Iniaes

In U.S. immigration

The Trump administration has suspended eight technology companies from PERM, the labor-certification program employers use to sponsor foreign workers for employment-based green cards. The Labor Department says it will stop accepting new applications and processing pending cases involving Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini.

The administration alleges fraud. The action also follows Vice President JD Vance’s accusation that Microsoft was replacing American workers with foreign hires. The suspension could disrupt workers’ path to permanent residency, but it is not a blanket ban on H-1B visas.

In the U.S. Navy

The USS Abraham Lincoln returned to San Diego Thursday with about 5,000 sailors and Marines after a 322-day Middle East deployment that had been extended beyond its expected summer finish. The carrier spent a record 265 days at sea without a port call.

Reports described supply shortages and deteriorating crew mental health, including multiple confirmed suicide attempts. The USS George Washington relieved the Lincoln in the Middle East, leaving the western Pacific without one of its key U.S. carriers.

At the University of Arizona

The university has suspended fraternity activities amid persistent reports of assault, hazing and drug- and alcohol-related misconduct. Dean of Students Chrissy Lieberman said her office was investigating reports involving nearly half the Interfraternity Council chapters just seven weeks into the fall semester, and had reached its investigative capacity. Activities are barred at least until fraternity advisers meet with her.

In U.S. courts

Chief Justice John Roberts has temporarily paused a Friday deadline for the FCC to rule on Democrats’ challenge to a policy giving party committees access to cheaper television advertising rates ahead of the midterms.

Separately, Justice Department civil rights prosecutors are seeking criminal charges against former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson for allegedly lying to Congress, according to a person familiar with the matter. Hutchinson told the January 6 committee she had been told Trump lunged for an SUV’s steering wheel to try to join the mob at the Capitol.

At the International Criminal Court

The court has ruled that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is fit to stand trial. A panel of experts found that he can understand the charges and follow the proceedings.

In British courts

Search warrants in the police investigation into former Prince Andrew have been quashed after police acknowledged a legal error. A London-based judge said the error does not end the investigation.

Separately, the BBC has apologised and paid substantial compensation to PinkNews founder Benjamin Cohen and his husband, Anthony James. At the High Court, the broadcaster accepted that its 2024 documentary, PinkNews: Behind Closed Doors, made very serious, false and defamatory allegations of sexual misconduct against them.

In Texas

Texas has executed Jamaal Howard by lethal injection at the state prison in Huntsville. The execution has renewed attention to the national controversy over the drugs used in executions.

In U.S. immigration

The Trump administration has suspended eight technology companies, including Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant and Infosys, from the permanent labor certification process used to hire foreign workers permanently. Vice President JD Vance alleged that companies were abusing visa rules to replace American workers and undercut wages. Officials also announced subpoenas to Harvard, Yale and MIT as part of an investigation into universities’ use of J-1 exchange visas.

At the International Criminal Court

Judges have ruled that Rodrigo Duterte is fit to understand the charges at his trial, which is set to begin in November. His legal team had argued that he suffers from cognitive deficiencies.

In Nepal

Researchers estimate that nearly 300,000 people live in potentially flood-exposed areas of Nepal’s Himalayas, including more than 100,000 downstream of glacial lakes that can suddenly breach. The study found that potentially exposed built-up areas grew by 46 percent between 2016 and 2023 across Nepal and river catchments draining into it. Its satellite-based screening method does not replace detailed flood-hazard mapping.

At Cornell

Cornell University has hired former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to lead an independent review of its response to sexual assault cases, amid fraternity gang rape allegations. Two investigations are underway into a former student’s allegation that she was raped at a fraternity house in 2024.

In the Maduro case

Venezuela’s former president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife face a new U.S. charge over torture allegations. It adds to the existing drug trafficking case against them.

In British energy

E.ON Next has completed its takeover of Ovo Energy after competition regulators cleared the deal. Three suppliers now serve almost three-quarters of households in Great Britain. The takeover went ahead amid concerns that reduced competition could limit customer choice and weaken incentives to lower bills.

Royal Navy espionage case

A serving Royal Navy sailor, Teddy Young, has appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged under the National Security Act. The 24-year-old is accused of obtaining protected information that could benefit an unnamed foreign power. Counter-terrorism police arrested him at his Bedfordshire home on Tuesday.

