Islamist-aligned Yemeni movement controlling parts of northern Yemen, waging war since 2014 and shaping regional diplomacy.
Leaked death-certificate data from more than 11 million records has shown nearly 392,700 fatalities explicitly linked to the war from Feb. 24, 2022, to late August 2026. Ukrainian officials have reported record monthly Russian casualties in October, and Western intelligence and open-source analysts report modest Ukrainian territorial gains and intensified strikes on civilian energy infrastructure.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has reported that multiple oil tankers and a tugboat have caught fire after striking naval mines or being hit while transiting routes it calls unauthorised in and near the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command has said it has cleared primary transit routes; independent maritime confirmation is absent. Reports include crew evacuations and at least 22 rescued.
Saudi air defences have intercepted missiles and drones launched by Yemen’s Houthi militia; falling shrapnel has damaged an Aramco administrative building in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District but caused no injuries. The Saudi-led coalition says it has destroyed Houthi missile launchers in Yemen; local authorities have lifted early-warning alerts after assessing limited damage.
Syria has joined intelligence and advisory efforts with Saudi Arabia over Yemen, with reports indicating Syrian fighters and advisers are being deployed within or near Saudi and Yemeni fronts. The cooperation follows a Mecca pact and defense accords, while Syrian officials have downplayed or rejected deployment claims.
Arab and Gulf states strengthen security coordination amid regional tensions. Egypt pledges defensive support to Saudi Arabia, stressing that Saudi security is tied to Egyptian and wider Arab stability. Qatar moves toward defence autonomy, while Gulf states push to blunt Houthi attacks and secure maritime routes.
Mediators have signalled progress in talks over Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has presented conditions and proposals, while Washington warns that delays could escalate risk. Talks are ongoing, with mediators in regular contact with the White House as both sides seek a path to a deal.
Clashes between Ethiopia’s Oromia and Somali regional forces have forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee across the border into Kenya’s Marsabit County. Humanitarian agencies have reported up to 50,000 crossings, mostly women and children. Aid groups and Kenyan authorities are scaling emergency assistance as local leaders warn host communities are stretched.
Iran warns it will retaliate against any renewed attacks as shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continue. Tehran says US-Israeli pressure has escalated tensions, while regional diplomacy seeks de-escalation amid talks with Mecca pact states and Mecca alliance discussions.
Nigeria has isolated two suspected Ebola cases in the northeast and is carrying out contact identification, listing and laboratory testing, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has said. The cases follow an imported Bundibugyo infection confirmed in Abuja on 23 October in a Swiss national; she and her husband have been evacuated to Switzerland. Today is Tue, 03 Nov 2026 05:59:28 +0000.
Taiz remains encircled by Houthi forces, with road links to Aden blocked and UN agencies warning of dwindling water, fuel and food. More than 800,000 people in Taiz are cut off from aid, while hospitals report critical shortages as aid deliveries become increasingly difficult.
Houthi strikes continue to target Saudi Arabia as high-level diplomacy among regional powers and Iran-backed groups shows a push for dialogue. The Saudi-led coalition says missiles and drones intercepted; Houthis claim a broad range of operations hitting several energy and military targets across the kingdom.
Pakistan’s army chief has visited Tehran twice this month with Saudi and Turkish officials. Spokesman Chaudhry says the trips signal cautious optimism in de‑escalation efforts amid a widening regional security dynamic following Mecca pact ties and ongoing Iran-US tensions.
Israel’s election has produced no clear winner. Exit polls project Netanyahu’s Likud-led bloc and Eisenkot’s Yashar alliance each short of 61 seats, with Arab parties seen as potential kingmakers. Final results are pending official tallies and coalition talks will determine the next government.
Diplomats from the Mecca Defense Alliance and Iran meet in Tehran as regional mediators push for de-escalation amid US-Iran tensions. Discussions focus on regional security and a potential framework that could reduce US security guarantees; Tehran signals no immediate concessions on core issues.
Lebanese farmers are returning to olive groves along the southern border despite ongoing clashes with Israel. The Lebanese Army accompanies harvests as drone surveillance and past bombardments shape this season, with thousands of hectares burned and access limited since 2023. Local families say the harvest remains vital to income and sustenance, even as the danger persists.
A private geospatial firm has found that Russian military and government satellites have been orbiting above Saudi oil and military sites before and after missile and drone strikes between July and October. Investigators and Saudi officials have linked the satellite activity to improved targeting by Iran-backed Houthis and allied militias, which has hit pipeline pumping stations and a Saudi air base.
Arab-led lists are projected to win a record number of seats in Israel’s Knesset, potentially making them kingmakers in a hung parliament. Netanyahu faces a coalition dilemma as exit polls show no clear majority, and opposition blocs weigh cooperation with Arab parties to form a government.
Mediators report ongoing talks between Iran and the United States to end the war, with Tehran demanding immediate end to the Strait of Hormuz blockade and the US lifting sanctions. Qatar and other regional actors coordinate efforts, while potential drafts circulate. Diplomatic activity follows regional de-escalation talks and limited military actions in the Strait.
Arab News and Al Jazeera report a thaw in Turkish, Iraqi and Syrian relations. Erdogan plans a Syria visit; Iraq-Syria dialogue focuses on security, energy and trade. Damascus and Baghdad are reviving energy links and coordinating on regional stability.
The Yemen conflict has escalated as the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government exchange daily attacks since the summer truce broke down. Explosions have rocked Riyadh and other sites, with missiles intercepted and civilian casualties reported. The humanitarian crisis deepens as aid groups warn of collapsing healthcare in Yemen.
