A train crash in Spain killed 69 people and injured scores, according to the article issued on October 29, 2026. The transport minister cited an error and what he called inexplicable circumstances, and the disaster renewed attention to railway safety.
Key Facts
The crash occurred in Spain.
The article reports 69 deaths.
The crash also injured scores of people.
Spain’s transport minister said an error contributed to the disaster.
The minister described the circumstances as inexplicable.
The crash renewed national attention to railway safety.
The article was issued on October 29, 2026.
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Russian and Ukrainian forces exchanged drone and other attacks as a six-day humanitarian ceasefire continued around Russian-occupied Oleshky. Ukrainian officials reported civilian deaths and injuries in several Russian strikes, while Russia's Defense Ministry said its air defenses had downed 1,214 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Key Facts
Russian drones struck two districts of Kharkiv early Thursday, including an educational institution; officials had not confirmed casualties from those attacks.
Ukrainian officials said a Russian drone strike on two passenger trains at a Dnipro station killed at least 13 people and injured 10.
Russia's Defense Ministry said it had downed 1,214 Ukrainian drones overnight and described the attack as one of Kyiv's largest.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said about half of the drones were heading toward the Russian capital.
A six-day humanitarian ceasefire was in effect around Oleshky in the Kherson region to allow aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.
Ukrainian regional officials reported that a Russian strike on a civilian business in the Sarny district of Rivne killed one man.
A Russian strike on an industrial facility in Dnipro injured a 35-year-old man, according to regional officials.
Washington was seeking to restart peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv, with discussions expected next month, the article reported.
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Fighting has intensified between Yemen’s Houthis and government forces on several fronts near Taiz, while both sides reported air strikes and military operations. The United Nations warned that road damage and fighting are restricting aid to Taiz, where about 800,000 people are trapped.
Key Facts
Government-affiliated media reported fighting on the Al-Aqroudh and Al-Masrakh fronts and in Al-Rahn village south of Taiz.
A Yemeni government forces spokesman claimed that government forces conducted 749 military operations in 24 hours, killing or injuring 239 militants and destroying 117 vehicles and armored vehicles.
Houthi-affiliated media reported four air strikes on Mocha and its Red Sea port.
A military source said government forces carried out three air strikes southeast of Taiz; the Houthis reported more than 100 air strikes across Sanaa and eight other governorates in 24 hours.
Flights resumed at Aden International Airport after services were suspended on Wednesday following a reported missile strike near the airport.
The UN said more than 281,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since the beginning of August.
The UN warned that about 800,000 people in Taiz need aid and that damage to a key road has made access increasingly difficult.
The UN urged all parties to protect civilians and aid convoys and allow safe, sustained humanitarian access.
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Afghan farmers say worsening economic conditions and drought are pushing them to grow poppies despite a ban. Some families say other crops, including cotton, do not earn enough to feed their children.
Key Facts
Farmers in Afghanistan report turning to poppy cultivation to make a living.
Poppy cultivation is banned in Afghanistan, according to the article.
Farmers cite worsening economic conditions as a reason for growing poppies.
Drought is also contributing to the pressure on farmers.
Some families say cotton and other crops do not bring in enough money to feed their children.
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Ukrainian officials say a Russian drone struck a crowded platform at Dnipro railway station, killing at least 13 people and wounding at least 10. Officials also reported two girls killed in a separate Russian missile strike in Chernihiv, as attacks on railway facilities and other infrastructure continue.
Key Facts
A train bound for Zaporizhzhia was at a Dnipro platform when the drone hit, according to Ukraine’s railway operator.
An 11-year-old boy was among those wounded in Dnipro, regional head Oleksandr Hanzha said.
Chernihiv regional head Vyacheslav Chaus said two 15-year-old girls were killed in a Russian missile strike and at least 11 people were injured.
Ukraine’s railway chief said authorities had announced an elevated threat level in Dnipro before the strike, but many people remained on the platform.
President Volodymyr Zelensky called for further U.S., European and G7 sanctions on Russia and criticized a deal that eased some sanctions, including those affecting U.S. imports of Russian diesel.
Ukrzaliznytsia figures supplied to AFP say attacks on railway facilities rose from 1,206 in 2025 to 1,700 so far in 2026.
Moscow’s mayor said 613 Ukrainian drones were launched overnight toward the Moscow region and that most were shot down.
The article says a local ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky was holding into its third day as a Ukrainian delegation traveled there through Belarus and Russia.
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South Korean prosecutors renewed their request for the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk-yeol at an appeal hearing in Seoul, arguing that his 2024 martial law declaration threatened democracy. Yoon, who was sentenced to life in prison for leading an insurrection, denies that he sought to establish authoritarian rule; the appeals court plans further hearings before reaching a decision.
