Pacific leaders urge climate action as UN pre-COP talks open in Fiji
France 24 •

Pacific leaders urge climate action as UN pre-COP talks open in Fiji

Pacific leaders urged action on climate change as UN pre-COP talks opened in Fiji's Nadi on Monday, ahead of next month's COP31 summit in Turkey. Discussions in Fiji and Tuvalu will focus on limiting warming to 1.5C, improving access to climate finance and protecting oceans as rising seas threaten communities.

Strikes by North Sea oil workers could ‘severely disrupt’ UK fuel supplies

Strikes by North Sea oil workers could ‘severely disrupt’ UK fuel supplies

The Guardian •

Union says staff left with no choice but industrial action after breakdown in pay talks with Texas oil firm ApacheA looming strike by oil workers in the North Sea could “severely disrupt” UK fuel supplies, the Unite union has said, adding that staff were left with no choice after a breakdown in pay talks with the Texas oil company Apache.The union said Apache workers had “emphatically” backed stri...

Money stolen by scammers hijacking UK social media accounts rises 400%

Money stolen by scammers hijacking UK social media accounts rises 400%

The Guardian •

Many cases involve criminals using other people’s identities to sell fake event tickets to friends and familyThe total amount stolen by criminals who hack into people’s emails and social media accounts and then pretend to be them has risen by more than 400% in a year, official UK data shows.In many cases, the scammers are hijacking people’s accounts in order to use their identity to sell fake even...

Children’s books with Black main characters down 8% in a year, study shows

Children’s books with Black main characters down 8% in a year, study shows

The Guardian •

Only 150 of 2,189 titles published in UK for young children last year focused on minority ethnic, disabled or neurodivergent charactersThe number of children’s books featuring Black main characters fell by almost 8% last year, according to research into diversity in UK publishing.Just 47 – or 2.1% – of the 2,189 books published for under-10s in 2025 featured a Black main character, a 7.8% fall fro...

US Coast Guard suspends search for 6 aboard crashed medical aircraft

US Coast Guard suspends search for 6 aboard crashed medical aircraft

SCMP •

US Authorities on Sunday suspended the search off the Massachusetts coast for six people on an air ambulance that disappeared during a flight from Bermuda to Boston. The US Coast Guard said authorities searched more than 7,081km (4,400 miles) over a span of 66 hours for the four Canadians and two people from Bermuda who were on board. “Suspending a search is not an easy decision,” Rear Admiral Mat...

Search continues for missing Bermuda to Boston flight as crews plan to comb seabed

Search continues for missing Bermuda to Boston flight as crews plan to comb seabed

SCMP •

A search continued on Sunday off the Massachusetts coast for an air ambulance carrying six people that disappeared during a flight from Bermuda to Boston as authorities planned to comb the seabed, the US Coast Guard said. The Federal Aviation Administration contacted the coastguard at 2am on Saturday saying it had lost contact with the Gulfstream G100 carrying four Canadians and two Bermudian nati...

Flydubai co-pilot allegedly tried to crash plane after hijack attempt failed

Flydubai co-pilot allegedly tried to crash plane after hijack attempt failed

Times of India •

An Omani co-pilot attacked the captain of a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv. Following the assault, he attempted to crash the aircraft into the Saudi desert. Investigators are looking into whether the co-pilot cut the engines' fuel supply during this crisis. Emergency codes were transmitted to air traffic control indicating both a general emergency and a suspected hijacking.

US withdraws B-1 bombers from British military base RAF Fairford amid security concerns

US withdraws B-1 bombers from British military base RAF Fairford amid security concerns

France 24 •

The Pentagon confirmed on Sunday that all US B-1 bombers deployed to Britain’s RAF Fairford had returned home following a security incident that prompted nearby evacuations. Police found no explosives after reports of suspicious activity at the base last Sunday. Five London-based British men arrested were subsequently released on bail.

US withdraws all B-1 bombers from British military base RAF Fairford

US withdraws all B-1 bombers from British military base RAF Fairford

France 24 •

The Pentagon confirmed on Sunday that all US B-1 bombers deployed to Britain’s RAF Fairford had returned home following a security incident that prompted nearby evacuations. Police found no explosives after reports of suspicious activity at the base last Sunday. Five London-based British men arrested were subsequently released on bail.

Mynas introduced to control a coconut pest later became pests themselves

Mynas introduced to control a coconut pest later became pests themselves

Times of India •

In 1915, common mynas were introduced to the Cook Islands to mitigate a coconut pest problem. Unfortunately, these birds multiplied rapidly, encroaching on the territories of native species and invading agricultural lands. Their escalating presence led to the establishment of a bounty program on Atiu Island, aiming to control their growing numbers. This situation highlights the unintended conseque...

10/4: CBS Weekend News

CBS News •

U.S. withdraws all B-1 bombers from a British airbase; Israeli soldiers tell CBS News the FlyDubai co-pilot acted alone.

Man’s $3 Goodwill painting turns out to be a 1650 Flemish work worth $190,000

Man’s $3 Goodwill painting turns out to be a 1650 Flemish work worth $190,000

Times of India •

In a remarkable twist of fate, a former antiques dealer purchased a painting for just $3, suspecting it held greater value. Appraisers on Antiques Roadshow estimated its worth between $20,000 and $30,000, but the auction result astonished everyone, fetching $190,000. This stunning Flemish piece, dating back to around 1650, serves as a testament to the hidden gems that can be discovered in thrift s...

Zheng Yongnian on China-US realism and battling for the upper hand before the next summit

Zheng Yongnian on China-US realism and battling for the upper hand before the next summit

SCMP •

Zheng Yongnian is a political scientist in China and a government adviser. His academic work is mainly about contemporary China, particularly politics, the country’s transformation and its external relations. This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here. Many have offered a lukewarm assessment of the Xi-Trump summit in Washington, citing...