. [32]
The truth
- The judiciary did not say when the attack happened. [32]
11
North Korean missiles hit Ukraine's grid, Zelensky says
What happened
- Russia fired 36 ballistic missiles and 172 drones at Kyiv and nearby regions overnight into Saturday. [36]
- Only 4 of the 36 missiles were shot down, Zelensky said. [35]
- He said some were KN-23s, missiles made in North Korea, and they hit a key energy site. [35]
- Kyiv was left short of power, heat and water as night temperatures fell to 0C. [37]
- Strikes targeted a substation linking 2 nuclear power plants to Kyiv, and the city's Northern Bridge. [36]
Who is involved

North Korea is believed to have sent Russia more than 16,000 troops since October 2024. [35]
How it unfolded

Russia has repeatedly hit Ukraine's power grid in the war's winters, Euronews reports. [35]
1. Tuesday talks open in Abu Dhabi
2. Wednesday talks continue
Why it matters

Zelensky said the timing shows Russia wants to put pressure on Ukraine before the talks. [38]

How it works

Air-defence planners call this an interceptor shortage: too few defending missiles for the missiles coming in. [38]
Zelensky said Ukraine is badly short of interceptors for its Patriot air defences and asked the US for more. [38]

Seen it before

A goalkeeper facing 3 strikers at once can only stop one of the shots.
The truth
- Russia's defence ministry said it hit a factory making Ukraine's Flamingo cruise missiles. [37] Zelensky said a kindergarten was partly destroyed. [35]
- Who pays Families living in Kyiv — Kyiv's mayor said power, heating and water are all in an "extremely difficult" state. [37]
What comes next

Ukrainian, Russian and US negotiators meet in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and Wednesday to try to end the war. [36]
12
Zelensky promises more sackings at the SBU
What happened
- Zelensky promised more "personnel decisions" at the SBU, Ukraine's domestic security service, on Saturday. [39]
- Investigators say senior SBU, police and prosecutors' staff shielded a large criminal ring. [39]
- The ring ran scam centres, traded drugs and made fake money and cigarettes, investigators said. [39]
- Some officials helped plan kidnappings for the ring, they said. [39]
- A court ordered a former SBU general held on Friday, pending bail. [39]
Who is involved
- SBU security service
- National Police police
- Prosecutors prosecutors' office
Why it matters

Ukraine must root out corruption to join the European Union and keep getting financial aid. [39]

How it works

Anti-corruption investigators call this an asset declaration: officials list what they own, so wealth they cannot explain stands out. [39]
Zelensky proposed a law making every SBU employee publicly declare their assets. [39]

Seen it before

A friend who says he has no pocket money but turns up in new trainers every week.
The truth
- The case was opened by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, an agency separate from the SBU it is investigating. [39]
13
France's fourth weekend of protests shrinks
What happened
- About 146,000 people protested across France on Saturday, France's interior ministry said. [40]
- Unions put the total at 250,000, and both counts were below the last 3 weekends. [42]
- Police made about 350 arrests, and clashes broke out in Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Marseille and Bordeaux. [41]
- Two leaders of the Yellow Vests, an older protest movement, were arrested at a banned rally near the Elysee Palace. [41]
How it unfolded

The protests began in September over poor conditions in high schools. [40] They grew into anger at rising living costs. [40]

Why it matters

France elects a president in April, and polls put the far-right's Marine Le Pen first. [40]

How it works

Sociologists call this a protest wave: one group's protest pulls in others with their own complaints.
Students started it, and now railway workers and unions march with them for higher pay. [40]

Seen it before

One pupil complains about the canteen, and soon the whole class is listing everything wrong with school.
The truth
- Thursday's union march drew 575,000 by the authorities' count and 1.6 million by the unions'. [42]
14
Melenchon launches his programme for 2027
What happened
- Jean-Luc Melenchon, France's radical-left presidential candidate, presented his programme at Le Bourget, near Paris, on Saturday. [43]
- He promised to raise the minimum wage to 1,700 euros a month. [43]
- He would lower the retirement age to 60 for people who have paid in for 40 years. [43]
- He also wants people to be able to vote at 16. [43]
- He said French ships would, if needed, escort citizens' boat convoys heading to help Palestinians. [44]
Who is involved

Polls put him second on about 18%, far behind Marine Le Pen on 35% to 37%. [43]
Why it matters

Le Pen called his programme a "plan to dismantle France". [43]

