The US struck Iran’s Qeshm Island on Monday, in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian state media reported five explosions, while US officials described the strikes as limited and defensive.

Officials said the action was in response to Iranian fire on a US aircraft; some also described it as aimed at deterring attacks on commercial ships.

The strikes came hours before US midterm elections, which will decide whether Republicans or Democrats control Congress.

Bruce Springsteen endorsed Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Senate race, saying he supports El-Sayed’s defense of democracy.

El-Sayed, a doctor and public health official, is running against Republican Mike Rogers for a seat held by Democrat Gary Peters.

The contest has become a source of division among Michigan Democrats after Representative Haley Stevens, whom El-Sayed defeated in the primary, endorsed Rogers.

Stevens said the endorsement followed a falling-out with El-Sayed over Israel; senior Democrats criticised her decision.

Russian strikes killed at least 24 people in Komyshuvakha, in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region, Ukrainian authorities said on Monday.

The attack hit a school where residents collected humanitarian aid and a nearby shelter.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the settlement was struck several times, including by nine more bombs after the first strike.

Five people were injured, and officials said some people were missing, though reports gave different counts.

Americans vote on November 3 to decide control of Congress, with Democrats seeking to overturn narrow Republican majorities in both chambers.

Polls favour Democrats to win the House, while the Senate race is too close to call.

If Republicans retain both chambers, investors may expect a short-term market rise and more room for President Donald Trump’s spending plans.

A split Congress could limit new spending, but a dispute over the federal debt ceiling could unsettle markets.

Hackers stole more than $6 billion in crypto from Binance on October 29, in what the exchange says could be the largest financial heist of its kind.

The FBI linked the theft to a North Korean hacking group, but North Korea has denied involvement and called the U.S. allegation a political provocation.

Binance says the attack used compromised computers and an internal artificial intelligence tool to gain control of its wallets.

The exchange says it will repay customers who lost funds and has replenished 95 per cent of the affected tokens.

The Chicago Bears beat the Seattle Seahawks 34-17 on Monday night in Seattle.

The game was Jeffery Simmons' first for Chicago after the Bears acquired the All-Pro defensive tackle from the Tennessee Titans last week.

Simmons recorded a sack and helped pressure quarterback Sam Darnold, while Chicago's defense held Seattle to 252 yards and forced an interception.

Quarterback Caleb Williams passed for 247 yards and a touchdown as Chicago improved to 6-2.

John Lewis has unveiled its 2026 Christmas advert, the 20th edition of a campaign that has become a UK festive tradition.

Kristin Scott Thomas plays Gloria, a grandmother in London who is unsure what to give her grandchildren, Freddie and Maggie.

A talking toy dog named Pickles urges her to do better than cash, then takes her on a gift-finding trip.

Gloria eventually turns her study into a “Gran Cave” where the family can dance and spend time together.

A Yakima County resident in Washington died from H5N1 bird flu after contact with infected dairy cattle.

The person had underlying health conditions and was hospitalized with severe illness, but officials have not released their name or other personal details.

This is the third bird flu-linked death in the United States since 2024 and the first in 2026.

H5N1 has spread among animals, including US dairy cattle since 2024, and more than 70 people in the country have tested positive since then.