The 49th Dakar Rally has been relocated from Saudi Arabia to Africa, with Algarve hosting the prologue and first stage and Morocco hosting 11 stages including a rest day in Agadir. The event runs January 9–23, 2027, covering 7,824 km, and will return to Saudi Arabia in 2028.
Vessel attacks and mine-related incidents in the Strait of Hormuz have continued to unfold, with multiple tankers struck or halted and evacuation operations underway. The crisis has intensified amid Iran's insistence on a designated route and ongoing US and allied responses. No crew injuries or environmental damage have been reported in the latest events.
Syria and Saudi Arabia have signed a defence-cooperation agreement during Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to Riyadh, as Riyadh seeks allied backing amid ongoing Houthi attacks in Yemen. The pact adds to a network of security pacts and comes as Syria weighs entry into the Mecca alliance to bolster deterrence and regional stability.
Canelo Alvarez has reclaimed the WBC super-middleweight title with a 12-round decision over Christian Mbilli in Riyadh. Judges score 115-112, 116-111, 117-110 as Alvarez, 36, seals the belt on his return to action after more than a year out and closes a chapter on Mbilli’s first world title defense.
UN rights officials have called for a prompt, independent investigation into the death of Mohammad el-Shami, a UN OHCHR staffer detained by Yemen’s Houthi authorities since June 2024. Families have only recently been informed, and researchers warn of broader risks to detained workers as the humanitarian crisis deepens in Yemen.
Sudan’s humanitarian agencies warn that urgent funding is depleting critical shelter stocks, with three in four displaced people being women and children. In Yemen, sieges and blocked roads have left hundreds of thousands without access to shelter, food, and medicine as aid delivery narrows to a fraction of needs.
A round-up of recent reviews across Arab News and The Guardian, highlighting critiques of new thrillers, dramas and horror films, with a focus on performances, direction and tonal ambitions.
A blast in Athens’s Plaka district has killed six people, including four Americans. Investigators say suspects removed copper piping from a gas line to sell for scrap, triggering a major gas leak and the fatal explosion. Warrants have been issued for the three suspects on charges of arson, manslaughter and related offences.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff has said the United States will mediate working-level trilateral talks between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi on November 10–11. Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to lead the U.S. delegation; lower-level U.S. officials will meet European and NATO representatives in Brussels this week to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine.
The Asian Football Confederation has postponed the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia from 7 January 2027 to 23 December 2027–21 January 2028. Organisers have said "exceptional circumstances" and logistical and travel disruptions have made the original dates untenable. Saudi domestic fixtures have been rescheduled and other regional sporting events have been cancelled or delayed.
Yemen’s government says Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps networks are directly guiding Houthi military operations, with experts plotting missiles, drones and maritime attacks. Authorities warn of renewed regional risk as fighting persists and international pressure grows. The issue features claims from Yemeni officials and documented activity across Hodeidah, Sanaa, and Taiz.
Palestinian communities face demolitions in East Jerusalem and the West Bank amid renewed Israeli settlement activity. Bedouin camps near Bir Al-Maskub are disrupted, while other demolitions and land seizures threaten residences across Jerusalem’s periphery and the Negev. Rights groups warn of a broader push to displace Palestinians as settlement expansion proceeds.
Gaza’s health ministry reports a rising death toll and ongoing casualties as Israeli strikes and gunfire persist, despite a ceasefire framed last year. Hospitals warn of healthcare strain amid shortages and displacement.
A firefighting helicopter in Indonesia has crashed into a river during a water-bombing mission in South Kalimantan, killing one crew member and injuring others. Two foreign pilots were reported safe, as authorities investigate the cause amid ongoing wildfire suppression efforts across Borneo and Sumatra.
A Kenyan court has sentenced pastor Paul Mackenzie to 200 years in prison after convicting him and 28 followers of murdering 191 people, mainly children, by ordering them to starve at the Shakahola forest camp. Authorities have exhumed more than 400 bodies and prosecutors have said investigations into additional deaths are continuing.
Since Tuesday, U.S. force actions in the Strait of Hormuz have intensified amid warnings of further strikes. Tehran is pushing seven conditions for negotiations, while international mediators seek a path to reopen the strait and avert wider conflict.
European airlines and Irish media outlets have faced a fresh wave of hoax bomb threats this week, prompting evacuations and fighter-jet escorts for several flights. While no explosives have been found, authorities say the threats appear coordinated across airlines and media organisations, with Ireland warning of a serious disruption as EU meetings approach.
Imane Khelif has announced a December 15 professional bout in Paris, seeking to reclaim momentum after Olympic gold amid a gender-eligibility dispute that briefly sidelined her. She will face undefeated Dutch boxer Clarida Sarabia in a six-round super-welterweight clash.
Fighting between Yemen's Houthi movement and the Saudi-backed government has intensified after a summer lull. New airstrikes have killed civilians, with tolls rising and both sides blaming each other. The conflict risks dragging Yemen back into a multi-year humanitarian catastrophe as fighting concentrates around Taiz and the Red Sea coast.
The conflict in Yemen has intensified as Saudi-led airstrikes hit al-Shariyah near Sanaa, killing dozens including women and children, with varying casualty tallies reported by different sources. The United Nations says over 1,600 people have died and more than 300,000 displaced since the renewed fighting began. Abjections blame and counter-blaming continue as regional actors weigh further consequences.