newsmart – Latest News

scmp.com | 11 min. ago NEW

Hong Kong not well served by doctor-led primary healthcare model

Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. Hong Kong’s primary healthcare development is at a critical crossroads.

While the government’s first five-year plan aims to build a sustainable system and expand community health services, our healthcare framework remains rigidly doctor-led. This over-reliance creates a major...

koreatimes.co.kr | 15 min. ago NEW

Seoul rallies 1,486 volunteers to clean up Han River parks

More than 1,400 people joined forces across Seoul’s Han River parks this month, picking up litter, learning recycling rules and promoting bicycle safety in a city campaign to keep its popular riverside spaces clean and safe. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday that 1,486 citizens, corporate employees and volunteers took part in three Fall Hangang Volunteer Day events held at Ichon, Ttukseom and Yeouido Hangang parks between Oct.

13 and Oct. 24. The campaign, organized under the theme “Keep Hangang clean, keep Hangang safe,” combined litter pick-up with environmental education and public safety programs. The first event, held Oct. 13 at Ichon Hangang Park, brought together 50 corporate volunteers who collected trash along park walkways.

The second gathering, on Oct. 17 at Ttukseom Hangang Park, drew 95 participants for litter collection and campaigns promoting environmental awareness and safe park use. Yeouido Hangang Park hosted the largest event on Saturday, attracting 1,341 people, including children and adults who took part in environmental missions and quizzes about

koreatimes.co.kr | 15 min. ago NEW

Regulatory standoff delays debut of Seoul's 1st modern streetcar line

The launch of Korea's first modern streetcar network has encountered a temporary regulatory roadblock, forcing city officials to push back the line's planned December debut as local authorities work to finalize safety protocols along shared pedestrian and roadway corridors. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday that full commercial operation of the Wirye Line tram — a 5.4-kilometer wireless streetcar project — will be postponed into next year.

Although physical construction is 97 percent complete, the delay stems from protracted disputes among government agencies over traffic safety infrastructure and regulatory jurisdiction. Spanning 12 stations, the 350.3 billion won ($253 million) transit project connects Macheon Station on Seoul Subway Line 5 with Bokjeong Station and Namwirye Station on Line 8 and the Suin-Bundang Line.

The line represents a major milestone for urban transit in Korea, marking the return of streetcars to the capital for the first time since the city decommissioned its original tram network in 1968. It is also the nation’s first transit line to deplo

mirror.co.uk | 43 min. ago NEW

AI robots 'hijacked Government consultation on laws to curb vape sales'

Researchers said AI robots accounted for more than three quarters of responses to a Government consultation on plans to restrict the sale of disposable vapes

abc.net.au | 48 min. ago NEW

Councils struggle to access millions in flood recovery funding

Central Australian councils say months of paperwork and costly assessments have delayed disaster recovery funding, as the federal government moves to reform the system.

smh.com.au | 1 hrs. 40 min. ago

Queensland parliament updates: Top justice, rights figures pan cut to bail service

Before the week’s parliamentary sitting kicks off this afternoon, high-profile figures voice their concerns about a state government funding cut.

dailymail.com | 1 hrs. 52 min. ago

QUENTIN LETTS: 'Strengthening resilience' with gherkins and beans? In a nuclear shelter... is this wise, Mr Jarvis?

The day began with terrific news for gherkin-eaters. The Trade Secretary disclosed that the Government would ease tariffs on baked beans, chocolate and... gherkins.

nypost.com | 1 hrs. 58 min. ago

Broke, woke and armed with a crazy plan: Pay the lunatics running the asylum even more

Oakland’s incompetent government is at it again.

abcnews.com | 2 hrs. 3 min. ago

Alex Pretti's parents seek answers from DOJ months after son's killing

It's been nine months since Veterans Affairs nurse Alex Pretti was shot by federal agents in Minnesota, and his parents are calling on the government for answers.

thestar.com | 2 hrs. 5 min. ago

Houthi media reports strikes by Saudi-backed government forces against cement factory in Sanaa

Houthi media reports strikes by Saudi-backed government forces against cement factory in Sanaa. (Oct. 27, 2026)

koreatimes.co.kr | 2 hrs. 21 min. ago

Gov't to lift hoarding bans on urea, medical goods as supplies stabilize

Korea will lift bans on hoarding urea, urea solution, medical syringes and needles imposed earlier this year following supply concerns stemming from the Middle East war, citing stable inventories and supplies, the finance ministry said Wednesday. The Ministry of Finance and Economy made the announcement during a meeting of economy-related ministers, saying the hoarding ban on urea and urea solution, introduced in March, will expire at the end of this month.

