Russia, Ukraine and the US open their first three-way talks since February, split over whether land or a ceasefire comes first

The stories

41 on this beat today.

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

1. 01

   Russia, Ukraine and the US open their first three-way talks since February, split over whether land or a ceasefire comes first

   20%

   of Ukraine held by Russia, including Crimea

   Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, a move the UN does not recognise [2]

   4 of 36

   Russian ballistic missiles shot down on Saturday night

   Ukraine is running out of interceptors, mostly made in the US [11]

   1,200 km

   of front line where the fighting goes on

   both sides have also stepped up long-range drone and missile attacks [6]

   What happened

   • Negotiators from Russia, Ukraine and the US began two days of talks in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. [1]
   • Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. [2] It is the first three-way meeting since talks in Geneva in February. [3]
   • Russia holds about 20% of Ukraine, including Crimea and parts of the eastern Donbas region. [3]
   • Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, so the war is nearly five years old. [3]
   • Witkoff said the talks would cover security after the war, calming the fighting and help for civilians. [4]
   • Ukraine wants a defence promise modelled on Article 5 of NATO's founding treaty. [3] Article 5 treats an attack on one member as an attack on all. [6]
   • Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, put the question like this: "If Russia starts again, what will happen." [6]
   • Russia wants Ukraine to give up the parts of the Donetsk region it still holds. [7] Ukraine wants to freeze the fighting where the front line is now. [7]
   • Putin will not agree to a general halt in the fighting. [8] He says a pause would only let Ukraine's troops rest and rearm. [8]
   • Russia's UN ambassador, Vasily Nebenzya, said on Monday: "We will not consent to freezing the conflict." [9]
   • Ukraine says an immediate ceasefire is the first step, and a wider deal comes after it. [6]
   • A US official said both sides had shown "a little bit of flexibility, privately" over the land. [7]
   • US negotiators believe each side might give up a little land, a US official told Reuters. [1] A senior Ukrainian official denied Ukraine would consider it. [1]
   • Under that idea, Ukraine would get an end to the war, security guarantees and a path into the EU. [1]
   • Officials from Germany, France, Britain, Italy, NATO and the EU flew to Abu Dhabi too. [10] They are not expected inside the room for the main talks. [10]
   • Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign affairs adviser, said: "No one is going to invite them to the negotiating table." [6]
   • Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, said talks on Europe's security must wait for a ceasefire. [9]
   • Zelensky said Ukraine's forces are "genuinely strengthening Ukraine's negotiating position". [3] Russia's advances have slowed almost to a halt this year. [1]
   • Fierce fighting goes on along a front line about 1,200 kilometres long. [6]
   • Russia is bombing Ukraine's power stations before winter. [11] On Saturday night, only 4 of 36 Russian ballistic missiles were shot down. [11]
   • Russia has 144 million people, and Ukraine has 33 million. [11] Even so, neither side has broken through since the first weeks of the war. [11]

   Who is involved

   The US team is led by Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law. [4]

   Russia's chief negotiator is Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to President Vladimir Putin. [5] Sergei Ryabkov, who put forward Russia's 2021 demands on NATO, joins for the first time. [5]

   Ukraine's team is led by Rustem Umerov, head of its foreign intelligence service. [1] He said Ukraine is doing "everything to ensure that Europe is a participant". [1]

   • United States the go-between
   • Steve Witkoff US special envoy
   • Jared Kushner Trump's son-in-law
   • Vladimir Medinsky an aide to Russia's President Putin; he leads Russia's team, which rejects any pause in the fighting
   • Sergei Ryabkov first time at the talks
   • Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner Trump's special envoy and his son-in-law; they lead the US side and carry messages between the two
   • Rustem Umerov head of Ukraine's foreign intelligence service; he leads Ukraine's team and wants Europe involved
   • Europe's security advisers officials from Germany, France, Britain, Italy, NATO and the EU; they are in Abu Dhabi but not in the room

   How it unfolded

   1. February Geneva talks, no deal
   2. Tuesday Abu Dhabi talks open
   3. 2022 Russia invades
   4. Now talks resume
   5. First a ceasefire
   6. Then a wider deal
   7. First a ceasefire in Ukraine
   8. Then talks on Europe's security
   9. Tue and Wed talks in Abu Dhabi
   10. December Zelensky offers to meet Putin
   11. Feb 2022 Russia launches its full-scale invasion of Ukraine [3]
   12. 18 Feb the last three-way talks, in Geneva, end with no deal [3]
   13. Late Oct a week-long local truce around Oleshky lets some residents leave [6]
   14. 4 Nov Trump meets Putin's envoy Kirill Dmitriev at the White House [6]
   15. 10 Nov the talks open in Abu Dhabi [1]

   Why it matters

   The talks matter first to Ukrainians, whose power stations Russia is bombing as winter comes. [11]

   Ukraine's allies in Europe fear Trump will make a deal with Russia on Europe's security without them. [5]

   How it works

   Negotiation experts call this issue linkage: two questions are tied together so that neither can be settled alone.

   A US official said Donetsk will not be settled before the post-war security plan. [7] "We're not going to be able to finalise one without the other." [7]

   Seen it before

   A shop will not agree a price for your old phone until it knows whether the charger comes with it.

   The truth

   • What is really going on In Abu Dhabi, Russia wants the rest of Donetsk and refuses any pause in the fighting, while Ukraine wants a ceasefire first. [7][8][6]
   • Why it works on people Trump has said many times that a Ukraine deal was close without one appearing, and each new round is announced the same way. [1]
   • Hanna Shelest, a Ukrainian security analyst, expects Russia to show it is "willing to talk" but not to agree. [4]
   • Kushner said the talks would focus on a "new European security architecture". [10] Russian officials often use that phrase to mean fewer NATO troops near Russia. [10]
   • Who pays Ukrainians at home this winter — Russia's strikes on power and homes are meant to create freezing conditions and break morale, The National reports. [11]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Russia or Ukraine will give up any land.

     A US official says both have shown flexibility in private, but a senior Ukrainian official denied it, and Russia has not moved in public. [7][1]

   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether the Europeans will get into the room.

