Krakow shooting suspect dies in hospital; investigation continues
Polish police said on Monday that the 24-year-old gunman suspected of killing six people in Krakow's Main Market Square has died in hospital. The suspect, who officials said was apparently inspired by 'far-right ideologies', was shot by officers after opening fire on Saturday and had undergone multiple operations before dying early on Monday morning. Prosecutors are continuing their terrorism investigation to establish whether he acted alone or was inspired by any group; the nine victims — six in the square and three family members found at his home — have all been identified.
The most important world events of the past 24 hours
Houthi missiles strike Riyadh; Aramco tower damaged by debris as Sanaa toll rises to at least 40
🐱 Scout field reporter · Houthi missiles strike Riyadh
Yemen's Houthis launched a fresh round of missile attacks on Saudi Arabia on Sunday. The Saudi-led coalition said air defences intercepted several ballistic and cruise missiles aimed at Riyadh and southern regions, but falling debris struck an Aramco administrative building in the King Abdullah Financial District, blowing out windows across several floors. The energy ministry said damage was limited and no one was hurt. The Houthis said they carried out six operations targeting Riyadh airport and Aramco facilities in retaliation for Saudi air strikes; the Houthi-run health ministry said the death toll from Saturday's strikes near Sanaa had risen to at least 40, most of them women and children (a Houthi figure, not independently verified).
Background: The UN-brokered truce between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis collapsed in 2022, and fighting resumed in July, with the Houthis repeatedly striking Saudi airports, ports and oil facilities; a Houthi attack on Riyadh airport on 10 October killed 12 people.
Russian strikes cut power to 850,000 in Ukraine ahead of Abu Dhabi talks
🐱 Scout field reporter · Russian strikes hit Ukraine's power grid
Overnight Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure left about 850,000 people without electricity: energy company DTEK said more than 600,000 people in the Dnipropetrovsk region lost power, nearly 250,000 customers in the Kharkiv region were cut off, and 140 apartment buildings in the Zhytomyr region lost heating. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia also launched a drone strike on the Komyshuvakha aid distribution site, where the death toll from an earlier bombing has risen to 55. US-Ukraine-Russia talks are scheduled for 10–11 November in Abu Dhabi, and France's foreign minister said Europeans would take part.
Background: The strikes are Russia's latest pressure ahead of negotiations; Zelenskyy accuses Moscow of trying to push Ukraine into darkness to force concessions. The previous large-scale attack came on the night of 6–7 November, when Russia fired 36 ballistic missiles at Kyiv.
COP31 opens in Antalya, focused on implementation over new pledges
🐱 Scout diplomat · COP31 opens in Antalya
The 31st UN climate conference (COP31) opens today in Antalya, Türkiye, running until 20 November. Türkiye hosts and holds the presidency while Australia leads the negotiations, the first shared presidency in the talks' history; a World Leaders' Summit is scheduled for 11–12 November, which French President Emmanuel Macron will not attend. The presidency has billed the summit as a "COP of implementation" and proposed a voluntary goal of raising electricity's share of final energy demand from about 20% today to 35% by 2035. A UN synthesis shows the 127 new national climate plans submitted point to 2035 emissions just 6% below 2019 levels, against the roughly 60% cut a 1.5°C pathway requires.
Background: The United States formally withdrew from the Paris Agreement at the start of this year and will send no official delegation, only members of Congress and businesses; two roadmaps left over from COP30, on moving away from fossil fuels and halting deforestation, remain unfinished business.
Sources: Le Monde, Council on Foreign Relations (2 outlets)
Poland's National Prosecutor's Office formally opened an investigation on Sunday, merging the Krakow square shooting, which killed six people, and the deaths of three people at the gunman's home into a single case to be investigated as an offence of a terrorist nature. Post-mortem examinations on all nine victims will begin on Monday morning and continue into Tuesday. The 24-year-old suspect remains in critical condition, and prosecutors will decide on Monday what steps to take if he survives. Krakow's mayor has called a solidarity vigil on the Main Market Square for Monday at 8pm, Pope Leo XIV has sent condolences, and President Karol Nawrocki intends to award state honours to the two wounded officers; cybercrime investigators have joined the inquiry to examine the gunman's online activity.
Background: The gunman drove into the Old Town square on the afternoon of 7 November and opened fire at random with an AR-15 rifle before police shot and detained him; the interior minister said he was influenced by far-right ideology, and Poland is observing national mourning on 8–9 November.
Political developments and international relations
ANC posts worst result in history at 30.76% as final results confirm coalition era
South Africa's Electoral Commission formally declared the final local election results on Sunday night: the ruling African National Congress (ANC) won 30.76% of the vote and 3,246 council seats, its worst result in any election since 1994; the Democratic Alliance (DA) came second with 24.64%, and former president Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto weSizwe party third with 9.76%. Only 74 of 213 municipal councils produced an outright majority, leaving 139 to be governed through coalitions or minority arrangements; among the eight metros, the DA won an outright majority only in Cape Town, leading Johannesburg with 34.79% against the ANC's 20.25%. Turnout was 52.29%.