How it works

Public finance experts judge a programme by whether the money coming in matches the spending. [43]
His party plans 100 billion euros of new taxes and 80 billion euros of new spending. [43]

Seen it before

A family can promise a holiday only if it knows where the money will come from.
The truth
- The programme was published without detailed costs; the party says about 50 papers will follow. [43]
15
Rain floods 70,000 tents in Gaza
What happened
- Heavy rain on Saturday flooded about 70,000 tents in Gaza, the Hamas-run government media office said. [45]
- Gaza's civil defence said it received more than 1,500 calls for help overnight. [45]
- Its spokesman, Mahmoud Bassal, said the agency is "operating without any equipment or capabilities". [45]
- Dozens of cracked walls and roofs collapsed, injuring people, some critically. [45]
How it unfolded

A ceasefire began on 10 October 2025, but Israel's army still carries out strikes almost daily. [45]
Israel has let in only limited tents and no prefabricated homes since the truce, a Gaza official said. [45]
1. 10 October 2025 ceasefire begins
2. Since then strikes almost daily
Why it matters

The Palestinian health minister, Majed Abu Ramadan, warned that damp tents and broken sewers could spread disease, especially among children. [46]

How it works

Doctors know a hungry body fights germs less well, so malnutrition makes infections harder to fight off. [46]
In Gaza, many children and pregnant women are underfed, so chest infections in wet tents hit them harder. [46]

Seen it before

A tired player picks up injuries more easily than a fresh one.
The truth
- The 70,000 figure comes from Gaza's Hamas-run government media office. [45]
- Who pays Displaced families in Gaza — Tents are their only shelter, because no prefabricated homes have been let in since the truce. [45]
What comes next

A Gaza city official said 200,000 prefabricated homes are needed urgently. [45]
16
Israel orders land seized near Bethlehem
What happened
- Israel's military issued 4 orders to seize Palestinian land near Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank, a Palestinian commission said. [47]
- The orders, dated 28 October, also require trees to be uprooted around settlements. [47]
- The commission counted 674 attacks on Palestinian farmers and olive trees from 1 October to 6 November. [47]
- More than 3 in 4 of those attacks were by settlers, it said. [47]
- On Saturday a settler attacked a Palestinian man near Kisan, east of Bethlehem, local sources told the Wafa news agency. [47]
Why it matters

It is olive harvest time, and settlers stopped farmers near Jenin from picking beside a new outpost. [47]

How it works

International lawyers call this military occupation: the army governs the land, so its orders act as law.
That is why 4 army orders can put routes and farmland under direct military control. [47]
The truth
- The figures come from the Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission. [47]
17
Paraguay's ousted president is charged and held
What happened
- Prosecutors charged Paraguay's ousted president, Santiago Pena, on Saturday with breach of trust and administration for personal gain. [48]
- He could face up to 20 years in prison if found guilty of both crimes. [48]
- A judge ordered him held at a military base. [48]
- Lawmakers say Pena steered hundreds of millions of dollars of public money into Ueno. [48] He held shares in its parent company until March 2025. [49]
- Carlos Carvallo, whom Pena made head of Paraguay's central bank in 2023, was also charged. [49]
Who is involved

Pedro Alliana, Pena's vice-president, is now president until August 2028. [50]
- Carlos Carvallo central bank chief from 2023, also charged
- Pedro Alliana new president, until August 2028
How it unfolded

Paraguay's Senate removed him on Friday, 3 days after regulators seized Ueno, a digital bank. [51]
1. Tuesday Ueno bank seized
2. Friday Senate removes Pena
3. Saturday Pena charged and held
4. Friday Pena removed
5. Monday teachers' strike begins
Why it matters

Nearly 3 million customers lost access to their savings and bank cards when Ueno was seized. [51]

How it works

Economists call this deposit insurance: the state promises to repay savings up to a limit if a bank fails.
In Paraguay the limit is $37,000, so deposits up to that amount are covered by law. [48]

Seen it before

A school promises to refund the trip money even if the bus company goes bust.
The truth
- Pena denies wrongdoing and says the bank's problems were a matter for regulators. [49] Prosecutors are also investigating Alliana. [51]
- Who gains Pedro Alliana, Paraguay's new president — He took office when the Senate removed Pena, even though prosecutors are also investigating him. [51]
- Who pays Paraguayan workers with public pensions — Their state pension fund put $355 million into Ueno, more than the legal limit allowed. [49]
Good news
- Paraguay's central bank said 1.2 million Ueno customers have had part or all of their deposits repaid. [48]
What comes next