Nobel Prize in Literature

Canadian poet and essayist Anne Carson has won the Nobel Prize in Literature. The Swedish Academy praised her “bold and inventive oeuvre.” Carson, 76, is known for genre-crossing works including Autobiography of Red, drawing on classical literature to create contemporary forms.

U.S. election spending

Democratic campaign groups are spending in Texas, and outside groups are targeting other normally Republican states, Politico reports. But the party’s main campaign groups say they lack the money both to defend core battlegrounds and expand elsewhere. CNBC reports that 14 of this election cycle’s 20 largest donors and donor groups have backed Republicans exclusively or nearly exclusively. Those 20 account for $1.2 billion, roughly one-eighth of all money raised.

Venezuela’s oil sector and court cases

Former Trump officials are seeking work in Venezuela’s oil sector, which The Washington Post describes as now largely under U.S. control. Investors anticipating a possible oil boom are seeking recent White House access and policy expertise.

Meanwhile, lawyers for Cilia Flores, wife of ousted president Nicolás Maduro, plan to request house arrest at a New York hearing, citing heart problems. Both have been held there since forces seized them from their Caracas home in January.

Data breaches and online scams

Asos says hackers accessed millions of customers’ names, addresses, phone numbers and recent search histories, but not passwords or card details. Separately, the Consumer Federation of America estimates Americans lost $148 billion to online scams and crimes in 2025, nearly 26 percent more than the previous year.

Strike in Kramatorsk

Ukrainian officials say a Russian strike on a bus in Kramatorsk killed at least 30 people and wounded 18 on Thursday. The Donetsk regional prosecutor’s office says an aerial bomb hit the bus. A second bus caught fire, and local public transport was suspended.

Gulf economic outlook

The World Bank forecasts that Gulf economies will shrink despite higher oil prices, as the Iran war disrupts energy exports and aviation. The disruption also reaches Europe, where buyers have had to replace missing gas supplies.

Botched execution

Christa Pike is conscious and speaking nearly a week after a botched execution left her critically injured and temporarily on a ventilator, her attorneys said Tuesday. Her attorney said she asked, “Where am I?” after regaining consciousness.

In U.S. immigration enforcement

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement obtained more than 50 million voter records ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Newly released government documents show that some state election data was awaiting possible entry into Palantir’s ELITE system. That system is used to identify and locate people targeted for immigration enforcement.

In French schools

Students have been protesting teacher shortages and poor school conditions for more than two weeks. The demonstrations began in mid-September, when teachers at Saint-Exupéry high school in Créteil went on strike and students walked out in solidarity. During a march in Paris, Saint-Denis mayor Bally Bagayoko was tear-gassed after stepping between riot police and student protesters. Footage shows him confronting officers and calling for them to stop.

In Jerusalem

Most British diplomats are set to leave the consulate in East Jerusalem, but Britain’s foreign minister says the diplomatic mission will remain. Israel says the consulate is ceasing operations. Britain says it will instead become the UK Mission, Jerusalem, from Thursday. Israel said in September that it would take action in response to British sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

In research and technology

Researchers at Singapore University of Technology and Design have developed a sailboat drone prototype designed to drop from an aircraft. The team says ALBATROSS spins like a maple seed to slow its descent, lands on water, rights itself and sails using wind power. Researchers say it could support rapid deployment for oil-spill monitoring or time-sensitive weather observations.

OpenAI has published 372 results it says resolve or substantially advance open problems in mathematics and theoretical computer science. The company says almost all came from one AI agent given a single prompt. Scientific American reports that many proofs have passed logical checks in Lean, but mathematicians will need months to assess their novelty and significance.

In UK security

Royal Navy serviceman Teddy Young, 24, has been charged with two offences under the National Security Act. Prosecutors allege he prepared to disclose protected information and obtained or retained it intending to benefit a foreign power. He remains in police custody ahead of a court appearance. The charges do not relate to last month’s incident at RAF Fairford.

In energy markets

Oil prices jumped and stock markets fell on Thursday, renewing inflation fears. The moves came amid reports that President Donald Trump was considering further strikes on Iran ahead of next month’s U.S. midterm elections.

Texas execution

Texas has executed 46-year-old Jamaal Howard, convicted of fatally shooting a convenience store clerk during a robbery in 2000. His lawyers alleged that the pentobarbital was degraded and past its use dates, raising concerns following Christa Pike’s failed execution in Tennessee. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected two requests to halt the execution without explanation. Howard apologised to the victim’s family in his final statement. He was the 30th person executed in the United States this year.