     France said they would be present, Russia's presidential office says the talks are three-way only, and a German official said the format will be settled as talks go on. [2][10]

   What comes next

   The talks run on Tuesday and Wednesday. [1] Zelensky is ready to meet Putin as early as December, Ukraine's UN ambassador said. [9]

1. 02

   Trump calls the Iran war effectively over

   What happened

   • Trump said on Monday that the war with Iran "militarily is effectively over". [23]
   • Qatar is the chief go-between in the talks between the US and Iran. [24]
   • Trump said the US naval blockade of Iran's ports will go on. [12] He said Gulf neighbours of Iran would prefer it that way. [12]
   • Iran's foreign ministry said UN nuclear inspectors had examined its nuclear site at Bushehr. [25]

   Who is involved

   He spoke after meeting Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, at the White House. [26]

   • Donald Trump US president
   • Sheikh Mohammed Qatar's prime minister

   How it unfolded

   The war began with joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February. [23]

   1. February US and Israeli strikes
   2. Monday Trump: effectively over

   Why it matters

   Trump's Republicans lost both houses of the US Congress last week. [27] His vice-president, JD Vance, said the Iran war was a key reason. [27]

   How it works

   Military strategists call this a blockade: cutting off a country's trade to force it to give in, without fighting.

   Trump says Iran is "withering away financially" and that new strikes depend on whether it signs a deal. [28]

   The truth

   • Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran's top security council, told the US to "STOP manufacturing FAKE NEWS about imaginary talks". [12]
   • Who gains Gulf states that want the blockade kept — Trump says Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait prefer the blockade to new strikes, and he is keeping it. [12]
   • Who pays US service members — The Pentagon counts 23 killed since the Iran war began, though Trump says the US has lost nobody. [28]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How much of Iran's nuclear programme is left.

     UN inspectors saw the Bushehr plant but have not been let into the sites that were bombed. [24]

1. 03

   A Republican forces a vote on impeaching Hegseth

   What happened

   • Thomas Massie, a Republican congressman, read out a resolution to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday. [29]
   • To impeach means to charge an official, so the US Senate can hold a trial. [29] Massie filed 8 articles, or charges. [17]
   • He says Hegseth broke the law by waging war in Iran for more than 90 days without US Congress approval. [30]
   • Hakeem Jeffries, the Democrats' leader in the House, supports impeaching Hegseth. [29] With most Democrats, Massie needs only a few Republicans. [29]

   Who is involved

   Massie lost a primary to a Trump-backed rival this year. [29] Trump called him a "loser". [29]

   • Thomas Massie Republican congressman
   • Pete Hegseth US defence secretary

   How it unfolded

   The House has impeached only 2 cabinet members in US history, and the US Senate removed neither. [30]

   Why it matters

   Republican leaders blame last week's election losses on the Iran war, which has put Hegseth under pressure. [17]

   How it works

   In the US House, an impeachment resolution is "privileged": once filed, it must come to the floor quickly.

   Speaker Mike Johnson must schedule a vote within 2 days of Massie's resolution. [30] In September, Johnson sent the US Congress home before an earlier version was heard. [17]

   Why whoever decides what comes up for a vote can block what most members want

   Political scientists call it agenda-setting power: the person who picks which questions get a vote can stop one that most members support.

   The twist

   A majority is not enough on its own: Israel's opposition has the votes against Speaker Amir Ohana, but until it replaces him he still decides which bills reach the floor.

   The picture

   Members against Ohanaa majority

   vsvs

   Speaker Ohanasets the agenda

   Step by step

   1. 1 A group decides things by voting
   2. 2 One person or rule picks which questions reach a vote, and when
   3. 3 A question that never comes up cannot pass, however many back it
   4. 4 So the fight moves to who controls the list

   The same force, elsewhere today

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

   • Israel's new parliament fights over its speaker

     The opposition and the Arab-led parties have the votes against Ohana, but while he is speaker he controls which bills come up, so replacing him comes first.

   • A Republican forces a vote on impeaching Hegseth

     House rules make an impeachment resolution come to the floor within 2 days, so Massie gets a vote that never came in September, when Speaker Mike Johnson sent the US Congress home first.

   • Merz ties the EU budget to Ukraine's money

     Money for Ukraine was not on the Dublin summit's list until Merz wrote to Antonio Costa, who chairs the summits, asking to make it a priority.

   Where you've seen this

   School councils

   whoever writes the meeting's list decides which ideas get discussed before time runs out

   Company boards

   the chair can leave a shareholder's proposal off the papers for the annual meeting

   Top courts

   a court that chooses which cases to hear shapes the law through the cases it turns away

   The catch

   Control of the list lasts only while the majority allows it: Ohana cannot block a vote on his own replacement once 61 members agree on a candidate.

   And the whole of it

   Each member of Israel's parliament has one vote in 120, and each voter outside has one in millions. Before any of them votes, a few people have already chosen which questions they will be asked.

   The truth

   • A poll before the election found 44% of Americans less likely to back candidates who supported the war. [31]
   • Just 13% said they were more likely to back them. [31]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether enough Republicans will vote to impeach Hegseth.

     Massie needs only a few if most Democrats back him, but AP calls the next steps highly uncertain. [29]

   What comes next

   Under House rules, the vote must happen no later than Wednesday. [17]

1. 04

   Israel's new parliament fights over its speaker

   What happened

   • The 120 members of Israel's new parliament, the Knesset, are sworn in at 4pm on Tuesday. [32]
   • His bloc has 48 seats and Netanyahu's has 53. [33] A majority needs 61 of the 120 seats. [34]
   • The speaker, Amir Ohana, is from Netanyahu's Likud party. [18] The speaker controls which bills come up. [18]
   • Eisenkot and Avigdor Liberman, another opposition leader, agreed the next speaker should come from Eisenkot's party, Yashar. [35]
   • But United Torah Judaism, an ultra-Orthodox party, said the speaker should change only when a new government forms. [18]

   Who is involved

   Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, a former army chief, has the first chance to form a government. [33]

   • Gadi Eisenkot Yashar
   • Avigdor Liberman Yisrael Beytenu
   • Benjamin Netanyahu caretaker prime minister

   Why it matters

   A new speaker could bring up bills Netanyahu blocked, such as an inquiry into the attack of 7 October 2023. [18]

   How it works

   The opposition and the Arab-led parties have the votes against Ohana, but while he is speaker he controls which bills come up, so replacing him comes first.