Paraguay's biggest teachers' union, with more than 40,000 members, plans an open-ended strike from Monday. [48]
18
The ANC loses its hold on 6 big cities
What happened
- The ANC got just over 30% in South Africa's local elections, with 98% of votes counted. [52]
- Analyst Daniel Silke called it "the ANC's worst result in history". [52]
- The party lost its majority in 6 of the 8 biggest cities. [52]
% of the vote for the ANC
2021 local vote46
2024 national vote40
2026 local vote30
The ANC's share has fallen at each of the last 3 elections.
Who is involved

The Democratic Alliance, a pro-business party, came second with 24% and kept Cape Town outright. [52]
Jacob Zuma's MK party took about 10% in its first local election. [54] The EFF of Julius Malema fell from 10.31% to 6.26%. [55]
- Democratic Alliance second, 24%
How it unfolded

The ANC won 46% in the 2021 local vote and just over 40% nationally in 2024. [52]
1. Saturday recounts in 5 wards
2. Sunday, 6pm final results
Why it matters

In Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni no party won outright, so deals between parties will decide who runs them. [56]

How it works

Political scientists call this coalition bargaining: parties trade jobs and policies to build a majority.
The DA and ActionSA could run Gauteng's cities together, but they could clash over who gets the top jobs. [56]

Seen it before

Two friends planning a party together argue over who picks the music.

In Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni the DA and ActionSA could pass half together, and they are already arguing over who gets the top jobs.
The idea, in story 02: Why parties build the smallest coalition that can still win →
The truth
- MK's leaders say the DA has refused to work with them. [54]
- Who gains South Africa's Democratic Alliance — It kept Cape Town outright and is expected to form city coalitions that leave the ANC out. [52]
- Nobody knows yet
  Who will run Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni.
  
  No party won outright, and the two parties best placed to govern together are at odds over the top jobs. [56]
What comes next

The Electoral Commission ordered recounts in 5 wards and announces final results on Sunday at 6pm. [53]
19
New Zealand's count ends one seat apart
What happened
- New Zealand's preliminary count gave the ruling coalition 67 of 131 seats, one more than the 66 needed. [59]
- The coalition is Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's National Party, with ACT and New Zealand First. [59]
- National won 42 seats and Labour, led by Chris Hipkins, won 36. [57]
- About 14% of votes, the special votes cast abroad or outside a voter's district, are still to be counted. [59]
- The centrist Opportunity Party passed the 5% bar, the first new party to enter parliament since 1996. [58]
Who is involved
- National Luxon's party
- ACT partner
- New Zealand First partner
How it unfolded

In 2023 special votes favoured the left and moved 3 seats to the Greens and Te Pati Maori. [58]
1. Now caretaker government
2. 27 November final results
Why it matters

If the coalition loses its majority, either side would need the Opportunity Party. [59] It has 7 seats on the first count. [57]

How it works

Political scientists call a small party whose votes decide which side governs a pivotal party, or kingmaker.
Opportunity's leader, Qiulae Wong, says it will talk first to whichever side wins the most seats. [57]

Seen it before

In a tied tug of war, the last child to pick a side decides who wins.

The coalition holds 67 seats where 66 are needed, and if special votes take one away, the Opportunity Party's 7 seats decide who governs.
The idea, in story 02: Why parties build the smallest coalition that can still win →
The truth
- Al Jazeera reports 131 seats with 66 needed. [59] The Guardian says extra seats could make it 130, with 65 needed. [58]
- Who gains New Zealand's Opportunity Party — If the special votes cost the coalition its spare seat, neither side can govern without it. [59]
- Nobody knows yet
  Who will govern New Zealand.
  
