Fighting between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis escalated, with missiles aimed at Riyadh, Dammam and Aramco's home city of Dhahran, while drones sank a merchant ship off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast. Hurricanes caused deaths in Florida and Mexico, and Europe approved its largest Russia sanctions package yet. Elsewhere, Hungary reversed an Orbán-era anti-LGBTQ law and Formula 1 announced a return to Africa.
Saudi strike near Sanaa prompts Houthi missile barrage on Saudi cities
The Saudi air force struck a fuel depot near Sanaa, and the Houthis responded by firing missiles at several Saudi cities, including Riyadh and Dammam. In Dhahran, a Saudi Aramco administrative building partly burned after Saudi forces intercepted a missile over the city. The Houthis also said they targeted Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport for a third day running.
Why it matters: Attacks on Saudi airports and Aramco facilities threaten the world's largest oil exporter and air travel across the Gulf.
Yemen's Houthi movement has controlled Sanaa since 2014. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 to back Yemen's internationally recognised government, and cross-border missile and air attacks have recurred throughout the conflict.
Drones hit two ships off Bulgaria, sinking one; Sofia blames Russia
Unidentified drones struck two merchant ships off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, and one sank. Eleven crew members are missing and 20 have been rescued. Prime Minister Rumen Radev blamed Russia and summoned its ambassador, after a similar attack six days earlier.
Why it matters: Attacks on shipping in the waters of an EU and NATO member raise the risk for Black Sea trade and for European security.
The Black Sea has been an active war zone since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and commercial shipping there has repeatedly been hit. Bulgaria is a member of both NATO and the EU.
EU approves its 22nd and largest sanctions package against Russia
The Council of the European Union adopted a 22nd round of sanctions over Russia's war in Ukraine. It lists 1,569 individuals and entities linked to Russia's military-industrial complex, the largest set of listings to date.
Why it matters: The package widens restrictions on companies and people who supply Russia's war effort, affecting trade networks well beyond Europe.
The EU has imposed successive rounds of sanctions on Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The measures target finance, energy, trade and the individuals and companies that support the war.
Pakistan detains hundreds from Imran Khan's party under emergency rule
Pakistan's federal government suspended the PTI-led administration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and imposed emergency rule there. It then detained hundreds of PTI members, including former chief minister Sohail Afridi and other provincial officials, as protests lost momentum.
Why it matters: Removing an elected provincial government deepens Pakistan's political confrontation and adds to concerns over democratic rule.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is the party of former prime minister Imran Khan, who was ousted in 2022 and later jailed. The party has governed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and has been in a long confrontation with the federal government and the military establishment.
Conflict · Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Joseph Kabila launches rebel coalition to topple DR Congo government
Former Congolese president Joseph Kabila announced a political-military coalition called the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation. It brings together the M23, Twirwaneho and the Congo River Alliance, and says its aim is to overthrow President Félix Tshisekedi's government.
Why it matters: A former head of state openly leading armed groups could widen the war in eastern Congo and draw in more of the region.
Kabila ruled the DRC from 2001 to 2019 and was succeeded by Tshisekedi. The M23 rebels have seized large parts of eastern Congo; UN experts and Kinshasa say the group is backed by Rwanda, which denies arming it.
Hungary's parliament repeals most of 2021 anti-LGBTQ law
Hungary's National Assembly passed an amendment repealing most provisions of the child protection law adopted in 2021 under former prime minister Viktor Orbán. Critics had described the law as anti-LGBTQ.
Why it matters: The repeal removes a long-running source of conflict between Budapest and the EU over rights and the rule of law.
The 2021 law restricted depictions of homosexuality and gender change to minors, and the European Commission challenged it at the EU's top court. Orbán's Fidesz government was later replaced by a new administration.
WHO reports surge in suspected cholera cases in Yemen
The World Health Organization reported a sharp rise in suspected cholera cases in Yemen over the past three weeks. Yemen previously endured a cholera outbreak that lasted six years amid its humanitarian crisis.
Why it matters: A renewed outbreak adds to pressure on a population already weakened by years of war and a damaged health system.
Years of conflict have left Yemen with one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with damaged water and sanitation systems. These conditions previously fuelled one of the largest cholera outbreaks on record.
Hezbollah pledges cash aid to families whose homes were destroyed
Hezbollah spokesperson Ali Damoush said the group will pay $14,000 to families in Beirut and its suburbs whose homes were destroyed or made uninhabitable in its war with Israel. Families elsewhere in Lebanon will receive $12,000.
Why it matters: Who funds Lebanon's reconstruction shapes the political standing of Hezbollah and the Lebanese state.
Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shiite political and armed movement that has fought several wars with Israel. Fighting with Israel destroyed large numbers of homes, especially in southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs.
Two dead as Hurricanes Rachel and Simon strike Mexico's coasts
Two deaths were reported after Hurricanes Rachel and Simon made landfall in Mexico. The governors of Guerrero and Baja California, Evelyn Salgado and Marina del Pilar Ávila, confirmed the deaths.
Why it matters: Two storms striking at once stretch emergency response along Mexico's Pacific coast.
Mexico's Pacific coast, including Guerrero and the Baja California peninsula, is regularly hit by eastern Pacific hurricanes. Guerrero was badly damaged by Hurricane Otis in 2023.
Passenger train derailment near Multan kills at least seven
A passenger train derailed near Multan in Punjab province, killing at least seven people. More than 40 others were injured.
Why it matters: The crash adds to long-standing concerns over the safety of Pakistan's ageing rail network.
Pakistan's state-run railway carries millions of passengers, and deadly derailments and collisions recur. The network is widely reported to suffer from ageing tracks and equipment.
Formula 1 announces Rwanda Grand Prix, its first African race since 1993
Formula 1 will hold a grand prix in Kigali on a new track from the early 2030s, under a deal lasting at least 10 years. It will be the first F1 race in Africa since South Africa hosted one in 1993.
Why it matters: It returns one of the world's most-watched sports to Africa after more than three decades.
Africa has been absent from the Formula 1 calendar since the 1993 South African Grand Prix. Rwanda has invested heavily in hosting major international sporting events.
Prosecutors drop three of four charges in Sara Duterte impeachment
Prosecutors in the impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte dropped three of the four articles in order to speed up proceedings. The Senate, sitting as the impeachment court, approved the change.
Why it matters: The trial's outcome could decide whether a leading potential presidential contender is barred from office.
Sara Duterte, daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte, was impeached by the House of Representatives amid a bitter feud with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. She denies the allegations against her.
Chinese court sentences three triad members to death over Myanmar scam centres
A Chinese court sentenced three triad members to death for crimes tied to scam centres in Myanmar's Kokang region. The charges included fraud, drug trafficking, illegal gambling, prostitution and the murder of two Chinese citizens.
Why it matters: The sentences show how forcefully Beijing is pursuing cross-border scam networks that defraud victims across Asia and beyond.
Scam compounds in Myanmar's border areas have trafficked workers and defrauded victims worldwide. China has pressed for crackdowns, and powerful Kokang crime families have been handed to Chinese authorities.
FBI arrests two and raids Texas 'laptop farms' in North Korea IT scheme
The FBI arrested two men in Ohio and Pennsylvania over an alleged scheme in which North Korean remote workers obtained jobs. Agents seized about 187 computers and devices from more than 40 suspected laptop farms in Texas.
Why it matters: US officials say such schemes channel earnings to North Korea in spite of sanctions, and they expose companies to security risks.
US authorities say North Korean IT workers use false identities to take remote jobs at Western companies, with help from domestic 'laptop farms' that host company-issued devices. The earnings are alleged to fund Pyongyang's weapons programmes.
Ex-gang leader Keffe D gets at least 40 years for Tupac Shakur murder
A Clark County court in Nevada sentenced former Crips leader Duane 'Keffe D' Davis to a minimum of 40 years in prison. He was convicted of orchestrating the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas.
Why it matters: The sentence brings a legal conclusion to one of music's most notorious unsolved killings, nearly three decades later.
Tupac Shakur was shot in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in September 1996 and died days later. Davis was arrested in 2023 after years of public comments about the shooting.
Hall and Woodford win Nobel economics prize for work on macroeconomic stabilisation
American economists Robert Hall and Michael Woodford jointly won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. They were honoured for work on the microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stabilisation.
Why it matters: Their research underpins how central banks set interest rates and manage recessions worldwide.
The economics prize is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Woodford is known for influential work on monetary policy rules, and Hall for research on business cycles and labour markets.
Getty Images to file for Chapter 11 and go private
Getty Images said it will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing is part of a restructuring deal under which the company will go private.
Why it matters: The restructuring of a major photo library highlights the strain on image licensing businesses as AI changes visual media.
Getty Images is one of the world's largest suppliers of stock and editorial photography. It has also been in legal disputes with AI firms over the use of its images to train models.
Technology · Menlo Park, California, United States
Character.ai files for bankruptcy citing costs and teen-suicide lawsuits
Chatbot company Character.ai filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It cited its costs and litigation, including lawsuits linked to teen suicides.
