Dubai Basketball continued their remarkable run in the ABA League with a commanding 82:70 victory over Partizan in Round 5. The home team showcased their resilience and tactical prowess, turning the game around with a stunning 23:2 run between the third and fourth quarters. This victory handed Partizan their third consecutive defeat and marked their first loss in the regional competition. Despite Partizan’s strong start, led by Jabari Parker’s consistent scoring, Dubai’s sharp three-point shooting kept them within striking distance. After halftime, Dubai’s defense tightened, and their offense surged, capitalizing on Partizan’s scoring drought. Dwayne Bacon played a pivotal role, scoring ten consecutive points and sealing the third quarter with a buzzer-beating three-pointer. Filip Petrušev delivered a standout performance, leading the team with 18 points, six rebounds, and two steals. Head Coach Jurica Golemac praised the team’s character and energy, emphasizing the importance of fan support. Dubai’s dominance continued into the final period, with their lead peaking at 22 points. The team now looks forward to a series of home games, starting with a clash against SC Derby on November 9 at the Coca-Cola Arena.
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Gaza Strip faces a severe water shortage, despite ceasefire
The Gaza Strip remains in the grip of a severe water crisis, exacerbated by the aftermath of Israel’s two-year military campaign and the persistent blockade, even after a ceasefire was declared. Local officials report that the region’s water supply is critically insufficient, meeting only 15% of the daily needs of its over two million residents. Hosni Muhanna, spokesperson for the Gaza City Municipality, revealed that the current supply amounts to roughly 100,000 cubic meters per day, far below the required levels. The destruction of vital infrastructure during the conflict, including wells and the central desalination plant, has left only 17 out of 88 wells operational. Gaza now relies heavily on the Mekorot water line, Israel’s national water company, which provides a meager 15,000 cubic meters daily. Even before the war, the Israeli blockade had rendered most of Gaza’s water undrinkable, with UNICEF estimating in 2020 that only 10% of the population had access to clean water. The crisis has forced hundreds of thousands of households to purchase water for drinking and bathing, while the lack of fuel and essential equipment hampers recovery efforts. Additionally, the accumulation of 260,000 tonnes of waste and millions of tonnes of rubble further complicates the situation, posing significant environmental and health risks. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has warned that the ongoing environmental destruction could have long-term consequences for Gaza’s residents. The Israeli army’s reported disposal of construction waste within Gaza has added to the crisis, as documented by Israeli news outlet Haaretz. The Gaza City Municipality has called for urgent international assistance to restore basic services and prevent further deterioration of living conditions.
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Line-up for expanded 16-team Wafcon 2026 decided
The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has finalized the lineup for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon), with Cameroon, Egypt, Ivory Coast, and Mali securing their places based on FIFA world rankings. This decision comes after Caf expanded the tournament from 12 to 16 teams midway through the qualifying stages for the event, which will be hosted in Morocco. Reigning champions Nigeria were among the 11 teams that qualified directly in the second and final qualifying round last month. Teams eliminated at that stage had hoped for a chance to compete in play-offs, but Caf opted to use FIFA rankings to determine the final four participants. Cameroon (66th globally), Ivory Coast (71st), Mali (79th), and Egypt (95th) will now join the competition. Mali reached the quarter-finals in the delayed 2024 edition, while Cameroon, three-time runners-up, return after missing the 2024 tournament. Ivory Coast and Egypt will make their first appearances since 2014 and 2016, respectively. While Caf has yet to confirm the tournament dates, FIFA has tentatively scheduled it between March 17 and April 3, 2026. The draw date remains unannounced. Notably, the four semi-finalists at Wafcon 2026 will qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, with the losing quarter-finalists competing for two additional spots in an inter-confederation qualifier.
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Typhoon Kalmaegi death toll jumps to 26 in Philippines
The devastating impact of Typhoon Kalmaegi has left at least 26 people dead in the central Philippines, according to the country’s civil defence office. The storm, which caused widespread flooding, has particularly affected Cebu province, where 21 of the fatalities were reported. Rafaelito Alejandro, the deputy administrator of civil defence, confirmed that most of the victims succumbed to drowning. ‘Based on the information we have, most of them died from drowning,’ Alejandro stated in a phone interview with AFP. The typhoon has inundated multiple towns, leaving communities grappling with the aftermath. Rescue and relief operations are underway as authorities work to assist those affected by the disaster. The incident underscores the vulnerability of the Philippines to extreme weather events, which are becoming increasingly frequent and severe due to climate change.
