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The European Union has called on its member states to provide more warships to escort commercial vessels through the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the Aspides mission needs at least 10 ships, as requests for protection increase amid escalating Houthi activity and disrupted maritime traffic.
US President Donald Trump said the United States would not launch an attack on Iran before the midterm elections scheduled for early next month, referring to what he described as fruitful talks, while Tehran studies Washington’s comments on the “seven-day” plan amid continued US military preparations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a delegation from his country would travel to the United States on Friday and Saturday to discuss air-defence systems, additional protection measures and increasing pressure on Russia, while saying Kyiv had responded in kind to Russian attacks targeting Ukrainian data centres.
The European Parliament backed by 381 votes a resolution calling for a unified strategy to address the Muslim Brotherhood’s networks and influence, and to assess listing individuals and entities linked to it on the European Union’s terrorist organisations list, alongside stronger cooperation among member states on funding and activities associated with those networks.
Documents and accounts from officials said David Milstein, the US ambassador to Israel’s senior aide, withheld or rewrote embassy reports on settlements, settler violence and investigations into the deaths of Palestinian Americans. Ambassador Mike Huckabee denied the account, saying his team was focused on a “America First” agenda.
The arrest of a US Marine corporal suspected of killing Anna Yagi and stealing her belongings sparked protests in Okinawa and Tokyo, prompting the military leadership to suspend activities for two days and tighten restrictions on its personnel. The case has placed Sane Takaichi’s government under domestic pressure as Tokyo and Washington work to expand their defence cooperation.
Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip face harsh living and health conditions after three years of war. Fabric and plastic tents trap heat during the day, while families cannot cool them and face shortages of water, sanitation and protection from changing weather.
German investigations into August Hanning, the former head of the Federal Intelligence Service who is detained over suspected espionage, are expanding following reports of his relationship with a Chinese general and the possibility that he passed sensitive information to him. The reports also include possible contacts with Azerbaijani agencies, which Baku has strongly denied.
The coalition announced that it had intercepted two ballistic missiles that it said the Houthis launched towards Riyadh, while Saudi Civil Defence reported that shrapnel resulting from the interception and destruction of a missile caused material damage to a nursery and a medical clinic complex in the Saudi capital.
Witnesses and conflict-monitoring organisation ACLED said Ethiopian drones carried out several strikes against Eritrean forces and ammunition near Adigrat in northern Tigray after Eritrean soldiers crossed the border. Asmara rejected Ethiopia’s account, accusing Addis Ababa of crafting justifications for military action against it, amid escalating fighting and a diplomatic rupture between the two countries.
Ukrainian authorities said 30 people were killed and 18 injured in a Russian strike targeting two buses near the front line in the east of the country, amid continuing reciprocal raids and attacks. In Russia, Yandex said drones targeted a data centre in Ryazan, sparking a fire and forcing it to suspend operations entirely.
The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed requiring educational institutions to pay 70,000 US dollars for each new international student enrolling in the Optional Practical Training programme, and 30,000 US dollars upon renewal. The department says the plan targets fraud and misuse of visas, while education organisations warn of its impact on universities, innovation and the labour market.
A police officer was killed in an attack targeting a security patrol in Zahedan, while an armed attack targeted a minibus carrying army ground forces employees in Nikshahr. Security units are continuing to pursue those responsible for the patrol attack after announcing that they had identified them.
The number of vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz fell to just 7 on Tuesday, the lowest level since 23 July, amid an escalation in attacks on tankers. Crude oil volumes passing through the strait declined by 27%, while higher exports from the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea helped offset the shortfall.
The British consulate in Jerusalem has begun operating as the “British Mission” with a limited staff, amid Israeli banking concerns about settlement-related sanctions, reports of European restrictions on supplies and ports, an academic boycott, and tighter entry procedures for Israelis at Dutch airports.
Rebecca Grynspan retained the lead in the Security Council’s straw poll with 9 encouragement votes, topping the ranking for the fourth time in five rounds since July. The process of choosing Antonio Guterres’s successor remains dependent on avoiding a veto from any of the five permanent members before the nomination is referred to the General Assembly.
Britain removed the signs from its consulate in East Jerusalem as an Israeli deadline to close it expired, before announcing that the building would continue operating under the name ‘United Kingdom Mission in Jerusalem’. The two sides gave differing accounts of the diplomats’ status: Israel said the consul general and 20 staff members were leaving, while London said the temporary withdrawal of some staff and their families was for safety reasons.
Signs were removed from the British consulate in East Jerusalem before Israel’s deadline for its closure expired, while London considers a diplomatic response that could include expelling Israeli diplomats. The escalation comes as Israeli banks voice concerns about possible British sanctions on institutions involved in financing settlement expansion in the West Bank.
Workers removed signs from the British consulate in East Jerusalem after a 30-day Israeli deadline to close it and withdraw its diplomats expired. The move comes amid a diplomatic crisis linked to British sanctions on settlements, while London considers expelling Israeli diplomats in response to the decision.
The Houthi group announced on Thursday, 8 October 2026, that it had launched a ballistic missile at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, saying the attack disrupted air traffic. There was no immediate Saudi confirmation of the latest reported attack, which came a day after three people were reported killed and 36 injured in attacks on Riyadh and Abha airports.
The US government has requested a study into allocating part of the Trump International Golf Club in Florida as an official base for hosting presidents and international summits. The proposal commits Donald Trump to covering construction costs, with the project to be completed after he leaves office while the rest of the course remains managed by his family company.
Hamas rejected claims by the Israeli military that militants had left Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza and that explosive devices had been removed from the facility, describing them as a disinformation campaign to justify targeting medical facilities. The statement followed shelling around the hospital and the death of a civil defence worker while travelling to help rescue the injured.
US authorities launched investigations after an F-35 cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door reached China via Hong Kong because a warning about the shipment’s route was ignored. The incident raised concerns that the two radar-absorbent components could be subjected to reverse engineering.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said a tanker was targeted with several projectiles 51 nautical miles north of the Qatari city of Al Shamal, causing injuries. It said authorities were investigating the incident and urged vessels in the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity.
Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip face harsh living and health conditions after three years of war. Fabric and plastic tents trap heat during the day, while families cannot cool them and face shortages of water, sanitation and protection from changing weather.