Saudi Arabia confirms damage to Aramco's tower in Riyadh after a Houthi-claimed attack, as unnamed officials say Syria will send fighters

The stories

33 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

   Saudi Arabia confirms damage to Aramco's tower in Riyadh after a Houthi-claimed attack, as unnamed officials say Syria will send fighters

   $400 million

   lent by Saudi Arabia to Syria for rebuilding homes and basic services

   agreed during Ahmad al-Sharaa's visit to Riyadh [6]

   600

   Syrian special forces fighters expected soon in Saudi Arabia, by one unnamed official's count

   Yemeni officials told AFP the number is in the thousands [4]

   1,600

   people killed in Yemen's renewed fighting, by the UN's count, and rising

   more than 300,000 people have been driven from their homes [1]

   What happened

   • Saudi Arabia's energy ministry confirmed on Sunday that Aramco's tower in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, was damaged. [2] Aramco is the Saudi state oil company. [2]
   • It said falling shrapnel caused "minor damage" and that nobody was hurt. [2] A Reuters witness saw windows blown out across several floors. [3]
   • Footage checked by BBC Verify shows at least one floor that appears badly hit. [1]
   • The Houthis, an armed group backed by Iran, said they targeted Riyadh's financial district. [5] Their statement did not name the tower. [1]
   • The tower stands in the King Abdullah Financial District, one of Riyadh's main business areas. [3]
   • The Houthis have already struck Saudi airports, energy sites and military sites. [4] AFP, a news agency, says hitting the financial district would mark a major escalation. [4]
   • Riyadh's schools were told only hours earlier to return to classrooms after weeks of lessons at home. [4]
   • Aramco's headquarters, in the eastern city of Dhahran, suffered extensive damage in an attack in October. [8]
   • The Houthis seized Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in 2014, and a Saudi-led coalition entered the war a year later. [4]
   • A truce agreed in 2022 fell apart in July. [4] The Houthis have since attacked Saudi Arabia directly. [4]
   • The UN says more than 1,600 people have been killed and more than 300,000 displaced since fighting resumed. [1]
   • On Saturday, Houthi officials said Saudi-led air strikes killed at least 33 people in al-Shariyah, near Sanaa. [7] The coalition did not comment. [7]
   • Syria is preparing to send fighters to Saudi Arabia's border with Yemen, three unnamed officials told the AP news agency. [6]
   • One Syrian official said about 600 special forces are expected in the coming week. [6]
   • Yemeni officials told AFP that thousands of Syrian troops are set to deploy, some already there. [4]
   • An unnamed diplomatic official in Syria denied reports that its forces were headed to Yemen, state media said. [6]
   • Saudi Arabia did not answer AP's request for comment. [6]
   • The Saudi government has agreed to lend Syria more than $400 million for rebuilding. [6] It did so during a visit by Syria's president, Ahmad al-Sharaa. [6]

   Who is involved

   • Saudi energy ministry the Saudi government's oil and energy department; it said shrapnel caused minor damage to Aramco's tower
   • The Houthis an armed group backed by Iran that took Yemen's capital in 2014; they said they targeted Riyadh's financial district
   • Syria would send fighters
   • Saudi Arabia would host them
   • Ahmad al-Sharaa Syria's president; Saudi Arabia is lending his government more than $400 million

   How it unfolded

   1. Saturday night schools told to reopen
   2. Sunday missile alert in Riyadh
   3. 2014 Houthis seize Sanaa, Yemen's capital [4]
   4. A year later Saudi-led coalition joins
   5. Coming week first fighters expected
   6. Not yet public Syria and the Mecca pact
   7. 2022 a truce pauses Yemen's war [4]
   8. July the truce falls apart [4]
   9. August Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan sign a defence pact [6]
   10. Sunday Aramco's tower in Riyadh is damaged [2]

   Why it matters

   The financial district also holds homes and a large metro station, so an attack there reaches daily commuters. [4]

   If Syria sends fighters, it could face attacks from militias in Iraq allied with the Houthis, AP says. [6]

   How it works

   International relations scholars call this buck-passing: a country under threat gets another country to carry the fight.

   Saudi Arabia has US-supplied jets but could not beat the Houthis in past rounds. [6] Its other allies have been reluctant to send ground troops. [6]

   Syria's government is beholden to Saudi Arabia, which has promised it money for rebuilding. [6] So Syria is the ally that may say yes. [6]

   Seen it before

   A team captain who cannot run asks a player who owes him a favour to chase the ball.

   The truth

   • What is really going on Saudi Arabia says its air defences stopped the missiles fired at Riyadh, yet falling shrapnel still damaged Aramco's tower in the financial district. [2]Saudi Arabia is now looking to Syria for soldiers, though only unnamed officials have said so and neither government has confirmed it. [6]
   • AP's report rests on three officials who did not give their names. [6] Neither government has said so publicly. [6]
   • Who gains Syria's government — Saudi Arabia has agreed to lend it more than $400 million, and has been key to its return to Arab diplomacy. [6]
   • Who pays Syrian soldiers and their country — If they deploy, Syria could face attacks from militias in Iraq allied with the Houthis. [6]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How badly Aramco's tower was damaged.

     Saudi Arabia's energy ministry says minor damage from falling shrapnel. [2] Footage checked by BBC Verify shows at least one floor that appears badly hit, and we found no independent survey of the building. [1]

   • Nobody knows yet

     How many Syrian fighters are going, and where.

