Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

New wave of bomb hoaxes hits at least 27 passenger flights across Europe

Hoax bomb threats disrupted at least 27 passenger flights across Europe on Thursday, forcing unplanned landings by some planes and prompting fighter jets to escort or intercept others, in the second such wave this week. No country has attributed blame for the threats, which come as many European officials are accusing Russia of masterminding sabotage and "hybrid attacks", often ​cheap, easily deniable and not expected to trigger an armed response.

Here are the Democrats emerging as potential 2028 White House contenders

With the midterm campaigns over, the race to succeed President Donald Trump is set to intensify, with a potentially sprawling field of Democrats already positioning for 2028 but no clear ​standard-bearer emerging. Potential contenders, including governors, senators and former candidates, spent the final weeks of the midterm campaign fanning out across states with early nominating contests after months of courting donors, raising their profiles and ‌publishing books, familiar steps toward a ​White House run.

Brand conviction shines light on entertainment industry's culture of silence

Russell Brand's conviction for sex crimes has renewed scrutiny of how Britain's entertainment industry has treated high-profile performers accused of abusing their power, with some women saying they feared speaking out could damage their careers. The British comedian and actor was convicted on Thursday of one count of rape and three sexual assaults near the height of his fame in the mid-2000s, when he worked for Channel 4 and the BBC. Three of the four victims had worked in the media industry.

Brand conviction shines light on entertainment industry's culture of silence

Russell Brand's conviction for sex crimes has renewed scrutiny of how Britain's entertainment industry has treated high-profile performers accused of abusing their power, with some women saying they feared speaking out could damage their careers. The British comedian and actor was convicted on Thursday of one count of rape and three sexual assaults near the height of his fame in the mid-2000s, when he worked for Channel 4 and the ‌BBC. Three of the four victims had worked in the media industry.

Analysis-Midterms upended Congress but Trump still commands foreign policy

The Republican Party's staggering losses at the ballot box this week have left President Donald Trump diminished in Washington and facing tougher legislative oversight and scrutiny of his agenda. But on foreign policy, he could remain unbowed.

Israel's president pledges to pick candidate on Sunday to form government

Benjamin Netanyahu's main rival secured nods on Thursday from a majority of lawmakers to try to form a government, but Israel's president said it was still unclear who could break the election deadlock as he pledged to nominate a candidate on Sunday. Israel's October 27 national ballot ended with no clear winner. Neither Prime Minister Netanyahu nor Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief, secured a clear path to a majority in parliament.

US watchdog calls for truth commission to investigate Church abuses cases in Peru

A US-based clergy abuse watchdog on Thursday called for the creation of a truth commission in Peru to investigate sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, on the eve of a visit by Pope Leo to South America where the Vatican says he will meet abuse survivors. Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability.org, which tracks Catholic clergy abuse allegations worldwide, accused Peru's Church hierarchy of secrecy and of failing to adequately confront allegations of abuse.

Paraguay President Peña resigns under mounting pressure from bank collapse

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña resigned on Thursday following the collapse of a ‌prominent digital lender to which he had former business links, putting him under intense pressure as nearly half the population was left without access to their bank accounts. He was resigning "with the stability of our country, social peace, and the need to preserve our democratic institutions in mind," Peña said in a recorded video address on Thursday.

Ecuador calls seven people to stand trial in candidate murder plot

Ecuador's Prosecutors office on Thursday called seven people, including three leaders of a dangerous criminal gang, to stand trial for plotting the killing of former presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023. In 2024, a criminal court sentenced five people responsible for shooting and killing Villavicencio as ‌he was leaving a campaign rally in August 2023 to prison terms ranging from 12 to 34 years.

Two Egyptian army officers killed in gold-mining crackdown on southern border, military says

Two Egyptian army officers, including a high-ranking border guard officer, were killed during a military crackdown on illegal gold mining along Egypt's southern border with Sudan, a military spokesperson said on Thursday. The military launched the campaign to counter illegal gold mining in the Eastern Desert in June, with the first three phases complete. The military said the fourth phase was due to begin on Saturday, adding the campaign intended to strengthen state control over Egyptian territory and protect national resources.

US says Mexican judge arrested in Colombia over $2 million bribe to free accused Canadian drug trafficker

The US Justice Department said on Thursday that a Mexican judge was arrested on charges of taking a $2 million bribe to free alleged Canadian drug trafficker Andrew Clark, second-in-command to Canadian former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, who is charged in a US cocaine trafficking and murder case. • Mexican judge Luis Benítez Alcántara, 49, was arrested in Colombia on Sunday and faces nine counts of being an accessory after the fact, according to the DOJ

Analysis-Lula's election win dashes US hopes of quick access to Brazil's rare earths

The reelection of leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as Brazil's president will likely dash US President Donald Trump's hopes of securing fast access to the world's second-largest rare earth reserves. A victory last month for Lula's challenger Flavio Bolsonaro — whose family is close to Trump — could have sped up US investment in Brazil's mineral wealth, helping Washington in its race with China for the raw materials key to modern manufacturing.

Trump says he met Putin ⁠envoy, sees Ukraine deal soon

US President ​Donald Trump said he met privately on Thursday with Russian President Vladimir Putin's envoy after the Russian official appeared with representatives from Ukraine at a White House event organized by US ⁠first lady Melania Trump. Trump would not disclose what he discussed with Putin envoy Kirill Dmitriev but predicted a deal could emerge soon aimed at resolving the Russian war in Ukraine.