  About 14% of votes are still to be counted, and the sources disagree on the seats: the BBC gives Labour 36, the Guardian 35. [59][57][58]
What comes next

Final results are due on 27 November, and Luxon leads a caretaker government until then. [59]
20
Trump orders a probe of Democrats
What happened
- Trump ordered the US Justice Department on Saturday to look into Democrats for "threatening a lot of people". [60]
- He called their talk of impeaching members of his cabinet "extortion at the highest level". [60]
- They plan probes into the Trump family's business deals, immigration enforcement and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. [60]
How it unfolded

Democrats won both houses of the US Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections and take control in January. [60]
Trump has called for probes of his opponents before, including former FBI director James Comey. [60]
1. Tuesday Democrats win both houses
2. January they take control
Why it matters

Committees run by Democrats will be able to demand documents and call Trump's officials to testify. [61]

How it works

Constitutional lawyers call this congressional oversight: the US Congress checks the president's government by investigating it.
From January, chairs such as Robert Garcia of the House Oversight Committee can summon officials and hold public hearings. [61]

Seen it before

A school council that can ask the head teacher to explain how the money was spent.
The truth
- Trump gave no evidence that any Democrat had threatened his donors. [60]
21
Trump offers the UFC's boss the press job
What happened
- Trump offered Dana White, head of the UFC fighting league, the job of White House press secretary on Saturday. [62]
- Trump called him "a violent Fighter and Warrior". [62]
- White, 57, said he would meet Trump on Monday. [61]
- CNN, citing a source, reported that White had turned the offer down. [62]
- Miller pledged his "total devotion" to Trump in his first public remarks since his appointment. [63]
Who is involved
- Dana White head of the UFC
How it unfolded

The job has been empty since 16 October, when Katie Zacharia left after 5 days. [62]
The day before, Trump named Stephen Miller his chief of staff. [61] Miller is the architect of Trump's immigration crackdown. [63]
1. Saturday the offer
2. Monday White meets Trump
Why it matters

Whoever takes the job will face a US Congress run by Democrats who promise investigations. [61]

How it works

Political scientists call these loyalty appointments: a leader under pressure fills top jobs with trusted allies.
After losing the midterms, Trump picked Miller, whom he called "a great fighter", and then White, in 2 days. [61]

Seen it before

A team captain who loses a match picks only his best friends for the next one.
The truth
- White's photo of himself behind the White House lectern may have been made with AI, the Hindu reported. [61]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether Dana White takes the press job.
  
  White says he will meet Trump on Monday, while CNN's source says he has already turned it down. [61][62]
22
Pro-Israel lobby money mostly backed losers
What happened
- Nearly two-thirds of the money pro-Israel groups spent in the US midterms went to losing candidates, a think tank found. [64]
- About $55 million of $84 million went to candidates who lost, the Quincy Institute counted. [64]
- In Michigan, AIPAC-linked groups spent about $30 million on one rival and $9 million on another. [64] Both lost to Abdul El-Sayed, a critic of Israel. [64]
- AIPAC still says 234 candidates it backed won their races. [64]
Who is involved

AIPAC is the biggest pro-Israel lobbying group in the US. [64]
- AIPAC biggest US pro-Israel lobby
Why it matters

Some Republican candidates are now wary of AIPAC money, a former Republican aide said. [64]
The truth
- Both counts can be true: AIPAC counts its winners, while the Quincy Institute counts where the money went. [64]
- The Quincy Institute, which did the money count, wants less US involvement abroad. [64]
23
A Guatemalan lawmaker is killed in an ambush
What happened
- Attackers killed Guatemalan congressman Julio Portillo and 3 police officers in the town of Rio Hondo on Friday. [66]
- Rio Hondo is in Zacapa, in eastern Guatemala, an area known for drug trafficking. [65]
- The Lorenzana family cartel, linked to Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, controls the drug trade there. [66]
- The attackers escaped, and no one has been named or a motive given. [66]
Who is involved

Portillo won his seat in 2023 for Cabal, then joined UNE, the party of former first lady Sandra Torres. [66]
- Lorenzana cartel runs the local drug trade
- Sinaloa cartel its Mexican link
How it unfolded

About 3 weeks ago a former anti-corruption prosecutor, Juan Francisco Solorzano Foppa, was shot dead in Guatemala City. [66]
1. 2023 elected for Cabal
2. Later joins UNE
Why it matters

Torres is expected to run for president in next year's election. [66]

How it works

Researchers call this criminal political violence: armed groups kill officials to shape who holds power.
After the prosecutor's killing, Al Jazeera notes fears that politically motivated killings are returning. [66]
The truth
- Authorities have found no link between the two killings. [66]
24
El Hierro declares an emergency over boat arrivals
What happened
- El Hierro, one of Spain's Canary Islands, declared an emergency after a surge of migrant boats. [67]
- More than 3,300 people have landed there in about 30 boats since 1 November. [67] The island has about 11,400 residents. [67]
- Rescuers saved 3,261 people off the Canaries in the first 6 days of November. [67]
How it unfolded