     One Syrian official told AP about 600 are expected in Saudi Arabia. [6] Yemeni officials told AFP that thousands are set to deploy. [4] Syria's state news agency quoted an official denying forces are headed to Yemen. [6]

   • Nobody knows yet

     How many people died at al-Shariyah near Sanaa.

     The Houthi-run health ministry says 33. [7] Houthi officials told AP at least 27. [2] The Saudi-led coalition has not commented. [7]

   What comes next

   Two Syrian officials said Syria has decided to join the Mecca pact, a Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani defence deal. [6] A regional official says talks continue. [6]

1. 02

   Trump calls new Iran strikes unlikely, Rubio sees no progress

   What happened

   • US President Donald Trump told CNN on Sunday that a new offensive against Iran was "highly unlikely". [10] He said it depended on a "very strong agreement". [10]
   • He also said the US military was ready, with 3 aircraft carriers in the region. [10]
   • The US and Israel went to war with Iran in late February. [10] A US-Iran memorandum signed in June expired in August. [10]
   • Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said on Sunday he had no progress to report. [11]
   • Rubio called some of Iran's demands "outrageous and ridiculous". [11]

   How it unfolded

   1. Late February war begins
   2. June memorandum signed
   3. August memorandum expires

   Why it matters

   Rubio also said the war was not "necessarily popular" but was necessary. [12]

   The war and its effect on fuel prices helped Democrats take the US Congress, AP reports. [12]

   How it works

   Game theorists call a statement that costs nothing to make cheap talk.

   Trump told CNN that strikes were unlikely and that the carriers were ready. [10] DW notes he has repeatedly said a peace deal was done or nearly done. [10]

   Seen it before

   A friend who says maybe later has not said whether later will ever come.

   The truth

   • Trump calls Iran a failing nation. [10] DW notes that Iran still holds at least a partial blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. [10]

   What comes next

   Rubio is due to discuss Iran with the G7 group of rich democracies in Paris this week. [26]

2. 03

   The US disables a cargo ship as tankers burn near Hormuz

   What happened

   • The US military said it fired on the M/V Huda, a cargo ship, in the Gulf of Oman. [13]
   • It said the crew ignored warnings and that the ship had visited an Iranian port. [13]
   • The US says it has turned back 147 ships since July and disabled 5 that refused. [13]
   • Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of its military, said 3 tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz. [14]
   • Britain's shipping safety agency, UKMTO, reported a tanker on fire near Khasab in Oman a day earlier. [14]
   • The United Arab Emirates said it rescued 22 people from a burning cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman. [15]
   • AFP could not confirm whether these reports describe the same incidents. [14]

   Why it matters

   The strait normally carries about one-fifth of the oil the world uses. [14] Iran says it will not reopen until the US makes concessions. [15]

   How it works

   Naval planners call this sea denial: stopping others from using the water without controlling it yourself.

   Iran's Guards warn that any ship off their route will hit a mine. [13] Traffic has fallen to roughly 20% of pre-war levels. [15]

   Seen it before

   A few broken bottles on a path keep most people from walking there.

   The truth

   • Iran's Guards gave no names or flags for the tankers. [14] The US has recently said that all mines have been cleared. [14]

   Good news

   • The United Arab Emirates rescued 22 people from a burning cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, and all of them are in stable condition.
3. 04

   A drone cuts power to most of Iraq's Kurdish region

   What happened

   • A drone attack on the Khor Mor gas field in northern Iraq started a fire on Sunday night. [16]
   • The attack left more than 70% of the Kurdish region without power, officials said. [16]
   • A regional spokesperson said 2,500 to 2,800 megawatts of electricity were knocked off the grid. [16]
   • Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi of Iraq said an early check found no casualties. [16]
   • It was not clear who was responsible. [16] A drone also hit the same site last year, and nobody claimed it. [16]

   How it unfolded

   1. Last year a drone hits Khor Mor
   2. Sunday night hit again

   Why it matters

   Hospitals and water plants will get power from hydroelectric stations and other fuels, the Kurdish electricity ministry said. [16]

   How it works

   Grid engineers call this a common-cause failure: one fault that takes out many parts at once.

   Power plants in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, Bazian, Chamchamal and Duhok all lost their gas together when the supply stopped. [16]

   Seen it before

   When one fuse blows, every light on that circuit goes out together.

   The truth

   • Nobody knows yet

     Who attacked the Khor Mor gas field.

     Al Jazeera reports it was not clear who was responsible, and the site was hit last year with no claim. [16]

   What comes next

   Iraq's prime minister has ordered a joint committee with the Kurdish authorities to investigate. [16]

4. 05

   Iran executes three men over January's protests

   What happened

   • Iran executed 3 men on Sunday over armed unrest during anti-government protests in January, state media reported. [17]
   • Their names were Hassan Dioband, Hamid Kazemi and Reza Zanganeh. [17] They were convicted of working for Israel and the US. [17]
   • Iran's judiciary accused them of using guns and grenades, and of damaging a power substation in the city of Karaj. [17]
   • Their co-defendants got prison terms of 5 to 10 years. [17]

   Why it matters

   These executions are the latest in a series since the January protests. [17]

   The truth

   • All of these details come from Iran's own judiciary, through state media. [17]

1. 06

   Pakistan's opposition says keep out of Yemen

   What happened

   • Pakistan's Senate opposition leader, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, urged his government on Sunday to stay out of Yemen's war. [9]
   • He reminded listeners that Pakistan's parliament voted in 2015 not to send troops to the conflict. [9]
   • He asked: "On whose authority is Pakistan being made a party to this conflict?" [9]
   • He said Yemen had offered Pakistan a role as a go-between instead. [9]

   Who is involved

   • Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Senate opposition leader

   How it unfolded

   1. 2015 parliament votes to stay out
   2. Sunday opposition leader invokes it

   Why it matters

   Pakistan signed a defence pact with Saudi Arabia that treats an attack on one as an attack on all. [6]

   How it works

   Why a rich country under attack gets others to send the soldiers

   International relations scholars call it buck-passing: a country under threat pays or presses another country to carry the fight.

