Spain’s transport minister resigns after deadly train crash
Óscar Puente, Spain’s transport minister, has resigned six days after a high speed train collision killed at least 69 people and injured dozens near the town of Urda, south of Madrid.
Puente announced his decision in parliament on Tuesday after facing mounting pressure from opposition parties and some government allies to take responsibility for the country’s rail safety failures. He said two serious accidents in less than a year made it impossible for him to remain in office.
The October 28 collision occurred when a moving train struck the rear of a stationary train. It was one of Europe’s deadliest rail disasters in recent years and Spain’s worst since 2013. Puente also withdrew his name from the lists for the November 29 early general election.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez praised Puente for stepping aside, describing the decision as an act of dignity and respect for victims. The crash has become a major political setback for the Socialist led government ahead of the election, with public confidence in the country’s rail network under pressure.
King Charles calls slave trade a ‘shameful chapter’ at Commonwealth summit
King Charles has described the transatlantic slave trade as a “shameful chapter of history” that fills him with “profound sorrow”, addressing Commonwealth leaders at a summit in Antigua and Barbuda.
The King said the trade in enslaved people continued to cast a shadow over Caribbean nations and other members of the Commonwealth. He also said learning more about its legacy had strengthened his commitment to addressing historical wrongs through practical action and modern partnerships.
His speech stopped short of a formal apology for Britain’s role in the slave trade, despite calls from some Commonwealth members for one ahead of the meeting. Andy Burnham, the British prime minister, said he was open to an apology but ruled out financial reparations.
The summit brings together leaders from 56 countries, many of them former British colonies, to discuss investment, development and shared challenges. Charles also highlighted global conflicts, climate change and rapid technological advances, as members seek to strengthen cooperation across the association.
Seven European flights searched after suspected bomb threats
Authorities across Europe have searched seven passenger aircraft following a series of suspected bomb threats, including two flights that departed from the United Kingdom. No explosives were found during the inspections.
Two Ryanair flights, one from Dublin and another from Lisbon, were searched after landing at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport following anonymous warnings. The Dublin flight was escorted by the Italian Air Force, while other aircraft were inspected in Poland, Spain and Bulgaria.
A Ryanair flight from Manchester was also searched after landing in Murcia, southern Spain. Passengers were evacuated and the aircraft examined by bomb disposal teams, but Spanish authorities confirmed that no explosives had been found.
The UK government described the incidents as malicious hoax threats, while European authorities are investigating whether they were coordinated. Aviation security expert Paul Mason said the number and apparent credibility of the warnings made the incidents unusual.
Russian strikes kill at least 38 civilians across Ukraine
Russian attacks on an aid distribution centre, a hospice and a hospital in Ukraine have killed at least 38 civilians and injured scores of others in 24 hours, according to Ukrainian officials.
The deadliest strike hit Komyshuvakha village in the southern Zaporizhzhia region on Monday night, killing at least 33 people as residents gathered to collect humanitarian assistance. President Volodymyr Zelensky said more than 50 people could still be trapped under the rubble, raising fears that the death toll would increase.
Ukrainian officials said nine 3,000kg aerial bombs struck the area, destroying a school building used as an aid centre. A hospice in Dnipro and a hospital in Kharkiv were also hit, with 73 people wounded in the northeastern city, most of them elderly patients.
Russia’s defence ministry said the attack targeted Ukrainian military units and killed 25 servicemen. However, there was no credible evidence that the aid centre was being used by the military. Zelensky described the attack as one of the largest mass killings committed by Russia during the war.
Musk spends $446m backing Republicans in record US midterm campaign
Elon Musk has spent nearly $446m supporting Republican candidates in the United States midterm elections, making him the largest individual donor in a campaign cycle expected to cost almost $12bn.
The spending has been channelled largely through outside political groups known as Super Political Action Committees, which can accept unlimited contributions from individuals and corporations to support candidates indirectly. Musk has directed much of his financial backing towards key races in Texas, where several of his businesses are based.
Federal Election Commission filings showed that more than $9.5bn had been spent by mid October, with political action committees and Super PACs accounting for about $5.5bn. Their spending nearly doubled in the final months of the campaign.
The projected total would make the 2026 midterms the most expensive US election cycle on record, according to OpenSecrets, which tracks campaign finance. The scale of outside spending highlights the growing influence of wealthy donors and political groups in contests that will determine control of Congress.
Uganda arrests former deputy army chief over alleged plot against government
Ugandan authorities have arrested Peter Elwelu, a former deputy chief of defence forces and presidential adviser, over allegations that he was involved in activities aimed at destabilising the government.
Acting military spokesman Chris Magezi said Elwelu was arrested on Monday evening and would be charged in court. The military also accused him of stockpiling weapons and organising subversive activities in Teso, eastern Uganda. Elwelu has not publicly responded to the allegations.
The arrest follows an order by Defence Chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of President Yoweri Museveni, stripping Elwelu of his lieutenant general rank and demoting him to private. Kainerugaba had accused the former officer of accumulating arms and warned him to surrender.
