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Hurricane Isaias, the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, strengthened into a Category 3 major hurricane on Friday as it surged toward the US Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Center said the storm, packing winds of 120 mph, is forecast to make landfall late Friday somewhere between Mobile Bay in Alabama and Choctawhatchee Bay in Florida. States of emergency have been declared in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi. The hurricane is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge of up to 7–9 feet, damaging winds and heavy rainfall of up to 15 inches in some areas, as well as potential tornadoes. The storm is forecast to weaken quickly after landfall and be downgraded to a tropical storm by Saturday afternoon as it moves inland.

Donald Trump has chosen conservative commentator Katie Zacharia to be the next White House press secretary, according to multiple White House officials. Zacharia currently works as a senior communications adviser for Trump Media & Technology Group, which owns Truth Social. She is an attorney and frequent television commentator who previously served as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security. She replaces Karoline Leavitt, who left the role in late August after giving birth to her second child. It is not yet clear whether Zacharia has accepted the position.

An Omani co-pilot who attacked the captain of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on 30 September had planned to crash the plane into Israel's Ben Gurion Airport in a suicide attack inspired by the September 11 attacks, according to the UAE's attorney general. The co-pilot, identified as 29-year-old Hamam al-Hammami, intended to cause 'the greatest possible loss of life'. He had used two previous flights on the route to familiaise himself with the flight path and airport. He met all professional and security requirements for employment, and no checks had revealed extremist views. During the attack, the Indian captain was injured but opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Most of the 174 passengers on board were Israeli.

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Russia will supply the United States and global markets with diesel fuel following a phone call with President Vladimir Putin. Russia will immediately provide over 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by 500,000 tons in November and one million tons thereafter, with an additional three million tons to follow based on the condition of Russian refineries. The US Treasury Department issued a temporary license allowing Russian diesel into global markets. Trump framed the deal as aimed at lowering diesel prices, which have roughly doubled in the US since the war with Iran began in February. The announcement comes weeks before the November midterm elections and marks a reversal of sanctions imposed on Russia since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court itself, marking an escalation from previous measures against individual ICC officials. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Friday that the US would ban all transactions with the court, cutting off its resources and ability to operate. The administration says the court threatens American sovereignty by investigating US military actions in Afghanistan and pursuing arrest warrants for Israeli officials. The sanctions give the court 180 days to maintain certain operations while member countries address US objections. The ICC rejected the measures as an assault on the rule of law, saying it would continue its work independently. The announcement came hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize.

England secured a 3-1 victory over Greece in the first leg of their Women's World Cup qualifying play-off in Crete, with goals from Georgia Stanway, Maya Le Tissier and Alessia Russo. Kallisti Brouksair scored for Greece. The Lionesses, ranked fourth in the world against 59th-place Greece, were forced into the play-offs after finishing second to Spain in their qualifying group on goal difference. England will face Greece again on Tuesday at the King Power Stadium in Leicester to complete the tie. The winner will progress to face either Slovakia or Ukraine in the next qualifying round for the 2027 tournament in Brazil.

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Panama's southern coast on Friday, centred about 10 kilometres southwest of the remote community of Pitaloza Arriba. The quake, initially measured at magnitude 8 before being downgraded, triggered tsunami warnings for nine countries including Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico and Panama itself. Buildings were damaged in towns including Penonomé and Soná, with footage showing collapsed structures and damaged balconies. The Panama Canal continued operating normally. No immediate reports of casualties were available, though residents reported significant damage to homes in affected areas.

Prince Harry has revealed he 'slipped into depression for about two weeks' after relocating to Canada in 2019 with his wife Meghan and son Archie. Speaking in a MasterClass session with neuroscientist Dr Mary-Frances O'Connor on grief and resilience, Harry described experiencing an 'adrenaline crash' within days of leaving the UK's 'stressful environment'. He said he became 'useless around the house' and felt he 'needed stress in order to get the adrenaline to make my brain function'. Harry also discussed prolonged grief following his mother Princess Diana's death, saying he felt unable to properly grieve while in the Royal Family and experienced panic attacks during official duties.

