France will deploy about 70,000 police officers and gendarmes across the country for protests planned on October 31. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warned of a very high risk of disorder and said authorities would ban Halloween gatherings promoted online as calls for a “revolution.”
Key Facts
The deployment will match the number of officers mobilized the previous week.
The Yellow Vest movement and student unions called for a new day of protests.
Nuñez said demonstrations could take place but would not be allowed in city centres where authorities see a risk of disorder.
The government plans to strengthen security measures to protect shops.
Protests on October 17 led to rioting, looting and damage to public property.
Student groups said government proposals on learning conditions and school renovations did not meet their demands.
Youth organization representatives met Nuñez on Thursday and criticized the meeting and the police response.
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Victoria’s Court of Appeal dismissed Erin Patterson’s appeal against her convictions and removed the minimum prison term that could have made her eligible for parole. The judges ruled that the crimes were so serious that she must remain in prison for life, though she can ask Australia’s High Court to review the convictions and sentence.
Key Facts
Patterson was convicted of murdering three relatives of her estranged husband and attempting to murder a fourth.
The victims ate a meal at Patterson’s home in Leongatha, Victoria, in July 2023.
The three murder victims were Don Patterson, Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson; Ian Wilkinson survived after weeks in hospital.
Patterson said she added death cap mushrooms to the meal by accident.
The appeals court upheld her convictions and granted prosecutors’ request to remove her 33-year nonparole period.
Justice Stephen McLeish said the court found the crimes involved “shocking criminality” and were extraordinarily cold and calculated.
Patterson can apply to Australia’s High Court, her last appeal option.
Patterson is the second woman in Australia sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
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The UK Home Office revoked Swedish academic Andreas Malm’s Electronic Travel Authorisation, saying his presence in the country was not conducive to the public good. Malm believes the decision is linked to a planned London panel about Palestine, but the Home Office had not responded to requests for clarification at the time of publication.
Key Facts
Malm was due to speak at a panel organised by the magazine Tribune in London the following week.
The panel was also set to include Huda Ammori, cofounder of Palestine Action, and be chaired by Hala Hanina of Palestine Deep Dive.
The Home Office email told Malm to apply for a visa if he wishes to visit the UK.
The UK government website lists three weeks as the processing time for a standard visitor visa.
Malm said he had visited the UK regularly for decades and last travelled there in May.
Malm said he had asked the Home Office to explain the cancellation but had not received a response.
The UK proscribed Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation last year; rights groups, including Amnesty International, have condemned the move.
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Survivors of three deadly train crashes in Spain are urging authorities to improve rail safety and maintenance. The article says an initial investigation linked the January 2026 Adamuz crash to a broken rail, while the causes of the latest crash near Urda remain uncertain.
Key Facts
The 2013 Angrois crash near Santiago de Compostela killed 80 people and remains Spain’s deadliest rail accident.
At least 69 people were killed in a train collision near Urda, close to Toledo, on Wednesday, according to the article.
A January 2026 collision near Adamuz killed 46 people.
An initial investigation into the Adamuz crash found that a broken rail caused one train to leave the track and enter the path of an oncoming train.
The article says investigators had not established the cause of the Urda crash; a survivor cited possible human error and a control-system problem.
Angrois survivor Cristobal Gonzalez said he still struggles with post-traumatic stress and called for more investment in rail safety.
The article cites European Commission data showing Spain spent an average of about $1.67 billion a year on high-speed lines from 2018 to 2022, with 16 percent going to maintenance or repairs.
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Israel’s election left Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc with 53 seats and the opposition grouping with 48, while Palestinian parties won a record 19 seats. The opposition could form a majority only if it secures support from Palestinian parties, but coalition talks face deep political divisions; authorities say they have found no evidence of election fraud.
Key Facts
Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats in the Knesset.
The grouping led by Gadi Eisenkot won 48 seats.
Palestinian parties won 19 seats, their highest total to date.
A governing majority in the Knesset requires 61 seats.
Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, is expected to invite the person most likely to form a government to begin coalition talks.
Netanyahu claimed Palestinian-led parties had stolen the election.
Israeli authorities said there was no evidence of election fraud.
If coalition talks fail, Netanyahu could remain caretaker prime minister while the country faces new elections or prolonged uncertainty.
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French investigators questioned Édouard Philippe over alleged misuse of public funds linked to a digital hub contract awarded while he was mayor of Le Havre. Magistrates designated him an assisted witness, a status less serious than formal investigation; Philippe denies the accusations.