Military officials said security forces recovered 15 guns, military clothing and two pickup trucks, while 20 former soldiers allegedly linked to Elwelu had been arrested. Elwelu previously led a deadly 2016 raid on the palace of a regional king and was sanctioned by the United States in 2024 over alleged human rights abuses.
ANC faces further losses as South Africans vote in local elections
South Africans are voting in municipal elections that could further weaken the African National Congress, as public anger over corruption, crime and failing basic services threatens the party’s support.
The ANC, which has governed since the end of apartheid in 1994, fell below 50 percent of the vote for the first time in the 2021 local elections. Opinion polls suggest its support could drop below 40 percent in Wednesday’s vote, deepening pressure on the party of Nelson Mandela.
No opposition party is currently large enough to replace the ANC nationally, raising the prospect of more coalition governments across the country’s municipalities. Several existing coalitions have struggled with political instability and service delivery failures, including unreliable water and electricity supplies.
The results could shape the political contest ahead of the 2029 national election and influence the ANC’s leadership succession as President Cyril Ramaphosa approaches the end of his term as party leader in 2027. Ramaphosa has acknowledged the party’s failures but urged voters to give it another chance.
Kenya discharges five Ebola patients as outbreak shows signs of containment
Kenya has discharged five Ebola patients after laboratory tests confirmed they had recovered, as authorities reported no new infections since October 19.
The health ministry said on Tuesday that two other patients remained in hospital in Nairobi. Kenya has recorded nine cases, including two deaths, since the virus spread from the outbreak in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
Authorities have also released 46 contacts of the first confirmed case from quarantine, in addition to 20 people discharged on October 26. Another 52 contacts are expected to complete their 21 day monitoring period and leave quarantine by November 11.
The outbreak has raised concerns about cross border screening and the spread of the virus beyond Congo. Ebola has been reported in four African countries, giving the current outbreak an unusually wide geographical reach and increasing pressure on health authorities to strengthen surveillance and containment measures.
Senegal parliament rejects budget again, in threat to IMF deal
Senegal’s parliament has rejected the government’s revised 2026 budget for a third time, deepening a political standoff that could delay a new International Monetary Fund programme and complicate the country’s debt restructuring plans.
A total of 126 lawmakers out of 165 voted against the amended budget on Tuesday, according to the National Assembly. The bill had also been rejected twice by parliament’s finance committee, with the ruling Pastef party opposing the revised proposal in its current form.
The dispute comes amid tensions between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko, the former prime minister who retains significant influence as head of the National Assembly. Senegal’s international bonds weakened slightly after the vote, reflecting investor concerns over the country’s fiscal outlook.
Senegal is seeking to restore financial stability after the discovery of billions of dollars in previously unreported borrowing increased its debt burden and restricted access to financing. A proposed $2.2bn IMF programme, which reached a staff level agreement in September, still requires approval from the Fund’s executive board before funds can be released.
Ghana cocoa farmers hope for March recovery after poor harvest start
Ghanaian cocoa farmers are hoping for improved harvests by March after erratic rainfall and prolonged dry conditions damaged crops at the start of the season.
Farmers in some growing areas reported excessive rain that disrupted flowering and prevented cocoa pods from developing, while others said prolonged heat and drought caused flowers to wither. Production has fallen sharply compared with the previous year.
Joseph Agbeko, a farmer in Ghana’s Central Region, said he had harvested only five bags since the season began, compared with 31 bags, or about two tonnes, last year. He said recent rainfall had raised hopes of a better harvest in March.
However, the Ghana Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Association said it was too early to predict a recovery. Its administrator, Moses Djan Asiedu, said conditions varied across four cocoa growing regions, with both excessive rainfall and inadequate moisture damaging crops. He warned that improved production would depend on rainfall patterns in the coming months and the intensity of the harmattan season.
DR Congo opens mining fraud probe after copper and cobalt seizures
The Democratic Republic of Congo has opened investigations into suspected mining fraud and mineral smuggling after authorities seized more than 500 trucks and thousands of tonnes of copper and cobalt in two southern provinces.
The justice minister ordered judicial investigations in Lualaba and Haut-Katanga following operations by a government team comprising police, military personnel, military magistrates and mining ministry experts. The seizures were carried out at several sites, including the Menda concession near Kolwezi.
A presidential task force last week seized more than 500 pieces of mining equipment at the Menda site, which is operated by Boss Mining, a subsidiary of Luxembourg-based Eurasian Resources Group. Authorities alleged that foreign nationals and Congolese workers had used the equipment for illegal mining, with more than 60 foreign nationals detained in a separate operation.
Congo, the world’s largest cobalt producer and second-largest copper producer, has struggled to curb illegal extraction and smuggling as high metal prices encourage unauthorised mining. The latest investigation is part of broader government efforts to bring mineral production into formal channels and increase state revenue.
Faith Omoboye is a foreign affairs correspondent with background in History and International relations. Her work focuses on African politics, diplomacy, and global governance.
