Seven tankers carrying an estimated 288,000 tonnes of Russian diesel are sailing toward the United States, but it is unclear whether they will be allowed to unload. The shipments are part of a deal between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, enabled by a six-month U.S. waiver of existing sanctions, and have drawn legal objections from U.S. lawmakers and officials.
Key Facts
Greenpeace tracked seven tankers carrying an estimated 288,000 tonnes of Russian diesel toward the United States.
The tankers were reported at different points along their routes, with several near the United Kingdom or in the English Channel.
Putin agreed to supply the United States with 1.8 million tonnes of diesel, starting with 300,000 tonnes.
Trump announced a six-month waiver of existing sanctions to allow the shipments to proceed.
U.S. lawmakers warned banks and port authorities that handling the diesel could lead to congressional investigations or legal action.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said she was examining ways to prevent the diesel from being unloaded in her state.
The article reports that 14 people were killed in a Russian drone strike at a train platform in Dnipro, and five others were killed in strikes in Chernihiv and Kremenchuk.
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Palestinian citizens of Israel turned out in large numbers in the parliamentary election, giving the Arab-led Ra’am and Joint List a combined 19 seats in the 120-seat parliament. Although the parties could influence government formation, several prominent Jewish-led opposition figures ruled out joining them, while Likud called for an investigation into possible foreign interference in the turnout.
Key Facts
An estimated 80 percent of eligible Palestinian voters in Israel voted in the election.
Palestinian citizens make up about 21 percent of Israel’s population.
Ra’am and the Joint List won a combined 19 of the parliament’s 120 seats.
Likud called on the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, to investigate possible foreign interference in the Palestinian turnout.
Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid ruled out sitting in a government with Palestinian parties.
Avigdor Lieberman also ruled out forming a coalition with Palestinian parties.
The article says Likud appeared to be the largest party, but its bloc lacked enough seats to form a government.
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The UK intelligence watchdog said MI5’s false evidence about a violent neo-Nazi informant was a grave failure that undermined oversight. Its investigation found that MI5 misled three courts, while the watchdog’s annual report also detailed a rise in MI5 agent-management errors and failings by the National Crime Agency in its handling of a child informant.
Key Facts
Investigatory Powers Commissioner Lord Leveson called the case of informant X among the most serious he has handled.
The watchdog found that MI5 gave false evidence to three courts about following its policy of neither confirming nor denying an informant’s status.
The investigation found that one senior MI5 officer repeatedly lied and another misled colleagues; the first officer later resigned.
MI5 said it accepted the watchdog’s findings without reservation.
The High Court is expected to decide whether to take action against MI5 or its staff.
MI5 agent-related errors rose from four in 2017 to 21 in 2025, while MI6 errors fell from 10 to three.
The watchdog found that the National Crime Agency failed to report a child informant within the required time and that a senior officer extended the authorisation beyond what was legal.
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A man suspected of a shooting in the Paris suburb of Trappes admitted targeting people he believed were Muslim, African, or North African, prosecutors said. The attack last week killed one person and wounded seven others, including a child.
Key Facts
Prosecutors said the suspect admitted deliberately selecting victims based on their perceived religion or background.
The shooting took place in Trappes, a Paris suburb.
The attack happened the week before the report was issued on October 29, 2026.
One person was killed.
Seven people were wounded, including a child.
The report said the attack occurred amid political tensions ahead of France’s presidential election, expected next spring.
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After riots and looting on the fringes of mostly peaceful demonstrations in France on October 17, the government proposed a law that could make protesters pay up to €10,000 for damage, even if they did not cause it themselves. The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday, and the National Assembly is due to debate it; critics say it could undermine the right to peaceful protest, while legal experts note that existing law already allows people to pay for damage they caused.
Key Facts
France’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry said nearly 2,500 businesses were damaged during the unrest, with more than 1,000 ransacked, looted or set on fire.
The IFRAP Foundation estimated the nationwide damage at nearly €1 billion.
The proposed law could require protesters to pay up to €10,000 for damage linked to public unrest, even if they were not directly responsible.
The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday, and it will now be debated in the National Assembly.
Human rights groups, unions and left-wing parties have criticized the bill as a threat to the right to peaceful protest.
