Russian state media described the U.S. midterm results as a setback for President Donald Trump, while Kremlin officials said they expected continuity in U.S. policy toward Moscow. Analysts quoted in the article said a Democratic-led Congress could increase pressure for aid to Ukraine and sanctions on Russia, though Trump retains veto power.
Key Facts
Kommersant attributed Democratic gains in Congress to the cost of living and higher gas prices linked in the article to the Iran war.
Komsomolskaya Pravda quoted political scientist Ivan Pyatibratov saying Democratic lawmakers could press for more military aid to Ukraine and tougher sanctions on Russia.
Pyatibratov said Trump’s veto power would limit Congress’s ability to change policy, but that closer U.S.-Russia ties could become harder to pursue.
The article quoted Moscow State University professor Andrey Manoylo describing the results as a loss of public confidence in Trump.
Manoylo speculated that Trump might respond to the results with a military action involving Cuba; the article presents this as his prediction, not as a confirmed plan.
A Rossiskaya Gazeta opinion piece predicted investigations into Trump and renewed scrutiny of his links to Jeffrey Epstein.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Trump would continue his presidential mandate and expressed hope that he would pursue peace efforts.
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The UK Supreme Court is hearing a challenge by Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori to the government’s decision to ban the group under anti-terrorism law. Ammori’s lawyers say the ban was disproportionate and restricted protest rights, while Jewish groups supporting the ban describe Palestine Action as a violent organisation involved in terrorism.
Key Facts
Ammori’s legal team said the Supreme Court had not previously considered whether banning a group under terrorism legislation was compatible with freedom of speech and protest.
The Metropolitan Police said 27 protesters were arrested outside the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Home Office figures cited by the BBC show more than 4,000 arrests at protests where people displayed support for Palestine Action; prosecutors have authorised 1,200 charges.
Trials related to those charges are on hold while the court considers the challenge.
Ammori’s lawyers said the Home Secretary assessed only three of 385 incidents involving the group as offences under the Terrorism Act.
The lawyers said Palestine Action members had occupied or vandalised companies linked to Israel’s military, but argued that the group had not advocated violence.
A coalition of Jewish groups argued in written submissions that Palestine Action was a violent organisation involved in terrorism.
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Thousands of students in Denmark protested a government proposal to reduce student stipends, with organizers saying up to 13,000 people marched in Copenhagen on Monday. The plan would change eligibility for the long-running allowance scheme, and the Higher Education Ministry estimates that about 14,000 students would lose their stipends while 8,000 would receive less.
Key Facts
Organizers said up to 13,000 students marched from Copenhagen’s city hall square to parliament under the slogan “Enough is Enough.”
Student associations said about 40,000 students at 57 schools across Denmark were on strike over the proposed cuts.
Since 1970, students over 18 enrolled in Danish schools or universities have received an allowance regardless of their parents’ income.
Students who live with their parents currently receive 1,154 kroner ($173) a month; those who live independently receive 7,426 kroner ($1,116).
Under the proposal, students living with parents earning more than 700,000 kroner ($105,248) a year would no longer qualify for the allowance.
The Higher Education Ministry expects about 14,000 students to lose their stipends and 8,000 to receive reduced payments.
The government has also proposed restricting unemployment benefits for recent university graduates to those who worked during 18 of the last 24 months of their studies.
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Bellarmine Mugabe, son of Zimbabwe's late former president Robert Mugabe, was arrested with four other men in connection with an assault case in Harare. The arrests came during an investigation into the alleged smuggling of two vehicles into Zimbabwe, and the five men are due in court on 5 November.
Key Facts
Police said Bellarmine Mugabe, 29, was among five men arrested on Tuesday.
The alleged assault took place at Brompton Guest Lodge in Harare on 3 November at about 18:30 local time.
Police named the other arrested men as Munashe Mubawu, Terrence Johannes Chinyemba, Fredson Peter and Solomon Pamire.
The five men were arrested in connection with the assault case, according to police.
The arrests occurred during a probe into the alleged smuggling of two vehicles into Zimbabwe.
Local media reported that the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission seized the vehicles.
The five men are due to appear in court on 5 November.
Robert Mugabe died in 2019 after ruling Zimbabwe for 37 years; he was forced from power in 2017.
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Ukraine’s national police released bodycam footage they say shows residents entering an underground shelter after an initial Russian strike in Kamyshuvakha, followed seconds later by another blast that hit the shelter. Ukrainian officials say at least 40 people were killed and more than 30 may remain under the rubble as search efforts continue; Russia’s military has not publicly commented.
Key Facts
The footage came from a camera worn by a police officer who was killed.
The video shows residents walking through rubble and entering a shelter after police warned that more glide bombs were approaching.
Ukraine says nine aerial bombs struck Kamyshuvakha in the Zaporizhzhia region while people were gathering for humanitarian aid.
