US charges three men over Iran-backed attacks in Europe, including the RAF Fairford plot, as US planes leave a second British base

The stories

44 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

   US charges three men over Iran-backed attacks in Europe, including the RAF Fairford plot, as US planes leave a second British base

   1 of 3

   men charged by the US who are in US custody

   al-Saadi was arrested abroad in May and moved to the US [12]

   7 of 18

   attacks claimed by HAYI in Europe this spring that were in the UK

   they included fires, bombs and a stabbing [4]

   at least 10

   US refuelling planes flown out of RAF Mildenhall on Monday

   they flew to bases in Germany, Spain and Scotland [6]

   What happened

   • US prosecutors charged three men on Tuesday over nearly 20 attacks and plots in Europe and the US. [1]
   • Prosecutors say the men acted for Iran's Revolutionary Guards and Kataib Hezbollah, an armed group in Iraq. [2]
   • One plot targeted RAF Fairford, a British air base where US bombers used against Iran were kept. [3]
   • Only 1 of the 3 men, Mohammad al-Saadi, is in custody, in a New York jail. [1]
   • Prosecutors say al-Saadi helped plan the Fairford plot from his cell. [3] He passed coded messages in phone calls to his mother and sister in Iraq. [2]
   • Al-Hassani then tasked men in Britain to watch the base and to get vans and barrels of fuel. [3]
   • Al-Hassani also paid them to buy metal objects that could serve as shrapnel, the bits a bomb throws out. [2]
   • The vans were made to look like a fuel delivery firm and a swimming pool supply firm. [4]
   • On 26 September, al-Hassani sent 3 vans towards the base, the US Justice Department says. [4]
   • At least 2 of the 3 vans hit a security roadblock on the way and were turned away. [4]
   • A farmer coming home from a party early on 27 September saw the vans and called the police. [3]
   • Police found petrol in the vans, but no explosives. [4]
   • The charges also cover 18 attacks in Europe this spring, claimed by a new group calling itself HAYI. [4]
   • 7 of those 18 attacks were in the UK, the US Justice Department says. [4]
   • They included fires, bombs and the stabbing of two Jewish men in north London in April. [4]
   • Prosecutors say al-Hassani directed an attack on a London synagogue live on a video call. [5] He told the attacker to 'light it up like a Christmas tree'. [5]
   • On Monday, at least 10 US refuelling planes left RAF Mildenhall, another British base. [6]
   • The Wall Street Journal reported that the move answered a threat from Iran. [7]
   • A security source told The National that Iran 'was preparing to engage in a drone attack'. [8]
   • US forces put Mildenhall and nearby Lakenheath on their second-highest threat level. [8]
   • The New York Times reported that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent moved onto a military base after Iranian threats. [9]
   • Bessent has been the face of the US campaign of money pressure on Iran. [9]
   • Iran denies any part in the Fairford plot. [4] Its embassy in London called the claims 'malicious speculations'. [4]
   • In July, Iran said any base used to attack Iranian territory was a 'legitimate target'. [4]
   • Britain's government says its bases are safe. [6] It says it is spending more on defence against drones. [6]

   3 menCharged in New York

   vsvs

   1 manIn a US cell

   Who is involved

   Al-Saadi, 32, holds Iranian and Iraqi citizenship. [2] Mohsen Mohajeri, 48, is Iranian, and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani, 35, is Iraqi. [2]

   Prosecutors did not say where Mohajeri and al-Hassani are. [2] The BBC reports they are accused of acting from Iran. [4]

   • Revolutionary Guards Iran's most powerful armed force
   • Kataib Hezbollah an armed group in Iraq
   • al-Saadi, 32 Iranian and Iraqi
   • Mohajeri, 48 Iranian
   • al-Hassani, 35 Iraqi
   • Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi a 32-year-old with Iranian and Iraqi citizenship, held in a New York jail; prosecutors say he helped run the plots from his cell
   • Mohsen Mohajeri and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani an Iranian aged 48 and an Iraqi aged 35, charged but not in custody; prosecutors say al-Hassani directed the Fairford vans
   • Jamie McDonald the US attorney in New York who brought the charges; he called it a campaign of terror
   • Iran's Revolutionary Guards Iran's most powerful armed force; prosecutors say the men acted for it, and Iran denies any part

   How it unfolded

   1. 26-27 Sept 3 vans sent towards RAF Fairford; a farmer calls the police [4]
   2. 27 Sept a farmer calls the police
   3. April two Jewish men stabbed in north London, one of the attacks HAYI claimed [4]
   4. May al-Saadi arrested abroad and moved to the US [12]
   5. July Iran calls bases used against it a 'legitimate target' [4]
   6. 9 Nov at least 10 US refuelling planes leave RAF Mildenhall [6]
   7. 10 Nov US charges al-Saadi, Mohajeri and al-Hassani [1]

   Why it matters

   Britain has warned for months that Iran recruits people online to carry out attacks there. [6]

   An Iranian missile hit 5 US tankers on the ground in Saudi Arabia in March. [10] The US now worries about how well parked planes are protected. [10]

   How it works

   Military planners call this force protection: guarding soldiers and machines before an attack comes, not after it.

   Tankers are large targets, and a base has a long fence to guard, a former UK security adviser said. [7] So the US now moves planes when a threat is reported. [10]

   Seen it before

   A family that hears of break-ins on its street brings the bike indoors, rather than watch it all night.

   The truth

   • What is really going on The US charged three men over Iran-backed attacks in Europe, but only al-Saadi is in a US jail; the other two are not in US hands. [1]
   • Why it works on people An indictment read out with names, ages and a quote from a video call feels like proof, though no court has tested it yet.
   • These are accusations in an indictment, the formal charges, unsealed in a New York court. [1] Al-Saadi pleaded not guilty to earlier charges in June. [11]
   • UK security officials believe Iran cannot launch an explosive attack on a British base, though it may threaten one. [10]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How many men were arrested over the Fairford plot.

     One BBC report says seven, another says eight. [4][7] AP and Al Jazeera say six were arrested and all released on bail. [1][2]

   • Nobody knows yet

     What the threat to RAF Mildenhall was.

     US officials are still discussing it, the Guardian reports. [10] Only one security source, speaking to The National, describes a planned drone attack. [8]

   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Mohajeri and al-Hassani will ever face a US court.

