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World’s Largest Aircraft Carrier is Being Sent to the Middle East

FILE - In this photo provided by the US Navy, the USS Gerald R. Ford embarked on the first of its sea trials to test various state-of-the-art systems on its own power for the first time, April 8, 2017, from Newport News, Va. (Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ridge Leoni/US Navy via AP, File)
FILE - In this photo provided by the US Navy, the USS Gerald R. Ford embarked on the first of its sea trials to test various state-of-the-art systems on its own power for the first time, April 8, 2017, from Newport News, Va. (Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ridge Leoni/US Navy via AP, File)
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World’s Largest Aircraft Carrier is Being Sent to the Middle East

FILE - In this photo provided by the US Navy, the USS Gerald R. Ford embarked on the first of its sea trials to test various state-of-the-art systems on its own power for the first time, April 8, 2017, from Newport News, Va. (Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ridge Leoni/US Navy via AP, File)
FILE - In this photo provided by the US Navy, the USS Gerald R. Ford embarked on the first of its sea trials to test various state-of-the-art systems on its own power for the first time, April 8, 2017, from Newport News, Va. (Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ridge Leoni/US Navy via AP, File)

The world’s largest aircraft carrier has been ordered to sail from the Caribbean Sea to the Middle East, a person familiar with the plans said Thursday, as US President Donald Trump considers whether to take possible military action against Iran.

The move by the USS Gerald R. Ford, first reported by The New York Times, will put two carriers and their accompanying warships in the region as Trump increases pressure on Iran to make a deal over its nuclear program.

According to The Associated Press, the person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military movements.

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and three guided-missile destroyers arrived in the Middle East more than two weeks ago.

It marks a quick turnaround for the USS Ford, which Trump sent from the Mediterranean Sea to the Caribbean last October as the administration build up a huge military presence in the leadup to the surprise raid last month that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

It also appears to be at odds with Trump’s national security strategy, which put an emphasis on the Western Hemisphere over other parts of the world.

Trump on Thursday warned Iran that failure to reach a deal with his administration would be “very traumatic.” Iran and the United States held indirect talks in Oman last week.

“I guess over the next month, something like that,” Trump said in response to a question about his timeline for striking a deal with Iran on its nuclear program. “It should happen quickly. They should agree very quickly.”

Trump told Axios earlier this week that he was considering sending a second carrier strike group to the Middle East.

Trump held lengthy talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday and said he insisted to Israel's leader that negotiations with Iran needed to continue. Netanyahu is urging the administration to press Tehran to scale back its ballistic missile program and end its support for militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah as part of any deal.

The USS Ford set out on deployment in late June 2025, which means the crew will have been deployed for eight months in two weeks time. While it is unclear how long the ship will remain in the Middle East, the move sets the crew up for an usually long deployment.

The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

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France Criticizes ‘Demagogic’ Move by Israel to Ban Hard-Left Leader Melenchon

09 November 2026, France, Paris: France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, speaks during a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Paris. (dpa)
09 November 2026, France, Paris: France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, speaks during a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Paris. (dpa)
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France Criticizes ‘Demagogic’ Move by Israel to Ban Hard-Left Leader Melenchon

09 November 2026, France, Paris: France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, speaks during a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Paris. (dpa)
09 November 2026, France, Paris: France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, speaks during a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Paris. (dpa)

France has ‌criticized as "demagogic" a decision by Israel to ban French hard-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchonand another leading figure in his France Unbowed (La France Insoumise) party from entering the country.

Israel's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday it would bar Melenchon and Mathilde Panot, the party’s parliamentary group chair, over "the extreme anti-Israel stance of La France Insoumise party and the outrageous statements made by ‌its leaders."

"This demagogic ‌decision, coming from a ‌government ⁠that has repeatedly violated international ⁠law, plays into the hands of those who, like La France Insoumise, thrive on exploiting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on X.

"France will continue to work tirelessly toward a two-state solution and the ⁠peaceful coexistence of the Israeli and ‌Palestinian peoples,” he ‌said.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a ‌statement on Thursday that both Melenchon and ‌Panot had made statements spreading "blood libels" against Israel, and that Melenchon had called for French ships to escort illegal flotillas to Gaza.

"Israel will respond ‌firmly to those who seek to harm it and will not allow ⁠individuals ⁠who act against Israel and incite against its citizens to enter the country," it said.

Melenchon told Franceinfo radio: "I am banned from entering a territory I did not ask to enter...I regret that the Israeli government is pursuing me like this."

In a campaign speech last Saturday, Melenchon made clear that, if he were elected president, French vessels would accompany activists hoping to force aid into the Gaza Strip.

World

UN Hails Progress in Ebola Response, Cites Insecurity as Biggest Challenge

Congolese workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) walk outside the Ebola Treatment Center at the Bunia General Referral Hospital following a resurgence of Ebola involving the Bundibugyo strain, in Bunia, Ituri province, the Democratic Republic of Congo, November 2, 2026. (Reuters)
Congolese workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) walk outside the Ebola Treatment Center at the Bunia General Referral Hospital following a resurgence of Ebola involving the Bundibugyo strain, in Bunia, Ituri province, the Democratic Republic of Congo, November 2, 2026. (Reuters)
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UN Hails Progress in Ebola Response, Cites Insecurity as Biggest Challenge

Congolese workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) walk outside the Ebola Treatment Center at the Bunia General Referral Hospital following a resurgence of Ebola involving the Bundibugyo strain, in Bunia, Ituri province, the Democratic Republic of Congo, November 2, 2026. (Reuters)
Congolese workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) walk outside the Ebola Treatment Center at the Bunia General Referral Hospital following a resurgence of Ebola involving the Bundibugyo strain, in Bunia, Ituri province, the Democratic Republic of Congo, November 2, 2026. (Reuters)

UN health officials on Friday hailed progress in the Ebola response six months after the outbreak first prompted global concerns, but cautioned that the disease continues to spread to more remote and dangerous parts of Congo.