Criminal defence lawyer Laurent Caruso said existing criminal laws already allow courts to require people to pay for damage they caused.
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Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee apologized after an independent report found government failures contributed to a residential fire that killed 168 people last November. The report blamed private contractors as the main culprits but said four government departments bore part of the responsibility; Lee announced a further investigation and promised reforms.
Key Facts
The fire spread through seven of the eight towers at Wang Fuk Court, a housing complex undergoing renovations.
The report cited decades of government failure and lax enforcement of safety rules.
It said better action by four departments could have helped address fire hazards before the blaze.
Housing Secretary Winnie Ho resigned, and Lee said she should bear political responsibility.
Authorities have charged seven people and two companies, including with manslaughter, and have arrested at least 35 people.
Some victims’ families said the apology and acceptance of responsibility were inadequate.
Lee said a three-month investigation into the government’s role would begin and outlined proposed reforms, including criminalizing bid-rigging.
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Albanian opposition leader Sali Berisha and other lawmakers disrupted parliament in Tirana with flares and smoke bombs as they protested Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government. The unrest is part of protests that began in May over a proposed resort linked to Jared Kushner and have expanded to include complaints about corruption, economic stagnation and education costs.
Key Facts
Berisha and opposition lawmakers tried to stop a vote on a new law governing Albania’s central bank but failed.
The protests began after preliminary approval of a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Demonstrators have also cited alleged corruption, economic stagnation, poor education standards and high tuition fees.
The article reports that the protests have injured hundreds of people, including police officers, and that some buildings have been attacked and set on fire.
Rama has refused to resign after winning a fourth term last year, following 13 years in office.
Rama introduced fines exceeding $6,000 for people who attend protests that turn violent, even if they did not take part in violence.
Rama announced increased student scholarships, expanded eligibility for master’s students and subsidized rent for students.
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A Russian drone strike killed at least 14 people at Dnipro’s main railway station in central Ukraine on Thursday morning. Passengers were waiting to board a train when the strike occurred.
Key Facts
A Russian drone strike hit Dnipro’s main railway station.
At least 14 people were killed.
The station is in Dnipro, in central Ukraine.
The strike occurred on Thursday morning.
Passengers were waiting to board a train.
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More people were recalled to prison than released in England and Wales in the first half of 2026, according to Ministry of Justice figures. The data also show rising annual recalls and continued pressure on prisons, while emergency early-release measures freed tens of thousands of inmates.
Key Facts
Between April and June, 12,338 people were recalled to custody and 12,278 were released.
From January to March, 13,193 people were recalled and 12,977 were released.
A total of 52,716 prisoners were recalled in the year to June, a 27% increase on the previous 12-month period.
Emergency early-release measures freed 79,274 prisoners between September 2024 and June 2026.
The SDS40 scheme reduced the share of sentences some prisoners served from 50% to 40%; a permanent early-release scheme began on 1 October under the Sentencing Act 2026.
The Ministry of Justice said policy changes led most recalled offenders to spend 56 days in custody before release rather than remain imprisoned until the end of their sentence.
Prisons recorded 68,231 self-harm incidents in the year to the end of June 2026, while 360 people died in prison in the year to the end of September.
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The UK government has said it wants to reduce welfare spending but has not set out a timetable or detailed plan. The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts that total welfare spending will rise in cash terms, while health and disability benefits have grown particularly quickly since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Key Facts
The OBR forecasts welfare spending will rise from £353bn this year to £431bn in 2032.
Pensioner support accounts for just under half of total welfare spending, with the state pension making up most of that cost.
Welfare spending is forecast to increase from 11.1% of GDP to 11.3% by 2032, below its peak of about 12% in 2013.
After adjusting for inflation, spending on working-age disability benefits rose from £14bn in 2020 to £25bn in 2026.
The number of 16- to 24-year-olds not in employment, education or training has risen by about 230,000 since 2019 to just under one million.
An interim review estimated annual PIP spending on 16- to 24-year-olds rose from £1.3bn in 2020 to about £3.2bn in 2025.
The review projected PIP spending on this age group could reach £6.5bn and cover 700,000 young people within five years.
A 2025 government plan aimed to save £5bn a year from health-related welfare spending by 2030 through tighter PIP access and lower health-related Universal Credit payments.
