The State Department approved a possible $2.1 billion sale of 500 Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine. The purchase would be funded entirely by U.S. partners and allies.
Key Facts
The State Department announced the approval on Friday.
The proposed sale includes 500 Patriot interceptor missiles.
The possible sale is valued at $2.1 billion.
U.S. partners and allies would provide all the funding.
The approval allows the sale to proceed as a possibility; it does not confirm that the missiles have been delivered.
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France is preparing for another weekend of Yellow Vest protests, with 70,000 police and security personnel deployed after recent riots and looting. In Israel, an inconclusive election left Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot without the seats needed for a parliamentary majority. The program also covers Donald Trump and Barack Obama trading remarks during the final days of the U.S. midterm campaign.
Key Facts
French Yellow Vest protesters plan rallies under the slogan “Act III – Halloween.”
France is deploying 70,000 police and security personnel for the protests.
The French government faces public grievances and mounting debt as it tries to restore order ahead of elections.
Neither Benjamin Netanyahu nor rival Gadi Eisenkot secured the 61 seats needed for an Israeli parliamentary majority.
Arab parties made gains in Israel’s election and could hold the balance of power.
Netanyahu challenged the legitimacy of the Arab parties’ result, while Eisenkot called for a Zionist government.
Donald Trump and Barack Obama traded barbs in public during the final days of the U.S. midterm campaign.
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled the G20 foreign ministers’ traditional group photo in Atlanta after several countries, including Australia and the UK, said they would not appear alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Ministers condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and faced disagreements over Ukraine, Poland’s bid to join the G20 and South Africa’s absence from the meetings.
Key Facts
Several European officials, the UK and Australia said they would boycott or leave a photo with Lavrov.
Rubio opened the meeting by saying countries faced interconnected economic and geopolitical crises.
Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during the opening session.
Australia said it supported the decision to cancel the photo and would not normalize Russia’s invasion.
Russia opposed Poland’s membership in the G20, while Poland attended the meeting as a guest and sought membership with U.S. support.
Ukraine was not invited to this year’s meeting; U.S. officials said they chose to invite only formal G20 members.
South Africa, a G20 founding member and its only African member, was not invited to the meeting.
Participants said disagreements could prevent the foreign ministers from issuing a joint statement when the meeting ends.
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President Donald Trump said Friday that the U.S. war against Iran would end “soon.” The article says he is considering authorizing military strikes on Iran after the November midterm elections.
Key Facts
Trump made the statement on Friday.
Trump said the U.S. war against Iran would end “soon.”
The article describes the conflict as a U.S. war against Iran.
Trump is considering authorizing military strikes on Iran.
The potential strikes would come after the November midterm elections.
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Germany and France are preparing for protests over the Halloween weekend, with large police deployments and steps to protect businesses. Demonstrators have raised concerns including the cost of living, school conditions and young people’s prospects, while French officials warn of a high risk of disorder.
Key Facts
About 150,000 people have registered for Saturday protests in around 30 German cities, including Berlin, Frankfurt and Cologne.
German police plan to deploy thousands of additional officers, and some shops have boarded up their windows.
The German protests are led by a group called “GenZ regelt!” and focus on the cost of living, school conditions, spending cuts and political decisions affecting young people.
France is deploying 70,000 police officers nationwide for another weekend of possible protests.
More than 40 Paris metro stations will close, and authorities have said face-covering masks will not be allowed at demonstrations.
French cities have seen protests for three consecutive weekends, including looting, riots and clashes with police.
France’s interior minister warned of a “very high risk” of disorder over the weekend.
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High pressure is expected to bring much of the UK a calm, largely dry spell lasting up to 10 days after storms Austen and Boelo. Fog may slow travel during mornings, and forecasters say wetter, windier weather could return around mid-November.
Key Facts
The Environment Agency said England had its wettest week in two years after Storms Austen and Boelo and another low-pressure system brought rain.
High pressure is expected to remain over or near the UK for at least 10 days.
Most areas are forecast to have light winds and little rain during the settled spell.
Dense morning fog could clear slowly and reduce visibility, causing travel disruption.
A few showers could affect Scotland’s Western Isles on Halloween evening.
Temperatures are expected to edge lower, especially overnight and in the early morning.
Forecasters say Atlantic low-pressure systems may bring wetter and windier conditions from around mid-November.
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After her fiancé experienced a medical emergency and their relationship ended, Bridget Devaney invited women she had never met to Northern Ireland to mark the wedding that did not happen. Eleven strangers from the United States, Canada and Wales joined her for a trip that the participants described as a source of friendship and connection.
Key Facts
Devaney’s planned elopement was postponed after her fiancé had a medical emergency.
After the couple separated, Devaney decided to organize a trip instead of holding the postponed wedding.