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Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces: What to know about the paramilitary group
Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a brutal civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has displaced approximately 14 million people out of Sudan’s 51 million population, with unofficial death toll estimates surpassing 200,000. The RSF, once part of the SAF, has received significant support from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which supplies the paramilitary group through routes in Somalia, Libya, and Chad. The SAF is led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, while the RSF is commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. Hemedti, a former Janjaweed commander, rose to prominence under the regime of Omar al-Bashir, who ruled Sudan from 1989 to 2019. The Janjaweed, notorious for war crimes in Darfur, was transformed into the RSF in 2013. The RSF has since expanded its influence into civilian affairs, including border control and tax collection. The conflict escalated in 2023 when negotiations to integrate or dissolve the RSF failed. The RSF has been accused of widespread atrocities, including mass killings, sexual violence, and genocide, particularly in Darfur. Despite UAE denials, evidence suggests continued and intensified support for the RSF. The fall of el-Fasher in October 2025 marked another grim chapter in the war, with reports of 2,000 civilians killed in the first two days. The international community, including the US and Saudi Arabia, has struggled to mediate a resolution, leaving Sudan’s future uncertain.
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New Yorkers expected to pick Mamdani in stunning election
In a groundbreaking development, New Yorkers are projected to elect Zohran Mamdani, a self-proclaimed socialist, as their next mayor. This election, held on November 4, 2025, marks a significant shift in the political landscape, particularly as it signals a resurgence of the Democratic opposition ahead of the crucial midterm elections next year. Mamdani’s campaign, focused on reducing living costs for ordinary citizens, has resonated strongly with voters, as evidenced by his seven-point lead in the latest AtlasIntel poll, where he garnered 41% of the vote. His closest competitors, former state governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa, trailed with 34% and 24%, respectively. The election has also drawn national attention, with President Donald Trump threatening to withhold federal funds from the city if Mamdani wins. Mamdani’s potential victory would make him New York’s first Muslim mayor, a milestone that has sparked both celebration and controversy. The race has centered on key issues such as the cost of living, crime, and the city’s relationship with the Trump administration. Meanwhile, off-year gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey are being closely watched as barometers of the national political mood. Democratic candidates in these states, Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger, are locked in tight races against their Republican opponents, with both sides receiving high-profile endorsements. Former President Barack Obama rallied support for the Democratic candidates but refrained from endorsing Mamdani, reflecting the ongoing internal debate within the party about its future direction. The outcomes of these elections could have far-reaching implications for the balance of power in Congress and the broader political trajectory of the United States.
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India launches three-month voter registration overhaul
India has initiated a comprehensive three-month voter registration overhaul, termed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), across 12 states and territories. This extensive exercise, involving tens of thousands of election officials and nearly half a million volunteers, aims to update voter rolls by visiting households to assist residents in completing voter enumeration forms. The initiative, announced by Election Commission of India chief Gyanesh Kumar, is set to cover key regions such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, which collectively house hundreds of millions of citizens according to the 2011 census. The final electoral roll is slated for release on February 7, 2026. However, the process has sparked significant controversy. Critics, including opposition parties and rights groups, argue that the stringent documentation requirements could lead to the wrongful exclusion of legitimate voters, particularly marginalized communities. Earlier this year, a similar revision in Bihar resulted in the removal of approximately 6.5 million names, with the ECI citing the need to prevent the inclusion of ‘foreign illegal immigrants.’ Members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have long alleged that undocumented Muslim migrants from Bangladesh have fraudulently registered as voters. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has condemned the exercise as a ‘trick to delete the names of genuine voters,’ warning that the right to vote—the cornerstone of democracy—is under threat. Despite these concerns, India’s Supreme Court has provided some relief by ruling that the biometric-linked Aadhaar identity card can be used as valid documentation for the process. The ongoing legal challenges and political debates underscore the high stakes of this voter registration drive in the world’s largest democracy.
