Pro-EU Party Wins Moldova Election
Denmark Bans Drones Amid Security Threats
UN Sanctions on Iran Snap Back, Rial Hits Record Low
Mass Barrage Hits Kyiv; Four Killed
Namibia Deploys Army To Fight Etosha Wildfire
Trump To Address Generals At Quantico Meeting
Oregon Sues To Block Federalised Guard Deployment
UK Ex-MI5 Chief Warns Of Conflict With Russia
US And Israel Near Gaza Peace Agreement
Indian Rally Crush Kills At Least 40
On this day …….
On this day in 1938 Britain, France, Germany and Italy signed the Munich Agreement, allowing Nazi Germany to annex Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain hailed it as a step toward peace, while critics warned it marked a dangerous concession to Adolf Hitler.
The agreement is often cited as a defining example of appeasement in interwar diplomacy, weakening Czechoslovakia’s defences and emboldening Germany. Within months, Hitler violated the accord by seizing the rest of Czechoslovakia.
The deal’s failure to prevent wider conflict remains a pivotal lesson in European diplomacy and international efforts to balance negotiation with deterrence.
Moldova’s pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) secured more than half the vote in Sunday’s parliamentary election, according to near-final results. With over 99% of ballots counted, PAS won about 50% compared to just under 25% for the pro-Russian Patriotic Bloc. The result allows PAS, led by President Maia Sandu, to govern without coalition support in the 101-seat parliament.
The campaign was marked by allegations of extensive Russian interference, including attempts to spread disinformation and fund opposition groups. Authorities reported cyberattacks on electoral infrastructure, bomb threats at polling stations and arrests linked to alleged destabilisation plots. Former president Igor Dodon, a Patriotic Bloc leader, rejected the outcome and called for protests, accusing PAS of stealing the vote.
The election was viewed as pivotal for Moldova’s future orientation. Sandu urged voters not to “play with your vote”, stressing that only continued EU integration could safeguard the country’s young democracy against Russian influence.
Sources: France 24, BBC
Denmark has imposed a nationwide ban on civilian drone flights after sightings near military bases and airports. Authorities said the move was necessary to safeguard upcoming European summits in Copenhagen, including meetings of the European Council and the European Political Community. The ban, effective Monday through Friday, coincides with Denmark’s role as host while holding the rotating EU presidency.
Officials described the recent incidents as part of a wider hybrid threat, with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen pointing to Russia as the main risk to European security. The Danish defence ministry confirmed drones had appeared at several facilities, and earlier disruptions forced the temporary closure of Copenhagen Airport. A German air defence frigate has been deployed to support surveillance efforts.
Ministers said the restrictions will strengthen conditions for security forces, with violations punishable by fines or imprisonment. Limited exemptions may be granted by the transport ministry.
Sources: Reuters, Politico Europe
United Nations sanctions on Iran were reinstated at 0000 GMT on Sunday after Britain, France and Germany triggered the snapback mechanism over alleged violations of the 2015 nuclear deal. The measures revive an arms embargo, a ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing, and restrictions related to ballistic missiles, alongside asset freezes and travel bans that are binding on all UN member states.
European officials said the bloc would now proceed to implement the re-imposition without delay, and Israel hailed the step as a major development. Authorities in Tehran deny seeking nuclear weapons.
Market anxiety followed: the Iranian rial fell to a record low of about 1.12–1.13 million per US dollar on Sunday amid limited trading. The breadth of the sanctions signals renewed pressure across the economy as states enforce non-military measures under the UN framework.
Sources: Times of India, Al Jazeera
Russia launched a large overnight barrage of drones and missiles across Ukraine, killing at least four people and wounding at least 10 in Kyiv, officials said. Kyiv suffered the heaviest assault, with thick black smoke reported near the city centre, and a 12-year-old girl among the dead. Ukraine’s air force said Russia fired 595 exploding drones and decoys and 48 missiles, of which air defences shot down or jammed 566 drones and 45 missiles.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said strikes also hit the regions of Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv and Odesa, with at least 40 people wounded nationwide, later rising to 70, and more than 100 civilian objects damaged.
The assault prompted Poland to deploy fighter jets as a preventive measure while Russia struck targets in western Ukraine. Separately, US Vice President JD Vance said Washington was reviewing Ukraine’s request for Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have a range of around 1,000 miles.
