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A massive explosion and fire at the HABAS iron and steel plant in Aliaga, Izmir province on Monday killed six people, injured 13 others-two critically-and left eight workers trapped under rubble, officials said. The governor's office said the blast occurred around noon (0900 GMT) when an overhead crane toppled into a furnace during liquid steel casting. An investigation was launched, while Izmir Mayor Cemil Tugay said final casualty figures await debris clearance. Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci posted on social media that emergency teams fought the blaze as injured victims were hospitalized. Broadcaster NTV aired images of heavy smoke, while state-run Anadolu agency quoted witnesses Nuri Ali Ulker and Deniz Ulker describing intense shaking resembling an earthquake. The HABAS facility, established in 1987, produces 4.5 million tons of steel annually. The disaster struck Aliaga-a port town famous for shipbreaking facing environmental criticism and EU delisting calls-just as world leaders gathered in Antalya for climate talks.

At least seven people, including a train conductor, were killed and 125 others injured after two passenger trains collided south of Egypt's capital Cairo on Sunday, authorities said. The Health Ministry confirmed the casualties in a statement, adding that more than 70 injured passengers had been released from hospitals after receiving medical treatment. The accident took place in al-Ayyat district of Giza province, around 52 kilometres (32 miles) south of Cairo, when a train bound for the southwestern province of Fayoum crashed into the rear of another train heading towards the southern province of Aswan, according to the Transportation Ministry. The office of the Chief Prosecutor said investigators had arrived at the scene late Sunday to examine the circumstances surrounding the accident. An initial inspection suggested that the Giza-Fayoum train struck the last carriage of the Cairo-Aswan train, which was stationary on the same track and moving in the same direction, officials said. Ayman Gamal, a resident of Kafr Girza village in al-Ayyat, said local residents rushed to the accident site, helped rescue passengers and contacted emergency services. He said he saw ambulances carrying around 80 injured people to nearby hospitals. Some passengers were trapped inside a carriage of the stationary train and were found dead when rescuers pulled them out, he added. Survivors receiving treatment at al-Wasta Central Hospital in Beni Suef province said passengers were left traumatised and struggled to breathe because of dust generated by the collision. Local villagers eventually helped them escape from the wreckage. Farha Gamal, a passenger on the Fayoum-bound train, said she saw several people who appeared to have died, while others desperately tried to find their way out of the damaged carriage. "Some of the other carriages were completely mangled," she said. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said in a social media post that he had ordered an immediate investigation into the accident. The Egyptian Railway Authority said emergency response teams and cranes had been sent to the scene to remove the wreckage and restore normal train services as quickly as possible. Train accidents and derailments remain a recurring problem in Egypt, where the railway network has long faced criticism over poor management and inadequate maintenance. The government has announced several modernisation initiatives in recent years. In September, a train driver and his assistant were injured when two freight trains collided in the same district. Egypt's deadliest railway disaster occurred in 2002, when a fire broke out on an overnight train travelling from Cairo to southern Egypt, killing more than 300 people.

Pakistani security forces killed 27 militants during an intelligence-based operation in Mastung district of the country's southwest Balochistan province, security sources said on Sunday. The operation was conducted in two phases in Karam Valley, with 15 militants killed in the first phase and another 12 in the second, the sources said. A local militant commander was also killed along with his associates during the operation, according to the sources. Security forces recovered a large quantity of weapons, ammunition and improvised explosive devices from the militants' hideouts. 

The gunman who killed six people in the Polish city of Krakow on Saturday died in hospital early Monday, the Polish Press Agency (PAP) reported, citing local police. Police said they were notified of his death by the hospital Monday morning, adding that prosecutors would release further details. Prosecutors are investigating both the shooting and the killing of three members of the 24-year-old gunman's immediate family, whose bodies were found in a home in the Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski area in south-central Poland. Preliminary findings indicate that he was responsible for both incidents. Autopsies on the victims were scheduled to begin Monday morning. Prosecutor Eryk Stasielak told PAP that the examinations could take two days because of the complex nature of the gunshot wounds. The gunman drove into Krakow's Main Market Square on Saturday afternoon and fired at passersby randomly before being shot and detained by police. Officials said Saturday evening that six people had been killed and 16 others injured, including two police officers and the gunman.  