     Prosecutors did not say where they are, and only al-Saadi is in custody. [2]

1. 02

   Abu Dhabi talks discuss swapping prisoners

   What happened

   • Russian, Ukrainian and US officials met in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, their first three-way talks since February. [18]
   • The two sides discussed swapping prisoners, but an official said no deal was final. [24]
   • The first day dealt with security guarantees: promises that would stop Russia attacking Ukraine again. [24]
   • The US asked Russia if it would accept US promises to defend Ukraine like a NATO ally. [24]
   • Jared Kushner, Trump's envoy and son-in-law, said the US had 'narrowed the gaps'. [18]
   • Russia hit 5 major power substations in Ukraine overnight, Ukraine's prime minister said on Tuesday. [25]

   Who is involved

   • United States host of the talks

   Why it matters

   A US official said land cannot be settled until both sides know what security comes after the war. [26]

   How it works

   Negotiators call this sequencing: agreeing the order in which hard questions are taken.

   In Abu Dhabi, the first day covered prisoners and security guarantees. [24] Land was left for the second and last day. [24]

   Seen it before

   Friends who fall out often agree to say hello again before they discuss who was right.

   The truth

   • US officials say both sides privately showed some readiness to bend on land. [24] In public, Russia still demands 4 regions, and Ukraine refuses. [26]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Russia and Ukraine have agreed a prisoner swap.

     An official told Politico the swap was discussed but not finalised. [24]

2. 03

   The US House shelves Hegseth's impeachment

   What happened

   • The US House of Representatives voted 211 to 204 on Tuesday to send articles impeaching Pete Hegseth to a committee. [27]
   • Massie's 8 articles also accuse Hegseth of 'extrajudicial killings' in strikes on boats said to carry drugs. [27]
   • Sending them to a committee all but ends the effort, because Democrats take over the US Congress in January. [27]
   • Massie was the only Republican to vote against, and 11 Democrats missed the vote. [27]

   Who is involved

   Hegseth is the US defence secretary. [27] Thomas Massie, a Republican, accuses him of waging war on Iran without the US Congress's approval. [27]

   • Thomas Massie Republican congressman
   • Pete Hegseth US defence secretary

   How it unfolded

   1. Now articles sit in committee
   2. January Democrats take control

   Why it matters

   The vote handed Trump a win days after his party's crushing midterm defeat. [28]

   How it works

   Constitutional lawyers call impeachment the US House's power to charge an official. The US Senate then holds the trial.

   Removal needs two-thirds of the US Senate, where Republicans hold 53 seats. [29] The bid was always seen as a long shot. [27]

   Seen it before

   A class can report a pupil to the head, but only the head decides whether the pupil is sent home.

   The truth

   • Trump called the vote an 'EXONERATION'. [27] No charge was judged; the House only moved the articles to a committee. [27]

   What comes next

   Impeachment resolutions can carry past the end of a US Congress, so Democrats could take this one up next year. [27]

3. 04

   Israel's new parliament meets, and Netanyahu's rivals move first

   What happened

   • Israel's new parliament, the Knesset, was sworn in on Tuesday. [30] Gadi Eisenkot, a former army chief, is trying to form a government. [30]
   • Eisenkot's bloc of 4 parties won 48 seats in October, and Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc won 53. [30]
   • Neither has the 61 of 120 seats a government needs. [31]
   • The 6 opposition parties hold 67 seats together, enough to choose a new speaker. [32][21]
   • Netanyahu told the chamber that Arab-led parties want 'the destruction of the Jewish state'. [30]
   • Eisenkot called the speech 'delusional, divisive, hate-filled and shameful'. [30]

   Who is involved

   They want Matan Kahana, from Eisenkot's party, to replace Amir Ohana, a Netanyahu ally. [21]

   • Matan Kahana opposition pick
   • Amir Ohana Netanyahu ally

   How it unfolded

   1. 28 days Eisenkot's deadline
   2. 14 more a possible extension

   Why it matters

   The speaker sets the Knesset's agenda, so the opposition could pass laws even without a government. [32]

   Their first plans include an inquiry into the 7 October 2023 attacks and term limits for prime ministers. [32]

   The truth

   • Avigdor Lieberman, whose votes Eisenkot needs, says he will not back a government relying on Arab parties. [31]
   • Who gains Netanyahu's opponents in the Knesset — Controlling the speaker would let them pass laws even if they fail to form a government. [32]

   What comes next

   Eisenkot has 28 days to build a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension. [31]

4. 05

   Rubio sees no need to strike Iran, and Iran denies talks

   What happened

   • US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday he saw no need to attack Iran again. [15]
   • He said the economic campaign is 'so devastating that right now there is no need for major combat operations'. [15]
   • The US also called Iran's terms for peace 'absurd'. [33]
   • Rezaei said Iran stands by its 7-point plan from the summer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. [33]

   Who is involved

   Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's top security council, said there are no talks with the US at present. [33]

   • Marco Rubio US secretary of state
   • Mohsen Rezaei Iran's security council

   Why it matters

   Iran's blockade of Hormuz, the main exit for Gulf oil, has sent oil prices soaring. [15]

   Soaring oil prices were a major factor in the Republicans' heavy midterm defeat, The Hindu reports. [15]

   How it works

   Economists who study sanctions call this economic coercion: hurting a country's trade until its leaders give way.

   The US blocks Iran's ports, and in August began what it called an 'economic asphyxiation' campaign. [15] Iran urged the US to accept its demands for reopening Hormuz. [15]

   Seen it before

   Two neighbours who block each other's driveways both stay home until one moves a car.

   The truth

   • Trump says there is 'momentum' to end the war. [33] Iran's security chief says there are no negotiations at all. [33]
5. 06

   Tankers keep burning near Hormuz

   What happened

   • An Emirati ship was attacked and damaged in the UAE's own waters on Tuesday afternoon. [14]
   • Its operator, ADNOC Logistics, gave no details of damage or casualties. [14]
   • Iran's Revolutionary Guards said two tankers caught fire after hitting naval mines on an 'unauthorised route'. [13]
   • 37 ships were attacked in October, the most in any month of the war, says the Washington Institute. [13]
   • The UN shipping agency has confirmed 130 incidents since late February. [13] At least 25 sailors have been killed. [13]

   Why it matters

   Oil from damaged tankers has reached the shore of Oman, video checked by Reuters shows. [13]

   The truth

   • Crude prices fell to two-month lows as US officials played down new strikes. [13] The attacks at sea have not stopped. [13]
   • Iran often blames ships' operators for hitting mines, The National reports. [14]
6. 07

   Indonesia's vice president offers to resign

   What happened

   • Indonesia's vice president, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, offered to resign in a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday. [34]
   • It was not clear whether Prabowo accepted, a minister said. [34]
   • The dispute is over his school papers, which the law requires for the job. [19]
   • MPs are gathering signatures for a motion against him, a step towards impeachment. [19] It needs at least 25 of the 580 MPs to start. [19]

   Who is involved

   Gibran, 39, is the son of Joko Widodo, Indonesia's previous president. [34]

   • Gibran Rakabuming Raka vice president, 39
   • Prabowo Subianto president

   How it unfolded

   On 6 October, the Constitutional Court found no document showing he finished high school abroad. [19] On 30 October, Indonesia's Supreme Court cancelled his certificate. [19]

   1. 6 Oct Constitutional Court finds no record
   2. 30 Oct Supreme Court cancels the certificate

   Why it matters

   The case comes amid a widening rift between Prabowo and Widodo. [35]

   Gibran said he does not want the dispute to become 'a prolonged political controversy'. [34]

   The truth

   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Prabowo accepted Gibran's resignation.