In the Middle East

Demonstrators around the world marked the October 7 attack with calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to Israeli attacks on Gaza and the West Bank.

Off Qatar’s north coast, a tanker was hit by multiple projectiles, according to the UK maritime agency. The agency also reports an increase in attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

In Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russian strikes on October 7 killed at least 25 people and injured more than 100 across Ukraine. Apartment blocks and energy infrastructure were targeted in Kyiv and 12 regions. Zelensky says at least 20 people, including four children, died when a five-storey apartment building collapsed in Pryluky. He urged allies to provide more air defence support, saying Ukraine urgently needs missiles for its Patriot systems.

In U.S. politics

At least six protesters interrupted President Trump’s San Antonio rally backing Senate candidate Ken Paxton. Police led some demonstrators away. The Washington Sun reports that a man in a MAGA hat appeared to pull one protester’s shirt and hair as the protester headed toward the exit, before other attendees intervened. Trump accused the demonstrators of being paid by “enemies of our nation.”

Separately, Democrats have sued Trump over a taxpayer-funded advertising campaign. The ads have attracted bipartisan criticism, with critics arguing they violate prohibitions on taxpayer-funded propaganda.

Mifepristone review

The FDA says it will not publish its safety review of the abortion drug mifepristone until March. In a court filing Wednesday, the agency said it would impose no new restrictions on the pill before then.

Estonia’s border warning

Estonia’s foreign minister says the country could close its Russian border within hours if needed, following the suspected plague death of a lab assistant in Irkutsk. The World Health Organization says Russia has not supplied enough information for a full risk assessment. Russia reported quarantining 200 contacts, but its health watchdog says there is no epidemic risk and is winding down precautions.

In California

California’s parole board has granted parole for a third time to Patricia Krenwinkel, the 78-year-old former Charles Manson follower imprisoned for nearly six decades for her role in the Tate-LaBianca murders. Governor Gavin Newsom overturned her previous two parole grants. Her attorneys are urging him to let this decision stand.

Federal vaccine research

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is planning a federal effort focused on vaccine injuries, according to the New York Times. The plans include a research clinic at the National Institutes of Health and a billing code to reimburse doctors for reporting serious vaccine side effects. Kennedy has long questioned vaccine safety.

Africa’s credit rating agency

The Africa Credit Rating Agency launches Wednesday in Mauritius to rate governments, cities and companies. African leaders and policymakers accuse the three dominant U.S. agencies of overstating risk and increasing borrowing costs. The African Union body behind the new agency describes it as privately owned and self-funded, but has not named its shareholders, chief executive or board. It also says the agency will need a licence from Mauritius’ financial regulator.

Plague laboratory death

The World Health Organization says it lacks enough information from Russian authorities to conduct a full risk assessment following the death of a plague laboratory worker. WHO officials say it remains unclear how the worker died.

U.S. defense chips

The U.S. Department of War has offered Wolfspeed up to $1.5 billion through a proposed 30-year loan to expand domestic production of advanced chips for drones, radar and missile defense. The deal could also allow the department to buy up to 7.5 percent of the company’s equity. Wolfspeed says financing still requires due diligence, government approvals and final agreements, with no guarantee funds will be provided.

Wildlife and food production

WWF says food production must change to avert biodiversity collapse. Its report examined nearly 36,000 animal populations across more than 5,000 species, finding an average population decline of 73 percent since 1970. Scientists say recoveries among wild tigers, tuna and green sea turtles show that action can reverse nature loss.

Russian asylum seeker sentenced

A 68-year-old Russian man who swam from Kaliningrad into Lithuania seeking asylum has been sentenced in Russia to six years in a strict-regime penal colony for publicly justifying terrorism.

Student protests in France

French authorities suspended stun grenades Wednesday after a teenager lost his hand during clashes with police. Demonstrations over school conditions have spread to more than 40 cities, with students blockading schools for weeks amid public-sector strikes.

In cybersecurity

Researchers at Island say a phishing campaign targeting advertising managers is using a fake Meta Muse Ads site and counterfeit Google or Okta login windows to steal passwords and multi-factor authentication codes. They observed submissions involving roughly 200 distinct email addresses on one site over about a month. Researchers warn that compromised accounts could expose clients and allow unauthorized advertising spending.

