Geopolitics
Lebanon charges 13 it says are linked to Hezbollah over explosives seizure
A Lebanese military court has charged 13 people it says are linked to Hezbollah with trafficking explosives, as the group faces growing pressure to disarm.
World
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Geopolitics
Palestinian children killed, wounded near schools in Gaza despite ceasefire, families say
Palestinian families and local officials say children in Gaza are being killed and injured as they travel to or attend school, months after a ceasefire took effect, as Israeli strikes and sniper fire continue near the so-called Yellow Line dividing the territory.
World
UK defence secretary Wes Streeting says he is stockpiling food and water in case of national emergency
The UK defence secretary, Wes Streeting, has revealed he began stockpiling food and water weeks ago in preparation for a national emergency, saying he wants to "lead by example" as his department ramps up spending.
World
Ukraine's war robots spare soldiers some dangers, but human support crews still risk their lives
Ukraine is fielding a growing fleet of unmanned ground vehicles to replace soldiers in the most dangerous battlefield roles. But troops may still need to venture closer to the fighting to change batteries, reload ammunition, fix punctures and troubleshoot faults, while some companies send mobile teams to front-line regions to keep robots running.
World
Somali institutions to take on full responsibility for recovery as UN political mission closes
The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) closed on 31 October, ending three decades of UN political missions in the Horn of Africa nation. With the mission’s closure, Somali institutions will take on full responsibility for the country's recovery, with support from UN agencies already working in the country, as Somalia faces a complex crisis, a fragile economy and the threat from Al-Shabaab.
World
UK police tell family they have 'no authority' over Texas shooting death
Cheshire Police have told the mother of Lucy Harrison, the British woman shot dead by her father in Texas, that they have "no lawful authority to intervene" in decisions taken by US agencies, as the family continues to seek answers nearly two years after her death.
Australia
Australia leads Cook Islands 28-6 at half-time after early World Cup scare
The Kangaroos overcame a first-half scare to lead the Cook Islands 28-6 at the break in their Rugby League World Cup match at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville, scoring five tries after briefly trailing 6-4.
· 3 sourcesGeopolitics
Two British nationals charged over alleged plot to aid Iran at RAF Fairford
Two British nationals have been charged in connection with an alleged plot to assist Iran's intelligence service as part of the investigation into a suspected terror incident near RAF Fairford, a base in southwest England used by US bombers for strikes on Iran. One 24-year-old man faces a charge of engaging in conduct likely to materially assist a foreign intelligence service, which police say is believed to be Iran, while a dual British-Iranian national, also 24, has been charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK.
World
Nearly 200 New Zealand schools of 'concern' or worse, ERO annual report says
The Education Review Office says 199 schools need help for the sake of their students, with its 2026 annual report warning that too many schools remain of concern for too long and do not achieve sustained improvement despite receiving support.
Australia
Bomb squad surrounds Numurkah house after reports of shooting and explosive device
The bomb squad has surrounded a house in Numurkah, Victoria, following reports of a shooting and the discovery of an explosive device.
World
Senior RSF commander defects over nepotism allegations
A senior commander in Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) says he has defected, alleging the paramilitary group is run as a family project by relatives of its leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
Geopolitics
Investigation finds Russian satellites observed Houthi-targeted areas
An investigation by Geneva-based private firm AURORAH GeoSignal Intelligence found a pattern of Russian government and military satellites observing areas of Saudi Arabia targeted in Houthi attacks. The findings, revealed by the Associated Press, covered 40 missile and drone attacks between July 1 and October 19 and showed satellites observing the targeted areas both before and after the attacks.
Geopolitics
US, South Korea and Japan renew call for North Korea denuclearisation
The United States, South Korea and Japan have reiterated their longstanding call for North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons, issuing a joint call for “complete denuclearisation” on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Atlanta on Thursday.
