Victoria’s Community and Public Sector Union says it will not support the Labor government in the state election on 28 November. The union cites public service job cuts and $1.2 billion in consultant spending, while both Labor and the Coalition have proposed limits on public service staffing.
Key Facts
The CPSU’s Victorian branch secretary, Jiselle Hanna, said the union cannot support Labor without a commitment to no public service job cuts.
The union plans to announce its decision on Wednesday and has launched a campaign urging voters not to back candidates who propose job cuts.
The Victorian government cut about 1,000 Victorian public service roles, including more than 300 executive positions, and merged several government entities.
The government says those changes saved $4 billion and did not affect frontline roles.
The CPSU says its analysis of government annual reports found Labor spent $1.2 billion on consultants across 10 departments since 2017-18.
The Department of Treasury and Finance had the highest reported consultant spending, at about $222 million since 2017.
The Coalition has promised an indefinite hiring freeze for back-office public service roles if elected, saying it would save $22 billion over a decade.
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The article examines the difficulty of striking Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain, an underground facility near Natanz that Israeli intelligence assessments say may house uranium-enrichment equipment and enriched uranium. It says the site’s depth and defenses could make it harder to destroy than other Iranian nuclear facilities, while noting that Tucker Carlson offered no evidence for his claim that a nuclear strike is being considered.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump said U.S. forces might have to “go after” Pickaxe Mountain and called it no “big deal.”
Pickaxe Mountain, also known as Mount Kolang, is near Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment facility.
Israeli intelligence assessments say Iran moved uranium-enrichment centrifuges to the site after earlier strikes and may have moved enriched uranium there as well.
The facility’s halls and tunnels are estimated to be at least 300 feet beneath solid granite.
The article says Israel lacks bombs capable of attacking the site and questions whether the U.S. Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs used against Fordow could destroy it.
The White House said Carlson has no insight into military planning or the president’s thinking.
The article says Iran has designed and reinforced the facility’s entrances and could clear blockages after an attack.
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International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane accused the Trump administration of trying to suppress global justice by imposing sanctions on the court. Akane addressed the United Nations by videoconference because of the sanctions and said the efforts would not succeed.
Key Facts
Tomoko Akane is the president of the International Criminal Court.
Akane accused the Trump administration of trying to obstruct international justice.
The administration imposed sanctions on the ICC.
Akane briefed the United Nations by videoconference because of the sanctions.
Akane described the circumstances as extraordinary.
Akane said efforts to suppress global justice would not succeed.
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U.S. officials confirmed that the United States carried out defensive strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island. They said the strikes followed an attack on a U.S. aircraft. The article describes the strikes as occurring ahead of Election Day.
Key Facts
U.S. officials confirmed the strikes.
The strikes targeted Iran’s Qeshm Island.
Officials described the strikes as defensive.
A U.S. aircraft came under fire before the strikes.
The article says the strikes took place ahead of Election Day.
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A 17-year-old girl, Tianna Patterson, pulled an unconscious boy from a bonfire in Strabane, County Tyrone, after he was knocked out in an assault. The boy suffered severe burns, according to a local councillor, and police are seeking witnesses; no arrests have been made.
Key Facts
Patterson said she acted on instinct when she saw the boy fall into the bonfire.
She pulled the boy out and called emergency services using a friend’s phone.
The incident happened on Saturday night at a bonfire in Strabane.
The boy and Patterson are both 17 years old.
Councillor Paul Gallagher said the boy had severe burns to his face and hands and would need extensive medical care.
Police are appealing for witnesses, including people who may have recorded the assault on their phones.
Police have made no arrests.
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President Donald Trump said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed that the United States would stop paying Israel after the end of 2026. Trump said the United States could still help Israel if needed, but it was unclear what kind of aid he meant; the State Department had not responded to a request for comment.
Key Facts
Trump said the United States currently gives Israel $4 billion a year.
He said the two leaders made an agreement months ago to stop the payments by the end of 2026.
Trump said the United States would help Israel if it needed assistance.
The article said it was unclear what form of aid Trump was discussing.
The State Department did not immediately respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.
