World

Bangkok declares disaster zone after 300mm of rain in 48 hours floods the city

Bangkok has declared a city-wide disaster zone after roughly 300 millimetres of rain fell in 48 hours, overwhelming the Thai capital's drainage systems and inundating large parts of the city. At least 31 people have died and thousands have been forced into shelters, according to the interior ministry.

Queensland bushfires expected to merge as storms raise lightning risk

Firefighters in southeast Queensland are bracing for two major bushfires at Murphy’s Creek and Seventeen Mile to merge within days, while storms forecast for the region bring the risk of lightning strikes igniting new fires. The blazes, in the Lockyer Valley southwest of Brisbane, have already scorched about 1600 hectares of bush and farmland as of Monday evening.

6 Oct·1 min·5 sources

Parti Québécois wins Quebec election, vows referendum after Trump leaves office

Canadian media project the sovereigntist Parti Québécois (PQ) has won enough seats in Quebec's provincial election to form a minority government, with leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon set to become premier and promising a future referendum on independence, though support for secession remains low.

6 Oct·3 min·3 sources

Rates of early-onset cancer rising sharply in England, US and Netherlands, study finds

Major new research has found that cases of seven types of cancer have risen sharply among younger people in England, with prostate cancer diagnoses quadrupling since 2001 and bowel, kidney and uterine cancers more than doubling, prompting warnings that lifestyle choices are costing thousands of lives each year.

Jaymie Graham named North Melbourne coach after Clarkson sacking

New North Melbourne coach Jaymie Graham has been officially appointed as the Kangaroos' senior coach, taking over from Alastair Clarkson who was sacked last month amid player confusion over game plan and mixed messaging. Graham, 43, was presented to the media on Tuesday at Arden Street, alongside chief executive Jen Watt, who described him as having 'strong values alignment' with the club.

Teenager pleads not guilty to murder, admits manslaughter in Boxing Day stabbing of father

A 19-year-old woman has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter over the stabbing death of her father on Boxing Day 2022, as prosecutors rejected the lesser plea and prepare for trial in the South Australian Supreme Court.

Body found in livestock trough on NSW property near Queensland border

A body has been discovered partially submerged in a livestock trough on a rural property in northern New South Wales, near the Queensland border, prompting a police investigation as recovery efforts concluded on Tuesday.

6 Oct·1 min·3 sources

India acknowledges trade talks with US have hit a plateau

India's finance minister has for the first time acknowledged that trade negotiations with the United States have stalled, saying both sides have reached a point beyond which further concessions will be very difficult.

NSW Premier condemns 'heartless' pro-Palestinian vigils planned for October 7 anniversary

Pro-Palestinian groups have faced criticism for planning vigils on the third anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel, with NSW Premier Chris Minns labelling the events 'heartless' and 'in poor taste'.

6 Oct·3 min·2 sources

Judith Lucy announces breast cancer diagnosis with characteristic humour, set for double mastectomy

Australian comedian Judith Lucy has publicly revealed she has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will undergo a double mastectomy next week. In a video posted to Instagram, the 58-year-old delivered the news in her trademark deadpan style, calling it a 'not-so-fun update' and urging women to keep up with their mammograms.

6 Oct·3 min·8 sources

Flydubai attack pilot was on New Zealand student visa, police confirm

New Zealand police have confirmed that Hamam al-Hammami, the co-pilot accused of attempting to crash a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, was in the country on a student visa. The disclosure adds a New Zealand dimension to what aviation security experts describe as the near-impossible challenge of preventing insider attacks by rogue pilots.

6 Oct·2 min·6 sources

Severe storms with large hail and flash flooding hit South-East Queensland

Severe thunderstorms have begun moving across South-East Queensland, bringing large hail, damaging winds and the risk of flash flooding, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning the worst is still to come on Tuesday afternoon and evening.

6 Oct·2 min·5 sources

Trump reverses course, calls off livestream of Fort Hood firing squad execution

US President Donald Trump has scrapped plans to livestream the firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the execution would still go ahead on 3 December as scheduled, but would not be streamed, after the proposal drew widespread criticism at home and abroad.

6 Oct·3 min·15 sources

Trump approves firing squad execution for 2009 Fort Hood gunman

President Donald Trump has approved the execution by firing squad of Nidal Malik Hasan, the former Army major convicted of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others in the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. The Pentagon confirmed the decision on Monday, calling it a long-delayed judgment for the jihadist attack.

Why you should wash fruit and vegetables right before eating

Food-borne illness is not just a risk from meat and seafood. Recent outbreaks linked to romaine lettuce, cucumbers and melons show fresh produce needs proper washing, and a quick splash is not enough. Experts say the answer is simple: wash produce under cold running water right before eating, dry it with a clean towel, and skip the soap, bleach and commercial washes.

FCA launches investigation into how it handled Epstein whistleblower who died

The Financial Conduct Authority has launched an investigation into how it handled a whistleblower who took his own life after raising concerns about alleged links between US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and Jeffrey Epstein, the regulator and campaigners confirmed over the weekend.

