Two men charged over alleged Iran-linked plot at UK airbase
Two British men have appeared in court over an alleged Iran-linked plot involving RAF Fairford, a US-operated airbase in Gloucestershire, following a security incident in September.
Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, from Westminster, London, was charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service, which police believe to be Iran. Nouman Essghir, also 24 and from Westminster, was charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK on August 22. Both men face charges under the National Security Act 2023.
The case follows a major security alert on September 27, when three suspicious vans bearing the logo “Fuel2You” were spotted near the airbase. Police declared a major incident, evacuated dozens of residents and established a cordon. No explosives were found, but officers seized petrol and arrested five men after the vehicles encountered a Ministry of Defence Police cordon.
The two defendants appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday and were told their case would next be heard at the Old Bailey on November 20. The allegations have raised security concerns around a strategically important military installation used by US forces.
Nanotyrannus skeleton sells for $47.3m at New York auction
A fossil skeleton of a Nanotyrannus dinosaur has sold for $47.3 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York, far exceeding its expected price of at least $9 million and becoming the second most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold.
Nicknamed Jodi, the roughly three-metre-tall skeleton contains about 191 fossil bone elements and a nearly complete skull. It was initially displayed as a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex before researchers confirmed last year that Nanotyrannus was a distinct genus. The buyer’s identity was not disclosed after a 12-minute bidding contest involving six interested parties.
The carnivorous dinosaur lived alongside Tyrannosaurus rex about 67 million years ago. The skeleton was discovered by rancher Jodi Pierson in Montana’s Hell Creek Formation and excavated by commercial palaeontologist Clayton Phipps. The sale follows Sotheby’s auction of a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, Gus, for $50.1 million in July.
The auction has renewed debate over the private sale of scientifically significant fossils. Some palaeontologists argue that specimens purchased by wealthy private collectors may become inaccessible to researchers and the public, limiting opportunities for further scientific study.
Flávio Bolsonaro heads to US after losing Brazil election
Flávio Bolsonaro, Brazil’s senator Flávio Bolsonaro has left the country for the United States after losing the presidential election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and refusing to comply with a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports, according to two sources cited by Reuters.
It was not immediately clear where Bolsonaro was travelling, when he would arrive or whether he intended to seek asylum. The US Embassy in Brazil and Bolsonaro’s lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment. President Donald Trump’s administration has previously alleged that Bolsonaro’s father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, was subjected to judicial persecution in Brazil.
The departure threatens to deepen tensions between Washington and Brasília. Lula has accused the United States of colluding with the Bolsonaro family to return them to power, while Reuters previously reported that US State Department officials had campaigned for the family’s political comeback.
Brazil’s Supreme Court also ordered police on Tuesday to investigate Flávio Bolsonaro’s election campaign over alleged foreign funding. The senator suffered a decisive defeat in Sunday’s run-off, losing to Lula by more than four million votes.
Israel records highest-ever turnout in closely contested election
Israel has recorded its highest-ever voter turnout as citizens cast ballots in a closely contested election widely viewed as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership.
Polling published on Friday suggested Netanyahu was running almost neck-and-neck with former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the newly formed Yashar Party. Neither political bloc was projected to secure the 61 seats required to form a government, raising the prospect of prolonged negotiations over a coalition.
The campaign has centred on security and democracy, while allegations of irregularities at polling stations have added to tensions. Netanyahu urged supporters to vote after highlighting turnout among Arab voters as an emergency for the political right. His Likud party also sought an extension of voting beyond the scheduled 10pm closing time, a move Eisenkot’s camp criticised.
Israel’s Central Election Committee said there was no evidence of systematic tampering with ballot slips despite complaints from several parties. The country’s proportional representation system means governments are formed through coalitions, leaving the final outcome dependent on negotiations among parties with differing political and security positions.
Global inflation expected to remain high into 2027, Reuters poll finds
Global inflation is expected to remain elevated well into 2027 as rising energy costs and persistent price pressures prompt economists to revise their forecasts, according to a Reuters poll of more than 500 economists.
The survey found that economists raised their 2027 inflation forecasts for 31 of the 50 economies covered, while increasing growth projections for 23. Forecasts for 15 of the 21 developed economies surveyed were also revised upwards, suggesting inflation concerns are spreading beyond countries more accustomed to price instability.
Crude oil prices have remained above $100 a barrel since October 7, reaching more than $117 last week and rising over 60 percent since the US-Israeli war with Iran began almost eight months ago. Higher energy costs have added to household expenses and complicated the outlook for central banks, some of which may need to raise interest rates if inflation broadens.
Janet Henry, global chief economist at HSBC, said she was becoming increasingly concerned about inflation. Median 2027 inflation forecasts have risen over the past three quarterly polls by 0.7 percentage points for Britain, 0.5 points for the eurozone, 0.2 points for the United States, 0.4 points for India and 0.5 points for Brazil.
