World News Hub

G20 finance ministers, central bankers gather amid fallout from Iran war

Officials meet in Thailand as conflict drives energy prices higher and casts uncertainty over global economy.

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: start-up turns to tech to tackle urban waste

Inconvenience is one of the biggest obstacles to recycling, a challenge that prompted a Hongkonger to establish a one-stop recycling service. Jorch Wong Ching-hei left advertising in 2019 and started The Loops Hong Kong after finding that recycling different materials often required travelling to different collection points. With no prior background in the industry, he contacted recycling operator...

Vehicle may have sparked Mongolia wildfire, putting China rescuers on high alert

A grassland fire in Mongolia has raised fresh concerns in China, underscoring the recurring risk of cross-border environmental hazards. This is not the first time an environmental disaster originating in Mongolia has threatened to cross the 4,700km (2,920 miles) border into China, with the impacts sometimes also affecting the Korean peninsula and Japan. The blaze, which erupted on October 8 in th...

Sara Blakely invested $5,000 in Spanx while selling fax machines; 21 years later, it is worth $1.2bn

Sara Blakely founded Spanx in 2000 with $5,000 in savings while working as a door-to-door fax machine salesperson. Despite having no formal business training or outside investment, she built the company into a global womenswear brand. In 2021, Blackstone acquired a majority stake in the company at a $1.2 billion valuation, with Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon joining as investors.

UK economy unexpectedly grows in August despite fall in consumer spending

Latest data showing surprise 0.1% growth is boost to John Healey a fortnight before his first budgetBusiness news – live updatesThe UK economy unexpectedly continued to grow in August despite a fall in consumer spending before John Healey’s first budget as chancellor.Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.1% last month, compared with 0.4% grow...

UK economy unexpectedly grows 0.1% in August despite fall in consumer spending

Latest data comes just two weeks before chancellor’s budget looks to help consumers traverse the cost of living crisisThe UK economy unexpectedly continued to grow in August despite a fall in consumer spending before chancellor John Healey’s budget.Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.1% last month, compared with 0.4% growth in July. City ec...

EU leaders head into high-stakes budget battle as elections loom

EU leaders head to a summit on Thursday seeking a deal on the bloc’s nearly €2 trillion budget for 2028-2034 by Christmas amid deep divisions over spending and fears that upcoming elections, particularly in France, could strengthen eurosceptic forces.

Europe Today: Kallas speaks exclusively to Euronews as crucial EU summit kicks off

Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, speaks exclusively to Maria Tadeo as EU leaders arrive in Brussels for a crucial EU summit on spiralling energy prices, an unfinished seven-year budget, and Donald Trump's pressure on Ukraine. We also interview Abu Abughazaleh, the Jordanian Investment Minister.

No timeline for lifting Land Registry paywall as ownership remains opaque

Defra promised in March to work towards free access to data on large plots in England and Wales The government has refused to say when the public will be able to freely access information about who owns large plots of land across England and Wales.Emma Reynolds, the previous secretary of state for the environment, announced in March that the paywall protecting large amounts of the Land Registry wo...

Burnham v Swinney: will the UK PM overshadow the SNP’s conference?

Prime minister presents new kind of challenge for SNP, and his Scottish visit will loom large over its big eventThis year, even Andy Burnham is invited to the Scottish National party conference. But by the time John Swinney stands up to address members on Saturday afternoon in Aberdeen to reinvigorate the case for a second independence referendum, his party may regret giving the UK prime minister ...

Australian politics live: ADF member ‘person of interest’ after ‘despicable betrayal of trust’ on Navy ship where camera found in women’s shower

Follow the day’s news live.Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPrivate health insurance changes ‘recalibrating precious taxpayer dollars’, says WellsThe health minister, Mark Butler, yesterday promised to reintroduce a bill to reduce private health insurance rebates for over-65s, after it was thrown out of the Senate by the crossbench and Coalition.It’s really important we r...