Key Facts
Philippe served as France’s prime minister from 2017 to 2020.
The case involves allegations of misuse of public funds, favouritism and harassment.
The contract concerned running a digital hub in Le Havre and was awarded in July 2020 to LH French Tech, the only bidder.
LH French Tech was created in July 2020 and was chaired by Le Havre’s deputy mayor.
The association was set to receive more than €2 million over several years to run the hub.
A former civil servant filed the complaint and says her contract was not renewed and she was bullied after raising concerns.
France’s national financial prosecutor’s office opened the investigation.
Philippe is running for president in 2027 for the centre-right Horizons party.
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The Met Office issued a yellow fog warning for parts of England on Friday, with visibility dropping below 100 metres in places and the greatest disruption expected during the morning commute. High pressure is forecast to bring mostly dry weather across the UK for at least ten days, while officials warn that England’s drought will need sustained rainfall to ease.
Key Facts
The fog warning covers Lincolnshire, the East Midlands, the Home Counties and parts of Greater London.
Fog is expected to thin and clear later Friday morning, though it may persist in some rural areas of eastern England until afternoon.
Saturday may bring mist, fog and low cloud; north-west Scotland is forecast to have some rain.
On Sunday, Wales and central England may see light rain or drizzle, while much of the rest of the UK is forecast to stay dry.
The article says 82% of England remains in drought status, according to the Environment Agency.
The Environment Agency says 20% more rain than average is needed over the next six months for the drought to end.
Water companies have been urged to speed up leak repairs, and the public has been asked to conserve water.
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Guernsey Deputy Tom Rylatt urged the island’s Policy and Resources Committee to complete its review of relocation grants, which was expected by September 2025. The review is examining whether the support affects rental prices and how to balance possible savings with the need to recruit staff for public services.
Key Facts
The relocation review was initially due to be completed by the end of September 2025.
P&R President Lindsay de Sausmarez said several stages of the review were complete and the committee would consider it again soon.
De Sausmarez said the committee’s workload, including tax reforms and the 2027 budget, had contributed to the delay.
Eligible recruits to Guernsey’s public service can receive a £5,000 grant, or £6,600 in Alderney, plus certain rental and moving-cost support.
People buying a home in Guernsey may qualify for an £8,750 house-purchase grant.
States of Guernsey figures show average rents rose 65% over the past decade to £2,138 per month.
A freedom of information response showed the States spent more than £5 million on relocation packages in 2025.
The review is considering alternative forms of support and may not be made public because it concerns an internal policy.
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Police in Scotland have joined international efforts to investigate online networks known as “The Com,” which groom and coerce children, mostly girls, into self-harm and other abuse. Police Scotland has made one arrest in connection with the networks, and detectives are examining a case involving nearly 1,000 images. The UK’s National Crime Agency said in May that it was investigating about 200 cases involving these groups.
Key Facts
The Com is a loose network of online groups linked to abuse, financial crimes and extremism.
Police say the groups use social media and gaming platforms to manipulate and blackmail children.
Investigators say victims in the cases they are handling are often girls aged 11 to 17.
A Police Scotland detective is reviewing nearly 1,000 images in one case to identify a victim and a suspected Scottish perpetrator.
Police Scotland has made one arrest connected to the networks; England has had several convictions.
The National Crime Agency said in May that it was investigating about 200 cases involving the networks.
In August, 20-year-old Justin Swaddle was jailed for two years for blackmailing and coercing more than 100 victims into self-harm.
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The Wildlife Trusts and Northumberland Wildlife Trust have completed the purchase of the 9,500-acre Rothbury Estate in Northumberland after a two-year £30 million fundraising campaign. They plan to support nature recovery and sustainable farming across the estate, which they hope will form part of a 40-mile wildlife corridor.
Key Facts
The estate includes former grouse moor, woodland and farmland.
The wildlife groups used a low-interest loan to cover a short-term gap while pledged donations are still due.
More than 25,000 people donated to the campaign, according to Northumberland Wildlife Trust.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund provided a £5 million grant.
The government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pledged £1.94 million this week.
Sir David Attenborough backed the appeal, and his support prompted more than £1 million in donations in one week.
The estate is home to species including curlews, lapwings, red squirrels, salmon and eels.
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Entomologist Richard Naylor has spent five years using himself as a host to test bedbug control products in a laboratory suite at his home in Gloucestershire. He says he has largely stopped reacting to the bites and sleeps with the insects when tests require a person in the bed.