   The twist

   A rich country can pay a poorer one to send the soldiers, so its own families stay out of the fight.

   The picture

   over $400 millionSaudi Arabia lends

   ↓→

   about 600 fightersSyria may send

   Step by step

   1. 1 A country comes under attack and cannot win alone
   2. 2 It looks for a partner who can do the fighting
   3. 3 It offers money or protection to one who needs it
   4. 4 The partner sends soldiers and carries the danger
   5. 5 The partner then expects something in return

   The same force, elsewhere today

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

   • Pakistan's opposition says keep out of Yemen

     Pakistan signed a defence pact with Saudi Arabia, and its Senate opposition leader is now arguing that the cost of that promise should not land on Pakistani troops.

   • A boat sinks off Senegal as the Canary Islands ask for help

     The islands that receive the boats say they are carrying the load nearly alone, and their president is asking Spain and Europe to take on a share.

   • Sudan's army detains a man wanted for Darfur crimes

     Islamist fighters helped Sudan's army against the RSF paramilitary, and the army has now detained their party's leader, with no reason given.

   Where you've seen this

   Empires hiring soldiers

   Rich states paid foreign regiments so their own citizens did not have to go

   Company outsourcing

   A firm hands its most dangerous work to a contractor, and the contractor's workers take the injuries

   Group projects at school

   The pupil with the best excuse gets someone who owes them a favour to do the hard part

   The catch

   The helper presents a bill: a regional official told AP that Syria might ask its new partners for support against Israel.

   And the whole of it

   Commuters in Riyadh, soldiers in Syria, voters in Pakistan and families in Yemen are all part of this one deal. Each of them can see only their own part of it, and so can we.

   The truth

   • Dawn's report carries no reply from Pakistan's government. [9]

1. 07

   Russian strikes cut power to 850,000 people in Ukraine

   What happened

   • Russian strikes left more than 850,000 people in Ukraine without power overnight into Sunday. [18]
   • The power firm DTEK said over 600,000 lost power in the Dnipropetrovsk region. [19] Nearly 250,000 customers lost it in the Kharkiv region. [20]
   • Later reports said power was returning in Dnipropetrovsk and had come back in Kharkiv. [18]
   • Zelensky said Russia fired 115 missiles, almost 1,900 guided bombs and more than 3,000 drones in the past week. [18]

   Why it matters

   Russia is using Ukraine's shortage of interceptor missiles as winter comes, Euronews reports. [18]

   How it works

   Air defence planners call this saturation: firing more weapons than the other side can stop.

   Zelensky counted more than 3,000 drones in a week. [18] Euronews says Ukraine is short of interceptor missiles to stop them. [18]

   Seen it before

   One goalkeeper cannot save several balls kicked at once.

   The truth

   • Zelensky accuses Russia of striking harder to put pressure on Ukraine before the talks. [20] This report carries no Russian answer. [20]
   • Who pays Repair crews in Dnipropetrovsk — DTEK says repeated attacks are making it harder to bring electricity back. [20]

   What comes next

   US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine are set for 10 and 11 November in Abu Dhabi. [20]

2. 08

   Europe's biggest nuclear plant loses outside power, briefly

   What happened

   • The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, held by Russia in southeastern Ukraine, lost its outside electricity on Sunday. [21]
   • Backup diesel generators then ran to keep the reactors cool, the UN's nuclear watchdog said. [21]
   • The plant has six reactors and is Europe's largest. [21] Russia seized it in the first weeks of the war. [21]
   • The watchdog said the plant has fuel to run a limited number of generators for about two weeks. [21]

   Why it matters

   Russia and Ukraine regularly accuse each other of risking nuclear safety at the plant. [21]

   How it works

   Nuclear engineers call this a loss of off-site power: the plant must keep cooling fuel even when idle.

   Zaporizhzhia makes no electricity, yet it needs power from outside lines to keep its fuel cool. [21]

   Seen it before

   A hot pan stays hot long after the cooker is turned off.

   The truth

   • The watchdog said the cause and place of the line's disconnection were not yet known. [21] The plant's Russian-installed managers said automatic protection shut it down. [21]
   • Nobody knows yet

     What cut the Zaporizhzhia plant's outside power.

