Good morning — it’s Monday, November 3, 2025. Washington wakes to week six of the longest shutdown in US history, with President Trump refusing to budge as federal workers go unpaid. Overseas, he says China’s Xi promised calm over Taiwan while Russia pounds Ukraine’s power grid. OPEC+ hits pause on oil hikes, Israel exchanges more bodies under a tense Gaza ceasefire, and Sudan reels from mass killings in El-Fasher. In Asia, the US deepens postwar ties with Vietnam, and Canada teams up with the Philippines to counter Beijing’s growing reach.

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Trump Refuses to Negotiate as Record-Long Government Shutdown Enters Sixth Week

US President Donald Trump said he “won’t be extorted” by Democrats to reopen the government, signaling no intention to negotiate as the shutdown stretches into its sixth week — the longest in US history.

In a 60 Minutes interview aired Sunday, Trump said Democrats must vote to reopen the government before talks on extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies can begin. Senate Democrats have rejected that approach, voting 13 times against GOP efforts to end the shutdown without a broader agreement on health care funding.

Trump renewed calls to end the Senate filibuster, arguing Republicans should “get tougher,” though GOP leaders, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, oppose the move.

The stalemate has left hundreds of thousands of federal workers without pay, delayed air travel due to staff shortages, and raised fears that 42 million Americans could lose access to food aid under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

CBS: “We are now approaching to longest shutdown in American history”@POTUS: “Democrats’ fault.”

CBS: What are you doing to end the shutdown?@POTUS: “We keep voting… the Republicans are voting almost unanimously to end it, and the Democrats keep voting against ending it.” pic.twitter.com/ifKicgydYe

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 3, 2025

Democrats insist negotiations must address ACA subsidies before reopening the government, while Trump maintains the health law is “terrible” and must be fixed later.

As both parties remain at an impasse, moderate lawmakers are exploring bipartisan compromises, but progress appears limited. Meanwhile, federal services and workers face mounting strain from the protracted shutdown.

Trump Says Xi Assured Him China Won’t Act on Taiwan During His Presidency

US President Donald Trump said Chinese leader Xi Jinping has assured him that Beijing will not take any action toward unifying Taiwan with mainland China while Trump is in office.

In an interview excerpt aired Sunday on CBS’s 60 Minutes, Trump said the Taiwan issue did not come up during his meeting with Xi in South Korea last week, but added that Chinese officials have made clear “they know the consequences” of acting while he is president.

The comments come amid longstanding US concerns that China might use military force against Taiwan, which it claims as its own. Asked whether he would send US forces to defend the island, Trump maintained Washington’s policy of “strategic ambiguity,” saying, “You’ll find out if it happens.”

President Donald Trump says Taiwan “never even came up” when he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his trip to Asia last week.

When @NorahODonnell asks about his plan if China invades Taiwan, the president tells 60 Minutes: “I can’t give away my secrets.” pic.twitter.com/L6GweX0KWx

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) November 2, 2025

China’s embassy in Washington reiterated that Taiwan is “the core of China’s core interests” and that its status is an internal matter for the Chinese people.

The White House did not confirm when or how the assurances were conveyed.

The 60 Minutes interview was Trump’s first with CBS since settling a lawsuit with the network earlier this year.

Drone Strikes Kill Two in Ukraine as Both Sides Target Energy Infrastructure

At least two people were killed and three wounded Sunday in a Russian drone strike on a car park in Ukraine’s Odesa region, authorities said.

The attack also caused widespread power outages across several regions, including Zaporizhzhia, where nearly 60,000 residents lost electricity after overnight drone and missile strikes.

Ukraine’s national energy operator reported rolling blackouts as Russia intensified assaults on the country’s power grid with winter approaching.

🔥2 people killed, 1 injured in Odesa by Russian drone attack

Ukraine’s Air Force said its defenses downed 67 of 79 strike drones and two Iskander-M ballistic missiles launched by Russia overnight https://t.co/qgopo4gTvA pic.twitter.com/9YIu3WUHqd

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) November 2, 2025

Meanwhile, Ukraine launched its own long-range drone attack on Russia’s Tuapse port, setting an oil tanker and terminal infrastructure ablaze, according to regional officials and a Ukrainian intelligence source.