Ukrainian officials say at least 40 people were killed in the strikes.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said more than 30 people may still be under the rubble.
Ukraine says the shelter was near a school used to distribute humanitarian aid.
BBC Verify confirmed the video was filmed at the same location as footage showing the aftermath of the attack.
Russia’s military has not publicly commented on the reported bombing.
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Donald Trump’s Republican Party lost control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections, while Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition won 53 seats in Israel’s October 27 election, short of the 61 needed to form a government. The article says their close association and the joint war with Iran became political liabilities, with polling showing many U.S. voters linked Israel to the decision to enter the war and said the conflict would affect their vote.
Key Facts
Trump and Netanyahu ordered a joint military campaign against Iran in late February, and Iran retaliated.
Netanyahu’s coalition won 53 seats in Israel’s October 27 election; 61 seats are needed to form a government.
Republicans lost control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate to Democrats.
Democrats made gains in traditionally Republican areas, including Texas and Kansas.
A poll overseen by Shibley Telhami found that most respondents believed Israel influenced the Trump administration’s decision to begin the Iran war.
The poll also found that a majority said the Iran war would affect their vote.
Netanyahu questioned the Israeli election results and accused foreign powers of illegally helping Arab-led parties; the article says these accusations were false.
The United States provides Israel with at least $3.8 billion in military aid each year, according to the article.
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Iranian leaders said the U.S. midterm results showed voters opposed President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, while Iran’s supreme leader said the election would not change Washington’s approach. The comments came as diplomatic talks continued and concerns persisted about renewed fighting, despite ceasefire agreements.
Key Facts
The article reports that Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s midterm elections.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said he did not expect changes in U.S. policy toward Iran.
Iranian negotiator and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Americans had voted against war.
U.S. allies in the region urged Washington not to resume military operations, while talks aimed at preventing renewed fighting continued.
Military confrontations continued in southern Iran and around the Strait of Hormuz despite ceasefire agreements and diplomatic efforts.
Thousands of people attended a government-organized demonstration in Tehran marking the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy.
The 1979 hostage crisis lasted 444 days, and 52 Americans were held before being released.
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Satellite images show a heavily damaged Su-57 fighter jet at Russia’s Akhtubinsk airfield after Ukrainian intelligence said one of the aircraft exploded there on October 29. The images show the aircraft parking area empty on October 30 and a burned area with the damaged jet, but they do not establish what caused the damage.
Key Facts
Ukraine’s GUR intelligence agency said the Su-57’s engines were starting when the incident occurred.
Images from October 28 showed two Su-57s and an older fighter jet at the airfield; images from October 30 showed one heavily damaged Su-57.
The images do not show what happened to the second Su-57 seen at the site on October 28.
Russia’s Defense Ministry did not respond to Newsweek’s request for comment on Ukraine’s claims.
GUR said low-quality jet fuel can cause Su-57 engines to explode or suffer catastrophic damage, but it did not directly link fuel to this incident.
The British International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated Russia had about 21 Su-57s in operation at the start of 2026.
Akhtubinsk is about 400 miles from the Ukrainian front lines, and Ukraine has previously reported strikes on aircraft at the airfield.
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British drummer Clem Cattini, who played on many chart-topping records, has died aged 89. He co-founded the Tornados and later worked as a session musician with artists including Tom Jones, Dusty Springfield and Paul McCartney.
Key Facts
Cattini lived in Hertfordshire and was born in Stoke Newington, north London, in August 1937.
He co-founded the Tornados in 1961.
The Tornados' instrumental hit “Telstar” topped the UK chart for five weeks in 1962.
The Tornados became the first British group to top the US Billboard Hot 100.
Cattini played on UK number-one hits including Tom Jones's “Green, Green Grass of Home” and Dusty Springfield's “You Don't Have to Say You Love Me.”
His other session credits included “Release Me,” “Everlasting Love” and “Shakin' All Over.”
He played drums on all 11 tracks of Paul McCartney's instrumental album “Thrillington.”
Tony Christie, Carl Palmer and the Equals paid tribute to Cattini.
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Noah’s Ark Scans, a U.S.-based group investigating Turkey’s Durupınar Formation, released video taken inside a drilled hole that it says may be near the hull of Noah’s Ark. The group has not identified wood, its lab results are pending, and its interpretation has not been independently verified; earlier research concluded the formation is natural rock.
Key Facts
The Durupınar Formation is a boat-shaped rock formation in eastern Turkey, south of Mount Ararat.
Noah’s Ark Scans said preliminary scans showed a band of material that appeared different from the surrounding ground.
The group said it drilled into the area to collect samples and compare them with its scans.
The video was taken on September 9 last year and shows a camera lowered into a hole, where water is visible.