     The UN's nuclear watchdog said the cause was not yet known, while the plant's Russian-installed managers blamed automatic protection. [21]

   Good news

   • Power was restored hours later, the watchdog said. [22]
3. 09

   A drone hits rescue teams at Komyshuvakha

   What happened

   • A Russian drone struck emergency workers on Sunday in Komyshuvakha, a village in southern Ukraine, authorities said. [23]
   • Nobody was hurt, but specialised rescue equipment was damaged, Ukraine's emergency service said. [23]
   • The site had been bombed on Monday, and Ukraine says that attack killed at least 55 people. [23]
   • Around 50 people are still listed as missing, Ukraine's military intelligence agency says. [23]

   Why it matters

   Many of the bodies found so far have not been identified. [23] DNA tests are under way. [23]

   How it works

   Humanitarian law researchers call this a double tap: a second strike on a place after rescuers arrive.

   Ukraine says Russia's drone came back to the former school that its bombs had already destroyed. [23]

   Seen it before

   A second wave hitting a beach just as people rush to help is the danger lifeguards fear most.

   The truth

   • Ukraine's emergency service said Russia attacked crews deliberately. [18] Neither report carries a Russian reply. [23]
4. 10

   Europeans get a place at the Abu Dhabi talks

   What happened

   • France's foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, said on Sunday that Europeans will take part in talks on Ukraine in Abu Dhabi. [24]
   • The talks on 10 and 11 November had been presented as Ukraine, Russia and the US only. [24]
   • Barrot could not yet say who will represent France. [24]
   • Foreign ministers from the G7 group of rich democracies meet in Paris on Monday and Tuesday. [25]
   • Trump told CBS that Ukraine would end up "a little bit different shape". [25]

   Who is involved

   • Jean-Noel Barrot France's foreign minister

   How it unfolded

   1. Monday and Tuesday G7 ministers in Paris
   2. Tuesday and Wednesday talks in Abu Dhabi

   Why it matters

   European governments fear the US might push Ukraine into a deal that favours Russia. [25]

   Norway's prime minister, Jonas Gahr Store, told Politico he would be cautious about what Abu Dhabi produces. [27]

   The truth

   • Barrot said he did not know what Trump's promised deal contains. [24] Rubio says only that there have been some advances on security guarantees. [22]
5. 11

   Trump says deportations were too tough, and promotes their architect

   What happened

   • Donald Trump told CBS's 60 Minutes on Sunday that his deportation policy "might be too tough". [28]
   • It was his first major interview since his party lost both houses of the US Congress. [28]
   • He said a deal with Democrats on immigration was "actually doable", without giving details. [28]
   • He said workers who pay taxes might stay, while killers and drug dealers should go. [28]
   • Shortly after taping the interview, Trump named Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff. [28] Miller designed the crackdown. [28]
   • Federal agents fatally shot two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis this year. [29]

   How it unfolded

   1. Friday interview taped
   2. Same day Miller promoted

   Why it matters

   Exit polls ranked immigration third among voters' concerns, after the economy and the state of democracy. [30]

   US officials told CBS the administration blames its losses on the economy and the Iran war, not immigration. [30]

   How it works

   Political scientists call this the thermostat model: when policy moves far one way, voters push back the other way.

   In Texas, a swing of Latino voters towards Democrats helped win the party seats, the BBC reports. [30]

   Seen it before

   A heater switches itself off once the room gets too warm.

   The truth

   • The White House told the BBC it "will not slow down" deportations. [30] The US homeland security department said the same. [30]
   • Who gains Stephen Miller — Trump named him chief of staff shortly after taping an interview saying the policy Miller built might be too tough. [28]
6. 12

   Democrats plan investigations as Jeffries backs Hegseth's impeachment

   What happened

   • Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the US House, said he is a "hard yes" on impeaching Pete Hegseth. [31]
   • Hegseth is the US defence secretary. [31] Jeffries accuses him of engineering a "reckless and costly war of choice in Iran". [31]
   • Thomas Massie, an outgoing Republican lawmaker, plans to file 8 articles of impeachment against Hegseth. [31]
   • Democrats take control of the US Congress in January. [31] Robert Garcia, who is due to chair the House Oversight Committee, is preparing investigations. [32]
   • Trump called Democrats' requests for information "extortion at the highest level". [32]
   • Attorney General Todd Blanche said criminal investigations of Democrats are possible. [32]

   Who is involved

   • Pete Hegseth US defence secretary

   How it unfolded

   1. January Democrats take over
   2. After that committee investigations begin

   Why it matters

   About 7 in 10 voters told an AP survey that the US Congress does too little to check the president. [32]

   How it works

   Political scientists call this divided government: one party holds the presidency and the other holds Congress.

   Trump can still veto bills. [33] Democrats plan aggressive investigations of his officials, and say impeachment is an option. [32]

   Seen it before

   When one sibling holds the remote and another holds the snacks, each must bargain with the other.

   The truth

   • Jeffries says House Democrats are not focused on impeaching Trump himself for now. [31]
   • Who gains Robert Garcia and House Democrats — Winning Congress gives Garcia, due to chair the Oversight Committee, a committee from which to open investigations. [32]

   What comes next

   Massie has said he could introduce his resolution as early as Monday. [31]

7. 13

   Herzog hands Eisenkot the task of forming Israel's government

   What happened

   • Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, formally gave Gadi Eisenkot the task of forming a government on Sunday. [34]
   • Eisenkot was Israel's military chief. [34] He has 28 days to build a government, though his bloc lacks a clear majority. [35]
   • He said Israel is in a "state of emergency" and called for a national emergency government. [34]
   • The election on 27 October left both Eisenkot and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu without a majority. [34]

   Who is involved

   • Isaac Herzog Israel's president
   • Gadi Eisenkot former army chief, leader of Yashar

   How it unfolded

   1. 27 October no majority for either side
   2. Sunday Eisenkot gets the first try

   Why it matters

   Eisenkot said Israel faces "a devastating diplomatic crisis". [35]

   How it works

   Political scientists call the person asked to build a government the formateur.

