The U.S. military said it struck a boat accused of drug smuggling in the eastern Pacific on Tuesday, killing five people. The military provided no evidence that the vessel carried drugs; the strike brings the reported death toll from U.S. boat strikes to at least 240 across more than 70 attacks.
Key Facts
U.S. Southern Command said intelligence indicated the boat was involved in drug trafficking.
A video posted on X showed the boat before an explosion destroyed it; the vessel did not appear to be moving beforehand.
The Trump administration began targeting people it calls “narcoterrorists” in September 2025.
President Donald Trump has described the United States as being in an “armed conflict” with Latin American cartels.
Critics and some lawmakers have questioned the strikes’ legality and effectiveness.
The Pentagon’s watchdog plans to review whether the military followed its targeting framework, but not whether the strikes were legal.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States would seek regional allies’ approval for such operations while retaining the option to act unilaterally.
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Qatari mediators delivered Iran a draft proposal to end the war on Sunday, and Tehran is considering it. Reuters reported that Iran plans to respond by the end of the week. The article also reports on the war’s estimated cost to the U.S. military and Israel’s election results, which exit polls indicated could leave both political blocs short of a majority.
Key Facts
Qatari mediators handed Iran a draft deal to end the war on Sunday, according to Reuters, citing an official briefed on the talks.
Iran is considering the proposal and is expected to respond by the end of the week, Reuters reported.
A source cited by Reuters said Tehran had concerns that Israel might resume bombing Iran this week.
U.S. Central Command estimated the war had cost the U.S. military about $47.1 billion by mid-October; the estimate excludes damage to U.S. bases in the Middle East.
About $29 billion of the estimated U.S. military cost is for replacing used munitions.
Israel’s election exit polls projected that neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition had a clear majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
Exit polls showed Netanyahu’s Likud party as the largest party, while Israel’s two Arab parties won more seats than in any previous election.
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Early election results in Israel were increasingly favorable to Benjamin Netanyahu and his bloc, but they had not secured a clear victory. Final results were expected later on October 28 or the following morning, and Netanyahu needs 61 parliamentary seats for a majority.
Key Facts
Netanyahu’s bloc appeared to be gaining ground in the early results.
Netanyahu still lacked a clear victory at the time of the report.
A majority requires 61 seats in Israel’s parliament.
Final election results were expected that night or the next morning.
Netanyahu addressed supporters at the National Congress Centre at about 3 a.m. local time.
The report was filed from Jerusalem by France 24 correspondent Clovis Casali.
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Serbian police shot and killed a minor outside the Israeli embassy in Belgrade after, according to Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, the suspect attacked an officer with two knives. The officer suffered a minor facial wound, and authorities raised Serbia’s terrorism threat level to its highest setting while investigating.
Key Facts
Dacic said the suspect rushed at a police officer with two knives and shouted “Allahu Akbar.”
The officer shot the suspect and sustained a minor knife wound to the face; Dacic said the officer did not need hospital care.
Dacic said the suspect was an unidentified minor and a Serbian citizen who was monitored by security services.
Security services said the suspect had posted a picture of the Islamic State flag on Instagram.
Serbia’s interior minister raised the terrorism threat level to red alert, prompting stricter security checks and more police at key sites and crowded areas.
Israel’s foreign ministry said no embassy staff were injured and the mission was closed when the incident occurred.
In June 2024, a Serbian man shot an officer outside the same embassy with a crossbow; the officer survived and killed the attacker.
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Two trains traveling in opposite directions collided in southern Spain on the route between Madrid and Seville. Local authorities confirmed at least 10 deaths; the cause of the crash remains unknown.
Key Facts
The collision happened in southern Spain.
The trains were traveling in opposite directions on the route between Madrid and Seville.
Local authorities confirmed at least 10 deaths.
Some media reports put the death toll as high as 39.
The cause of the collision was not known at the time of the report.
The article refers to a deadly train accident in Córdoba in January.
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At least 10 people were killed when two trains collided on Spain’s Madrid-Andalucía high-speed line on October 28, 2026. Officials said the trains, operated by Renfe and Iryo, were traveling on the Madrid-Seville route; the regional spokeswoman said the death toll could rise.
Key Facts
The collision occurred near the towns of Mora, Orgaz and Urda.
The trains involved were operated by Renfe and Iryo.
Both trains were traveling on the Madrid-Seville route.
Esther Padilla, a spokeswoman for the Castilla-La Mancha region, reported at least 10 deaths.
Padilla said the death toll could rise.
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Israeli exit polls show a tight election with no clear majority, while Arab parties are projected to win a record 18 to 19 seats. Press coverage described both pro- and anti-Netanyahu camps as facing a possible political deadlock, with government formation likely to require rival politicians to reach agreements.