     A minister said it was not clear, and Gibran did not mention it in his statement. [34]

   What comes next

   Gibran also asked to prove his documents are valid in an administrative court. [19]

7. 08

   A US soldier is held in England on suspicion of spying for Russia

   What happened

   • British counter-terror police arrested a 41-year-old US Army soldier near Gloucester on Tuesday, on suspicion of spying for Russia. [17]
   • He served at Imjin Barracks, home of a NATO unit built to respond quickly to crises. [36]
   • He is held under a 2023 law for helping a foreign spy service and passing on protected information. [17]
   • Police said the arrest is not linked to other counter-terror cases, which AP reads as no link to Fairford. [36]

   Who is involved

   The unit, the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, has forces from 20 countries and is led by Britain. [36]

   Why it matters

   A US Army general said the case shows 'insider threats are real and persistent'. [37]

   How it works

   Security officials call this an insider threat: a person trusted with secrets who passes them on.

   The general described the suspect as 'a senior soldier, entrusted with sensitive information'. [37]

   Seen it before

   A strong front door does nothing if someone inside opens it.

   The truth

   • Officials have not named the soldier or said what information is involved. [36]
8. 09

   Poland charges two Ukrainians with sabotage for Russia

   What happened

   • Poland arrested two Ukrainian men suspected of spying and sabotage for Russian intelligence, its security agency said Tuesday. [16]
   • Investigators say the men burned vehicles after fitting plates like those of Ukraine's army. [16]
   • Prosecutors say the attacks were meant to stir anger against Ukrainians in Poland. [16]
   • The men were paid for the jobs, partly in cryptocurrency, investigators say. [16]
   • Both face 10 years to life in prison if found guilty. [16]

   Who is involved

   • Two Ukrainian men arrested
   • Russian intelligence accused of directing them

   Why it matters

   Poland has long accused Russia and Belarus of a campaign of sabotage, hacking and false stories since 2022. [16]

   How it works

   Spy services call this a false flag: an attack made to look like the work of someone else.

   The plates made each fire look like Ukraine's army had done it. [16]

   Seen it before

   A child who breaks a vase and leaves a sibling's toy beside it is trying the same thing.

   The truth

   • Russia's embassy in Warsaw did not answer a request for comment. [16]

1. 10

   Hasina's supporters clash with police as she plans to return

   What happened

   • Police in Bangladesh fired tear gas and rubber bullets on Tuesday at supporters of Sheikh Hasina, the ousted prime minister. [38]
   • The protests began a day after she said she had asked for a passport to come home. [38]
   • A 60-year-old bus driver died of smoke after his bus was set on fire in Faridpur. [38]
   • The prosecutor said on Tuesday the sentence will be carried out if she returns. [39] Her time to appeal has run out, he said. [39]

   How it unfolded

   Hasina ruled for 15 years until an uprising in August 2024, then fled to India. [38]

   A tribunal in Bangladesh sentenced Hasina to death in her absence last year for crimes against humanity. [38]

   1. 15 years Hasina rules
   2. Aug 2024 she flees to India

   Why it matters

   A Bangladeshi minister said there is an extradition treaty with India, and 'we want her handed over'. [38]

   The UN estimates up to 1,400 people were killed in the 2024 protests, most by security forces' gunfire. [38]

   How it works

   Why a court can charge a man it cannot arrest

   International lawyers separate a country's power to make its law reach a crime abroad from its power to arrest anyone there, which stops at its border.

   The twist

   A country can charge anyone its law reaches, wherever they live. To arrest them abroad, it needs the other country's government to say yes.

   The picture

   3 menCharged in New York

   vsvs

   1 manIn a US cell

   Step by step

   1. 1 A crime is planned in one country and aimed at another
   2. 2 The target country's law reaches it, so its courts can judge it
   3. 3 Its prosecutors charge the people they name
   4. 4 But its police cannot arrest anyone abroad
   5. 5 So the case waits until the person travels, or another government hands them over

   The same force, elsewhere today

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

   • Hasina's supporters clash with police as she plans to return

     A tribunal in Bangladesh sentenced her to death, but she lives in India, so Bangladesh can only ask India to hand her over.

   • A US court lets Pannun's suit reach India's security chief

     A US judge let the papers go to India's embassy, and India said such papers must come through its own law ministry.

   • The US sends a genocide suspect home to Rwanda

     Rwanda could put Teganya before its own prosecutors only once the US chose to deport him.

   • A London court strikes down Trinidad's gay sex laws

     A court in London could strike down Trinidad's law only because Trinidad's own constitution makes it the final court.

   Where you've seen this

   Extradition treaties

   two countries agree in advance to hand over each other's suspects, so a charge can become an arrest

   The International Criminal Court

   it can issue arrest warrants but has no police, so it relies on member states to make arrests

   Speeding fines from abroad

   a camera fine can follow a foreign driver home, but is often never paid unless the home country helps collect it

   The catch

   The gap closes when another government agrees: al-Saadi was arrested abroad in May and moved to the US to face charges.

   And the whole of it

   The prosecutors in New York, the judges in Dhaka and the victims' families all wait on the governments of Iran and India. None of them has a say in what those governments decide.

   The truth

   • What is really going on Bangladesh has sentenced Sheikh Hasina to death, and she lives freely in India. [82]
   • Hasina calls her trial 'biased and politically motivated'. [38]
   • Who pays Commuters in Bangladesh — Buses and cars were set on fire on the roads during the protests. [38]

1. 11

   Four countries push back at Merz over Ukraine money

   What happened

   • Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary and Bulgaria rejected Germany's demand on Tuesday to tie the EU budget to new money for Ukraine. [40]
   • German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wants the EU's next long-term budget made conditional on new money for Ukraine. [40]
   • Slovakia's prime minister, Robert Fico, called it 'a textbook case of blackmail'. [40]
   • Ukraine faces a EUR 70 billion gap next year, and the EU has promised about EUR 45 billion of it. [40]

   Why it matters

   Both the budget and the aid need every EU country to agree, so any one can block either. [40]

   Hungary's prime minister, Peter Magyar, said new EU debt is unacceptable for Hungary because of its large deficit. [40]

   How it works

   Political scientists call it issue linkage: joining two decisions so a country cannot accept one and reject the other.

