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World
A federal judge has paused construction of the planned 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington for 14 days, shortly after a planning commission approved it.
Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a temporary order after veterans, Virginia and Washington, D.C. sued, saying the plaintiffs are likely to show required legal steps were skipped. The planning commission had voted 8-4 for the arch. Cost and funding remain unclear.
President Trump signed a proclamation declaring the Oval Office and Cabinet Room national monuments, saying it will protect them from future changes.
The text does not stop future presidents from redecorating or from revoking the proclamation. It came two days after his party lost the midterm elections, and critics noted he has altered the White House heavily himself.
Pope Leo XIV has left Rome for a 12-day visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, about three weeks after surgery for lung cancer.
The Vatican says he has recovered and no special precautions are needed. The tour ends in Peru, where he spent many years as a missionary and holds citizenship. Meetings with abuse survivors and with political leaders, including Argentina's president, are planned.
A Macau court gave former lawmaker Au Kam San a 12-and-a-half-year prison term in the territory's first national security trial.
The 69-year-old was found guilty of subversion and related offences after a trial held behind closed doors. His wife called the case unjust, and a rights group urged his release. The ruling came a day after Hong Kong jailed activist Joshua Wong.
A Tanzanian court sentenced opposition leader Tundu Lissu to four years in prison for incitement but cleared him of treason.
Lissu says incitement was never charged and calls the case political persecution. He has been held since April 2025 and can appeal. The case follows a disputed 2025 election and a deadly crackdown on protests.
Daimler Truck said third-quarter profit rose 73 percent to 702 million euros, helped by strong truck sales in North America.
Revenue rose 19 percent to about 12.58 billion euros. Sales in North America recovered after last year's tariff-related slump, as fleets renewed trucks. The company confirmed its annual outlook, and cost cuts in Europe continue.
Eva Geller, 90, who was shot in the Bondi Beach attack last December, has died in hospital in Sydney.
She was a Holocaust survivor and had been in and out of hospital since the attack, which killed 15 people. Police are working with the coroner. Naveed Akram faces charges including murder and a terror offence.
Also: A Macau court jailing a democracy activist; a Tanzanian opposition leader jailed for incitement; a strong quarterly profit rise at a German truck maker; a Bondi attack survivor's death in Sydney.
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Economy
Tesla and SpaceX lost about $456 billion in market value in two days as investors feared tougher scrutiny and regulation of Elon Musk after Democrats won Congress.
Tesla fell about 11% and SpaceX about 9% on Thursday, cutting Musk's wealth to roughly $785 billion. Investors worry about congressional probes, Texas data-centre rules and a harder path for a possible merger. One analyst called the reaction overdone.
The US Army has added Czechoslovak Group's American unit to a five-year programme that lets it bid for upgrades of seven ammunition plants worth up to $4.2 billion.
The framework contract does not guarantee any work, since each project will be awarded through separate competitions. It follows a 2025 contract worth up to $635 million for a new artillery shell plant in Iowa.
Poland's president appointed four new members to the National Bank of Poland's board, including two deputy governors, after the prime minister countersigned the decisions.
Marta Kightley returns as first deputy governor and Przemysław Litwiniuk becomes deputy governor, with Ludwik Kotecki and Marcin Zarzecki also joining. Three of the appointees come from the monetary policy council, which now needs to be refilled.
Tesla will start phasing out the Cybertruck around mid-2027 at its Texas plant, freeing space for the Cybercab robotaxi, Elon Musk said.
The pickup never reached the sales its maker hoped for, and its design limited appeal abroad. Tesla is shifting toward robotaxis and humanoid robots. Tesla and SpaceX shares also fell after US election results raised worries about regulation.
Google will switch off AI tools for students by default, but schools that block AI will also lose access to Google Search, which has AI features built in.
The change, due early next year, has drawn criticism from politicians and education experts, who say Search cannot be separated from its AI features. Some see a chance for AI-free rivals such as DuckDuckGo.
An expert explains how China's rapid growth has left young people facing pressure over jobs and deep inequality, while the party restrains displays of wealth.
He says social mobility now depends on connections and birthplace, and the party is trying to ease anger through anti-corruption drives and investment in urban services. Open wealth has been curbed under Xi Jinping.
The UK government plans to make employers show salaries in job adverts and urges firms to start doing so now, ahead of the legislation.
The government says the change would help young jobseekers and reduce pay discrimination. An employers' body warns that setting pay is complex. Details on which firms are covered and how it will be enforced are still to come.
The Film Festival Cologne closed with awards for several film-makers, and producer Alice Brauner said she no longer sees a future for herself in Germany.
Brauner presented her film about medical experiments on women at Auschwitz and cited political developments in Germany. The festival honoured Andrei Zvyagintsev and Ingrid Caven, and a state minister promised the event will continue next year.
Also: Google AI settings for schools and Search; China's young generation and inequality; UK plan to require pay in job adverts; a film festival in Cologne and its political remarks.
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Politics
President Trump said he met a Russian envoy and described a coming peace agreement that could involve more than Ukraine, possibly all of Europe.
The envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, attended a White House event hosted by Melania Trump about a temporary ceasefire in Oleshky. Trump said he could not share what they discussed but expected a big agreement.
President Trump signed an order declaring two historic White House rooms national monuments, a step that needs approval from Congress.
The order covers the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room. Trump said lawmakers would have to confirm it and that big alterations would then need their consent. One report links it to his interest in renovating the White House after the midterms.
Belgium's king turned down the prime minister's offer to step down and told him to go back to work on the budget.
Prime Minister Bart De Wever had offered to resign after budget talks stalled. The royal palace said the king rejected this and wanted negotiations to restart straight away. The aim is to fix strained public finances and keep the government in place.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has widened the National Guard presence in Washington, DC, allowing use of patrol cars, tactical vehicles and boats.
A Pentagon official confirmed the change, authorised in an Oct. 29 memo. The Guard can use up to 60 marked police cars, along with military tactical vehicles and boats.
Reports said Secretary of State Marco Rubio is considering leaving the Trump administration, but the State Department and Rubio dismissed them.
The reports followed the Republican losses in the midterm elections. The State Department called the claims a hoax, and Rubio said he did not know where the information came from.
A federal planning commission voted 8-4 to approve plans for a triumphal arch backed by President Trump near the Lincoln Memorial.
The vote came after many public comments, mostly against the project. The arch faces court challenges, and a judge has reportedly acted after the vote.
The head of London's Metropolitan Police wants the 43 forces in England and Wales replaced by a few regional forces and a national service, warning of failure otherwise.
Sir Mark Rowley says crime now crosses borders while policing is still organised locally, and funding has fallen as a share of GDP. Some local police commissioners oppose mergers, fearing weaker local services. The Home Office says the current model is outdated.
A Spanish judge refused to charge former prime minister Zapatero with embezzlement over jewels, saying no law required such gifts to be handed to the state at the time.
Judge Calama said the rule on official gifts only came with a 2013 law. He also halted tax inspection procedures involving Zapatero, his family and linked companies in the Plus Ultra case.
Also: Expanded National Guard patrols in Washington DC; reports that Marco Rubio may leave the administration; approval of a triumphal arch planned in Washington; a call to merge police forces in England and Wales; a Spanish judge's ruling on Zapatero and gifted jewels.
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Sport
Jacksonville beat a depleted Baltimore side 33-10 on Thursday, as the Ravens started a third-string rookie quarterback and lost a fourth game in a row.
The Jaguars improved to 6-2 and lead their division comfortably, helped by Trevor Lawrence's passing and a long touchdown to Parker Washington. Baltimore fell to 4-5 with its two top quarterbacks injured, and the rookie Joe Fagnano threw two late interceptions.
Thomas Tuchel picked his England group for two Nations League games, leaving out Cole Palmer and giving first call-ups to Jobe Bellingham and Josh King.
Tuchel said attendance and availability at the previous camp mattered most, and described the decision as not personal. Ben White and Djed Spence return, while injuries rule out several regulars. England face Croatia and then Spain.
Rory McIlroy took a two-shot penalty for improving his lie in round one in Abu Dhabi, then answered with an 11-birdie 63 on Friday to climb the leaderboard.
He accepted the penalty because he did not want people to think he had gained an advantage. His second round put him at 11 under and back in contention, as he chases a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title.
Club cricketer Brian Devine, nicknamed 'Clicky Ponting', has received a two-year ban for clicking his fingers to fool an umpire, and his club has been punished too.
Saltburn's second XI were relegated to the third division with a 60-point deduction and the club was fined £300. A league investigation found misconduct, and both the player and club accepted the charges.
New Formula 1 champion Kimi Antonelli says he is already preparing for 2027, while other battles, such as second place in the standings, remain open in Brazil.
Antonelli became the youngest champion ever by clinching the title in Mexico. Mercedes could secure the constructors' title soon, and Verstappen, Hamilton, Russell and Leclerc are tightly bunched in the fight for runner-up.
Jannik Sinner has ended his partnership with coach Darren Cahill, and Magnus Norman is set to join his team for next season.
Cahill helped Sinner win five Grand Slam titles and reach world number one over about four and a half years. Sinner has been out injured since July, and Alexander Zverev will finish 2026 as the top-ranked player.
Celtic came from behind to beat Besiktas 3-2 at home, with substitutes Callum Osmand and Camilo Duran changing the game.
Celtic trailed after a penalty rebound but Osmand equalised with his first touch and Duran scored twice, including the winner two minutes after Besiktas levelled. It is the club's first win of this Europa League campaign.
Also: A club cricketer banned for faking an edge; the new F1 champion and the title fights left; a tennis star changing coaches.
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Tech
Tesla plans to wind down Cybertruck production around the middle of next year so its Texas factory can build more Cybercab robotaxis.
Elon Musk announced the plan on X. The Cybertruck has sold far below his early forecast of 250,000 a year, with analyst estimates near 70,000 in total. Tesla is shifting toward robotaxis and robotics.
Salon, one of the first online-only magazines, is ceasing publication after 31 years, saying its publishing model is no longer sustainable.
