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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
IRAN WAR
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps today said two oil tankers and a tugboat had caught fire in separate incidents after attempting to use unauthorized routes through the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC said one tanker struck a mine while attempting to cross a passage south of the strait, while another supertanker caught fire while exiting the route in the eastern part of the waterway. Ahmed Tolba reports for Reuters.
IRAN WAR – YEMEN
Saudi state news agency SPA yesterday reported the kingdom’s defense ministry signed a cooperation agreement with its Syrian counterpart. The agreement was signed during a visit by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh, where al-Sharaa met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Menna Alaa El-Din and Yomna Ehab report for Reuters.
IRAN WAR – OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
The U.S. Treasury Department yesterday issued new sanctions against companies and individuals based in India and Turkey for their support of Iran. The sanctions are part of President Trump’s administration’s “Operation Economic Outcast,” which aims to cut off Iran’s ability to sell oil to fund itself during its war with the United States and Israel. Andrea Shalal reports for Reuters.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region police today said the death toll caused by the Russian bombing of an aid distribution center in the village of Komyshuvakha on Monday has now risen to 42. The police also said 33 people remained buried beneath the rubble. Lina Golovnya reports for Reuters.
The Russian military today said it hit logistics and transport targets in various regions of Ukraine overnight. JekaterĪna Golubkova reports for Reuters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday said he spoke with U.S. Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Brussels, Belgium ahead of trilateral talks with Russia and the United States. Zelenskyy said the trio spoke for 90 minutes in anticipation of the talks set to be held on Nov. 10-11 and focused on “postwar recovery.” Ryan Mancini reports for The Hill.
Zelenskyy in an interview with PBS News yesterday expressed doubt that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk could have acted alone last month when Starlink slowed down in Ukraine, impacting the country’s military capabilities. Zelenskyy said because Starshield is the “government version,” he was not sure Musk could “do it personally alone, without any representatives from American government.” Suryatapa Chakraborty reports for The Hill.
Zelenskyy yesterday arrived in Spain for talks on boosting Ukraine’s air defenses and other meetings during the Ibero-American summit. Zelenskyy on social media said he planned to speak with U.S. officials in the run-up to the planned three-way talks in Abu Dhabi next week. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s office said Sanchez would meet with Zelenskyy today. Jesus Aguado and Emma Pinedo report for Reuters.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan today said he wanted to speak to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine, after talks with Zelenskyy last Saturday. Erdogan said his foreign minister and other relevant officials were holding talks with Russia and Ukraine for a potential meeting in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there were no concrete plans at the moment but one could be organized at short notice if necessary. Tuvan Gumrukcu reports for Reuters.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto will present a new military aid package for Ukraine to Italian lawmakers next week, sources told Reuters today. The package is expected to be approved after Crosetto briefs the COPASIR parliamentary intelligence and security committee on Nov. 10. Angelo Amante reports.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
The Polish Internal Security Agency today said Polish authorities arrested four people on charges of spying for Russian intelligence services and providing them with military components, and two others accused of participating in an organized criminal group have been placed under “non-custodial preventive measures.” The six suspects include five Poles and a Russian woman. The agency said the detainees conducted activities on behalf of the Russian special services and participated in activities supporting the military potential of Russia. Pawel Florkiewicz reports for Reuters.
U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham today told The Economist that Putin would not be invited to next year’s G20 summit in the United Kingdom. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in September said the United States had invited Putin to a G20 meeting in Miami in December, and added that it would provide an opportunity for Putin to engage with Trump and other world leaders. Sam Tabhriti reports for Reuters.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development yesterday said it faces a €500 million shortfall for emergency repairs to the Chernobyl reactor “New Safe Confinement.” The bank warned that international funding is needed to avert potential environmental disaster after damage to the steel structure built over Reactor 4 caused by Russian attacks in Feb. 2025. Elena Giordano and Ben Makuch report for POLITICO.
Hubert Aiwanger, the leader of German conservative party Free Voters, yesterday was found dead at a Berlin hotel. Aiwanger was the state of Bavaria’s deputy governor and economy minister, and had planned to make a speech yesterday afternoon at the opening of his party’s Berlin office. AP News reports.
French trade unions today went on strike across cities in a renewed challenge to French President Emmanuel Macron. The mobilisation comes after demonstrations over living costs, public services, and education. Trade union CGT Head Sophie Binet told local news that “we need to turn up in big numbers on the streets today.” French riot police fired tear gas and charged a group of protesters in Lyon. Lucien Libert and Clotaire Achi report for Reuters.
A Norwegian court yesterday ruled that the stepson of Norwegian King Haakon, Borg Hoiby, will remain under house arrest with an electronic ankle monitor as he awaits an appeal over his convictions for rape. Hoiby in June was sentenced to four years in prison for two counts of rape as well as domestic violence and other crimes. The decision overturned a Monday lower court ruling that said Hoiby could be released. Terje Solsvik reports for Reuters.
