US midterms, Ukraine strike, Iran talks — November 3, 2026

1. US MIDTERM ELECTION HEATS UP.
More than 53 million Americans cast early ballots, a midterm record, ahead of the November 3 vote; registered Democrats hold a double-digit share advantage and lead in several battleground states, according to KBS and The New York Times. The Trump administration filed an emergency Supreme Court appeal to segregate about 20,000 California mail-in ballots it suspects may belong to non-citizens; California Attorney General Rob Bonta called the move 'reeking of desperation,' while a federal judge ruled the DOJ demand likely violates the Elections Clause. The White House is preparing contingency plans to govern by bypassing Congress if Democrats win; Trump said he would keep vetoing Democratic bills.

2. RUSSIA STRIKES KILL 26 IN ZAPORIZHZHIA.
Russia dropped at least nine 3,000-kg bombs on an aid distribution centre and a school used as shelter in Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia; 26 people were killed, 5 injured and 27 initially reported missing. President Zelensky called the attack 'utterly horrific' and declared a day of mourning. Ukraine alleges Russia used the Oleshky humanitarian truce to rearm, while Moscow says Kyiv did the same; a Ukrainian drone struck a bus in Luhansk, killing 1 and wounding 8, according to the Russian-installed regional leader. US-Russia-Ukraine talks are set for November 10-11 in Abu Dhabi, mediated by Trump envoy Steve Witkoff.

3. IRAN OPENS TO TALKS, OIL FALLS.
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei granted the government powers to negotiate with the US to end the Middle East war, President Masoud Pezeshkian said on November 2. Iran says it is ready to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours if Washington accepts its proposal; Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a new peace plan was sent to the US via Qatari and Pakistani mediators; oil prices fell nearly 8% to about $104.43 a barrel. Iran also designated Britain's Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and MI6 as 'terrorist and hostile' entities. Trump confirmed a call with Israeli PM Netanyahu; Netanyahu is pressing for military action against Iran after the US election, while Trump leans toward continuing negotiations.

4. FRANCE, GERMANY PROTESTS TURN VIOLENT.
France arrested 779 people during Saturday's cost-of-living protests that drew about 320,000 demonstrators; a homemade explosive device injured a security officer in Paris. In Germany, the youth-led 'Gen Z regelt' protests in 34 cities turned violent, with looting, burning barricades, attacks on police and a looted arms shop in Frankfurt. Rising cost-of-living anger is creating security pressure for both governments.

5. CYBERATTACK TARGETS EUROPEAN SUPERMARKETS.
A suspected coordinated cyberattack hit supermarket refrigeration systems in at least seven European countries — Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands, Estonia and Finland — with hackers remotely raising freezer temperatures to 50 degrees Celsius; one Stockholm store said 'everything was destroyed.' The incident exposes vulnerabilities in civilian cold chains and could cause food losses and supply disruption.

6. NORTH KOREA REJECTS FBI CRYPTO THEFT CLAIM.
Kim Yo-jong dismissed the FBI's finding that Pyongyang was behind the theft of more than $6 billion in cryptocurrency from Binance as a 'grave political provocation' and warned of 'issues to reconsider.' It is Pyongyang's first official response to the cybersecurity accusation.

7. SOUTH KOREA, JAPAN AND APEC DEVELOPMENTS.
The passport numbers of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, his wife and 168 entourage members were reportedly exposed on a paid website for five months, according to some sources. A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near Shima, Japan; a Japanese tourist has been missing for five days in Jiufen, Taiwan. The US, China and Russia are coordinating a trilateral summit on the sidelines of this month's APEC meeting, with Korean Peninsula issues expected on the agenda.

8. US JUDGE DISMISSES TRUMP LAWSUIT, BOLIVIA EMERGENCY.
A US federal judge permanently dismissed Trump's $20 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over its Epstein-related reporting, ruling he failed to show 'actual malice.' Trump said defeated Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro can stay in the US 'as long as he wants.' Bolivia declared a national state of emergency over El Nino-driven drought and flood risk.

What to watch today: US midterm election results as polls close on November 3.
*Information aggregated from multiple sources at the time of publication.*