Iran has intensified diplomatic outreach as President Donald Trump threatens possible renewed U.S. strikes. Tehran has sent a proposal through Qatar, set seven conditions for talks and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and pursued closer ties with Russia.
Key Facts
Axios reported that U.S. Central Command was preparing for major operations in Iran and awaiting orders from Washington.
Trump told reporters the United States might have to “destroy” the rest of Iran and said people would “know soon enough” whether he would act.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran offered the United States a nuclear and peace proposal through Qatari mediators.
Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz or resume negotiations until the United States meets seven demands, including lifting sanctions, unfreezing Iranian assets and ending its naval blockade.
The United States has said any ceasefire agreement must address Iran’s nuclear capacity before broader peace talks can restart.
Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and delivered a message from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei; neither side disclosed its contents.
The Financial Times reported that Russia agreed to supply Iran with 90 helicopter-mounted launchers for precision-guided missiles, citing Russian defense production records it reviewed.
The article says Iran has supplied Shahed drones to Russia, which Russia has modified and used in the war in Ukraine.
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The Russian extremist group known as Male State denied involvement in hoax bomb threats that disrupted flights in Europe. More threats were reported on Friday, including to Irish media organisations, as authorities investigated whether the incidents were coordinated.
Key Facts
A Telegram account linked to Male State and its founder, Vladislav Pozdnyakov, told the BBC that the group was not involved.
Male State was banned in Russia in 2021 and has also used the name Male Legion.
Threats were reported on a Ryanair flight from Rome to Lisbon and a Wizz Air flight from Prague to Rome, which was diverted to Venice.
An Aer Lingus flight bound for Rome was diverted to a military base in France after a bomb threat.
The first hoax email described in the report was sent on Thursday to offices and accounts linked to Rome's airport operator and Fiumicino airport.
The email claimed that Male State members had planted explosives on two incoming flights; no explosives were found on the planes or other aircraft that received threats.
Bomb threats to several Irish media organisations prompted evacuations, and the Irish government described them as a possible coordinated campaign of disruption.
Italy's defence minister, Guido Crosetto, warned of a possible strategy to increase chaos.
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A court in Mombasa, Kenya, sentenced Paul Mackenzie to 200 years in prison for the deaths of 191 people, including 190 children, who were starved or killed on his orders. The court also sentenced 28 accomplices, while authorities say more than 400 people died in the wider Shakahola tragedy.
Key Facts
Justice Diana Kavedza imposed 100 years for murder by starvation and 100 years for direct homicide.
The court found that Mackenzie and his church ordered followers to starve themselves and their children to reach heaven before the world ended.
The 191 victims were buried in a forest, and some bodies were found in shallow graves or latrines.
Mackenzie denied forcing victims to starve, but the court rejected his defence.
Twenty-eight accomplices convicted alongside Mackenzie received prison sentences.
Police arrested Mackenzie in 2023 after receiving a tip-off, and investigators later uncovered bodies in Shakahola Forest.
Kenyan authorities say more than 400 people died in the Shakahola tragedy.
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With more than 80% of ballots counted, South Africa’s African National Congress had 31.8% of the national vote in local elections, down nearly 14 percentage points from 2021. The results point to a fragmented political landscape, with coalition talks expected as the ANC faces losses in major provinces and cities; final results are expected Sunday.
Key Facts
The Democratic Alliance had 24.1% of the national vote and the uMkhonto weSizwe party had 9.3%.
The election commission estimated turnout at 54.5% of registered voters, up from 46% in 2021.
The ANC was projected to lose its position as the largest party in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
In Johannesburg, with just over half the votes counted, the DA led with 40%, followed by the ANC at 17.5% and ActionSA at 15.5%.
The uMkhonto weSizwe party led with 41% in eThekwini, which includes Durban, with half the votes counted.
The DA was leading in all three of Gauteng’s city municipalities and was projected to retain its majority in Cape Town.
After final results, councillors will have two weeks to elect mayors and form municipal governments.
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A France 24 discussion examined how U.S. midterm election results might constrain President Donald Trump at home while leaving him room to act abroad. Guest Craig Copetas speculated that Trump’s ambition could affect dealings with China and Taiwan, while French senator Hélène Conway-Mouret urged Europe to protect its strategic interests.