Arrivals hit a record 46,000 in 2024, then fell after tighter patrols. [67]
1. 2024 a record 46,000
2. Since then fewer, after patrols
Why it matters

Conditions at the island's hospital have become "undesirable", its council head said. [67] Across the Canaries, buses have been diverted to help. [67]

How it works

Migration researchers call this route displacement: block one crossing and boats leave from further away.
Patrols off Senegal, Mauritania and Morocco pushed departures south, to places like The Gambia and Guinea, so trips got longer. [67]

Seen it before

Lock the main school gate, and pupils climb the fence at the far end of the field.
The truth
- Spain counted 5.5% fewer sea arrivals from January to October, even as El Hierro is overwhelmed now. [67]
- Who pays People living on El Hierro — Officials are hunting for places to house new arrivals on an island of about 11,400 people. [67]
25
Malaysia's king backs Najib's house arrest
What happened
- Malaysia's king warned that challenging his order on former prime minister Najib Razak could mean defying him. [68] The order lets Najib serve his sentence at home. [68]
- Najib was jailed over 1MDB, a state fund at the heart of one of the biggest thefts ever. [68]
- On Friday the attorney general blocked his move home, saying he needed clarification. [68]
- The king called his pardon "clear, evident and without any ambiguity". [68]
Who is involved

Malaysia's king is chosen in turn from 9 regional sultans and has a mostly ceremonial role. [68]
How it unfolded

The king partly pardoned him in September, on condition that he paid a $12 million fine. [68]

Why it matters

Najib still faces 15 more years for another 1MDB crime, which he is appealing. [68]

How it works

Constitutional lawyers call this the power of pardon: a head of state can cut a sentence a court gave. [68]
Malaysia's constitution gives the king that power, and he says his order needs no clarification. [68]
The truth
- The prime minister's office still says some legal questions can only be settled by a court. [68]
What comes next

The attorney general now wants to see the king to promise to comply, the prime minister's office said. [68]
26
Iran's exiled crown prince wins a German prize
What happened
- Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran's last shah, received a Freedom Prize in Frankfurt on Saturday. [33]
- More than 18,000 people rallied in support, while some others protested. [34]
- Pahlavi said Iran is "a country being prevented from practicing" democracy. [33]
- Around 200 prisoners in Iran signed a letter against the prize, calling him the symbol of a "bygone dictatorship". [33]
- Frankfurt's Social Democrats and Greens boycotted the event. [33]
How it unfolded

The shah was an autocrat who fled after the 1979 revolution, which made Iran an Islamic republic. [33]
1. 1979 the shah flees
2. Saturday his son is honoured
Why it matters

Rights groups say thousands were killed in a crackdown on protests in Iran in January. [33]

How it works

Political scientists call this a leader in exile: someone abroad who claims to speak for people at home.
Pahlavi said he holds the prize only as a "trustee" until Iranians elect a government. [33]
The truth
- Pahlavi says a later vote should decide on the monarchy. [33] Critics say he has not distanced himself from his father's rule. [33]
27
Barnier says the UK cannot pick and choose
What happened
- Michel Barnier, the EU's former Brexit negotiator, said the UK cannot "cherry pick" parts of the EU single market. [69]
- The single market lets goods trade freely across EU borders without checks. [69]
- Barnier said joining it means accepting all 4 freedoms: goods, services, money and people moving freely. [69]
- Burnham has said he would not bring back free movement of people without a referendum. [69]
Who is involved
- Andy Burnham UK prime minister
How it unfolded

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said rejoining the single market is one of his options. [69]

Why it matters

Free movement of people was a key issue in the 2016 Brexit vote. [69]

How it works

Trade lawyers call the single market's freedoms indivisible: they come as one package.
Barnier said: "There will be no possibility to have one freedom and not the other." [69]

Seen it before

A gym membership gives you the pool and the weights together; you cannot pay for only the pool.
The truth
- Barnier called the 2016 claim of 350 million pounds a week for the EU a lie. [69] Farage, whom he named, did not run the campaign that made it. [69]
28
A UK court says kidnap for ransom is exploitation
What happened
- The UK Court of Appeal ruled that being kidnapped for ransom can count as exploitation of a trafficking victim. [70]
- The case was brought by a 25-year-old Syrian who fled forced army service in 2021. [70]
- Armed men in Libya held him for a month until his family paid a ransom. [70]
- The Home Office, Britain's interior ministry, refused him because his captors did not make him work. [70]
Who is involved
- A Syrian, 25 fled forced army service
Why it matters