Why it matters: The collapse shows the financial and legal risks facing consumer AI companies over harm to young users.
Character.ai lets users chat with AI personas and became popular with teenagers. Families have sued it, alleging its chatbots contributed to self-harm, and the company says it has added safety measures.
Delta postpones Atlanta–Riyadh flights after Houthi attacks
Delta Air Lines postponed its planned direct service between Atlanta and Riyadh. The airline acted after Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
Why it matters: The postponement shows how the fighting is disrupting commercial links between the Gulf and the West.
Saudi Arabia has been seeking more international air connections as part of its effort to diversify its economy. Missile threats to Saudi airports have periodically disrupted aviation in the kingdom.
Netherlands refuses visas to three Russian gymnasts for world championships
The Netherlands denied visas to Russian gymnasts Anna Kalmykova, Viktoria Listunova and Angelina Melnikova for the world championships in Rotterdam. Four other Russian gymnasts were allowed to enter.
Why it matters: The decision shows that the war in Ukraine continues to shape Russian participation in international sport.
Russian athletes have faced bans or neutral-status restrictions in many sports since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Host countries also control entry through their visa decisions.
Ülle Madise, who was elected by the Riigikogu in September, took office as Estonia's president, succeeding Alar Karis. She called for trust to be rebuilt.
Why it matters: Estonia's new head of state takes office as a frontline NATO member on Russia's border.
Estonia's president is a largely ceremonial head of state elected by parliament or an electoral college. Madise previously served as the country's Chancellor of Justice.
Teenager opens fire at school in Aubagne, injuring two staff
A 14-year-old student fired a gun at a middle school in Aubagne, in southern France, injuring two staff members. The student was then detained.
Why it matters: School shootings are rare in France, so the incident is likely to raise questions about youth access to firearms.
France has strict gun laws, and school shootings there are uncommon. Several recent knife attacks at French schools have heightened concern over school safety.
Cornell suspends fraternity social events after alleged gang rape
Cornell University suspended all fraternity parties and social events for the rest of the 2026–27 academic year. The move follows allegations that seven Chi Phi members drugged and gang-raped a student in 2024.
Why it matters: The campus-wide ban adds to pressure on US universities to tackle sexual violence linked to Greek life.
Fraternities at US universities have faced repeated scrutiny over hazing and sexual assault. Cornell has previously restricted fraternity events after misconduct allegations.
Indonesia releases 20 rescued green sea turtles off Bali
Indonesian authorities returned 20 protected green sea turtles to the sea off Bali. The turtles had been seized last week from an empty boat abandoned by wildlife smugglers.
Why it matters: The release is a small win against the illegal trade threatening an endangered marine species.
Green sea turtles are endangered and protected under Indonesian and international law. Bali has a history of illegal trade in turtle meat and shells.
Brent crude stayed elevated at $105.69 a barrel, slipping 0.9% on the day even as Houthi missiles targeted Riyadh and Aramco's base in Dhahran, while natural gas jumped 3.66% and is up 13.4% over the month. Global stocks were mixed: the Nikkei fell 1.82% and the Bovespa 1.04%, the Euro Stoxx 50 lost 0.55%, while India's Sensex rose 1.54% and the S&P 500 was flat. The dollar index eased 0.39% and the euro gained 0.4%, but the US 10-year yield remains high at 5.217%, a backdrop for a run of US corporate bankruptcies. Gold dipped 0.32% and Bitcoin rose 1.63%.
Gulf conflict and energy risk
Houthi missile attacks on Saudi cities, airports and an Aramco building keep pressure on energy markets, with Brent holding above $105. Natural gas rose 3.66% on the day, while airlines are already cutting back Gulf routes.
Europe's Russia security squeeze
A drone attack that sank a ship off Bulgaria and the EU's largest sanctions package raise the costs of the war for European trade. The Euro Stoxx 50 fell 0.55% and is down 1.5% over the month.
High rates and corporate distress
With the US 10-year yield at 5.217%, Getty Images and Character.ai both turned to Chapter 11, the latter also citing litigation costs. The Nobel prize for research on macroeconomic stabilisation highlights the policy debate over interest rates.
Softer dollar, divergent emerging markets
The dollar index fell 0.39%, yet Asian and Latin American markets went separate ways: the Sensex rose 1.54% while the Nikkei fell 1.82% and the Bovespa dropped 1.04%. The yen remains weak at about 158 per dollar.
Commodities cool
Gold slipped 0.32% and is down 4.0% over the month, while wheat and copper also edged lower on the day.