   The idea, in story 03: Why whoever decides what comes up for a vote can block what most members want →

   The truth

   • What is really going on In Israel's parliament and the US House the same day, the fight was over who controls which questions come to a vote. [18][30]
   • Netanyahu says no government can depend on "Hamas supporters", meaning the Arab-led parties. [36] They deny it, and he has shown no evidence for the election fraud he also alleges. [36]
   • Who gains Israel's opposition, if it wins the speaker's chair — It could bring up bills Netanyahu blocked, including term limits for prime ministers. [18]

   What comes next

   Ohana cannot block a vote on his successor, which needs only 61 votes. [35] He says he will schedule one if a majority asks. [35]

2. 05

   Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline is hit again

   What happened

   • Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline was attacked in the Medina region on Monday, Saudi state media said. [14]
   • The attack caused a "limited fire" that was put out, with no one hurt. [14] Saudi Arabia did not say who attacked. [37]
   • The 1,200km pipeline crosses the Arabian Peninsula to Yanbu, so oil can leave without passing the Strait of Hormuz. [14]
   • It carries about 4 million barrels a day, around 4% of the world's supply. [14]
   • The Saudi-led coalition said it destroyed 3 Houthi sites, including a missile factory. [37]

   How it unfolded

   The day before, debris from shot-down missiles damaged floors of an Aramco office tower in Riyadh's financial district. [37]

   The pipeline was shut for several days in September after drone attacks, which Saudi Arabia said came from Iraq. [14]

   1. Sunday Aramco tower damaged
   2. Monday pipeline hit

   Why it matters

   The Strait of Hormuz remains tightly restricted by the war on Iran, which makes this pipeline essential. [14]

   The truth

   • Nobody knows yet

     Who attacked the East-West pipeline on Monday.

     Saudi Arabia did not name anyone, and the Houthis did not comment. [37]

3. 06

   Yemen's toll from Saturday's strikes rises to 44

   What happened

   • Air strikes on Saturday on the village of al-Shariya, near Yemen's capital Sanaa, killed 44 people, Houthi health officials said. [38]
   • They said 21 of the dead were children and 10 were women. [38]
   • On Monday, Yemen's government forces said they had captured Houthi positions in the southern province of Lahj. [13]
   • The Houthis have surrounded the city of Taiz for more than a month, Al Jazeera reports. [13]

   Who is involved

   The Houthis, an armed group backed by Iran, blamed Saudi Arabia. [38] They have held Sanaa since 2014. [39]

   • The Houthis hold Sanaa
   • Saudi Arabia blamed for the strikes

   How it unfolded

   Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition backing Yemen's government against the Houthis since 2015. [39]

   1. 2014 Houthis take Sanaa
   2. 2015 Saudi-led coalition steps in

   Why it matters

   The fighting has killed hundreds of people in Yemen and dozens in Saudi Arabia. [38]

   The truth

   • Rescue teams were still searching for missing people, so the toll could rise. [38]
   • Yemen's government says it killed or wounded more than 120 Houthi fighters in a day, which no one could check. [13]
4. 07

   Syria says it will not send troops to Yemen

   What happened

   • Syria's foreign minister, Asaad al-Shibani, said on Monday: "There is no deployment of troops in Yemen." [40]
   • He said Syria's defence deal is with Saudi Arabia, not with Yemen's government. [40]
   • Syrian officials told AP on Sunday that military advisers were already in Saudi Arabia. [39] They said 600 special forces would arrive next week. [39]

   Who is involved

   Syria's president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh last week. [40]

   • Ahmed al-Sharaa Syria's president
   • Mohammed bin Salman Saudi crown prince

   How it unfolded

   Last week Saudi Arabia promised Syria $403m in loans to rebuild after its civil war. [39]

   Why it matters

   Saudi Arabia faces repeated Houthi drone and missile attacks on its airports and oil sites. [40]

   How it works

   Political scientists call this plausible deniability: helping a partner in a way you can still deny.

   Hawach says Syria has reasons not to admit a role, from avoiding retaliation to putting rebuilding first. [39]

   The truth

   • A Syrian analyst, Nanar Hawach, says training soldiers inside Saudi Arabia is different from fighting in Yemen. [39]
   • He says the reports and the denials "can both be partly right". [39]
   • Who gains Syria's government — Its closer defence ties with Saudi Arabia came alongside $403m in Saudi loans for rebuilding. [39]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Syrian troops will fight in Yemen.

     Syria's foreign minister says there is no plan, while Syrian officials told AP that 600 special forces were due in Saudi Arabia. [40][39]

5. 08

   Iraq's prime minister went secretly to Tehran

   What happened

   • Iraq's prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, made a secret visit to Iran's capital, Tehran, last Friday. [24]
   • A government official said Trump had asked for the visit, to open a channel for calming the conflict. [24]
   • Ghalibaf said talks could move forward only if the US respected what Iran calls its rights. [24]

   Who is involved

   Al-Zaidi met Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament and its chief negotiator. [24]

   • Ali al-Zaidi Iraq's prime minister
   • Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf Iran's chief negotiator

   Why it matters

   Iraq has close ties to both the US and Iran. [24] It wants to keep another war off its own land. [24]

   The truth

   • UN inspectors still have not been allowed into Iran's nuclear sites that were bombed. [24]
6. 09

   Saudi Arabia and Egypt join the G7 in Paris

   What happened

   • Saudi Arabia and Egypt joined foreign ministers of the Group of Seven, or G7, in Paris on Monday. [41]
   • They met to look for ways to calm the wars in the Middle East. [41] Monday's dinner had no fixed agenda. [41]
   • US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called some of Iran's demands "outrageous, ridiculous and really not realistic". [41]
   • A French and British plan to guard ships through Hormuz has more than a dozen ships in place. [41]
   • The Bab al-Mandeb strait links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. [42]

   Who is involved

   The G7 is the US, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada. [41]

