Archive
Earlier stories from The Curtain, kept together for browsing.
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Sorrow, Not Sorry: King Charles Confronts Slavery's Shadow Without an Apology
Britain's King Charles III told Commonwealth leaders in Antigua on Tuesday that the transatlantic slave trade "fills my heart with horror and my soul with the most profound personal…
Far From a Deal: Hormuz Stays Shut as US Strikes Qeshm and Tankers Are Hit
Iran and the United States remain far from a deal to end their war, a senior Iranian official told Reuters, and Tehran insisted the Strait of Hormuz would stay closed until its conditions…
Hackers Turned Europe’s Supermarket Freezers Into Ovens. Three Weeks Later, They Did It Again.
Overnight into Monday, 2 November, attackers remotely changed the settings on refrigeration controls at supermarkets across Europe, warming fridges and freezers and forcing stores to throw away chilled and frozen food. The attacks hit at least seven countries
Cyclone Murasu Makes Landfall on India’s Eastern Coast
Cyclone Murasu made landfall on India's eastern coast in the early hours of Tuesday, 3 November, the second storm to hit the region in a week, as authorities evacuated hundreds of thousands of people to safety. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said th
Iran-US Doha Talks End Without Deal, but Follow-Up Remains Possible
Indirect talks between Iran and the United States, mediated by Qatar, ended on Sunday without an agreement — but not, officials insisted, without a future. Iranian negotiators left Doha after three days of discussions aimed at ending an eight-month war that ha
Russian Aerial Bombs Strike Ukraine Aid Site, Killing at Least 26
Russian aerial bombs struck a school being used to distribute humanitarian aid in south-eastern Ukraine on Monday, killing at least 26 people, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the country's emergency services. The attack hit the village
Trump could launch nuclear strike on Iran within days, commentator claims
Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson alleges Netanyahu is pressuring Trump to attack a suspected nuclear site, while JD Vance and Steve Witkoff urge diplomacy
Nine Killed as Business Jet Crashes in South Florida Neighbourhood
A business jet carrying nine people nose-dived into a South Florida neighbourhood on Sunday afternoon and erupted into a giant fireball, killing everyone on board and forcing about 600 residents of a nearby mobile home…
False Emergency Alerts Hit Russia and Ukraine After Warning Apps Are Hacked
Within hours of each other, the emergency warning apps that millions of people in Russia and Ukraine rely on for air-raid alerts were compromised, sending false warnings about radiation, chemical attacks and nuclear…
UN Peacekeeping Mission in Western Sahara Ends After 35 Years, Dispute Unresolved
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara ceased operations on Sunday, ending 35 years of international monitoring in a vast desert territory whose future remains unresolved. The mission did not end…
Two Days to Reopen the Strait — If Washington Meets Tehran's Seven Conditions
Iran and Qatari mediators have drafted a conditional framework under which the Strait of Hormuz could reopen within two days, provided the United States meets Tehran's conditions, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday.
Withdrawals Reopen at Binance After the $6.3 Billion Hack — In Careful, Watched Stages
Binance began reopening withdrawals in phases after the reported $6.3 billion breach, with Bitcoin first and other supported networks returning after checks.
America Votes as Control of Congress Hangs in the Balance
Americans are voting on Tuesday, 3 November, in midterm elections that will decide control of Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's second term, and serve as the…
In Istanbul, a Grain Corridor and Generators; At Home, Drones, a Refinery Fire and an Oleshky Evacuation
Zelensky and Erdoğan agree to work on a Black Sea grain corridor as Ukraine seeks winter energy support and residents are evacuated from occupied Oleshky.
Ebola Deaths Pass 5,000 in Congo’s Deadliest Outbreak — And the Virus Is Still Spreading
Deaths in Congo’s Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak have exceeded 5,000, with transmission outpacing contact tracing and response teams under pressure.
Canada and Europe Just Redrew the Map of the West — Without Washington
Canada and the EU launched an Alliance for the Future in Montreal, advancing digital trade, critical-mineral investment and a closer association.
The Countdown in the Gulf: Iran Warns of a “No-Limits” Response as Trump Weighs His Next Move
Iran’s supreme leader threatened an immediate response without geographic limits to any new U.S. or Israeli attack, as Washington weighs diplomacy and military options.
Poland, on the Edge of a Constitutional Crisis
Riot police guarded Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal as judges disputed its leadership and President Karol Nawrocki cut short his trip to Senegal.
