Key diplomatic challenges include Ukraine and Europe chafing at being excluded from a U.S.-Russian peace plan and Europe demanding a role, while Israeli strikes continued in Gaza amid ceasefire violations, and South Africa criticized a U.S. boycott of the G20 summit.

• Ukraine and Europe Chafe at Being Excluded From U.S.-Russian Peace Plan — New York Times World -
• ‘Peace plans cannot work if Europe and Ukraine do not agree’ says EU in response to draft US-Russian proposal – Europe live — The Guardian -
• Trump Meeting With Saudi Prince Showcased Prince’s Makeover, and America’s — New York Times World -

• Europe calls for role in Ukraine talks amid reported US-Russian peace deal — The Guardian -
• Israeli Strikes Kill at Least 25 in Gaza Amid Cease-Fire, Officials Say — New York Times World -
• Israeli airstrikes kill 33 people in Gaza in escalation of post-ceasefire attacks — The Guardian -
• First Thing: US and Russian officials draft plan to end Ukraine war based on capitulation from Kyiv — The Guardian -
• South Africa says US boycott of G20 is ‘coercion by absentia’ — The Guardian -
• US military officials in Kyiv as Europe warns against reported Russia peace plan — BBC World -
• Move Over, Netflix: Ukraine’s Corruption Investigators Bring the Drama — New York Times World -
• Ambassador Huckabee Held Meeting With Jonathan Pollard, Ex-Spy, at U.S. Embassy in Israel — New York Times World -
• Israeli strikes across Gaza kill 25 Palestinians, health ministry says — BBC World -
• Mexico Is Now the United States’ Top Buyer — New York Times World -
• Ukrainian teen saboteurs recruited on Telegram to attack their own country — BBC World -

The global focus remains on Cop30 negotiations amid stark warnings that the current pathway is a 'death sentence,' while Italy's cheesemakers are worried about stressed cows due to climate change, and Australia sees proposals for massive solar farms alongside internal debates on dumping net zero targets and hosting Cop31.

• The Climate Is Changing, Cows Are Stressed and Italy’s Cheesemakers Are Worried — New York Times World -
• Cop30 live: current climate pathway ‘a death sentence for many’, says UN secretary-general — The Guardian -
• ‘Gobsmacking’ solar farm that could power AI data centres ‘possibly unparalleled’ in Australia or world — The Guardian -

• Leaked Coalition talking points direct MPs to argue dumping net zero does not conflict with Paris agreement — The Guardian -
• ‘We can no longer predict the seasons’: why Indonesia’s coal mindset has to change — The Guardian -
• Trump officials reveal plan to roll back regulations in Endangered Species Act — The Guardian -
• As the World Pursues Clean Power, Millions Still Have No Power at All — New York Times World -
• She Studied How to Protect Children From Pollution and Heat — New York Times World -
• Coalition to help Labor rush through new nature laws if environmental protections dropped — The Guardian -
• Ford UK boss warns Rachel Reeves against higher taxes on electric vehicles — The Guardian -
• Turkey to host Cop31 climate conference after Australia drops push to hold it in Adelaide — The Guardian -
• Papua New Guinea ‘not happy’ as Australia walks away from bid to host Cop31 — The Guardian -
• Turkey set to host COP31 after reaching compromise with Australia — BBC World -
• Turkey set to host COP31 after reaching compromise with Australia — BBC World -
• They Loved Their Family Land in South Carolina. But Who Actually Owned It? — New York Times World -

The UK home secretary unveiled new plans for highly selective permanent migration, prompting concerns that up to 50,000 nurses could quit, while a **damning report condemned the UK’s Covid response as 'too little, too late'**; other issues include debates on single-sex spaces, proposed changes to jury trials, and falling sales for Asda supermarket.