   How it unfolded

   1. Monday dinner in Paris
   2. Tuesday Middle East session

   Why it matters

   Egypt matters to the G7 for food supplies, which Iran's blockade of Hormuz has disrupted. [41]

   The truth

   • The National notes that Europe's leverage over the Middle East crises remains relatively weak. [41]

   What comes next

   On Tuesday they meet Middle East partners again, with Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb strait high on the list. [41]

7. 10

   A landslide kills a family in Gaza's camps

   What happened

   • Heavy rain made a sand bank collapse onto tents of displaced families near Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, on Sunday. [43]
   • Medics told Reuters that 4 people died: a woman and children aged 8, 6 and 4. [44]
   • Gaza's civil defence agency said 5 people died. [21]
   • About 70,000 tents flooded in the storm, Gaza's Hamas-run media office said. [21]
   • Rescuers got more than 2,100 calls for help but could answer only 218. [45]

   How it unfolded

   Most of Gaza's people live in tents or ruins after two years of war. [44]

   Why it matters

   The Board of Peace, set up to oversee the ceasefire, said Israel's help for winter was "insufficient". [46]

   How it works

   Geologists call this a landslide: soaked soil gets heavy, loses its grip and slides.

   Heavy rain and high winds brought down a sand bank beside the camp, crushing at least 3 tents. [43]

   Seen it before

   A damp sandcastle stands up, but pour a whole bucket of water on it and it slumps.

   The truth

   • Israel's army said it let in more than 8,200 trucks, including 91,000 tents. [46]
   • Israel controls all entry into Gaza. [46] Rescuers lacked heavy equipment, which Israel restricts, The National reports. [45]
   • Who pays Families in Gaza's tent camps — Hundreds of thousands of displaced people face the rainy season in tents, Reuters reports. [44]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How many people died in Sunday's landslide in Gaza.

     Medics told Reuters 4 died, while Gaza's civil defence says 5; we print both. [44][21]

8. 11

   Merz ties the EU budget to Ukraine's money

   What happened

   • Germany's chancellor, Friedrich Merz, says he will not agree the EU's next budget without new money for Ukraine. [47]
   • Ukraine faces a gap of 70 billion euros in its 2027 budget. [47] The EU has promised to cover about 45 billion of it. [47]
   • Merz wrote to António Costa, who chairs EU summits, asking to make Ukraine a priority in Dublin this week. [47]

   How it unfolded

   The gap is caused by Russia's air strikes, Euronews reports. [47]

   1. Before not on the agenda
   2. This week Dublin summit

   Why it matters

   Germany is Ukraine's largest single donor, so its threat to hold up the budget carries weight. [47]

   How it works

   Economists call this the free-rider problem: when a cost is shared, some members can let the others pay it.

   The current 90-billion-euro loan to Ukraine is backed by 24 EU countries. [47] Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic opted out. [47]

   Seen it before

   In a group project, if two people skip the work, the others end up doing their share.

   Money for Ukraine was not on the Dublin summit's list until Merz wrote to Antonio Costa, who chairs the summits, asking to make it a priority.

   The idea, in story 03: Why whoever decides what comes up for a vote can block what most members want →

   The truth

   • Merz says Ukraine's support is "carried mostly by only a few member states". [47]

   What comes next

   The topic was not on the summit's agenda before his letter. [47]

9. 12

   Ukraine hits a big Russian refinery

   What happened

   • Ukrainian drones struck the KINEF oil refinery in Russia's Leningrad region on Monday. [15] 3 main processing units were damaged. [15]
   • KINEF is Russia's second-largest refinery. [15] It handles about 7% of Russia's refining. [15]
   • The regional governor said 113 drones were shot down. [15] Debris from one killed a resident in Vsevolozhsk. [15]
   • In cities, drivers can buy only 30 litres of petrol at a time. [15]
   • Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 317 drones at Ukraine from Monday evening. [15]

   Who is involved

   Rosneft, an oil company with its own filling stations, capped petrol and diesel sales in several regions. [15]

   Why it matters

   Russia's oil industry is a major source of the state's money. [11]

   The truth

   • Russia's defence ministry said it shot down 430 Ukrainian drones over 14 regions. [15] Euronews could not check that figure. [15]
10. 13

    The EU pays for a Black Sea watch centre

    What happened

    • Ursula von der Leyen promised 50 million euros for a Black Sea security hub, a joint watch centre. [16]
    • Since early October, at least 9 ships were struck off the two countries. [16] 4 sank, and 34 sailors are dead or missing. [16]

    Who is involved

    Romania and Bulgaria will run it, to watch the sea and protect undersea cables. [16]

    • Romania
    • Bulgaria

    Why it matters

    Ukraine's ports near Odesa send out its grain, steel and iron ore. [16]

    Ukraine's farm minister, Taras Vysotskyi, is planning for farmers to work without the deep-water ports "for the long term". [16]

    The truth

    • Romania blames Russia for the attacks, but Bulgaria has not said so. [16]
11. 14

    India offers to help open Black Sea food routes

    What happened

    • India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, spoke to Zelensky by phone on Monday. [48]
    • Zelensky said India is ready to help set up "food corridors", safe sea routes for grain. [48]
    • Hours later, India's foreign minister, S Jaishankar, spoke to Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov. [48]

    Who is involved

    • Narendra Modi India's prime minister
    • Volodymyr Zelensky Ukraine's president

    How it unfolded

    In October India sent both sides a 4-point plan to stop attacks on civilians and let grain and energy out. [48]

    1. First Modi calls Zelensky
    2. Then Jaishankar calls Lavrov

    Why it matters

    Zelensky said hundreds of millions of people suffer because Black Sea routes are blocked. [48]

    The truth

    • Zelensky asked India to spell out its peace proposal and say what steps it can take. [48]
12. 15

    A blast at a Turkish steel plant kills 17

    What happened

    • An explosion at the Habas steel plant in Aliaga, near Izmir in western Turkey, killed 17 workers on Monday. [49]
    • The governor said a crane carrying a boiler collapsed into a furnace during maintenance. [49]
    • A worker told AFP that a snapped cable sent about 120 tonnes of molten steel onto the furnace. [50]
    • About 200 workers were there, fewer than the usual 300, because of a shift change. [51]

    Who is involved

    President Recep Tayyip Erdogan first gave 16 dead, and the health minister later said 17. [49]

    Why it matters

    Workplace accidents remain a constant problem in Turkey, says a workers' safety group. [49]

    How it works

    Safety engineers call jobs like changing a boiler non-routine work: rare tasks with heavy parts moving.