Key Facts
Naylor breeds about 50,000 to 60,000 bedbugs for research and product testing.
He feeds around 20,000 bedbugs on his arm every three to four days.
Naylor says he sleeps with the bugs when testing sprays, repellents, or devices because bedbugs need a host to become active.
He runs the not-for-profit Bed Bug Foundation and sends bedbugs to canine detection teams and businesses around the world.
Naylor says bedbugs have become resistant to modern insecticide sprays, making infestations difficult to eliminate.
A pharmacist quoted in the article says bites can be itchy but do not usually pose health risks; scratching may lead to infection.
The NHS says severe allergic reactions to bedbug bites are possible but rare.
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Syrians are facing higher prices for basic goods as the government cuts subsidies and raises fuel costs during efforts to rebuild the economy after Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow. The price increases have fueled public frustration and protests, while many families say they can no longer afford meat, medicine or regular meals.
Key Facts
Protests broke out across Syria last month after the government raised fuel prices.
The government reversed the fuel-price increase days after the protests.
The article says the price of bread has risen tenfold since the government cut subsidies.
Higher fuel prices have increased costs for farmers and transportation.
Electricity costs have risen by several hundred percent for some people, according to the article.
The government has adjusted public-sector wages and pensions, but rising prices have offset the additional pay.
Damascus resident Fatima Saleh Eid said her family has stopped buying chicken and meat because they cannot afford them.
People interviewed in a Damascus suburb said their families struggle to pay for medicine and, in some cases, can afford a full meal only every two days.
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A cross-party committee of UK MPs says the government’s goal of reversing rising obesity rates within a decade is unlikely to succeed without a major rethink and leadership from the prime minister. It called for a funded, cross-government plan with clear targets covering both prevention and treatment.
Key Facts
The Health and Social Care Committee said basic details, including how progress will be measured, remain unanswered more than a year after the goal was announced.
The committee called for a cabinet committee on obesity chaired by the prime minister.
MPs said ministers should present a cross-government action plan to Parliament within three months.
The committee said the plan should distinguish preventing future obesity from supporting and treating people who already have obesity.
Official statistics cited in the report say 30% of adults in England live with obesity and 66% are overweight or live with obesity.
Close to a third of children in England are estimated to be overweight or living with obesity.
Committee chair Layla Moran said an effective plan should address unhealthy food advertising, product labels, supermarket sales targets and fast-food outlets near schools.
The Department of Health and Social Care said the government has restricted some junk-food advertising and promotions and given councils stronger powers over new hot-food takeaways near schools.
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A deadly rail collision in Spain has shifted attention ahead of next month’s snap election, putting rail safety and public infrastructure at the center of the debate. The crash could weaken Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s campaign as he faces existing political challenges and opposition criticism of his government’s handling of rail safety.
Key Facts
At least 69 people died in Wednesday’s rail collision near Urda, according to the article.
The crash followed another disaster on the same railway line in January that killed 46 people.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a snap election after rightwing and far-right parties rejected his government’s proposed housing reforms.
Sánchez said it was unacceptable for Spain to suffer two high-speed rail disasters in less than a year and promised stronger safety measures.
People in Spain have raised concerns about the condition of the country’s railway infrastructure and public services.
People’s Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo said politicians found responsible for the crash should be held accountable.
Before the crash, Sánchez was also facing housing protests, corruption allegations involving people close to him, and criticism of his government’s handling of migration to Ceuta.
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Hillingdon Council in west London plans to remove 700 dog-waste bins to save £100,000 a year, asking dog owners to use general litter bins instead. Residents and opposition councillors say the change could leave waste uncollected, worsen smells and attract foxes, while the council faces growing debts and a large schools grant deficit.
Key Facts
The council says removing the 700 bins will cut waste collection costs by £100,000.
Hillingdon’s pet dogs produce an estimated 174 tonnes of faeces each year.
The council hopes owners will put bagged dog waste in general litter bins.
Residents say some dog-waste bins already overflow and that there are too few general bins.
Hillingdon’s debts are increasing by £5.6 million a year.
The borough’s schools grant deficit is £101.5 million, and the government has raised serious concerns about its finances.
Similar proposals to remove dog-waste bins have prompted protests in Cornwall, Kent and North Somerset.
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TUC general secretary Paul Nowak expects hundreds or thousands of new union recognition agreements in the UK private sector over the next year. New rules under the Employment Rights Act give unions rights to enter workplaces or contact staff electronically, with a formal process for access requests when employers and unions cannot agree.