Greek authorities recovered 12 bodies from a migrant boat discovered south of the island of Crete early Monday, while 18 people were rescued by a passing Moroccan-flagged cargo ship, according to the Greek coast guard. Authorities have not yet disclosed the identities of the deceased or the exact circumstances surrounding their deaths. The vessel was located approximately 15 nautical miles (28 kilometres or 18 miles) south of Crete on Monday morning. Meanwhile, two other migrant boats carrying approximately 47 and 40 people were detected heading south of the island. One was spotted by an aircraft operated by the European Union's border agency, Frontex, while the other was identified by a Frontex surveillance drone. All passengers aboard the two vessels were rescued by Frontex personnel and were being transported to a port on Crete's southern coast. Greece remains a major entry point into the European Union for migrants fleeing conflict, poverty and instability in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In recent months, thousands have attempted the dangerous sea journey from North Africa, particularly from Libya to Crete. Others travel from the Turkish coast to nearby Greek islands across the Aegean Sea, frequently using small, overcrowded and unsafe boats. Last month, 12 people, including an infant, lost their lives after two boats carrying migrants from Turkey to the Greek islands of Lesbos and Samos capsized. In October, Frontex reported that the eastern Mediterranean remained the busiest migration route into the 27-member European Union, despite an overall decline in irregular border crossings. According to the agency, approximately 31,800 crossings were recorded during the first nine months of 2026, representing a 15% decrease compared with the corresponding period last year. The route from Libya to Crete accounted for the largest share of activity, followed by the eastern Aegean islands and the land border between Turkey and Greece.

A thick blanket of smog shrouded India’s capital early Monday after firecrackers lit up the skies over New Delhi during Diwali celebrations, compounding dangerously high pollution levels and intensifying the seasonal air pollution crisis that grips the city every year. Despite restrictions on fireworks, residents in New Delhi celebrated the Hindu festival of lights with firecrackers on Sunday evening, releasing smoke and fine particulate matter into the atmosphere. The Air Quality Index exceeded 350 in several parts of the capital on Monday morning, reaching the severe category and posing significant health risks. Monitoring stations across the city recorded similarly alarming levels, while visibility deteriorated as a gray haze blanketed streets and high-rise buildings. India’s Supreme Court in October had sought to limit Diwali pollution by restricting conventional firecrackers and allowing only approved “green firecrackers” under specified conditions for three-hour windows on Saturday and Sunday. The crackers produce fewer emissions but are not pollution-free. They still release particulate matter and other pollutants, adding to the city’s already hazardous air. New Delhi and its metropolitan region, home to more than 30 million people, regularly rank among the world’s most polluted areas during winter. Pollution worsens as Diwali fireworks coincide with cooler weather and smoke from crop-residue fires in neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana. After harvesting rice, farmers often burn leftover stalks to clear their fields for the next planting season. The smoke drifts toward New Delhi, adding to pollution from vehicles, industries, construction dust and other local sources. The problem becomes particularly acute in late October and November, when cooler temperatures, low wind speeds and stagnant atmospheric conditions prevent pollutants from dispersing. The result is a thick haze that can linger over the capital and surrounding areas for days. Authorities in New Delhi have implemented a set of measures to curb pollution, which include limits on construction activity and restrictions on diesel generators, while courts have sough restrictions on firecrackers. But the measures have not prevented the return of severe pollution each year. Environmentalists say long-term solutions, such as cleaner energy and stricter controls on vehicle emissions, are needed to prevent the annual crisis.  