    Here, a crane carrying a replacement boiler collapsed, and materials fell into a furnace below. [49]

    What comes next

    Five people were detained, and four prosecutors were put on the case. [50]

13. 16

    Migrants die on boats off Crete

    What happened

    • At least 13 people died on a migrant boat off the Greek island of Crete. [20] The coastguard rescued 18 Sudanese people. [20]
    • A container ship spotted the boat about 28km off the coast. [52] One survivor later died in hospital. [52]
    • Greek officials think the boat was at sea for days in strong winds. [20]
    • Counting another boat, Greek authorities say 21 people died trying to reach Crete over the weekend. [53]

    How it unfolded

    More than 22,000 of the 37,000 migrants who reached Greece this year landed on Crete, the UN refugee agency says. [53]

    Why it matters

    Crete has become one of the main ways into the EU for migrants leaving from Libya. [53]

    The truth

    • Nobody knows yet

      How many migrants died off Crete over the weekend.

      The BBC reports 13 dead on Monday's boat, while The Hindu counts 12 bodies on it and 21 dead across two boats. [20][53]

    Good news

    • The Greek coastguard and the EU border agency, Frontex, rescued 105 people at sea off Greece on Monday.

    What comes next

    Two Sudanese people, one aged 16, were arrested as suspected smugglers. [53]

14. 17

    Somalia's president moves on the top court

    What happened

    • Somalia's opposition says President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud used security forces to take control of the Supreme Court. [19]
    • The court has ruled that the terms of Somalia's president, parliament and government have run out. [54]
    • It ordered leaders to agree election rules within 30 days and hold elections within 90. [54]

    Who is involved

    The opposition, the Somali Future Council, is led by former president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. [19] It called the move a "coup". [54]

    • Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Somalia's president
    • The Supreme Court ruled against him

    How it unfolded

    In March, parliament extended terms from 4 years to 5. [19] The court said that cannot apply to people already in office. [19]

    On 4 November, while the case was pending, Mohamud sacked the chief justice, Baashe Yusuf Ahmed. [19] The court called it null and void. [19]

    1. 30 days agree election rules
    2. 90 days hold elections
    3. 4 Nov chief justice sacked
    4. Then court: null and void

    Why it matters

    The ruling would end the mandate of Somalia's whole government, which says it can stay until 2027. [19]

    How it works

    Lawyers call this the separation of powers: courts can rule on what a government may do.

    The court said the term extension could not apply to Mohamud. [19] He had tried to remove its chief justice while it weighed the case. [19]

    The truth

    • The presidency says it removed the chief justice over complaints from judges and staff about how justice was run. [19]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether Somalia's government will accept its top court's ruling.

      The court gave leaders 30 days to agree election rules, and President Mohamud had already tried to remove its chief justice. [54][19]

15. 18

    Israel's security service finds no election meddling

    What happened

    • Israel's internal security service, the Shin Bet, has found no evidence of foreign meddling in last month's election, Haaretz reported. [55]
    • It found no sign that money went from the Palestinian Authority to Arab-led parties in Israel. [55]
    • Police also see little evidence of crimes, Israel's Channel 12 reported. [56] Any money breaches would go to the state comptroller, who checks public spending. [56]

    Who is involved

    Netanyahu and the Shin Bet's chief, David Zini, had both claimed foreign interference. [55]

    • Benjamin Netanyahu prime minister
    • David Zini Shin Bet chief

    How it unfolded

    Arab-led parties won a record 19 seats on 27 October. [55]

    Why it matters

    The claims were a main support for Netanyahu's charge that the election was "stolen". [56]

    How it works

    Lawyers call this the burden of proof: whoever makes a claim has to show the evidence for it.

    Netanyahu's Likud party alleged money was sent to boost Arab turnout but gave no tangible evidence, Al Jazeera reports. [55]

    Seen it before

    A student who says the dog ate the homework is asked to show the chewed pages.

    The truth

    • The investigation is still going on, and Haaretz's report rests on two unnamed officials. [55]
16. 19

    Hungary detains Orban's brother

    What happened

    • Hungarian police detained Aron Orban, the younger brother of former prime minister Viktor Orban, on Monday. [57]
    • He is suspected of people smuggling, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said. [58] Authorities said they had detained 4 people. [57]

    Who is involved

    • Aron Orban detained
    • Viktor Orban his brother, ex-prime minister

    How it unfolded

    Last year a news site, Telex, linked Aron Orban and his associates to a scheme involving visas for foreign workers. [57]

    Viktor Orban, who built his politics on opposing immigration, ruled for 16 years until Magyar beat him in April. [57]

    1. 16 years Orban in power
    2. April Magyar wins

    Why it matters

    Magyar promised to investigate corruption under his predecessor. [58] A new anti-corruption office with wide powers took part in the raids. [58]

    The truth

    • Viktor Orban called it "political persecution" and said: "I am the real target." [57]
    • The news broke on Kontroll, a site owned by the prime minister's brother, and police did not confirm the name. [57]
17. 20

    Russia's Novaya Gazeta closes its newsroom

    What happened

    • Novaya Gazeta, an independent Russian newspaper known for investigations, closed its Moscow office on Monday. [59]
    • Officials had labelled it a "foreign agent" and ordered it out of its offices. [59] Banks were barred from handling readers' donations. [59]

    How it unfolded

    Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, helped found it with money from his 1990 Nobel Peace Prize. [59]

    6 of its journalists have been murdered since 1993, including Anna Politkovskaya in 2006. [59]

    1. 1990 Gorbachev's Nobel prize
    2. 1993 the paper launches

    Why it matters

    Its founding editor, Dmitry Muratov, said the constitution's guarantee of political rights "has ceased to function". [59]