Hitler Mussolini Simeón Flores, 45, has been elected mayor of Queropalca, a district in Peru's Huánuco department north of Lima, running for the centre-left Ahora Nación party. He received 229 votes, 34.5 per cent of 663 valid ballots cast, winning by 25 votes over his nearest rival Gaspar Benilde Osorio Zambrano of the Popular Renewal Peru party. The unusually named candidate previously managed the Simeon Sac investment group and was a member of the right-wing Popular Force party before resigning in 2025. Flores is not Peru's first elected politician named Hitler; in 2018, Hitler Alba won a mayoral race in Yungar against a candidate named Lennin Vladimir Rodriguez Valverde, a contest dubbed 'Hitler v Lenin' online. Naming children after historical figures regardless of controversial associations is not uncommon in Peru.

Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay, an 85-year-old South African judge and former UN human rights chief, has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee recognised her for promoting international law and holding perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide accountable. Pillay's career spans from defending anti-apartheid activists including Nelson Mandela to presiding over the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and serving as a judge on the International Court of Justice. She chaired a UN inquiry that concluded Israel committed genocide in Gaza, findings that Israel has rejected. The committee said her award highlights the critical importance of international law amid rising global conflicts.

President Trump has established a committee to investigate Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, a Joe Biden appointee, over allegations that she made false statements related to mortgage instruments. This represents Trump's latest attempt to remove Cook after the Supreme Court blocked his initial firing in June. The three-member committee, which includes Trump's economic adviser Kevin Hassett, will hold a hearing on 5 November to determine whether there is cause for her removal. Cook will be able to submit written evidence and attend the hearing, though it will be closed to the public. Cook's legal team has denied wrongdoing and questioned the legitimacy of the process, stating Trump has already decided to fire her regardless of evidence.

SpaceX has agreed to acquire a nationwide portfolio of low-band spectrum in the 800 MHz band from investment firm Grain Management, pending Federal Communications Commission approval. The company said the acquisition, which it described as up to 14 megahertz of paired spectrum, addresses a key technical gap needed for Starlink Mobile to become a major US mobile carrier. Low-band spectrum can penetrate walls and buildings, addressing a limitation of satellite signals. SpaceX will combine this terrestrial spectrum with its existing mid-band spectrum and a constellation of up to 15,000 new satellites approved by the FCC this week. The announcement caused shares in AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile to fall sharply on Friday, with Verizon down roughly 10 per cent on track for its worst day since 2002.

The Pentagon has announced that Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood military base in Texas in 2009, will be executed by firing squad on 3 December and the execution will be livestreamed. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the public execution would ensure Americans understand the consequences of such crimes. The plan has drawn widespread condemnation from lawmakers of both parties, religious leaders, international organisations and human rights groups, with many comparing it to practices in Iran and Afghanistan. The UN office of the high commissioner for human rights said it would breach the absolute prohibition of torture. However, Alonzo Lunsford, a survivor shot seven times in the attack, said he supports the firing squad method and plans to attend the execution, though he opposes broadcasting it for entertainment. Vice President JD Vance cast doubt on whether the livestream will actually occur.

Ilia Belov, 23, and his sister Nadjedzha Belova, 20, were sentenced on Friday at Dundee Sheriff Court for assaulting girls in the Lochee area of the city in August 2025. Belov was found guilty following a trial of assaulting a 12-year-old girl and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards four girls aged between 12 and 14. He was sentenced to 18 months of supervision, 300 hours of unpaid work, and placed on the sex offenders register for 18 months. Belova pleaded guilty to assaulting a 13-year-old girl and was sentenced to 180 hours of unpaid work. Sheriff Timothy Niven-Smith rejected Belov's version of events as 'neither credible nor reliable'.

Anthropic updated its usage policy on Thursday to ban 'sustained and needless abusive or cruel behavior' towards Claude, its AI chatbot. The company said the prohibition applies only to extreme cases where users repeatedly act cruelly with no discernible purpose, and does not cover ordinary frustration, criticism, dark creative themes or model testing. The update follows an August 2025 change allowing Claude to end conversations with persistently abusive users. Multiple outlets also report that Anthropic updated other sections of the policy to address election interference, deceptive campaigns, weapons development and surveillance. The new policy takes effect on November 12.

