10 Things Global News - 10th November 2025
Important and interesting news from around the world
Senate Advances Deal To End Longest US Shutdown
Medics Allege Mass Graves In El-Fasher
Syrian Leader Begins Landmark US Visit
UK Sends RAF Team To Counter Belgium Drones
Iran Warns Of Evacuations As Drought Deepens
Leaders Skip COP30 As Role Faces Fresh Test
BBC Chief And News Head Resign Over Edit
Trump Promises $2,000 Tariff Dividend
Riyadh Holds Line, Focus Shifts To Defence Pact
China Eases Nexperia Curbs To Avert Auto Disruption
On this day ….
On this day in 1975, the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 3379, declaring that “Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination.”
The vote — 72 in favour, 35 against — reflected Cold War alignments and the growing influence of newly independent states. Israel and its allies condemned the move; the resolution was revoked in 1991 after the end of the Cold War.
Half a century later, as Israel’s military response to the October 7 attacks draws fierce international debate, the question of how anti-Zionism and antisemitism are defined remains as divisive as ever.
The US Senate has voted to move forward on a bipartisan deal to reopen the federal government after the longest shutdown in American history. The procedural vote, which passed 60–40, saw seven Democrats and one independent join most Republicans in supporting a plan to fund the government through 30 January. The agreement includes full-year funding for several key programmes, such as SNAP food assistance, and promises back pay for federal employees.
Democratic moderates defended the compromise, saying it was the only viable path to restore operations. Senator Jeanne Shaheen called it “the only deal on the table,” while Senator Angus King said ending the shutdown improved the odds of passing healthcare legislation. However, party leaders and progressives condemned the move, arguing it surrendered leverage on Affordable Care Act tax credits.
As a result, the bill still faces resistance in the House, where divisions within the Democratic Party remain sharp.
Sources: CNN, NPR
Local medics say the Rapid Support Forces have collected hundreds of bodies from El-Fasher’s streets, burying some in mass graves and burning others to conceal evidence of crimes against civilians. They described the burials as “full-fledged genocide” and urged an independent international investigation. However, they also condemned what they called international silence.
The RSF seized control of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, on 26 October, with local and international organisations warning of ethnic-based massacres.
Meanwhile, Sudan’s wider conflict between the army and the RSF has continued since 15 April 2023, despite failed mediations, killing thousands and displacing millions. As a result, medics say the situation has moved beyond a humanitarian catastrophe to systematic targeting of life and dignity.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Anadolu Agency
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has arrived in Washington for an official visit, the first by a Syrian head of state since the country’s independence in 1946. The trip follows his removal from a US terrorism blacklist and a UN vote lifting sanctions. Sharaa, whose rebel forces ousted Bashar al-Assad last year, is expected to meet President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.
The visit marks a striking turnaround for the former militant, once linked to Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which Washington delisted as a terrorist group in July. His government has pledged to join the US-led coalition against ISIL, while a large-scale Syrian operation is underway targeting the group’s cells nationwide.
Meanwhile, the World Bank estimates Syria’s reconstruction could cost at least $216 billion, underscoring the scale of the challenge as Sharaa seeks to secure international support.
Sources: Le Monde, Al Jazeera
Britain is deploying Royal Air Force specialists to Belgium after drone incursions disrupted air traffic at Brussels and Liège, following a Belgian request for assistance. Sir Richard Knighton said the UK would provide “our people, our equipment,” while cautioning “we don’t yet know” the drones’ origin. However, some European officials have pointed to Russia, and Germany and France have also offered support.
The UK contribution is expected from the RAF’s counter-uncrewed aerial systems capability, with the BBC reporting members of 2 Force Protection Wing are likely to be involved. In contrast to the suspicions, Belgium’s defence minister has previously said there is no evidence directly linking the flights to Moscow.
Meanwhile, Brussels Airport temporarily closed on Thursday and about 3,000 passengers were affected, underscoring the wider “hybrid” threat Knighton described across Europe.