The group said it plans to test soil from different depths to determine the material’s composition.
The team has not identified wood, and lab test results are still pending.
The group’s preliminary report has not been peer-reviewed, and Newsweek said it could not independently verify the scan interpretation.
A 1996 study concluded that the formation had been misidentified as an archaeological structure and was a natural rock formation.
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Israel’s election commission certified the results, in which Palestinian-led parties won a record 19 seats. The article reports that police arrested and questioned some party supporters and media figures after the vote, while Palestinian politicians and analysts said the actions formed part of a political backlash; authorities’ allegations of vote-buying were disputed, and some suspects were released.
Key Facts
The Joint List and the United Arab List (Ra’am) together won 19 seats, according to the article.
The article says the election results could help the opposition form a government if it cooperates with Arab parties.
Netanyahu and his allies alleged that the Palestinian-led parties’ gains involved illegality; the election commission certified the results.
Police arrested several Ra’am supporters on allegations of vote-buying, which Likud cited in claims of election fraud.
A judge said suspicions had weakened and investigators had not explained why restrictions on the suspects were needed; many were released.
Defence lawyers said money seized from suspects was intended for charitable assistance.
Journalist and political activist Abd Abu Shahadeh was arrested by police and the Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security service.
Joint List politician Ahmad Tibi and analyst Mamoun Abu Amer said the fraud claims and security actions were politically motivated.
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World leaders offered mixed reactions to Democrats’ reported wins in the U.S. midterm elections, which the article says gave them control of both chambers of Congress. Some leaders expressed hope for improved cooperation with Washington, while Russian officials warned that relations could worsen and others questioned whether U.S. political divisions would limit policy changes.
Key Facts
The article says Democrats retook the Senate and won control of the House in Tuesday’s midterm elections.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf praised the results and described them as opposition to war.
The article reports that Qatar-led regional mediators had sought a U.S.-Iran deal to restart negotiations before the election.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu favors resuming military action in Iran, while Israel’s recent election left neither bloc with the 61 seats needed to form a government.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez praised voters for rejecting policies he associated with poverty, hate, sexism, climate denial and elite privilege.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Democratic control of Congress could usher in a new era in world relations and improve cooperation.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the Democrats’ approach to relations with Russia is extremely negative.
China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing hopes to build a constructive relationship with the United States.
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European leaders said they hoped to reset relations with the United States after Democrats won the midterm elections. The result was a major defeat for President Donald Trump and his Republican Party, the report said.
Key Facts
European leaders voiced hopes for a reset in U.S.-European relations.
Democrats won the U.S. midterm elections, according to the report.
The election result was described as a major defeat for President Donald Trump and Republicans.
The report was issued on November 4, 2026.
FRANCE 24 correspondent Dave Keating reported on the European response.
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NATO intelligence assessed that Russian sea drones struck and sank the Greek-owned container ship Contship Jet off Bulgaria on October 28, a NATO official told Newsweek. The ship was outside Bulgaria’s territorial waters; its 18 crew members were rescued without reported casualties. NATO has increased surveillance and patrol resources in the Black Sea amid attacks on commercial shipping.
Key Facts
Three sea drones struck the Liberian-flagged Contship Jet east of Cape Kaliakra in the western Black Sea.
The vessel was traveling from Haifa, Israel, to Constanța, Romania.
Bulgarian Navy ships joined the search and rescue operation, and all 18 crew members survived.
A NATO official said equipment features identified the drones as Russian-made; the official cited a second intelligence source with “100 percent certainty.”
The NATO official said Russia may be deliberately targeting commercial ships but may not intend to strike inside NATO members’ territorial waters.
Bulgarian authorities said a French maritime patrol aircraft detected the drones about 30 minutes before the impact.
NATO said it was sending additional radar systems, drones, patrol aircraft and intelligence teams to the Black Sea; at least one U.S. P-8 patrol aircraft was deployed, Newsweek reported.
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A Russian strike on a school used as a humanitarian aid center in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region killed 40 people, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, and more than 30 people may remain under the rubble. Russia said it targeted Ukrainian military forces. The strike came amid attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and plans for Ukrainian and Russian representatives to meet with Melania Trump at the White House.
Key Facts
Zelenskyy said Russia dropped nine bombs on the aid distribution center on Monday.
Rescue efforts were still underway Wednesday, with more than 30 people possibly trapped under the rubble, Zelenskyy said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the strike targeted Ukrainian military forces and claimed up to 25 Ukrainian service members were killed.
Ukraine’s energy ministry said Russian attacks hit energy facilities in 10 regions on Tuesday.
Kyiv residents lost running water for more than 16 hours; the city’s water utility said supply and sewage pumping stations resumed operations Wednesday afternoon.
Ukrainian and Russian representatives planned to meet Melania Trump at the White House on Friday after she helped broker a temporary ceasefire for civilian evacuations and aid deliveries.