In July, the House voted 314 to 104 to reject an amendment that would have cut off aid to Israel.
Nearly half of House Democrats supported the amendment, according to the article.
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Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said security forces prevented a possible provocation on Poland’s border with Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave overnight. Authorities reported suspicious movement and people with flashlights, but Tusk said they could not confirm the incident was an attempted provocation.
Key Facts
Tusk said he received a report of suspicious activity shortly after midnight.
Polish border guards saw individuals with flashlights in the border area, according to Tusk.
Police, military, border guards and intelligence services took part in security operations in the northeastern regions of Warmia-Masuria and Podlaskie.
Poland recently sent additional police and troops, including counter-terrorism units, to its northeastern border regions.
Tusk said authorities had received warnings about possible sabotage or an incursion by armed people in the first half of November.
Tusk said NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, Alexus Grynkewich, gave him further warnings during an October visit to Warsaw.
Poland borders Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave and Belarus, a close Russian ally.
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Adam Biles, literary director of Paris bookshop Shakespeare and Company, says the shop invites both well-known writers and debut novelists to speak. He hosts the events and has interviewed hundreds of literary figures.
Key Facts
Shakespeare and Company is an English-language bookshop in Paris.
Adam Biles is the bookshop’s literary director.
Biles says the bookshop’s reputation usually leads authors to accept invitations to appear.
The shop hosts both famous authors and debut novelists.
Biles says he values giving debut novelists exposure.
Biles has interviewed hundreds of literary figures at the shop.
The interview appeared on France 24’s Perspective program on November 3, 2026.
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Iran’s armed forces chief outlined five conditions for lasting regional security, including an end to hostilities, sanctions relief, compensation, recognition of Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and guarantees against future attacks. Qatar said it was mediating between Tehran and Washington and that both sides were reviewing its proposal, while warning that further attacks could affect negotiations.
Key Facts
Major-General Ali Abdollahi’s proposed conditions include ending hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon and Gaza.
The plan calls for sanctions to be lifted, Iranian assets to be unfrozen and war reparations to be paid.
It also seeks recognition of Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and guarantees against future aggression under a regional security framework.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said a Qatari delegation met Iranian officials in Tehran for more than three hours on Monday.
Al-Ansari said Qatar’s proposal was under review and mediators were exchanging proposals between Iran and the United States.
Qatar said freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz was nonnegotiable and condemned the targeting of the Qatari tanker Al-Mayda.
U.S. officials said the military carried out limited strikes on Qeshm Island on Monday, describing them as defensive and not a return to major combat operations.
Iran’s IRGC said it had downed two U.S. reconnaissance drones south of Qeshm and destroyed an MQ-9 drone east of the Strait of Hormuz.
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China has increased diplomatic contacts with Gulf and Iranian officials ahead of a planned meeting between Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump at the APEC conference in Shenzhen on November 18 and 19. The article says Beijing has limited its role in efforts to end the Iran conflict, while its economic ties to the region and strains on U.S. standing may give it a chance to expand its influence.
Key Facts
Xi Jinping met Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq in Beijing on Monday.
Wang Yi met Saudi national security adviser Musaad bin Mohammed Al Aiban and Iranian official Ali Bagheri Kani.
The visit was the first by an Omani head of state to China since the countries established diplomatic relations nearly 50 years ago.
China said it supported Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty and security.
The article reports that China buys about 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports and cut its crude imports by 30% from April to June.
China’s oil imports from Iran fell to their lowest level in a decade in June, according to the article.
A July Pew Research Center survey found that China was viewed more favourably than the United States in a majority of 36 countries surveyed.
The article says Iran and the United States are in intensive talks that could include reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
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Supermarkets in at least nine European countries reported cyber-attacks or refrigeration problems on Monday, with rising freezer temperatures forcing some stores to discard food. European Union officials warned that the incidents could disrupt the food supply chain, while investigations are underway and no one has claimed responsibility.
Key Facts
The affected countries named in the report are Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden.
Temperatures in some refrigeration units reportedly rose as high as 50C (122F).
Belgian supermarkets reported failures at dozens of stores, and federal prosecutors opened an investigation.