Australia
Storm warnings for Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane as cold front sweeps east
Storm warnings are in place for multiple capital cities across Australia’s east and south-east as a severe weather front sweeps across the country. A cold front meets warm, humid air, with thunderstorms, possible damaging winds and possible flash flooding in some areas forecast from Saturday afternoon into Sunday.
Australia
Arson offences soar 75 per cent in Victoria as firebombings become routine crime weapon
Arson offences in Victoria have surged by nearly 75 per cent since a decade low in 2021, according to data obtained by this masthead, while firebombings have become an everyday weapon of intimidation. Stonnington recorded a 385 per cent increase in arson attacks over the past decade, and a firefighting source said police sometimes issue advance pre-warnings to firefighters that a target somewhere in their service area could soon be hit.
· 3 sourcesAustralia
Powerhouse Parramatta holds first test run ahead of November 7 opening
Powerhouse Parramatta has held its first dry run, with about 3,000 arrivals expected as families and friends of workers, subcontractors and staff were invited to the institution ahead of its November 7 opening. Interim chief executive Abbie Galvin said the dress rehearsal was critical to putting the building through its paces and resolving any problems before the public arrives.
· 3 sourcesWorld
Australia need 288 as series hangs in balance and Labuschagne faces do-or-die day
Australia will resume day five of the third and final Test at Newlands needing 288 runs for victory, with the series on the line and Marnus Labuschagne under pressure after falling for a five-ball duck in the first innings.
· 3 sourcesUS Politics
Two Chinese nationals jailed after admitting they tried to recruit US troops to spy
Two Chinese nationals have been sentenced to 30 months in prison in the United States after admitting they tried to recruit US military service members to spy for China. The Department of Justice said Liren “Ryan” Lai and Yuance Chen each received 30 months and three years of supervised release; court documents said they acted as agents of China’s Ministry of State Security.
Australia
Three charged after police chase through Brisbane suburbs, Polair footage released
Three people have been charged after a police chase through Brisbane's inner-west suburbs on Friday night, with Polair footage released late on Saturday showing a black SUV driving on the wrong side of the Walter Taylor Bridge and Coonan Street in Indooroopilly. The chase followed an alleged crime spree that included stealing a car, breaking into a home and attempting an armed robbery.
· 3 sourcesGeopolitics
US and Russia veto each other's resolutions as UN mission in Western Sahara faces expiry
The UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara has been left in limbo after Russia and the United States vetoed each other's draft resolutions to extend it, one day before the mandate was due to expire.
· 2 sourcesWorld
Luigi Mangione's lawyers renew push to dismiss state charges in Brian Thompson killing
Luigi Mangione's lawyers filed paperwork on Friday again seeking dismissal of his state-level case in the killing of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson, arguing that New York's double jeopardy law bars the prosecution after his federal guilty plea.
Geopolitics
Oil tanker carrying 27 Indians attacked with limpet mines in Strait of Hormuz
An oil tanker carrying 27 Indian seafarers was attacked with limpet mines in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, causing a fire in the engine room. The Panama-flagged Louise 1 was hit around 25 nautical miles northeast of Oman. India's Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said all Indian crew members are safe, while the UK Maritime Trade Operations said the fire was extinguished with no environmental impact. The attack is the first known successful use of limpet mines against a vessel in the strait since the US-Iran war began in February. The same source also reported that India separately launched a navigation satellite to strengthen its indigenous GPS alternative.
· 2 sourcesWorld
UK home secretary expected to ease proposed wait for permanent residency for social care workers
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is expected to announce next week her final decision on immigration rules, with social care workers already in the UK now likely to be exempt from a longer wait, the BBC understands. The proposed changes would extend the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain from five years to 10, with some lower-paid migrants facing a 15-year wait.
Australia
More than $3.4m spent on federal promotional merchandise
The Albanese government has banned federal agencies from using taxpayer money to buy promotional merchandise unless they seek approval.