• Home secretary unveils plan to create the ‘most controlled and selective’ system in Europe for permanent migration – UK politics live — The Guardian -
• ‘Too little, too late’: damning report condemns UK’s Covid response — The Guardian -
• Migrants to UK will not get benefits until becoming citizens under new plans — The Guardian -

• Asda to raise £568m in store sell-off as sales continue to fall — The Guardian -
• UK government insists it is ‘taking time to get this right’ on single-sex spaces — The Guardian -
• Funeral bosses left body decomposing for 36 days, UK court hears — The Guardian -
• UK construction workers at risk from modern slavery, charity warns — The Guardian -
• US watchdog led by Trump ally investigates BBC Panorama edit of January 6 speech — The Guardian -
• Joy Crookes says UK and Ireland in ‘dark time’ amid rise of far-right politics — The Guardian -
• UK weather: blizzards, ice and freezing temperatures felt across country — The Guardian -
• Reeves to back £1.7bn extension of London’s Docklands Light Railway — The Guardian -
• Why does MoJ want to curtail jury trials in England and Wales? — The Guardian -
• MoJ to remove right to trial by jury for thousands of cases in controversial overhaul — The Guardian -
• Thursday briefing: What fresh claims of racism and antisemitism at school mean for Nigel Farage — The Guardian -
• Up to 50,000 nurses could quit UK over immigration plans, survey suggests — The Guardian -
• British Jews turn to Greens and Reform UK as support for main parties drops — The Guardian -
• Wanna hear the one about the low-paid dad who took paternity leave? — The Guardian -
• Northern Ireland Must Change How Its Schools Teach Religion, Court Says — New York Times World -
• Dog and cat abandonment soars in UK as owners struggle with cost of living — The Guardian -

The Epstein files are set for release after President Trump signed a bill, as survivors urge full disclosure, while U.S. immigration crackdowns escalated in Charlotte with over 250 arrests, and the U.S. economy saw 119,000 jobs added in September.

• Epstein survivors urge justice department to ‘do the right thing’ and release complete files – US politics live — The Guardian -
• More than 250 arrested in Charlotte as US immigration crackdown escalates — BBC World -
• US added 119,000 jobs in September in report delayed by federal shutdown — The Guardian -

• What do we know about the Epstein files? — BBC World -
• What do we know about the Epstein files? — BBC World -
• Trump signs bill ordering US justice department to release Epstein files — BBC World -
• Larry Ellison discussed axing CNN hosts with White House in takeover bid talks — The Guardian -
• Trump and Mamdani to meet in Oval Office on Friday after months of bickering — The Guardian -
• Trump signs bill to compel release of more Epstein documents — The Guardian -
• Larry Summers to relinquish Harvard teaching role amid Epstein investigation — The Guardian -
• Democratic Florida lawmaker indicted for allegedly stealing $5m in Fema funds — The Guardian -
• Harvard University launches new probe into Larry Summers over Epstein emails — BBC World -

In global justice, a Nigerian separatist leader was sentenced to life for terrorism, an ex-mayor in the Philippines received a life sentence for human trafficking tied to scam centers, and Brazil's former president Bolsonaro faces incarceration for a coup attempt, while Australia debates new child incarceration laws and deals with allegations of police racial profiling.

• Nigerian separatist leader sentenced to life for terrorism — BBC World -
• Nigerian court convicts Biafran separatist leader on terrorism charges — The Guardian -
• Statistically, there’s a reliable way to predict a domestic violence homicide like Hannah Clarke’s — The Guardian -

• Alleged mastermind behind Mexican mayor's murder arrested — BBC World -
• Man arrested in Sydney for alleged harassment of federal MP over neo-Nazi criticism — The Guardian -
• Jailhouse shock: Brazil coup monger Bolsonaro finally faces life behind bars — The Guardian -
• Ex-Mayor Is Sentenced to Life for Human Trafficking Tied to Scam Centers — New York Times World -
• Woman jailed for 20 years over murder of Australian surfer brothers — BBC World -
• Woman jailed for 20 years over murder of Australian surfer brothers — BBC World -
• Australian living in Thailand faces trial over alleged criminal defamation of Malaysian government — The Guardian -
• Alice Guo, Chinese national who ran huge scam centre while Philippines mayor, sentenced to life in prison — The Guardian -
• ACT police accused of ‘racial profiling’ for allegedly pulling guns on Indigenous teenager after mistaking him for suspect — The Guardian -
• ‘Shock’ loophole in NSW law meant to protect children against incarceration could mean more will be locked up — The Guardian -
• Hasina's conviction for crimes against humanity is testing India-Bangladesh ties — BBC World -
• Alberta Invokes Last-Resort Constitutional Clause to Shield Trans Laws From Challenges — New York Times World -

