The US political scene is dominated by congressional voting on ending the government shutdown, ongoing controversies surrounding former President Trump, including newly revealed Epstein emails and a legal threat against the BBC, indictments of political aides, policy decisions like the cancellation of the penny, electoral integrity concerns in Georgia, and new political candidacies.

• US House begins voting on bill that could end longest ever government shutdown — The Guardian -
• Elon Musk’s Grok AI briefly says Trump won 2020 presidential election — The Guardian -
• What we know about new Epstein emails that mention Trump — BBC World -

• Ex-top aide to Gavin Newsom indicted in scheme to steal money from ex-US health secretary — The Guardian -
• Epstein’s emails stir new doubts over Trump’s past denials — The Guardian -
• As Belgium Races to Save U.S.A.I.D. Contraception, Some Supplies Are Reported Ruined — New York Times World -
• Epstein emails thrust Trump back into spotlight over past ties — The Guardian -
• How the Heavy-Metal Fall of a Dictator Shapes Trump’s Venezuela Plans — New York Times World -
• Common cents: US Mint to press its final penny — The Guardian -
• Georgia election board settles ethics lawsuit over private emails for $50,000 — The Guardian -
• Former AOC staffer running for Pelosi’s seat promises to root out corruption – and Trump’s ballroom — The Guardian -
• US ends penny-making run after more than 230 years — BBC World -
• Senator Criticizes Rubio for Paying $7.5 Million to Equatorial Guinea to Take Deportees — New York Times World -
• Republican disquiet over hemp ban threatens passage of bill to end shutdown — The Guardian -
• Four potential obstacles in House vote to end US shutdown — BBC World -
• US House set for crunch vote on ending historic government shutdown — BBC World -
• US House set for crunch vote on ending historic government shutdown — BBC World -
• Donald Trump says he has ‘obligation’ to sue BBC over speech edit — The Guardian -
• A Look Into the Early Days of Migrant Detentions at Guantánamo — New York Times World -
• Actor Allison Mack reveals role in Nxivm sex cult in new podcast: ‘I was abusive’ — The Guardian -
• Venezuelans sent by Trump to El Salvador endured systematic torture, report finds — The Guardian -
• Trump says he has 'obligation' to sue BBC over speech edit — BBC World -
• Trump says he has 'obligation' to sue BBC over speech edit — BBC World -
• JFK's grandson Jack Schlossberg to run for Congress — BBC World -
• JFK's grandson Jack Schlossberg to run for Congress — BBC World -
• John F Kennedy’s grandson Jack Schlossberg announces run for US House seat — The Guardian -
• US supreme court extends pause on Trump administration paying full November Snap benefits – as it happened — The Guardian -
• US supreme court extends Trump pause on $4bn in food aid benefits — The Guardian -
• US ethics officials removed for inquiring into improper access of mortgage files — The Guardian -

Global tensions are high with an indictment of a former Syrian security official, uncertainty around Iraq's government formation, deadly blasts escalating fears between India and Pakistan, Israel's reopening of a Gaza aid route amidst West Bank settler violence, Trump's call for Netanyahu's pardon, new powers for Pakistan's army chief, Colombia's military actions, and rising US-Venezuela tensions marked by military deployments.

• Former Syrian Security Official Indicted in Austria — New York Times World -
• Iraq’s Prime Minister Leads in Elections but May Struggle to Form a Government — New York Times World -
• South Asia on Edge — New York Times World -

