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Last Updated:October 06, 2025, 16:45 IST
From geopolitics to climate, tech to social change, News18 World live blog delivers real-time updates on what is the latest from around the globe
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Stay informed with our World News Live Blog — your real-time window into global events. From major geopolitical developments and scientific breakthroughs to royal family updates and cultural milestones, we bring you fast, factual, and curated updates as they happen. Whether it’s unfolding conflicts, diplomatic shifts, climate alerts, or key moments in international politics, our live blog keeps you ahead of the news curve. Designed for readers who want both speed and substance, this is your go-to source for staying connected with the world — minute by minute, headline by headline.
Ukraine Audits Secret Arms Spending As US Support Falters
Internal government audits in Ukraine are shedding light on the country’s secret weapons procurement, highlighting significant challenges as Kyiv’s war effort becomes increasingly reliant on its own domestic production, according to a report in The New York Times. With a major US aid package stalled in Congress, Ukraine is forced to accelerate its shift towards a domestic arms industry that has a long history of corruption. These government reviews are examining the efficiency and legitimacy of classified defense contracts, a process made more urgent by the need to maximize resources and maintain the trust of Western partners. The findings underscore the critical link between anti-corruption reforms in the defense sector and Ukraine’s ability to sustain its defense against Russia and secure future international support.
UK Becomes BYD’s Largest Market Amid Sales Surge
The UK is now Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD’s largest market outside of China, driven by a rapid increase in sales, the Financial Times says in a report. This market share gain has occurred despite the company being effectively shut out of direct consumer subsidies, as the UK’s Plug-in Car Grant for private buyers was discontinued in June 2022. BYD’s success, attributed to competitive pricing and a vertically integrated business model that includes in-house battery production, is intensifying pressure on legacy European automakers amid a wider EU anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese EVs that began in 2023.
UN Human Rights Council Orders Probe Into Abuses In Afghanistan
The UN Human Rights Council has agreed to establish an ongoing, independent investigative mechanism to monitor human rights in Afghanistan, according to a report in AP. The measure, initiated by the European Union, was passed by consensus with only China abstaining from the vote. This new probe will focus on violations that have occurred since the Taliban regained control in August 2021, with a particular emphasis on abuses against women and girls. A key objective of the resolution is to prepare case files, signaling a long-term strategy for holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.
Fianna Fáil Candidate Jim Gavin Withdraws From Irish Presidential Race
Jim Gavin, a candidate for Ireland’s presidency from the Fianna Fáil party, abruptly quit the race on Sunday night after reports emerged concerning an unpaid debt to a former tenant, The Guardian says in a report. His withdrawal has fundamentally altered the election, transforming it into a two-person contest between a centre-right former government minister and an independent leftwing member of parliament. The development has rendered the outcome of the presidential race unpredictable.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens in Sudan as RSF Siege Tightens on El-Fasher
The population of El-Fasher in Sudan’s North Darfur has plummeted by 62%, displacing over 900,000 people, as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensify their siege on the city, Al Jazeera says in a report. El-Fasher is the last major stronghold for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in the Darfur region, and its potential fall could grant the RSF near-complete control, significantly altering the political and military balance of power. The siege includes a blockade on humanitarian aid, crippling relief efforts and trapping the remaining civilians. The escalating violence has led to a sharp increase in civilian casualties and has prompted warnings from the United Nations of potential mass atrocities, exacerbating what is already one of the world’s largest displacement crises.
Israeli And Palestinian Filmmakers Face Distribution Hurdles Amid Conflict
Filmmakers from both Israel and Palestine who explore the ongoing conflict in their work are encountering major obstacles in securing distribution, according to a report in Deutsche Welle. Stemming from the heightened global polarization since the war’s intensification in late 2023, international film festivals and distributors have become increasingly cautious, leading to a reluctance to program films perceived as controversial. This climate has significant business implications for the cultural sector, creating an environment where artists report facing professional repercussions and pressure. The situation is reportedly compounded by the Israeli government working to silence critical voices, which stifles artistic freedom and risks limiting the nuanced narratives available to global audiences.
Japanese Emperor Calls For Careful Deliberation On AI At Global Forum
At the ‘ Conference on AI and Society’ in Kyoto, Japan’s Emperor delivered an opening address in English highlighting the significant challenges posed by artificial intelligence, according to a report in The Japan Times. He stated that the host of complex issues related to AI “require careful, thoughtful deliberation.” The conference, co-hosted by the University of Kyoto and the French Embassy in Japan, focuses on global concerns such as AI’s ethical implications, societal impact, and the need for regulatory frameworks.
