10 Things Global News - 20th October 2025
Interesting and important news from around the world
Trump Urges Ukraine to Cede Donbas in War Deal
Ukraine Drone Hits Orenburg Gas Plant; Intake Halted
Lagarde Backs Joint Loan Plan Using Russian Assets
Ceasefire Tested As Israel Strikes Gaza
New Powers to Shoot Down Drones Near UK Bases
Myanmar Seizes Starlink Devices in Scam Centre Raid
Afghanistan, Pakistan Agree Immediate Ceasefire
Houthis Detain UN Staff in Sanaa Raid
Global South Poised To Shape COP30 Agenda
Louvre Heist: Crown Jewels Stolen in 7 Minutes
On this day …..
On 20th October 1944, U.S. forces under General Douglas MacArthur landed on Leyte, beginning the campaign to liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation.
The return fulfilled MacArthur’s famous pledge, made during his forced evacuation two years earlier, and marked a decisive turning point in the Pacific War.
The operation reasserted American influence in Southeast Asia and helped shape the strategic order that followed. Yet eight decades later, with Washington’s global commitments under strain and allies questioning its resolve, a harder question hangs in the air: does America still keep its promises?
Donald Trump has suggested Ukraine should “cut up” its Donbas region to end the war with Russia, proposing that both sides halt fighting along current frontlines and negotiate future terms later. The comments followed a tense White House meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which the Ukrainian president failed to secure Tomahawk missiles and was urged to accept Russian terms.
According to officials briefed on the talks, Trump discarded maps of the battlefield, echoed Vladimir Putin’s characterisation of the conflict, and warned that Russia would “destroy” Ukraine if it did not reach a deal.
The proposal appears aligned with a plan floated by Putin for Ukraine to cede Donetsk and Luhansk in exchange for limited Russian withdrawals elsewhere. Zelenskyy rejected the idea, insisting Ukraine would not “grant terrorists any bounty” and calling on allies to resist appeasement and take “decisive steps” in support.
Sources: Times of India, The Guardian
Russia’s Orenburg gas processing plant suspended gas intake from Kazakhstan after a Ukrainian drone strike, Kazakhstan’s energy ministry said. Regional officials reported a fire in a workshop and partial damage at the Gazprom-operated facility; the blaze was later extinguished. Ukraine said it struck the Orenburg plant and an oil refinery in Samara as part of a campaign targeting Russian energy infrastructure.
Aerial View of Orenberg Gas Processing Facility - Shutterstock
The Orenburg plant — described as the largest of its kind — can process up to 45 billion cubic metres a year and handles condensate from Russia’s Orenburg field and Kazakhstan’s Karachaganak field. No injuries were reported, and there was no timeline for resuming full operations.
Russia’s defence ministry said air defences shot down 45 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 12 over Samara, 11 over Saratov and one over Orenburg, while Samara’s governor said the local airport and mobile internet were briefly suspended.
Sources: Reuters, Kyiv Independent
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde signalled openness to using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine if countries act in unison. She said “fair use” could take the form of an operational loan using cash balances as collateral, stressing any steps must align with international law and be coordinated among all holders of Russian assets. EU leaders will discuss options this week, with around €200bn frozen.
A proposal under debate would provide about €140bn in fresh loans to Ukraine, repaid only if Russia pays reparations. The EU would fund this by requiring Euroclear to lend cash accrued from sanctioned Russian investments, with Brussels issuing an IOU backed by member states and later the EU budget.
Backers also want coordination with Group of Seven allies. Supporters argue the approach sustains Ukraine financing; critics point to taxpayer exposure if reparations never materialise.
Sources: Bloomberg, FT
Israel launched its heaviest strikes on Gaza since a week-old ceasefire, saying Hamas violated the truce by firing on its troops and killing two soldiers. Humanitarian aid was temporarily halted during the attacks, though officials later signalled it would resume once the bombing ended.
By evening, the Israeli military said it had begun renewed enforcement of the ceasefire after significant strikes, while hospital and health officials reported 44 Palestinian deaths.
Both sides accused each other of breaching the deal yet stated they remained committed to it. The military said the incident began when an anti-tank missile and gunfire targeted its forces in Rafah; it then struck to “eliminate the threat” and dismantle tunnel infrastructure.
Sources: New York Times, BBC
British soldiers will be given new powers to shoot down drones that threaten military sites, Defence Secretary John Healey will announce in a speech on Monday. The move aims to allow faster and more decisive action, replacing existing protocols that only permit diversion or signal disruption except in extreme cases. The powers will initially apply to military bases but could later extend to civilian infrastructure such as airports.
