Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the UK should hold a structured dialogue with communities affected by the transatlantic slave trade and that he is open to calls for a formal state apology. He rejected financial reparations, saying people in Britain today should not be held liable for historical wrongs.
Key Facts
Burnham will attend a Commonwealth leaders summit in the Caribbean next week.
Caribbean nations have renewed calls for the UK to apologise and provide reparations.
Burnham called the transatlantic slave trade a brutal violation and said Britain must face its past.
The UK government has never formally apologised for slavery or paid reparations.
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley welcomed Burnham's statement and said she would engage in good faith while continuing to seek reparatory justice.
The founder of The Repair Campaign said the statement fell short and called for a full formal apology.
Under the 1833 law abolishing slavery, British plantation owners received payments for the loss of enslaved people; the UK finished paying the resulting debt in 2015.
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A California federal judge ordered the Trump administration to stop threatening election officials with criminal prosecution as it pursues efforts to address noncitizen voting. Judge Trina Thompson issued a temporary restraining order after unions representing California election workers filed a lawsuit.
Key Facts
U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson issued the order on Friday.
The order is a temporary restraining order.
It bars the Trump administration from threatening election officials with criminal prosecution in connection with its efforts targeting noncitizen voting.
Unions representing California election workers brought the lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed earlier on Friday.
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Villa Vie Residences said it could no longer afford to operate the MV Odyssey after fuel costs surged during the conflict in Iran. The ship’s passengers were told to leave in Cambodia, ending a planned continuous voyage that had been marketed as a way to live at sea for a presidential term or longer.
Key Facts
The Odyssey began its voyage from Belfast in October 2024.
Villa Vie Residences marketed the ship as a residential cruise offering long-term life at sea.
A couple could buy a four-year package for $319,998, with monthly fees also applying.
The Odyssey was previously the cruise liner MS Braemar and was about 30 years old.
Villa Vie said fuel costs per cabin in parts of Asia rose to as much as $8,000 a month from $1,800.
The company said it had tried to reduce fuel use by slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port.
Passengers were told to disembark at Sihanoukville, Cambodia, and the company said it was arranging temporary living options.
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Ebola has killed more than 5,000 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where the outbreak has infected more than 10,000 since it was declared in May. The Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine or treatment, and the outbreak has spread to several African countries, prompting travel restrictions.
Key Facts
Government data released Friday put the DRC Ebola death toll above 5,000.
More than 10,000 people in the DRC have been infected since the outbreak was declared in May.
The outbreak has reached eight of the DRC’s 26 provinces.
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain, for which there are no approved treatments or vaccines.
Nigeria became the fourth African country to report an Ebola case last week; Kenya and Uganda have also reported cases.
The outbreak is the second largest on record, after the 2014–2016 epidemic in West Africa, which infected more than 28,600 people and killed more than 11,000.
Saudi Arabia suspended travel to and entry from Kenya on Friday, including visas for travellers from Kenya and entry for people who recently stayed in Kenya or another affected country.
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A federal judge in California temporarily barred the Justice Department from pressuring state and local election officials to set aside ballots linked to alleged noncitizens or threatening officials with prosecution. The order runs through Nov. 16, with another hearing set for Nov. 13; the judge said the government’s actions likely violated federal law and could interfere with election administration.
Key Facts
U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson issued the temporary restraining order late Friday.
The order bars the Justice Department from demanding that officials separate ballots or stop counting certain votes tied to alleged noncitizens.
It also bars threats of criminal prosecution against election officials who do not comply.
The lawsuit was filed by labor unions and other groups, which accused the Trump administration of intimidating election workers and interfering with midterm elections.
The Justice Department had sought to separate mail ballots linked to about 20,000 people it alleges are not U.S. citizens.
Thompson said federal officials likely violated the Voting Rights Act’s ban on intimidating, threatening, or coercing people who help others vote.
The order requires the Justice Department to tell the court about pending search warrant applications or subpoenas.
A separate judge and an appeals court had already rejected requests to set aside the ballots.
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The article reports that hundreds of residents left Oleshky, which it describes as occupied by Russia, during a localized ceasefire. It says U.S. First Lady Melania Trump brokered the ceasefire and calls the evacuation a rare instance of humanitarian coordination between Russia and Ukraine.
Key Facts
Hundreds of residents were evacuated from Oleshky.
The article describes Oleshky as occupied by Russia.
The evacuation took place under a localized ceasefire.
The article says Melania Trump brokered the ceasefire.
The article characterizes the event as rare humanitarian coordination between Russia and Ukraine.
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A paper mill that anchors Témiscaming, Quebec, shut down indefinitely in early October after U.S. tariffs hit the forestry sector. Most of its 360 employees are out of work, and residents are trying to buy the mill from its American owner, RYAM, with help from the Canadian and Quebec governments.
