Mediators are urging the United States and Iran to reach a deal to end the war in the Middle East. President Donald Trump is considering military strikes as early as this week and has said the war could end quickly after Tuesday’s midterm elections, but he has not explained how.
Key Facts
Mediators are pushing the United States and Iran to reach a peace deal.
The proposed deal would end the war in the Middle East.
President Donald Trump is considering military strikes as early as this week.
Trump has predicted that the war will quickly draw to a close after the midterm elections on Tuesday.
Trump has not clearly said how the war would end.
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A Russian strike on a humanitarian aid site in southern Ukraine killed 29 people, and 48 remained missing as of Tuesday. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia also attacked targets across nine regions overnight, damaging hospitals and power plants and prompting emergency power cuts.
Key Facts
The death toll at the aid site rose to 29.
Authorities reported 48 people missing after the strike.
Zelenskyy said Russia launched 289 attack drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles.
The reported attacks covered nine Ukrainian regions.
The strikes damaged hospitals and power plants and wounded scores of people.
Emergency power cuts were triggered across the country.
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Cheese is now France’s most stolen food product, with criminals targeting it because theft can carry lighter penalties than drug trafficking. A heist in the French Pyrenees involved 250 wheels of sheep’s cheese worth €25,000.
Key Facts
The cheese theft took place in the French Pyrenees.
The thieves took 250 wheels of sheep’s cheese.
The cheese was valued at €25,000.
The article says cheese is France’s most stolen food product.
The Times reported that cheese theft can carry lighter penalties than narcotics trafficking.
The program also covered a political dispute in Poland and environmental and labor concerns tied to data center projects.
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Australian author Craig Silvey was sentenced to seven months in prison after pleading guilty to distributing and possessing child exploitation material. In a 9,000-word online apology, he admitted his conduct was reprehensible and said he was deeply sorry; he also described a history of trauma and mental health problems.
Key Facts
Silvey, 44, was charged in January and later pleaded guilty to distributing and possessing child exploitation material.
A court sentenced him to seven months’ imprisonment on Monday.
Silvey published an apology titled “My Apology” on Substack.
Police found sexually explicit images and videos of children and adults on Silvey’s laptop and mobile phone during a search of his home in Fremantle.
The article reports that Silvey also exchanged online messages about child exploitation material, including messages describing preferences for young boys.
Silvey said his actions harmed victims and betrayed the trust of readers.
Silvey is best known for the 2009 novel *Jasper Jones*, which was adapted for film and stage.
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The United States attacked Iran’s Qeshm Island on Monday, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing unnamed U.S. officials. The reported strike came as President Donald Trump said negotiations with Tehran to end the eight-month conflict were making progress.
Key Facts
The Wall Street Journal reported the U.S. attacked Qeshm Island on Monday.
The report cited unnamed U.S. officials.
Qeshm is the largest island in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Journal described the attack as one of several limited U.S. strikes against Iran in recent weeks.
The report said the strikes had been carried out secretly.
Trump signaled progress in negotiations with Tehran to end the eight-month conflict.
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U.S. forces reportedly carried out limited strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island on Monday, after Iranian state media reported that Iran had destroyed a U.S. drone. Qatar continued mediating indirect U.S.-Iran talks, but no breakthrough was reported; Iranian officials said proposals remained under discussion.
Key Facts
Several explosions were reported on Qeshm Island late Monday.
U.S. officials described the strikes as defensive and said they targeted Iranians using surface-to-air missiles against U.S. assets.
A U.S. official told the Associated Press that the strikes appeared limited and did not signal a return to a major operation.
Iran’s state-owned IRNA reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had destroyed a U.S. MQ-9 drone east of the Strait of Hormuz.
Qatari mediators carried messages between U.S. and Iranian officials, and traveled to Tehran on Monday for talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
A draft U.S.-Iran proposal was still being circulated, but officials reported no breakthrough.
Iranian officials said their September plan remained the focus of talks and included reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming nuclear negotiations.
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The United States carried out what it called a series of “defensive strikes” on Iranian locations near the Strait of Hormuz. Explosions were heard on Qeshm Island. The strikes came as Vice President JD Vance described progress in talks with Iran.
Key Facts
The United States said it conducted a series of defensive strikes.