Vietnamese President To Lam To Visit North Korea This Week
Vietnamese President To Lam will visit North Korea this week, the first visit by a Vietnamese leader to the country in nearly 20 years, as per a report in The Japan Times. The last comparable diplomatic trip occurred in 2007. This engagement is consistent with North Korea’s recent strategy to reinforce ties with traditional allies and counter its international isolation. From Vietnam’s perspective, the visit exemplifies its “bamboo diplomacy” foreign policy, which focuses on maintaining flexible and balanced relations with a wide array of global partners while preserving historical connections to other socialist states.
Boat With 10 Chinese s Capsizes on Danube River, Several Reported Missing
Rescuers are searching for several missing people after a boat carrying 10 Chinese nationals and a Serbian citizen overturned on the Danube River, AP says in a report. The incident occurred overnight on the border between Serbia and Croatia, near the Serbian town of Backa Palanka, which is about 90 kilometers northwest of Belgrade. According to Serbia’s state RTS broadcaster, which first reported the news, some of the 11 people on board are still missing. Official details from the police have not yet been released.
Brunkow, Ramsdell, and Sakaguchi Win Nobel Prize In Medicine For Immune Tolerance Research
The Nobel Prize in medicine has been awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for their foundational work on immune tolerance, the mechanism that prevents the immune system from attacking the body’s own tissues, as per a report in AP. The prize recognizes Shimon Sakaguchi’s discovery of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and Fred Ramsdell’s identification of the essential FOXP3 gene governing these cells, both critical for peripheral tolerance. It also honors Mary E. Brunkow’s work on the AIRE gene, which is fundamental to central tolerance and provides crucial context for the field. These discoveries are critical for developing new therapies for autoimmune diseases, enhancing cancer immunotherapies, and improving outcomes for organ transplant recipients.
Western Balkan Leaders Meet in Albania to Discuss EU Integration
The presidents of the Western Balkan nations met in Golem, Albania, on Monday to explore ways to speed up economic integration with the European Union, as per a report in AP. The meeting, held in response to mounting geopolitical challenges, is part of the Brdo-Brijuni Process, an annual diplomatic initiative launched by EU members Slovenia and Croatia in 2013. The primary goal of this long-standing initiative is to support the EU’s enlargement to include the Western Balkan countries.
Global Supply Chains See Sharp Rise In Cyber-Attacks
A worldwide survey of procurement managers found that almost a third of companies have experienced a rise in cyber-attacks on their supply chains in the past six months, according to a report in The Guardian. The survey, conducted in September by the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (Cips), indicates that cyber threats are a growing concern for businesses across sectors like manufacturing, energy, and technology. The findings highlight an increasing vulnerability for corporations, exemplified by recent disruptive hacks on major companies such as Jaguar Land Rover, which underscore the significant operational and financial risks posed by compromised third-party vendors.
Israeli Fire In West Bank Has Killed 18 Palestinian Children In 2025
Israeli fire has killed at least 18 Palestinian children under the age of 15 in the West Bank so far in 2025, part of a sustained high level of child fatalities in the territory, as per a report in AP. United Nations data cited in the report shows this follows the deaths of 23 children in 2024 and 29 in 2023. The rise in casualties coincides with an intensification of Israeli military raids across the West Bank since the outbreak of the war in Gaza on October 7, 2023, prompting international calls for investigations and accountability.
Nobel Prize Season Kicks Off With Medicine Award Announcement
The 2024 Nobel Prize season will commence on Monday with the announcement of the winner for Physiology or Medicine from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, according to a report in AP. This marks the beginning of the annual awards, with the physics prize scheduled for Tuesday, followed by other categories later in the week. The medicine prize, officially known as the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, has been awarded 114 times to 227 laureates between its inception in 1901 and 2023. As a recent historical example, the 2023 prize recognized discoveries that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines.
Global Office Market Faces Pressure From Falling Demand And Rising Costs
Office property owners worldwide are contending with significant financial pressure due to falling demand and increasing operational costs, according to a report in the Financial Times. The widespread adoption of hybrid work has reduced the overall need for office space, causing a ‘flight to quality’ where companies prioritize prime, modern, and ESG-compliant buildings. This trend leaves owners of older, secondary properties with rising vacancy rates and devalued assets. Simultaneously, the cost to refurbish these buildings to meet current standards has surged due to material inflation, labor shortages, and higher interest rates, creating a difficult financial situation for landlords who must either fund expensive upgrades or risk their properties remaining empty.