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The program featured author and columnist Craig Copetas and French Senator Hélène Conway-Mouret.
Copetas argued that Democratic gains in the midterms could limit Trump’s influence in the United States without necessarily restraining his actions overseas.
Copetas raised the possibility that Taiwan could become a bargaining point in negotiations between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping; this was presented as speculation.
Copetas predicted greater scrutiny of Elon Musk’s relationship and dealings with the U.S. government.
The discussion identified satellite communications, artificial intelligence and aerospace as areas where European competitors might find opportunities.
Conway-Mouret said Europe should avoid becoming a playing field for three major countries.
Copetas pointed to industrial decline in Pennsylvania, the cost of living and tariffs as concerns affecting U.S. voters.
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Molly, a loggerhead turtle rescued from an Irish beach in 2004, was released into the ocean off Portugal on 28 October 2026 after more than 22 years of care and rehabilitation. Staff fitted her with a satellite tag to track her progress.
Key Facts
A family found Molly injured beneath storm debris on a beach near Castlegregory in County Kerry.
The Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium team took Molly in after she was found cold-stunned, a condition similar to hypothermia.
Molly had severe injuries to her front flippers, which staff believed may have resulted from a shark attack.
She moved from Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium to a rehabilitation centre in Portugal in May 2026.
Staff released Molly about 12 nautical miles off Portugal's Algarve coast on 28 October 2026.
Earlier attempts to fit Molly with prosthetic flippers did not succeed.
A medical check-up found that Molly was carrying eggs.
A satellite tag will let the Portuguese team monitor Molly after her release.
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At Nairobi’s Dandora landfill, waste pickers recover recyclable materials from about 2,000 tonnes of dumped waste each day, often facing injuries from sharp objects and exposure to toxic fumes. The report says only 7 percent of plastic at the site can be recycled, reflecting the challenges of managing waste in Kenya and worldwide.
Key Facts
About 2,000 tonnes of waste are dumped each day at Dandora landfill in Nairobi.
Waste pickers at the site salvage materials for recycling.
Workers face injuries from sharp objects and exposure to toxic fumes.
The report says only 7 percent of plastic at the landfill can be recycled.
The article says 460 million tonnes of plastic are produced worldwide each year.
According to the United Nations, only 9 percent of plastic produced worldwide will ever be recycled.
Kenya has banned plastic bags, but its recycling industry is still in its early stages.
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Austrian police are investigating a 21-year-old German man on suspicion of endangering public safety after his 17-year-old friend was left stranded on Zugspitze in freezing conditions. Rescuers airlifted her from the mountain; she had hypothermia, was treated at a German hospital and later discharged.
Key Facts
The pair set out before dawn from Ehrwald, Austria, on Sunday, hoping to see the sunrise on Zugspitze.
Temperatures had dropped to -12C, and the climbers encountered snow deep enough to reach their knees, according to reports.
The pair separated, and the 21-year-old descended alone; police have not said why they split up.
The teenager called emergency services and was found at about 2,500 metres above sea level.
Seven mountain rescuers responded, and a helicopter airlifted the teenager from the mountain.
Austrian police said they will send a report to prosecutors in Innsbruck after completing their investigation.
Austrian law allows a penalty of up to three months in prison for endangering another person's physical safety.
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Air quality in New Delhi has reached hazardous levels days before Diwali. Residents report breathing difficulties and eye irritation as haze covers the capital, where celebrations often include fireworks.
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New Delhi’s air quality has deteriorated to hazardous levels.
The deterioration comes days before Diwali.
Diwali is a Hindu festival of lights.
Diwali celebrations often involve fireworks.
Residents report breathing difficulties.
Residents report eye irritation.
A toxic haze blankets India’s capital.
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A YouGov survey in six European countries found that most respondents believe human activity is changing the climate and want action, but support falls for measures that could raise costs or change daily habits. Most favored international cooperation and said it was not too late to prevent the worst impacts, though doing so would require major changes.
Key Facts
Between 69% of respondents in Germany and 80% in France said the climate was changing.
Between 79% and 89% across Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK said countries could tackle the climate crisis more effectively by working together internationally.
Between 65% and 83% in each country said they were worried about the climate crisis.
In France, the share who said they were worried rose from 74% in April to 83% by mid-August and remained at that level last month.