Musgrave Group said 13 SuperValu stores in Ireland were affected and that restocking chilled and frozen goods was underway.
In Portugal, the Mosqueteiros group linked incidents at seven Intermarché stores to a cyber-attack that appeared to target an outside refrigeration-system provider.
Italy's government called a meeting with intelligence chiefs and said the impact was currently very limited.
The incidents came three weeks after a cyber-attack disrupted as many as 700 French grocery stores, with food losses estimated at tens of millions of euros.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
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Qatar says regional neighbors and international partners are working to secure a deal between the United States and Iran. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said both sides remain committed to a diplomatic outcome.
Key Facts
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson is Majed al-Ansari.
Qatar says regional neighbors are working toward a U.S.-Iran deal.
International partners are also working toward a deal.
Qatar says the United States and Iran remain committed to a diplomatic outcome.
Qatar expressed hope that the United States and Iran can reach a deal.
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Governments and regional authorities across the Americas have declared emergencies or raised alerts over expected El Niño-related drought, flooding, and other extreme weather in 2026–2027. Bolivia, Panama, and Colombia have taken national-level measures, citing risks to water supplies, agriculture, public services, and infrastructure.
Key Facts
Bolivia declared a national emergency on October 31 under Supreme Decree No. 5759.
Bolivia cited existing drought in the Altiplano, Valleys, and Chaco, along with risks including frost, hail, wildfires, and flooding.
Panama declared a national state of emergency on August 26, in effect until June 30, 2027.
Panamanian officials said flooding had affected at least 15,643 people since the start of 2026, with more than 70 percent in Bocas del Toro and Colón.
Panama warned that rainfall deficits could lower reservoir levels and affect agriculture, hydroelectric power, and Panama Canal operations.
Colombia declared a national disaster situation for an initial 12 months under Decree 0802, starting July 23.
When Colombia announced its measure, officials identified 558 municipalities as facing high or very high risk of drinking-water shortages, including 111 in the most critical conditions.
The article also reports emergency measures or alerts in Peru, Ecuador, El Salvador, and parts of the United States, Brazil, and Argentina.
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Brazil published the first global roadmap outlining possible steps countries can take to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The nonbinding document sets no deadlines or milestones and leaves each country to assess its circumstances and choose policies; a climate scientist said it does not specify the pace of change needed to meet the Paris Agreement’s temperature goals.
Key Facts
Brazil released the roadmap on Tuesday ahead of a global climate summit.
The roadmap describes possible actions to move away from coal, oil and gas without requiring new technologies or economic changes, according to Brazil’s government.
Brazil’s Cop30 presidency agreed to produce two roadmaps after a dispute over whether the summit’s final resolutions should include fossil-fuel pledges.
The second roadmap concerns halting and reversing deforestation.
Brazil’s roadmaps are nonbinding and include no deadlines or milestones.
André Corrêa do Lago said ministries responsible for finance, transportation, energy and infrastructure should consider how to implement the steps in each country.
A separate group of nearly 60 countries formed the Santa Marta initiative to develop national fossil-fuel transition plans; Germany, France and the Netherlands have produced plans.
Cop31 is scheduled to take place in Antalya, Turkey, this month, according to the article.
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A London Renters Union analysis found that 80% of tenants who challenged rent increases in England from May to October saw their rent rise, though often by less than landlords had requested. Tenants and landlords say tribunal delays and inconsistent decisions are undermining the process, which changed in May under the Renters’ Reform Act.
Key Facts
The analysis found that tenants’ rents rose by an average of £1,200 a year after tribunal cases.
Tribunals approved landlords’ requested increases in full in 36% of cases and reduced them in 42%.
Tribunals cancelled increases in 16% of cases and lowered rents in 6%.
A tribunal approved an 88% increase for a Dagenham tenant, raising monthly rent from £1,200 to £2,250.
The May changes prevent tribunals from setting rent above the landlord’s request or backdating increases to before a decision.
The application fee is £47, and the article says the abolition of no-fault evictions reduced the risk of landlords retaliating against tenants.
Landlord and tenant groups reported delays and concerns about tribunal capacity and the consistency of decisions.
