Three bodies found at Krakow gunman's home; Poland declares national mourning
Polish police searching the Krakow gunman's home in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski found three more bodies — two women and one man — and Prime Minister Donald Tusk said there were "strong indications" the dead were the suspect's close relatives, though their identities and causes of death remain unconfirmed. The shooting itself killed six people, four women and two men, and injured at least 15; Poland's police chief confirmed a British citizen was among the dead and five of the injured were foreign nationals. Tusk called the attack an act of terrorism, and the president has declared national mourning for November 8-9, with Krakow mourning until November 11.
The most important world events of the past 24 hours
Three bodies found at Krakow gunman's home; Tusk says victims may be his close relatives
🐱 Scout field reporter · Krakow square shooting follow-up
The Krakow Main Market Square shooting took a major new turn as police searching the 25-year-old gunman's home in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski found three more bodies — two women and one man. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said there were "strong indications" the dead were the suspect's close relatives, though their identities and causes of death remain unconfirmed. The shooting itself killed six people — four women and two men — and injured at least 15; Poland's police chief confirmed a British citizen was among the dead and five of the injured were foreign nationals. The president has declared national mourning for November 8–9, and Krakow will mourn until November 11.
Background: The gunman drove into the square at around 3 p.m. on November 7 and opened fire at random with an AR-15-style rifle before police shot and detained him; the interior minister said he was fascinated by far-right ideologies and held "very radical views," and Tusk called the attack an act of terrorism.
Russian missiles hit Kyiv, killing six; US, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators to meet in Abu Dhabi on November 10
🐱 Scout field reporter · Russian strikes hit Kyiv
Russia fired 36 ballistic missiles and 172 drones at Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight on November 6–7; the New York Post, citing Ukrainian officials, reported six people killed — including a 7-year-old child — and at least nine injured (single source, unverified). Energy facilities, residential buildings and the Northern Bridge over the Dnipro were damaged, cutting power, heating and water in parts of the capital. Ukraine struck back overnight, hitting the Saratov oil refinery and starting a major fire. Trilateral talks are set for November 10–11 in Abu Dhabi, with Russia's delegation led by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky and including Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and senior military officials for the first time; the US team will be led by Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Background: This is the Trump administration's fourth attempt at brokering talks, the last round having been held in Geneva on February 17–18; Trump said a deal was "within reach" after meeting Putin envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Israeli president taps Eisenkot to form government in setback for Netanyahu
🐱 Scout diplomat · Eisenkot tapped to form Israeli government
Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced on Saturday night that he was giving opposition leader and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot the first opportunity to form the next government, with the formal mandate to be presented at 5 p.m. on Sunday. Eisenkot will have 28 days to build a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension. In the October 27 election, Netanyahu's Likud won 27 seats — the largest single party — but his bloc took only 53; Eisenkot's centrist Yashar party won 21 seats and his bloc 48, with Arab parties holding 19. In consultations, 67 lawmakers recommended Eisenkot and 46 backed Netanyahu.
Background: Eisenkot is 13 seats short of the 61 needed for a majority and will have to win over parties his allies have resisted working with; Netanyahu, who had just called for a "national unity government," remains caretaker prime minister.
Former Paraguayan president Santiago Peña appeared before prosecutors in Asunción on Saturday morning and was formally charged that afternoon with breach of trust, as an instigator, and administration for personal benefit; former central bank president Carlos Carvallo was also charged. Prosecutors asked a court to hold both men in pre-trial detention and freeze their assets, and the judge has not yet ruled. Peña denies all accusations; Vice President Pedro Alliana was sworn in as president on Friday and will serve out the term until August 2028.
Background: The Senate voted 44–0 on Friday to remove Peña over the collapse of digital bank Ueno, which left about three million customers unable to access their money, citing conflicts of interest, manipulation of oversight and diversion of pension funds.
Political developments and international relations
France's fourth Saturday protest shrinks sharply; clashes erupt at end of Paris march
France held its fourth Saturday of cost-of-living protests on November 7, with the Interior Ministry counting 146,000 demonstrators nationwide — 46,000 in Paris — against organisers' claim of 250,000, far below the 550,000 of the first round on October 17 and the fourth weekly decline in a row. Some 70,000 police were deployed; by the evening, 360 people had been arrested and nearly 40,000 preventive identity checks carried out. The Paris march from Place de la République to Place de la Nation was largely peaceful, but police used tear gas and stun grenades to clear crowds lingering at Place de la Nation; there were also clashes in Lyon, with 13 arrests, and about 100 Yellow Vests gathered at the banned Concorde rally, where coordinator Benjamin Ball and spokeswoman Azelma Sigaux were arrested.
Background: The movement began on October 17 as a social-media call against fuel price rises and has grown into a nationwide student and union campaign; Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will hold a labour "social conference" on Monday, November 9, and education unions have called another national strike for Tuesday, November 10.