Key Facts
Israeli media reported record-breaking voter turnout.
Exit polls from Kan11, Channel 13 and N12 showed no bloc with a majority.
The exit polls projected Arab parties would win 18 to 19 seats, a record.
Israel Hayom described the result as a political deadlock and said it differed from opinion polls in recent months.
The Times of Israel said forming a government could require politicians to set aside longstanding divisions.
The article also reported that Gaza residents were focused on daily survival rather than the Israeli election.
Macklemore’s Paris concert was scheduled for Thursday, with profits to go to 12 charities supporting Palestinians.
The article said scientists do not have a clear explanation for how antidepressants relieve mental health problems. One hypothesis is that they change how the brain processes negative emotional information.
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Argentina’s government said on October 28 that Brazilian senator Flavio Bolsonaro was traveling to Ecuador after leaving Brazil. Bolsonaro, a defeated right-wing presidential candidate, and his family received U.S. visas from the Trump administration the previous day.
Key Facts
Argentina’s government said Flavio Bolsonaro was on his way to Ecuador from Argentina.
Bolsonaro had left Brazil, according to the report.
The article describes Bolsonaro as a defeated right-wing presidential candidate.
Bolsonaro is a 45-year-old senator.
Bolsonaro and his family received U.S. visas on October 27.
The visas were granted by the Trump administration.
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Final results from Israel’s election were still pending on October 28, 2026, and no clear winner had emerged. Arab-led parties appeared to make a historic showing, but it remained uncertain whether other parties opposed to Benjamin Netanyahu would join them to form a parliamentary majority.
Key Facts
Final election results had not been reported as of October 28, 2026.
The election had no clear winner, according to the article.
Arab-led parties appeared to make a historic showing.
It was unclear whether other opponents of Netanyahu would form a coalition with Arab-led parties.
A coalition is an agreement among parties to govern together.
Debate over Palestinians and their descendants remains highly sensitive in Israel.
Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot had both pledged to form a government, according to a related report listed in the article.
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At least 10 people died when two high-speed trains crashed in central Spain on Wednesday morning. The crash occurred in Toledo province, and rail service was suspended between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia.
Key Facts
At least 10 people died in the crash.
Two high-speed trains were involved.
The crash happened Wednesday morning.
The crash occurred in Toledo province, central Spain.
Rail service was suspended between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia.
France 24 published the report on October 28, 2026.
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A High Court judge is due to rule on a Portadown Orangeman’s challenge to Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant’s decision to ban the Drumcree parade. Bryant acted on security advice from PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, after police said facilitating the procession would require a disproportionate intervention and pose risks of serious injury and disorder.
Key Facts
The challenge names Sir Chris Bryant and PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher as respondents.
Mr Justice Scoffield said he would deliver his ruling on Wednesday morning.
The chief constable told Bryant that lawful and proportionate options to facilitate the procession had been exhausted.
The court heard that dissidents may have mounted gun attacks on police if officers had cleared a route for the parade.
The Parades Commission initially barred the march, then allowed it to proceed on 27 September with restrictions after a court overturned its original decision.
Up to 1,000 people blocked the Garvaghy Road on 27 September, preventing the march from proceeding.
The ensuing stand-off between protesters and the Orange Order and its supporters lasted almost two weeks.
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Oil from a damaged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz has reached beaches in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Authorities closed the affected beaches until further notice amid environmental concerns.
Key Facts
A damaged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz caused an oil spill.
The spill reached beaches in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.
Authorities closed the affected beaches until further notice.
The spill has raised environmental concerns.
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Israel’s October 27 election produced no clear winner, and neither Benjamin Netanyahu’s nor Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc has the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority. Coalition talks will determine who can form the next government; official results are due November 4.
Key Facts
The Knesset has 120 seats, and a government needs support from at least 61 members.
Initial counting put Likud first among individual parties, with 27 seats; Netanyahu’s bloc was projected to have 54.
Four election-night polls gave Netanyahu’s bloc 51 to 55 seats and Eisenkot’s bloc 49 to 51 seats.
Arab-led parties Ra’am and the Joint List were projected to hold a combined 16 to 19 seats, but major political figures have ruled out joining them in a coalition.
Netanyahu’s bloc includes Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism, Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit.
Eisenkot’s opposition bloc includes Yashar, the Together list, Yisrael Beytenu and the Democrats.
After results are certified, the president gives a lawmaker considered likely to form a majority 28 days to assemble a government, with a possible 14-day extension.
Netanyahu remains caretaker prime minister during coalition negotiations and is standing trial on corruption charges, which he denies.
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Explorer Ash Dykes completed a 500-mile kayak journey down the Congo Basin in Africa. ABC News’ Danny New interviewed him about the paddle, during which he traveled alongside monkeys and hippos.