The strikes targeted Iranian locations near the Strait of Hormuz.
Explosions were heard on Qeshm Island.
Vice President JD Vance had described progress in talks with Iran.
The article does not provide details about casualties or damage.
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Sudan has accused Ethiopia of allowing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to launch drone attacks from Ethiopian territory and has filed complaints with the UN Security Council and African Union. Ethiopia denies the allegation and accuses Sudan of supporting rebels; the dispute adds to tensions over the war in Sudan, the Nile dam and regional alliances.
Key Facts
The RSF has been fighting Sudan’s Armed Forces since April 2023.
A Sudanese foreign ministry and military intelligence report alleged that 70 attacks involving 187 one-way drones were launched from Ethiopia between February and October.
The same report said October saw 28 attacks involving 97 drones.
A Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council report said drone attacks killed 176 soldiers and 484 civilians between February 15 and October 27.
Sudan identified Asosa Airport, the Kurmuk-Gizen border area and Bahir Dar airbase as alleged launch sites.
A drone attack near the Ethiopian border on October 3 killed 26 women and four children, according to the article.
An October 26 attack in Nyala killed at least 21 people and injured at least 40, the article reported.
Ethiopia denies aiding the RSF and has accused Sudan of backing rebels linked to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.
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Senior judges ruled that MI5 and its staff will not face contempt of court proceedings after the agency admitted giving false evidence to three courts. They said the case would be too complex for the courts and that police have the powers and resources to investigate; MI5 officers could face investigation for misconduct in public office.
Key Facts
MI5 admitted that evidence it gave to three courts was false.
The case concerned an abusive informant known as Agent X.
The judges said a contempt case would be too complex for the court to manage.
The judges concluded that contempt proceedings would not be in the public interest.
Police may investigate MI5 officers for misconduct in public office.
The three-judge panel included Lady Chief Justice Baroness Sue Carr.
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Russian attacks damaged a hospital in Kharkiv and energy infrastructure in several Ukrainian regions. Ukrainian officials reported at least 73 injuries at the hospital and power outages, while Russia said it had targeted facilities supplying the Ukrainian military and factories. The attacks came as U.S., Russian and Ukrainian officials planned talks in Abu Dhabi.
Key Facts
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at least 73 people were injured when a hospital in Kharkiv was hit.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the bombardment shattered more than 1,000 hospital windows and damaged the cardiology department.
Zelenskyy said Russia launched 289 drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles overnight.
Ukraine said attacks hit energy sites in nine regions, including power plants and substations.
Zhytomyr Governor Vitalii Bunechko said more than 180,000 people in the region were without power on Tuesday morning.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said it targeted electricity facilities in the Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions, which it said supplied the Ukrainian army and military factories.
A Ukrainian drone attack set fire to an oil refinery in Russia’s Yaroslavl region and injured two employees, according to the regional governor.
U.S., Russian and Ukrainian officials were due to meet in Abu Dhabi the following week, while U.S. negotiators also planned talks with European and NATO representatives in Brussels.
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Lebanon’s Ministry of Energy and Water has begun cutting electricity to about 100 public institutions with unpaid bills, as Energy Minister Joe Saddi pressures the government to address the power crisis. State electricity remains scarce, and residents increasingly depend on costly private generators amid high fuel costs and long-standing problems in the sector.
Key Facts
The electricity cuts to about 100 public institutions began taking effect on Monday, according to local media.
Saddi has boycotted cabinet meetings, saying the government has not met his demands on electricity supply, fuel costs and unpaid bills to the state-owned power company.
In Beirut, state electricity that once supplied power for about 21 hours a day now typically provides two to four hours, with some days without power.
Many residents rely on private generators, which often run on expensive diesel.
The World Bank projects Lebanon’s year-on-year inflation will reach 17.5 percent this year.
Saddi and his Lebanese Forces party objected to the draft 2027 budget, saying it gives too little attention to the electricity sector.
Three other ministers from the Lebanese Forces joined Saddi in boycotting a cabinet meeting last Thursday.
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Andy Burnham denied proposing a return to free movement between the UK and EU, and said the public should guide decisions about the future relationship. UK ministers said Labour remains bound by its manifesto, which rules out free movement during this parliament, while the government plans further talks with the EU on a longer-term deal.