    The truth

    • Russia's presidential spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, called the closure part of a "rotational process" among media. [59]
    • Who pays Readers in Russia — They lose a paper that kept reporting critically on the invasion of Ukraine under wartime censorship. [59]
18. 21

    The Krakow gunman dies as the city marches

    What happened

    • The 24-year-old who killed 6 people in Krakow's main square on Saturday died in hospital on Monday. [60]
    • He also killed his parents and sister at the family home, police believe. [61]
    • Poland's president, Karol Nawrocki, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk joined a silent march in Krakow on Monday night. [62]

    Who is involved

    The dead included 4 Poles, an Austrian woman and a British man. [61]

    • Karol Nawrocki Poland's president
    • Donald Tusk prime minister

    Why it matters

    The interior minister said the gunman held "very radical" and "ultra-nationalistic" views. [63]

    The truth

    • But prosecutors said on Monday they had no findings tying him to any ideology. [63]

    What comes next

    Prosecutors are trying to open his electronic devices to see whether anyone helped or inspired him. [60]

19. 22

    Cyprus will open two new crossings

    What happened

    • The leaders of Cyprus's two communities agreed on Monday to open 2 new crossings through the UN buffer zone. [64]
    • There are 9 crossings now along the 180km buffer zone, and long queues at some. [64]
    • Opening them would bring the total to 11, Cypriot media report. [65] It is not yet clear when they will open. [64]

    Who is involved

    The Greek Cypriot leader is Nikos Christodoulides, and the Turkish Cypriot leader is Tufan Erhurman. [65]

    • Nikos Christodoulides Greek Cypriot leader
    • Tufan Erhurman Turkish Cypriot leader

    How it unfolded

    Cyprus was split in 1974, when Turkey invaded after a coup backed by Greece's military rulers. [64]

    1. 1974 the island is split
    2. Monday new crossings agreed
    3. Coming weeks meeting with Guterres
    4. Year end Guterres's term ends

    Why it matters

    It is the first deal of its kind in nearly a decade. [64] The UN hopes it leads to full peace talks. [64]

    How it works

    Peace researchers call steps like this confidence-building measures: small deals that make trust easier between old rivals.

    UN chief Antonio Guterres suggested new crossings this summer to build trust before talks. [65]

    The truth

    • The two sides still disagree over the ground rules for those talks. [65]

    Good news

    • Thousands of people who cross every day should face shorter queues. [64]

    What comes next

    The leaders meet again in the coming weeks with UN chief Antonio Guterres, whose term ends this year. [65]

20. 23

    Bangladesh says Hasina must come back as a prisoner

    What happened

    • Lawyers for Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's ousted prime minister, asked for a new passport for her. [66]
    • Bangladesh's acting foreign minister, Humayun Kabir, called her a "terrorist" and said no passport would be issued. [67]
    • He said she can return through a prisoner exchange under the India-Bangladesh extradition treaty. [67]

    How it unfolded

    Hasina fled to India in August 2024. [67] An uprising had ended her 15 years in power. [66]

    A court sentenced her to death in November 2025 for the crackdown on protesters. [66] As many as 1,400 people were killed. [68]

    1. Aug 2024 flees to India
    2. Nov 2025 sentenced to death

    Why it matters

    She says she will return in December and surrender to a court. [68]

    How it works

    Lawyers call handing a wanted person from one country to another extradition, and it follows a treaty between them.

    Bangladesh has asked India to hand Hasina over, and India says the requests are still being examined. [67]

    The truth

    • An Indian source told The Hindu that refusing a passport makes any extradition harder, because she would need one. [67]
    • Bangladesh's mission in Delhi says it is "not sure if the request is genuine". [67]
21. 24

    Haiti's leader goes to El Salvador over troops

    What happened

    • Haiti's prime minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aime, will visit El Salvador next week to discuss Salvadoran troops in Haiti. [69]
    • At least 2,500 Salvadoran troops now fight Haiti's gangs. [69]
    • On Sunday, Haitian police and Salvadoran soldiers destroyed a house of Wilson Joseph, who leads the 400 Mawozo gang. [69]

    Who is involved

    Two days earlier, El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, posted on X: "Give us the exact address, and we'll destroy it." [69]

    • Alix Didier Fils-Aime Haiti's prime minister
    • Nayib Bukele El Salvador's president

    How it unfolded

    The offensive began in October, after 4 Salvadoran aviation technicians went missing in a gang attack. [69]

    1. October 4 technicians missing
    2. Now 2,500 troops in Haiti

    Why it matters

    Gangs control whole parts of Haiti and are tied to some of its political elite. [69]

    How it works

    Lawyers call the deal that sets a foreign army's legal rights in a country a status of forces agreement. [69]

    A lobbyist for El Salvador said the troops work under such a deal or a wider memorandum. [69] He gave no details. [69]

    The truth

    • Wilson Joseph told AP the 4 missing Salvadorans are dead. [69] El Salvador's government says they are alive. [69]
    • Who gains El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele — AP reports he has used the Haiti offensive to project an image as a crusader against crime. [69]
22. 25

    The Pope draws 2.5 million in Buenos Aires

    What happened

    • Pope Leo XIV's open-air Mass in Buenos Aires on Monday drew an estimated 2.5 million people. [70]
    • Before the Mass he visited a home for more than 400 disabled people, struggling under government cuts. [70]
    • He met 5 survivors of sexual abuse by clergy, privately, for about an hour. [71]

    Who is involved

    It was the largest crowd of his papacy, the Vatican said. [72] Leo is the first pope born in the US. [73]

    How it unfolded

    Argentina had not had a papal visit since 1987. [71]

    1. 1987 the last papal visit
    2. Now Leo in Argentina

    Why it matters

    Critics of President Javier Milei took the pope's words on work and dignity as a rebuke of his cuts. [72]

    The truth

    • Other victims' groups asked to meet him and were refused, including 43 women who accuse Opus Dei of forced labour. [71]
23. 26

    Germany may get its first woman president

    What happened

    • Chancellor Friedrich Merz's party, the CDU, named Ilse Aigner as its candidate for Germany's president on Monday. [74]
    • Germany's president is head of state, a largely ceremonial job. [75]

    Who is involved

    Aigner, 61, is from the CSU, the CDU's sister party in Bavaria. [74] The Social Democrats have said they would back her. [74]

    • CDU and CSU
    • Social Democrats

    How it unfolded

    She would follow Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who cannot serve a third five-year term. [75]

    1. Now Steinmeier's second term
    2. 30 Jan a new president chosen

    Why it matters

    Germany has never had a woman as head of state. [74]

    How it works

    Political scientists call this an indirect election: voters choose the people who then choose Germany's president.