Mike Ditka, the legendary Chicago Bears coach and player, has died at 86, his family announced on Friday. As a player, Ditka was drafted fifth overall by the Bears in 1961, won the NFL's rookie of the year award and became the first tight end to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He later coached the Bears for 11 seasons, leading them to their only Super Bowl victory in the 1985 season, when the team went 15–1 and defeated the New England Patriots 46–10 in Super Bowl XX. Born in Pennsylvania, Ditka also played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, and was known for his tough, gruff demeanour both as a player and coach.

OpenAI has dismissed three safety researchers—Jasmine Wang, Tomek Korbak and Mikita Balesni—for violating company policies on handling sensitive information, which the company describes as a 'significant breach of trust'. The researchers dispute this characterisation, claiming in an open letter published Thursday that they were fired for prioritising safety concerns over the company's near-term interests. They warn that their dismissals create a 'chilling effect' that will make colleagues afraid to speak up on safety matters. OpenAI responded Friday, insisting the decision was not about them raising safety concerns and that an internal investigation uncovered breaches 'beyond what's outlined in the letter they published'.

Joshua Kerry, 28, has been charged with the murder of Ann Widdecombe, a 78-year-old Reform UK spokeswoman and former Conservative minister, who was killed at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon in July. He is also charged with preparation of terrorist acts between May 2024 and July 2026. At an Old Bailey hearing on Friday, prosecutors alleged Kerry held extreme left-wing views and particular hostility towards Reform UK. They said Widdecombe's murder was politically and ideologically motivated and 'inextricably linked' to Kerry's alleged targeting of Reform leader Nigel Farage's south London home in April 2025, when he allegedly attempted to gain entry. Kerry, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, was remanded in custody with trial set for June 2026.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis claimed attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday, killing three Saudi citizens including a Saudia Airlines pilot, Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami. The strikes damaged a stationary Saudia aircraft and caused explosions across the capital. Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority confirmed the deaths and said several people of various nationalities were injured. The attacks also damaged a kindergarten and medical complex from debris of intercepted missiles. Multiple airlines, including Lufthansa and Air India, suspended flights to Riyadh. The Saudi-led coalition said it would respond 'firmly' and claimed to have destroyed three Houthi missile launchers. Airport operations later returned to normal.

European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič announced on Friday that China and the European Union have reached a deal to significantly reduce Chinese exports of hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to the EU, cutting them by more than half over four years. The agreement came after two days of intensive talks in Beijing aimed at narrowing the EU's €1 billion daily trade deficit with China. Šefčovič said this marks the first time China has agreed to moderate its exports without prior trade tensions. The deal also includes reduced Chinese import duties on €4 billion worth of EU exports including car parts, olive oil and footwear, and simplified procedures for granting rare earth and permanent magnet export licences. EU leaders will review the outcome at their summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Zack Polanski lost the Holborn and St Pancras by-election to Labour's Sagal Abdi-Wali on Thursday, securing 8,928 votes to her 12,292. Although the Green vote share increased by 22 percentage points from the 2024 general election, Polanski is facing calls to resign from within his own party. The pressure intensified after he missed a party conference debate on Sunday to campaign in the by-election, during which members voted 1,022 to 813 to adopt a motion declaring Zionism a form of racism. Vivien Lichtenstein, chair of the Jewish Greens, and former Green leader Caroline Lucas both criticised Polanski for his absence and called for him to step down. Polanski said he would have voted against the motion had he attended and has vowed to remain as leader, saying it is ultimately for party members to decide.

Everton owners The Friedkin Group are exploring new investment options for the club, including a potential sale of a controlling interest, less than two years after completing their takeover in December 2024. The group said that when they took over, the club faced significant financial uncertainty and that their immediate priority was to provide stability and support the move to the new Hill Dickinson Stadium. They will only consider interest from parties they believe can take the club forward. Financial advisory firm Moelis & Company has been retained to advise on the process. Manager David Moyes expressed surprise at the announcement, saying he only found out when the statement was released to supporters on Friday morning.