   Eisenkot's options are a deal with Netanyahu, backing from Arab parties, or a pact with ultra-Orthodox parties. [34] Each faces obstacles. [34]

   Seen it before

   The child given first pick for a team must still convince enough others to join.

   The truth

   • Some members of Eisenkot's own bloc do not support relying on Arab-led parties. [35]

   What comes next

   Eisenkot's 28 days began with Sunday's handover. [35]

8. 14

   Tens of thousands march in Amsterdam over Gaza

   What happened

   • Tens of thousands of people marched through Amsterdam on Sunday to press the Dutch government over Gaza. [36]
   • They demanded tougher trade sanctions on Israel, a halt to arms sales, and that the Dutch government call it genocide. [36]
   • Israel strongly rejects the charge of genocide. [36]

   How it unfolded

   More than 1,550 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israeli forces since the ceasefire began. [37]

   Why it matters

   Rob Jetten, the Dutch prime minister, says his government is raising diplomatic pressure on Israel. [37]

   The truth

   • Amnesty International's Dutch branch, one of the organisers, said more than 200,000 people joined. [36] The same report estimates tens of thousands. [36]
9. 15

   Pope Leo tells Milei the economy must serve the people

   What happened

   • Pope Leo XIV told Argentina's government on Sunday that "the economy must be at the service of the people". [38]
   • It was the first papal visit to Argentina in nearly four decades. [38] John Paul II last came in 1987. [40]
   • Leo spoke of people who "despite hard work" cannot meet household needs. [38] He also spoke for pensioners and the disabled. [38]
   • President Javier Milei has spent three years making deep spending cuts. [38]
   • Annual inflation fell from over 200% to about 33% under Milei, but households are still under pressure. [39]

   How it unfolded

   1. 1987 last papal visit
   2. Sunday Pope Leo arrives

   Why it matters

   Argentina is bitterly divided over Milei, and many hope the pope can help bring it together. [38]

   Leo told Milei that democracy needs a "willingness to listen". [38]

   How it works

   Political scientists call this soft power: moving people through respect and example rather than force or money.

   Milei once called Leo's predecessor, Francis, an imbecile. [39] On Sunday he praised Francis as the most important Argentine in history. [39]

   Seen it before

   Pupils quieten when a respected teacher simply looks at them.

   The truth

   • DW notes that Leo did not name the government's policies directly. [39] The Guardian reads one remark as a veiled reference to disability cuts. [38]

   What comes next

   Leo continues to Peru on Wednesday. [39]

10. 16

    Police raid the home of Paraguay's ousted president

    What happened

    • Police in Paraguay raided the home of former president Santiago Pena on Sunday. [41]
    • Paraguay's Senate removed Pena on Friday, and he is being held at a military site. [41]
    • Authorities seized Ueno Bank, an online lender, last week. [41] It held accounts for nearly half of Paraguay's 6.5 million people. [41]
    • Prosecutors say he used his office to steer government deposits to the bank, and hid or played down its problems. [41]
    • His mortgage payment was $38,000 a month, six times his salary as president, the charge sheet says. [41]

    How it unfolded

    1. Friday Senate removes him
    2. Sunday his home is raided

    Why it matters

    The bank held more than $800 million of government money. [41]

    The truth

    • Who gains Pedro Alliana, Paraguay's new president — He can point to repayments reaching 1.2 million bank customers in his first days. [41]

    Good news

    • Vice-President Pedro Alliana, now president, says 1.2 million customers have been repaid so far. [41] The payments total about $158 million. [41]
11. 17

    Mexico captures a Jalisco cartel commander known as R2

    What happened

    • Mexican forces arrested Rafael Alvarez, known as R2, in Zapopan on Sunday, the navy said. [42]
    • He is suspected of leading a cell of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of Mexico's two main crime groups. [42]
    • He is wounded and in medical care after a shootout, and 19 others were captured with him. [42]
    • Authorities link him to at least 19 killings, including the murder of Carlos Manzo, a crime-fighting mayor. [42]
    • US drug agents shared the intelligence that led to the arrest. [42]

    Who is involved

    • Rafael Alvarez suspected cell leader

    Why it matters

    Mexico's government says the cell extorted business owners and avocado growers. [42]

    How it works

    Researchers of organised crime call this the kingpin strategy: arrest the leaders and hope the group falls apart.

    The cartel's founder was killed in February, and several leaders have been captured since. [42] An estimated 134,000 people are still missing across Mexico. [42]

    Seen it before

    Cut the top off a weed and it often grows back from the root.