The operation, reportedly carried out by Ukrainian special forces, damaged two civilian ships and targeted facilities belonging to state-owned oil giant Rosneft.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said such strikes have cut Russia’s refining capacity by 20 percent, part of Kyiv’s broader effort to weaken Moscow’s war funding through attacks and Western sanctions on its energy sector.

OPEC+ Freezes Planned Oil Output Hike as Sanctions on Russia Stir Market Uncertainty

OPEC+ (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) announced Sunday it would pause oil production increases scheduled for early 2026, citing oversupply concerns amid new US and United Kingdom sanctions targeting Russian energy firms.

The decision came ahead of the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), held Monday in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where Russia’s Lukoil and Rosneft appeared as major sponsors despite mounting Western restrictions over Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

The group, which includes OPEC members and allies led by Russia, had approved a 137,000-barrel-per-day increase beginning in December but will halt further adjustments in January through March “due to seasonality.”

Benchmark Brent crude traded at about $65 a barrel Monday, down sharply from its 2022 highs. Analysts said the move reflects OPEC+’s attempt to stabilize prices and gauge the impact of sanctions on Russian output.

🛢️Oil prices extended gains on Monday after OPEC+ decided to pause further production hikes for the next quarter, a step seen as an effort to prevent a potential supply glut as demand slows and tensions between Russia and Ukraine intensify

🔗https://t.co/SiTNTAVxHF pic.twitter.com/FrvzCOKydz

— AA Energy (@AAEnergyNews) November 3, 2025

At the summit, US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum represented President Donald Trump’s administration, urging higher American production as US gasoline averaged $3.03 per gallon.

The UAE, which balances oil expansion with renewable energy goals, continues to act as both a key oil producer and diplomatic intermediary between Russia and Ukraine.

Israel Receives Remains of Three Hostages From Gaza as Ceasefire Holds

Israel said Sunday that Hamas handed over the remains of three hostages from Gaza, which will be examined by forensic experts as part of ongoing exchanges under a fragile, month-old ceasefire.

Hamas said the bodies were recovered from a tunnel in southern Gaza.

US President Donald Trump confirmed that one of the returned remains was Omer Neutra, an American-Israeli soldier killed in the October 2023 Hamas-led attack.

HOSTAGE RETURN: President Trump confirmed that Hamas has returned the body of American hostage Omer Neutra, a New Yorker who served in the IDF. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said he had personally spoken with Neutra’s parents following the recovery. pic.twitter.com/tQUrSei8jL

— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 3, 2025

Since the ceasefire began on October 10, Hamas has returned the remains of 20 hostages, with 11 more believed to remain in Gaza. In exchange, Israel has released the remains of 15 Palestinians.

Gaza health authorities said only 75 of the 225 bodies Israel has returned have been identified due to the lack of DNA testing capacity.

The exchanges are part of a US-brokered 20-point ceasefire plan that includes forming an international stabilization force to secure Gaza’s borders. However, key issues including Hamas’ disarmament, Gaza’s postwar governance, and aid distribution remain unresolved.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas fighters still operate in Rafah and Khan Younis and vowed to “eliminate” remaining strongholds.

Iraq Urges Kurdish PKK Fighters in North to Disarm After Withdrawal From Turkey

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on Sunday called on Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters who relocated to northern Iraq after decades of conflict in Turkey to lay down their weapons.

Speaking alongside Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Baghdad, Hussein said Iraq supports the peace agreement between Ankara and the PKK and expects its full implementation.

Fidan welcomed Iraq’s cooperation and said Turkey hopes the PKK will end its armed operations across Iraq, Iran, and Syria.

The call follows the PKK’s announcement in May that it would disband and renounce armed conflict, following instructions from its imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Hussein also announced the signing of 26 bilateral agreements with Turkey covering energy, security, and water management.

🇹🇷🇮🇶Türkiye, Iraq sign financing mechanism to advance water cooperation projects

▪️Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein signed the mechanism document in Baghdad

▪️Under mechanism, infrastructure modernization and construction projects… pic.twitter.com/OCOPtg2kK0

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) November 2, 2025

Flights between the two countries are set to resume Monday after a two-year suspension, signaling improving relations between Baghdad and Ankara.

