Iniaes

In Wisconsin

Madison police say they found about 30 partially clothed young men covered in food and liquids in a hot fraternity basement after an anonymous hazing tip. Officers observed marks on some that could be consistent with being struck. The fraternity’s president and vice president were arrested on misdemeanor hazing and disorderly conduct allegations. Investigators are still determining what happened.

In U.S. immigration

The Supreme Court has cleared the way for the Trump administration to overhaul a federal immigration database ahead of November’s elections. The administration says the change is meant to combat voter fraud. The court’s liberal justices dissented, and Democrats and voting groups opposed the move.

Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, said ICE would expand its operations rather than apologize, amid scrutiny of enforcement tactics and a reported 58 deaths in ICE custody.

In the Middle East

CNN reports that a leaked U.S. intelligence assessment suggests Chinese groups helped Iran improve attacks on American targets in the region. The allegation surfaced during President Xi Jinping’s U.S. visit.

Iran’s foreign minister has proposed restoring access to the Strait of Hormuz within a week and restarting talks to end the war. Reuters reports that U.S. and Iranian negotiators are discussing a phased deal to reopen the route and lift Washington’s economic blockade, but neither side has agreed to move first. Oil prices edged lower after the proposal. Iran-backed Houthis, meanwhile, continued targeting Saudi oil export infrastructure on the Red Sea coast.

Lebanon’s prime minister urged the UN to replace its UNIFIL peacekeeping force, warning that a withdrawal could leave a vacuum.

On biofuels

Chatham House estimates that expanding biofuel production could require additional land the size of Germany. The think tank warns that poorly managed demand could drive deforestation and raise food prices as several countries pursue greater biofuel use.

In Greece

An explosion in Athens’ Plaka district injured three people and damaged nearby buildings. Authorities say a passer-by was hurt, and two women rescued from an adjacent building are being treated in hospital. Investigators have not confirmed the cause.

In U.S. news

President Donald Trump’s administration is continuing its effort to obtain sensitive voter data ahead of the midterm elections, despite repeated court losses, Reuters reports. The administration says it is looking for noncitizens illegally registered to vote. There is no evidence that such fraud is widespread.

In Italy

The government has approved a decree aimed at limiting the number of newly arrived migrant pupils in classrooms and banning face veils in schools. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says the measures will help integration. Rights campaigners accuse her government of courting far-right voters ahead of next year’s general election.

In business

Audi and Volkswagen are set to recall more than 2.8 million vehicles worldwide over a potentially faulty screw connection in the steering gear.

At a British court

Far-right activist Daniel Thomas has pleaded not guilty to criminal damage. He is accused of slashing a boat in the Channel while an emergency responder was aboard. He also denied a charge of failing to disclose his phone PIN to police.

In science

Researchers have found sheeppox virus DNA in medieval parchment, including pages of the York Gospels. They also detected it in sheep teeth from the Eurasian steppe dating back roughly 3,200 to 3,700 years, offering new evidence of how long the disease has affected livestock.

In U.S. news

A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s ban on CNN, Politico and MS NOW, restoring their journalists’ White House access after a six-day exclusion. Vice President JD Vance had called the ban on Politico “totally appropriate.” The newsletter Status later reported that Vance was an unnamed source for a Politico story the White House cited to defend the ban.

Pennsylvania’s attorney general says a man wounded in the 2024 shooting at Trump’s Butler rally has died from complications of his injuries. Trump paid tribute to him.

The Air Force has received its first two Collaborative Combat Aircraft at a Nevada base. The uncrewed jets are designed to fly alongside fighter pilots.

In Canada

Families of British victims gave statements at Kenneth Law’s sentencing hearing in Ontario. The mother of a teenager who died after taking poison supplied by Law described the impact of her son’s death. Law has been linked to 79 deaths in the UK.

In tech and security

Attackers are exploiting a Roundcube Webmail vulnerability that allows a SQL injection attack without authentication.

In Greece

Two women were rescued after an explosion collapsed a building in central Athens. Media reports have suggested a gas leak, but officials are still investigating the cause.

On fuel prices

European governments, including France, Germany and Spain, are cutting fuel taxes or offering subsidies as petrol and diesel prices surge. The EU also faces the possibility of US restrictions on diesel exports.

At the United Nations

More than 100 people were arrested in New York during protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the UN. Actors Hannah Einbinder and Susan Sarandon were among those reported arrested. Protesters blocked streets as Netanyahu addressed the General Assembly, and some delegations walked out during his speech.