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‘No such thing as Jewish terrorist’ says Israeli MP sponsoring bill to execute Palestinians
A contentious bill proposing the death penalty for individuals deemed ‘terrorists’ has sparked widespread debate in Israel. Sponsored by far-right lawmaker Limor Son Har-Melech, the legislation explicitly targets those who ‘harm the State of Israel’ while excluding Jewish perpetrators. Har-Melech asserted that ‘there’s no such thing as a Jewish terrorist,’ defending the bill as ‘very clear and unequivocal.’ The proposal, advanced by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s Jewish Power party, was approved by an Israeli panel on Monday, setting the stage for its first parliamentary reading. The bill would enable Israeli courts to impose capital punishment on Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis on ‘nationalistic grounds,’ but it does not apply to Israelis who kill Palestinians under similar circumstances. Har-Melech justified the measure by stating, ‘A dead terrorist is a terrorist who won’t return to the cycle of terror.’ Meanwhile, she criticized former Israeli army legal chief Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, who is under investigation for allegedly leaking footage of Israeli soldiers raping a Palestinian detainee, accusing her of ‘lying and deceiving’ the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Har-Melech also praised an Israeli convicted of murdering three members of a Palestinian family in 2015 as a ‘truly holy man’ and called for his release, labeling his imprisonment a ‘crime.’ The bill and Har-Melech’s statements have drawn sharp criticism, with opponents arguing that the legislation is discriminatory and undermines justice.
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Pizza Hut’s parent company explores sale of struggling chain
Yum! Brands, the parent company of Pizza Hut, is reportedly evaluating the potential sale of its iconic pizza chain as it grapples with declining sales and fierce competition in the fast-food industry. Pizza Hut has faced multiple quarters of falling same-store sales in the United States, a critical market that accounts for 42% of its global revenue. This downturn has overshadowed growth in other regions, prompting Yum! Brands to explore strategic alternatives. In a recent statement, CEO Chris Turner emphasized the need for decisive action to unlock Pizza Hut’s full potential, suggesting that the brand might thrive better under new ownership. The pizza division’s struggles contrast sharply with the performance of Yum!’s other major brands, KFC and Taco Bell, which have both demonstrated resilience. Taco Bell, known for its affordable offerings, saw a 7% increase in same-store sales last quarter, while KFC posted a 3% rise despite economic headwinds. Pizza Hut, however, reported a 1% decline in sales at existing outlets. The chain operates approximately 20,000 stores worldwide, with 6,500 in the U.S., but has lost ground to competitors like Domino’s and Papa Johns. Domino’s recently reported a 6% surge in quarterly sales, partly driven by promotional strategies. Yum! Brands, which derives about 11% of its operating profits from Pizza Hut, has not set a timeline for a decision on the brand’s future. The broader fast-food industry is also feeling the pinch of cautious consumer spending, exacerbated by inflation and labor market challenges. In the U.K., Pizza Hut is closing half of its restaurants as consumers increasingly favor more agile competitors. Despite these challenges, Turner described U.S. consumers as ‘cautious but incredibly resilient,’ noting that Taco Bell’s sales have remained stable amid macroeconomic pressures.
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International bridge competitions add intellectualism to Qingdao sports
Qingdao, a coastal city in Shandong province, recently became the epicenter of intellectual sports as it hosted two major international bridge competitions: the 2025 Buffett Cup Bridge Match and the 2025 International Bridge Elite Invitational. These events not only showcased the strategic depth and mental agility of bridge but also highlighted Qingdao’s growing reputation as a hub for diverse sporting activities. The competitions attracted elite players from around the globe, fostering a spirit of camaraderie and intellectual exchange. Bridge, often referred to as a ‘mind sport,’ combines elements of strategy, memory, and teamwork, making it a unique addition to the city’s sports landscape. The successful organization of these events underscores Qingdao’s commitment to promoting sports that challenge the mind as much as the body. By hosting such prestigious tournaments, Qingdao is carving out a niche for itself in the global sports arena, blending traditional athleticism with intellectual pursuits.