Sources: Associated Press, PBS
Namibia has deployed hundreds of soldiers to fight a wildfire that has burned through about a third of Etosha National Park since 22 September. Officials say the blaze has caused extensive ecological damage in one of Africa’s largest reserves, home to 114 mammal species including the critically endangered black rhinoceros. Authorities believe the fire started outside the park at a charcoal production site.
After an emergency cabinet meeting, the government ordered 500 extra soldiers to join troops, police, local residents and other firefighters from Sunday.
The defence minister said forces would be deployed to all affected areas. Wildlife including antelope have been killed, and habitats and grazing pastures have been damaged in the Omusati and Oshana regions bordering Angola. Etosha is a major tourist attraction that draws migratory birds such as flamingos and receives about 200,000 visitors each year.
Sources: The Guardian, Anadolu Agency
US President Donald Trump will attend a rare gathering of hundreds of generals and admirals in Quantico, Virginia on Tuesday, after Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth summoned the military’s top leadership from around the world. Trump said he would use the meeting to express support for the officers, describing it as a show of esprit de corps and a chance to highlight military strength.
The president’s involvement has overshadowed Hegseth’s planned address on the “warrior ethos” and raised new security concerns. The Secret Service will now oversee protection at the event, which requires many leaders to travel thousands of miles and is expected to cost millions.
Some officials questioned why the meeting could not have been held virtually. Trump has recently signed an executive order renaming the Pentagon the “Department of War” and expanded military deployments in US cities, intensifying debate over the politicisation of the armed forces.
Sources: Washington Post, South China Morning Post
The Trump administration called 200 members of the Oregon National Guard into federal service for a 60-day deployment, according to a Defence Department memo sent Sunday. Oregon’s governor, attorney general and Portland’s mayor responded with a federal lawsuit arguing the move unlawfully uses Title 10 to federalise the state’s Guard, and said they will seek a temporary restraining order this week.
Governor Tina Kotek told the president there is no insurrection or public-safety threat requiring military intervention, warning the call-up could hinder the state’s emergency response. State filings say protests at Portland’s ICE facility have typically involved only a few dozen people.
The White House said the president is lawfully directing the Guard to protect federal assets and personnel, while the U.S. attorney’s office in Portland has charged 26 people with federal crimes tied to the ICE site.
Sources: Oregon Public Broadcasting, Politico
Britain may already be at war with Russia because of the scale of cyberattacks, sabotage and covert activity attributed to Moscow, according to former MI5 chief Eliza Manningham-Buller. She said Russia’s behaviour since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine showed a state of sustained hostility, pointing to espionage, physical attacks and intelligence operations on UK soil.
Manningham-Buller recalled early hopes that Russia might become a partner after the Soviet collapse, but noted that within a year of meeting Vladimir Putin in 2005, former spy Alexander Litvinenko was murdered in London with radioactive poison.
Recent cases, including spy rings and an arson attack on a warehouse holding supplies for Ukraine, have underlined her view. She agreed with Russia expert Fiona Hill’s assessment that Moscow is already at war with the West, calling it “a different sort of war” fought through extensive hostile acts.
Sources: The Times; The Guardian
The United States and Israel are close to finalising President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza after talks involving envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump said negotiations are in their “final stages” and that he would meet Netanyahu in Washington on Monday to push the agreement forward.
The plan, drafted by Witkoff and Kushner, has been shaped by consultations with Arab and Muslim countries over recent months. Key provisions include a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages within 48 hours, and a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
It also proposes the creation of a new governing body without Hamas, backed by Arab and international support, and a process to disarm the group. While US officials say Arab mediators believe Hamas may be ready to agree, the organisation has denied receiving new proposals.
Sources: Reuters, Axios
At least 40 people were killed and more than 90 injured in a crowd crush at actor-politician Vijay’s rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, India. Police said a larger space had been provided but crowd-related factors still led to tragedy, with an estimated 25,000–30,000 attendees.
A criminal case has been filed against several leaders of Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party. Officials added that ambulances struggled to access the site as overwhelming crowds gathered near the campaign vehicle.
Leaders issued condolences and announced compensation. Vijay pledged 2 million rupees for each bereaved family and 200,000 rupees for the injured, while Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced ex-gratia of 10 lakh (1,000,000) rupees for the deceased and 1 lakh (100,000) rupees for the injured. Stalin said an inquiry would be led by a High Court judge; he called the loss unprecedented for a political programme in the state and said strict action would follow once facts are established.