   Merz tied Ukraine aid to the budget, which the four want for their farm and regional funds. [40]

   Seen it before

   A parent says no pudding until the plates are clean, so the two choices become one.

2. 12

   Myanmar's army takes a resistance headquarters

   What happened

   • Myanmar's army seized 11 resistance bases in the south, including a command headquarters, state media said on Tuesday. [41]
   • The bases sat in jungle along the border of Mon state and the Bago region. [41]

   Who is involved

   They included a command post of the National Unity Government, the main opposition group. [41]

   How it unfolded

   The army seized power from Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government in February 2021. [41] An army-backed government took office in April. [41]

   1. Feb 2021 army takes power
   2. April army-backed government takes office

   Why it matters

   Myanmar's army-led government is also lobbying the US to invest in its rare earth mines. [42]

   Rare earths are metals used in magnets for electric cars and wind turbines. [42] China makes about 90% of the world's rare earth magnets. [42]

   The truth

   • The claim could not be checked, because the army keeps reporters out of the area. [41]
3. 13

   Salvadoran troops strike a Haitian gang base

   What happened

   • Nayib Bukele, El Salvador's president, wrote: 'We destroyed the house of Lanmo San Jou and the 400 Mawozo gang's headquarters.' [43]
   • His video showed helicopters firing on a complex near Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. [43]
   • Several media reported that as many as 20 people were killed. [43]

   How it unfolded

   About 2,000 Salvadoran soldiers went to Haiti last month after 4 Salvadoran air force technicians were kidnapped. [43]

   1. October 4 technicians kidnapped
   2. Last month 2,000 troops sent
   3. Sunday the gang base hit

   Why it matters

   Haiti's prime minister thanked El Salvador and wrote: 'THE GANGS WILL GET NO SLEEP!' [43]

   Critics say the Salvadoran troops do not all work under the UN-backed force in Haiti. [43]

   How it works

   Military lawyers call this the chain of command: who gives a soldier orders, and who answers for them.

   Amnesty said both governments 'must make public the agreement governing the deployment'. [44] It asked to whom the troops are accountable. [44]

   Seen it before

   On a school trip, each teacher must know which pupils are theirs, or nobody answers for a lost one.

   The truth

   • The BBC could not verify Bukele's video, or that the building was the gang's headquarters. [43] The gang's leader was not there, the Miami Herald reports. [43]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How many people died in the strike on the Haitian gang base.

     Several media reported as many as 20, but no authority has confirmed it. [43]

4. 14

   DR Congo sentences 66 soldiers to death for fleeing

   What happened

   • A military court in DR Congo sentenced at least 66 soldiers to death for cowardice, mutiny and refusing orders. [45]
   • 71 soldiers were tried. [45] 4 were acquitted, and 1 was given 10 years in prison. [45]

   Who is involved

   They were accused of fleeing their positions during clashes with the FRN, a rebel coalition that includes M23. [45]

   The FRN is led by Joseph Kabila, a former Congolese president, DW reports. [46]

   • Congo's army the FARDC
   • FRN rebels includes M23

   How it unfolded

   Last month 27 other soldiers were sentenced to death on similar charges. [45]

   Why it matters

   Congo's army has long been weakened by poor discipline, and its soldiers complain of poor pay and equipment. [45]

   A militia leader allied with the army suspects 'acts of complicity' behind the rebels' advance. [47]

   How it works

   Military lawyers call this exemplary punishment: a harsh sentence for a few, meant to keep the rest in line.

   The army said the trial was meant to improve discipline among troops fighting armed groups. [45]

   Seen it before

   A team that drops a player for missing training is sending a message to the whole squad.

   The truth

   • BBC says the trial was in Walikale. [45] DW says the sentences came from Goma's military court. [46]
   • Who pays Congolese soldiers on the front line — They face a death sentence for retreating, while complaining of poor pay and equipment. [45]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Which court sentenced the 66 Congolese soldiers.

     The BBC says the trial was in Walikale. [45] DW says the sentences came from the military court in Goma. [46]

5. 15

   Trump's Gaza board says Israel's flood help falls short

   What happened

   • Trump's Board of Peace for Gaza said that Israel's response to floods there 'remains insufficient'. [48]
   • Rain flooded tens of thousands of tents in Gaza. [48] On Sunday a sand bank fell on tents, killing 3 children and a woman. [48]
   • About 1.4 million people, around 65% of Gaza, live in tents or makeshift shelters, the UN says. [48]
   • The UN says more than 150,000 tents are waiting outside Gaza. [48] Israel says it has let in more than 91,000. [48]
   • Dubai's ruler ordered tents for 50,000 people to be sent to Gaza. [49]

   Who is involved

   The board is the US-backed body set up to carry out Trump's Gaza peace plan. [48]

   Why it matters

   Israel's aid body, Cogat, says rebuilding can start only after Hamas fully disarms. [48]

   The truth

   • The board blamed Israel's delays in approving supplies, and also Hamas's failure to disarm. [48] Israel's foreign ministry blamed Hamas for hoarding aid. [48]
   • Who pays People living in tents in Gaza — Stocks of shelter and winter supplies inside Gaza have run out, the UN's aid chief there says. [48]
6. 16

   Gulf states set up a joint command in Kuwait

   What happened

   • The 6 Gulf Cooperation Council states agreed on Tuesday to set up a military command post in Kuwait. [50]
   • The council gave no opening date, troop numbers or duties for the post. [50]

   Who is involved

   The GCC is Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. [50]

   • Saudi Arabia
   • UAE
   • Qatar
   • Kuwait

   How it unfolded

   Kuwait sits at the top of the Gulf, bordering Iraq and Saudi Arabia and facing Iran across the water. [50]

   Why it matters

   Hours earlier, a Saudi-led coalition said it shot down two Houthi missiles fired towards Riyadh. [50]

   Iran has fired missiles and drones at Gulf states since the war began on 28 February. [50]

   How it works

   Military planners call this collective defence: allies who plan and fight as one command.

   The new post sits under the GCC's Unified Military Command in Riyadh, set up in 2013. [50]

   Seen it before

   Neighbours who share one alarm system hear a break-in at any house on the street.