    The truth

    • Reports of kidnapping for ransom continue in the areas where the cartels operate. [42]

    What comes next

    He also faces an extradition request from the US. [42]

12. 18

    Sudan's army detains a man wanted for Darfur crimes

    What happened

    • Sudan's military detained Ahmed Haroun on Sunday in the eastern province of Kassala, two of his lawyers said. [43]
    • Haroun was a senior official under the dictator Omar al-Bashir and later chaired al-Bashir's National Congress Party. [43]
    • The International Criminal Court wants him for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur from 2003. [43]
    • He is wanted on more than 40 counts. [44] Haroun denies the charges. [43]
    • He walked out of prison after it was attacked in April 2024, during Sudan's civil war. [43]

    Who is involved

    • Ahmed Haroun al-Bashir-era security official

    How it unfolded

    1. 2003 Darfur war begins
    2. 2019 detained after al-Bashir falls
    3. 2024 walks away from prison
    4. Sunday detained again

    Why it matters

    The UN says Sudan's war has caused the world's biggest humanitarian crisis. [44]

    How it works

    International lawyers call this the cooperation problem: the court has no police, so countries must arrest suspects for it.

    Sudan's military held Haroun in Khartoum from 2019 and declined to hand him to the court. [43]

    Seen it before

    A referee can send a player off, but cannot make him walk out of the stadium.

    Islamist fighters helped Sudan's army against the RSF paramilitary, and the army has now detained their party's leader, with no reason given.

    The idea, in story 06: Why a rich country under attack gets others to send the soldiers →

    The truth

    • His lawyers say no reason was given, and link it to a recent podcast. [43] The army did not comment. [44]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Why Sudan's army detained Ahmed Haroun, a wartime ally.

      His lawyers link it to a podcast, but no reason was given. [43] The army has not commented. [44]

13. 19

    The ANC's final tally is its worst ever

    What happened

    • South Africa's election commission confirmed final local election results on Sunday, with the African National Congress on 30.76%. [45]
    • The ANC has led South Africa since apartheid ended in 1994. [48] Five years ago it won 45.49%. [46]
    • The opposition Democratic Alliance came second with 24.64%. [45] The uMkhonto weSizwe party took 9.76%. [45]
    • Of 213 municipalities, only 74 have a single party in full control. [45]

    Why it matters

    President Cyril Ramaphosa told parties to form councils quickly and avoid "petty squabbles". [47]

    How it works

    Political scientists call this dealignment: voters stop feeling tied to the party their families always backed.

    At the same polling stations, turnout rose from 45.6% to 52.3%. [46] The ANC still lost 689,145 votes there. [46]

    Seen it before

    A family that ate at the same restaurant for years starts trying new places when the service falls.

    The truth

    • Party leaders call the ANC the largest party. [46] It holds outright control of only 53 municipalities. [45]
14. 20

    Fighting in South Sudan drives thousands from Ruweng

    What happened

    • Four weeks of clashes between South Sudan's government and opposition forces have left 23 dead in the Ruweng area. [49]
    • Forces loyal to Riek Machar, the detained former vice-president, came into Ruweng from Unity state, an official said. [49]
    • A local minister said more than 100,000 people fled. [49] A police source confirmed that "thousands" had left. [49]

    Who is involved

    • Salva Kiir president
    • Riek Machar detained former vice-president

    How it unfolded

    Kiir and Machar's forces fought a civil war from 2013 to 2018 that left more than 400,000 dead. [49]

    Why it matters

    National elections are due on 22 December, and they have already been postponed several times. [49]

    A UN rights commission has warned that a vote in current tensions could unleash widespread new conflict. [49]

    The truth

    • The army would not comment, and Machar's forces did not answer AFP. [49]
15. 21

    A boat sinks off Senegal as the Canary Islands ask for help

    What happened

    • A migrant boat sank off Kebemer in northwestern Senegal, about 180 kilometres north of Dakar, the capital. [50]
    • Senegal's press agency said at least 34 people died. [50] Senegal's interior ministry first gave 21 and called it provisional. [50]
    • Only one survivor had been found, Senegal's interior ministry said on Sunday. [51]

    How it unfolded

    El Hierro, one of Spain's Canary Islands, has received more than 8,000 migrants in 5 weeks. [52]

    Why it matters

    The UN's migration agency says tighter controls push boats to leave from further south, such as The Gambia. [51]

    How it works

    Migration researchers call this route displacement: closing one path pushes people onto a longer one.

    Some new departure points add up to 750 kilometres to the crossing, the UN agency says. [51] Crossings can reach about 2,200 kilometres. [51]

    Seen it before

    When a police car blocks one road, drivers take a longer way round.

    The islands that receive the boats say they are carrying the load nearly alone, and their president is asking Spain and Europe to take on a share.

    The idea, in story 06: Why a rich country under attack gets others to send the soldiers →

    The truth

    • Fernando Clavijo, the Canary Islands' president, says the islands cannot go on facing this practically alone. [52]
    • Who pays Migrants leaving West Africa — New departure points further south can add up to 750 kilometres at sea, the UN's migration agency says. [51]
    • Nobody knows yet

      How many people died off Senegal.

      Senegal's press agency says at least 34. [50] Senegal's interior ministry said 21 and called that provisional, and the search continues. [50]

    What comes next

    Spain's prime minister has agreed to an emergency immigration meeting on Tuesday. [52]

16. 22

    Two trains collide south of Cairo, killing seven

    What happened

    • Two trains collided in Al-Ayyat, about 52 kilometres south of Cairo, on Sunday. [54] At least 7 people were killed and at least 125 hurt. [54]
    • A train heading to Fayoum hit the rear of a train heading to Aswan. [54] The Aswan train was stationary on the same track. [54]
    • The driver of the Fayoum train was among the dead. [53]
    • Residents nearby rushed in, pulled out survivors and called ambulances, one local man said. [54]

    Why it matters

    Prosecutors will question passengers to find the cause. [53] Egypt has had a series of rail accidents since 2020 that have killed scores. [53]

    How it works

    Rail engineers call the rule block signalling: only one train may use a section of track at a time.