Gold smuggling finances Islamic State-linked insurgency in eastern Congo
An Islamic State-aligned insurgency in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo generates much of its revenue through gold mining and smuggling, helping finance its operations, according to a report by investigative organisation The Sentry.
The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which has killed thousands of civilians and security personnel over the past decade, generates between $1 million and $1.6 million annually from gold mining sites in one area of North Kivu province alone, the report said. The gold is moved through trading hubs in eastern Congo before entering refining and export networks in neighbouring Uganda.
Uganda has deployed thousands of troops to Congo to support local forces fighting the ADF. However, the group has proved resilient, establishing links with local economic networks that help sustain its activities despite military pressure.
The findings highlight the role of illicit mineral trade in financing armed groups in the region. Tracking gold supplies and strengthening oversight of trading and refining networks could prove important in disrupting revenue streams that sustain violence in eastern Congo.
Senegal parliament reopens review of revised budget tied to IMF deal
Senegal’s National Assembly will reconsider a revised budget bill after lawmakers initially rejected it, reopening a process that is crucial to securing a new financing programme with the International Monetary Fund.
Ousmane Sonko, the Parliament President said on Tuesday that the bill would be referred to the finance committee following a request from Finance Minister Cheikh Diba. Sonko said he would work to set dates for committee proceedings and a subsequent plenary session. The ruling Pastef party had opposed the bill, citing concerns over budget decisions and financing arrangements.
Senegal faces a substantial debt burden, estimated by the IMF at 132 percent of gross domestic product at the end of 2024, after the government uncovered billions of dollars in previously misreported borrowing. The amended 2026 budget reduces projected real economic growth to 2.7 percent, from about 5 percent, and increases the projected deficit to 7.6 percent of GDP from 5.4 percent.
The government’s efforts to restructure its debt depend partly on securing IMF support. Further delays in approving the revised budget could complicate negotiations over the country’s financing needs and economic reform plans.
Congo opposition rejects armed rebellion, calls for inclusive dialogue
The main opposition coalition in the Democratic Republic of Congo has rejected an armed rebellion led by former president Joseph Kabila and called for inclusive political dialogue to resolve the country’s conflict.
The C64 coalition, which includes five opposition leaders, among them former presidential candidates Martin Fayulu and Moïse Katumbi, issued its first joint statement since Kabila took over the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebellion, now known as FRN, earlier this month. Following a two-day meeting in Rome, the coalition said there was no military solution to the conflict and urged talks involving all parties.
The coalition also criticised proposed constitutional reforms that could allow President Félix Tshisekedi to seek a third term, arguing that the constitution should be respected. Tshisekedi announced a national dialogue in August but excluded armed groups from the process.
C64 said it would seek meetings with both Tshisekedi and Kabila to help secure an inclusive settlement. It also called for the release of detained opposition figures, including Prince Epenge, an ally of Fayulu, whom it said was detained at Kinshasa’s airport on Sunday.
Ethiopian church reports 60 deaths in attacks in Oromiya
At least 60 people have been killed in two separate attacks in Ethiopia’s conflict-hit Oromiya region over the past week, according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
The church said 14 Christians were killed in Merti Woreda on October 20 and another 46 in Sherka Woreda on October 24. Its statement, issued on Monday, added that more than 20 homes had been burned and more than 20 people hospitalised with severe injuries. The church did not provide details on how the victims were killed or identify those responsible.
The Oromiya regional government blamed a rebel alliance fighting government forces in the northern Tigray region, alleging that the attacks were intended to provoke religious conflict. The government did not provide evidence for the claim, while a source linked to the rebel alliance also traded accusations over responsibility.
The attacks underscore the continuing insecurity in Oromiya, where violence has disrupted communities and raised fears of further displacement. The lack of independently verified information about the perpetrators and circumstances of the killings has complicated efforts to establish responsibility.
Congo suspends artisanal mining agency chief over illegal operations
The Democratic Republic of Congo has suspended the head of its state agency responsible for artisanal and small-scale mining, accusing him of failing to prevent illegal mining on licensed concessions.
Mines Minister Louis Kabamba Watum suspended Jean-Paul Kadiobo Kapongo, director-general of the Service for Assistance and Supervision of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (SAEMAPE), on October 21, according to a government order seen by Reuters. The order said Kapongo had failed to take necessary measures to stop illegal mining, particularly in the copper- and cobalt-rich provinces of Lualaba and Haut-Katanga.
The minister also accused the agency chief of improperly establishing revenue-collection services within concession areas, restricting permit holders’ ability to exercise their rights and potentially exposing the state to claims for damages. Kapongo did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The suspension took immediate effect and was communicated to government and provincial authorities on October 22.
Congo, the world’s largest cobalt producer and second-largest copper producer, has faced a resurgence in artisanal mining as higher metal prices attract informal miners to licensed areas. The government has stepped up enforcement as it seeks to improve oversight, reduce disputes with industrial operators and attract investment in the mining sector.
Faith Omoboye is a foreign affairs correspondent with background in History and International relations. Her work focuses on African politics, diplomacy, and global governance.