Global Fire Safety Scrutiny Intensifies Post-Grenfell, Driving Up Insurance Costs
The 2017 Grenfell Tower disaster has prompted a global re-evaluation of building fire safety, resulting in stricter regulations and significantly higher insurance costs for property owners and tenants, according to a report in the Financial Times. In response to the event, the UK enacted the Building Safety Act 2022, creating a new regulator and more stringent requirements for high-rise residential buildings. This has had a worldwide ripple effect, influencing regulatory discussions and market behavior. The global insurance market has hardened, with insurers implementing more rigorous risk assessments and substantially increasing premiums for properties deemed high-risk, particularly those with combustible cladding. Consequently, building owners face rising compliance costs and challenges in securing affordable coverage, while leaseholders often bear the financial burden through increased service charges.
Top Investor Warns Europe Against Over-Reliance On SpaceX
Prominent European venture capital firm Balderton Capital has warned that Europe must reduce its dependency on Elon Musk’s SpaceX for space access and foster its own domestic capabilities in the space and defence sectors, the Financial Times says in a report. This call for greater strategic autonomy comes as Europe faces a significant launch capability gap following setbacks with its rockets, including the delayed Ariane 6 and the failure of Vega C. The situation has forced the European Space Agency and the EU to rely on SpaceX for critical missions, such as launching Galileo navigation satellites, highlighting a strategic vulnerability that the firm views as untenable in the current geopolitical climate.
Australian Police Seize Guns From Owners With Anti-Government Views
Police in Australia have launched a crackdown, seizing guns and revoking or suspending firearms permits from dozens of owners identified with sovereign citizen ideologies that reject government authority, as per a report in AP. The action was prompted by the shooting deaths of six Australian officers that occurred six weeks prior to the raids. The crackdown targets individuals whose views are now considered a potential threat to public and officer safety following the deadly incident.
Landslides in India's Darjeeling Kill 24, Hamper Rescue Efforts
At least 24 people have died and more are missing after severe landslides, triggered by heavy monsoon downpours, struck India’s northeastern Darjeeling district, as per a report in AP. Rescue teams from the Indian army and national disaster force are searching for survivors feared trapped under debris, but their efforts are being hindered by damaged roads and persistent rainfall, according to West Bengal state development minister Udayan Guha. The disaster has significant economic implications for the region, threatening to disrupt Darjeeling’s vital tea and tourism industries by damaging plantations and making the area inaccessible.
Former Gaza Hostage's Memoir Highlights Plight Of Those Still Held By Hamas
On the two-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023 attack that initiated the Gaza war, former hostage Eli Sharabi is releasing a memoir detailing his 16-month ordeal to keep public attention on those still held captive by Hamas, AP says in a report. Sharabi recounts surviving in filthy tunnels with his legs chained and eating moldy pita. His primary motivation for the memoir is his fear for a fellow hostage, Alon, whom he came to view as an adopted son and who remains in captivity under what Sharabi fears are worsening conditions as the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates.
UAE's Zayed Charity Run Expands To South America With First Event In Rio
The Zayed Charity Run expanded its global footprint with its first-ever event in South America, held in Rio de Janeiro on October 5, 2025, The Times of India says in a report. The event, which included 5km and 10km races, is part of the UAE’s wider humanitarian diplomacy to strengthen international relations. All proceeds were designated to support local charities in Rio focused on assisting vulnerable children, women, and families. While this marked the run’s debut in South America, the philanthropic event has previously been held in other international cities, such as in Egypt and the US, highlighting its established global presence.
Canada Finds Nearly 47,000 Foreign Students May Be Non-Compliant With Visas
Canada’s immigration agency, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), has identified approximately 47,000 foreign students who may be non-compliant with their visa conditions, as per a report in The Times of India. Aiesha Zafar, the head of migration integrity at IRCC, stated that 47,175 individuals who entered the country as students are potentially violating their visa terms by not attending classes. This revelation highlights a significant issue within Canada’s international student program, with India being noted as one of the top source countries for these students.