The announcement gave no detailed reasons, though many websites face falling search traffic and pressure from AI tools. The archive is meant to stay online for now. Find.co has owned Salon since 2023.
A reporter tried a humanoid cleaning robot from Tau Robotics in San Francisco, finding it charming but slow and still guided remotely by humans.
The robots are piloted by people, and their work produces data to train future autonomous models. The visit had stumbles, but a later one went better. The writer notes that such robots could cost cleaning workers their jobs.
Airbnb plans to release its own AI trip-planning assistant in the first half of 2027, using a visual layout instead of a plain text chat.
The company shared the date alongside quarterly results, where revenue rose 19% to $4.87 billion and the full-year growth outlook was lifted. Its chief executive argues that general-purpose assistants suit simple chores but not trip planning, which people like to browse and compare.
The New York Times Company is reportedly in exclusive talks to buy the film social network Letterboxd for about $330 million.
The report says Letterboxd's co-founders could stay in charge and the service would likely stay standalone. Letterboxd grew from 3 million users in 2021 to 28 million this year. Sony and A24 were also reported to be interested.
A reviewer who tested many Android foldables finds Apple's first foldable strong on hardware but held back by software that does not suit the small cover screen.
The phone feels well built, has a smooth hinge and a matte inner display that hides the crease, but it is heavy and costs about $2,000. Many apps are not adapted to its layout, so Android devices still feel smoother for folding phones, though early screen damage reports are a concern.
After a year of heavy testing, a reviewer names the Bambu Lab P2S Combo as the one home 3D printer he would buy, citing reliability and easy upkeep.
He compares it with cheaper Elegoo models, which print well but had more faults and lack sealed filament storage. The P2S has automatic filament loading, quick nozzle swaps and a touchscreen. It costs $649 on sale and $749 normally.
A small startup is raising money on Kickstarter for the Enough Phone, a compact Android device with a 5.3-inch screen, planned to ship in May 2027.
The phone costs $599 after early discounts and offers five years of software support. The founders say the chip and RAM shortage is pushing up prices and could delay shipping. The campaign passed half of its $250,000 goal in a day.
Also: Airbnb's plan for a travel-focused AI assistant; a reported buyout of the film site Letterboxd; Apple's first foldable phone compared with Android rivals; A reviewer's pick for the best home 3D printer; a startup's small phone seeking Kickstarter funding.
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Science
NASA's Swift Observatory re-entered Earth's atmosphere over Indonesia on November 4 after nearly 22 years in orbit, ending its mission.
Swift studied gamma-ray bursts and other energetic cosmic events, and it lasted about ten times longer than the two years planned. Higher solar activity sped up its orbital decay, and an attempt to raise its orbit did not succeed.
A seven-week digital support program raised positive views of caregiving among Chinese American dementia caregivers in a small pilot study.
Scores for positive caregiving experiences rose 96% and stayed higher after 12 months. Depression, burden and life satisfaction did not change significantly, and with no comparison group the study cannot show the program caused the gains.
Powerhouse Parramatta, a large new museum in western Sydney, opens to the public this weekend after years of debate over its cost and governance.
The building has a steel exoskeleton and five opening exhibitions, including one on flight and space travel and a children's show inside a replica meteorite. It cost $915m, and its chief executive was stood down during a Treasury investigation.
Researchers found chemical traces of blood inside 115-million-year-old bones of a meat-eating dinosaur from northeastern Brazil.
The team found fossilized red blood cells and heme molecules, which come from hemoglobin, in the bones. A mineral and a low-oxygen burial may have helped preservation. The result challenges ideas about how long such molecules last and may inform the search for ancient life elsewhere.
A trial of about 5,800 adults found heart calcium scans and standard risk scores led to the same rate of major heart events, with far fewer statin recommendations from scans.
Event rates were 2.7% in both groups, but the trial did not prove the scan approach was as good as standard assessment. Patients advised to take statins after a scan stuck with treatment far more often, at 62% versus 23%.
Scientists used DNA analysis to identify the beetle whose large larvae are damaging blueberry roots in North Carolina.
The species is Prionus imbricornus, and its larvae can reach five inches long. No insecticides are currently labeled against it in blueberries, so researchers are testing treatments and their timing.
A small Australian study found that autistic children who received reading lessons online during pandemic lockdowns improved more than a comparison group.
Researchers at Flinders University moved a planned in-person trial to one-to-one online sessions after stay-at-home orders. Children using a free web application gained reading skills compared with those not taking part. The team says remote teaching could help families in rural or distant areas.
A Canadian trial found that eating three servings of full-fat dairy daily for twelve weeks did not harm weight, cholesterol or insulin response in adults.
The study followed 74 adults with overweight or obesity and also saw better blood pressure and higher calcium, protein and vitamin D intake in dairy groups. It was small and short, so longer research is needed before advice on low-fat dairy changes.
Also: Preserved blood molecules in a dinosaur fossil; heart scans versus risk scores for statin decisions; a beetle pest damaging blueberry roots; online reading lessons for autistic children in lockdown; a trial of full-fat dairy and metabolic health.
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