Sources: The Guardian, BBC
Iran is facing one of the worst droughts in its history, with officials warning that Tehran’s water supply could run out. President Masoud Pezeshkian said the government might have to ration water and, if that fails, evacuate the capital. His remarks have drawn sharp criticism from former officials, even as rainfall remains at record lows and reservoirs across the country approach empty levels.
In Tehran, the Latian and Karaj dams each hold less than 10% of capacity, while officials report rainfall down 92% from last year. The situation is just as severe in Mashhad, where storage at the city’s four main dams has dropped below 3%. Nationwide, 19 major reservoirs have effectively run dry.
As a result, the government is urging citizens to curb water use, warning that some households may soon face rolling cuts or penalties for over-consumption.
Sources: BBC, The Guardian
COP30 opened in Belém with notably fewer leaders in attendance, as Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump stayed away. The Trump administration has exited the process and said it will not send high-level officials this year. As a result, debate has turned to whether the summit can still shape outcomes.
Advocates argue COP remains a forum to “hold to account”, even as climate politics polarise and industrial competition intensifies. Meanwhile, Brazil is prioritising implementation and backing a Tropical Forests Forever Facility to fund rainforest protection.
As the summit starts the fact is that last year was the hottest on record and the gap between current national pledges and the 1.5°C pathway persists - the next few days will be instructive as to whether this gap can be closed.
Sources: BBC, The Guardian
The BBC’s director general Tim Davie and its head of news Deborah Turness have resigned after criticism of a Panorama documentary that edited parts of a 6 January 2021 speech by Donald Trump. The corporation said both had decided to leave. Davie told staff he must take “ultimate responsibility,” while Turness said “the buck stops with me” and that the row was damaging the BBC. However, she rejected claims that BBC News is “institutionally biased.”
The Telegraph published details of a leaked internal memo alleging two sections of Trump’s speech were stitched together, more than 50 minutes apart, so he appeared to urge the Capitol march and to “fight like hell.”
As a result, political reaction intensified: the White House called the BBC “100% fake news,” and Trump welcomed the resignations. Meanwhile, commentators noted it was unprecedented for both the director general and the head of BBC News to resign on the same day.
Sources: Associated Press, BBC
President Donald Trump has pledged to send “at least $2,000” directly to Americans using revenue from his sweeping tariffs, though no details have been released about timing or eligibility.
He said the payments would exclude high-income earners and help reduce the national debt. The pledge comes as the Supreme Court reviews the legality of his tariff powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later suggested the dividend might appear instead through tax cuts already in place, including exemptions on tips and overtime. He said the aim was to “rebalance trade” by restoring US manufacturing, not to collect revenue. However, both conservative and liberal justices have questioned the scope of Trump’s authority to impose tariffs, with a ruling that could reshape one of his signature economic policies.
Sources: Politico, Forbes
Saudi Arabia has signalled to Washington that normalising ties with Israel will proceed only with an agreed roadmap to Palestinian statehood, two Gulf sources said. As a result, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s White House visit on 18 November is unlikely to yield recognition, despite upbeat talk of expanding the Abraham Accords.
Instead, officials aim to seal a scaled-back defence pact defining US protection and expanding cooperation on technology and defence. However, the arrangement falls short of a full, Congress-ratified treaty and is modelled on an executive-order framework, with provisions that could be elevated later.
The deal would fast-track advanced US weapons sales, add safeguards to limit Saudi military-industrial ties with China, and embed closer exercises — while any normalisation still depends on progress towards Palestinian statehood.
Sources: The New Arab, Reuters
China said it would exempt compliant, civilian-use exports of Nexperia chips and urged European counterparts to help resolve the dispute with the Netherlands. As a result, shipments to European carmakers are set to resume, after warnings from manufacturers that shortages could halt production.
The move follows contacts between Dutch and Chinese officials, with Beijing pressing The Hague to “correct” its controls on the Dutch-based, Chinese-owned firm. Meanwhile, China also paused certain dual-use export bans to the US and temporarily suspended port fees for US-linked ships; by comparison, EU trade officials signalled simplified procedures for Nexperia exports.
The steps mark a limited easing of trade tensions while talks continue on a lasting framework.