Public safety concerns span deadly bear attacks in Japan prompting a hunt, an Indonesian volcano erupting with ash clouds forcing hundreds to flee, and a ferry crash in South Korea caused by an operator distracted by his phone.

• The Hunt Is On for Bears in Japan After Deadly Attacks — New York Times World -
• Ferry Crashed After Operator Was Distracted by His Phone, Officials Say — New York Times World -
• Mount Semeru Erupts and Rains Ash on Villages — New York Times World -

• Family Who Died While Visiting Istanbul May Have Been Poisoned, Authorities Say — New York Times World -
• Korean coast guard arrests helmsman who was on his phone when ferry ran aground — BBC World -
• How Japan Is Tackling Its Bear Problem — New York Times World -
• Watch: Indonesia's Semeru volcano spews giant ash clouds as it erupts — BBC World -

Australian politics saw Ita Buttrose air views on immigration, the NSW Liberal leader stand down with a new replacement expected, and Labor urged not to weaken gambling ad bans, amidst debate over a secret translation of the Nauruan president's interview.

• Ita Buttrose airs unapologetic views on immigration as Albanese returns to ABC Hard Chat a decade on | Weekly Beast — The Guardian -
• Secret translation of Nauruan president’s interview on NZYQ deal with Australia to stay suppressed for decade — The Guardian -
• Mark Speakman stands down as leader of NSW Liberals with Kellie Sloane expected to replace him — The Guardian -

• Sloane thanks Speakman for endorsement after NSW Liberal leader stands down – as it happened — The Guardian -
• Labor urged not to ‘go soft’ on gambling ads after reports the government may resist a total ban — The Guardian -
• NSW police use capsicum spray to subdue 87-year-old man in Sydney nursing home — The Guardian -

Breakthroughs include a pinprick blood test potentially detecting diseases a decade early, while electroconvulsive therapy faces scrutiny over adverse effects, and students rebelled against an AI-taught course, highlighting emerging trends in scalp care as a new beauty phenomenon.

• ‘We could have asked ChatGPT’: students fight back over course taught by AI — The Guardian -
• Is Scalp Care the New Big Beauty Trend? — New York Times World -
• Pinprick blood test could detect disease 10 years before symptoms appear, study finds — The Guardian -

• Electroconvulsive therapy may have more adverse effects than thought — The Guardian -

Cultural news highlights Charli XCX starring in a mockumentary and Dick Van Dyke's revelation he turned down James Bond, while Spain acknowledges 50 years since Franco's death with public education efforts, and the Angoulême comics festival faces a crisis amid boycott calls.

• Charli xcx plays version of herself in teaser for mockumentary The Moment — The Guardian -
• ‘Do you expect me to talk?’: Dick Van Dyke says he turned down playing James Bond — The Guardian -
• Spanish PM calls for nation to heed past lessons on anniversary of Franco’s death — The Guardian -

• Male and female former employees of Smokey Robinson accuse him of sexual assault — The Guardian -
• Edinburgh TV Festival could leave Edinburgh — The Guardian -
• Ethiopia receives historic artefacts held in Germany for 100 years — BBC World -
• Franco Died 50 Years Ago, but He’s Still Winning New Fans in Spain — New York Times World -
• Angoulême comics festival in crisis as creators and publishers declare boycott — The Guardian -
• Ripley's revealed as buyer of $12m golden toilet — BBC World -
• Samoa PM suspends country’s only daily newspaper from press briefings amid dispute over coverage — The Guardian -
• Rabih Alameddine wins National book award for fiction with darkly comic epic spanning six decades — The Guardian -
• Paris court blocks auction of earliest-known calculator — BBC World -