Politics news · 30 October 2026
Russian Drone Strike Kills 14 at Dnipro Train Station
A Russian jet-powered drone struck a busy railway platform in Dnipro on the morning of October 29, killing at least 14 people and wounding at least 14 more. Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze called the attack "mass murder," while President Zelenskyy described it as "horrific."
Iran Says Four Tankers Struck Mines in the Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Revolutionary Guards reported that four oil tankers caught fire after hitting mines in the Strait of Hormuz, directly contradicting a US Central Command claim that the waterway had been cleared. Oil prices rose sharply as shipping fears intensified with US midterm elections days away.
Lapid Claims Victory in Israeli Election as Coalition Talks Begin
Opposition leader Yair Lapid declared that the anti-Netanyahu bloc "won" Israel's 27 October election after its combined 67 seats outweighed Netanyahu's 53, though deep divisions between coalition partners make forming a stable government extremely difficult. The Knesset is due to be sworn in on 10 November.
US Midterm Elections: Five Days Out, Democrats Lead in National Polls
With five days until the US midterm elections on 3 November, national polls show Democrats ahead, though several Senate races remain tight as both parties intensify campaigning across key states.
China Elevates Military General Zhang Shengmin to Politburo at Sparsely Attended Plenum
China's Communist Party concluded a four-day closed-door plenum by promoting General Zhang Shengmin, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, to the Politburo, and adopting resolutions on party discipline and anti-corruption.