World News Hub

Divers recover a total of 52 bodies from capsized ferry in Indonesia after a dayslong search

Divers in Indonesia have recovered 52 bodies following the capsizing of a ferry in rough seas earlier this month

Exclusive: Board of Peace quietly met with UNRWA, ex-agency chief says

The U.S.-created Board of Peace has said the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees has no place in Gaza

Kazakhstan wants crypto miners to use power generated by excess oil field gas

Kazakhstan is allowing crypto miners to use excess associated gas from oil fields to generate their own electricity, in a bid to reduce gas flaring and increase oil output while attracting miners back to the country.

‘Gamechanging’ brain tumour test reduces diagnosis from eight weeks to two hours

NHS England says test can be done while patient is on operating table and is being piloted in five centres around the countryA rapid new test for brain tumours can diagnose patients while they are still on the operating table.Scientists have called the development “gamechanging” and said it could secure early treatment for those who “do not have time on their side”. Continue reading...

Protests in UK after arrest of far-right activist Daniel Thomas

Protesters gathered outside a police station in southern England after far-right activist Daniel Thomas.

Hong Kong teacher jailed for 3 years for molesting pupil during free tutoring

A Hong Kong teacher clinically evaluated as a paedophile has been jailed for three years for molesting a primary school pupil and taking intimate pictures of the child and another boy during volunteer tutoring. Deputy District Judge Ko Wai-hung on Friday sentenced the 31-year-old, who earlier admitted to sexually abusing a student in his Yuen Long flat between January 2022 and July 2024. The pupil...

Pope warns a ‘paradise of machines’ could undermine humanity as he opens France trip

Pope Leo XIV warns that a “paradise of machines” could undermine humanity

Trump made ‘final decision’ to allow Ukraine to produce Patriot missiles, Zelensky says

President Donald Trump told President Volodymyr Zelensky that he had made a "final decision" to grant Kyiv the licence to produce Patriot air defence missiles, the Ukrainian leader said Friday. The assurance came during the last meeting between the two leaders, Zelensky said, capping a period of uncertainty after a series of reversals on the issue.

Trump made ‘final decision’ to give Ukraine Patriot licence, Zelensky says

President Donald Trump told President Volodymyr Zelensky that he had made a "final decision" to grant Kyiv the licence to produce Patriot air defence missiles, the Ukrainian leader said Friday. The assurance came during the last meeting between the two leaders, Zelensky said, capping a period of uncertainty after a series of reversals on the issue.

Germany's startup boom: What is working and what is holding them back

The German startup ecosystem is gaining momentum, with 3053 startups founded in 2026, the highest number since 2019. With the right policies — both at the national and the EU level — the upturn could be amplified many times over.

Prix Goncourt drops Canadian-Haitian writer from top French literary prize list over AI claims

Canadian-Haitian novelist Thélyson Orélien was removed from the Prix Goncourt longlist following online claims that his book, "It Was Either That or Die", was largely written by artificial intelligence (AI), the organisers of France's top literary prize said Friday. 

Canadian-Haitian writer Thélyson Orélien stripped from Prix Goncourt longlist after AI claims

Canadian-Haitian novelist Thélyson Orélien was removed from the Prix Goncourt literary prize longlist following online claims that the book was largely written by artificial intelligence (AI), the organisers of France's top literary prize said Friday.

Fatalities on Indian roads: One death reported every three minutes

India has the second-largest road network in the world, spanning over 6 million kilometres. But these roads are silent killers, with one death reported every three minutes. Every day, headlines are filled with horror stories: drunk drivers mowing people down, school buses hit by speeding trucks killing children, buses with dozens of passengers plunging into gorges.

Meloni accused of ‘running scared’ with cap on foreign children in classrooms

Critics say decree also banning burqa in schools shows Italian PM worried about losing far-right voters in next year’s electionsThe Italian government has been accused of ramping up divisive rhetoric to try to court far-right voters ahead of next year’s general election after it passed a decree aimed at capping the number of newly arrived migrants in classrooms and banning the burqa and niqab in s...