In Tennessee

A judge has ordered the state to preserve evidence from the failed execution of Christa Pike. She is conscious and speaking after receiving two lethal injections last week. During the attempt, she remained conscious and described severe arm pain before witnesses were escorted out. Pike has been imprisoned for more than thirty years for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer. Her lawyers say she is the first person in the United States to survive a full execution attempt.

In U.S. politics

The New Republic reports that Colorado minister and Republican gubernatorial nominee Victor Marx told supporters he had shoved his wife against a door and would do it again. Marx said he intended to teach her a lesson about self-defense.

A Reuters-Ipsos poll found 86 percent of voters considered taxpayer-funded election-related ads featuring the president or Cabinet members inappropriate, including 80 percent of Republicans. Trump has backed away from public funding and said his political action committee would pay instead.

In France

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez says he has temporarily halted police use of stun grenades at high school demonstrations after a 15-year-old lost a hand during a protest in Lens on Monday. Nuñez rejected accusations of police brutality. Two weeks of protests have included often violent clashes that injured hundreds.

In UK sentencing

Luke Ings and Liam Bennett have been freed after each spending about twenty years in custody under indefinite public-protection sentences, despite minimum terms of two years or less. An appeal hearing replaced their sentences following a Criminal Cases Review Commission review.

In the Gulf of Mexico

Tropical Storm Isaias strengthened Wednesday afternoon and was nearing hurricane strength, the National Hurricane Center said.

In image-based abuse

Lawyers representing 100 people have lodged a super-complaint over how police in England and Wales handle image-based abuse, saying officers still dismiss reports. Separately, Labour MP Jessica Asato is suing an Elon Musk company, saying its Grok assistant allowed users to create deepfakes of her and others.

In Ukraine

Russian missile strikes across Ukrainian cities have killed at least 24 people. Russia said it targeted military and industrial facilities. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian naval drone struck an oil tanker near Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi, where black smoke blanketed the area.

Spain’s housing protests

Maricarmen, who became a symbol of Spain’s housing protests after withstanding four eviction attempts over a decade, has died at 87. In a final message from her hospital bed, she urged protesters to keep fighting.

In northern Ethiopia

Witnesses report seeing Eritrean troops inside northern Ethiopia amid rising tensions. Eritrea rejects the allegation, calling it an Ethiopian pretext for more war.

In data security

South Korean police are investigating a suspected leak of hospital surveillance footage. JTBC reported that videos of patient examinations, surgery and other hospital activity were circulating on overseas websites it described as illegal.

In the United States, Arizona courts say hackers stole information on more than 1.3 million people. Investigators found that cybercriminals breached the statewide program used to collect outstanding debts tied to traffic and criminal violations.

At OpenAI

An OpenAI publicist interrupted a Vanity Fair interview when chief executive Sam Altman was asked about the suicide of Sophie Rottenberg, 29, who had spent months using ChatGPT for mental-health support. The publicist said, “I’d like to move on.”

In Ukraine

At least 24 people were killed in a massive Russian attack on Ukraine. Ukraine says the overnight barrage included 130 drones, 48 cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.

Ebola preparedness in Kenya

Kenya’s government has intensified Ebola preparedness efforts amid growing concern over lapses in border screening.

In Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia says Houthi attacks on airports killed three foreign nationals: a Moroccan woman and an Algerian woman in Abha, and a Sudanese national in Riyadh.

In education research

A review of 186 studies covering more than 350,000 teachers across 33 countries found that better teacher wellbeing was linked to higher student motivation and achievement. Researchers found stronger links in high schools than primary schools. The associations were small to moderate, and the evidence cannot establish that improving teacher wellbeing causes better student outcomes.

Fire risk in Victoria

Researchers working with the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation say lake sediments from Croajingolong National Park show cultural burning maintained open woodland for more than 800 years. They found that colonisation disrupted that care, followed by denser vegetation, hotter fires and increased erosion. They say climate change now amplifies that vulnerability and call for Traditional Owners to lead cultural burning.

Trump’s taxpayer-funded ads

A poll finds most Americans oppose Trump’s taxpayer-funded “golden age” ads. Trump says he will pay for future ads, but the White House says taxpayers will not be reimbursed for past ones.

Attack on an Arizona candidate

Phoenix New Times reports that Bernadette Greene-Placentia, a Democratic candidate for Congressional District 8, was raped while repairing a damaged campaign sign. According to the report, an attacker struck her on the head in a parking lot and she lost consciousness.