A U.S. deportation flight of Iranian nationals bound for Iran by way of Pakistan was abruptly canceled Sunday morning, according to an attorney who spoke to some of the detainees slated for repatriation. At least eight Iranians were loaded onto a plane Sunday morning in Mesa, Arizona, for a deportation flight headed to the country of Georgia, then on to Pakistan, according to Ali Rahnama, an attorney with the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund who filed emergency motions on behalf of some of the Iranian detainees. The flight was canceled without explanation, he said. Court documents unsealed days ago in a civil lawsuit filed by the fund showed the Trump administration as recently as mid-October said it had plans to deport the Iranians to Iran, even as the war there drags on, via an unnamed third country. The lawsuit was filed in July and alleges that the U.S. government illegally shared confidential information about Iranians seeking asylum in the U.S. with Iranian officials. There were three deportation flights to Iran between September 2025 and January 2026, with over 100 Iranian nationals deported. But the administration's confirmation of the new plans amid the war that began in February highlights its resolve in carrying out its hardline immigration crackdown, which has involved ramping up removals, including to places that critics say could endanger the lives of the returnees. Homeland Security refuses comment In response to questions Sunday from The Associated Press, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not comment on “prospective removal operations, including flight schedules, passenger manifests, destinations, or individual case details,” nor would the agency confirm future removal operations. “As promised, the Trump Administration is employing all lawful options to carry out the largest deportation operation in history,” the statement said. The administration did not specify in the October court records when the deportations would be carried out. But in the past week, roughly a dozen Iranian nationals in immigration detention said they were notified that they were scheduled for an upcoming deportation flight to Pakistan and then to Iran, according to numerous attorneys who have since confirmed those plans with DHS. Advocacy group says detainees have been contacted by Iranian officials According to Rahnama, the eight detainees who boarded the flight on Sunday were visited by a senior official with the Iranian Interests Section — an Iranian representative office in the Pakistani Embassy in Washington that handles consular affairs — and were told that the Iranian government would transport them from Pakistan to Iran. In the litigation brought by the Iranian immigrant advocacy group, at least a dozen Iranian detainees have said they’ve been contacted by Iranian officials who had knowledge of sensitive information on their asylum claims. U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes, a nominee of President Joe Biden, has not ruled on the claims but ordered the U.S. government to give the court 24-hour notice of any finalized plans to deport Iranians to Iran or to any other country, and five days’ written notice before any such deportation is carried out. In a court filing Sunday, the defense fund laid out what it had learned about plans for a removal flight Sunday and argued that the administration may have violated the judge’s directive to give advance notice of deportation plans. Later Sunday, the government filed court documents in the case, but they were sealed and inaccessible to the public. Group says individuals could face persecution The Iranian American Legal Defense Fund has called for a halt to the removal flights, saying in a news release that they would “reportedly mark the first deportation of Iranians to Iran since the U.S.-Iran war began.” The group’s executive director, Yasmin Chubin, said in a statement Sunday that it was difficult to comprehend why the U.S. would forcibly deport Iranians, including asylum seekers, to Iran, amid ongoing military hostilities. The consequences of removal, Chubin said, “could be irreversible and individuals may face persecution, torture, or death.” At least one person who had been part of the scuttled flight volunteered to go back to Iran after nearly two years of detention, Rahnama said, out of desperation to leave what he described as inhumane imprisonment. It’s not clear how many other of the deportees may have volunteered to leave.

Saudi Arabia said it intercepted incoming missiles targeting the kingdom's capital and other regions on Sunday, with falling debris damaging a building belonging to the state-owned oil giant Aramco in Riyadh’s financial district. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates said it rescued 22 crew members after a fire broke out aboard a cargo ship in the Sea of Oman, as risks to commercial shipping in the region remain high. And in Israel, opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot formally got the first chance to form a new government. Witnesses in Riyadh said they heard a loud explosion Sunday morning and described damage at an Aramco building in the King Abdullah Financial District. The witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity because of security concerns. The Saudi Energy Ministry said there were no casualties at the Aramco facility. The Saudi-led coalition said its air defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles and two cruise missiles targeting Riyadh and other regions early Sunday, accusing the Iran-backed Houthis of launching the weapons. The Houthis' military spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, claimed in a statement Sunday that they had hit Riyadh’s financial district and other targets in response to attacks in recent days on a village and a market in Yemen, which he said left dozens dead or wounded and blamed on Saudi Arabia.      