Key Facts
Burnham said he wanted an open discussion about how migration had changed since Brexit, but had not proposed restoring free movement.
He said Labour’s manifesto commitments rule out returning to the EU customs union, single market or free movement during this parliament.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the government would abide by the manifesto and would not reopen free movement during this parliament.
Mahmood said losing access to EU-wide databases had significantly affected the UK’s ability to manage migration.
The prime minister said a November EU summit would focus on agreements covering food and drink, emissions trading and youth mobility.
After the summit, the UK and EU are expected to discuss options for a stable, long-term relationship.
Immigration minister Anna Turley said her priorities include helping young people into work, controlling migration and increasing removals.
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The article says President Donald Trump may face pressure to resume large-scale strikes on Iran after the November 3 midterm elections, but argues that bombing is unlikely to secure a lasting agreement. It reports that Qatar-mediated talks have explored an interim deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while deep mistrust and Trump’s threats make an agreement uncertain.
Key Facts
U.S. and Israeli officials reportedly discussed plans for multi-day strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, missile arsenals and civilian infrastructure.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Trump in a Saturday phone call to restart bombing after the midterms.
The article says rising energy prices and other costs have fueled voter anger as Republicans face the midterm elections.
Qatar organized several rounds of talks with Iranian officials during the week before the article was published.
Iran reportedly offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days if the United States lifted its blockade on Iranian ports and released frozen Iranian assets.
The Strait of Hormuz carries more than one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, according to the article.
A June interim agreement to reopen the strait collapsed, and later talks led by Qatar and Pakistan stalled.
Trump has threatened to annihilate Iran, while Iranian leaders distrust U.S. intentions.
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The article argues that Iran could threaten the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline and nearby energy routes through the Caucasus, which carry supplies from Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan to international markets. It cites reported Iranian threats and security incidents, and urges the United States to help protect the corridor; the article is an opinion piece and the supplied text ends before its full policy proposals are presented.
Key Facts
The BTC pipeline runs from Baku through Georgia to Turkey’s Mediterranean coast and can carry about one-twentieth of the oil volume that moved through the Strait of Hormuz before the war, according to the article.
The article says Israel gets 46.4 percent of its oil imports from Azerbaijan through the pipeline.
It says Italy buys more than half of Azerbaijan’s crude exports and that a gas pipeline alongside the BTC route supplies southern Europe.
Kazakhstan aims to ship 7 million tons of crude a year through the corridor, partly as an alternative to a Russian export terminal targeted by Ukrainian drones, the article says.
The article reports that an adviser to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander threatened “enemy oil lines” in early March and that Iranian drones struck Nakhchivan airport’s passenger terminal on March 5.
Azerbaijan’s security service said it had disrupted an IRGC-linked plot against the pipeline and Israeli and Jewish targets in Baku, according to the article.
The author proposes U.S. support for Azerbaijani air defenses, counter-drone systems, radar, and patrol vessels to protect the corridor.
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Australian author Craig Silvey was sentenced to seven months in prison after pleading guilty to possessing and distributing child exploitation material. In a 9,000-word online apology, he acknowledged his offences, described childhood abuse and trauma, and said his conduct caused harm.
Key Facts
Silvey, 44, was charged in January and later pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child exploitation material.
A court sentenced him to seven months’ imprisonment on Monday, according to the article.
Police found sexually explicit images and videos of children and adults on Silvey’s laptop and mobile phone during a search of his Fremantle home.
The article says Silvey exchanged online messages about child exploitation material, including messages expressing a preference for young boys.
In a Substack post titled “My Apology,” Silvey called his conduct reprehensible and indefensible and said he was deeply sorry.
Silvey said he experienced emotional neglect, violence and sexual abuse as a child, and later had a mental health crisis.
Silvey is best known for the novel Jasper Jones, which was adapted for film and stage.
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Oxfam France climate inequality officer Selma Huart discusses how vulnerable communities face greater harm and costs from climate disasters, while wealthy investors can profit from polluting industries and reconstruction. She calls for taxes on wealthy polluters to fund protection for vulnerable communities.
Key Facts
The report is titled Oxfam’s Destroy and Rebuild Index.
Selma Huart is Oxfam France’s Climate Inequality Advocacy Officer.
Huart says vulnerable populations bear much of the harm and cost of the climate crisis.