Restrictions imposed on medical syringes and needles, which have been in place since April, will also be lifted, the ministry added. Urea is used to curb emissions in diesel vehicles and make agricultural fertilizers. Under the bans, companies were prohibited from holding inventories exceeding 200 percent of their average monthly sales last year for seven days or longer for urea products and five days for medical supplies.

"With domestic supplies remaining stable and no signs of hoarding or disruption to market order, the government will seek to end the hoarding ban," the ministry said. "Even after the ban expires, the government will c

scmp.com | 2 hrs. 45 min. ago

Will China travel hurt US students’ careers? FBI battles fears as talent pipeline stalls

An American student considering studying in China attended a briefing with a senior FBI official at a Washington think tank last month to address her concerns about whether such an experience could jeopardise her prospects for a career in the federal government. The official’s message: travelling to China would not automatically disqualify her.

She welcomed the clarification but said she wasn’t “completely reassured”. “I’m still wondering if it’s a good idea to go,” said the student, who...

nbcnews.com | 2 hrs. 54 min. ago

U.S. and Cuban diplomats erupt in shouting match at United Nations

U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz and Cuba’s foreign minister traded heated words at the United Nations as Waltz accused Cuba’s government of corruption. NBC News’ Emilie Ikeda reports.

theguardian.com | 3 hrs. 10 min. ago

Trump’s cuts have exposed US to ‘cascade’ of El Niño dangers, experts warn

President has taken an axe to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, stalling climate research on and response to extreme weather eventsSweeping cuts to the premier US climate agency under Donald Trump have severely hampered the country’s capacity to forecast, research and respond to extreme weather events, former government officials and scientists have warned, as the US faces a cascade of hazards fueled by a potentially historic El Niño this winter.From the start of his second term, the president has taken aim at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), slashing staff levels, canceling contracts and grants, and shutting down databases and research laboratories.

The agency that has long been considered a global crown jewel in climate science and forecasting has lost roughly 20% of its staff since January 2025. Continue reading...

theguardian.com | 3 hrs. 35 min. ago

Change to carer’s allowance cliff-edge rule is not enough, victims say

Digital taper system for benefit expected in budget, but those already hit with overpayments will still have to pay“On the surface it sounds really positive – and I really hope that it is,” says unpaid carer Guy Shahar of the government’s decision to abolish the notorious carer’s allowance cliff edge.But Shahar is angry that most carers hit with unjust overpayments in the past will still have to repay them, for all the promise of a different future.

And he notes that the cliff edge remains in place for four more years, potentially catching out more carers. Continue reading...

theguardian.com | 3 hrs. 36 min. ago

Plan for multibillion-pound Sizewell nuclear plant a ‘terrible deal’ for UK taxpayers, MPs say

The public accounts committee has said the risk to billpayers is ‘extraordinary’The government’s plan to fund a multibillion-pound nuclear plant at the Sizewell site in Suffolk represents a “terrible deal” for the UK taxpayer over the rest of the century, according to the government’s spending watchdog.MPs on the public accounts committee (PAC) have warned the government that the cost of the Sizewell C nuclear reactor could spiral to almost £48bn, leaving bill payers on the hook to provide an extra £9.8bn to construct the plant before 2040 and a further £12bn over its 60-year operating life.