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Finnish and Norwegian leaders discussed the war in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a rare phone call. Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen shared her thoughts about the conversation in a CBS News interview.
Key Facts
The call involved the leaders of Finland and Norway and Russia's Vladimir Putin.
The leaders discussed the war in Ukraine.
The phone call was described as rare.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen discussed the call with CBS News.
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Canadian musician Bryan Adams released “Lake Ontario,” a song criticizing President Donald Trump’s reported order to rename the lake “Lake America.” Adams says the song is part of a larger project celebrating Canada, which is set to include the album *How’s It Goin’*.
Key Facts
The article says Trump signed an executive order in August directing U.S. federal agencies to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America.”
Adams’s song argues that Lake Ontario’s name reflects its Indigenous roots and criticizes the renaming effort.
The lyrics link the move to what Adams portrays as distractions from other political issues, including Iran and the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Adams described his wider songwriting project as a “love letter” to Canada.
His upcoming album *How’s It Goin’* also includes “51st State,” a song released on Canada Day that rejects Trump’s efforts to annex Canada.
Adams said audiences in the United States gave “51st State” a standing ovation each night when he performed it there.
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The article presents a weekly quiz about events from the past seven days. It mentions Chancellor John Healey’s first Budget, Storm Boelo in the UK, and elections in Brazil, Israel, and Serbia.
Key Facts
The article is a weekly news quiz.
It was published seven hours before the article was provided.
The quiz was collated by Grace Dean and Richard Frost.
The article mentions Chancellor John Healey’s first Budget.
Storm Boelo crossed the UK.
Brazil, Israel, and Serbia held elections.
The title asks what was wrong with the Spotify listing of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.”
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The article says Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s runoff victory over Flávio Bolsonaro could create room for stronger protection of the Amazon and other ecosystems. It also warns that agribusiness and mining interests in Congress, regional pressure over natural resources, and global heating could limit progress, and presents the result as a source of lessons for environmental and political campaigns elsewhere.
Key Facts
The article reports that Lula won Brazil’s presidential runoff against Flávio Bolsonaro.
It says Brazil has a target of reaching zero deforestation by 2030.
The article reports that Amazon and Cerrado destruction recently fell to a record low.
It says Amazon deforestation rose 59.5% during Jair Bolsonaro’s 2019–2022 term and fell 71.2% during Lula’s administration.
The article reports 3,335 square kilometers of forest loss over the past year, the lowest level since satellite measurements began in 1988.
It says Bolsonaro-aligned candidates won governorships in seven of the nine Amazon-region states.
The article says agribusiness and mining interests hold significant influence in Brazil’s Congress and may seek to expand extractive industries and weaken environmental protections.
It warns that pressure from Washington over Brazil’s critical minerals and accelerating global heating could pose challenges for Lula’s environmental goals.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party have claimed, without evidence, that Arab parties used fraud to influence the election after his coalition lost 11 seats. Israel’s Shin Bet said it was investigating suspected foreign funding linked to one Arab party, but said the inquiry did not cast doubt on Arab voters’ right to vote or the election results.
Key Facts
Arab voters turned out in record numbers, and the two Arab parties won 19 seats combined.
Likud cited the arrest of three activists from the Arab Ra’am party on suspicion of paying a small number of voters; police said there was no evidence to support Likud’s claim that the election was stolen.
The judge who heads the Central Elections Committee asked Shin Bet to investigate suspected foreign interference and report its findings within a week.
Israeli media identified Qatar as the country suspected of sending money to an Arab party to increase turnout; the article reports this as an allegation.
Shin Bet’s director said on Election Day that the election was safe and secure, then later briefed election officials and political leaders on intelligence about possible foreign funding.
Shin Bet said the investigation was focused and did not cast doubt on the Arab minority’s vote; it said only people who acted unlawfully would be held accountable.
Netanyahu’s opponents fear his campaign could deter cooperation between opposition parties and Arab parties or prevent certification of the results.
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London’s Metropolitan Police has referred its handling of a 2019 letter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The letter contained claims of alleged offending outside the UK; the force gave it to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex but did not share its details with other law enforcement agencies at the time.
Key Facts
The Met said it received the letter in January 2019, addressed to its protection command.