Key Facts
Prosecutors renewed their death-penalty request at a Seoul High Court hearing on Thursday, October 29.
Yoon was sentenced to life imprisonment in February after a court convicted him of leading an insurrection.
Yoon declared martial law on December 3, 2024, and sent soldiers and police to the National Assembly.
Lawmakers voted down the martial law measure, and the government withdrew it about six hours after its announcement.
The lower court found that Yoon tried to prevent parliament from functioning, detain political opponents and remain in power.
Yoon’s lawyers said he intended to warn parliament, not establish authoritarian rule.
South Korea has retained the death penalty but has not carried out an execution since 1997.
Parliament impeached Yoon in December 2024, and the Constitutional Court removed him from office in April 2025; the appeals court plans another hearing for November 5.
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Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill said Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly had blocked their attendance at a National Economic Council meeting in Glasgow with Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The dispute comes amid unionist anger over Sinn Féin’s role in protests that stopped an Orange Order march in Portadown, and pressure on the DUP to take action against O’Neill.
Key Facts
O’Neill and Little-Pengelly had both been invited to Friday’s National Economic Council meeting in Glasgow.
O’Neill said Little-Pengelly’s decision would leave Northern Ireland unrepresented at the event.
O’Neill called the decision reckless and said it was driven by DUP internal pressures and electoral concerns.
Police have interviewed O’Neill and other senior Sinn Féin figures over unnotified demonstrations in Portadown last month.
DUP MP Carla Lockhart resigned from the party’s officer board after leader Gavin Robinson did not withdraw Little-Pengelly to force O’Neill from their joint office.
DUP assembly members Diane Forsythe and Maurice Bradley have called for O’Neill to leave office or for official engagements through the joint Executive Office to stop.
A court heard that police intelligence suggested dissidents might have attacked officers if police had cleared a route for the parade.
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Ethiopia has received 12 Russian Su-35 fighter jets and plans to acquire four S-400 air-defence batteries under agreements announced by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Moscow. The deal deepens long-standing military ties with Russia as Ethiopia faces conflict at home and tensions with Eritrea, but analysts say Addis Ababa is broadening its partnerships rather than choosing Russia exclusively.
Key Facts
Abiy Ahmed announced the agreements during a visit to Moscow for the Russia-Africa Summit.
Ethiopia has taken delivery of 12 Su-35 fighter jets under an earlier agreement with Russia.
Ethiopia plans to acquire four S-400 air-defence batteries, but no delivery date was announced.
Analysts say the S-400 systems could defend against conventional air threats, but may be less effective against small, inexpensive drones.
Russia and Ethiopia have a history of military cooperation dating back to the Soviet Union’s support for Ethiopia’s former communist government.
Russia’s arms sales bring revenue and can sustain ties through training, maintenance and replacement equipment.
Abiy said talks with Putin also covered nuclear energy, health and trade; Putin said bilateral trade exceeded $1.3 billion in January through September.
Analysts say Ethiopia is seeking options from multiple international partners rather than aligning exclusively with Russia.
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Israeli forces have maintained a lockdown of Hebron for seven days, closing its entrances and restricting movement and access to services. Palestinian reports describe raids, detentions, injuries, demolitions and settler attacks; the article does not say when the lockdown will end.
Key Facts
Israeli forces closed Hebron’s entrances and exits starting the previous Friday.
Wafa reported that two Palestinians were injured and seven detained on Thursday.
The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society said at least 110 people had been detained in the Hebron governorate since the raids began, including three women and seven children.
The article says more than 3,000 people were forced out of the city and some Palestinian homes were turned into military posts.
Israeli forces launched demolitions and raided the Ein Deir Bahha neighbourhood, where families fled their homes at night.
Israeli forces isolated 12 villages and hamlets in the Masafer Yatta area, restricting access to urban centres, markets and hospitals.
Wafa reported that settlers uprooted more than 200 fruit trees and damaged wells and agricultural facilities east of Hebron.
The lockdown followed the killing of two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint near the settlement of Telem; the Palestinian gunmen were later killed by Israeli forces.
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King Charles joined a Junkanoo street parade during a visit to the Bahamas ahead of next week’s Commonwealth summit in Antigua and Barbuda. Caribbean leaders are expected to press for reparations related to colonialism and slavery at the summit.
Key Facts
King Charles visited the Bahamas.
He joined a Junkanoo street parade during the visit.
The visit took place ahead of a Commonwealth summit next week.
Antigua and Barbuda will host the summit.
Caribbean leaders are expected to call for reparations related to colonialism and slavery.
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Kenneth Roth argues that President Donald Trump is blaming Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil facilities for U.S. fuel-price increases while taking steps that weaken support for Ukraine. The article says Trump has eased restrictions on Russian fuel and sanctions, paused some military support, and called for an energy ceasefire that Roth describes as applying mainly to Ukraine.