The Shot in the Wheat Field That History Still Cannot Agree On
Vincent van Gogh’s 1890 death is widely understood as suicide, but a disputed theory that he was shot by someone else continues to be debated.
The Painting Paris Tried to Destroy With Umbrellas
Édouard Manet’s Olympia scandalised visitors at the 1865 Paris Salon, confronting them with a modern woman who refused to look away.
An Armoured Amphibian That Grew Up Drinking Seawater Rewrites an Evolutionary Rule
Two Triassic fossils from China point to Gerrothorax maritimus, a heavily armoured amphibian that may have spent its entire life in the sea.
The 'Weird Kitten' Hiding in Plain Sight Turns Out to Be a New Species
A rescued kitten in Bolivia’s Yungas helped scientists identify Leopardus tilcayo, a newly described tiger cat whose range and population remain unknown.
Israel's Final Count Confirms a Parliament No One Can Govern
Israel’s final election count gives Netanyahu’s bloc 53 seats, the opposition 48 and Arab-led parties 19, leaving coalition talks with no easy path to a majority.
Spain Counts 69 Dead as Investigators Ask How a Train Was Sent Towards Another
The death toll in the Toledo high-speed rail collision has reached 69. A preliminary report points to a chain of failures, while investigators examine the signalling outage and control-room decisions.
Billions Drain From Binance Hot Wallets in Suspected Hack as Withdrawals Pause
Large transfers from Binance-labelled hot wallets triggered a security investigation, but Binance has not confirmed a breach or any impact on customer funds.
Homeland Security Scrambles After Leak Exposes More Than 40,000 Workers
The Department of Homeland Security is investigating a reported breach involving more than 41,000 employees and contractors, including personnel connected to undercover operations.
In Amsterdam's Art Zoo, the Animals Roam Free and the Visitors Are Behind Bars
Amsterdam’s Art Zoo turns the natural-history display inside out: preserved animals appear to roam a 17th-century canal house while visitors move through cages.
Moscow Comes Under Mass Drone Attack as Ukraine Warns of Missile Shortage
Russian officials reported hundreds of drones headed toward Moscow as Ukraine’s president warned that Patriot interceptors remain in short supply ahead of winter.
Israel's Vote Count Nears Its End With No Bloc Able to Govern
With more than 90% of votes counted, provisional projections leave Netanyahu’s bloc at 53 seats, the opposition at 48 and Arab-led parties at 19.
Spain Reels as Death Toll Climbs After Toledo High-Speed Collision
At least 68 people have died after a Renfe high-speed train struck a stationary Iryo train near Urda in Toledo. The toll remains provisional as investigators examine a signalling failure and control-centre decisions.
Britain Commits £10 Billion in Fresh Support for Ukraine as Winter Nears
The UK has announced a package of more than £10 billion in economic and military support for Ukraine, including £500 million for air defences this winter.
The Day Israel Went Back to the Ballot Box for the First Time Since October 7
Israel’s first national election since the October 7 attacks puts security, accountability and coalition-building at the center of the vote.
The Real Story of Islam’s Rapid Expansion
Arab-led armies expanded across a vast region with remarkable speed. The spread of Islam as a religion was a much slower, varied process.
In Ethiopia’s Highlands, a Week of Attacks Leaves a Community Counting Its Dead
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church says 60 people were killed in two attacks in Oromia. Responsibility remains disputed, and residents have fled.
Is Britain Quietly Reopening the Brexit Debate? The Free Movement Question Returns
Ministers say officials will explore long-term UK–EU options, including free movement, while stressing that no policy decision has been made.
A Royal Tour Begins, and an Old Question Refuses to Stay in the Past
King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Caribbean tour begins amid renewed calls for Britain to address its role in the transatlantic slave trade.
France Offered Its Students Billions. They Said: Not Enough.
Paris announced education investments and reforms after weeks of demonstrations. Teachers and student representatives say the package falls short.
When the Lights Went Out in Southeast Sudan, It Was Not Just Darkness
Drone strikes damaged substations and triggered outages across southeast Sudan, disrupting daily life and putting the national grid at risk.
Anthropic’s $16.3 Billion in Revenue and $80.7 Billion Loss Put Its IPO Under Scrutiny
Anthropic’s S-1 shows explosive first-half growth, an unusually large accounting loss, and long-term infrastructure commitments that investors will have to weigh.
The Company Spending $175 Billion on AI Just Offered 60,000 People a Way Out
Microsoft’s voluntary exit offer could reach about 60,000 employees, while its 2026 capital-spending plans show the scale of its AI infrastructure bet.
