World

World news from every region: conflicts, elections, diplomacy, disasters and the people at the centre of them.

7520 articles · page 2 of 157 · The World front page

Australia

Ex-NRL star Manase Fainu says he helped foil plot to stab Jarryd Hayne in jail

Former Manly Sea Eagles hooker Manase Fainu says he helped prevent a plan to stab former NRL star Jarryd Hayne while they were incarcerated together at a Sydney prison. Fainu, released on parole Friday after serving an eight-year sentence for stabbing a Mormon youth leader, described how he and other islanders backed Hayne, who told them he had not done it; Hayne’s convictions on sexual assault charges were later quashed.

· 4 sources
Geopolitics

Experts say Japan’s Minamitorishima mining push is driven less by ore than politics

In February 2026, Japan became the first country to successfully and continuously retrieve rare-earth mud from 6,000 meters below the sea off Minamitorishima, its easternmost island, a feat that sparked nationwide excitement as a major step toward breaking free from dependence on China. But experts argue the rush is driven less by the minerals than by the political value of being seen to use the island, reinforcing Japan's claim of effective control over the waters around it.

US Politics

DOJ again warns election officials of possible prosecution over records days before midterms

The Justice Department has sent letters to state election officials across the country warning that they could face criminal prosecution if they willfully fail to preserve ballots and other election records for 22 months after a federal election. The letters, dated Oct. 29 and signed by acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter, come days before the midterm elections, and officials familiar with the correspondence said they appear to have been sent to all 50 states.

US Politics

Trump administration ends VA loan relief program; thousands of veterans face higher payments

An investigation by NPR has found that the Trump administration's decision to end a low-interest loan relief program has left thousands of military veterans facing sharply higher mortgage payments. Data obtained by NPR shows that 63% of veterans who received a loan modification saw their payments rise, compared with 2% of modifications to loans guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. More than 15,000 veterans saw their payments jump by at least $150 a month, and over 700 saw increases of at least $1,000.

US Politics

Trump DOJ awards Jackson grant with immigration enforcement strings

The Trump administration has awarded the city of Jackson, Mississippi, a Department of Justice grant under its new Model Cities Initiative, a program that requires cities to cooperate with certain Trump administration priorities, including immigration enforcement and a ban on sleeping in public. The Jackson Police Department applied for up to $125 million over three years, and the city council must now vote on whether to accept the funds.

World

Five east London towers evacuated over 'imminent risk to life' from structural defects

Residents of five tower blocks in Canning Town, east London, have been ordered to evacuate after structural engineers warned of an 'imminent risk to life' from an undersized and overstressed concrete slab. The first three towers were evacuated on 23 October, with notices for the remaining two issued on 30 October. Property manager Prime Property Management has told residents to cover their own temporary accommodation costs in the first instance.

World

Carney targets June deal for Canada-EU 'associate member' status

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hopes to finalise an agreement by June defining Canada as the European Union's first associate member, laying out his ambition at the close of a two-day summit in Montreal. The proposed status, which Carney and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have championed, would give Canada the closest possible relationship with the bloc short of full membership. The term has no legal basis and has drawn resistance from some EU member states, including Germany.

· 3 sources
US Politics

Star witness says he helped distribute bags of cash in Thao trial

On Friday, the government’s star witness in the federal corruption trial of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao testified that he helped distribute cash in gym bags, including to a sitting city council member and another person, after California Waste Solutions won a city contract in 2014. Mario Juarez, who has pleaded guilty to participating in an alleged scheme to bribe Thao, told the jury he loaded the bags, including one with up to $300,000, and helped David Duong distribute them.

· 2 sources
Geopolitics

Report links massive anti-Muslim, anti-Qatar influence operation to Israel

An academic report published Thursday detailed a three-year, paid-for influence operation that promoted racist, Islamophobic and anti-Qatar views, saying evidence suggested with moderate to high confidence that the operation was launched from within Israel. The investigation uncovered at least 533 million exposures of social media advertisements across 30 countries; the operation likely cost more than $11 million.

World

Colombia budget cuts threaten transitional justice court, victims warn

The Colombian government has enacted a 2027 budget that cuts the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) by 181 billion pesos ($57m), while a Senate committee has advanced a bill to eliminate the court entirely by March 2028. Angela Cordon fears cuts could derail the court's work, and lawmakers say the budget's approval could jeopardise investigations and trials. President Abelardo de la Espriella says reductions are necessary to combat rising public debt and has accused the court of bias against military members.

Geopolitics

European Commission unveils €45 billion Ukraine spending plan for 2027

The European Commission on 30 October announced plans to disburse about €45 billion ($51 billion) next year under its Ukraine Support Loan, with roughly €31.7 billion ($35 billion) earmarked for Ukraine's defence industrial capacity. The remaining €13.3 billion ($14.8 billion) would be split equally between the Ukraine Facility and Macro-Financial Assistance, the latter tied to an International Monetary Fund support program.

US Politics

Body-camera footage released as Texas grand jury indicts ICE agent who struck Houston man

Harris County prosecutors on Friday released body-camera footage showing ICE agent Mario Alberto Morales acknowledging he had struck a fleeing Houston man with his unmarked SUV, the same day a grand jury indicted him on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Prosecutors say Morales, 33, deliberately veered into Miguel Parra Hernandez, 48, during an attempted stop on 10 October, leaving the Mexican construction worker with multiple leg fractures and a hip injury.

· 6 sources
Geopolitics

Treasury report says U.S. blockade and sanctions have crippled Iran's economy

A new Treasury Department report, obtained by Axios, argues that the U.S. naval blockade, sweeping economic sanctions, and obstruction of overland trade routes have crippled Iran's economy. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is urging President Trump to let the economic pressure campaign, dubbed “Operation Economic Outcast,” play out rather than rush back into combat; U.S. officials say the campaign needs more time to destabilize the regime and potentially convince Iranian leaders to make concessions at negotiations.

World

Philomena's Law takes effect in Britain, shielding Irish redress payments from benefits penalty

Philomena's Law came into effect in Britain today, removing the risk that made many survivors of Ireland's mother and baby homes reluctant to claim financial redress for fear of losing welfare benefits. The law, named after campaigner Philomena Lee, ring-fences payments from the Irish Government's redress scheme so they no longer count towards means-tested income. Labour MP Liam Conlon, who promoted the bill, called it a historic day and the first time British law has ring-fenced a payment from a foreign government.

Geopolitics

Tankers keep oil flowing through Strait of Hormuz despite surge in Iranian attacks

Commercial ships continue to ferry substantial volumes of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz even as Iran sharply escalated attacks in October, with at least 30 vessels hit this month and at least 16 seafarers injured, according to data from the International Maritime Organization. Crude exports have rebounded since March, when they plunged nearly 90%, but the shuttle system is helping get oil out while driving the cost of hiring a supertanker for the Gulf of Oman-to-Asia journey above $900,000 per day. Larsen said tankers transiting Hormuz depend on U.S. military air cover for their security.