Mass trials in El Salvador

Human Rights Watch says lawyers defending people in El Salvador’s mass trials have struggled to access case files.

McDonald’s pricing lawsuit

A proposed nationwide class action alleges McDonald’s uses an AI pricing tool to coordinate menu prices across its U.S. restaurants. McDonald’s denies the allegation. The suit comes days after the company publicly said artificial intelligence does not decide what customers pay for a Big Mac.

In science

Kagan and Soai have won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discoveries involving nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.

At Argonne National Laboratory, scientists have used ultrafast X-ray imaging to capture atomic movements inside silicon carbide after a laser strike. They tracked an organized shockwave and slower, heat-driven vibrations in three dimensions. The findings, published in ACS Nano, could help researchers control where tiny vacancies that act as quantum bits form, reducing trial and error in building quantum devices.

In Lithuania

President Donald Trump says he will consider Lithuania’s proposal to host American troops permanently. The Baltic country says it is ready to accommodate that presence, but Trump’s comments were not a commitment to establish a base.

In the courts

Newly unsealed court documents allege that Andrew Tate possessed bestiality pornography and illicit videos involving a minor.

In California, a couple has been arrested and charged with allegedly abusing 15 of their 27 children, including a baby just two months old.

At the Pentagon

Ventures tied to investments by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have reportedly won billions in Pentagon contracts since their father’s election. The latest contract is for a new plant in Baltimore.

In the European Parliament

Members are urging tougher EU action against China. A resolution describes Beijing as a decisive enabler of Russia’s war in Ukraine and calls on the EU to counter what it characterizes as China’s weaponisation of rare earth minerals that Europe depends on.

In Brazil

Flávio Bolsonaro, the far-right presidential frontrunner, has vowed to re-democratise Brazil after a surprise first-round victory. Critics fear he could pursue authoritarian rule if he takes power. His father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, has long praised the 21-year dictatorship that preceded Brazil’s return to democracy in the 1980s.

On Zavodovski Island

Scientists say human-caused climate change is driving a dramatic decline in chinstrap penguins on the remote volcanic island, home to the world’s largest penguin colony.

Russia’s reported plague case

President Donald Trump said he had a call scheduled with Vladimir Putin to discuss a reported plague case involving a laboratory worker in Siberia. The Kremlin welcomed the offer while Russia played down fears of an outbreak. The World Health Organization has asked Russia for additional information.

In British courts

The Court of Appeal has overturned the rate-rigging convictions of five former Barclays traders: Jay Merchant, Jonathan Mathew, Philippe Moryoussef, Alex Pabon and Colin Bermingham.

Kosovo’s new president

Kosovo’s parliament has elected Justina Shiroka Pula as president amid protests and a political crisis. The academic and former minister emerged as a compromise choice.

Google’s data centres in Finland

Finland has ordered a pause on Google’s AI data centres over environmental concerns. Google had described the projects as its biggest investment in Europe.

Police force at French school protests

France’s interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, has suspended police use of stun grenades during high school protests. A 15-year-old boy reportedly lost his left hand after picking up a police grenade in Lens on Monday. The officer who fired it has been suspended.

Nuñez said 18 officers were under investigation for excessive force. Another officer has been charged over a baton attack that severely injured a 14-year-old. The protesters are demanding smaller classes, shorter school hours and more education funding.

In U.S. justice

The Army has set a date for Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan to be executed by firing squad. The 2009 mass shooting killed 13 people and wounded 32 others.

A former CIA officer identified as Rush has pleaded guilty in a case involving gold bars and admitted defrauding the government of nearly $200 million. The payments to Rush far exceed the amounts previously disclosed in the case.

In Arizona, an appeals court has thrown out the prison sentence of a man convicted of manslaughter in a road rage shooting. The court ruled that an AI-generated video portraying the victim forgiving him made the sentencing hearing unfair. The conviction remains in place.

Starbucks faces a sugar-label lawsuit

Starbucks is facing a federal class action lawsuit over protein lattes and matcha drinks marketed as sugar-free. The plaintiffs claim some venti servings contain as much sugar as a KitKat bar.

Ukraine’s EU accession talks

Hungary dropped its veto on two clusters of Ukraine’s European Union accession talks on Wednesday. The next phase depends on Ukraine’s parliament passing a minority-rights law.

In Gaza

Israeli attacks across Gaza have killed at least four Palestinians. A Palestinian Civil Defence rescue volunteer was killed in an Israeli air strike in northern Gaza.