World News: 4 November 2026

The US Treasury Department issued new sanctions targeting a network of companies and individuals it described as aiding Iran's petroleum and aviation sectors. The measures named Indian nationals Suniel Kumar Sharma and his wife, along with nine connected entities, for providing false flags to sanctioned vessels. A Turkey-based company, Fugo Group Services Inc, was also sanctioned for supporting Iran's aviation industry.

Ethiopia ordered six staff members of Sudan's consulate in Assosa, also called Asosa, to leave within 48 hours and closed the mission. The move came after Sudan accused Ethiopia of allowing the Rapid Support Forces to launch drone attacks on its infrastructure, while Addis Ababa denied supporting the paramilitary group. Sudan had complained to the United Nations Security Council and the African Union's Peace and Security Council.

The death toll from a Russian missile strike on an aid distribution center in Kamyshuvakha, Ukraine, climbed to 40, with more than 30 people still missing under the rubble. President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attack as insane, noting that nine bombs hit the site after residents had gathered for humanitarian aid. Bodycam footage released by Ukrainian police shows the moments between the two strikes, which also hit a nearby shelter.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky awarded US First Lady Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olha, 1st Class, for her role in brokering a temporary ceasefire in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky. The agreement allowed for the evacuation of civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid. Russian and Ukrainian delegations are scheduled to meet at the White House on Thursday to discuss the outcome of the initiative.

Yemeni government forces said they seized Houthi fortifications and barracks in the al-Dahida mountain range in eastern al-Jawf province, backed by fighter jets and drones. The gains extend Operation Dawn of Yemen into its second month, with forces also claiming positions in Taiz and Lahij. Houthi strikes killed eight at a training camp in al-Dhalea and four in Taiz.

Russian attacks on critical infrastructure caused hours-long power and water outages across Kyiv and surrounding regions. Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 310 drones overnight, including 81 jet-powered drones, and that it downed or suppressed 272. Rescuers in the Zaporizhzhia region were still searching for survivors three days after bombs hit a school and shelter in Komyshuvakha, killing 37.

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said that a party shift in the United States will not end Washington's hostility toward Tehran. In a statement marking the National Day of the Fight Against Global Arrogance, he said Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz had shattered the myth of America's invincibility. Other Iranian officials struck a more optimistic tone after Democrats took control of both chambers of Congress.

The Houthis' siege of Taiz has lasted 30 days, affecting about 1.5 million people in the city and hundreds of thousands in the wider area. The United Nations has repeatedly warned of a catastrophe as food, medicine, fuel and water become increasingly scarce. Yemeni officials called it the worst catastrophic siege imposed on a Yemeni city since the war began in 2014.

Indonesia deployed 20,980 personnel to Jakarta as it investigated an alleged illegal wiretapping operation targeting President Prabowo Subianto and other prominent figures. President Prabowo dismissed chief of staff Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, arrested with two other senior police officers over the surveillance. The palace said the conduct could be regarded as leading toward treason, while the military called the deployment standard procedure.

About 3,300 Palestinians have returned to their homes in Hebron after Israeli forces ended an 11-day military operation that began following the killing of two Israeli soldiers. Residents found widespread destruction, vandalism, and demolished facilities, with local officials estimating direct economic losses at over 12 million shekels per day.

The displacement severely impacted the city's economy and infrastructure, leaving families to clear debris and repair damaged properties.

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has won Michigan's Senate race, defeating Republican Mike Rogers and becoming the first Muslim elected to the US Senate. The 42-year-old physician, son of Egyptian immigrants, campaigned on universal healthcare and an end to US military aid for Israel. His victory gave Democrats a decisive Senate majority after they took control of the chamber.

Israel's election commission certified last week's parliamentary vote after finding no fraud, a blow to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claims that Arab-led parties stole the election. The committee said a review of 9,069 polling stations found no irregularities that compromised the results. President Isaac Herzog will consult parties to choose a candidate, likely Netanyahu or opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, to form a government.

Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Americans have said no to war after the midterms, warning the US if it betrays public will. The IRGC said four tankers were destroyed after hitting naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz and that it shot down a US MQ-9 drone. President Donald Trump said the Iran war and higher gasoline prices hurt Republicans, while indirect talks continued with little sign of a breakthrough.

Xavier Becerra, the Democratic former health and human services secretary, was elected governor of California, becoming the state's first Latino governor since 1875. The son of Mexican immigrants defeated Republican Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host endorsed by President Donald Trump. Becerra vowed to resist Trump's agenda and address affordability, housing, homelessness and wildfire risk in the state.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said four rogue oil tankers were destroyed after hitting naval mines while trying to traverse a prohibited route in the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC said the incident occurred south of the waterway and that its forces also intercepted two other vessels.

Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated three-term Texas Governor Greg Abbott, becoming the state's first Latina governor and ending Abbott's bid for a fourth term. The upset gave Democrats their most consequential victory in Texas in a generation, as the state has not elected a Democratic governor since Ann Richards in 1990. Hinojosa, a five-term state representative from Austin, said Abbott called to congratulate her and offered transition help.

Democrat Troy Jackson defeated five-term Republican Susan Collins in Maine, ending her nearly three-decade tenure in the US Senate in one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 midterms. Jackson, a former lumberjack and state senate president, won a closely fought race marked by disputes over living costs and Trump's agenda. Collins, who had served since 1997, conceded early Wednesday after Republican groups spent heavily on the race.

Republican Byron Donalds won Florida's governor's race, becoming the state's first black governor, while Republican Ashley Moody retained her Senate seat. The wins kept key Florida offices in Republican hands as Democrats took full control of Congress. Donalds, backed by President Donald Trump, succeeded term-limited Governor Ron DeSantis, and Moody beat Democrat Angie Nixon in the special election for the seat previously held by Marco Rubio.

Iran said the US response to its seven conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz was unconvincing, with Mohsen Rezaei saying Washington must fully address them. President Donald Trump confirmed US strikes on an anti-aircraft facility on Qeshm Island, calling the operation a minor attack and not war. Qatar said it was facilitating real-time exchanges of proposals, while Trump told CBS News the war would end when he says it ends.

A public inquiry into the $368bn Aukus nuclear submarine agreement called the plan the worst, riskiest and most costly defence decision ever made by an Australian government. Led by Peter Garrett and Adm Chris Barrie, it urged immediate termination, suspension of new base plans and a royal commission. The report said Australia risks being dragged into conflict with China and that the Stirling defence precinct could become a de facto US base.

Democrat Sherrod Brown, who lost his Senate seat two years ago, defeated incumbent Republican Jon Husted in Ohio. Husted, a Trump ally, was appointed in early 2025 to replace Vice President JD Vance. The race cost more than $500 million and was central to control of the Senate. Brown, who championed labor unions, will serve until January 2029.

Democrat James Talarico has won the US Senate race in Texas, defeating Republican Ken Paxton and ending a 38-year drought for Democrats in the state's Senate seats. The former schoolteacher's victory, achieved after more than $500m was spent in the race, helped Democrats take control of the Senate. Talarico said the result proved that money was no match for Texas voters.

Hackers raised the temperatures of refrigeration systems at supermarkets in Germany, Romania and the United Kingdom, bringing the number of European countries affected by the cyberattacks to at least 11. The EU said the attacks, which spoiled tonnes of food, were not isolated and promised a collective response. No one had claimed responsibility, and a Romanian official said he did not suspect a state actor.

North Korea fired several missiles from its eastern coast into the Sea of Japan, South Korea's military said, marking its fourth weapons launch in a month. The tests came a day after Pyongyang denied involvement in a Binance hack of more than $6bn, dismissing an FBI announcement as a trite provocation. Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, said dialogue with Washington is unnecessary until the US abandons its hostile policy.

South Africans voted in local elections to choose leaders of nearly 300 municipalities, with the ANC facing discontent over water outages, power cuts and crumbling infrastructure. Polls showed it on course for less than a third of the vote, down from 45.6% in 2021 and 40.2% in the 2024 national election. Johannesburg was a key battleground, with Democratic Alliance candidate Helen Zille campaigning against local failures.