Pakistan School Roof Collapse Kills Dozens in Peshawar
The roof of a private school collapsed during classes in Peshawar, north-west Pakistan, killing at least 28 students and one teacher. The incident occurred at the Al-Khair Education Center, and hospital officials warned that the death toll could rise as rescue workers searched for pupils still unaccounted for. More than 30 people were injured, several of them critically, though casualty figures varied as the operation continued.
Pakistan’s prime minister urged rescuers to speed up the search for survivors. Television footage showed ambulances rushing to the scene. Roof collapses are a recurring hazard in Pakistan, where construction standards are often poorly enforced.
Pope Leo XIV Has Lung Cancer Surgery and Begins Recovery
Pope Leo XIV, 71, underwent surgery at Rome’s Gemelli hospital to remove a cancerous growth from his lung, and the Vatican said the roughly 90-minute operation was successful with no complications. Doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung, and subsequent tests confirmed a diagnosis of lung cancer.
The pontiff had disclosed the condition publicly during his Angelus prayer, saying the growth was contained and detected at a very early stage. He spent a calm night after the surgery and began post-operative recovery. A planned trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru on 6 November has not yet been formally confirmed by the Vatican.
White House Defends Press Secretary Amid Lawyer Claims
The White House is defending new press secretary Katie Zacharia against scrutiny over her repeated claims to be a lawyer. No public record shows her registered with the legal bar in any US state where she has lived, and when asked after her first briefing to name the state where she passed the bar exam, she replied, “when I moved to China.” An advocacy group has asked whether she has the qualifications to support her claims.
Zacharia has called the confusion a misunderstanding. The episode follows a widely criticised first press conference in which she stumbled through prepared remarks.
Federal Judge Blocks Trump's White House Media Ban
A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from barring journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House. US District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled that the administration’s revocation of the outlets’ hard passes likely violated their First and Fifth Amendment rights.
The order extends the journalists’ access while their lawsuit against the administration proceeds, though it does not resolve all of the outlets’ access concerns.
Ukrainian Ex-Officer Tried in Germany Over Nord Stream
A former Ukrainian special forces officer, Serhii Kuznetsov, has gone on trial in Hamburg accused of involvement in the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. He denies taking part in the explosions, which badly damaged the pipelines linking Russia and Germany.
His defence lawyers argued that an aggressor’s infrastructure may have been a lawful target. Supporters waving Ukrainian flags rallied outside the court. The trial is expected to run into February and could test Germany’s political stance on Ukraine.
Sally Rooney Books Pulled From UK Over Palestine Action
Irish novelist Sally Rooney and her publisher have said her books will no longer be sold in the United Kingdom because of her support for Palestine Action, a pro-Palestinian group banned in Britain. Rooney had pledged to donate book revenues to the organisation, and as a result she can no longer receive royalties from British sales.
Rooney, whose novels include Normal People and Conversations With Friends, also cancelled a planned UK trip, saying she feared arrest.
Russia Arrests Japanese Journalist on Espionage Suspicion
Russia’s Federal Security Service has arrested Yuki Imai, a journalist for Japan’s Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, on the far-eastern island of Sakhalin and accused him of spying for Japanese intelligence. He was transferred to Moscow after his detention.
Russian authorities allege Imai collected information on the country’s defence capabilities and on mobilised troops and volunteers for the war in Ukraine. Foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova identified him publicly. The arrest marks the latest escalation in tensions between Moscow and Tokyo.
China and North Korea Open New Yalu River Bridge
China and North Korea have officially opened the New Yalu River Bridge, a four-lane road crossing that had sat unused for 12 years since its construction. The opening creates a major new route for cross-border trade and is the latest sign of warming ties between Pyongyang and Beijing.
The launch comes as the two countries expand commerce despite international sanctions imposed on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programmes. It follows about a month after North Korea and Russia opened a road bridge.
Trump Says Massive Greenland Resource Exploration Will Begin
US President Donald Trump announced that “massive” oil, gas and mineral exploration is getting ready to begin in Greenland, which he described as “our Greenland.” The announcement, posted on Truth Social, comes four weeks after the United States, Denmark and Greenland signed a security agreement to bolster the American military presence on the island.
Greenland has banned all new oil and gas drilling since 2021.
North Korea Tests Submarine-Launched Strategic Cruise Missiles
North Korea test-fired two types of submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles, state media KCNA reported, saying the launches posed no threat to neighbouring countries and showcased the country’s war deterrent. The tests are the latest in a recent series of weapons launches by Pyongyang.
They follow heightened tensions with South Korea after a landmine explosion in the Demilitarised Zone on 21 September injured three South Korean soldiers.
World's Oldest Known Shipwreck Found Off Turkey
Archaeologists say they have discovered the world’s oldest known shipwreck off the coast of Turkey, dating to the Early Bronze Age and estimated to be up to 4,700 years old. The vessel was carrying jars of olive oil and may have been bound for the ancient city of Troy when it sank.
Clay analysis traced the recovered storage jars to early workshops operating across the Jordan Valley.
Social Security COLA Set at 3.6 Percent for 2027
The Social Security Administration has announced that the cost-of-living adjustment for 2027 will be 3.6%, the largest increase since 2023. The adjustment, which is tied to inflation data, will add a little more than $900 to the typical annual benefit.
Retirees will see the higher payments in their benefit checks starting in January.