• Trump urges Israel's president to pardon Benjamin Netanyahu — BBC World -
• Israel Reopens Gaza Aid Route It Had Closed for Months — New York Times World -
• Deadly Blasts in India and Pakistan Set Region on Edge — New York Times World -
• Delhi blast was terror incident, Indian government says — BBC World -
• Gustavo Petro, the Rebel Turned President Willing to Take on Trump — New York Times World -
• Pakistan’s Army Chief Is Granted Sweeping Authority Over All Military Branches — New York Times World -
• Israeli president condemns ‘serious’ attack by settlers on West Bank villages — The Guardian -
• Syria’s Leaders Pledge to Join Fight Against Islamic State — New York Times World -
• Ukrainian energy minister Hrynchuk resigns as corruption probe fallout continues – as it happened — The Guardian -
• India confirms deadly Delhi car blast being treated as terror incident — The Guardian -
• Major corruption scandal engulfs top Zelensky allies — BBC World -
• Pakistani parliament votes to give army chief new powers and legal immunity — The Guardian -
• The EU invited Ukraine to join the club, but will it ever happen? — The Guardian -
• Stakes rise as Trump deploys world’s largest aircraft carrier to the Caribbean — The Guardian -
• Pakistan opens investigation into Islamabad terror attack — The Guardian -
• Trump writes to Israeli president calling for Netanyahu pardon — The Guardian -
• Turkish Military Plane Crashes in Georgia, Killing 20 Troops — New York Times World -
• India’s Prime Minister Vows Justice After New Delhi Car Explosion Kills 8 — New York Times World -
• Colombian military bombs suspected rebel camp, killing 19 — BBC World -
• Israeli settlers set fire to Palestinian warehouse and land as West Bank attacks surge — BBC World -
• Serbia's energy reliance on Russia comes unstuck facing US oil sanctions — BBC World -
• China sharpens its language on Taiwan as part of ‘longer-term’ strategy — The Guardian -
• How jihadists have brought a nation to a standstill with their fuel blockade — BBC World -
• US aircraft carrier group arrives in Caribbean as tensions with Venezuela rise — BBC World -
• US aircraft carrier group arrives in Caribbean as tensions with Venezuela rise — BBC World -
• Russia’s high court bid over Canberra embassy fails but Australian government to pay costs — The Guardian -

Internal Labour Party strife and leadership challenges involving Keir Starmer and his chief of staff are prominent, alongside calls for a health secretary to address a doctors' strike, new revelations about Peter Mandelson's contacts with Jeffrey Epstein, concerns over government data reliability, a ferry company's apology for inappropriate content, investigations into child sexual exploitation, and the British music industry's record economic contribution.

• Pressure grows on Starmer to sack chief of staff over briefing row — The Guardian -
• Labour Party’s Internal Fight Goes Public, as Starmer’s Trouble Grows — New York Times World -
• Peter Mandelson was in contact with Epstein till at least 2016, new emails reveal — The Guardian -

• Briefing war spotlights relationships between three of Labour’s most senior figures — The Guardian -
• Labour infighting puts chancellor’s budget plan to reassure bond markets at risk — The Guardian -
• Keir Starmer expresses ‘sincere regret’ over appointment of Labour donor to football watchdog — The Guardian -
• No 10 says Starmer has confidence in Morgan McSweeney after PM condemns attacks on cabinet members – as it happened — The Guardian -
• British Medical Association ‘threat to future of NHS’, says Streeting ahead of doctors’ strike — The Guardian -
• UK in denial over hostage-taking by foreign states, says Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe — The Guardian -
• BBC prepared to apologise to Trump to resolve billion-dollar legal threat — The Guardian -
• Helen Newlove, victims’ commissioner and peer, dies after short illness — The Guardian -
• Mike Graham sacked from TalkTV after ‘failure’ to assist inquiry into racist post — The Guardian -
• Abuse by UK’s ‘most prolific sex offender’ was ignored at Medomsley detention centre, report finds — The Guardian -
• Starmer backs ‘independent BBC’ but declines to tell Trump to drop $1bn lawsuit threat – as it happened — The Guardian -
• Keir Starmer under pressure over future of Morgan McSweeney amid briefing row — The Guardian -
• ONS to cut reports on health and crime to improve quality of core data — The Guardian -
• Bots and third parties to be banned from booking driving tests in DfT shake-up — The Guardian -
• Ferry company apologises after children left ‘screaming’ by pornographic film — The Guardian -
• Streeting denies plot to oust Starmer and condemns briefings from No 10 — The Guardian -
• Reform UK pulls out of BBC film amid Trump speech edit row — The Guardian -
• British music industry adds record £8bn to UK economy, according to UK Music — The Guardian -
• All schools in England to be given AI-generated pupil attendance targets — The Guardian -
• Private care providers in three English regions make £250m in three years — The Guardian -
• ‘Sobering’ study reveals extent of bullying and mental health problems for children in Wales — The Guardian -

The technology sector sees Anthropic's massive datacenter investment and Waymo's robotaxi expansion, while concerns rise over AI's potential for misinformation with Elon Musk's Grok chatbot and its use in government for NDIS plans in Australia; additionally, the UK addresses AI's role in creating abuse images, and Russia attempts to unveil an AI robot.

