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7815 articles · page 43 of 163 · The World front page

World

Ultra-endurance athlete completes 900-mile swim along entire California coast in 111 days

Catherine Breed, a 33-year-old American ultra-endurance swimmer, has become the first person to swim the entire 900-mile California coast, finishing at San Diego's Coronado beach on Monday after 111 days in the water. Breed set off on July 1 from the state's northern border, swimming roughly 10 miles per day accompanied by a support vessel, and used the journey to highlight ocean pollution and encourage more women to take to the sea.

US Politics

Trump Offers to Meet Putin and Xi, Downplays Ukraine Focus, Calls for New Ukrainian Leadership

President Donald Trump on Monday said he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in China next month, though he downplayed Ukraine as the primary topic, instead emphasising nuclear weapons talks. He renewed his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying it is time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine. The remarks come amid rising tensions between Washington and Kyiv over sanctions relief, degraded Starlink service and stalled peace efforts.

· 8 sources
World

France cracks down on looting as resale platforms told to remove stolen goods

French authorities imposed an overnight curfew in parts of Paris that held calm on Monday night, as the government turned its attention to the online sale of goods looted during the weekend's riots. Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff summoned representatives of six resale platforms including Vinted and eBay to demand removal of listings for allegedly stolen items, while Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced a compensation fund for affected businesses and a law to make rioters pay.

· 15 sources
World

Curfews take effect across France as government seeks to contain worst unrest in decades

Curfews came into effect across France on Monday night as the government attempted to regain control after a weekend of violent protests, looting and arson that Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu described as among the country's worst domestic crises in decades. The measures, targeting areas of Paris, Bordeaux, Nice, Lyon and Lille, ban gatherings and restrict movement overnight, with some cities imposing curfews specifically for minors. The unrest has spread to neighbouring countries including Italy and Belgium, and organisers have called for a second wave of demonstrations this Saturday.

· 10 sources
Geopolitics

Musk blames White House for Starshield speed cap; Trump and Rubio deny involvement

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has denied responsibility for the sudden speed restrictions on Starshield satellite internet service used by Ukraine's military, stating that the system is owned and controlled by the US government. The denial comes as conflicting reports emerge over who ordered the cap, with President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Musk himself all rejecting claims they directed the throttling. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy maintains the restrictions persist, hampering his country's ability to intercept Russian drones and missiles.

· 2 sources
World

Louvre blocked as France confronts spreading violence; curfews imposed

Student protesters blockaded the Louvre museum in Paris on Monday, opening a dramatic new front in a wave of unrest that saw French cities rocked by rioting and looting over the weekend. As authorities imposed localized curfews in Paris, Nice, and Lille, President Emmanuel Macron blamed the violence on 'extreme-left thugs and thieves' while admitting to 'failures' in police intelligence. The government has warned it may declare a state of emergency as the protests spread to Italy and Albania.

· 10 sources
US Politics

Supreme Court takes up Maryland magnet school case over 'facially neutral' admissions policy

The US Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a challenge to the lottery-based admissions policy used at four magnet middle schools in Montgomery County, Maryland, a case that will test when a race-neutral policy can be attacked as intentional racial discrimination. The justices will decide whether the parents' group must show that Asian American students were disproportionately harmed as a group before its claim can proceed.

· 5 sources
Geopolitics

Israeli police detain 10 settlers after attacks on US journalist and European diplomats

Israeli police have detained 10 people in a rare raid against settlers after a weekend of extreme violence in the occupied West Bank, including an attack on US photojournalist Heidi Levine that she described as an 'attempted lynching'. The police action, announced on Monday, came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu questioned accounts of settler violence, drawing furious international reactions including from the US and European nations.

Geopolitics

Australia war-games use of nuclear-powered submarines in simulated China conflict

The Australian Defence Force is participating in war games this week that simulate a regional conflict with China and the use of nuclear-powered submarines to be acquired under the AUKUS pact, according to a report from The Age. The three-day exercise, run by the Washington-based Hudson Institute and the United States Studies Centre, brings together ADF personnel alongside US and Japanese military officers and civilian experts.

US Politics

Trump's Ukraine policy shifts echo Putin's narratives, experts say

President Donald Trump's recent actions on Russia and Ukraine have drawn sharp criticism from security experts and Ukrainian leaders, who say he is embracing Vladimir Putin's positions and harming Kyiv's interests. Trump reversed US sanctions on Russian oil, unilaterally announced an energy ceasefire that Russia ignored, and called for a new president in Ukraine, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to say he feels betrayed.

· 2 sources
Australia

Expeditioners challenge 'unnecessary' Macquarie Island evacuation over bird flu risks

All 24 expeditioners were evacuated from Macquarie Island in August after the federal environment department warned of the 'psychosocial' risks of witnessing a prolonged bird flu outbreak. But in a letter later obtained by the ABC, the expeditioners described the decision as 'unnecessary' and warned that leaving the island's aging fuel farm unmanned could cause major environmental damage. H5 bird flu has since been detected in an elephant seal and a kelp gull on the island, confirming the virus's presence.