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Several flights in Europe faced reported bomb threats within about a day. A LOT flight from London diverted to Warsaw Modlin Airport, while a Ryanair flight from Manchester made an emergency landing in Murcia; authorities were checking the aircraft and passengers. The article also reported threats involving flights to Copenhagen, Budapest and Sofia.
Key Facts
A LOT Boeing 737 MAX flying from London Heathrow to Warsaw landed at Modlin Airport at 10:01 a.m. Tuesday after a bomb threat was announced on board.
A flight from Copenhagen to Warsaw Chopin Airport received a bomb threat but landed as scheduled, according to Danish media.
A Ryanair flight from Manchester made an emergency landing at Murcia Airport in Spain after a reported threat.
The Ryanair flight had 114 passengers and seven crew members, who disembarked for security checks as the aircraft was inspected.
A Wizz Air flight from London Luton to Sofia made an emergency landing in Budapest the day before; the airline said checks found a false alarm.
Bulgarian media reported that another flight, coming from Israel, landed in Sofia after a bomb threat.
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Gunmen killed two police officers and injured a third as they travelled to protect polio vaccination teams in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The attack came a day after four officers guarding polio workers were abducted; they remained missing as search efforts continued.
Key Facts
The attackers rode a motorcycle and fired on a police vehicle on Tuesday.
No polio vaccination staff were in the police vehicle during the shooting.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack.
Armed groups, including the Pakistan Taliban, have carried out similar attacks and spread false claims about polio vaccinations.
Pakistan began a targeted vaccination drive on Sunday aiming to reach nearly 24 million children in 97 high-risk districts.
Health authorities registered the country’s eighth polio case of the year in a 13-month-old girl from Khyber district.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only countries where wild poliovirus remains endemic.
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Released Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent Montaser Nassar says Israeli forces raided his home in Dura, south of Hebron, and arrested him alongside 20 other residents. He says the forces assaulted his wife and that the raid aimed to intimidate the city’s residents.
Key Facts
Montaser Nassar is an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent.
Nassar has been released.
Nassar says Israeli forces raided his home in Dura, south of Hebron.
He says the forces arrested him alongside 20 other residents.
Nassar says Israeli forces assaulted his wife.
He said the raid aimed to intimidate residents of the city.
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A U.S. official said the United States carried out defensive strikes on Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. The strikes came on the eve of U.S. midterm elections, with the Iran war and its effects on fuel prices and the economy posing a political challenge for Republicans.
Key Facts
The article’s headline says the United States struck Iran’s Qeshm Island.
A U.S. official said the strikes targeted Iranian sites in the Strait of Hormuz.
The official described the strikes as defensive.
The strikes took place on the eve of U.S. midterm elections.
The article says the Iran war has affected U.S. gasoline prices and other parts of the economy.
The article describes the war and its economic effects as a vulnerability for Republicans seeking to keep control of Congress.
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A freighter carrying more than 400 containers sank in the Black Sea after a drone attack off Bulgaria on October 28; Bulgarian authorities said all 18 crew members were rescued. Kyiv blamed Russia and said the attack threatened civilian shipping and Ukrainian exports, while the article describes a wider rise in attacks on ships linked to both Russia and Ukraine.
Key Facts
The Liberian-flagged Contship Jet Monrovia was sailing from Haifa, Israel, to Romania when it was attacked and sank.
The ship carried more than 400 containers, and Bulgarian authorities said all 18 crew members survived.
Kyiv said Russian drones carried out the attack; the article does not independently confirm who was responsible.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces were not operating in that part of the Black Sea.
Bulgarian and Romanian authorities and maritime tracking services reported that at least 30 sailors had been killed or gone missing in the recent surge of attacks.
The article says Ukrainian strikes on Russian freighters and oil tankers intensified in July, amid attacks on Russian industrial and military sites.
Russian farmers and grain exporters, who usually ship more than two-thirds of their harvests through the Black Sea, are testing a route through the Arctic port of Murmansk.
Before Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion, about one-third of global grain exports passed through the Black Sea; Ukraine supplied about one-tenth of global wheat exports and 15 percent of corn.
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