Meloni accused of election shift to right after ’shameful’ cap on foreign children in classrooms

Critics say decree also banning burqa in schools shows Italian PM running scared ahead of next year’s voteRights campaigners have accused the Italian government of ramping up divisive rhetoric in an attempt to court far-right voters ahead of next year’s general election after it passed a decree aimed at capping the number of newly arrived migrants in classrooms and banning the burqa and niqab in s...

When Trump’s narrative meets voters’ realities

By Donald Trump’s telling, we’re in a US ‘golden age’. Americans may feel differently. Plus: Anger at the elite and a gunfluencer runs in TexasThis was originally published in The Stakes 2026, a newsletter about the midterm elections. Sign up to get it in your inboxOne of Donald Trump’s greatest talents – deployed during his time as a real estate tycoon, source and subject of tabloid gossip, reali...

From 'Jungle' to jungles, migrants in Calais continue to dream of UK

October 2026 marks 10 years since the Calais "Jungle" in northern France was dismantled by French police. The camp was home to thousands of migrants who wanted to cross the Channel and reach the UK. A decade on, migrants continue to dream of reaching British shores and the "Jungle" has been replaced by many smaller jungles scattered along the northern French coastline. FRANCE 24's Pauline Godart, ...

China and the US are racing ahead on AI. Can they manage risks together?

The United States and China must work together to establish safety guardrails for artificial intelligence, leading scholars and industry leaders said at a Singapore forum, warning that rapid advances in the technology demand stronger risk controls. Speaking at the FutureChina Business Forum on Friday, Jude Blanchette, managing director of consultancy Macro Advisory Partners, urged the two superpow...

Long Island credit supervisor stole $1.6M over four years to fund his lifestyle.

Retired UK rail engineer turns East Sussex garden into 50-foot railway with solar-powered trolley

Adrian Backshall transformed his East Sussex garden into a working railway, inspired by his railway engineering career. The garden features a unique 50-foot railway with a solar-powered system and authentic railway memorabilia. Initially a lockdown project, it has evolved to include a Victorian-style carriage for entertaining guests. Backshall's project reflects a blend of history and engineering,...

NASA sent 12.5M tomato seeds to space in 1984; by 1990, 40,000 schools in 40 countries grew them

In 1984, NASA initiated the SEEDS project aimed at exploring how the space environment affects plant growth. Participants, comprising approximately 3.3 million students from diverse educational backgrounds worldwide, received kits that included seeds launched into space and Earth-based controls for comparison. Preliminary findings indicated a marginally enhanced germination rate for the seeds sent...

REPLAY : Pope Leo XIV's speech from the Élysée

Watch the replay of Pope Leo XIV's address in french at the Élysée Palace on 25 September, where he spoke about peace, artificial intelligence, France's challenges and the importance of solidarity. The pontiff also condemned gestational surrogacy, calling for greater protection of human dignity during the first day of his four-day visit to France.

Trump’s warm welcome for Xi met with caution and uncertainty in Taiwan

Taiwanese officials and observers have reacted cautiously to the Washington summit between US President Donald Trump and the Chinese mainland’s President Xi Jinping, with uncertainty lingering over what the two leaders discussed regarding the island. The only public mention of Taiwan after Thursday’s closed-door talks between the pair came from Beijing’s official readout, which said Xi had urged T...

Tall, dark and hated: plan to renovate ‘Paris’s ugliest building’ put on hold

Tour Montparnasse modernisation project at a standstill after clashes over pricing and other issuesIt has been called a carbuncle on the Paris skyline, a sombre skyscraper where visitors to its viewing platform often joke that the city looks better when you can’t see the building itself.The much-maligned Tour Montparnasse, a lone, dark monolith with tinted windows rising above a historic neighbour...

Tour Montparnasse renovation halted amid disagreements between owners

Plans to modernise ‘Paris’s ugliest building’ at a standstill after clashes over plans and pricingIt has been called a carbuncle on the Paris skyline, a sombre skyscraper where visitors to its viewing platform often joke that the city looks better when you can’t see the building itself.The much-maligned Tour Montparnasse, a lone, dark monolith with tinted windows rising above a historic neighbourh...