6 Oct·2 min·5 sources

Homemade bomb found near new CRL train station in Auckland

A homemade bomb has been discovered near the new City Rail Link (CRL) train station in Auckland, according to reporting by RNZ. The device was found on October 6, 2026, though further details have not yet been released by authorities.

6 Oct·1 min·2 sources

Matildas star Mary Fowler withdraws from squad due to personal circumstances

Matildas and Manchester City forward Mary Fowler has withdrawn from the upcoming international friendlies against Germany and Haiti, with Football Australia citing undisclosed personal circumstances. The announcement was made on Tuesday, a day after Fowler made her 100th appearance for Manchester City. The decision comes as her partner, NRL star Nathan Cleary, recovers from surgery on both legs.

Roosters forward De La Salle Va’a seeks NFL switch via International Pathways Program

Sydney Roosters forward De La Salle Va’a has revealed his desire to make a shock cross-code switch to the NFL, and is poised to ask the premiers for an off-season window to pursue his ambition through the sport’s International Pathways Program.

Trump abandons taxpayer-funded election ads after bipartisan backlash

Donald Trump says he will stop using taxpayer money for political advertising ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, after a bipartisan backlash over government-funded ads promoting the president and his agenda. The move comes as Trump disputes media coverage of his campaign rallies that has shown rows of empty seats.

6 Oct·2 min·5 sources

Man found dead in Woodridge unit, police investigating

Police are investigating after a man was found dead inside a unit on North Road in Woodridge, Logan, south of Brisbane on Tuesday morning.

6 Oct·1 min·3 sources

Gold Coast rugby club mourns two young players lost to suicide within days

A Gold Coast rugby league club is grappling with the loss of two young players who died by suicide within days of each other, prompting calls for children to seek support if they are struggling.

6 Oct·1 min·4 sources

Former ACT attorney-general Gordon Ramsay pleads not guilty, trial likely pushed to mid-2027

Former ACT attorney-general Gordon Ramsay has pleaded not guilty to all charges at an arraignment hearing in the ACT Supreme Court, with the trial unlikely to begin before mid-2027 due to court scheduling constraints.

Russian gold floods Hong Kong as sanctions redraw global bullion trade

Russian gold is flooding into Hong Kong at a record pace, with imports in the first seven months of 2026 already surpassing the previous annual record, as Western sanctions reroute bullion once bound for London toward China and other Asian markets. Hong Kong imported 112.7 tonnes of Russian-origin gold between January and July, according to precious metals investment firm BullionVault's analysis of Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department data, up from 92.1 tonnes in all of 2025 and just 3.3 tonnes in 2021.

Amnesty report alleges Moroccan authorities used Pegasus spyware to surveil journalists and activists

Amnesty International has released a report detailing widespread surveillance of Moroccan journalists, activists, and lawyers, allegedly using Pegasus spyware developed by Israeli company NSO Group, with a former employee of Morocco’s General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST) acting as whistleblower.

DMZ Mine Blast Strains South Korea's Engagement Policy as Pyongyang Rejects Blame

A mine explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone on September 21 that injured three South Korean soldiers has sparked a diplomatic dispute, with Seoul concluding that North Korea buried the device south of the Military Demarcation Line and Pyongyang rejecting the finding and refusing offers of talks, testing President Lee Jae-myung's engagement policy.

Police clash with Kosovo protesters over plan to curb war crimes court

Police clashed with protesters outside Kosovo's Parliament in Pristina on Monday evening after lawmakers adjourned without passing reforms that would limit the powers of a Hague-based war crimes court. Twelve people were injured, according to a hospital official, as hundreds of demonstrators tried to block politicians from leaving the building.

Trump administration files record 40 denaturalisation cases in two months

The US Department of Justice has filed 40 new cases seeking to strip naturalised Americans of their citizenship, which Attorney General Todd Blanche called the largest denaturalisation effort in modern history. The petitions, filed between late August and early October, target individuals accused of serious offences including money laundering, child sexual abuse, visa fraud, tax evasion and, in two cases, espionage on behalf of China.

New York declares disaster emergency as measles cases surge across US

New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a disaster emergency on Monday over a measles outbreak, temporarily expanding the ability of health professionals to administer MMR vaccines. The declaration, in effect through November 4, comes as the state has recorded 108 cases this year — 7 in New York City and 101 elsewhere — with 92 cases since July 15 in rural communities with low vaccination rates. Neighbouring Pennsylvania has surpassed 1,000 measles cases this year, the largest US outbreak in three decades.

6 Oct·2 min·2 sources

Oil shipped from South Korea to Russia via sanctioned tankers, analysis finds

Analysis of port records and ship-tracking data has found that over 176,000 tonnes of fuel, mostly diesel, was loaded at South Korean ports onto seven tankers and shipped to Russia’s far east in July and August. Three of the vessels were under sanctions by the UK and EU, raising questions about whether Seoul is becoming a weak link in Western efforts to pressure Moscow over the war in Ukraine.

Russian drone attack on Turkish civilian ship in Romanian waters raises fears of wider European conflict

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has blamed a Russian drone attack for the fatal sinking of a Turkish civilian cargo ship in Romania's section of the Black Sea, as a recent wave of strikes raises alarms that the conflict may spill beyond Ukraine's borders.