The European Commission yesterday said the EU could conclude accession negotiations with Montenegro by the end of this year, and could sign an accession treaty with the country as soon as Jun. 2027. The commission said that “for the first time since 2011… the EU is in a position to soon close accession negotiations with another candidate country.” Lili Bayer reports for Reuters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bid to remain prime minister has been weakened after ultra-Orthodox Jewish party United Torah Judaism withdrew its longstanding support for Netanyahu and an Arab-led party endorsed his rival Gadi Eisenkot. Israeli President Isaac Herzog has until Nov. 11 to decide who he will nominate as the candidate to become prime minister and form Israel’s parliament. Maayan Lubell and Alexander Cornwell report for Reuters.
Bangladesh’s ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina today told AP News that she remains committed to returning to Bangladesh next month despite being sentenced to death over her government’s deadly crackdown on protestors. Hasina fled to India on Aug. 5, 2024 when student-led protests forced her from power. The U.N. has said in a report that nearly 1,400 people were killed by her protest crackdowns. Hasina said “if death is my destiny, I would rather die on the soil of my own country, among my own people.” Julhas Alam reports.
Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong today was sentenced to 10 years in jail for colluding with foreign forces. Wong lobbied foreign lawmakers to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China in order to pressure officials in China for greater democratic rights in Hong Kong. Wong has already spent six years in jail, and was due to be freed in Jan. 2027 before he pleaded guilty to new charges on Sep. 2, 2026. Abel U and Kelly Ng report for BBC News.
Japan’s Ministry of Finance today denied pushing for Myanmar to be removed from the global financial watchdog Financial Action Task Force’s blacklist. Myanmar was added to the FATF’s blacklist in 2022 after a military coup. The ministry said “there is no fact that the Japanese government sought to have Myanmar removed from the FATF blacklist. Japan hopes that Myanmar will make the necessary improvements to strengthen its measures against money laundering and related illicit activities.” Poppy McPherson and Hyunjoo Jin report for Reuters.
U.S. MIDTERM DEVELOPMENTS
Vice President JD Vance on social media yesterday said the Iran war was the reason the Democrats won the midterm elections. Trump’s son Donald Jr. quickly endorsed Vance’s comments. Vance stated that “if you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree to disagree, that’s at least honest.” Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf today mocked Vance on social media, and said “Losing gambler energy, can’t walk away from the table. Boss is prepping the next war phase while America teeters on an Israel-First cliff. Skip the TED talk. Why not say this to your boss?” Herb Scribner reports for Axios; Marie Thirion reports for POLITICO.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) yesterday formally launched his bid for speaker of the House in a letter to colleagues obtained by Axios. Jeffries is widely expected to secure the speaker’s gavel and would be the first African American to serve in the role. Andrew Solender reports.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) yesterday told Republican aides that he would not run to lead the House Republican conference in the minority, sources told the New York Times. House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) yesterday formally announced he will run for minority leader, and will likely face competition from current House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA). Catie Edmondson and Michael Gold report; Sudiksha Kochi and Rebecca Beitsch report for The Hill.
House Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) yesterday told CNN that he plans to trigger a vote to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth when Congress returns next week. Multiple Republican sources said they expect the motion to pass, and added that Hegseth oversold the United States’ ability to win the Iran war quickly and easily. Separately, Trump publicly backed Hegseth and said “I think he’s doing a very good job.” Adam Cancryn, Sarah Ferris, Zachary Cohen, and Alayna Treene report; Phil Stewart and Steve Holland report for Reuters.
House Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) yesterday tripled down on her endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate race. Stevens on social media said her beliefs were “never measured by who would win at the ballot box,” and that she doesn’t “regret it, but I am truly sorry that it upset some of my colleagues and people I care about personally.” Ryan Mancini reports for The Hill.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
Founder of Apollo Global Management Leon Black yesterday filed a defamation lawsuit against House Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), accusing Garcia of lying about the extent of Black’s involvement with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Black is seeking $7 million in damages from Garcia. In Sep. 2026 the House of Representatives approved a resolution to hold Black in contempt for failing to respond to subpoenas to appear before Congress to answer questions and turn over documents, and Black then sued the committee, arguing the subpoenas were invalid. Ashley Ahn reports for POLITICO.
A state appellate court yesterday ruled that the rollout of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s (D) new pied-à-terre tax, which targets second homes valued at $5 million or more, was legal and can move forward. The decision overturned the lower court’s ruling that said the surcharge unlawfully put the burden on homeowners to prove their residency status when city officials could verify that information themselves. James Fanelli reports for the Wall Street Journal.
New York Attorney General Letitia James yesterday stepped back from the criminal investigation of the Cornell 7 case, and appointed former Manhattan federal prosecutor Jacqueline Kelly. Kelly will still report to James, but James herself won’t be involved in the probe and all decisions will be made by Kelly and her team. James said she was confident Kelly would “lead a fair and comprehensive investigation.” Corinne Ramey reports for the Wall Street Journal.
Manufacturing giant 3M yesterday agreed to a $7.35 billion settlement over personal injury claims related to its manufacture of “forever chemicals” used in firefighting foams. The company has faced thousands of lawsuits over these chemicals, which have been linked to health issues including cancer and problems related to the immune system, thyroid, and fertility. Rachel Frazin reports for The Hill.
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