    Authorities say the Aswan train made an unscheduled stop. [53] The train behind still ran into it. [53]

    Seen it before

    A lift will not close its doors if someone is still standing in them.

    The truth

    • Why the following train did not stop has not been established. [53]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Why the train behind did not stop at Al-Ayyat.

      Egyptian prosecutors plan to question passengers, and no cause has been published. [53]

17. 23

    Egypt reopens its Tripoli embassy building

    What happened

    • Egypt reopened its embassy building in Tripoli, Libya's capital, on Saturday. [55] Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty attended. [55]
    • Libya has two rival governments, in the east and in Tripoli. [56] Egypt long backed Khalifa Haftar, the commander in the east. [55]
    • Egypt closed the building in January 2014 after gunmen kidnapped 5 embassy staff. [55]

    Who is involved

    • Badr Abdelatty Egypt's foreign minister

    Why it matters

    Abdelatty called for faster progress on gas pipelines between the two countries. [55]

    He also pressed Egypt's objections to a 2019 sea-boundary deal between Turkey and Libya. [55]

    The truth

    • Egypt is shifting away from eastern Libya, Africanews says, after that side ratified a sea deal with Turkey. [56]
    • Sources differ on when the embassy closed: Euronews says January 2014, and Africanews says 2012. [55][56]

    What comes next

    Libya's acting oil minister said he would go to Cairo for further talks. [55]

18. 24

    Gambia's opposition challenger files to run against Barrow

    What happened

    • Talib Ahmed Bensouda, a former mayor, filed his papers on Friday for Gambia's presidential election. [57]
    • The election is on 5 December. [57] Adama Barrow, Gambia's president, is running for a third term. [57]
    • A government report last week accused Bensouda of financial wrongdoing and abuse of office. [57]
    • He gained a following by getting rubbish collected regularly during 8 years as mayor of Kanifing. [57]

    How it unfolded

    1. Friday Bensouda files his papers
    2. 5 December presidential vote

    Why it matters

    If the accusations are proven, Bensouda would be disqualified from standing. [57]

    The truth

    • His party calls the report "a last-minute political manoeuvre". [57]
19. 25

    Egypt retries a leading editor this Wednesday

    What happened

    • Lina Attalah, editor of Egyptian news site Mada Masr, told AFP the prosecutions aim to silence the press. [58]
    • A court fined her 3 million Egyptian pounds last month, about $55,000, for running the site without a licence. [58]
    • The court also ordered the site closed, and an appeal is due on 25 November. [58]
    • She was told she had a one-year prison sentence, handed down in her absence in 2024. [58]

    Who is involved

    • Lina Attalah editor of Mada Masr

    How it unfolded

    1. Wednesday retrial of a 2024 case
    2. 25 November appeal over closure

    Why it matters

    Egypt currently holds 26 journalists behind bars, AFP reports. [58]

    How it works

    Press-freedom researchers call this lawfare: using licences and courts, not force, to stop reporting.

    Mada Masr has tried since 2018 to get a licence and had no answer for years, Attalah says. [58]

    Seen it before

    A shop closed for having no permit, after the office never answered the application, is closed all the same.

    The truth

    • Her defence team says a judge appointed her a lawyer, then wrote the defence statement for that lawyer. [58]
    • Who pays Mada Masr's journalists — A court order would close their newsroom unless the appeal on 25 November succeeds. [58]
20. 26

    Taiwan detains a Communist Party leader before local elections

    What happened

    • Taiwan detained Lin Te-wang, chair of the Taiwan People's Communist Party, on Sunday. [59]
    • Prosecutors accuse him of running for a borough post under the direction and sponsorship of China's Communist Party. [59]
    • They also say he recruited voters to travel to China for hospitality, to buy their votes. [59]
    • Prosecutors summoned 14 people and nine witnesses after receiving intelligence about foreign interference. [59]

    Why it matters

    Taiwan votes for mayors and local chiefs on 28 November. [59]

    The truth

    • The party is not influential, and a court found Lin not guilty of similar charges in 2025. [59]
21. 27

    Hasina asks for a passport to return to Bangladesh

    What happened

    • Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's ousted prime minister, asked for a new passport on Monday so she can return from exile. [60]
    • She has lived in India since a mass uprising removed her two years ago. [60]
    • A letter from her counsel went to Bangladesh's top diplomat in London, AP reports. [60]
    • Bangladesh's law minister called her a "convicted criminal" on Sunday. [61] He said extradition has been requested from India. [61]

    Who is involved

    • Sheikh Hasina ousted prime minister of Bangladesh

    How it unfolded

    1. Two years ago ousted, flees to India
    2. Monday asks for a passport

    Why it matters

    Hasina says she will return in December "at any cost". [60]

    How it works

    Lawyers call this extradition: one country asks another to hand over a person accused or convicted of a crime.

    India has received Bangladesh's requests and has not announced a decision. [61]

    Seen it before

    A friend's house is safe only as long as the friend keeps the door shut.