Across the six countries, 45% to 63% said it was not too late to avert the worst climate impacts, but a drastic change in approach was needed.
Respondents favored measures such as planting trees, subsidizing energy efficiency, banning single-use plastics and taxing major emitters.
Respondents opposed measures such as increasing fuel duty, limiting meat and dairy, taxing air fares and banning new petrol and diesel cars.
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ACLED says suspected Russian sabotage and other hybrid activities have spread across parts of Europe this year and may increase along NATO’s eastern flank. Poland has deployed security personnel near its border with Russia’s Kaliningrad region after reports of unusual movement, while Russia denies conducting hybrid warfare.
Key Facts
ACLED recorded 20 suspected Russian activity events in Poland this year, including sabotage, intrusions, drone surveillance and arson.
ACLED said transportation and defense infrastructure were targeted in half of the recorded Polish events.
ACLED analyst Maksym Beznosiuk said Poland could face more suspected activity against military, aviation and other critical infrastructure over the next six months.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said police were sent to the Kaliningrad border after reports of disturbing movement and people with flashlights near the frontier.
Polish guards and intelligence officers were deployed near Sepopol, and authorities set up a special command center at National Police Headquarters.
An ACLED report covering January 1 to October 22 said Russia had carried out more destructive suspected hybrid events than in the previous year.
The report cited an explosive-laden drone near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig-Halle airport, a fire at an Estonian robotics facility and a thwarted arson attack on a Slovak drone factory.
Russia has denied conducting hybrid warfare.
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A train worker told Cambridge Crown Court that he used a frying pan to try to knock away a knife during an attack on an LNER train near Huntingdon. Samir Zitouni said he tried to stop the attacker until the train halted; the defendant denies 10 attempted murder charges relating to the train attack, and the trial continues.
Key Facts
Zitouni was working on an LNER service from York to London King's Cross on 1 November last year.
The attack led to an unscheduled stop in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
In a video interview played to jurors, Zitouni said he tried to hit the knife and prevent the attacker from passing.
Zitouni suffered punctured lungs and needed blood transfusions, chest drains and a ventilator.
Anthony Williams, 33, denies 10 counts of attempted murder over the train attack.
Williams is also charged with attempted murders in earlier alleged attacks in Peterborough and London.
The court has heard that the attacks themselves are not disputed; jurors must decide whether Williams intended to kill.
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Russell Brand was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault after a three-week trial. The article describes how his sexually explicit comedy and public image as a womaniser became popular during an era when British media often treated casual sexism as humor.
Key Facts
Brand was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
The trial lasted three weeks and took place at Southwark Crown Court.
Brand rose to fame as a stand-up comedian and later worked in television and film.
Broadcasters including MTV, Channel 4 and the BBC hired Brand during his rise to fame.
His stand-up routines included graphic descriptions and simulations of sexual acts.
Brand's 2007 memoir, My Booky Wook, became a bestseller.
The article describes late-1990s and early-2000s British media as widely featuring casual sexism, including in lads' magazines.
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The article says children raised under Houthi rule in Yemen face recruitment into fighting after exposure to indoctrination and military training in schools and summer camps. It also describes reported attacks in Yemen and Saudi Arabia that have killed or injured people and damaged transport and security sites, arguing that these events show the conflict’s effects beyond areas under Houthi control.
Key Facts
The United Nations Panel of Experts on Yemen and the U.S. Department of Labor have documented the use of schools and summer camps for indoctrination and military training, according to the article.
The article cites UNICEF on the effects of disrupted schooling on children’s learning, emotional development, and mental health.
An October 15 attack on Maashiq Palace in Aden involved explosions, the article says.
Reports on October 21 described strikes on Al-Rayyan International Airport in Mukalla; no injuries were initially reported, and AFP reported that a military base at the airport was hit.
A missile attack on the Al-Alam training camp in Shabwa on October 19 caused mass casualties; Reuters reported, citing the governor, that dozens were killed and more than 200 injured.
The article says an October 10 strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport killed 13 people.
Yemen’s National Defence Council designated the Houthis a terrorist organisation in October 2022, and the United States’ Foreign Terrorist Organization designation took effect on March 5, 2025.
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A Kenyan court sentenced Paul Mackenzie, leader of the Good News International Church, to life in prison for his role in the deaths of 191 people. The victims were found in shallow graves in Shakahola forest, and all but one were children.