Key Facts
The article links higher U.S. fuel prices chiefly to reduced oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, following the U.S. war against Iran.
Ukrainian forces have attacked Russian oil refineries, disrupting oil production and contributing to fuel shortages in Russia, according to the article.
The article says Russia has intensified attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure ahead of winter.
Roth says Trump authorized purchases of Russian diesel fuel and waived new sanctions on Russia.
The article says the Trump administration suspended deliveries of defensive missiles and early-warning intelligence to Ukraine.
The article reports that the administration approved a decision to slow Starshield service used by Ukraine’s military.
Trump called for an energy ceasefire; Roth says the proposal focused on stopping Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries rather than Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
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US media reports say Vice President JD Vance sent Iran security chief Mohsen Rezaei a letter seeking to test whether the two countries can resume talks and avoid possible US strikes. The reported proposal calls for direct negotiations, with Iran’s nuclear program included, as President Donald Trump warns Gulf allies to prepare for a possible brief military campaign after next week’s US midterm elections.
Key Facts
The letter has not been made public, and reports say it focused on a possible framework for negotiations rather than specific peace terms.
The New York Times reported that Vance proposed a meeting between US and Iranian officials and would lead the US delegation.
Qatari mediators reportedly delivered the letter to Rezaei on Sunday.
US and Iranian officials told the Times that talks could begin as soon as next week, with Qatar or Turkiye as possible venues.
Iran has not publicly commented on the letter; the Times reported that Iranian leaders received it well.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that Iran continues to give diplomacy a chance.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump directed Vance to send the letter, but Trump later disputed that account and said he had approved outreach focused on aid and supplies.
Trump warned Gulf allies to prepare for a possible short, intense campaign after the US midterm elections and referred to a possible new operation as “another little Epic Fury.”
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A Russian drone strike hit a busy railway platform in Dnipro on October 29, killing at least 13 people, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukrainian officials also reported deaths in separate attacks, while Zelensky urged allies not to ease sanctions on Russia.
Key Facts
The Dnipro strike hit a platform where a commuter train and a passenger train were standing.
Ukraine's air force said it intercepted three jet-powered drones, while a fourth evaded defenses and hit the station.
Ukraine Railways said it had announced an elevated threat level before the strike, but many people remained on the platform.
Two 15-year-old girls were killed in a strike in Chernihiv, and more than a dozen people were wounded, according to the city's military administration chief.
A drone strike on a residential building in Kremenchuk killed two people and wounded several others, including a six-year-old, according to the local governor.
The article reported that a local ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky was holding into its third day, with delegations traveling toward the city.
Zelensky criticized a deal between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to ease some sanctions on Russia.
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The opinion article argues that Arab citizens’ high participation in Israel’s election and their representation in public institutions conflict with claims that Israel is an apartheid state. It also notes serious challenges facing Arab communities, including crime, gaps in public funding and opportunity, and the 2018 change to Arabic’s official status.
Key Facts
An estimate by Israel’s Channel 12 put Arab voter turnout on October 27 at about 80 percent, compared with 53.2 percent in 2022.
With most votes counted, the Arab-led Ra’am and Joint List parties were projected to win about 19 seats, above the previous record of 15 in 2020.
Israel’s Supreme Court unanimously overturned election bans on both parties on October 2, ruling that the evidence did not meet the legal standard for disqualification.
Ra’am joined Israel’s governing coalition in 2021, becoming the first independent Arab party to do so.
Arab citizens have served in Israel’s parliament since 1949, and Arab judges have held permanent seats on its Supreme Court.
A 2023 study reported that Arabs made up about a quarter of Israel’s working doctors and nurses and nearly half of its pharmacists.
About 250 Arab citizens were killed in crime and violence in 2025, which the article describes as a record.
The 2018 Nation-State Law changed Arabic from an official language to one with “special status.”
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China’s ruling Communist Party expelled 33 members as its four-day fifth plenum ended, a record number of removals announced at a plenum. Attendance fell to 279 Central Committee members, the first time under Xi Jinping that it has been below 300, while party discipline and anti-corruption measures dominated the gathering.
Key Facts
Sixteen of the 33 expelled members were from the military, according to the party’s communique.
The party cited “serious disciplinary and legal violations” but did not specify the alleged offenses.
The expulsions brought the number of members removed during Xi’s third term to 51, compared with 34 in his first term and five in his second.
China’s anti-corruption watchdog said 680,000 people across the party apparatus were disciplined in the first nine months of the year.
Former Xinjiang party chief Ma Xingrui and former generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were among the officials expelled.
The Central Military Commission, which controls China’s armed forces, has been reduced to two members: Xi Jinping and vice-chairman Zhang Shengmin.
Zhang Shengmin was promoted to the Politburo at the fifth plenum, bringing its membership to 22.