New Zealand election leaves no clear winner; ruling coalition clings to slim majority as Opportunity emerges as kingmaker
New Zealand's general election on Saturday produced no decisive winner: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's National Party won 42 seats, the largest bloc, but together with its traditional partners ACT (13) and New Zealand First (12) it holds only 67 seats in the 131-seat parliament — a two-seat majority. Labour won 36 seats but narrowly beat National in the popular vote. The centrist Opportunity Party crossed the 5% threshold with 5.96% of the vote and seven seats, entering parliament for the first time as a potential kingmaker. Official results, including special votes, are due on November 27, and coalition talks could drag on for weeks.
Background: National's vote share crashed to 29.2% from 38.1% in 2023; Luxon called the result "too close to call" but said his party had a pathway to govern, while Labour leader Chris Hipkins has not conceded.
Miller pick draws fire from both parties: House Republicans call it a "horrible decision" as Democrats vow investigations
President Donald Trump's decision to make Stephen Miller his White House chief of staff drew fierce criticism from both parties. House Republicans told Fox News Digital it was a "horrible decision" — Rep. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana said so on the record, while anonymous colleagues spoke of "utter disbelief" and one called Miller "a megalomaniac who should have never been given the keys to the Ferrari"; retiring Rep. Don Bacon said Miller had taken an immigration policy that favoured the president and "over-reached." Democrats were equally sharp: Senator Dick Durbin called Miller a "hatemonger," Chuck Schumer called it the worst possible choice, House leader Hakeem Jeffries branded him a "dangerous xenophobe," and Democrats vowed investigations of the Trump administration and Elon Musk's DOGE in the new Congress.
Background: Miller, the architect of Trump's hardline immigration policy since 2015, takes over on Monday, November 9; supporters including Senators Mike Lee and Eric Schmitt praised him, and Steve Bannon called him a "perfect pick."
Vance publicly blames Iran war for midterm rout as he builds a 2028 brand
Vice President JD Vance has publicly blamed the war in Iran as a reason for the Republican Party's midterm defeat, calling for a swift end to the conflict, a renewed focus on affordability and a reassessment of the relationship with Israel — a move widely read as building his own brand for 2028. The break with the administration's line contrasts with Trump's decision to promote hardliner Stephen Miller, exposing open disagreement inside the party over who bears responsibility for the losses.
Background: In the November 3 midterms, Democrats retook both chambers of Congress, and about six in ten voters said the war on Iran was a mistake.
Berkshire Hathaway's operating profit falls as cash pile hits a record $377.4 billion
Berkshire Hathaway reported third-quarter operating earnings of $12.7 billion on Saturday, down 5.8% from a year earlier, as insurance underwriting profit fell 43% — with car insurer GEICO the main weak spot — while revenue rose 11% to $105.65 billion and net earnings fell 28% to $22.1 billion. Under new chief executive Greg Abel, the company accelerated buybacks, repurchasing $9.6 billion of its own stock in the quarter, its most in 2026, plus about $2 billion more in the first four weeks of October; its cash and short-term securities reached a record $377.4 billion. Berkshire shares hit record highs this week and are up more than 13% this year, beating the S&P 500.
Background: Warren Buffett stepped down as chief executive in May 2025, with Abel taking over; markets will get their first chance to react when trading resumes on Monday.
Anthropic IPO roadshow starts next week as valuation talk slides to $1.1–$1.3 trillion
Anthropic will press ahead with its stock market debut, starting its IPO roadshow next week and targeting a Nasdaq listing in the week of November 16, ahead of Thanksgiving, which would make it the first pure-play AI company to go public. But prospective buyers are now discussing a valuation of $1.1 trillion to $1.3 trillion, Bloomberg reported, and the Wall Street Journal said one investor suggested about $1 trillion — far below the roughly $2 trillion floated in early October and the $1.5 trillion used in mid-October. Third-quarter revenue was $17 billion, with growth halving to 47% and a swing back to a $567 million operating loss; the raise could shrink from $100 billion to around $80 billion.
Background: The Nasdaq fell 5.5% on November 5 into correction territory, and Democrats' midterm win raised fears of tighter restrictions on data centre construction, weighing on the AI trade.
Sources: Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Reuters (3 outlets)
Tech companies, research breakthroughs and digital policy
OpenAI closes $11 billion first tranche at a $1.25 trillion valuation
OpenAI has closed the first $11 billion tranche of a new funding round at a $1.25 trillion valuation, with the money arriving on November 6; the round could total about $20 billion, with the remainder expected to close in the coming weeks, and SoftBank and MGX are reported to have taken part in the first close. The terms are far below the $300 billion at a $1.4–$1.5 trillion valuation OpenAI sought in September, reflecting tighter funding conditions after the sell-off in AI stocks.
Background: OpenAI raised $122 billion at an $852 billion valuation in March; the new valuation is about 47% higher than that round.
Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters, Financial Times (3 outlets)
Military developments, security situations and conflicts
Iran lifts its self-imposed 2,000 km limit on ballistic missile ranges
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday they had lifted a self-imposed limit of about 2,000 kilometres on the range of the country's ballistic missiles, suggesting Tehran may seek weapons able to reach more distant targets. Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi, the Guards' spokesman, told a news conference marking Aerospace Week that the restriction "has been lifted for us," after Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered an immediate and effective response to any threat "without geographical limits" and a review of military target lists covering US and Israeli assets. Mohebbi cautioned that the new reach had to be demonstrated in practice, not merely announced; there is no evidence Iran currently has an operational missile beyond the old limit, with its longest declared systems credited at or near 2,000 km.
Background: The 2,000 km ceiling dated to 2017, set under former supreme leader Ali Khamenei as a reassurance aimed at Europe; Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported the Guards also said they would prepare for a change in nuclear doctrine if the leadership ordered one.
After new US strikes on Qeshm, Qatar says talks have not failed and no Iranian retaliation is confirmed
President Donald Trump confirmed on Friday that US forces carried out "minor strikes" on an Iranian air defence facility on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, saying it was knocked out "in about 15 minutes, maybe five" — the first US action against Iran since the midterm elections. Iranian state media reported two missile strikes in the Suza area, and Iran's army said its air defences shot down a US MQ-9 drone, which Washington has not confirmed. Qatar said on Saturday that reports of failed US-Iran talks were false and that mediation continued; Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he had spoken with 12 foreign ministers in 48 hours, and Tehran has proposed reopening the strait if the US lifts its port blockade and unfreezes Iranian assets. No Iranian retaliation had been confirmed by the end of the window.
Background: This was the second publicly reported US strike on Qeshm in five days; Turkey's President Erdogan urged Trump to pursue diplomacy, and US advisers are split over further strikes.
Houthis claim six strikes on Riyadh airport and Aramco sites; Saudi Arabia has not confirmed them (single source, unverified)
Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed on Saturday that they carried out six missile and drone operations against Saudi targets, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Aramco oil storage tanks and a distillation tower in the capital, Aramco facilities in Khurais, Pumping Station No. 8 in Dawadmi, and Saudi troop gatherings in Najran, Al-Jawf and Marib, saying the operations achieved their objectives and were retaliation for Saudi airstrikes on a market in Taiz. Saudi Arabia did not immediately confirm the attacks or the extent of any damage; its civil defence issued a threat alert for Najran on Saturday and lifted it about 10 minutes later.
Background: The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a Houthi cruise missile aimed at the Riyadh region on November 6; a Houthi attack on Riyadh airport on October 10 killed 12 people.
Sources: Houthi claim (via TASS), Institute for the Study of War (2 outlets)
DR Congo Ebola outbreak becomes the largest in the country's history, WHO says: 10,668 cases, 5,198 deaths
The World Health Organization said on November 6–7 that the Bundibugyo-strain Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo — 10,668 confirmed cases and 5,198 deaths as of November 3 — has become the largest Ebola outbreak in the country's history, with a case fatality rate of 48.7%. Another 512 deaths were reported since October 21, 335 of them in communities, and transmission continues in 51 of the 67 affected health zones across eight provinces. The WHO also announced that two new vaccine candidates — Oxford's ChAdOx1 and Moderna's mRNA-1469 — will join clinical trials; there is no approved vaccine or proven treatment for the Bundibugyo strain.
Background: Militants raided the village of Cantine in North Kivu late on November 5, killing at least 33 civilians and forcing about 180 patients to flee a nearby hospital, including one confirmed Ebola case and five suspected cases, halting the local response.
China-related news (international media coverage only)
China confirms talks on a possible Xi-Trump-Putin meeting at the Shenzhen APEC summit
China has confirmed for the first time that it is discussing a possible meeting of Xi Jinping, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen on November 18–19. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on November 4 that China "is in communication with relevant parties regarding a meeting between the three heads of state," but gave no date, agenda or format, and Beijing has announced no final decision. The Financial Times reported officials from the three countries had held secret talks for two weeks, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on November 3 that work was underway to arrange the meeting.
Background: Trump is expected to travel to Shenzhen for a third meeting with Xi this year and wants to discuss nuclear arms control; Putin is focused on the war in Ukraine, without Kyiv at the table; analysts say the gathering would most likely be a photo opportunity.
US presses China to "fully and immediately" honour the Busan deal at trade officials' video meeting
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng held a video meeting on the evening of November 6 with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. The US side urged China to "fully and immediately" implement the Busan agreement reached in October 2025, focusing on farm purchases such as soybeans and on rare earth and critical mineral exports, while China expressed "serious concerns" about recent US trade and economic restrictions. Both sides agreed to keep using the consultation mechanism, but it remains undecided whether partial tariff exemptions for some Chinese goods expiring on November 10 will be extended.
Background: The Busan deal was the trade truce reached after the two leaders met in October 2025; the two leaders are expected to meet again on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen on November 18–19.
Sources: Bloomberg, US Treasury, Deutsche Welle (3 outlets)