Key Facts
Mackenzie led the Good News International Church, described in the article as a doomsday cult.
Authorities arrested Mackenzie in 2023.
About 400 bodies were exhumed from shallow graves in Shakahola forest.
The court sentenced Mackenzie for his role in the deaths of 191 people.
All but one of the 191 victims were children.
Followers were encouraged to fast severely as part of their religious obligations.
The court did not sentence Mackenzie to death.
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Armed police are searching for a group involved in an altercation outside St Peter's High School in Gloucester on 6 November. Two nearby schools went into lockdown, and police said pupils were safe and there was no ongoing threat at the school.
Key Facts
Police were called to Chalford Road at 08:50 GMT.
A boy was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Police said one male was seen with a long-bladed item.
The group involved in the altercation fled the area.
St Peter's High School and nearby Willow Primary Academy were locked down.
Police asked parents not to attend the schools.
Police said no other injuries had been reported.
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President Donald Trump said the world would soon know whether he would pursue a deal to end the war with Iran or order further U.S. strikes. He spoke with Qatar’s emir about diplomatic efforts, as Iran made calls to Gulf officials and reports of attacks and falling fuel prices underscored the regional effects of the conflict.
Key Facts
Trump said Thursday he would soon decide whether to seek a deal with Iran or order strikes to destroy what remains of the country.
Qatar’s emir’s office said Trump called Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Friday to discuss regional developments and diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions.
Iran’s top diplomat called counterparts across the Persian Gulf on Thursday, in what Iran described as efforts to maintain regional stability.
GasBuddy put the U.S. average gasoline price at $4.06 per gallon on Thursday and early Friday and expected it to fall below $4 by the following week.
A petroleum analyst said fuel prices had fallen partly amid expectations that U.S. midterm election results would pressure the Trump administration to seek a deal with Iran.
A Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by Houthi rebels toward Najran, Saudi Arabia; it said damage assessment was underway.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said two oil tankers hit mines and caught fire in or near the Strait of Hormuz; the article’s report ends before giving further details.
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A Tanzanian court sentenced opposition leader Tundu Lissu to four years in prison for incitement and dismissed a treason charge that carried a possible death sentence. Lissu called the case political persecution, while British and European Union lawmakers criticized the trial and called for his release.
Key Facts
The judge said Lissu’s statements aimed to disrupt elections and instigate violence.
Lissu leads Chadema, Tanzania’s main opposition party.
The court said Lissu could appeal the sentence.
Authorities arrested Lissu before the previous year’s presidential election, which Samia Suluhu Hassan won.
Lissu had spent 19 months in jail by the time of the verdict.
Security was heightened in Dar-es-Salaam and around the court as supporters gathered.
British and European Union lawmakers described the case as politically motivated and called for Lissu’s immediate release.
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A Kenyan court sentenced doomsday cult leader Paul Mackenzie to life in prison for murders linked to the deaths of 191 people, all but one of them children. Mackenzie and 27 co-defendants were convicted after prosecutors said he directed followers to starve their children as part of religious teachings.
Key Facts
The court found Mackenzie and 27 others guilty on 19 October.
Prosecutors had sought the death penalty for Mackenzie and life sentences for his co-defendants.
Authorities arrested Mackenzie in 2023 after more than 400 bodies were found in shallow graves in Shakahola forest.
Post-mortem results attributed most deaths to starvation; others died from suffocation, strangulation, or head injuries.
Judge Diana Mochache said the deaths resulted from an organised system of religious teachings and directives.
A state human rights commission found that local officials and law enforcement had repeatedly failed to act on the cult's activities.
President William Ruto established a commission of inquiry into the deaths, but it was later declared unconstitutional.
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Student protests that began in France over school conditions and teacher shortages have broadened into demonstrations about living costs, housing and public services. Protests have also taken place in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal; some remained peaceful, while others involved clashes and property damage.
Key Facts
The protests began in France amid concerns about deteriorating schools, teacher shortages and pressure on the education system.
Demonstrations have spread to Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal.
Some protests have involved clashes, looting and destruction.
Authorities have faced scrutiny over the use of force and mass arrests.
France's public debt is projected to reach 120 percent of GDP by 2027.
Inflation in the European Union and eurozone reached 3.8 percent in September, compared with 2.1 percent in 2024.
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