The discussion links concentrated wealth with unequal exposure to disasters.
Huart says investors can profit from both polluting industries and rebuilding after disasters.
She argues that redistribution should be central to climate policy.
Huart calls for taxes on wealthy polluters to fund protection for vulnerable communities.
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Two helicopters collided while attempting to land at a helipad in Nepal’s Solukhumbu district near Mount Everest on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, Nepal Police said. One passenger died and another was injured, according to police.
Key Facts
The collision happened as both helicopters attempted to land at a helipad in Solukhumbu district.
A livestream weather camera reportedly recorded the crash at about 8:11 a.m. local time.
One helicopter was a commercial cargo craft carrying a pilot as its only passenger, according to local news site Everest Today.
The other helicopter carried a pilot and two tourists, Everest Today reported.
One tourist reportedly died at the scene; another passenger was injured, police said.
Nepal was in its autumn trekking season, while the high-traffic Everest climbing season had ended.
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Cyclone Murasu made landfall near Ongole in Andhra Pradesh at about 1 a.m. Tuesday, bringing heavy rain, flooding and damage to trees, power poles, crops and boats. Authorities evacuated residents, and officials said no deaths or injuries had been reported so far; forecasts warned of heavy rain in several states and territories.
Key Facts
The India Meteorological Department said the storm came ashore near Ongole in Prakasam district.
Murasu is the second cyclone to hit the region in a week, following Cyclone Arnab.
Officials reported uprooted trees and electricity poles, flooded areas and damage to crops and fishing boats.
The Press Trust of India reported extensive damage in Prakasam and Bapatla districts.
Authorities planned to evacuate about 30,000 people in Andhra Pradesh.
Andhra Pradesh disaster management official Prakhar Jain said no deaths or injuries had been reported so far.
The IMD forecast heavy to very heavy rain in several districts, with heavy rain also affecting Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Odisha.
India’s Home Minister Amit Shah said national and state disaster response teams were on the ground and the central government would provide assistance.
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Collins named “mogging,” meaning to outshine or make someone look inferior by comparison, its word of the year for 2026. Its shortlist also featured terms linked to cars, politics, wildfires, hiring, entertainment, food, hairstyles and artificial intelligence.
Key Facts
Collins copywriter Rachel Quin said “mogging” likely came from “Amog,” a shortening of “alpha male of the group.”
The term appeared in bodybuilding culture around 2016 before spreading through online communities, according to Quin.
“Carspreading” describes manufacturers making cars longer, wider and heavier; Quin said SUVs accounted for more than half of new car sales in 2025.
The shortlist included “Manchesterism,” described as a philosophy linked to devolving regional power and combining economic growth with social progress.
“Firewave” refers to multiple wildfires breaking out over a short period during dry conditions.
A “ghost job” is an advertised position for which the employer has no intention of hiring; the article cites a UK study finding about a third of advertised roles fit that description.
Other shortlisted terms included “friendslop” for social-focused multiplayer indie games, “fricy” for fruity-spicy foods, “bixie” for a bob-pixie hairstyle, and “P(doom)” for an estimate of AI-related civilizational risk.
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Millions of displaced Sudanese have returned to areas that have become more stable, including Khartoum, but many have found damaged homes and limited access to work, water, electricity and health care. Two returnees described losing household belongings and struggling to afford repairs or rent.
Key Facts
Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces began in April 2023 and continues, especially in southeastern Sudan.
The Sudanese Armed Forces declared Khartoum state free of Rapid Support Forces fighters before Mohamed Mahdi Makki Farah returned to Jabal Awliya in August 2025.
Makki Farah found his home destroyed and looted, and said his family could not afford repairs.
He said the Sudanese pound’s depreciation had reduced his business capital to almost a third of its pre-war level.
The International Organization for Migration reported that about 5.27 million displaced Sudanese had returned to their homes in nine states by September 30; 82 percent had been displaced within Sudan.
A UNHCR assessment published in August 2026 estimated that about 2.5 million people had returned to Khartoum state.
UNHCR said many returnees faced damaged homes, limited work, and inadequate access to water and basic services.
Abubakr Ishaq Hamed Ibrahim returned to Khartoum in February 2026, found his home destroyed, and moved to rented housing in Omdurman.
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