7. 17

   Iraq reopens a crossing with Iran, under US pressure to close them

   What happened

   • Iraq reopened its Al-Sheeb border crossing with Iran on Tuesday, a month after closing it. [51]
   • It will shut the Mandali crossing from Friday for what it calls maintenance. [51]
   • Two political sources told AFP that the US is pressing Iraq to close most crossings with Iran. [51]

   How it unfolded

   Iraq closed several crossings in September after a drone attack on a Saudi pipeline was traced near Al-Sheeb. [51]

   1. October Al-Sheeb closed
   2. Tuesday Al-Sheeb reopened

   Why it matters

   The closure of Al-Sheeb set off protests in Missan, the province where it sits. [51]

   Iraq's foreign minister said 'closing all of them would be difficult'. [52] He said it would affect Iraq's economy. [52]

   How it works

   Economists call these secondary sanctions: pressure on a third country to stop trading with the target.

   Each closure cuts trade that Iraqi traders and local economies rely on, The National reports. [52]

   Seen it before

   A shop told not to sell to one customer loses that money too.

   The truth

   • Who pays Iraqi traders near the Iran border — Each crossing Iraq shuts under US pressure cuts trade that local economies depend on. [52]
8. 18

   A London court strikes down Trinidad's gay sex laws

   What happened

   • The Privy Council in London struck down Trinidad and Tobago's laws against same-sex intimacy on Tuesday. [22]
   • 5 judges ruled unanimously that the laws broke his right to private and family life. [53]

   Who is involved

   The Privy Council is Trinidad and Tobago's final court of appeal. [22] It sits in Britain, the islands' former ruler. [53]

   How it unfolded

   The case was brought 11 years ago by Jason Jones, who holds dual citizenship. [22]

   He won in Trinidad's High Court in 2018, but Trinidad's government won on appeal. [22]

   1. 2018 Jones wins in the High Court
   2. Later the government wins on appeal
   3. Tuesday Jones wins in London

   Why it matters

   Trinidad was one of about 34 Commonwealth countries still criminalising gay people under colonial-era British laws, the BBC reports. [22]

   It is the first time the Privy Council has ruled to decriminalise same-sex intimacy. [22]

   How it works

   Lawyers call this judicial review: a court testing whether a law fits the country's own constitution.

   Trinidad argued its law was protected as 'existing law' from colonial times. [53] The judges found that protection did not apply. [53]

   Seen it before

   A school rule can be challenged if it breaks the school's own written charter.

   A court in London could strike down Trinidad's law only because Trinidad's own constitution makes it the final court.

   The idea, in story 10: Why a court can charge a man it cannot arrest →

   The truth

   • Who gains Jason Jones and gay people in Trinidad and Tobago — They can no longer be jailed under the two sections, which carried up to 5 years in prison. [53]

   Good news

   • Jason Jones won an 11-year legal fight, and the court in London struck down Trinidad and Tobago's laws against same-sex intimacy.
9. 19

   Denmark gives Ukraine EUR 643 million in arms

   What happened

   • Denmark pledged EUR 643 million in military aid to Ukraine on Tuesday, as Volodymyr Zelensky met Nordic leaders in Copenhagen. [54]
   • Denmark added EUR 20 million for Ukraine's energy system. [54]
   • Zelensky said Europe should choose one person to speak for it at the peace talks. [55]
   • He wants the choice made by the end of November, ideally at a meeting in Germany on 19 November. [55]

   How it unfolded

   1. 19 Nov meeting in Germany
   2. End of Nov Zelensky's deadline

   Why it matters

   EU countries provide most of the foreign money for Ukraine's war, Politico reports. [55] The US says it wants more European voices in the talks later. [25]

   How it works

   Diplomats call this a mandate: authority given by many governments to one negotiator.

   Zelensky said one envoy with a mandate from the EU, Britain and Norway would show unity. [55]

   Seen it before

   A group of friends sends one person to order the food, so the waiter hears one list.

10. 20

    Poland says the US defence department backs a permanent base

    What happened

    • Poland's defence minister said on Tuesday the US Defence Department gave a 'green light' to a permanent US base there. [56]
    • Trump is expected to decide in early December. [56]
    • Poland already hosts thousands of US troops, mostly on rotation, meaning units that come and go. [56]

    Who is involved

    Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz spoke after talks with Pete Hegseth in Washington. [56]

    • Kosiniak-Kamysz Poland's defence minister
    • Pete Hegseth US defence secretary

    Why it matters

    Other NATO allies fear Trump could pull thousands more troops out of Europe. [56]

    How it works

    Strategists call a permanent base a tripwire: if the host is attacked, the troops based there are hit too.

    Poland is pushing for it while the US reviews its forces in Europe, a review due to end by December. [56]

    Seen it before

    A shop with a guard who lives upstairs is safer than one the guard only visits.

    The truth

    • The US Defence Department's own account did not endorse the base or confirm the December date. [56]
11. 21

    Republicans keep Thune and pick Jordan

    What happened

    • US House Republicans chose Jim Jordan to lead them in the next US Congress, by 106 votes to 73. [57]
    • Senate Republicans kept John Thune as their leader, though Ron Johnson tried to delay the vote. [58]
    • Republican senators voted 31 to 15 to go ahead, and Johnson walked out. [58]

    Who is involved

    Jordan beat Steve Scalise, the current majority leader, in a secret ballot. [57]

    Jordan was the first leader of the House Freedom Caucus, a hard-right group of Republicans. [57]

    • Jim Jordan won
    • Steve Scalise lost

    Why it matters

    Republicans lost at least 7 Senate seats in last week's election, with 2 races still uncalled. [58]

    From January, Jordan must stop Republicans joining Democrats to overturn Trump's vetoes. [57]

    How it works

    Political scientists call this leadership selection after defeat: a beaten party picks who will lead it out.

    House Republicans swapped Scalise, who Jordan said was too tied to the failed campaign. [57] Senate Republicans kept Thune, who ran unopposed. [58]

    Seen it before

    A team that loses badly often fires its captain, unless no one else wants the armband.