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A France 24 episode of French Connections explores lesser-known parts of Paris’s 18th arrondissement. Hosts Genie Godula and Florence Villeminot visit the multicultural Goutte d’Or, a major fabric store, and places linked to notable former residents.
Key Facts
The episode focuses on the 18th arrondissement of Paris.
The hosts are Genie Godula and Florence Villeminot.
The program looks beyond well-known landmarks such as Sacré-Cœur Basilica and the Moulin Rouge.
The hosts visit the Goutte d’Or, described as a vibrant, multicultural neighbourhood.
The episode features what the article calls the world’s largest fabric store.
The program introduces some of the arrondissement’s famous former residents.
The episode runs for about 12 minutes.
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With nearly 90 percent of ballots counted, Israel’s election produced no clear winner: neither major bloc appears likely to reach the 61 seats needed for a governing majority. Arab-majority parties won a record 19 seats, making them central to coalition negotiations, though several leaders have ruled out governing with them.
Key Facts
Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc is projected to win 53 seats, while Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition bloc is projected to win 48.
Likud is projected to take 26 seats, the most of any party, but Netanyahu’s bloc remains eight seats short of a majority.
Eisenkot’s Yashar Party is projected to win 21 seats, while his bloc would need Arab-led parties to reach a majority.
Arab-majority parties won 19 seats, a record high, amid turnout of about 80 percent among Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Netanyahu said a government relying on Arab-led parties would be “a shame and a disgrace.”
Netanyahu’s Likud claimed the election was stolen by Arab parties; police and the Central Elections Committee dismissed the claims, according to the article.
Naftali Bennett’s Together Party is projected to win 12 seats. Bennett said he would seek a government without repeating his 2021 decision to govern with Ra’am.
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Students at the University of The Gambia protested over unreliable transportation, campus services and learning facilities. Lectures resumed after the government announced steps including 20 additional buses, but students continue to seek the resignation of two university leaders, and some measures remain unconfirmed or incomplete.
Key Facts
The Students’ Union says the concerns affect more than 12,000 students.
Some students rely on university buses for long commutes, and bus seats can be difficult to secure.
The government said the Gambia Transport Service Company deployed 20 buses to support student travel.
Students have reported limited access to safe drinking water, affordable food and reliable internet.
The ministry said campus water needed additional filtration and that water dispensers had been installed at designated points.
The ministry said cafeterias were ready to serve, but did not provide details about meal prices or availability at individual facilities.
The ministry said internet work at the newly built Schools of Agriculture and Law was expected to finish within a week; it did not confirm completion.
Students are calling for Vice Chancellor Herbert Robinson and the director of student affairs to resign.
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The United States sanctioned Rwanda’s defence ministry and Zigama Credit and Savings Society over alleged support for the M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The measures come despite a U.S.-brokered peace agreement signed in December 2025, as fighting continues and Rwanda denies backing M23.
Key Facts
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called on Rwanda to stop supporting M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DR Congo.
The U.S. Treasury alleges Rwanda’s defence ministry sent thousands of troops to fight alongside M23 and provided weapons, equipment, logistics and training.
The sanctions freeze designated entities’ assets under U.S. jurisdiction and generally bar U.S. people and businesses from conducting transactions with them without authorization or an exemption.
The U.S. alleges Zigama Credit and Savings Society facilitated transactions for M23, helped pay for military equipment for Rwandan forces and enabled gold shipments from rebel-held areas to Kigali.
M23 has seized Goma and Bukavu and taken control of mineral-rich areas, including gold-mining sites in South Kivu and the coltan-producing area of Rubaya in North Kivu.
The Washington Accords, signed by the Congolese and Rwandan presidents in December 2025 under U.S. mediation, aimed to end the conflict and expand regional trade and investment.
DR Congo welcomed the sanctions and urged Rwanda to meet its commitments and withdraw its troops; Rwanda said it was ready to implement the accords if the other parties also met their obligations.
The U.S. previously sanctioned Rwanda’s army and four senior military commanders in March 2026, and a gold refinery and three mining companies in June 2026.
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Laura Brand testified at Russell Brand’s trial that he is caring, kind and a wonderful father, and said he respected her when she did not want sex. A former girlfriend also described him as gentle and loving; Brand denies all charges and has pleaded not guilty.
Key Facts
Brand faces seven charges: three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault.
Laura Brand gave evidence at Southwark Crown Court in London on Thursday.
Laura Brand told the jury she loves her husband and feels seen by him.
Laura Brand said Brand respected her when she did not want to be sexual with him.
Former girlfriend Elia Alvarez Diaz said they lived together for about a year, from 1998 to 1999.
Alvarez Diaz said Brand accepted it when she said no, and said their relationship ended after he repeatedly cheated on her.
The trial is continuing.
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