Key Facts
The workplace access rules take effect on Friday, according to the article.
From January, employers must tell workers about their right to join a union.
A YouGov poll for the TUC found that 62% of workers support a union negotiating on their behalf over pay and conditions.
The same poll found that 36% of non-union members would not know how to join a union.
Nowak cited agreements between John Lewis and Usdaw, and between the GMB and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
The Central Arbitration Committee will oversee a formal process for unions seeking workplace access when they cannot reach agreement with an employer.
Just over one-fifth of UK workers belong to a trade union, compared with more than half in 1979.
Other planned workers’ rights changes include restrictions on zero-hours contracts; the article says these have not yet taken effect.
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Ryan Dinnage, who provided security for Nigel Farage during Reform UK campaign events in April and May, was convicted in June of raping a woman in 2022 and sentenced to eight and a half years in prison in July. Reform UK said a third-party contractor supplied Dinnage and had assured the party he was vetted; the party said it stopped using him after learning of the case.
Key Facts
Dinnage accompanied Farage at campaign events in Llandudno, Waterlooville, Worthing and Downham Market.
Dinnage was charged in 2025, three years after the rape.
Police said Dinnage entered a caravan where a woman was sleeping at the Royal Windsor horse show in the early hours of 16 May 2022 and raped her.
The victim reported the crime later that day, and police arrested Dinnage the next day.
Reform UK did not answer questions about whether it continued working with the contractor or took action against it.
Labour called on Farage and Reform UK to explain when they learned about the charge and what steps they had taken to prevent a similar situation.
The article also reports scrutiny of the Conservatives over former election candidate Jack Ross, who was filmed in an undercover investigation discussing contract killers.
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The UK House of Commons Public Accounts Committee urged ministers to consider converting most of the British Council’s £197m debt into a grant or similar support. MPs said the council’s finances remain precarious and called on the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the council to agree on a plan for its future.
Key Facts
The council’s £60m loan from the FCDO, issued during the Covid-19 pandemic, has grown to £197m.
The loan was due to be repaid in 2026 but was restructured for repayment over 15 years.
The council forecasts it will not make an operating surplus until 2029–30.
The council plans further staff cuts, asset sales and closures in nine countries.
More than 2,000 full-time equivalent posts have been lost since 2021, and planned cuts would bring staffing to almost half its 2020 level.
The council operates in just under 100 countries and says it reaches more than 700 million people each year.
FCDO grant-in-aid accounts for about 15% of the council’s annual revenue; most income comes from teaching and exams.
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UK immigration officials barred Swedish academic Andreas Malm from entering the country, saying his presence “may not be considered to be conducive to the public good.” He was due to speak at a London conference about Palestine Action and appear on a BBC Radio 4 programme; Malm urged the government to reverse the decision.
Key Facts
Malm is an associate professor of human ecology at Lund University in Sweden and wrote How to Blow Up a Pipeline.
He was scheduled to headline a Tribune magazine conference next week in London.
Malm was due to speak with Huda Ammori, a co-founder of Palestine Action, which the UK has banned.
The conference was timed to coincide with the start of a Supreme Court challenge to the ban.
Sally Rooney, whose books she withdrew from sale in the UK over her support for Palestine Action, criticized the decision to bar Malm.
The Home Office said it does not discuss individual cases.
US commentators Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker were also barred from the UK earlier this year on similar grounds.
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Sudanese diaspora members and human rights advocates criticized the UAE’s nomination of diplomat Lana Nusseibeh to become the next UN secretary-general. They cited her denials of allegations that the UAE supports Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, while Nusseibeh said she would back UN investigations and accountability efforts if elected.
Key Facts
The UAE nominated Nusseibeh to succeed António Guterres, whose second five-year term ends this year.
Rights groups and others have documented allegations of UAE support for the Rapid Support Forces, which has been accused of atrocities in Sudan.
The UN said the RSF attack on El Fasher in October 2025 had “hallmarks of genocide.”
Sudanese activists and advocates said Nusseibeh’s past denials could undermine trust in the UN and accountability for abuses.
Nusseibeh said she had taken leave from her UAE government post and would support UN fact-finding and transitional justice efforts.
A candidate needs at least nine votes in the 15-member Security Council and must avoid a veto by any of its five permanent members.
A recent informal Security Council poll put former Costa Rican vice-president Rebeca Grynspan narrowly ahead, but every candidate received at least two opposing votes from permanent members.
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