The decision comes amid rising drone activity over sensitive sites. Last year, four UK airbases used by US forces reported incursions, prompting joint investigations. Across Europe, drones have repeatedly disrupted airspace, grounding flights and triggering emergency closures.
Healey is expected to frame the measure as a response to Russian actions, citing recent incursions into Polish and Estonian airspace and efforts to destabilise Moldova, and will stress that the UK faces threats “from the seabed to cyberspace.”
Sources: BBC, The Times
Myanmar’s military says it has seized 30 Starlink satellite internet receivers and detained 15 Chinese nationals in a raid on one of the country’s largest online scam hubs. Troops entered the KK Park complex near the Thai border, occupying around 200 buildings and finding 2,200 workers involved in alleged gambling and fraud operations.
Starlink, which is not licensed in Myanmar, had surged to the top of the country’s internet traffic rankings between July and October, despite not registering as a provider before a February crackdown. Investigations suggest the seized devices are only a fraction of those in use, with satellite imagery showing nearly 80 dishes on one building alone.
Authorities across Southeast Asia have intensified action against such networks, which defrauded victims of an estimated $37 billion last year and continue to fund armed groups fighting Myanmar’s civil war.
Sources: RFI, South China Morning Post
Afghanistan and Pakistan pledged to respect an immediate ceasefire after a week of deadly cross-border clashes. The truce, mediated by Qatar and Turkey in Doha, commits both sides to halt hostile actions, avoid support for groups attacking Pakistan, and refrain from targeting each other’s forces, civilians or critical infrastructure. Officials said a mechanism would be created with intermediary countries to review claims and ensure implementation.
Pakistan’s defence minister confirmed the deal and said follow-up talks are scheduled in Istanbul on 25 October. Recent violence has killed dozens and wounded hundreds, disrupting life and trade along the 2,611-km Durand Line.
Border operations remain limited: the Chaman crossing is open for Afghan refugees to depart, while entry from Afghanistan and the Torkham crossing are closed. Local residents and traders expressed relief over the agreement while urging a reopening for commerce.
Sources: Associated Press, Al Jazeera
Yemen’s Houthi authorities detained around two dozen United Nations employees after raiding a UN-run facility in Sanaa, the UN said. Staff were held inside a compound in the Hada district, with at least five Yemeni employees and 15 international personnel among those detained. A further 11 UN staff were questioned and later released.
A UN spokesperson said the organisation is in contact with the Houthis and other actors to end the detentions and restore control over its facilities. A separate UN official said communications equipment, including phones, computers and servers, was confiscated. The detentions follow a broader crackdown on international organisations in areas under Houthi control, including Sanaa, Hodeidah and Saada.
According to UN figures, more than 50 staff have now been detained; earlier responses included suspending operations in Saada and relocating the top humanitarian coordinator from Sanaa to Aden.
Sources: Al Jazeera, France 24
With the United States largely disengaged and Europe preoccupied with resource security, analysts expect China, India and Brazil to steer next month’s UN climate summit in Belém. COP30 runs from 10–21 November. The world is off track for the Paris 1.5°C goal; a UN report projects 2.6–2.8°C warming by 2100 even if current pledges are met.
Key files include emissions, finance and forests. Many countries missed the 2035 pledge deadline, with about 60 submissions received by early October. On finance, COP29 set a commitment of USD 300bn a year for developing countries by 2035 and a broader goal to mobilise USD 1.3tn annually, with further detail sought.
As host, Brazil plans to launch the Tropical Forests Forever Fund targeting USD 25bn from donors and USD 100bn from the private sector; Brazil has already pledged USD 1bn.
Sources: South China Morning Post, India Today
Thieves using a powered, extendable ladder raided the Louvre’s Galerie d’Apollon on Sunday morning, smashing two cases and stealing eight crown-jewel objects before police arrived. Officials said the robbers, three or four in total, arrived around 9:30–9:40am with grinders, entered via a second-floor window and fled on scooters.
France’s culture ministry said the haul included an emerald-and-diamond necklace given by Napoleon to Empress Marie Louise. A manhunt is under way; prosecutors have opened an investigation.
Authorities later recovered the diamond-and-emerald crown of Empress Eugénie near the museum; it was damaged. The museum closed for the day to preserve evidence as armed soldiers patrolled outside. Staff in or near the gallery followed protocol to prioritise visitor safety; the Paris prosecutor said they were threatened.
The robbery, carried out in broad daylight at the world’s most-visited museum, comes amid a series of recent thefts targeting French cultural institutions.