AI job losses set to rein in office demand in developed Asia-Pacific economies: report

A mild displacement of jobs across the Asia-Pacific region as companies expand their use of AI would trim five percentage points off growth in office space demand in the next few years, according to property consultancy CBRE. In a report released on Thursday it said 3.9 per cent of office jobs were vulnerable to artificial intelligence-driven displacement in developed markets in the region, includ...

Poland’s ascent from communist state to top 20 economy reverses the brain drain

In the final part of our series on the country, Poles tell how wages have soared – along with the cost of livingWill military spending help or hinder Poland’s growth story?Poland’s push for EU energy resilience amid Russian aggressionAbove the rain-soaked streets of Warsaw, the observation deck of the Varso tower overlooks Joseph Stalin’s gift to Poland that has divided opinion for decades.For som...

Romania says seven people missing after fire on San Marino-flagged tanker in Black Sea

The incidents have renewed scrutiny of Europe's ability to protect shipping and critical infrastructure in the Black Sea, more than a year after the EU launched a strategy to strengthen security in the region.

Romania says eight people missing after fire on San Marino-flagged tanker in Black Sea

The incidents have renewed scrutiny of Europe's ability to protect shipping and critical infrastructure in the Black Sea, more than a year after the EU launched a strategy to strengthen security in the region.

Romania says eight people missing after fire on tanker in its territorial Black Sea waters

The incidents have renewed scrutiny of Europe's ability to protect shipping and critical infrastructure in the Black Sea, more than a year after the EU launched a strategy to strengthen security in the region.

Romania probes possible drone attack on tanker in its Black Sea territorial waters

The incidents have renewed scrutiny of Europe's ability to protect shipping and critical infrastructure in the Black Sea, more than a year after the EU launched a strategy to strengthen security in the region.

France 'can no longer finance' Ukraine, far-right presidential frontrunner Le Pen says

Far-right leader and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said on Wednesday that France could no longer afford to fund Ukraine, citing the country's high deficit and weak economic growth.

France 'can no longer finance' Ukraine, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen says

Far-right leader and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said on Wednesday that France could no longer afford to fund Ukraine, citing the country's high deficit and weak economic growth.

Is Lamine Yamal’s Barcelona record better than Messi’s as a teenager?

Yamal's 17 goal contributions after 10 games are more than Messi's in his Ballon d'Or-winning season as a teenager.

PSG put on a show with win at Manchester City in Champions League thriller

Paris are European champions for a reason. PSG sent a message to their rivals with an impressive 4-2 victory over Manchester City on Matchday 2 of the Champions League. After dominating the first half to take a 3-0 lead, Luis Enrique’s side saw City come close to staging a incredible comeback in the second half, thanks to a brilliant Erling Haaland, who scored twice. PSG remain top of the league-p...

Thursday briefing: Thanks to an erratic Trump, peace in Ukraine is still far away

In today’s newsletter: As Russia resists a ceasefire and Trump’s shifting priorities unsettle allies, an end to the conflict isn’t getting any closerGood morning. In his usual asinine unconventional approach to international relations, Donald Trump announced on Sunday (via Truth Social, how else) an “ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine”, apparently without checking with either s...

Katy Perry has supported UNICEF’s global child welfare efforts since 2013

2 Hong Kong MTR disruptions may be linked, expert says

Two rush-hour disruptions at Hong Kong’s MTR Lam Tin station within 15 hours could be connected if they involved the same power supply circuit or exposed procedural shortcomings, an engineering expert has said, with a lawmaker urging the rail operator to offer more targeted compensation to affected passengers. The first disruption came on Tuesday evening, when an insulating rubber component in a t...

Archaeologists find 19 injuries in 12 people buried in Iron and Viking Age Scandinavia

Archaeologists found evidence of traumatic injuries in 12 individuals from Iron and Viking Age Scandinavia. These injuries were discovered in domestic spaces like houses, pits, and wells across various sites. Examination of the remains revealed sharp-force and blunt-force injuries indicating potential violence in their lives. Researchers proposed that social conditions may have contributed to the ...