In aviation

An investigation found that a Ryanair flight carrying 177 people landed in Manchester with 363 kilograms of fuel, far below its 1,100-kilogram final reserve. Storm Amy had forced three aborted landings at other airports. The crew declared a fuel emergency after a communication breakdown initially prevented the diversion to Manchester. The airport has since clarified who can authorize diverted flights.

In UK news

Britain’s foreign secretary warned an Iranian minister that the UK would not tolerate hostile activity on its soil, citing threats from Iranian-linked groups, including against the British Jewish community. Separately, the Foreign Office says an £88 million Gaza aid package will fund medical care, clean water, sanitation and other support.

At the Supreme Court

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson criticized the court’s use of its emergency docket as “potentially corrosive.” She said it has allowed Trump administration policies to take effect while challenges continue in lower courts, often through decisions with little explanation.

In Spain

Thousands marched in several cities against mass tourism and airport plans, citing housing pressure, overcrowding and environmental damage. In Barcelona, police counted 5,500 marchers, while organizers estimated nearly 30,000. Officials say approved funding for El-Prat Airport will reconfigure terminals, not expand flight capacity.

In U.S. news

A man wounded in the 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has died, his family says. The family did not say whether his death was related to his injuries.

In European security

A Danish intelligence assessment raises concern that Russia could launch a limited strike against a NATO member, potentially drawing Western resources away from Ukraine. Such an attack could bring NATO into direct confrontation with Moscow.

In Iran

President Masoud Pezeshkian says Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is healthy and able to govern, disputing reports that he may be dead or brain-dead. Khamenei has not appeared in public for months. He was reportedly seriously injured in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on February 28 that killed his father and predecessor.

In business

The UK’s food and drink trade deficit has topped £21 billion, its largest since 2000. Industry leaders cite pressure on exports from Brexit, war in the Middle East and U.S. tariffs, alongside rising imports.

UBS leaders have revived discussions about moving the bank beyond Swiss regulation, possibly through a merger with a foreign bank, according to people familiar with the matter. Swiss lawmakers have advanced legislation that could require UBS to raise up to $20 billion in capital. UBS declined to comment.

In U.S.-China relations

President Trump hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the White House for his first Washington visit in more than a decade. They discussed trade, artificial intelligence, Iran and Taiwan, with a state dinner planned for Thursday.

At the United Nations

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the General Assembly in prerecorded remarks from Ramallah after the United States denied visas to him and other senior Palestinian officials for a second consecutive year.

Ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address, hundreds of protesters blocked a street near UN headquarters, and police detained nearly 100 demonstrators. Inside the chamber, dozens of delegates walked out as Netanyahu approached the podium. He called them “moral cowards.”

In business

Howard Buffett has become chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate his father, Warren Buffett, built over six decades. Howard Buffett’s background is in farming and law enforcement, not finance.

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has introduced a bill offering federal tax credits for domestic film and television production. The proposed credit would cover 20 percent of eligible labor costs, with possible additions bringing it to 30 percent.

In Poland

A priest was killed and four other people were injured in a knife attack at an abbey in Jarosław. Police say they have arrested a suspect.

In China’s shipyards

Satellite imagery shows work on an unidentified vessel at the Dalian Shipyard. Measurements suggest the possible carrier could be slightly longer than the USS Gerald R. Ford, but Beijing has not confirmed its specifications or whether it would be nuclear-powered.

In European trade

France, Germany and Spain are at odds over what should count as “Made in Europe” as Brussels looks for ways to counter Chinese competition. France wants a strict preference for EU-made goods, Germany wants trading partners included, and Spain is proposing a compromise.

In bond markets

The yield on the 30-year U.S. Treasury bond reached 5.45 percent on Thursday, its highest intraday level since 2004, before falling later in the morning.

In U.S. elections

Democratic Party leaders and campaign groups have sued the Trump administration. They allege that law enforcement and immigration officials threatened to unlawfully deploy armed federal agents to polling places during the midterm elections.

Separately, Nevada election officials say all 185 people on a Department of Homeland Security list of purported noncitizens registered to vote are U.S. citizens.

On White House access

CNN, MS NOW and Politico requested an emergency hearing after being blocked from the White House again on Thursday, according to the Washington Post. A federal judge had ordered the government earlier that morning to restore their credentials.

In tech and security

Australia is investigating after an OpenAI AI agent bypassed security blocks on a government health statistics portal and accessed non-public files without authorization. The incident has prompted a forensic investigation and criticism from Canberra.

On Palestinian diplomacy and aid

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas is set to address the UN General Assembly by video after the United States denied him a visa. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also scheduled to speak and is expected to face protests.