Geopolitics
Trump tariffs threaten Quebec mill town as residents fight to save it
The indefinite shutdown of a paper mill in Témiscaming, Quebec, threatens a way of life that has revolved around the plant for over a century. Most of the mill's 360 employees are out of work, receiving partial pay through government tariff relief, as locals seek to buy the plant back from its American owner, RYAM. The shutdown came after Canada-US trade talks broke down and Trump imposed more tariffs; property values fell almost overnight, and residents fear the town could become a ghost town.
Geopolitics
Joseph Kabila returns to rebel roots, vowing to oust president he is widely believed to have helped bring to power
Joseph Kabila, the former president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been named leader of a new rebel coalition, the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), returning to rebel leadership after serving as a commander in the alliance that brought his father to power three decades ago. The 55-year-old has aligned himself with the M23 rebels, whom he once fought as president, and declared his intention to topple President Félix Tshisekedi, the man he handed power to in 2019 after 18 years in office.
Australia
Two dead, three injured in head-on crash near Byron Bay
Two people have been killed and three others injured in a horror head-on collision on Broken Head Road in Suffolk Park, south of Byron Bay, on Saturday morning, with a third vehicle crashing into the wreckage about 10.30am.
· 2 sourcesGeopolitics
Flávio Bolsonaro flees to US, alleges 'persecution' after election loss
Flávio Bolsonaro, the former Brazilian presidential candidate and senator, fled to the United States this week following his loss in the election runoff to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, saying he was a victim of 'persecution'.
World
Report of cocaine lost at sea lures crowds to French beaches
An apparent 15-tonne cocaine loss off France's Atlantic coast has drawn crowds of would-be finders to beaches in the south-west, where gendarmes are patrolling and one town has closed its beaches.
· 3 sourcesAustralia
Woman charged after bushfire shuts Perth Airport, threatens homes
A 41-year-old woman has been charged following an arson incident after a bushfire in Perth's east on Thursday prompted evacuations and caused a power outage that temporarily shut down Perth Airport.
· 3 sourcesWorld
Madeleine McCann prime suspect no longer under police surveillance
Christian Brueckner, the prime suspect in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine McCann in 2007, will no longer be surveilled by German police. A regional court in Kiel this week rejected a police appeal to extend the surveillance, ruling, citing a new expert assessment and other evidence, that he should no longer be considered in the high-risk group subject to constant police observation. The court said other measures, such as an ankle monitor, could remain in place.
· 5 sources
World
France braces for Halloween protests with 70,000 police set to deploy
France is deploying 70,000 police officers for the third consecutive weekend of protests, as authorities warn of a 'very high risk of public disorder' on All Hallows' Eve. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has banned city centre gatherings, vowing an 'extremely firm response' to any trouble. Security forces are braced for widespread demonstrations against the cost of living and education cuts, which the government fears could be exploited by far-left agitators and those using Halloween masks to conceal their identities.
· 3 sourcesAustralia
Koonibba student discovers megafauna footprint on SA coast
A 10-year-old student from Koonibba Aboriginal School has discovered a previously undocumented trace fossil of a megafauna species, likely a Procoptodon (short-faced kangaroo), on the South Australian coast.
· 3 sourcesUS Politics
Judge blocks DOJ from threatening election workers over ballots ahead of midterms
A federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration from threatening election workers with criminal prosecution for counting ballots cast by registered voters the administration claims are ineligible, an emergency order issued four days before the midterms that also forces the Justice Department to walk back threats already sent to election officials.
· 5 sources
World
Burnham open to formal slavery apology, rules out financial reparations ahead of Antigua summit
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he is “open” to calls for a formal apology from the British state for its role in the transatlantic slave trade, while ruling out financial reparations as “not the right answer”, ahead of the Commonwealth leaders summit in Antigua.
· 6 sourcesAustralia
Albanese heads to CHOGM seeking international reset amid domestic pressures
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to depart for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda, seeking a reset on the world stage as analysts describe a series of domestic 'spot fires'. The trip offers a chance to reaffirm ties with allies including UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, but a likely interest rate hike while Albanese is overseas will make his job harder, with markets tipping a fifth hike in 2026.