Key Facts
Ash Dykes completed a 500-mile kayak journey.
The route followed the Congo Basin in Africa.
Dykes encountered monkeys and hippos during the paddle.
ABC News’ Danny New interviewed Dykes about the journey.
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Two high-speed trains collided in Spain’s Toledo province, killing at least 10 people according to government sources cited by El País. Many people were injured, and a regional government spokesperson warned the death toll could rise; authorities had not determined the cause or injury count.
Key Facts
The collision occurred Wednesday morning in Toledo province, in central Spain.
Spain’s rail infrastructure authority suspended train services between Madrid and Andalucía after what it described as a rear-end collision.
Government sources told El País that at least 10 people had died.
A Castilla-La Mancha government spokesperson said the death toll would almost certainly rise.
The cause of the collision and the number of injured people had not been determined.
The trains were believed to be Iryo 7076, carrying 146 passengers and a baby, and AVE 2080, carrying 397 passengers.
A 2013 train derailment near Santiago de Compostela killed 80 people.
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Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city, has been cut off since early October after its two land routes closed, disrupting supplies and work. The United Nations reported that available food and fuel prices had more than doubled, water production had fallen by half, and families were struggling to afford food, water and cooking fuel.
Key Facts
Taiz has about 1 million residents, within Yemen’s population of roughly 43 million.
The Houthis took al-Turbah by October 4, cutting the main Taiz-Al-Turbah-Aden Road.
Government-aligned forces closed the eastern al-Houban crossing on October 3, citing attempted Houthi incursions.
The United Nations warned on October 20 that road closures and insecurity were blocking vital supplies.
Prices for food and fuel still available in Taiz had more than doubled, according to the article.
Taiz’s water production had fallen by half, and the cost of tanker-delivered water had roughly tripled, according to UN officials.
Yousef Farhan lost his cucumber-selling income after shelling and the siege forced the school where he worked to close.
Families in Taiz reported relying on limited foods, cooking with firewood and facing disruptions to children’s schooling.
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Two high-speed trains collided in Spain’s Toledo province on Wednesday, killing at least 10 people, according to Spanish state media and other reports. Officials warned the death toll could rise, and rail traffic was suspended while the incident was addressed.
Key Facts
Spain’s rail system operator ADIF said the incident happened Wednesday morning in Toledo province.
The collision involved an Iryo train and an AVE train, according to an ADIF spokesperson.
The trains were travelling on the Madrid-Seville route.
Spanish state media and other reports said at least 10 people had died.
Castilla-La Mancha government spokesperson Esther Padilla said the number of deaths was expected to increase.
Rail traffic was suspended, according to ADIF.
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Israel’s Central Elections Committee is still counting ballots. With more than 60% counted, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s camp is narrowly ahead of the opposition but has not secured a clear majority, so the result remains uncertain.
Key Facts
More than 60% of ballots had been tallied when the report was issued.
Netanyahu’s camp was narrowly ahead of the opposition in partial results.
The reported results did not give either side a clear majority.
The Central Elections Committee continued to count votes.
The partial results could change as counting continues.
The two leading candidates for prime minister traded criticism in speeches after polls closed.
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The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has caused 10,091 reported cases and 4,891 deaths across the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Kenya, with a case also confirmed in Nigeria. Africa CDC director general Jean Kaseya warned that the outbreak could spread beyond Africa and urged countries to strengthen screening, testing and treatment preparedness.
Key Facts
The outbreak is the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s history.
The outbreak was declared in Ituri province on 15 May, but virus sequencing indicates it began in February.
Of 10,091 reported cases, 10,060 occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where 4,887 people died.
Uganda and Kenya each reported two deaths.
Nigeria confirmed a case in Abuja in a woman who had arrived from Uganda; France also confirmed a case in a doctor who had returned from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Bundibugyo virus has no approved treatment, and vaccine trials are under way.
The response has faced shortages of protective equipment, unpaid health worker wages, conflict, mistrust, misinformation and cuts to global aid.
Kaseya called for cross-border cooperation and screening and testing at entry and exit points.
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At least 10 people died when two high-speed trains collided in Spain’s Toledo province on Wednesday morning, according to Spanish media. Rail service between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia was suspended, and local officials said passengers were injured and emergency preparations were underway.
Key Facts
ADIF, Spain’s rail system operator, said the crash happened Wednesday morning in Toledo province.
Spanish media reported that at least 10 people died.
TVE reported that the trains were traveling in the same direction and that one struck the rear of the other.
The collision reportedly knocked two train cars off the track.
Rail service between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia was suspended.
The mayor of Urda said civil protection authorities asked the town to prepare a sports pavilion for passengers.
Castilla-La Mancha regional president Emiliano García-Page said he was heading to the crash site.
The article says 45 people died in a separate train crash in southern Spain in January.
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