Background: The ANC won 45.6% in the 2021 local elections; secretary-general Fikile Mbalula called the result "catastrophic" but said the party would not beg for mayoral posts in coalition talks. Newly elected councils must hold inaugural meetings within 14 days to elect mayors.
Sources: Reuters, Electoral Commission of South Africa (2 outlets)
Paraguay's ex-president Pena ordered into pretrial detention
A Paraguayan judge on Saturday ordered former President Santiago Peña held in pretrial detention at a military facility, saying detention was necessary to ensure he remained in the country while the case proceeds; Peña has been charged with breach of trust and administration for personal gain, each carrying up to 10 years in prison, and his lawyer said he pleads not guilty. Former central bank chief Carlos Carvallo was also ordered into pretrial detention, charged with breach of trust, producing false public documents and administration for personal gain; prosecutors have also asked for the men's assets to be frozen, and the court has yet to rule.
Background: The Senate voted 44–0 on Friday to impeach and remove Peña over the collapse of digital bank Ueno, which has about 3 million customers, amid allegations of conflicts of interest, regulatory manipulation and misuse of pension funds; Vice President Pedro Alliana has been sworn in as president.
PM Burnham: closer EU ties will ease cost of living; Brussels deals due November 20
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Sunday that closer food and farming ties with the EU could help bring down the cost of living, and that he is due to sign a series of deals with the bloc on 20 November in Brussels, covering lower post-Brexit trade barriers on food and farming, closer cooperation on emissions trading, and easier movement for young people to work, live and study in Europe and vice versa. He said the summit "doesn't need to be the end of our ambition", while stressing that any decision on rejoining the EU rests with the public. Former EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier warned Britain cannot pick and choose elements of the single market.
Background: Burnham became prime minister on 20 July 2026, succeeding Keir Starmer; a decade after the Brexit vote, the cost of living dominates British politics.
Miller takes over as chief of staff as Dana White turns down press secretary job
Hardline aide Stephen Miller formally takes over as White House chief of staff on Monday, and Reuters reports the move signals President Donald Trump plans to ramp up confrontation in his final two years, pressing on with an aggressive immigration crackdown and giving no ground to a Democratic-controlled Congress. Trump on Saturday ordered the Justice Department to "look into" Democrats he accused of sending "threatening letters", and said the country had taken a "giant step back" in the midterms. UFC chief Dana White has turned down the offer of White House press secretary, CNN reported citing a source familiar with the matter, but said he would fly to Washington to meet Trump on Monday; the post has been vacant since Katie Zacharia left after five days in October.
Background: Miller has followed Trump since 2015 and designed his hardline immigration policy; Democrats won control of both chambers in the midterm elections, and about six in ten voters said the war with Iran was a mistake.
Oil falls at Monday open as Trump says fresh Iran strikes 'unlikely'
Oil prices fell at Monday's open after President Donald Trump told CNN in a phone interview that he was "highly unlikely" to order fresh attacks on Iran as long as talks to end the conflict progress. Brent was down 0.64% to $97.67 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate fell 0.40% to $90.51. Brent has fallen more than 10% over the past week as the war premium unwinds, and Saudi and Qatari stock markets closed about 0.8% and 0.5% lower on Sunday.
Background: Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted, and Qatar's mediation between Washington and Tehran continues with no comprehensive settlement announced; Trump had hinted at renewing major attacks after last week's midterm elections, but there has been no sign of a large-scale US military operation.
Nikkei plunges nearly 6% on Friday, falling below 60,000; futures point to rebound
Japan's Nikkei 225 plunged 5.96% on Friday to 57,434.77, its fifth consecutive daily decline and a weekly fall of 9.25%, dropping below the psychologically important 60,000 level; the broader TOPIX index fell 5.90% to 3,707.99, down 6.48% for the week. Selling spread from semiconductor and technology shares to banks, manufacturers and retailers. Nikkei futures in Osaka finished the overnight session at 58,250, pointing to a recovery of more than 1% at Monday's open; this week's focus is US October consumer prices on Tuesday and earnings from SoftBank, Honda and others.
Background: The selloff reflects doubts about the sustainability of AI investment, which has driven a global tech rout; the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.09% on Friday and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 4.21%.
Tech companies, research breakthroughs and digital policy
Nvidia board opens independent probe as Huang apologises over alleged spy affair
Nvidia's board opened an independent investigation on Sunday into whether chief executive Jensen Huang was the target of a Chinese intelligence effort, hours after Huang told staff he had been unfaithful to his wife and apologised. Independent directors, assisted by outside independent counsel, will oversee the investigation, and Huang will remain at the helm. A US intelligence memo said Megaspeed executive Alice Huang had been recruited by China's Ministry of State Security to gather information on Huang and push him to support easing chip export controls on China; Secretary of State Marco Rubio had warned Trump administration officials about Huang's ties to the woman. Three Republican House committee chairmen have asked Huang to appear for a closed-door briefing on 18 November.