· 2 sourcesAustralia
Former senator wins bid to open parts of hearing over alleged 2004 Timor-Leste spy mission
Former senator Rex Patrick has won a legal battle in the Administrative Review Tribunal, forcing the Australian government to hold unclassified parts of a hearing in public over allegations that Australian spies bugged Timor-Leste's government offices during oil and gas negotiations in 2004. The three-day hearing is scheduled for late November. The Commonwealth had argued the matter was so sensitive that even the public portions of the proceeding should be held behind closed doors.
US Politics
Wedgewood Polls admits faking US election survey data
A polling firm, Wedgewood Polls, has admitted to publishing fake statistics on battleground states during the US midterm election cycle, exposing vulnerabilities in how political information gains credibility. The firm posted its statement on a social media account that has since been deleted.
US Politics
Justice Department probes Arizona voter registration groups days before election
The Justice Department is investigating the Arizona voter registration efforts of three Democratic-aligned groups after an "undercover" video purported to show volunteers willing to register non-citizens, with the announcement coming four days before the Nov. 3 election.
Australia
New Spirit of Tasmania ferries make first crossings after five-year delay
Spirit of Tasmania IV and V made their first official Bass Strait crossings on Friday evening, after a nine-year procurement process marked by controversy and financial strain.
World
Thai lawyer’s cumulative sentences top 34 years after Harry Potter speech
A Bangkok court on Friday sentenced human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa to a further two years and eight months in prison for violating Thailand's lese majeste law, bringing his cumulative sentence to more than 34 years. Nampa, 42, was convicted for a speech he gave in August 2020 while dressed as Harry Potter, calling for the monarchy to be scrutinised and held accountable.
Geopolitics
Retired Michigan teacher says he believed he would be freed when given new clothes
Stephen Hubbard, the 74-year-old retired Michigan teacher released from a Russian prison on 21 October, said on Friday he only believed he would be freed when he was given new clothes and led to the exit, speaking in his first public remarks since his release during a White House visit with President Donald Trump.
Geopolitics
Carney announces initial 500-million-euro contribution to Ukraine loan
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a 500-million-euro ($559 million) initial contribution to the European Union's Ukraine Support Loan on Oct. 30 as Kyiv expects a 2027 budget shortfall of at least 70 billion euros ($78 billion).
US Politics
El-Sayed campaign asks Stevens to stay off trail as Michigan Senate feud draws Trump and Rogers
The campaign of Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan's Democratic Senate nominee, has asked his former primary rival, Rep. Haley Stevens, to stay away from all campaign events, capping a day of increasingly pointed statements over an outside group's ad on Israel that drew in President Donald Trump and Republican nominee Mike Rogers.
· 3 sourcesAustralia
Police probe possible Rochford links to three unsolved UK deaths
The prime suspect in the 1994 murder of Perth jeweller Pamela Lawrence was in close proximity to at least three suspicious deaths in the UK, prompting local police to investigate, a new ABC documentary reveals. Simon Rochford, who died by suicide in 2006, was already identified as the likely culprit in the Lawrence case after an infamous wrongful conviction.
Australia
Three-time premiership coach Chris Fagan returns to Victoria with Carlton role
Three-time AFL premiership coach Chris Fagan has joined Carlton as director of coaching, returning to Victoria after leading Brisbane to three consecutive premierships. The 64-year-old will work alongside new Blues coach Josh Fraser and report to general manager of football Chris Davies, in what was described as a major boost to Fraser’s team.
· 3 sourcesAustralia
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 sourcesUS Politics
Washington deploys National Guard to guard ballot drop boxes in seven counties
The Washington National Guard has been activated in what appears to be its first large-scale deployment to help protect ballot drop boxes across seven counties, with unarmed, plainclothes members set to observe for tampering or other unusual activity through 12:01 a.m. Nov. 10.