A friend suggested that Devaney invite women to join a female-only group trip through an anonymous social media profile.
Devaney received hundreds of inquiries about the invitation.
Eleven women from the United States, Canada and Wales travelled to Northern Ireland.
Participants Janae Pettit and Shana Johnson said they joined for personal reasons that included travel, friendship and supporting Devaney.
The group is planning a reunion.
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Australia’s Administrative Review Tribunal ruled that unclassified parts of a late-November hearing about records linked to alleged Australian spying on Timor-Leste must be open to the public. Rex Patrick is seeking 2004 cabinet documents, while the government and its intelligence agency will neither confirm nor deny whether the spying occurred or whether related records exist.
Key Facts
The alleged bugging took place in 2004, before negotiations over control of oil and gas resources in the Timor Sea.
The negotiations covered the Greater Sunrise gasfields, whose resources are estimated to be worth more than $50 billion.
Patrick requested 2004 cabinet documents held by the National Archives of Australia.
The government and the Australian Secret Intelligence Service say confirming or denying whether records exist could harm national security and Australia’s relations with other countries.
The Commonwealth argued that even unclassified parts of the hearing should be closed to prevent officials from accidentally revealing sensitive information.
The tribunal ruled that unclassified sections of the three-day hearing in late November must take place in public.
Parts of the hearing will remain closed so participants can discuss top-secret information.
An Australian intelligence official and a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade deputy secretary are expected to testify at the hearing.
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Karl Bushby, 57, is nearing Hull after walking for 28 years from Punta Arenas, Chile, as part of a journey spanning about 36,000 miles and four continents. He says he is unsure how he will adjust when the mission ends; his family plans to meet him in Hull, where his mother is waiting at his childhood home.
Key Facts
Bushby set off from Punta Arenas in 1998, aged 29, aiming to reach his home city of Hull on foot.
He set two rules for the journey: not to return to the UK before completing it and not to use transport to advance.
His route included crossing the Darién Gap and the frozen Bering Strait.
Bushby swam the English Channel to Dover a few weeks before the report, then continued toward Hull on foot.
He uses a heavy-duty handcart called The Beast to carry supplies; it got a puncture during the reported walk in Lincolnshire.
His son Adam, granddaughter, father and brothers are expected to meet him at the end of the journey.
Bushby says he expects to face an identity and purpose change after the journey ends.
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Brazil summoned Argentina’s chargé d’affaires, Maria Emilia Cortes, for questions about Flavio Bolsonaro’s departure from Brazil through Argentina to the United States. The move comes amid tensions between Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Argentine President Javier Milei after Bolsonaro lost Brazil’s presidential election and left while facing legal scrutiny.
Key Facts
Brazil’s Foreign Ministry called in Cortes on Thursday, according to sources cited by Reuters.
Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno said his government had received no formal request for explanations.
Flavio Bolsonaro travelled with his family from Brazil through northern Argentina and Ecuador before arriving in Miami on Wednesday.
Brazilian officials had ordered Bolsonaro to remain in the country and surrender his passports after the election, as part of an ongoing legal case.
Investigators are examining an alleged multimillion-dollar payment from former Banco Master head Daniel Vorcaro to Bolsonaro for a film about his father.
Bolsonaro denies wrongdoing and has called the case politically motivated.
Lula won the election with 51.8 percent of the vote; Bolsonaro has refused to concede, while his Liberal Party has acknowledged Lula’s victory.
Bolsonaro thanked Milei for assistance with his journey but did not describe what help he received.
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Some UK MPs and opposition parties are discussing the possibility of an early general election after Chancellor John Healey’s Budget, which included temporary help with energy bills and a housing scheme for young buyers. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has ruled out an election in the next 12 months, and the article says the weak economic outlook and the political cost of reversing that promise weigh against an early vote.
Key Facts
The next general election must be held by August 2029.
Healey’s Budget included £100 toward energy bills for many households and extended VAT cuts on electricity bills.
The Budget also included the Your First Home scheme to help young people buy a home.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch questioned why some of the Budget’s voter-friendly measures would end in the summer.
The Liberal Democrats said there was a 30% chance of an election on 10 December and put the party on a snap-election footing.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he thought an election could take place in May.
Burnham explicitly ruled out an election in the next 12 months, but some Labour MPs have reportedly told staff to prepare for one in the first half of next year.
The article cites a weak economic outlook and difficult upcoming decisions on defence, welfare and government spending as reasons an early election may not happen.
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The BBC Newscast episode examines the future of the Green Party of England and Wales amid rising membership and debate over the party’s direction. Former co-leader Adrian Ramsay says the party is at a “crossroads” following a motion described in the episode summary as “Zionism is racism.”
Key Facts
The episode was published on 31 October 2026 and runs for 39 minutes.