Zelenskyy said Melania Trump would receive Ukraine’s Order of Princess Olga, 1st Class, for her role in brokering the ceasefire.
Zelenskyy called for a strong response to the strike and urged partners to provide Ukraine with air-defense support.
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A British national in the Democratic Republic of Congo has tested positive for Ebola, the UK government confirmed. The government said it has activated established procedures and that the risk to the UK public remains low; it has not confirmed whether the patient will be brought to the UK for treatment.
Key Facts
This is the first confirmed case of a UK national contracting Ebola in the current outbreak in DR Congo.
The outbreak began in May and has recorded more than 10,000 confirmed cases.
The outbreak has caused more than 5,000 deaths, according to the article.
The reported fatality rate was 48.6% at the end of last month.
Reuters reported that the patient is a healthcare worker and would be brought to the UK, citing an internal document that BBC News had not seen.
A British national exposed to Ebola in July was flown to the UK for medical care.
The UK government said it would share further information when appropriate.
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Italian film director Tinto Brass has died aged 93, his wife and children told the Italian news agency Ansa. He became widely known for erotic films including Salon Kitty and Caligula, after beginning his career as an editor and assistant director.
Key Facts
Brass was born in Milan and grew up in Venice.
He worked at the Cinémathèque in Paris before returning to Italy, where he worked with director Roberto Rossellini.
In 1964, Umberto Eco commissioned Brass to make two short films exploring visual language for the Triennale di Milano.
Brass directed Salon Kitty, a 1976 film about a Berlin brothel used by the Nazis for espionage.
Producer Bob Guccione hired Brass to direct Caligula in 1979; its cast included Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren, Peter O’Toole and John Gielgud.
Guccione added unsimulated sex scenes to Caligula without Brass’s permission, and Brass later disavowed the released film.
A recut version of Caligula was released in 2023 without Brass’s involvement or approval.
Brass’s wife, Caterina Varzi, curated his archive; he had said he wanted his ashes scattered in the Venice lagoon.
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Iran held rallies in Tehran on Wednesday to mark the 1979 takeover of the U.S. embassy, with demonstrators denouncing the United States and Israel. Iranian officials said the two countries had suffered defeats in war and politics, as the anniversary came amid the war launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran on February 28.
Key Facts
Iranian students seized the U.S. embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979, and held 52 American diplomats and citizens hostage for 444 days.
Iran and the United States have had no formal diplomatic relations since the embassy crisis.
Thousands of demonstrators marched through central Tehran, burning U.S. and Israeli flags and chanting against both countries.
The rallies included effigies and caricatures of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani described the United States and Israel as decisively defeated and linked U.S. weaknesses to Iran's strength.
Iranian judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi said Trump had failed in war and politics.
The article says the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28 killed Iran's longtime supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and disrupted global energy markets and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
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A British healthcare worker who tested positive for Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is being evacuated to the UK for specialist treatment. British authorities said the patient was stable and assessed the risk to the UK public as low.
Key Facts
The patient was sent to the DRC by a humanitarian organisation to support the Ebola response.
An official document said the patient was expected to arrive in Britain on Wednesday or Thursday.
After arrival, the patient was to be taken by specialist ambulance to a high-consequence infectious disease unit.
British authorities said they expected no serious public health impact in the UK and no disruption to international travel or trade.
The patient's identity was not disclosed.
This is the first case involving a British national linked to the current outbreak.
The UK Health Security Agency said Britain has recorded four confirmed imported Ebola cases since 1976.
By late October, the DRC outbreak had reported more than 10,000 confirmed cases and nearly 5,000 deaths.
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A handwritten 2022 letter from Brigitte Bardot, published after her death, has added to a dispute over her estate between her longtime companion Bernard de Chiara and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation. Bardot’s will left her estate to the Foundation and her son, made no provision for de Chiara to live at her home La Madrague, and the Foundation says it needs income to maintain her properties.
Key Facts
The letter says Bardot felt de Chiara was failing to give her the emotional support she needed.
De Chiara lived with Bardot at La Madrague for decades and cared for her as she was dying.
De Chiara left La Madrague after Bardot’s death; the will required the house to be vacated within six months.
Bardot’s will divided her estate between the Foundation and her only son, Nicolas Charrier, and did not mention de Chiara.
The Foundation says de Chiara has no legal claim to the estate apart from a share of Bardot’s Paris flat.
A September sale of household items from Bardot’s Paris flat raised nearly €1 million, shared between the Foundation and her son.
The Foundation says items, including Bardot’s Mini Moke jeep, are missing from La Madrague; it says it is not accusing de Chiara of theft.
The Foundation is considering guided tours, fashion displays and film shoots to help cover the cost of maintaining Bardot’s homes.
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