Background: The New York Times also found that New Matrix, an approved buyer of Nvidia H200 chips, operates from an empty office in China, with owners linked to a firm blacklisted since 2024; Alice Huang has not been charged, and Singapore authorities released her after questioning in 2025.
Anthropic IPO roadshow yet to start as valuation talk slides toward $1 trillion
Anthropic's initial public offering roadshow, which was supposed to begin this week, has not started, and three major investors who plan to buy into the Nasdaq listing told the Wall Street Journal the $1.5 trillion valuation will likely need to come down toward $1 trillion, with a delay and a smaller offering also under consideration. Bloomberg reported prospective investors are discussing $1.1–$1.3 trillion, far below the roughly $2 trillion hoped for in early October; Polymarket put the odds of a listing by 20 November at about 30%.
Background: The Nasdaq fell 5.5% on 5 November, its worst day since April 2025; Anthropic's third-quarter revenue reached $17 billion, but growth slowed to 47% and the company returned to an operating loss.
Sources: Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg (2 outlets)
Military developments, security situations and conflicts
Gulf of Oman shipping tensions: US disables M/V Huda; UAE rescues 22 from burning freighter
Maritime tensions in the Gulf of Oman escalated over the weekend: US Central Command said American forces disabled the St Kitts-flagged cargo vessel M/V Huda on Saturday after its crew allegedly tried several times to breach the US naval blockade of Iran. The UAE Coast Guard rescued 22 crew members from a cargo ship that caught fire in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday; all were Arab nationals in stable condition, and authorities did not name the vessel or say what caused the fire. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency also reported a tanker fire near Khasab, Oman, with its crew evacuated; Iran's Revolutionary Guards said two tankers had struck mines near the Strait of Hormuz (single source, unverified).
Background: Washington says it has redirected 147 vessels and disabled five merchant ships that refused to comply since July; the International Maritime Organization's register recorded 129 confirmed incidents across the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East as of 5 November, with 24 confirmed seafarer deaths.
Sources: UAE National Guard, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (2 outlets)
More than 30 vehicles pile up in fog on M20; two seriously injured
More than 30 vehicles collided on the London-bound M20 in Kent at about 6.41pm on Saturday in thick fog, leaving two people seriously injured and taken to hospital, while paramedics treated 11 others at the scene. The motorway was closed in both directions between junctions 8 and 9 and reopened at about 5am on Sunday; the Met Office had a yellow fog warning in place, and police are asking for dashcam footage as they investigate the cause.
Background: Reports said smoke from a fireworks display at nearby Leeds Castle may have worsened visibility, but authorities have not confirmed it; the M20 is the main route linking London with the ports at Dover, and the closure caused disruption across Kent well into Sunday morning.
250 couples marry in mass wedding amid Gaza's ruins
About 250 Palestinian couples married at the same time in a mass wedding ceremony on the Gaza City beachfront, held among destroyed buildings and tents sheltering displaced people. The ceremony was organised by the UAE's Operation Gallant Knight 3 humanitarian mission as the third edition of its "Thawb Al Farah" (Garment of Joy) programme; the 250 grooms were chosen by public lottery from 11,622 applicants, and each couple received cash assistance and household supplies.
Background: Gaza's first winter storm of the season flooded about 70,000 tents over the weekend, leaving tens of thousands without shelter; the wedding coincided with the third anniversary of Operation Gallant Knight 3, launched on 5 November 2023, with earlier editions held in December 2025 and April 2026.
China-related news (international media coverage only)
China steps up Middle East diplomacy with Iran and Oman meetings
China is stepping up its diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, including over the US-Israel war on Iran, after a lapse in activity. Foreign Minister Wang Yi met a senior Iranian security official in Beijing on Monday, while President Xi Jinping hosted Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq for a landmark state visit, the first by an Omani head of state since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1978. Beijing also announced that its special envoy on the Middle East, Zhai Jun, will visit Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia this month, urging dialogue on the US-Iran conflict.
Background: The step-up follows a period of reduced Chinese diplomatic activity in the region since the war with Iran broke out in February; Qatar's mediation between Washington and Tehran continues, with no comprehensive settlement announced.
PBOC moves to curb yuan's rapid rise, lifting FX reserve ratio to 6%
China's central bank has raised the foreign-exchange reserve requirement ratio for financial institutions from 4% to 6%, effective 15 November, a move expected to withdraw an estimated $24 billion of foreign-currency liquidity from the financial system. The yuan has appreciated more than 5% against the dollar during 2026, supported by strong exports, large trade surpluses and companies converting foreign-currency earnings into yuan, squeezing exporters' profit margins; the onshore yuan weakened as much as 0.37% to 6.6728 per dollar after the announcement on 3 November.
Background: The reserve requirement is the central bank's standard tool for managing foreign-exchange liquidity and moderating the pace of currency appreciation.