12. 22

    US Congress report says Epstein's later crimes could have been stopped

    What happened

    • A US House committee said Jeffrey Epstein's crimes after 2005 could have been prevented but for 'failures' by federal investigators. [59]
    • The 137-page report also faults the Trump administration over how it released the Epstein files. [60]

    Who is involved

    Epstein was a financier who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking. [59]

    How it unfolded

    The Republican-led committee spent 15 months on interviews, files and bank records. [59]

    It says prosecutors in Florida made a deal with Epstein in 2007 that let him avoid federal charges. [59]

    1. 2007 the Florida deal
    2. 2019 Epstein dies in jail

    Why it matters

    It says poor blacking-out of names exposed victims' private details. [59]

    The report also says firms such as American Express let Epstein move foreign workers on decoy flights. [59]

    The truth

    • The Justice Department said the chairman's recommendations 'have already been addressed'. [59]
13. 23

    A US court lets Pannun's suit reach India's security chief

    What happened

    • A US judge on Monday let Gurpatwant Singh Pannun serve his lawsuit on Ajit Doval, India's national security adviser. [23]
    • The US State Department handed the papers to India's embassy in Washington. [23]

    Who is involved

    Pannun is wanted in India on terror charges. [23] He also names Samant Goel, a former spy chief. [23]

    • Gurpatwant Singh Pannun Khalistan separatist
    • Ajit Doval India's security adviser

    How it unfolded

    The suit is linked to an FBI finding of a 2023 plot to kill Pannun in New York. [23]

    Nikhil Gupta, an Indian businessman, pleaded guilty, and is due to be sentenced on 20 November. [23]

    1. 2023 the plot
    2. 20 Nov Gupta's sentencing

    Why it matters

    India's foreign ministry called the suit 'frivolous'. [23] It said such papers must go through its law ministry instead. [23]

    How it works

    A US judge let the papers go to India's embassy, and India said such papers must come through its own law ministry.

    The idea, in story 10: Why a court can charge a man it cannot arrest →

    What comes next

    The judge gave Pannun until 30 November to prepare the summons papers. [23]

14. 24

    Israeli soldiers kill a 14-year-old in the West Bank

    What happened

    • Israeli forces shot dead Moataz Daghlas, 14, in the village of Burqa, north-west of Nablus, on Monday evening. [61]
    • Israel's army said soldiers fired at people who 'intended to hurl stones' at Israeli cars. [61]
    • The Red Crescent said soldiers blocked medics from a third wounded person and detained 3 of its volunteers. [61]

    How it unfolded

    Israel has controlled the occupied West Bank since 1967. [62]

    Why it matters

    At least 98 Palestinians, 22 of them children, have been killed in the West Bank this year, the UN says. [61]

    6 Israelis have been killed by Palestinians in the West Bank in the same period, the UN says. [61]

    How it works

    Military lawyers call these rules of engagement: the orders that say when soldiers may open fire.

    Israel's rules of engagement were reportedly widened after Hamas's attacks in October 2023. [61]

    The truth

    • His relatives say Israel is holding his body. [61]
15. 25

    UN peacekeepers come under fire in southern Lebanon

    What happened

    • UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, said about a dozen rounds were fired at a patrol on Tuesday. [63]
    • It happened near Wadi Jilu in the Tyre district. [63] The patrol fired back, and nobody was hurt. [63]
    • UNIFIL did not say who fired, and asked for an investigation. [63]

    How it unfolded

    UNIFIL has stood between Israel and Lebanon since March 1978. [63] Its roughly 7,500 troops come from nearly 50 countries. [63]

    Why it matters

    The UN Security Council voted last year to end UNIFIL's mission on 31 December 2026. [63]

    G7 foreign ministers agreed Lebanon needs a new security set-up, but found no replacement. [63]

    The truth

    • Israel still holds parts of southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire. [63]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Who fired on the UN patrol near Wadi Jilu.

      UNIFIL did not name anyone and asked for an investigation. [63]

16. 26

    Najib goes home to serve his sentence

    What happened

    • Najib Razak, Malaysia's former prime minister, went home late on Tuesday to serve the rest of his sentence. [64]
    • A high court ruled on Tuesday the house arrest takes effect at once. [64]
    • His mansion in Kuala Lumpur was declared a federal prison before he arrived. [64]

    How it unfolded

    Najib led Malaysia from 2009 to 2018. [64] He was jailed over 1MDB, a state fund from which investigators say $4.5bn was taken. [64]

    Malaysia's king pardoned him in September on condition he serves the last 2 years at home. [64] His party paid a $12m fine. [64]

    1. Now house arrest
    2. Aug 2028 the second sentence

    Why it matters

    He still faces a 15-year sentence from a second trial, which he is appealing. [64]

    The truth

    • Critics say Malaysian law makes no provision for house arrest at all. [64]
    • Who gains Najib Razak — He serves his last 2 years in his own mansion, now declared a federal prison. [64]

    What comes next

    The house arrest is expected to end in August 2028, when the second sentence would begin. [64]

17. 27

    Fog causes pile-ups that kill 12 in Bulgaria

    What happened

    • 12 people died on Tuesday in two pile-ups on the Trakia motorway in south-east Bulgaria, the prime minister said. [65]
    • More than 70 vehicles were involved, a regional governor said. [65] About 50 people went to hospital. [65]
    • Officials blamed dense fog for the first crash. [65] The second came on the other side, with drivers distracted by the first. [65]

    Why it matters

    The Trakia motorway links Sofia, the capital, to the Black Sea coast. [65]

    How it works

    Road engineers call this a chain collision: when following drivers cannot stop in the distance they can see.

    The road chief said speeds 'were unsuitable for the conditions', which included a wet road. [65]

    Seen it before

    Pupils running down a crowded corridor pile up when the one in front stops suddenly.

    What comes next

    Prime Minister Rumen Radev declared Wednesday a day of national mourning. [65]

18. 28

    A key Syria-Lebanon crossing reopens after two years

    What happened

    • The Abboudieh-Dabbousieh crossing between northern Lebanon and Syria reopened on Tuesday after two years. [66]
    • Officials say it can handle up to 10,000 passengers and 200 lorries a day. [66]
    • It now has new scanners to stop weapons and drugs, officials say. [66]

    How it unfolded

    Israel bombed it in November 2024, during its war with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese group. [66]

    1. Nov 2024 Israel bombs the crossing
    2. Tuesday it reopens
    3. Tuesday Abboudieh reopens
    4. December Arida due to reopen

    Why it matters

    Most land traffic had been squeezed through the Masnaa crossing in the east. [66]

    Northern Lebanon's merchants called the reopening a boost for a long-neglected region. [66]

    The truth

    • The border is still very porous, and smuggling of people, goods and drugs goes on. [66]
    • Who gains Traders in northern Lebanon and Syria's Homs province — Their goods no longer have to go the long way round through the Masnaa crossing. [66]

    Good news

    • A border crossing between northern Lebanon and Syria, bombed in 2024, reopened after two years and can carry up to 10,000 people a day.