• Elon Musk’s Grok AI briefly says Trump won 2020 presidential election — The Guardian -
• Anthropic announces $50bn plan for datacenter construction in US — The Guardian -
• Waymo announces that its robotaxis will drive freeways for the first time — The Guardian -

• Government using machine learning to help create draft plans for NDIS participants, documents reveal — The Guardian -
• Russia's AI robot falls seconds after being unveiled — BBC World -
• Australian government could explore using AI for cabinet submissions despite security concerns — The Guardian -
• Tech companies and UK child safety agencies to test AI tools’ ability to create abuse images — The Guardian -

Global climate efforts are spotlighted by COP30 discussions and Al Gore's urgent warnings, the termination of Woodside Energy's university partnership due to protests, the failure of US states to agree on Colorado River water management, a new forecast on peak oil demand, and Australia's Liberal party considering abandoning net-zero targets.

• Woodside Energy’s partnership with Monash University to end after protests by staff and students — The Guardian -
• Cop30 live: ‘literally insane’ that we are letting global heating happen, says Al Gore — The Guardian -
• Western US states fail to agree on plan to manage Colorado River before federal deadline — The Guardian -

• There’s a New Forecast for Peak Oil Demand. It’s Increasingly Cloudy. — New York Times World -
• The Liberals’ so-called ‘founding principles’ underpinning their decision to dump net zero fail the credibility test — The Guardian -
• Climate-sceptic IPA refuses to reveal funders in fiery Senate inquiry — The Guardian -
• Tehan and Ley to reveal Liberals’ net zero emissions position tomorrow – as it happened — The Guardian -
• Liberals poised to dump net zero target after majority reject policy in marathon five-hour meeting — The Guardian -
• Newsom in the Spotlight at the Climate Conference That Trump Decided to Skip — New York Times World -
• Supply boom in cheaper renewables will seal end of fossil fuel era, says IEA — The Guardian -
• Protesters clash with security at COP30 climate talks in Brazil — BBC World -
• ‘Up in smoke’: Liberal MPs flying to Canberra for net zero meeting forced back to Adelaide — The Guardian -

Significant justice stories include the indictment of a former Syrian security official, Algeria's pardon of a jailed writer, an Italian investigation into alleged war tourism for killing civilians in Bosnia, charges in UK child sexual exploitation cases and South African murder investigations, concerns over proposed 'adult time' laws for children in Australia, and reports of systemic torture for Venezuelan deportees.

• Former Syrian Security Official Indicted in Austria — New York Times World -
• French relief as Algeria frees jailed novelist at centre of diplomatic crisis — BBC World -
• Algeria Pardons Writer Boualem Sansal at Germany’s Request — New York Times World -

• Italy investigates claim that tourists paid to go to Bosnia to kill besieged civilians — BBC World -
• French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal pardoned and to be released from prison — The Guardian -
• Seven men charged in Bristol child sexual exploitation investigation — The Guardian -
• Danish man given suspended sentence for sharing nude film scenes on Reddit — BBC World -
• Brothers charged with South African rapper's murder after extradition — BBC World -
• Victoria’s proposed ‘adult time’ plan to impose life sentences on children condemned by advocates — The Guardian -
• Brothers charged with South African rapper's murder after extradition — BBC World -
• Venezuelans sent by Trump to El Salvador endured systematic torture, report finds — The Guardian -
• Thailand extradites owner of Myanmar scam city to China — BBC World -
• Thailand extradites owner of Myanmar scam city to China — BBC World -
• Judges set to decide fate of police chief constable guilty of contempt of court — The Guardian -
• Prosecutor will not charge Kyle and Jackie O and Mamamia with contempt over Erin Patterson comments — The Guardian -
• ‘Atrocious on every level’: sex case findings shame New Zealand’s senior police culture — The Guardian -
• Former CFMEU boss John Setka charged with threatening and harassing union administrator — The Guardian -

Economic news features **Kim Kardashian's Skims reaching a $5 billion valuation, proposed real estate reforms in NSW, Australia to combat underquoting, a blue diamond selling for $25.6 million at auction, concerns over Trump's affordability drive with long mortgages and direct payments, and Menulog's withdrawal from Australia amidst declining housing sales in the UK**.