Thousands of people kidnapped in Libya on the way to Europe could now get support as trafficking victims. [70]

How it works

Lawyers call this the legal definition: what counts as exploitation decides who gets help.
The court said the Home Office erred by not asking whether the kidnapping itself was exploitation. [70]
The truth
- Of 1,778 confirmed trafficking victims between July 2024 and July 2025, 89% were removed from the UK, data show. [70]
Good news
- People refused before can now ask for a new decision under the ruling. [70]
29
A 5.7 earthquake injures 22 in central Japan
What happened
- A magnitude 5.7 earthquake hit central Japan at 1:04am on Sunday, injuring at least 22 people, local media said. [71]
- It struck about 40km under Shizuoka Prefecture, and the strongest shaking was in Aichi. [71]
- Some people were hurt falling down stairs as they fled buildings. [71]
- Bullet trains ran slower in the area as a precaution. [71]
Why it matters

The shaking reached Kyoto and Nara but was not felt in Tokyo. [71]
The truth
- Japan's weather agency gave a magnitude of 5.7. [71] The US Geological Survey put it at 5.5. [71]
30
India lands a heavy plane near the China border
What happened
- India's air force landed an IL-76 heavy transport plane at Nyoma, in Ladakh, 4,154 metres above sea level. [72]
- It said this was the highest landing the aircraft type has made anywhere. [72]
How it unfolded

Nyoma airfield, near the China border, was completed last year. [72]
India built up the region after a 2020 border clash killed 20 Indian and 4 Chinese soldiers. [72]

Why it matters

India and China compete fiercely along their border. [72]
31
Australia keeps 4 old army sites in public hands
What happened
- Australia's government said 4 heritage army sites, including Victoria Barracks in Sydney and Melbourne, will stay public. [73]
- They were among 67 sites an audit said the military barely used, marked for sale to recoup $3 billion. [73]
- The 2 Victoria Barracks alone were expected to raise $1.3 billion. [73]
Who is involved
- John Howard former prime minister
- Paul Keating former prime minister
How it unfolded

Former prime ministers John Howard and Paul Keating opposed selling them. [73]
1. Sunday 4 sites kept public
2. Monday budget committee meets
Why it matters

The veterans' league says moving staff out before Christmas still hurts morale. [73]

How it works

Economists call this opportunity cost: money spent keeping old buildings is money not spent on defence.
The audit said unused sites were "draining resources from higher priority needs". [73]

Seen it before

Paying for a storage unit to keep a bike you never ride leaves less for a new one.
Good news
- Victoria Barracks in Sydney and Melbourne will stay in public hands, and will open as places that tell the story of Australia's military.
What comes next

Cabinet's budget committee meets on Monday. [73]
32
A French court orders a looted Pissarro returned
What happened
- A Paris court ordered a Pissarro painting stolen by the Nazis in 1941 returned to its Jewish owner's heirs. [74]
- An unknown buyer paid 1.2 million pounds for it at a Sotheby's auction in London in 2024. [74]
- The court declared every sale since the theft null and void. [74]
How it unfolded

Banker Salomon Flavian bought the 1902 painting in 1935. [74]
1. 1935 Flavian buys it
2. 1941 the Nazis seize it
3. 2024 sold at Sotheby's
4. 2 months name the buyer
5. After that 1,000 euros a day
Why it matters

Several artworks the Nazis stole from Jewish families have been fought over in European courts in recent years. [74]

How it works

Lawyers call this restitution: returning stolen property to its rightful owner, even after it changes hands. [74]
Because the first sale was a theft, the court said no later sale could stand. [74]

Seen it before

A stolen bike is still yours, even if the thief sold it to someone who did not know.
Good news
- The heirs can now claim the painting wherever, and from whoever, it is found. [74]
What comes next

Sotheby's must name the buyer to the family within 2 months or pay 1,000 euros a day. [74]

More World editions

The US strikes Iran's Qeshm Island again as Qatar offers a two-day plan to reopen Hormuz Paraguay's president tries to resign over a frozen bank, and lawmakers refuse so they can impeach him Joshua Wong jailed for 10 more years in Hong Kong, two months before his release

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32 on this beat today.

Why parties build the smallest coalition that can still win