The letter’s author said they were raising concerns about the Duchess of Sussex’s security, but the Met said it contained no specific security information.
The Met said the letter included claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom.
The force passed the letter to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The Met’s review led it to refer its decisions to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, a police oversight body.
The Met said it plans to refer the allegations to relevant overseas law enforcement agencies.
Thomas Markle Jr told the Sun that he found suspected child sexual abuse images at his father’s former home in the Philippines and reported them to local police and the FBI.
Thomas Markle Sr denies possessing illicit material; the article says he has admitted paying for sex in the Philippines.
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U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz got into a shouting match with the Cuban delegation at the U.N. The report says the confrontation occurred while Waltz was speaking.
Key Facts
Mike Waltz is identified as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Waltz argued with members of the Cuban delegation.
The confrontation took place at the United Nations.
The exchange became a shouting match.
The report describes the dispute as being over Cuba.
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A Pakistani antiterrorism court sentenced human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha to 10 years in prison on terrorism-related charges. The case concerns their removal of road barriers on a route designated for the England cricket team in October 2024; the couple denied the charges and said they were being targeted for their human rights work.
Key Facts
Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra announced the verdict on Thursday after the trial was held inside Adiala prison in Rawalpindi.
The court said the barrier removal put the England cricket team’s security at risk, while describing the incident as an ordinary removal of a barrier.
Mazari and Chattha were indicted on October 7 and pleaded not guilty.
The couple have been in custody since January 23 in a separate case involving their social media posts.
A lower court previously sentenced them to 17 years each under Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act.
Pakistan’s Supreme Court suspended those sentences, but police re-arrested the couple in the security breach case.
Mazari’s mother, Shireen Mazari, said the couple were denied a fair chance to defend themselves and said the defence would appeal to the Supreme Court.
Amnesty International condemned the convictions and said the charges were being used to punish the lawyers for their human rights advocacy.
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Benjamin Netanyahu and Likud alleged that foreign-backed vote buying and other irregularities affected Tuesday’s Israeli election, in which his coalition lost its parliamentary majority. Election officials, police and President Isaac Herzog challenged the allegations, while opposition leaders accused Netanyahu of trying to undermine the results; Qatar denied involvement.
Key Facts
With almost all votes counted, Netanyahu’s coalition had 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, the main opposition bloc had 48, and the Joint List and Ra’am together had 19.
Neither the incumbent coalition nor the main Jewish opposition bloc won a majority, leaving the two Arab Israeli parties with the balance of power.
Netanyahu and Likud called for the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, to investigate alleged vote buying and other irregularities in Palestinian communities in Israel.
Acting elections committee director general Dean Livneh said there appeared to be no basis for the allegations, and police officials described them as groundless.
President Isaac Herzog urged political leaders not to tarnish an entire community for exercising its right to vote.
Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot said Likud and Netanyahu were pursuing a campaign to delegitimise the election results.
Qatari adviser Majed al-Ansari said Qatar categorically denied involvement in the Israeli election.
The newly elected Knesset was due to be sworn in within 14 days of the election.
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The UAE’s Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal sentenced eight people to life in prison for trafficking weapons and military equipment to Sudan’s army and laundering money through UAE companies and bank accounts, according to state media. The court ordered the seizure of items used in the crimes and the deportation of those convicted after they serve their sentences. The case comes amid Sudan’s ongoing war, which has displaced more than 14 million people and caused severe poverty and food shortages.
Key Facts
WAM reported that the court found the eight people took part in an organized scheme involving weapons, ammunition and military equipment.
The court found that the accused used forged documents, companies and bank accounts in the UAE to move and conceal money linked to the arms deals.
The court ordered the confiscation of ammunition and communications devices used in the crimes.
The convicted people are to be deported from the UAE after serving their sentences.
Sudan’s military has accused the UAE of supplying arms to the Rapid Support Forces, its rival in the civil war; the UAE has denied the allegation.
Sudan’s war has displaced more than 14 million people and caused severe poverty and food shortages.
A recent drone attack on a market in Nyala killed more than 100 people, mostly women and children, according to the article.
MSF said a hospital it supports in Nyala received 36 bodies after a second attack and treated more than 150 wounded people.
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