It focuses on the Green Party of England and Wales.
The programme says the party’s popularity has brought many new members.
Some party members have concerns about the party’s direction.
Former co-leader Adrian Ramsay joins the programme and warns that the party is at a crossroads.
Laura Kuenssberg and Paddy O’Connell present the episode.
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Al Jazeera spoke with fans at the final night of Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” tour about why they attended. The tour was organized after Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. concerts following his public support for Palestine.
Key Facts
The concert was the final night of Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” tour.
Al Jazeera interviewed fans attending the concert.
The fans discussed why they came to the event.
The tour was organized after Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. concerts.
The article links Macklemore’s removal from the concerts to his public support for Palestine.
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Toronto police are searching for three masked suspects after a family was attacked in a home invasion early Thursday. The four family members who were inside were wounded and remain in hospital.
Key Facts
Police say three masked suspects allegedly forced their way into the home.
The suspects were armed with guns and a hammer.
All four family members inside the home were wounded.
The injured family members remain hospitalized.
The attack happened early Thursday in Toronto.
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A Bangkok court sentenced Thai human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa to two years and eight months in prison for violating the country’s lèse-majesté law, which covers perceived insults against the monarchy. The sentence brings the total imposed on him across 14 cases to more than 34 years; two case verdicts are still pending.
Key Facts
Nampa, 42, called for public scrutiny of Thailand’s monarchy at a Harry Potter-themed protest in Bangkok in 2020.
A court issued the latest sentence on Friday, according to the article.
Thailand’s Article 112 sets prison terms of three to 15 years for defaming, insulting or threatening the king, queen, heir-apparent or regent.
The article says 294 people, including 20 under 18, have been prosecuted under the law during the past six years.
Dozens of people charged under the law remain on trial, and many are denied bail, the article reports.
Nampa has been held in Bangkok Remand Prison for three years and has written letters to his children from his cell.
Two verdicts in Nampa’s cases are still pending.
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The Trump administration approved a proposed sale of 500 Patriot missiles to Ukraine, subject to congressional review. President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that deliveries could take years and urged the United States and European allies to provide missiles from existing stockpiles in the meantime.
Key Facts
The State Department said the sale would improve Ukraine’s air and missile defenses.
Congress must review the proposed sale.
The State Department did not say when the missiles could be delivered.
Zelensky said deliveries might not begin for several years.
Zelensky proposed that allies lend Ukraine missiles from their current stockpiles and replace them later.
Ukraine’s allies would fund the purchase; the United States would not use its own funds.
Ukraine has said its supplies of Patriot interceptor missiles were dwindling.
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Polish police entered the grounds of the Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw after demonstrators gathered to protest the suspension of its head, Bogdan Swieczkowski. The suspension is part of a wider dispute over judges’ appointments and the court’s independence.
Key Facts
Police said they entered the court grounds after objects were thrown at officers.
Police detained three people over what they described as dangerous projectiles.
Swieczkowski was suspended after blocking judges elected by the current parliamentary majority from taking up their duties.
Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek said he had asked for Swieczkowski’s and his deputy’s immunity to be lifted over their conduct.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said restoring the rule of law was the government’s duty.
President Karol Nawrocki said he was returning to Poland from a trip to Senegal after the suspension was announced.
Nawrocki has refused to swear in three of six judges nominated by parliament.
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Hundreds of residents left the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky on Friday during a four-hour humanitarian ceasefire. The ceasefire was brokered by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump; some residents reportedly stayed despite a lack of power and water.
Key Facts
Hundreds of Oleshky residents were evacuated on Friday.
The city is under Russian occupation.
Residents had four hours to leave during the ceasefire.
The ceasefire was brokered by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump.
Some residents stayed in the city.
The area lacked power and water.
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Democrats on Capitol Hill had mixed reactions to Israel’s election results. They welcomed high voter turnout and declining support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while the shape of the next governing coalition remained uncertain.
Key Facts
The article says Israel held elections this week.
Democrats on Capitol Hill expressed mixed emotions about the results.
Lawmakers welcomed the high voter turnout.
They noted declining support for conservative Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Retired Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu’s leading opponent, could influence the next governing coalition.
The article excerpt does not say what coalition will form.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a disruption to Starlink may have contributed to civilian deaths during Russian drone attacks. The report examines the effects of the service disruption and the political response in Washington.
Key Facts
Zelenskyy gave his clearest indication yet that the Starlink disruption contributed to civilian deaths.
The report links the disruption to a period when Russian drones hit a Ukrainian city.
Elon Musk said last week that he ordered a slowdown of Starlink service.
The disruption hindered Ukrainian defenses, according to the article.
The disruption prompted bipartisan anger in Washington.
The report was produced by Simon Ostrovsky and Katia Patin.
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