    What comes next

    An assembly of 630 national MPs and as many state delegates will choose on 30 January. [75]

24. 27

    France raises its minimum wage early

    What happened

    • France's prime minister, Sebastien Lecornu, said the minimum wage will rise by 1.6% on 1 December. [76]
    • It comes a month early, instead of in January. [76] That is about 24 euros more a month, to around 1,502 euros. [76]
    • He called it the second-largest rise of the past 20 years. [76]

    Who is involved

    He spoke after meeting unions and employers. [76] He also announced plans to cut social security charges, to raise take-home pay. [76]

    • Unions
    • Employers

    Why it matters

    Lecornu said he wanted to answer social anger while taking account of employers' worries. [76]

    The truth

    • Cyril Chabanier, head of the CFTC union, said the measures were "not commensurate with the level of social anger". [76]
    • Lecornu said: "I no longer believe in headline-grabbing announcements." [76]
25. 28

    Cameroon sets a date for its delayed elections

    What happened

    • Cameroon's President Paul Biya said parliament and local elections will be held on 7 February. [77]

    Who is involved

    Biya is 93 and has ruled since 1982, making him the world's oldest head of state. [77]

    How it unfolded

    The vote has been put off twice. [77] MPs' terms were stretched to 20 December, and councillors' to 28 February 2027. [77]

    His re-election in October last year set off protests, and security forces detained up to 2,000 people. [77]

    1. 20 Dec MPs' terms end
    2. 28 Feb 2027 councillors' terms end

    Why it matters

    A new vice-president post would make its holder Biya's successor if he dies. [77] Nobody has been named to it. [77]

    The truth

    • Questions about Biya's health go on, and his long stays abroad feed doubts about his ability to govern. [77]
    • Who pays People detained after Cameroon's last election — Some of them are still in custody a year later. [77]
26. 29

    South Africa stops nine men heading to the war

    What happened

    • South African police arrested 9 Zimbabweans, aged 20 to 26, preparing to fly out to fight in Ukraine's war. [78]
    • 5 were arrested at Johannesburg's OR Tambo airport and 4 at a hotel. [78]
    • They are charged under South Africa's law against mercenary work without government permission. [78]

    How it unfolded

    Ukrainian intelligence estimated this year that more than 1,700 Africans from 36 countries were recruited to fight for Russia. [78]

    Why it matters

    In March, Zimbabwe said 15 of its citizens had been killed after being recruited by Russia. [78]

    Some recruits say they were tricked and did not know where they were going. [78]

    The truth

    • Police did not say whether they planned to fight for Russia or for Ukraine. [78]
27. 30

    Ethiopians who fled to Kenya are going hungry

    What happened

    • About 50,000 Ethiopians fleeing fighting had crossed into Kenya's Moyale area by 29 October. [22]
    • A new survey found 71% of their households do not have enough to eat. [22]
    • And 80% said food is what they need most. [22]

    Who is involved

    The survey was done by Kenya's government and Marsabit county, with the UN's migration agency. [22]

    • Kenya's government
    • UN migration agency

    Why it matters

    The local communities hosting them already had limited resources. [22]

    How it works

    Aid workers call the local families who take refugees in the host community, and its needs grow too.

    Nomagugu Ncube, the UN agency's Kenya chief, said: "Assistance needs to reach both" refugees and hosts. [22]

28. 31

    Egypt's transport minister is told to quit

    What happened

    • Lawmakers from Egypt's pro-government parties called on Transport Minister Kamel el-Wazir to resign after Sunday's train crash. [79]
    • A train hit the back of another near El Ayyat, south of Cairo, killing 7 and injuring 114. [79]

    Who is involved

    Amr Adib, a pro-government TV host, asked: "How many have to die for the Minister to go?" [79]

    Why it matters

    Egypt's transport ministry reportedly takes 52% of the state's borrowing, and the crash reignited debate over that borrowing. [79]

    What comes next

    President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ordered an urgent inquiry. [79]

29. 32

    Egypt makes its Muslim Brotherhood ban permanent

    What happened

    • Egypt placed the Muslim Brotherhood permanently on its list of terrorist groups, replacing a temporary listing. [80]
    • The listing bans the group's activities, meetings and fundraising, and freezes its assets. [80]
    • 3 men linked to the group were also put on a list of individual terrorists. [80]

    How it unfolded

    Egypt first called the Brotherhood terrorist in December 2013, months after the army removed President Mohamed Morsi, a member. [80]

    1. 2013 Morsi removed, group listed
    2. Now listing made permanent

    Why it matters

    The change is to the legal basis and length of the ban, not a new ban. [80]

    How it works

    Lawyers treat listing a group and listing a person as separate legal steps.

    So the Brotherhood's listing does not put every member on the list of individuals. [80]

30. 33

    Naval officers fear piracy is coming back

    What happened

    • European naval commanders warn that wars in Yemen and Iran could bring back piracy off Somalia and Yemen. [42]
    • More than 70 incidents have been reported since November 2023, and about half of them this year. [42]

    Who is involved

    The EU's anti-piracy mission is called Operation Atalanta. [42] Its commander is a Portuguese officer, Jose Rodrigues Pedra. [42]

    • Jose Rodrigues Pedra commander, Operation Atalanta

    Why it matters

    He said: "Crisis creates crisis." [42]

    About 12% of world trade passes through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. [42]

    How it works

    Naval officers call this deterrence: making an attack likely to fail, so that few people try one.

