World, in sixty words

The One Nation party, a far-right group, has gained its inaugural position in Western Australia's state parliament. One Nation defeated the ruling Labor Party to win a closely watched vote. The win marks a significant gain for the party in the region.

Homes near the occupied West Bank village of Qusra were assaulted by scores of masked Israeli settler militants. Witnesses reported this as the initial significant attack following a siege. Militant Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians have significantly increased in the northern West Bank.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a 24 by 12-foot sign on Saturday, declaring "Lake Ontario. Now and Always." This comes after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to rename the lake "Lake America." Canadian officials, including Prime Minister Mark Carney, have dismissed the move, highlighting the lake's Indigenous origins.

Heavy gunfire and explosions rocked Niamey, Niger's capital, early on Saturday, August 29, 2026, targeting the Diori Hamani International Airport and presidential complex. Bana Wagana Ibrahim, a member of Niger's Consultative Council, reported that the nation's defence and security forces were once again in charge. Reuters could not independently confirm the situation was fully under control, and no official statement on casualties was immediately available.

King Haakon VIII of Norway gave his first speech, paying tribute to his father Harald V, who died on Friday morning. He spoke about national unity and how his father, who reigned for 35 years, had brought the family together. Haakon acknowledged the recent challenges for the royal family, promising to be present and attentive in his new role.

A Russian drone strike on Friday night hit a Ukrainian military warehouse storing ammunition near Kyiv, causing huge explosions and fires. The attack killed at least 37 people and injured 42 others, including four children, while damaging at least 50 residential buildings and a care home. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said the ammunition "definitely shouldn't have been there" and criminal proceedings for negligence have begun.

Iceland is conducting a referendum to determine whether to restart talks concerning its accession to the European Union, following a 13-year hiatus. The latest poll shows the 'No' campaign, which fears losing control of fishing grounds, slightly ahead with 51.6%. Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir's government brought the vote forward due to international events, but the debate has focused on fishing and sovereignty.

America's Trump administration is reportedly considering withdrawing its backing for Britain's claim to the Falkland Islands. Pentagon officials are reviewing NATO allies' commitment to defence spending, with the UK set to receive "special attention". A US official informed The Telegraph that the UK's present investment strategy is insufficient for global challenges.

The number of people missing in the Nepal-Tibet floods has risen to nearly 3,000, with 669 confirmed dead in Nepal alone. Nepal's government has asked neighbouring countries for specialised help, including tunnel rescue teams and forensic analysis. The floods began on Wednesday after a glacier collapsed in Nepal's Langtang national park.

The supreme leader wants his government to tackle this financial hardship, while military commanders claim they still control the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route. Donald Trump's administration is pushing an "economic D-Day", warning nations to stop trading with Tehran or face strict penalties. Officials just targeted Egypt's Banque Misr, planning to block its United Arab Emirates branches from using American dollars.

Three 14-year-old students were hurt in a stabbing at Americas High School in El Paso, Texas, on Friday morning. A 14-year-old suspect was arrested nearby and faces at least three charges of aggravated assault. Two victims were hurt intervening to help a third, and all are now in a stable condition.

Tennessee's governor plans to rename Nashville International Airport after Dolly Parton, who died this week aged 80. The renaming follows an online petition signed by nearly 160,000 fans of the country music star. The airport authority board and the Federal Aviation Administration still need to approve the change.

Haiti saw nearly 200,000 individuals forcibly repatriated during the initial eight months of this year, an increase of 20,000 compared to the corresponding period last year. A UN official told the Security Council on Friday that gang violence and deportations are intensifying. A brutal gang attack near the capital killed 47 people, including five children, days before.

The Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden are pushing the EU to restart talks on using Russia's frozen assets to help Ukraine. They argue that the 90 billion euro loan agreed last December will not be enough for Ukraine's financial needs. Following the February 2022 invasion, EU nations blocked approximately 210 billion euros in Russian central bank assets.

Nepal has declined offers from nations including India and China for specialised search-and-rescue teams. The government stated its own security agencies are capable, drawing on lessons from the 2015 earthquake. Instead, Nepal has requested international governments direct monetary aid via the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

Flash floods along the Nepal-China border have killed 579 people, according to Nepal's disaster-management authority on Friday. Rescuers are continuing to search for hundreds of people in areas devastated by the catastrophic flooding, with Nepali police subsequently reporting 553 fatalities. The search efforts are focused on finding survivors and recovering bodies in the affected regions.

Donald Trump’s son, Barron, is reportedly maintaining a low profile, with sources indicating he "doesn't go out." This follows reports that Iran allegedly placed a $10 million bounty on him and that a friend, Charlie Kirk, was killed. Barron was also due to have his Secret Service protection withdrawn during President Joe Biden's time in office, but his mum petitioned for an extension.

A 29-year-old financial consultant in China developed a serious muscle condition after her boss made her do 200 squats. She opted for the physical punishment rather than a fine after missing work targets on July 28. The woman, surnamed Yang, was later diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis and had to pay around £150 for treatment.

Western officials believe Russia wants to avoid direct military conflict with Nato despite its increasingly hostile talk towards allies. They suggested that this rhetoric aligns with Russia's military strategy of applying pressure and is also due to President Putin's growing domestic challenges. However, officials also warned that Russia's "hybrid activity" could lead to a miscalculation, sparking a military confrontation.

Piracy near Somalia has seen its biggest escalation in over a decade. Two cargo vessels were seized in the Gulf of Aden last week, adding to the total. Six vessels are now held for millions of dollars in ransom, with drone strikes killing 13 alleged pirate network members.