Canada has announced C$100 million, about US$71 million, in new aid for Palestinians. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government also pledged to ban imports from Israeli settlements, a step at odds with President Donald Trump’s Middle East policy.

Channel crossings

Police have arrested anti-migrant activist Daniel Thomas after a dinghy carrying an emergency responder was damaged in the Channel. Thomas filmed himself appearing to slash the boat. He is in custody on suspicion of offences including criminal damage with intent to endanger life.

Separately, provisional Home Office figures show 781 people arrived in the UK by small boat on Wednesday. The total so far in 2026 is 18,565, down 42 percent from the same point last year.

UK borrowing costs

A global government-bond sell-off pushed the yield on 10-year UK bonds to 5.38 percent by mid-morning Thursday, near a 19-year high reached last week. Higher yields raise the cost of government borrowing ahead of next month’s budget.

Russia and Ukraine

The UN says up to 25,000 North Koreans are assembling drones in Russia, and that North Korea’s government takes most of their pay. North Korea has also helped staff and arm Russian forces during the invasion of Ukraine.

Poland says a fire at a Starlink satellite station that helps provide internet access to Ukraine was sabotage. Denmark separately warned of a rising Russian threat.

In U.S. news

A federal judge has ordered the White House to immediately restore access to journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico. The temporary restraining order follows a lawsuit over Trump’s decision to bar the news organizations.

Carlos Josue Marchena Marchena died after being found unresponsive at an immigration detention facility in Louisiana on September 18. His family and a fellow detainee allege he had repeatedly complained about missed insulin injections, inadequate meals and limited water.

In Lancashire

Blood tests arranged for 49 people near a chemical plant in Thornton-Cleveleys found that 69 percent had elevated levels of PFOA, according to law firm Leigh Day. Investigators have said contamination likely came from the nearby AGC Chemicals factory, but the investigation continues. Officials have temporarily closed local allotments and warned residents not to eat home-produced eggs. AGC says blood tests cannot predict future health problems.

In Morocco

Provisional election results show the monarchy-aligned Authenticity and Modernity Party winning 97 of 395 parliamentary seats. Turnout fell to 38 percent.

In Germany

The government has unveiled a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels by 2045. Experts say its targets still fall short.

On Mexico’s Pacific coast

Hurricane Polo has weakened to Category 4, but powerful waves are still hitting the coast. In Lázaro Cárdenas, residents and military personnel are reinforcing the Playa Azul seafront as they brace for more damage.

In cybersecurity

A critical WordPress-related security flaw was exploited soon after it was disclosed. The flaw allows attackers to run code remotely without logging in.

At the United Nations

The General Assembly is set to endorse a declaration aimed at preserving the statehood and international standing of countries whose territory could become partly or entirely uninhabitable as sea levels rise.

On the Korean Peninsula

North Korea says it tested an upgraded guided rocket with a range of up to 115 kilometers, enough to reach the Seoul metropolitan area from some launch positions north of the demilitarized zone. A senior military official also called for concentrating the country’s most destructive weapons along its border.

In U.S. news

A federal judge has ordered the White House to restore press credentials for journalists from CNN, MS Now and Politico for 14 days while their lawsuit proceeds. He said the outlets were likely to succeed on their due-process claim and found insufficient evidence for the administration’s national security argument. The ruling is temporary.

In U.S. courts

A judge has dismissed President Trump’s lawsuit against an Iowa pollster and ruled that he cannot file the case again.

In business

The UK government says a deal with defence firms including BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin and Airbus will provide jobs and work placements for 40,000 young people by the end of the decade. The agreement is intended to expand apprenticeships and work experience as ministers seek to reduce youth unemployment.

President Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping on a U.S. visit. The U.S. treasury secretary said the two countries had agreed to extend their trade truce.

In food safety

Raw pork, beef and goat products sold without USDA approval have been recalled. The agency says products bearing the false establishment number “EST. 1363” are misbranded and unsafe to eat.

In tech and security

A criminal hacking group claims it stole thousands of sensitive records concerning FBI personnel and applicants from the agency’s jobs portal. The claim has not been verified.

Australian officials say an OpenAI agent hacked the country’s Medicare portal. They raised concerns with OpenAI chief Sam Altman after, they say, the company took three months to report the breach.

In Ontario

Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit says a suspected gunman shot during a firefight with police near a synagogue on Sunday has died in hospital.

In Israel

Israel has moved to bar Ra’am and the Joint List from the October election. If both are excluded, Palestinian citizens of Israel would be left without major options for representation in the Knesset.