Continue reading...

atlanticcouncil.org | 3 hrs. 43 min. ago

High oil prices have several Latin American governments feeling the financial pressure

Three charts show why oil prices that exceed 2026 budget assumptions matter for both importers and exporters. The post High oil prices have several Latin American governments feeling the financial pressure appeared first on Atlantic Council.

abc.net.au | 4 hrs. 11 min. ago

WA towns back growing trend of smart glasses bans, citing privacy fears

Local governments across country WA are banning smart glasses from public facilities, citing growing concerns over inappropriate use.

abc.net.au | 4 hrs. 11 min. ago

Fossil fuel ad ban could 'jeopardise' TDU village, SA government says

A ban on oil, coal and gas company ads from public spaces in Adelaide CBD including bus stops, banners and billboards is approved by the city council, with the instigator of the motion saying local government has an obligation to tackle "fossil fuel sponsorship".

theguardian.com | 5 hrs. 5 min. ago

AI bots flooded 2023 UK government consultation on disposable vapes ban

Three-quarters of all responses were machine-generated in failed attempt to stop bill from passing into law, research findsAI bots flooded a government consultation with tens of thousands of fake responses in a failed attempt to stop the UK’s ban on disposable vapes.Three-quarters of all the responses to the 2023 consultation on the tobacco and vapes bill were machine-generated, in what is thought to be the first coordinated attempt to use AI to derail health policymaking in the UK.

Continue reading...

abc.net.au | 5 hrs. 12 min. ago

Federal government invests $180m in rare earths mine in western Victoria

A controversial rare earths and mineral sands mine planned for western Victoria receives a government funding boost, but farmers and locals aren't happy.

scmp.com | 6 hrs. 5 min. ago

Alibaba wins preliminary injunction against Pentagon lobbying rule

Alibaba has won a preliminary court order blocking a US restriction that drove away its Washington lobbyists, after a federal judge found the Chinese technology giant was likely to succeed in challenging the measure on free-speech grounds. US District Judge Eumi K. Lee ruled on Monday that the government had failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify the restriction, which effectively forces lobbying firms to choose between representing Alibaba and clients seeking Pentagon...

nytimes.com | 6 hrs. 13 min. ago

Israel’s Election: 4 Things to Watch For

The election on Tuesday is unlikely to yield quick answers about who might lead the next government.

npr.org | 6 hrs. 16 min. ago

Colombia's government sparks backlash with museum art purge

Colombia's new president vows a "cultural counterrevolution" against wokeness, and his removal of 47 artworks from a national museum is sparking protests and fears of government censorship.

smh.com.au | 6 hrs. 35 min. ago

Netanyahu does better than expected but neither bloc on track to form government

NetanyahuŌĆÖs Likud outperformed many pre-election opinion surveys to emerge as IsraelŌĆÖs single biggest party. But his coalition is far short of a majority.

theguardian.com | 8 hrs. 9 min. ago

Ella Baron on the autumn budget – cartoon

Continue reading...

theguardian.com | 8 hrs. 9 min. ago

Rosebank oilfield would not breach UK emission targets, say government insiders

Emissions from exported oil would not count against carbon budget, insiders say – reasoning likely to draw dismay from climate campaignersThe giant Rosebank oilfield can be approved without breaching the UK’s emission targets, according to government insiders, in a boost to those in the cabinet who are pushing for it to be given the go-ahead.The Guardian revealed last week that Miatta Fahnbulleh, the energy secretary, was leaning towards rejecting the project, but her position has put her at loggerheads with cabinet colleagues, including the chancellor, John Healey, who are lobbying for an approval.

Continue reading...

cbsnews.com | 8 hrs. 17 min. ago

8-month Iran war looms large over Israeli election

Israeli voters are choosing their next government, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisting only he can finish the job started eight months ago in Iran.

abc.net.au | 8 hrs. 18 min. ago

A watered down ICAC gets called up for a full-bodied political scandal

The government asking the state's anti-corruption watchdog to look at the $15.4 billion South Road project has been spun as a proactive step against potential bikie infiltration, but there is devil is in the detail.

nytimes.com | 8 hrs. 21 min. ago

Serbian Students, Victorious and Leaderless, Go After the Media

Supporters of the opposition movement that won Sunday’s election stormed the offices of a pro-government tabloid. Another news outlet apologized for years of “one-sided” coverage.