U.S. President Donald Trump told CNN in a phone interview on Sunday that as long as the U.S. continues to see progress in negotiations with Tehran and they sign a “strong agreement,” it’s “highly unlikely it’s going to be necessary” to resume strikes. The president said, however, that the U.S. had identified infrastructure targets, including 38 bridges, that it would strike if military action resumes. The region has been on edge over the possibility of a renewed all-out war. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is set to meet Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the White House on Monday, according to his official schedule. Drone attack on gas field causes power outages in northern Iraq The strategic Khor Mor gas field in Iraq’s semiautonomous northern Kurdish region was targeted by a drone attack late Sunday, officials said. No casualties were reported and it was not immediately clear how much damage was caused, but the attack took the facility offline, causing widespread power outages. Khor Mor is one of northern Iraq’s most productive natural gas fields, and its output is used to fuel power plants. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Sunday formally tasked opposition politician Gadi Eisenkot with forming the country's next government, giving him the first opportunity to replace long-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The move marks a significant step in Eisenkot's efforts to take power following the October 27 election, although difficult coalition negotiations lie ahead in a deeply divided country still grappling with the aftermath of the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks and the multiple wars that followed. Speaking at a ceremony at the presidential residence in Jerusalem, Herzog expressed hope that the next government would promote national unity and help heal divisions across Israeli society. He said the country's survival depended on bringing together all segments of the population. However, the appointment does not guarantee that Eisenkot, a former army chief, will become prime minister. He has up to six weeks to secure the support of political parties and form a coalition, as the election failed to give either his bloc or Netanyahu's camp a clear parliamentary majority. Herzog said a majority of members of the Knesset, Israel's parliament, had backed Eisenkot during consultations with political parties. At the ceremony, Eisenkot pledged to provide trustworthy leadership that would serve the public interest and represent all sections of society. He said an overwhelming majority of lawmakers representing the Israeli public supported political change, adding that he would approach the challenge with patience, humility and a commitment to building a Jewish, equal, liberal and secure Israel. Coalition negotiations pose difficult political choices The Arab-led parties, which made significant gains in the election following strong turnout among Arab citizens of Israel, could play a decisive role in determining the next government. Only one Arab party, Ra'am, has previously joined an Israeli governing coalition, doing so in 2021. The party has pledged to support Eisenkot, but its parliamentary strength alone is insufficient to give him a majority. In a departure from decades of political practice, another Arab-led party, the Joint List, has offered to support Eisenkot's government from outside the coalition in an effort to end Netanyahu's hold on power. However, such cooperation presents difficulties for both sides. The Joint List would be backing a government that may not end Israel's wars or halt settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. For Eisenkot and his opposition partners, cooperation would mean relying on parties that strongly criticise Israeli policies and oppose the country's definition as a Jewish state. One of Eisenkot's political partners, the conservative Yisrael Beytenu party, has already ruled out joining a government that includes Arab-led parties. Eisenkot has set four conditions for parties seeking to join his coalition. They must recognise Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, accept its declaration of independence, support military, national or civilian service for all citizens, and designate Hamas as a terrorist organisation. It remains uncertain whether the potential Arab partners will agree to these conditions. Meanwhile, Netanyahu has repeatedly made unsubstantiated allegations that Arab parties "stole" the election and warned Eisenkot that forming an alliance with them would amount to betrayal. Israel's Shin Bet security agency has launched an investigation into possible foreign interference in the election. However, the Central Elections Committee and Herzog have maintained that the vote was valid, saying that even if irregularities are established, they did not significantly affect the results. Eisenkot faces major hurdles in forming a coalition Eisenkot has pledged to form a government as quickly as possible, but the available options involve difficult political compromises. Apart from seeking support from Arab-led parties, he could consider a power-sharing arrangement with Netanyahu or negotiate with ultra-Orthodox parties that want to retain military service exemptions for their communities. Equal military service was a major campaign pledge for Eisenkot and his partners, who have called for an end to the longstanding exemptions. The ultra-Orthodox parties, which were part of Netanyahu's outgoing coalition, want to preserve the exemptions, arguing that they are essential to their religious way of life. The issue has become increasingly contentious among the wider Israeli public during the past three years of war. The ultra-Orthodox party United Torah Judaism, aware that its support could be decisive in the coalition negotiations, has kept open the possibility of cooperating with Eisenkot. Under the constitutional process, Eisenkot has 28 days to form a government, with a possible two-week extension from the president. If he fails, Netanyahu could be given another opportunity to assemble a coalition. Should he also fail, Israel would return to the polls early next spring. The newly elected members of the Knesset are scheduled to be sworn in on Tuesday evening. Netanyahu and his cabinet will continue in a caretaker capacity with limited powers until a new coalition government is formed. Wars and international support await next government The next Israeli government will also face major security and diplomatic challenges. Despite ceasefires, Israeli forces remain engaged in fighting Hamas militants in Gaza and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. The war launched by Israel and the United States against Iran also remains unresolved. Both Herzog and Eisenkot highlighted these challenges on Sunday, along with what the president described as the changing political situation in the United States, where the recent midterm elections indicated weakening support for Israel among both Democrats and Republicans. Herzog urged Eisenkot to draw on his military leadership experience and personal loss, including the death of his son in combat in Gaza, to help unite the country. Recalling Eisenkot's years of military service, Herzog said he had commanded soldiers from different backgrounds across Israeli society and bore the physical scars of decades of military leadership and combat. He urged Eisenkot to remember, during the coming coalition negotiations, that the entire nation was looking to him with its pain, hopes, prayers and fears.