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The European Commission has reopened €21.3 billion in defence loans and is urging EU governments to fund joint projects with Ukraine.

Elsewhere, North Korea is pushing to expand drone technology, and Israel’s final election count leaves neither bloc with a majority.

Read more below ⤵️

1️⃣ 🇰🇵 Kim calls for drone expansion: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for faster drone development and watched tests involving drones and multiple rocket launchers, state media reported. South Korea’s military said it detected around 10 short-range ballistic missiles fired towards the sea.

2️⃣ 🇮🇱 Final count leaves Israel deadlocked: Israel’s election committee published the completed count, giving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc 53 seats, Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc 48 and Arab parties 19. Neither main bloc has the 61 seats needed for a majority, and the new parliament is due to be sworn in on 10 November.

3️⃣ 🇮🇷 🇺🇸 Iran reports receiving Vance letter: Iran has received a letter from US Vice President JD Vance but has not replied, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. The letter reportedly sought to revive peace talks, while Tasnim said Tehran still insists on its seven conditions for the US.

4️⃣ 🇪🇺 🇨🇳 EU lawmakers press China over exports: European Parliament trade lawmakers urged Beijing to curb exports in more sectors as they concluded a four-day visit to China, warning that its export-driven economy threatened European jobs. Delegation leader Bernd Lange said the EU’s recent hybrid-car arrangement could provide a model.

5️⃣ 🇰🇷 Prosecutors seek death penalty for Yoon: South Korean prosecutors again sought the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk Yeol during an appeal hearing over his martial law decree. Yoon is appealing a life sentence, while his lawyers reject the prosecution’s argument. South Korea has not executed anyone since 1997.

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🇪🇺 🇺🇦 EU seeks Ukraine projects from unused defence loans

The European Commission has reopened €21.3 billion in defence loans and urged EU governments to fund joint projects with Ukraine.

The new application round runs until 13 November, with missile defence, drones and ammunition among the priorities.

Ukraine faces a €70 billion budget gap.

The loans go to EU governments for their own defence spending, so the Commission cannot require them to include Ukrainian companies.

Joint procurement rules could encourage cooperation, but the current regulation does not allow unused loans to be transferred directly to Kyiv.

1️⃣ 🇱🇧 🇮🇱 Aoun says talks have brought no progress: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said US-mediated talks had yet to produce progress on a ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal, border demarcation or prisoner releases. Meeting a German minister, he urged greater European support for Lebanon’s army and said security concerns should be addressed through official coordination channels rather than military action.

2️⃣ 🇮🇱 Israel tightens airline crew checks: Following September’s foiled attack on a flydubai flight, Israel ordered all airlines flying into or out of the country to submit crew details 48 hours before departure. Crew changes must be reported at least two hours before takeoff, followed by a final list at departure.

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