Few Reach Safety After RSF Seizes Sudan’s el-Fasher as Reports of Atrocities Mount

Only a small number of civilians have reached safety following the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) capture of el-Fasher in Sudan’s Darfur region, raising fears for tens of thousands still trapped amid reports of widespread violence.

Aid groups said fewer than 6,000 displaced people have arrived at a nearby camp in Tawila, 40 miles away, while the United Nations estimates more than 70,000 have fled since the RSF seized the city after an 18-month siege. Survivors described gunmen firing on fleeing civilians and children arriving alone and injured.

The fall of el-Fasher marks a major escalation in the conflict between the RSF and Sudan’s Army, which began in April 2023 and has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced over 14 million.

🚨Rapid Support Forces (RSF) holding thousands of Sudanese civilians in El-Fasher amid dire conditions

RSF forced back residents who attempted to flee, including individuals wounded by gunfire and others suffering from malnutrition, Sudan Doctors Network says… pic.twitter.com/UPlsJTPKNL

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) November 2, 2025

Sudan’s ambassador to Egypt, Imadeldin Mustafa Adawi, accused the RSF of war crimes and urged the international community to label it a terrorist organization. He also accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of arming the RSF, a charge Abu Dhabi denies. The UAE has called for a three-month ceasefire and a transition to civilian rule within nine months.

Meanwhile, new RSF attacks in central Kordofan reportedly killed 12 people, including five children.

US Defense Chief Reaffirms Vietnam Ties With Focus on War Legacy Cooperation

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Vietnam on Sunday to reaffirm defense cooperation centered on addressing the lingering effects of the Vietnam War, 50 years after its end.

Meeting with Vietnamese Defense Minister Phan Van Giang in Hanoi, Hegseth emphasized that resolving war legacies — including the cleanup of Agent Orange, removal of unexploded ordnance, and recovery of missing soldiers — remains the cornerstone of US-Vietnam relations.

Just concluded a great visit to Vietnam.

It was a pleasure to meet with General Secretary Lam, President Cuong, and Minister Giang as we mark 30 years of diplomatic relations.

We’re deepening defense cooperation to bolster regional security. pic.twitter.com/tu4vo6eErx

— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) November 3, 2025

During the meeting, Hegseth returned several wartime artifacts, including a leather box, belt, and knife taken by US soldiers, as part of ongoing reconciliation efforts. His visit marks 30 years of diplomatic relations and two years since the countries elevated ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Analysts say the renewed commitment to postwar projects helps bolster trust and open avenues for deeper defense collaboration amid regional uncertainty.

The visit follows Vietnam’s outreach to North Korea and reported plans to buy Russian Su-35 jets, signaling Hanoi’s balancing act between US engagement and long-standing ties with Moscow.

Canada, Philippines Sign Defense Pact to Counter China’s Aggression in South China Sea

Canada and the Philippines signed a key defense agreement Sunday to strengthen military cooperation and joint training amid growing tensions with China in the South China Sea.

The Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, signed in Manila by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty, allows troops from both countries to conduct combat drills, share intelligence, and coordinate disaster response operations.

Teodoro said the pact supports a “rules-based international order” in the face of China’s territorial expansion, while McGuinty called it an important step in deepening security collaboration.

🇨🇦 🇵🇭 Canada becomes 5th nation to sign visiting forces pact with Philippines

▪️Agreement allows 2 countries to deploy troops in each other’s territory, strengthening defense cooperation

▪️Expands cooperation in critical areas such as humanitarian aid, disaster response and… pic.twitter.com/DBW20QEsh7

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) November 2, 2025

The deal marks the third such agreement signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration, following similar accords with Japan and New Zealand.

Negotiations are underway for additional pacts with France, Singapore, Britain, Germany, and India.

The agreement comes as the Philippines and its allies condemn Beijing’s growing assertiveness, including its recent plan to establish a “nature reserve” in the contested Scarborough Shoal. Both Canada and the Philippines have criticized China’s use of water cannons and other coercive tactics against Filipino vessels, calling them violations of international law and threats to regional stability.

Sources: News Agencies