Israeli forces kill Palestinian in West Bank, several injured in violence spike

Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man and injured several others in separate incidents across the occupied West Bank on Monday, as violence in the territory intensifies weeks before Israeli elections. Troops opened fire on a vehicle near Bani Naim, east of Hebron, after the military said the car had rammed an army vehicle. Palestinian officials named the deceased as Hossam Alaa al-Din Abdul Jabbar Walad Ali, 38, and said Israeli forces had withheld his body.

Boat collision on Congo River kills at least 30, dozens missing

At least 30 people have drowned and dozens more are missing after two boats collided on the Congo River in northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo, officials said Monday. The accident occurred Sunday evening near the Ngombe-Lukolela area in Equateur province.

Russian lab worker dies of suspected plague in Siberia; Trump offers US aid

A 28-year-old laboratory researcher at an anti-plague institute in Siberia has died after a suspected exposure to pneumonic plague, triggering a quarantine and international concern. US President Donald Trump has offered American assistance, while the World Health Organization says the risk to the general population appears low based on available information.

6 Oct·2 min·7 sources

Russian drone strikes on Kyiv data centers disrupt internet, Zelenskyy calls for more air defense

Russian jet-powered drone strikes have increasingly targeted Ukrainian data centers in Kyiv since September 23, disrupting mobile phone and internet services for thousands of people and prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to warn of the urgent need for greater air defense capabilities.

6 Oct·1 min

US military imposes liberty ban and curfew on Okinawa troops after Marine's murder arrest

The US military has ordered a 48-hour halt to operations on Okinawa, banning off-base liberty and alcohol for all personnel after a Marine was arrested on suspicion of murdering a Japanese woman, with a 30-day curfew to follow.

6 Oct·2 min·2 sources

Perth CBD shutters for Land Forces weapons expo as police get special powers

Parts of the Perth CBD were closed this morning as the Land Forces Exhibition got underway at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, with a heavy police presence and special powers deployed after violent protests at the same event in Melbourne two years ago.

6 Oct·1 min·4 sources

Cable lobby sues FCC over repeal of national TV ownership cap

Cable industry groups have notified the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that they will sue to block the agency’s repeal of the National Television Ownership Rule, which limits how many broadcast TV stations a single company may own. The groups argue the decision will give large broadcasters leverage to demand higher retransmission fees, ultimately raising costs for consumers.

Afghan refugee who killed dog walker in London knife rampage given hospital order, judge recommends deportation

Dawood Safi, a 28-year-old Afghan refugee, has been given an indefinite hospital order and recommended for deportation after killing a dog walker and attacking two other people in a knife rampage in west London. The attacks began at his home on 27 October 2025 and ended with the stabbing of 49-year-old Wayne Broadhurst, who was walking his dog.

St Kilda's steep asking price for Marshall linked to pursuit of Brisbane's Sam Marshall

St Kilda's demand for Geelong's first-round draft pick and a player in exchange for Rowan Marshall is driven by the Saints' own ambitions to recruit Brisbane midfielder Sam Marshall, creating a complex three-way trade puzzle that explains the club's ambitious asking price.

6 Oct·2 min·7 sources

Badenoch denies Tories called £10bn defence plan 'Iron Dome' amid backlash over cost

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has denied her party described its proposed £10bn air defence system as a British 'Iron Dome', despite the party's own press release using that phrase, as she rejected criticism that the budget was inadequate for the scale of the project.

6 Oct·2 min·4 sources

Phosphate emerges as critical commodity as China halts exports

Phosphate, long overlooked as a humble fertiliser ingredient, has become a strategically critical commodity as global supply chain shocks, Middle East disruptions and a Chinese export halt squeeze world food supply, according to a report from Brisbane Times and Sydney Morning Herald.

6 Oct·2 min·2 sources

Guardian correspondents to take reader questions on Iran war and US midterms

The Guardian is hosting a live reader Q&A on 6 October with its political and global correspondents to examine how the war with Iran is reshaping American politics and whether it will cost Trump's party at the midterm elections.

5 Oct·1 min

Woman charged with murder after stabbing seven-year-old girl in Chicago

A 48-year-old woman has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly stabbing a seven-year-old girl to death in an unprovoked attack on a sidewalk in Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood on Saturday. The victim has been identified as Eddimar Hernandez-Chacon.

Ethiopia’s Abiy renews Red Sea port demand as Tigray conflict escalates

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has insisted his landlocked country must gain access to the Red Sea, repeating the demand as he was sworn in for another five-year term and as federal forces pushed back opposition fighters in the northern Tigray region.

Trump approval rating hits record low 32% ahead of midterms, polls show

President Donald Trump's approval rating has dropped to a career low of 32%, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, with Latino voters turning sharply against the administration a month before the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.

Trump's approval rating hits new low among Hispanic voters ahead of US midterms

A new Reuters-Ipsos poll shows President Donald Trump's approval rating stuck at a record low of 32 percent, with support among Hispanic voters dropping to 24 percent — its lowest point of his presidency — as the November midterm elections approach.