· 2 sources
Australia

Australia exported millions of litres of biofuels during fuel crisis as industry urges domestic mandate

Australia is exporting tens of millions of litres of biofuels that could otherwise add at least three days of supply to the nation's petrol and diesel stocks, fresh data shows, as the federal government consults on whether to force petroleum companies to buy domestically produced low-carbon fuels. With petrol prices averaging $2.42 per litre and the Iran war dragging on, Australia holds 41 days of petrol and 33 days of diesel, well below the international requirement of 90 days.

Geopolitics

Iran’s Economy Buckles Under U.S. Blockade as Troops Go Unpaid and Unrest Rises

U.S. economic pressure on Iran is intensifying, with the U.S. military’s Central Command reporting that a naval blockade has prevented Tehran from exporting at least $25 billion worth of crude oil and frozen nearly $350 million in cryptocurrency assets. The financial strain has forced the Iranian regime to withhold salaries and pensions from workers across key sectors, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), while inflation surges toward 90% and domestic unrest grows.

US Politics

New York City adds 10,000 free childcare seats in bid to retain young families

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Monday that New York City will add 10,000 more seats to its free childcare program for two-year-olds, expanding the 2-K initiative to cover all school districts in the Bronx and Staten Island by fall 2027. The move aims to stem an exodus of young families from the city, where the under-five population fell 18% between April 2020 and July 2024, driven by high childcare and housing costs.

World

Vigilante Attacks on Anti-Government Protesters in Delhi Spark Outrage

Hindu Raksha Dal (HRD) activists, caught on video assaulting anti-government protesters in New Delhi, have been arrested and released on bail, with outrage mounting over police inaction and state protection for vigilante groups. The violence occurred amid mass demonstrations demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter-roll manipulation benefiting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

US Politics

Supreme Court to decide constitutionality of 158-year-old home distilling ban

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a case that could decide whether a 158-year-old federal ban on home distilling is constitutional. The 1868 law, enacted as part of a post-Civil War tax reform, makes it a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine to distill spirits at home. The court will review conflicting rulings from two federal appeals courts that split on whether Congress had the authority to impose the prohibition.

US Politics

DOJ charges 28 green card holders in California with voter fraud amid escalating election dispute

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed criminal charges against 28 lawful permanent residents in California for allegedly registering to vote or casting ballots illegally, escalating a pre-election clash with the state. The charges, announced Monday under an operation dubbed "Protect the Vote," come days after the DOJ sued California to block the counting of mail ballots from up to 20,000 people federal authorities suspect may be non-citizens.

· 7 sources
Geopolitics

Japan and US launch major joint military exercise Keen Sword 27 amid rising regional tensions

Japanese and US troops on Monday began one of their largest joint exercises, Keen Sword 27, focusing on the defence of Japan’s southwestern islands as tensions with China, North Korea and Russia continue to escalate. About 45,000 Japanese and 12,000 American service members are taking part in the biennial drills, which run through Oct. 29 and include seven other nations for the first time.

World

Two killed, including child, after vehicle drives through Kansas youth soccer game; driver released without charges

A woman drove a pickup truck through a youth soccer game at Wichita's Stryker Sports Complex on Sunday, killing a six-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man and injuring 10 others before being released without charges, police said. The driver, a 34-year-old woman from Garden City, Kansas, was released pending further investigation and toxicology tests. Police said they have interviewed more than 30 witnesses and appealed for video of the incident.

US Politics

Trump signs executive order to boost women's health research, creates new NIH division and White House task force

President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order establishing a Women’s Health Division at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and a White House Women’s Health Task Force, aiming to close gaps in research and improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment for women across all stages of life. The order overturns two Biden-era women's health research initiatives and arrives two weeks before the midterm elections, prompting mixed reactions from advocacy groups.

· 13 sources
Geopolitics

Saudi Arabia postpones Future Investment Initiative to 2027 as Houthi attacks escalate

Saudi Arabia has postponed its flagship Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference until 2027, organisers announced on Monday, citing an escalation of missile and drone attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants in recent weeks. The decision follows a Houthi attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on 10 October that killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300 others.

· 3 sources
World

Rubio denies US is deliberately harming Ukraine as Kyiv reports deadliest period for civilians

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has rejected allegations that Washington is deliberately withholding early warning data or air defense interceptors from Kyiv, calling such claims "outrageous" during a visit to India. His statement follows fresh accusations from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the Pentagon is delaying delivery of missiles already paid for by allies, and that early warning systems have been failing without explanation. The dispute is unfolding against the heaviest Russian strikes in months, which have made the first weeks of October among the deadliest for civilians in years.

· 2 sources
World

Abyei market drone strike toll revised up to 153 as Sudan attacks top 300

The death toll from Monday's drone strike on a fuel market in the disputed Abyei region has risen to 153, officials say, as the combined toll from a wave of attacks across Sudan since Sunday passed 300, according to sources cited by the BBC. Abyei's caretaker information minister, Yohana Akol Ngor, said fires were still burning and the recovery of bodies was continuing, with some victims burned to ashes.

· 8 sources