    Armed guards on ships and naval patrols helped bring pirate attacks down in the past. [42]

    The truth

    • Pedra said he is "not saying that there is a direct link" between the wars and the attacks. [42]
31. 34

    Japan gives the Philippines radar and drones

    What happened

    • Japan will give the Philippines a coastal radar system and drones under a $27 million deal signed on Monday. [81]
    • The radar goes to the Philippine navy and the drones to its air force. [81]

    Who is involved

    The same day, Japan's prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, agreed closer defence and energy ties with Vietnam. [81]

    • Sanae Takaichi Japan's prime minister
    • To Lam Vietnam's president

    How it unfolded

    It is Japan's first transfer of finished military equipment under its security aid programme, started in 2023. [81]

    Earlier this year Japan lifted a ban on exporting lethal weapons. [81]

    1. 2023 Japan's security aid begins
    2. Monday first finished equipment

    Why it matters

    China, the Philippines and Vietnam have rival claims in the South China Sea, where ships have collided. [81]

    How it works

    Defence planners call this building a partner's capacity: helping it watch and guard its own waters.

    Japan says the equipment will strengthen watch over the Philippines, which sits near key sea lanes. [81]

32. 35

    Japan's ruling party punishes ex-leader Ishiba

    What happened

    • Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party reprimanded former prime minister Shigeru Ishiba and 3 other MPs. [82]
    • They walked out before a vote on a bill cutting tax on food and drink from 8% to 1%. [82] The cut would last two years. [82]

    Who is involved

    Ishiba is the first former party leader to be disciplined. [82]

    Why it matters

    He said losing the tax is "highly problematic" while social security costs rise. [82]

    How it works

    Political scientists call this party discipline: a party punishes members who vote against its line.

    The MPs had to explain in writing why they defied the party's instruction to back the bill. [82]

    What comes next

    The tax cut is a top goal for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. [82] It passed the lower house, where her coalition has a big majority. [82]

33. 36

    China arrests a Beijing church pastor

    What happened

    • Pastor Xianfeng Edward Cui, founder of Beijing's Jiaquan Church, was arrested on 23 October for fraud, his wife told AP. [83]
    • He was first detained on 4 September in a raid by about 100 police. [83]

    Who is involved

    His wife, Jin Young Gu, says the charges are about members' offerings to the church. [83]

    How it unfolded

    The church is not registered with the state. [83] In 2023, she says, officials told him to lead a church of fewer than 100 people. [83]

    Why it matters

    China is tightening control over religion so that faith groups follow Communist Party rule. [83]

    The truth

    • Beijing police and China's foreign ministry did not answer AP's questions. [83]
34. 37

    Honduras delays a verdict in a trafficking case

    What happened

    • A Honduran court delayed its verdict in a sex-trafficking case linked to the disappearance of Angie Pena in 2022. [84]
    • The verdict is now due on 20 November. [84] The court said it must review evidence, and its interpreter was abroad. [84]

    Who is involved

    Four men are on trial: 3 US citizens and 1 Honduran. [85]

    How it unfolded

    1. 2022 Angie Pena disappears
    2. 20 Nov verdict due now

    Why it matters

    Prosecutors say police and at least one judge helped the network, without naming them. [85]

    The truth

    • Julissa Villanueva, once a deputy security minister, said the delay "fuels the perception of impunity": crimes going unpunished. [84]
35. 38

    The US Supreme Court lets a park wall go ahead

    What happened

    • The US Supreme Court let the Trump administration build a border wall through Big Bend National Park in Texas. [86]
    • The court said the pause "impedes the Government" from advancing its "compelling interests" in border security. [86]

    Who is involved

    The park's mountains and desert are home to endangered animals such as the Mexican long-nosed bat. [86]

    Why it matters

    The Trump administration says the area is a route for illegal crossings and drug smuggling. [86]

    How it works

    In law, an order that pauses a project while a case goes on is called an injunction.

    Judge Kathleen Cardone's injunction stopped building in October, and the Supreme Court lifted it on Monday. [86]

    The truth

    • Judge Kathleen Cardone had found that the area is over 25% of the border. [86] It sees only 0.3% to 2.2% of migrant arrests. [86]
36. 39

    Trump questions the election he lost

    What happened

    • Trump asked on Truth Social on Monday: "Does anybody really believe that this 'Election' was honest". [87]

    How it unfolded

    On election night he had told the New York Times he was "absolutely willing" to accept the result. [87]

    1. Election night willing to accept
    2. Monday was it honest?

    Why it matters

    Democrats won control of both houses of the US Congress. [87]

    The truth

    • State and local officials across the US reported mostly smooth elections. [87]

    What comes next

    Senate races in Alaska and Mississippi have still not been called. [87]

37. 40

    Jordan's foreign minister mends ties in Damascus

    What happened

    • Jordan's foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, visited Syria's capital, Damascus, on Monday. [88]
    • The two countries signed 11 agreements, including on a railway linking Saudi Arabia to Turkey. [88]
    • Trade between them nearly tripled in the past year, to $330 million. [88]
    • Bisher al-Khasawneh, a former Jordanian prime minister, said ties have "not been better since at least three decades". [89]

    Who is involved

    • Ayman Safadi Jordan's foreign minister
    • Asaad al-Shibani Syria's foreign minister

    How it unfolded

    It was his first trip there since Jordanian air strikes on 26 October killed at least 7 people in Syria. [88]

    Jordan said the strikes hit ISIS fighters linked to an attack on a church in Karak, Jordan. [88]

    Why it matters

    Safadi said: "Syrian blood is as precious to us as Jordanian blood." [88]

    With Hormuz blocked, routes through Jordan and Syria could link Saudi Arabia to Europe. [88]

    The truth

    • Syria says the 7 were civilians, and its foreign minister said work is under way to compensate the victims. [88]
38. 41

    France's judo star runs for president

    What happened

    • Teddy Riner, a French judo champion with 5 Olympic gold medals, said on Monday he will run for president. [90]
    • The election is in the spring, less than six months away. [90]

    Who is involved

    Riner, 37, says he is neither "left nor right-wing". [90]

    Why it matters

    He has never held a political job, and expects people to call him "crazy". [90]

    What comes next

    He wants to keep competing, and hopes to go to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. [90]