    What comes next

    A second crossing, Arida, near the coast, is due to reopen in December. [66]

19. 29

    A former Iraqi MP is found dead in Beirut

    What happened

    • Ahmed al-Alwani, a former Iraqi MP, was found dead in a Beirut flat on Tuesday evening. [67]
    • Lebanon is investigating it as a killing. [67] A security source said findings indicate he was strangled. [67]
    • A Lebanese man has been arrested, and 2 Syrian suspects are still being sought, the source said. [67]

    Who is involved

    Al-Alwani, a Sunni Muslim politician, represented Anbar province and criticised Iran's influence in Iraq. [67]

    How it unfolded

    He was sentenced to death in 2014 on terrorism charges, then freed in April 2025 under an amnesty. [67]

    1. 2014 sentenced to death
    2. April 2025 freed under an amnesty

    Why it matters

    His office called his death an 'assassination' and demanded to know who planned it. [67]

    The truth

    • The suspects drove him from the airport to his hotel when he arrived last week, the source said. [67]
20. 30

    Gunmen seize three polio workers in Pakistan

    What happened

    • Armed men abducted three polio vaccination workers in Tank district, north-west Pakistan, police said on Tuesday. [68]

    Who is involved

    Police named them as Mir Janan, Ikram and Khanzala. [68]

    How it unfolded

    On 2 November, 4 polio workers were abducted in the same district. [68]

    On 3 November, gunmen killed 2 policemen guarding a vaccination team in Mohmand. [68]

    1. 2 Nov 4 workers taken
    2. 3 Nov 2 escorting police killed
    3. Tuesday 3 more taken

    Why it matters

    The attacks hit an ongoing polio immunisation campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. [68]

    The truth

    • Police did not say who took the workers. [68]
    • Who pays Polio vaccination teams in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — Their own safety is now at stake on every round, after kidnappings and the killing of their police guards. [68]
21. 31

    Paraguay's new president pledges the pension money back

    What happened

    • Paraguay's new president, Pedro Alliana, said on Tuesday that recovering pension money in the failed Ueno Bank is his priority. [20]
    • About $800 million of public bodies' money is at risk, including 5 pension funds. [20]

    How it unfolded

    Alliana took over on Friday, after the crisis removed Santiago Pena, who was linked to the bank. [20]

    Why it matters

    Up to 7,000 people have lost jobs at companies linked to the bank in 5 countries, Paraguay's labour minister says. [20]

    How it works

    Economists call this a deposit guarantee: a public fund that repays savers up to a limit when a bank fails.

    The guarantee covers about $38,600 per saver, but first payments stop at about $20,000. [20]

    Seen it before

    A school trip fund that promises refunds if the trip is cancelled works the same way.

    Good news

    • About 1.74 million savers in Paraguay have been paid $330 million back from a guarantee fund after their bank failed.
22. 32

    Egypt holds rail staff over a deadly crash

    What happened

    • Egyptian prosecutors ordered two railway workers held over failures before Sunday's crash south of Cairo. [69]
    • A Giza-Fayoum train hit the back of a stopped train, killing 7 people and injuring more than 120. [69]
    • Investigators found the moving train's driver, who died, had switched off its automatic control system. [69]

    Why it matters

    A station controller and the stationmaster admitted they did not watch a signal panel, prosecutors say. [69]

    How it works

    Safety engineers call this the Swiss cheese model: an accident happens when the holes in several defences line up.

    The train's own safety system was off, and the station staff were not watching the signal panel. [69]

    Seen it before

    A goal goes in when the defender slips and the keeper is looking the other way at the same moment.

    The truth

    • Prosecutors did not explain why the driver might have switched the system off. [69]
23. 33

    Photos may show SAS soldiers shot sleeping people, inquiry hears

    What happened

    • A UK inquiry released photos it called 'essential evidence' of possible war crimes by SAS soldiers in Afghanistan. [70]
    • The photos show people lying in bed with head wounds, the inquiry's lead lawyer said. [70]
    • 17 people were killed in two operations in Helmand in 2011, the youngest aged 15 and 14. [70]

    How it unfolded

    The SAS is Britain's special forces. [70] The inquiry examines claims they killed unarmed people on night raids from 2010 to 2013. [70]

    1. 2010-2013 night raids in Afghanistan
    2. 2011 17 killed in two Helmand raids

    Why it matters

    Military police asked for the photos to be tested, but that never happened, the inquiry heard. [70]

    The truth

    • The lawyer said the photos appear to contradict the SAS's own accounts. [70]
24. 34

    Russian navy activity near Britain is up 41%

    What happened

    • Russian naval activity around Britain rose 41% in the first nine months of the year, a British defence minister said. [71]
    • Luke Pollard, a UK defence minister, backed a sea drone plan with the Netherlands and the Baltic and Nordic countries. [71]
    • Drones from one country are meant to work with warships of another. [71]

    Why it matters

    Britain's frigates could fall from 12 in 2021 to 3 by 2030. [71]

    Russian spy ships such as the Yantar have been mapping undersea cables near Britain, Pollard said. [71]

    The truth

    • Pollard blamed past Conservative governments for the shortfall in ships. [71]
25. 35

    A Turkey-Libya sea deal angers Greece before an EU summit

    What happened

    • Greece's prime minister will raise a Turkey-Libya sea border deal at Friday's EU summit in Dublin, an official said. [72]
    • The deal claims a strip of sea between Greece and Cyprus that Greece says is its own. [72]
    • The EU called the deal 'null and void' on 20 October. [72]

    Who is involved

    • Turkey and Libya made the deal
    • Greece and Cyprus say the sea is theirs

    Why it matters

    Greece says it will ask for EU sanctions if things get worse. [72]

    The EU says Turkey keeps obstructing an EUR 1.9 billion power cable between Greece and Cyprus. [72]

    How it works

    Lawyers call it maritime delimitation: drawing where one country's sea ends and another's begins.

    Greece's leader said 'geography cannot be rewritten' by lines on a map. [72] Turkey calls the EU's stand 'maximalist and illegal'. [72]

    Seen it before

    Two neighbours who each draw the garden fence on their own map can both think the tree is theirs.

26. 36

    Argentina asks a sea court to stop Falklands oil

    What happened

    • Argentina asked an international sea court in Hamburg to suspend an oil project off the Falkland Islands. [73]
    • Drilling at the Sea Lion field is due to start in March, with oil from 2028. [73]

    Who is involved

    The Falklands are a British territory in the South Atlantic that Argentina claims and calls the Malvinas. [73]

    • Britain rules the islands
    • Argentina claims them

    How it unfolded

    1. March drilling starts
    2. 2028 oil flows

    Why it matters

    Britain's attorney general, Ellie Reeves, warned of 'devastating consequences' for the islanders. [73]

    Argentina's lawyer said the 3,600 islanders have no right to the resources. [73]

    How it works

    Lawyers call this an interim measure: a pause a court can order before it hears the full case.