• Blue Diamond Sells for $25.6 Million at Auction in Switzerland — New York Times World -
• Real estate agents may have to include price guides on all NSW listings ‘so buyers don’t waste their time’ — The Guardian -
• Kim Kardashian’s Skims valued at $5bn after raising new funding — The Guardian -

• Fifty-year mortgages and $2,000 cheques: What's behind Trump's affordability drive? — BBC World -
• State-sanctioned fuel smuggling cost Libya $20bn over three years – report — The Guardian -
• ‘Part of the joy economy’: bumper year for UK toys as Wicked dolls and Pokémon appeal to ‘kidults’ — The Guardian -
• Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey hit by sales fall amid budget uncertainty — The Guardian -
• Property investors make up two in every five Australian home loans amid record borrowing — The Guardian -
• Menulog closing in Australia, affecting thousands of delivery drivers and 120 employees — The Guardian -

This category covers various events from deadly accidents like a Peru bus crash and China bridge collapse, humanitarian crises including a Sudanese shipwreck and dire aid warnings, cultural incidents like ancient statues stolen from Syria and a Japanese PM's sumo dilemma, public health concerns like Delhi's worsening air quality and a lupus study, to unique social narratives such as Florida's military base Christmas decor rules and Google Maps' border ambiguity.

• How to Capture the Northern Lights With Just Your Smartphone — New York Times World -
• Epstein-Barr virus appears to be trigger of lupus disease, say scientists — The Guardian -
• At least 37 killed in Peru after bus plunges into ravine — BBC World -

• The Devil Wears Prada 2: first teaser trailer for hotly anticipated sequel — The Guardian -
• At least six die in crush at Ghana military recruitment event — BBC World -
• The ‘Lost Sisters’ of the Pleiades Fill the Entire Night Sky — New York Times World -
• Northern lights visible across US as geomagnetic storm lights up skies — The Guardian -
• Canada pushes to join Eurovision: ‘This is about protecting our identity’ — The Guardian -
• Many Displaced Sudanese Feared Dead After Shipwreck Near Libya — New York Times World -
• Wife and son of Gabon's ousted leader given 20-year jail terms in two-day corruption trial — BBC World -
• Italian ‘mystic’ faces fraud trial over claim Virgin Mary statue wept blood — The Guardian -
• Adele to make acting debut in star-studded Tom Ford movie — The Guardian -
• Dire warnings over aid and hunger following RSF’s capture of Sudanese city — The Guardian -
• New bridge in south-west China collapses into mountainside — The Guardian -
• Florida air force base orders residents to take down Christmas decor — The Guardian -
• Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s name to be hyphenated, as decreed by late queen — The Guardian -
• Ancient statues stolen from Syria's National Museum — BBC World -
• Ancient statues stolen from Syria's National Museum — BBC World -
• Japan’s Prime Minister Faces Backlash Over 3 A.M. Staff Meeting — New York Times World -
• Blood and Tears as Spain’s Troubled Bullfighting Star Hangs Up His Cape — New York Times World -
• Australian windsurfer escapes shark attack — BBC World -
• How a New Bridge Partly Collapsed in China’s Southwest — New York Times World -
• New sleeper service will run from Paris to Berlin next year — The Guardian -
• Schools go hybrid as Delhi's air quality worsens — BBC World -
• Schools go hybrid as Delhi's air quality worsens — BBC World -
• Xi’s Military Purges Show Unease About China’s Nuclear Forces — New York Times World -
• The man on a mission to save Mauritania’s ‘city of libraries’ from encroaching desert sands — The Guardian -
• Worth a shout? Yelling is best way to deter gulls, UK study suggests — The Guardian -
• What It Takes to Move a Factory From China to Vietnam — New York Times World -
• Women in Power, and on the Right — New York Times World -
• Japan’s new PM faces sumo-sized dilemma: will Takaichi defy the sport’s ban on women? — The Guardian -
• Minns says his office possibly not notified of neo-Nazi rally because it was held on the weekend — The Guardian -
• Borderline ambiguity: How Google Maps removes disputed Western Sahara border for Morocco users — The Guardian -
• Evidence of ancient tree-climbing 'drop crocs' found in Australia — BBC World -
• Evidence of ancient tree-climbing 'drop crocs' found in Australia — BBC World -