Orban Accuses EU And Kyiv Of Conspiracy To Install New Hungarian Government
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused European Union leaders of conspiring with Kyiv to install a pro-Ukrainian government in Hungary, according to a report in RT. The accusation heightens existing political tensions between Budapest and Brussels, which have been strained over the EU’s rule-of-law procedures against Hungary and Orban’s consistent opposition to sanctions on Russia and military aid for Ukraine. Orban’s statement frames the bloc’s actions as direct interference in Hungary’s domestic affairs, a move that could impact EU unity on foreign policy and reinforce his government’s narrative of defending national sovereignty.
Ancient Pharaonic Painting Vanishes From Saqqara Necropolis In Egypt
Egyptian antiquities officials announced on Sunday that a Pharaonic limestone painting has vanished from the Saqqara necropolis, a famed archaeological site near Cairo, AP says in a report. According to a statement from Mohamed Ismail, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, the artifact was located in the tomb of Khentika, a vizier from the Old Kingdom’s Sixth Dynasty. The mastaba tomb, which dates back over 4,000 years, was discovered in the 1950s and has been closed since 2019. This disappearance marks the latest in a series of thefts that highlight the ongoing challenge of protecting Egypt’s vast cultural heritage, which is a significant driver of its tourism economy.
China Threatens UK With Retaliation Over Foreign Influence Rules
China has threatened retaliation against the UK government, warning of ‘negative consequences’ for relations if ministers use new foreign influence rules to target parts of its security apparatus, according to a report in The Guardian. The warning was reportedly delivered by Chinese officials to the UK’s Foreign Office shortly after media reports that the government was considering such a move. The information comes from two UK government sources with knowledge of the diplomatic discussions concerning the UK’s Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS).
JBS Executive Warns US Beef Production Fails To Meet Surging Demand
JBS executive Wesley Batista has warned that strong domestic demand for protein is outstripping US beef production, creating a need for increased imports, according to a report in the Financial Times. Driven by a widespread ‘protein craze’, US consumer appetite for beef is so high that domestic supply, limited by processing capacity and other constraints, cannot keep pace. This situation is pushing the US towards importing more beef to satisfy the market, a trend that persists despite the protectionist trade policies associated with the Trump administration. The shortfall contributes to high prices for US consumers and highlights the strategic role of global meat processors in balancing supply and demand across international markets.
Fugitive Lebanese Militant Fadel Shaker Surrenders After 12 Years
Fugitive Lebanese militant and former pop star Fadel Shaker has handed himself over to Lebanon’s military intelligence service, as per a report in The Guardian. Shaker had been on the run since June 2013 following his involvement in deadly clashes between Sunni militants and the Lebanese army in the city of Sidon. He was tried in absentia and sentenced in 2020 to 22 years in prison for providing support to a terrorist group, and had reportedly been hiding in a Palestinian refugee camp.
UK China Spying Prosecution Collapses Amid Interference Claims
A UK prosecution against an individual accused of spying for China has reportedly collapsed due to government intervention aimed at protecting diplomatic ties with Beijing, the Financial Times said in a report. The case fell apart after senior security advisers for the government indicated they would not testify in court that China was an ‘enemy’ of the UK. This refusal to formally designate China as an ‘enemy’ in a legal setting, a move with significant diplomatic implications, effectively undermined the prosecution’s efforts, according to officials cited in the report.
New Zealand To Compensate Samoa $3.6M For Sunken Navy Ship
The government of New Zealand has agreed to pay 10 million Samoan tala ($3.6 million) to the Samoan government as compensation for a naval vessel that wrecked on a reef, AP said in a report. The incident occurred a year ago on October 6, when the HMNZS Manawanui ran aground off the coast of Upolu, Samoa’s second-largest island. All 75 people on board were evacuated safely before the ship caught fire and sank. The wreck of the vessel remains at the site of the sinking.
Indigenous Communities In Canada Disproportionately Hit By Wildfires
Indigenous communities in Canada are being disproportionately affected by the country’s wildfire seasons, with Indigenous people comprising over half of all evacuees this year despite making up only 5% of the national population, according to a report in The Washington Post. This disparity stems from factors including the remote, forested locations of many communities, inadequate infrastructure, underfunded local emergency services, and complex jurisdictional gaps that hinder response and recovery efforts. The situation is leading to long-term displacement, mental health crises, and significant disruption to traditional livelihoods and cultural practices, increasing pressure on federal and provincial governments to reform emergency management policies and accelerate climate adaptation strategies with Indigenous-led solutions.
