The White House says Melania Trump secured a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in Oleshky. Residents of the southern Ukrainian town have reported that its food crisis is worsening.

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The White House says Russia and Ukraine agreed to a temporary ceasefire in frontline Oleshky, brokered by Melania Trump, to enable humanitarian aid and civilian evacuations. The White House gives October 29 as the start date, while officials in Russia and Ukraine say it will take effect on October 27.

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Storm Austen has brought huge waves, uprooted trees and damaged boats to France and the UK. Gusts reached 160 km/h in Brittany, while fallen branches blocked roads in southern England.

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Hurricane-strength winds from Storm Austen left nearly 300,000 electricity customers without service in western France on Friday, hindering road, rail and other transport. The storm also prompted airport closures.

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The first major storm of autumn is sweeping across northwestern France. Named Austen by UK forecasters, it is bringing violent gusts, disrupting transport and leaving 161,000 homes without power.

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A source in Jordan’s security service said at least seven people were killed and about 10 injured in an attack on a funeral procession near a Christian church in Al-Karak. Witnesses said two masked gunmen fired from a vehicle for several minutes before fleeing. Security forces sealed roads into the city and began searches.

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State television said Friday that a shooting inside a church in Jordan’s Karak governorate left an unspecified number of people dead or injured; those responsible were not identified.

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The Economist reports that a US proposal to end the war could offer Ukraine an investment program and EU membership in return for abandoning its NATO bid. For Russia, it would ease sanctions and partly restore economic and political ties with the West, while establishing a demilitarized zone in the part of Donetsk not captured by Russian forces. The plan may also resume Russian gas supplies to the EU. Ukrainian officials know only its broad outlines, and details remain unclear.

Ukraine warUS peace planNATOEuropean Union

Russia says it is ready for peace talks with Ukraine and the United States, though commentators doubt negotiations would make substantial progress and Europe fears being sidelined. Iran warns that renewed hostilities with the US and Israel would bring far higher enemy casualties, amid reports of a possible operation after the US midterms. Hungary has put the Paks II nuclear project on hold.

Russia-Ukraine talksIranUS-Israeli tensionsPaks II

The Economist, citing sources among Ukrainian officials, reports that the United States has allegedly proposed new terms for a Ukraine peace deal. They include Ukraine dropping its NATO bid, a demilitarized zone in Donbass and resuming Nord Stream operations. The proposal also reportedly envisages easing sanctions on Russia and offering Ukraine an investment package and EU membership.

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Palestinian militants wounded five Israelis in an attack on Friday before being killed in a shootout with soldiers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then ordered a lockdown in the occupied West Bank, days ahead of Israeli elections.

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Israeli soldiers shot and killed two men near Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Friday morning, after the military said they had carried out an attack. At least five people were injured, some critically.

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A shooting at an Israeli military checkpoint in the West Bank injured five people. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the entire area closed afterward.

West BankshootingIsraelBenjamin Netanyahu

Israeli officials say five Israelis were wounded and two suspected Palestinian attackers were killed by Israeli security forces in a shooting at a military checkpoint at the entrance to Hebron. The military said it found a large quantity of ammunition in their vehicle and believed they planned a larger attack nearby. Benjamin Netanyahu ordered preparations for a full West Bank lockdown.

West BankHebronshootingIsraeli election

Israeli forces killed two Palestinians suspected of carrying out a gun attack near a military checkpoint outside Hebron. Israel’s prime minister has directed the army to prepare for a full shutdown of the occupied West Bank.

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Israeli soldiers shot and killed two men near Hebron, whom the military said had carried out a “terror attack.” Emergency services said five others were injured and taken to hospitals. Netanyahu’s office ordered the army on Friday to prepare for a full closure of the occupied West Bank.

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All 628 mobile base stations disrupted by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in southwest Xizang have been restored, returning communications in affected areas to pre-quake levels, the regional communications administration said. The quake struck Baqen County in Nagqu, and repairs took 12 hours.

Xizang earthquakecommunications restorationemergency repairs

By noon Friday, 501 aftershocks had been recorded following a magnitude-7.0 earthquake in Baqen County, Nagqu, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. The strongest aftershock was magnitude 4.3, and none reached magnitude 5.0.

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France faces the risk of a ratings downgrade on Friday, adding pressure on a government already struggling to contain social unrest and shore up strained public finances.

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Pope Leo XIV’s doctors said a follow-up chest X-ray confirmed he was recovering well. But because little time has passed since his operation, they advised him as a precaution against travelling to Assisi by helicopter.

Pope Leo XIVAssisisurgery recovery

Greece’s parliament passed a bill by majority vote barring under-15s from using online social media services from January 1, 2027. Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence Minister Dimitris Papastergiou said the measure is intended to protect children’s mental health and defended an app that checks whether users are above or below 15 without sharing other personal data.

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A consortium that includes the family offices of KKR co-founders George Roberts and Henry Kravis has agreed to acquire a 42% stake in Spanish football club Valencia, valuing it at €1.25bn.

ValenciaKKRfootball club deal

Brazil’s October 25 runoff could reshape Latin America’s political landscape. In the first round, Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, beat incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva by just over two million votes. Journalist Vitoria Barreto explains why the runoff result matters.

BrazilelectionsLatin America