Zelenskiy says Ukraine must adapt to new US political realities, solve Patriot air defence issue

Ukraine must adapt to the new realities of US politics to build dialogue and address its needs for more foreign aid and bolstered air defences to counter Russian attacks, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an interview broadcast on Thursday. Zelenskiy has made considerable effort to smooth over a volatile relationship with US President Donald Trump, particularly after a February 2025 Oval Office meeting during which he was accused of being ungrateful for Washington's aid.

Largely peaceful marches take place across France as workers stage strike

Nationwide demonstrations unfolded largely peacefully in France, despite some clashes with police ⁠in Paris and Lyon, on Thursday during a one-day strike by some public sector workers in a renewed challenge to President Emmanuel Macron. Several high-profile politicians attended the protests, including presidential candidates Jean-Luc Melenchon and Raphael Glucksmann. The protests follow demonstrations over living costs, public services and education that have triggered the worst civil unrest in France in years.

Hegseth vows to keep fighting from Pentagon, defends Iran war

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a video message on Thursday vowing to fight efforts in Congress to impeach him and defending the Iran war as “courageous and historic” after voters punished Republicans over it in this week’s midterm elections. Hegseth's remarks, posted on social media, came as taunts from his foes in Congress intensified and President Donald Trump swatted away questions about whether he might ​fire Hegseth. Trump has commended his Pentagon chief.

Trump says he met Putin envoy Dmitriev

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev. Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, added that the Russia-Ukraine war was very close to being settled and that bringing it to an end might involve all of Europe.

Trump says Oval Office to become national monument

US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a document to make the White House's Oval Office and Cabinet Room a national monument. Since returning to office, Trump has transformed the historic Oval Office with ⁠gold accents and statuettes, portraits of famous Americans pulled from storage and a copy of the Declaration of Independence that hangs on the wall.

Explainer-What is ueno bank and how did it trigger Paraguay's political crisis?

Paraguay's President Santiago Peña resigned on Thursday after the collapse of ueno, a prominent commercial bank with ties to his government. Here are more details on ueno and how its collapse led to the president's downfall.

Costa Rica's Grynspan extends lead in informal UN chief poll, sources say

An informal poll by the United Nations Security Council on Thursday showed former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan extended her lead as frontrunner in the race to become the 10th UN secretary-general, people close to the process said. Grynspan received 12 votes in favor and three against on the 15-member council, marking her strongest showing in eight closed-door ballots conducted in recent months to replace Antonio Guterres ⁠as he ​finishes his second five-year term this year.

Tankers hit in Hormuz as Iran keeps up pressure after US vote

Iran reported three more tankers had been damaged in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, making clear that shipping would remain in peril as long as the war in the Gulf is unresolved, now that US voters have punished President Donald Trump for waging it. The electoral rout that cost Trump's Republicans control of Congress has prompted a stark reassessment of the conflict's political cost in Washington, led by Vice President JD Vance, who said in a long social media post on Wednesday that the war was to blame for his party's defeat.

UK doctor with Ebola returns from Congo to London for treatment

A British doctor who tested positive for Ebola while working on the epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo returned to Britain on Thursday, with health authorities saying the risk of the deadly disease spreading to the wider public remains low. It is the first case involving a British national linked to the current outbreak, although several other people from elsewhere in Europe have been infected. Imported cases are rare, with a handful of confirmed cases recorded in Britain since 1976.

Ukraine's Starshield contract with US expires next year, diplomat says

Ukraine's contract with the US government for access to its Starshield satellite network expires next year and Kyiv is urgently seeking ⁠to start talks on a new one, a senior Ukrainian diplomat said on Thursday. Starshield's vital role in the Ukraine war came into sharp focus last month when Ukrainian battlefield commanders saw speed limitations suddenly imposed, hampering the military's ability to intercept Russian attack drones and forcing the cancellation of some operations.

Labour gains in latest New Zealand poll before vote, results remain too close to call

New Zealand's opposition Labour Party gained slightly in the latest the Post-Freshwater Strategy poll released on Friday, but polling still shows no clear outcome for the election. New Zealand's general election will be held on Saturday with voting closing at 7 ⁠p.m. (0600 GMT) and results expected to start coming in soon after

90 million displaced people at risk from climate threats, UN refugee agency says

Nearly 90 million forcibly displaced people are living in countries increasingly ⁠exposed to climate-related droughts, floods and extreme heat, the UN refugee agency said on Friday, warning ahead of the COP31 climate summit that more funding is needed to help vulnerable communities adapt. Nearly three-quarters of the world's forcibly displaced people are living in countries such as Afghanistan and Bangladesh that are exposed to severe climate-related risks, according to the report by the agency, known as UNHCR, published ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in Antalya, Turkey. The findings show the overlap between conflict, displacement and climate change, the report said.

Democrats' election wins spooks AI investors, hammering stocks

Democrats' sweeping midterm election victory unleashed a rout of tech stocks on Thursday, with investors worried the party will use its gains in state capitols and the US Congress to impose new regulations that will slow the AI infrastructure buildout that has fueled this year's market gains. Two days after Democrats flipped seven seats in the Senate, gained at least 39 in the House of Representatives and picked up five governorships, stocks sold ‌off across the board, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite notching a 5.56% drop, its most dramatic fall in 19 months.

UK sending ‌King Charles into political fray as its 'secret weapon', aide says

King Charles is "a secret weapon" being increasingly thrust by the British government into dealing with challenging political situations, a senior royal aide has said following a diplomatically challenging trip by the monarch to the Caribbean.

The trip, which also included a meeting of the Commonwealth of Nations, which Charles ​heads, was dominated by the issue of slavery, and specifically whether Britain and the king should apologise for the transatlantic slave trade and offer to pay reparations.