    Argentina wants drilling stopped before arbitration over the project. [73] Britain says a halt would kill the project. [73]

    Seen it before

    A referee who stops a game to check a goal can change the result just by waiting.

27. 37

    Russia expels a Moldovan diplomat in return

    What happened

    • Russia expelled a Moldovan diplomat on Tuesday, in return for Moldova expelling a Russian one on 23 October. [74]
    • Russia called Moldova's move 'another unfriendly step'. [74]

    How it unfolded

    Moldova acted after its president, Maia Sandu, said a Russian attack drone crashed near homes and an energy site. [74]

    1. 23 Oct Moldova expels a Russian
    2. Tuesday Russia expels a Moldovan

    Why it matters

    Russia's ties with former Soviet states such as Moldova are at an all-time low, Al Jazeera reports. [74]

    How it works

    Diplomats call this reciprocity: answering each expulsion with one of the same size.

    Russia said it acted 'on the basis of the principle of reciprocity'. [74]

    Seen it before

    Two children who each take one sweet from the other's bag end up even, and still cross.

28. 38

    The US sends a genocide suspect home to Rwanda

    What happened

    • The US deported Jean Leonard Teganya, 55, to Rwanda, Rwanda's state prosecutor said on Monday. [75]
    • Court papers say Teganya, then a medical student, led soldiers through a hospital looking for Tutsi patients. [75]
    • He served a 97-month US sentence before his removal. [75]

    How it unfolded

    A US court convicted him in 2019 of lying about his role in the 1994 genocide to get asylum. [75]

    In 1994 about 800,000 people, mostly Tutsis, were murdered in around 100 days. [75]

    1. 1994 the genocide in Rwanda
    2. 2019 convicted in the US of lying
    3. Monday handed to Rwanda

    Why it matters

    Rwanda's prosecutors now hold a man the US jailed only for lying, not for the killings. [75]

    How it works

    Rwanda could put Teganya before its own prosecutors only once the US chose to deport him.

    The idea, in story 10: Why a court can charge a man it cannot arrest →
29. 39

    Trump's $10bn case against the BBC goes ahead

    What happened

    • A US judge in Florida ruled on Tuesday that Trump's $10bn defamation case against the BBC can go ahead. [76]
    • Trump says a BBC Panorama film spliced together parts of his speech before the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot. [76]
    • The clips joined in the film were said nearly 55 minutes apart. [76] The BBC has apologised for the edit. [76]

    Why it matters

    Trump must prove 'actual damages', the judge said, and the film was not broadcast in Florida. [76]

    How it works

    Lawyers call this defamation: a false statement that harms a person's good name.

    A public figure must also prove 'actual malice', the legal test the judge applied. [76] He said the edit itself may make that plausible. [76]

    Seen it before

    Cutting two lines from a friend's message and pasting them together can make them say something they never said.

    The truth

    • The BBC said it was 'surprised by this decision'. [76] Trump must still prove malice and real damage at trial. [76]

    What comes next

    Trump must give evidence to BBC lawyers by 11 December, under an earlier ruling. [76]

30. 40

    Krakow's gunman studied Breivik, Poland says

    What happened

    • Poland's justice minister said the accused Krakow gunman, Michal Oksinski, had visited websites about Anders Breivik. [77]
    • Police say Oksinski had recently bought 10 magazines for a rifle and 500 bullets. [77]

    Who is involved

    Breivik is a Norwegian neo-Nazi who killed 77 people in July 2011. [77]

    How it unfolded

    A Gadsden flag, now tied to US white nationalists, was found at his home. [77]

    The 24-year-old is thought to have killed his parents and sister on Friday before the attack in Krakow. [77]

    Why it matters

    'It is clear that this individual was preparing to take action,' the minister, Waldemar Zurek, said. [77]

31. 41

    Lebanon sets a date for its second airport

    What happened

    • Lebanon's prime minister, Nawaf Salam, said its second airport will begin commercial flights on 14 December. [78]
    • Trial flights start on 22 November, Lebanon's independence day. [78]

    Who is involved

    Rene Mouawad Airport is in Qlayaat, in northern Lebanon near the Syrian border. [78]

    How it unfolded

    The army mostly used it for decades, despite repeated plans to open it to passengers. [78]

    1. 22 Nov trial flights
    2. 14 Dec commercial flights

    Why it matters

    Beirut's airport, Lebanon's only one now, sits beside suburbs Israel often bombs. [78]

    How it works

    Engineers call this redundancy: a second route, so one failure does not stop everything.

    The new terminal is meant to ease pressure on Rafic Hariri airport in Beirut. [78]

    Seen it before

    A house with two doors still has a way out when one is jammed.

32. 42

    Mauritania's anti-slavery campaigner quits parliament

    What happened

    • Biram Dah Abeid, a prominent Mauritanian anti-slavery campaigner, resigned from parliament on Monday. [79]
    • He blamed 'widespread corruption' but gave no detailed evidence. [79]

    Who is involved

    His group, IRA, says slavery and practices linked to it persist in Mauritania. [79]

    How it unfolded

    He ran for president 3 times, losing in 2024 by 22% to 56% for President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani. [79]

    Why it matters

    He said debates in parliament 'have become pointless' and he will oppose Mauritania's government on the ground. [79]

33. 43

    Zemmour enters France's 2027 race

    What happened

    • Eric Zemmour, a far-right author, said he will run in France's presidential election next year. [80]
    • He says he wants 'two million fewer immigrants' in France. [80]

    How it unfolded

    Zemmour, 68, came fourth in the 2022 election. [80]

    Why it matters

    Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally, is widely expected to win in April 2027, Al Jazeera reports. [80]

    How it works

    Political scientists call this vote-splitting: two candidates on one side sharing its voters.

    Zemmour will compete with Le Pen for far-right voters. [80]

34. 44

    One of France's last Resistance leaders dies at 104

    What happened

    • Solange Alexandre, one of France's last wartime Resistance fighters, has died at 104. [81]
    • With about 30 men under her orders, she organised sabotage and sheltered Allied airmen. [81]

    How it unfolded

    In 1944 she founded her own Resistance unit, the Pas-de-Boeuf network, near Ruille-sur-Loir. [81]

    She began as a Resistance courier in 1941. [81]

    1. 1941 a Resistance courier
    2. 1944 she founds her own unit

    Why it matters

    President Emmanuel Macron wrote that 'her duty was our freedom'. [81]