    The truth

    • India has declined to hand her over, AP reports. [60] The Hindu's other report says only that no decision has been announced. [61]
22. 28

    Two more Uyghurs in Thailand fear being sent to China

    What happened

    • Two Uyghur men held in Thailand are at risk of being sent to China, rights groups told the Guardian. [62]
    • Uyghurs are a mostly Muslim, Turkic minority from China's Xinjiang region. [62]
    • Last year Thailand forcibly deported 40 Uyghur men to China, despite pleas from the UN. [62] Their whereabouts are unknown, the UN says. [62]

    How it unfolded

    The two men were part of a group of more than 200 Uyghurs caught in Thailand in 2014. [62]

    1. 2014 caught in Thailand
    2. Last year 40 sent to China
    3. Now two at risk

    Why it matters

    China's government says its policies in Xinjiang are about poverty and counter-terrorism. [62]

    How it works

    Refugee lawyers call this non-refoulement: a country must not send someone back to a place of danger.

    Human Rights Watch says past Thai governments kept Uyghurs for years, then gave way to Chinese demands. [62]

    Seen it before

    A school that shelters a bullied child does not send that child back to the bully.

    The truth

    • The Guardian says the US and Canada reportedly offered to take in the earlier group. [62] Thailand still sent them to China. [62]
    • Who pays The two Uyghur men held in Thailand — Rights groups say the two could be sent to China, as 40 others were last year. [62]
23. 29

    Poland opens a terrorism case over the Krakow shooting

    What happened

    • Polish prosecutors opened a terrorism investigation on Sunday into the attack in Krakow's main square. [63]
    • The attack on Saturday killed 6 people, including a 32-year-old Briton and a 51-year-old Austrian woman. [63]
    • Three more people, the suspect's parents and sister, were found dead at his home. [63]
    • The interior minister said the 24-year-old suspect held "ultra-nationalistic" views. [63]

    Why it matters

    Poland began two days of national mourning on Sunday. [63]

    The truth

    • Authorities say the attack was probably inspired by far-right ideas, and the investigation has only just begun. [63]

    Good news

    • Police reached the square 23 seconds after the first emergency call. [64] Two wounded officers are being called heroes. [64]
24. 30

    Messages show Marsalek claimed he helped topple Austria's Kurz

    What happened

    • Jan Marsalek, the fugitive former Wirecard executive, claimed in messages that he helped bring down Austria's chancellor, Politico reports. [65]
    • Sebastian Kurz stepped down amid corruption allegations in 2021. [65]
    • Marsalek sent the messages to Orlin Roussev, a spy-ring leader now jailed in Britain. [65]
    • Wirecard, a German tech firm, collapsed with a 1.9 billion euro hole in its accounts in 2020. [65]
    • Marsalek is wanted for fraud and is being investigated for spying in several European countries. [65]

    Who is involved

    • Jan Marsalek former Wirecard executive, on the run

    Why it matters

    If proved, the claim would show Russia directly interfering in an EU country's leadership. [65]

    The truth

    • Investigators' files contain no independent evidence of the role Marsalek describes. [65]
25. 31

    Erdogan goes to Karabakh to mend a row with Azerbaijan

    What happened

    • Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined Azerbaijan's Ilham Aliyev on Sunday for Azerbaijan's Victory Day. [66]
    • The day marks Azerbaijan's 2020 war with Armenia over Karabakh. [66]
    • A row broke out in September when Azerbaijan effectively barred Islamic headscarves in classrooms. [66]
    • Azerbaijan then barred 31 Turkish nationals, including an opposition lawmaker, over critical posts. [66]
    • Aliyev skipped a Turkic summit in Ankara on 30 October, despite a personal invitation. [66]

    Who is involved

    • Recep Tayyip Erdogan president of Turkey
    • Ilham Aliyev president of Azerbaijan

    How it unfolded

    1. 2020 Azerbaijan wins the war over Karabakh
    2. Sunday anniversary visit

    Why it matters

    Aliyev said the unity of the two countries "will last forever". [67]

26. 32

    Bahrain will send its ambassador back to Iraq

    What happened

    • Bahrain will send an ambassador back to Iraq, its foreign minister told Iraq's foreign minister on Saturday. [68]
    • Bahrain's ambassador left Baghdad in April, after drone attacks by militias backed by Iran. [68]
    • The move follows the first visit to Bahrain by an Iraqi prime minister in more than two decades. [68]

    How it unfolded

    1. April ambassador leaves Baghdad
    2. Saturday return announced

    Why it matters

    Iraq is trying to act as a go-between among rival powers in the region, The National says. [68]

    Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is pushing for talks between the 6 Gulf states, Iraq and Iran. [68]

    The truth

    • Who gains Ali al-Zaidi, Iraq's prime minister — Bahrain's decision to send its ambassador back follows his visit and supports his effort to place Iraq as a go-between. [68]

    Good news

    • Bahrain will send its ambassador back to Iraq, after withdrawing him in April over drone attacks by militias.
27. 33

    Gulf states sign a 2,100km railway deal

    What happened

    • The transport ministers of the 6 Gulf Cooperation Council states signed a railway agreement in Bahrain on Sunday. [69]
    • The network is planned to run about 2,100km from Kuwait in the north to Oman in the south. [69]
    • The project was first proposed more than a decade ago. [69]

    How it unfolded

    1. More than a decade ago first proposed
    2. Sunday signed

    Why it matters

    Iranian attacks and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted shipping in the region. [69]

    The truth

    • Bahrain can only join the network if a new road and rail link to Saudi Arabia is built. [69]