A comprehensive government review led by Professor Peter Fonagy has found that England has reached a 'tipping point' where ADHD and autism diagnoses risk outstripping true prevalence rates, particularly among younger age groups. The review, which examined mental health, ADHD and autism services, concluded that misdiagnosis and overdiagnosis are genuine concerns, with waiting lists exceeding 560,000 for ADHD assessments and over 254,000 for autism referrals. However, the report also confirmed that mental health problems such as anxiety and depression have genuinely increased substantially since the 1990s, particularly among under-18s, and are not merely a result of greater awareness. The review called for tighter regulation of private clinics offering assessments, noting concerns about quality and consistency, and recommended that diagnosis should no longer be the sole gateway to support.

The Environment Agency has officially declared Yorkshire in drought status, with effect from 9 October, following prolonged dry conditions across spring and summer. The region experienced its fifth driest April to September on record, leaving rivers and groundwater levels very low. Yorkshire joins central, southern and eastern England in drought status, while the North East and North West remain in prolonged dry weather. Yorkshire Water said current reservoir levels stand at 42.7 per cent but water restrictions are not currently planned. The Environment Agency urged residents to use less water to speed recovery, and the National Drought Group, including the government, Met Office, regulators, water companies, farmers and conservation experts, is meeting weekly to monitor the situation.

The Trump administration on Thursday suspended Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL and Capgemini from the Permanent Labor Certification programme, which enables employers to sponsor foreign workers for green cards. Vice President JD Vance accused the companies of fraud and abuse, saying Microsoft had particularly exploited the system. Vance noted that Microsoft laid off 6,000 American workers in 2025 while obtaining 6,300 H-1B visas and almost 3,000 green cards. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said these eight companies had collectively requested nearly three million foreign workers since 2009, receiving over 230,000 H-1B approvals and over 100,000 permanent labour certifications. Microsoft disputed the allegations, stating that 80 per cent of its H-1B applications were to extend or change the status of existing employees, not hire new arrivals.

The Environment Agency has declared drought in Yorkshire on Friday following prolonged dry weather in spring and summer. Yorkshire experienced its fifth driest April to September period on record, with rainfall in September just over half the normal average. Low water levels in reservoirs and rivers triggered the declaration. Yorkshire Water said it is not planning to introduce water restrictions despite the drought status, citing extensive work to manage supplies and reduce leakage. The Environment Agency's Vicki Townend urged people to use 'a little less water' to speed recovery, warning that climate change will make drier summers more frequent.

Asos confirmed on Thursday that hackers gained access to customer personal information including names, contact details, addresses, phone numbers and search histories after compromising an employee account. The attackers impersonated a trusted contact to obtain login credentials, which they used to access third-party platforms hosting Asos data. The retailer stressed that payment card information and passwords were not accessed. Asos locked down affected platforms immediately and has referred the incident to law enforcement and regulatory authorities. Snowflake, the cloud storage firm mentioned in the hackers' message, said the breach resulted from no vulnerability in its platform.

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has expressed complete confidence that the club will win its appeal against an independent commission's guilty verdict on 114 of 115 Premier League financial charges. Maresca said he trusts the club's ownership and hierarchy completely and that the titles won during the period under investigation, including the 2022-23 treble for which he was Pep Guardiola's assistant, are not tainted by the ruling. He refused to discuss the case in detail, saying he would speak when City wins the appeal. Other Premier League managers have reacted to the verdict: Michael Carrick acknowledged it affected him personally after United finished runners-up to City in 2012 and 2018, but said a retrospective medal would not restore the emotional satisfaction of winning in the moment. Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola called for clarity, saying uncertainty was unhelpful for the league.

Airtel Money, an African mobile payments business, began trading on the London Stock Exchange on Friday in the largest initial public offering in the City for five years. The firm priced shares at £1.96 each, giving it a valuation of around £5.3bn. Shares rose as high as £2 in conditional trading before easing back to £1.94 within the first hour. The listing is London's biggest since fintech Wise floated in 2021.

Two Latvian nationals, aged 36 and 32, have been bailed after their arrest at RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire. They were found inside the base in the early hours of Thursday after Ministry of Defence Police discovered an abandoned vehicle near the perimeter at around 10pm on Wednesday. A small breach of the fence was identified. The men were initially arrested on suspicion of trespass and criminal damage, then further arrested under the National Security Act 2023 on suspicion of entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK. Counter Terrorism Policing is leading the investigation and says it has found nothing to suggest a connection to a separate incident at RAF Fairford last week.