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Families have been reunited in northern Ukraine after civilians were evacuated from the devastated Russian-occupied town of Oleshky. Some arrived on stretchers, having endured years of severe shortages of food and medicine. One woman said they had escaped from hell. The evacuation was made possible by a temporary ceasefire brokered with the involvement of US First Lady Melania Trump, who has expressed hope that it could pave the way for a lasting peace. Also on the programme: Britain's prime minister says he is open to calls for a formal apology for the country's role in the slave trade. We hear the arguments for and against the idea; and four volunteers emerge after spending 378 days in a simulated mission to Mars. We speak to a former NASA astronaut about the challenges of living in isolation. (Photo: Ukrainian serviceman Dmytro welcomes back his partner Larysa as evacuees from the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky arrive in Chernihiv, Ukraine. Credit: Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko)

People evacuated from the devastated Russian-occupied city of Oleshky have arrived in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed. Residents of the frontline city had been trapped without food, water and electricity, with many resorting to cooking garden weeds to survive. The evacuees were taken out of Oleshky on Friday during a local ceasefire, brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, before travelling through Russian occupied territory to southern Russia.Also on the programme: the US has agreed to sell Ukraine Patriot missiles, but what is behind America's shifting attitudes to Ukraine?; and another day of demonstrations in Paris as we speak to one of the founders of the Yellow Vest protest movement - to unearth their demands.(Photo: Residents evacuated from the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, return to Ukrainian-controlled territory, at an undisclosed location Credit: Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko)

On this special edition of Newshour, we preview the US midterms taking place next week.The BBC’s James Coomarasamy broadcasts from The Midtown Scholar Book Store in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where four closely fought congressional races - all in districts currently held by Republicans - could decide who controls the US House of Representatives for the remainder of Donald Trump's Second Term.Also in the programme: The BBC’s North America Correspondent Anthony Zurcher explains what we can glean from early voting data; and Will Grant reports from Florida where widespread support among Latino and Cuban American voters helped Donald Trump to win in 2024. But as President Trump's mass deportation policy has been carried out some Latino voters are thinking again about supporting Republican candidates. (Photo: US President Donald Trump attends the White House Trick-or-Treat event at the White House in Washington, DC, USA. Credit: Aaron Schwartz/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)

Ahead of US Midterms, we ask how will Pennsylvania vote? Democrat hopefuls eye return to Congress and Senate. Also in the programme:  Evacuation of residents of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky begins; Halloween is banned in Iran, how are young people celebrating it?(Photo: US postal ballots. Credit: Reuters)

It's emerged that the CEO of a firm whose train was involved in Wednesday's deadly crash outside Madrid had warned the Spanish Senate three weeks ago of problems with the network's signalling system. Ahead of the Spanish election next month, some parties have suspended their campaigns out of respect. We get the latest from the BBC’s Rajini Vaidyanathan who is at the scene.Also in the programme: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has described a Russian drone strike on a railway station in Dnipro as a horrific attack that demanded a response from Ukraine's allies; and revered actor Sir Patrick Stewart dies aged 86.(Photo: A Guardia Civil helicopter flies over the site of the collision the day after two high-speed trains crashed between the towns of Mora and Orgaz, near Toledo, Spain, 29th October, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Susana Vera)

After the election in Serbia removed Aleklsandr Vucic from power after 14 years, we speak to the acting president Ana Brnabic about what Serbia's future looks like now.Serbia's long-standing leader was defeated by a student-led protest movement in snap parliamentary elections.Also in the programme: How opium production has risen again - not just in Afghanistan, but also in border areas of Pakistan; and an update on the Israeli elections, where there are now investigations into alleged foreign interference in the vote.(Photo shows Serbia's acting president Ana Brnabic in the parliament in Belgrade, Serbia on 25 October 2022. Credit: Marko Djurica/Reuters)

At least 68 people have been killed and dozens more injured after a Spanish high-speed train collided with another train south of the capital Madrid. Spain's transport minister says an "inexplicable" decision by the control centre led to the collision after a computer failure initially caused trains to halt.Also on the programme: a day after Israel's election produced no clear winner, will Israeli Arab parties be crucial to forming a government? And Flavio Bolsonaro has landed in the United States after fleeing Brazil. (Photo: Rescue personnel work at the site of the collision of two high-speed trains between the towns of Mora and Orgaz, near Toledo, Spain, October 28, 2026. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura)

Votes are still being counted in Israel's election - but with no clear winner still, the parties look to negotiate coalition deals.We'll hear from the parties vying for power and those who could be kingmaker.Also in the programme: A train collision in Spain kills at least 30 people near the capital Madrid - we'll bring you the latest from the scene; the cruise of a lifetime turns into a nightmare with passengers stranded in Cambodia after the company runs out of cash; and Hollywood actor Michael Douglas looks back on his career, reflecting on life as a nepo baby.(Photo shows Israeli prime minister and Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu gesturing after exit polls in Jerusalem on 28 October 2026. Credit: Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)

Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.

Election officials in Israel say early turnout in the first general election since the Hamas attacks three years ago is the highest for more than half a century. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is hoping to extend his time in office after three years of warfare, called on Israelis to vote "the right way". His main challenger is the former military commander, Gadi Eisenkot, who urged voters to replace what he called the worst government in Israel's history. Also, King Charles visits the Bahamas, with the issue of reparations for slavery likely to be raised. Plus, the meme, the footballer and China. Why Kylian Mbappe has upset Beijing. And a localised ceasefire brokered by Melania Trump begins in a small Ukrainian town, occupied by Russia - can it bring much needed humanitarian assistance, to the few thousands residents trapped there?(Photo: An Israeli man, accompanied by a boy, votes at a polling station during Israel's national election, in Jerusalem, 27 October, 2026. Credit: Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)