British right-wing commentator Milo Yiannopoulos was detained by US immigration officials on Friday afternoon in Louisiana. The Department of Homeland Security stated that a final removal order was issued to him on July 22, following his absence from an immigration hearing. Yiannopoulos, 41, who arrived in the US in May 2019, will remain in custody until he is deported.

Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has told his military to increase long-range drone strikes against Russia from about 300 to 1,000 every day. He said there is a "concrete goal" and they will achieve this task. Russian forces have again carried out drone attacks in Ukraine's Kyiv region, striking apartment buildings and storage depots.

Western officials indicate Russia's monthly troop losses in Ukraine, approximately 6,000, exceed its recruitment capacity. Despite recruiting about 1,000 new soldiers daily, this is not enough to replace those killed or hurt. Putin is escalating attacks on Ukraine's civilian infrastructure to break morale, as further mobilisation risks an exodus of skilled Russians.

The Trump administration is reportedly not extending an agreement that gives security assistance to the Peshmerga, Iraq's Kurdish security force. The aid, which included $61 million in 2026 for weapons and training, helped defeat Islamic State. The agreement concludes on 30 September, coinciding with the departure of US troops from Iraq, which fuels concerns about a power vacuum.

Donald Trump announced on Friday that the US has secured majority control of over 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil, calling it "THE BIGGEST OIL DEAL IN WORLD HISTORY". He asserted this agreement, involving interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez, would incur no cost for American taxpayers. The White House has not released details of the agreement, including participating companies or how "control" is defined.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants to remove a federal rule requiring public notice for certain industrial air permits. The proposed change would let data centre developers and other industries build without telling nearby residents about potential pollution. Environmental groups argue that even "minor" pollution sources can have big local impacts, and the EPA is currently reviewing over 4,900 public comments on the proposal.

Canada's public broadcaster, CBC, has told its journalists not to use the term "terrorist attack" for 9/11 ahead of its 25th-anniversary coverage. The policy is part of a long-standing company approach to avoid loaded words like "terrorist" to stay impartial in its reporting. Conservative MP Rachel Thomas criticised the memo, saying it dishonours victims and their families.

Tehran says dialogue with America isn't impossible but depends on the US abandoning its financial sanctions. The Qatari prime minister is mediating proposals for a temporary shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz. US sanctions, labelled an "economic D-Day," have been designed to cut off Iran's access to global markets.

Heidi Overton, Donald Trump's preferred candidate to head the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is under scrutiny after over 17,000 cases of cyclospora food poisoning this summer. FDA staff are concerned the White House aide will prioritise allegiance over restoring the organisation, which has experienced staff reductions.

Oslo Mayor Anne Lindboe postponed her wedding, planned for Friday, after King Harald V of Norway died that same day. Her political adviser confirmed the news to the BBC, and the mayor honoured the deceased sovereign on Instagram. No new date has yet been set for the ceremony with her fiancé Pål Sandvid.

King Harald V of Norway died peacefully in hospital at 89 on Friday morning, after being treated for a rare blood condition. His son, Haakon VIII, immediately became the new monarch, the fourth king since Norway's modern monarchy was restored in 1905. King Haakon is scheduled to convene an extraordinary council of state alongside government ministers later today.

Donald Trump's self-ranking comes despite historians and experts consistently ranking him as America's worst ever leader. The Republican put himself above figures like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln on the list he shared on Thursday. A recent 2024 survey of historians and political scientists put Trump at the bottom, with Joe Biden at 14th.

Icelanders will vote in a referendum tomorrow on whether to resume negotiations for joining the European Union. Fisheries are the backbone of Iceland's economy, accounting for about 8% of GDP and 40% of its exports. While the EU has hinted at flexibility on fishing rules, Iceland's foreign minister said it would demand a carve-out from the Common Fisheries Policy.

Donald Trump has insisted he isn't worried about Russia attacking the NATO alliance, despite reports of a US intelligence assessment. The US President played down a secretive visit by CIA chief John Ratcliffe to Moscow on Tuesday, calling it "semi routine" and saying Ratcliffe had "no message". Trump also claimed he has "had good talks" with Vladimir Putin, Russia's president.

King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, identified by Guinness World Records as the world's youngest reigning monarch, passed away on Thursday evening. He assumed the throne of Tooro in western Uganda in 1995 when he was only three years old, following his father's death. Tooro's Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki said the king leaves behind an heir, ensuring the Crown's continuity.

Businesses in the United States donated a record-breaking $646 million to political efforts over the 18 months concluding in June. This $646 million figure signifies a 40% increase when contrasted with the complete 2024 presidential election period. Watchdog group Public Citizen says the spending allows niche interests too much political influence.

King Harald V of Norway has died peacefully at 89, after being admitted to hospital last week for a rare blood condition. He was Norway's first king born in the country since the 14th Century, and his son Haakon is next in line to the throne. Harald was seen as a popular and modernising figure, remembered for marrying a commoner.

A US judge determined on Thursday that the Trump administration's February decision to label AI startup Anthropic a "supply chain risk" was unlawful. The designation was called "illegal and baseless" after Anthropic refused military use of its AI for surveillance or weapons. Judge Rita Lin stated that invoking national security does not provide unlimited justification for penalising government critics, making the suspension of sanctions permanent.

The catastrophic flash floods on Wednesday have left more than 1,300 people missing across the mountainous region. China paused rescue work in Tibet because a lake formed by debris is overflowing and could burst, with water levels expected to rise until Tuesday. In Nepal, army teams are attempting to free around 100 individuals who are stuck within a hydropower project tunnel.