With the number of confirmed cases now surpassing 11,000, the outbreak is the second-worst for Ebola on record and ‌has spread to parts ‌of east, central and ‌west ⁠Africa.

Flagged by health ⁠authorities in mid-May, the outbreak is driven by the rare Bundibugyo species of the virus, for which there are no approved treatments or vaccines.

"We do see encouraging signs," said Chikwe Ihekweazu, head of ⁠the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Program, ‌citing falling ‌cases in former hotspots like Bunia in eastern Democratic ‌Republic of Congo.

“But what we have ‌seen now is the emergence of cases in more rural and more difficult-to-reach areas ... The biggest challenge the response faces right now ‌is the rising insecurity," he said, citing WHO data showing 80 attacks ⁠on health ⁠sites and workers so far.

French medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières has been more downbeat on the Ebola response, saying that supplies are missing and the virus is still spreading out of control.

Julien Harneis, the UN's special Ebola coordinator, said in response to the criticism: "The area of operation is vast, just unimaginable vast...But 80% of the time, and across this vast area, we're able to operate."

World

Five Facts About APEC with Trump, Putin and Xi Set to Attend

Workers install signage for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) China 2026 summit on the wall of a building in Shenzhen, China's Guangdong province on November 12, 2026. (AFP)
Workers install signage for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) China 2026 summit on the wall of a building in Shenzhen, China's Guangdong province on November 12, 2026. (AFP)
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Five Facts About APEC with Trump, Putin and Xi Set to Attend

Workers install signage for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) China 2026 summit on the wall of a building in Shenzhen, China's Guangdong province on November 12, 2026. (AFP)
Workers install signage for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) China 2026 summit on the wall of a building in Shenzhen, China's Guangdong province on November 12, 2026. (AFP)

Attention will focus next week ‌on a summit of US, Chinese and Russian leaders set for the 21-member gathering of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in China's southern technology hub of Shenzhen.

WHAT IS APEC?

Founded as an informal 12-member dialogue effort in 1989 in the Australian capital of Canberra, it has become the region's premier economic forum to foster ties on advancing growth, trade and investment.

Accounting for about 62% of global GDP and roughly half of global trade, the grouping of "member economies" rather than nations allows participation by Chinese-ruled Hong Kong and democratically governed Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory.

It does not include India, the world's most populous nation, however.

APEC operates on non-binding commitments reached strictly by consensus, with commitments undertaken on a voluntary basis.

The APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting is set for November 18 and 19, preceded by an annual summit of CEOs on November 17-18.

WHY SHENZHEN?

China is ‌hosting the summit ‌for the third time, after events in the commercial hub of Shanghai ‌in ⁠2001 and the ⁠capital, Beijing, in 2014.

Both domestic and international reasons govern the choice of Shenzhen, adjacent to the financial center of Hong Kong, said Chim Lee, senior analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit.

As part of China's Greater Bay Area home to Hong Kong and Macau, which Beijing seeks to establish as a global hub for technology and innovation, the city offers a platform to showcase China's vision for development and trade.

It also highlights Shenzhen's resilience to geopolitical turbulence, Lee added.

The city is the base of several leading Chinese auto and tech giants, such as BYD, ⁠Huawei and Tencent .

WHO WILL BE THERE?

China has said President Xi Jinping ‌will chair the leaders' meeting and deliver remarks. US President Donald ‌Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are among those expected.

The leaders of Canada, Australia, Mexico ‌and Indonesia are also due to attend, along with those of Malaysia, South Korea and Vietnam among ‌Asia-Pacific nations.

Taiwan has designated Stan Shih, founder of Acer, as its envoy.

WHAT TO WATCH AND KEY STICKING POINTS

Middle East Instability: The economic ripple effects of conflict, such as risks to energy security, trade flows, supply chains and inflation are ‌major concerns expected to figure in talks.

Tripartite Dynamics: All eyes are on the possible meeting of Chinese, Russian and US leaders. China is hesitant to ⁠engage in talks on nuclear ⁠disarmament, as it has fewer such weapons than the other two, analysts said.

The US and Russia will also be keen to discuss the Ukraine war, but not necessarily China, they said.

China-US Relations: A key focus to see if ties can stay stable. Both sides are falling short on commitments to an extended trade truce, analysts said. Rare earth supplies, artificial intelligence and tariffs are also likely to figure on the agenda, with US arms sales to Taiwan closely watched.

China's ties with Japan and the Philippines: Strains in Japan and China ties have persisted since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi angered Beijing in November 2025 by suggesting that Japan could deploy its military if a Chinese move against neighboring Taiwan also threatened its territory.

China-Philippines relations will likewise be closely watched amid continuing tension in the disputed waterway of the South China Sea.

WHO ARE APEC'S MEMBERS?

These are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.