csmonitor.com | 8 hrs. 21 min. ago

In the Balkans, a victory for political humility

A big election win in Serbia for a student movement born out of anti-corruption anger might lead to a government of peace, accountability, and integrity.

abcnews.com | 8 hrs. 27 min. ago

Panel finds that 37 suspected illegal miners suffocated in overcrowded cell in Nigeria

A Nigerian government investigation panel has found that 37 suspected illegal miners suffocated in an overcrowded cell last month

theguardian.com | 8 hrs. 42 min. ago

The chancellor’s pet PuFins have an important role – but they need more scrutiny

Nils Pratley | A regulator to keep the National Wealth Fund and the British Business Bank on mission is starting to look essentialTwo winners in the budget are known already. They are the National Wealth Fund and the British Business Bank, state-funded investment bodies that have rapidly become central to the government’s growth strategy.The former chancellor Rachel Reeves handed extra slugs of capital to both and now John Healey is going further.

The NWF will get another £15.4bn over the next half decade, on top of its existing £27.8bn, and there’ll be another £5bn for the BBB, which already has £30.6bn. Continue reading...

koreatimes.co.kr | 8 hrs. 47 min. ago

Hanwha Defense USA to take control of Philly Shipyard in internal restructuring

WASHINGTON — Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA) said Tuesday it will acquire a controlling stake in Hanwha Philly Shipyard, part of a broader internal restructuring aimed at strengthening the South Korean conglomerate's U.S. naval shipbuilding operations. Under a restructuring plan announced in September, Hanwha Systems Co. will sell its 60 percent stake in the shipyard to Hanwha Defense USA Shipbuilding LLC, a joint venture involving HDUSA and Hanwha FutureProof.

Hanwha Ocean Co. will retain its 40 percent stake. HDUSA said the move will bring the Philadelphia-based shipyard under its leadership as Hanwha seeks to transform the facility into a dual-use shipyard capable of building vessels for the U.S. Navy and commercial customers. "As HDUSA continues to grow its multi-domain presence across the U.S., bringing the Philly Shipyard under HDUSA will further align our government and commercial shipbuilding efforts," HDUSA President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michael Coulter said in a statement.

Retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Tom Anderson, president of U.S. shipbuilding at HDUSA, will oversee

euronews.com | 8 hrs. 49 min. ago

'Unacceptable violation': Syria condemns Jordan airstrikes

A government spokesperson said Jordan had "avoided" civilian sites and that it regretted "unintended casualties," stressing that the country had "deep respect" for the Syrian state and people.

abc.net.au | 8 hrs. 52 min. ago

How Australian publishers tell if a book has been written by AI

Australian writers and publishers are calling for the government to intervene in the industry's "existential crisis" over the rise of artificial intelligence.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com | 8 hrs. 53 min. ago

Irish farmer builds solar farm on 1.5 acres, powers 150 homes while sheep graze beneath panels

In County Cork, Sean Keating, a dedicated dairy farmer, has innovatively transformed a portion of his land into a solar farm. This eco-friendly venture enables him to harvest renewable energy while still allowing sheep to graze comfortably beneath the solar installations. Expected to power about 150 households annually, this project showcases the critical support from the government and could potentially motivate other farmers to explore similar sustainable energy alternatives.

nytimes.com | 8 hrs. 54 min. ago

Alex Pretti’s Parents Say Federal Government Is Silent on Investigation

The parents of the Minneapolis nurse who was fatally shot by federal agents in January said on Tuesday that the government had ignored and misled them.

defence-blog.com | 9 hrs. ago

Italy’s Ukraine aid package stalls ahead of U.S. midterms, report says

Italy’s 13th military aid package for Ukraine, which is expected to include Aster 30 air defense missiles, is ready but frozen, and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government appears to be waiting for the outcome of the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 3 before moving it forward, La Repubblica reported Tuesday.

If the delay continues, Rome […]

thehindu.com | 9 hrs. 13 min. ago

A.P. teachers’ body demands implementation of Old Pension Scheme

The federation leaders allege that the Central and State governments are systematically undermining public education while favouring private institutions