World affairs briefing — November 1, 2026.

Sudan accuses Ethiopia of helping arm the RSF

Sudan accused Ethiopia of using a military base to supply the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces with weapons and equipment and to facilitate the arrival of foreign fighters, according to remarks by a Sudanese foreign ministry official. Ethiopia and the RSF had not immediately responded. Ethiopia has previously denied supporting the RSF or allowing drones to launch from its territory, the report said.

Why it matters If substantiated, the alleged arms-and-fighter route would mean Ethiopian military infrastructure is helping sustain the RSF's fighting capacity, giving Sudan's conflict a consequential cross-border supply dimension.

What to watch next Whether Ethiopia or the RSF responds to the specific allegation about the Asosa base remains open; neither had immediately commented.

Satellite analysis finds damage to hundreds of US military-site buildings in the Middle East

The Wall Street Journal reported that satellite imagery analysis found 274 structures at 24 installations with a US military presence were damaged during the first six months of the Iran war. The report said damage at Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base included at least 19 buildings, and that an Iranian strike there on July 17 killed three US service members. It said reconstruction could add billions of dollars to the conflict’s costs.

Why it matters For the US military, reconstruction would be a burden spread across numerous installations, not a single damaged base, potentially adding billions to the conflict's costs.

Trump administration reportedly considers sending Afghan refugees from Qatar to Pakistan

The Trump administration is preparing to deport Afghan refugees to Pakistan as early as Monday, media reports said, despite concerns that they could then be returned to Afghanistan under Taliban rule. NBC News reported that rights advocates and detainees’ families said a flight could take place in the coming days, though it had not been publicly announced. The report said the plans concern refugees housed at Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar.

What changed The removal deadline at the Qatar facility had already shifted from March 31 to September 30, showing that the reported flight preparations follow an extended departure timetable.

Why it matters For the Afghan refugees concerned, Pakistan may not be a secure endpoint: the reported transfer raises the risk of subsequent return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, though that outcome is not confirmed.

What to watch next Whether the proposed Pakistan flight actually departs remains unresolved. Advocates and families described a possible flight in the coming days, but there was no public announcement.

Israeli offensive in Hebron enters ninth day as restrictions tighten, witnesses say

Israeli forces tightened restrictions in residential areas of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Saturday as an offensive that began October 23 entered its ninth day, witnesses told Anadolu. The report said the operation had displaced thousands of Palestinians and led to arrests and demolitions. Witnesses said troops closed the Ein Deir Bahha neighborhood and detained several young men.

What changed An offensive underway since October 23 was followed by a neighborhood-level military closure on Friday evening, adding an explicit ban on residents staying in or crossing the area.

Why it matters For residents of Ein Deir Bahha, the reported closure restricts more than travel: it prohibits remaining in the neighborhood, putting continued access to homes at issue.

Two Palestinians reported killed amid continuing Gaza ceasefire violations

A Palestinian was killed in a strike in central Gaza early Saturday, and another died from wounds sustained in an earlier attack, medical sources told Anadolu. A source at Al-Awda Hospital identified the person killed near Nuseirat as Diaa Abu al-Rous; witnesses said an Israeli drone carried out the strike. The report said the deaths occurred amid continuing Israeli military actions during a ceasefire in effect since October 2025.

Why it matters The reported deaths show that the ceasefire has not eliminated lethal danger for Palestinians in Gaza; the toll includes both new attacks and people succumbing to earlier injuries.