Key Facts
RYAM imposed an “economic shutdown” of the mill for an indefinite period in early October.
The mill has been Témiscaming’s main employer and economic anchor for more than a century.
Most of the mill’s 360 employees are out of work and are receiving partial pay through government tariff relief.
Residents say home values fell and worry that workers in local services, including health care and grocery stores, may leave.
U.S. tariffs of up to 50% have affected industries including steel, aluminum, automobiles, lumber, pulp and paper.
A local contractor told the BBC that he had laid off 13 people.
Residents have formed a coalition to try to buy the mill from RYAM, which acquired it in 2017.
In 1973, local workers and managers bought the mill from its then-American owner and turned it into Tembec.
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President Donald Trump held a Florida rally to support Republican candidates Byron Donalds and Ashley Moody ahead of the midterms. He said he had approved $184 million in additional federal disaster funding for Florida and criticized Democrats, actor Robert De Niro and hecklers; protesters interrupted the rally, according to the headline.
Key Facts
Trump urged Florida voters to support Republican candidates Byron Donalds and Ashley Moody.
Donalds told the crowd the election was four days away and urged people to vote.
Trump said he approved an additional $184 million in FEMA disaster funding for Florida’s Panhandle.
The article says the disaster declaration covered 15 northwest Florida counties affected by Hurricane Isaias.
Trump said he may support tax credits to keep film and television production in the United States.
Trump insulted actor Robert De Niro and several Democratic politicians and candidates during the rally.
The headline says protesters interrupted the rally.
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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is attending the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, where he plans to discuss shared issues with other leaders. Analysts say the trip could help him shift attention from domestic pressures, but a likely interest rate rise while he is overseas may add to the government’s economic challenges.
Key Facts
Albanese is due to meet King Charles III and other leaders, including UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Albanese said the Commonwealth meeting would address climate change, ocean protection, trade, investment and artificial intelligence.
Markets expect the Reserve Bank of Australia to raise its interest rate to 4.85% on Tuesday.
The expected increase would be the fifth Australian interest rate rise in 2026, according to the article.
The meeting is expected to include debate about slavery’s legacy and calls from Caribbean nations for a British apology and reparations.
Burnham said he was open to listening to calls for a formal apology, but did not support reparations as the answer.
The article says Australian agriculture relied on blackbirding, which used coercion and other methods to bring more than 60,000 Pacific Islanders to work.
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Poland’s president cut short a trip to Senegal and joined protesters outside the Constitutional Court. The protest followed government moves to remove the court’s president and vice-president, which prompted accusations of a coup within the court.
Key Facts
Poland’s president ended a trip to Senegal early.
The president joined protesters outside Poland’s Constitutional Court.
Protesters faced off with police at the court.
The government moved to remove the court’s president and vice-president.
The moves prompted accusations of a coup within the court.
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The second series of BBC One’s The Celebrity Traitors ended on Friday. A video shows the final seven contestants revealing whether they were traitors or faithful.
Key Facts
The series began with 21 contestants.
Seven contestants remained before the final.
The contestants revealed their allegiances to one another.
The article includes a spoiler warning for the video.
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The US approved a sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine for an estimated $2.1 billion, but did not give a delivery date. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the approval while urging the US and European allies to provide interceptors from existing stockpiles, saying Ukraine needs them now to defend against Russian attacks.
Key Facts
The US State Department said the sale would strengthen Ukraine’s air and missile defenses.
Two people briefed on the decision said the missiles are not expected to arrive until a couple of years into the 2030s.
Zelenskyy said Russian forces were attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure daily and called for an interim supply of interceptors.
Zelenskyy said US and European allies had Patriot interceptors they could provide now and replenish later.
Canada, Germany and Norway are contributing to the purchase, alongside Ukrainian funds supported by an EU loan.
Lockheed Martin is the principal contractor for the sale.
Ukrainian officials reported that Russian strikes killed at least 14 people in Dnipro and others in two provincial cities and Kyiv on Thursday.
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Blockchain analytics firms TRM Labs and Chainalysis say North Korea’s Lazarus Group, also known as TraderTraitor, is the likely culprit in a reported $6.3 billion Binance hack. Binance says its investigation found additional points of breach and that it has secured about 80% of the stolen assets; the rest remains unaccounted for.
Key Facts
TRM Labs identified Lazarus Group as the likely attacker with high confidence, and Chainalysis also linked the group to the incident.
The attack reportedly involved a Binance hot wallet, which is connected to the internet.
TRM Labs said the attacker likely accessed Binance’s hot-wallet signing system.
Binance initially said an engineer’s laptop may have been compromised, then reported finding additional points of breach.
A Binance spokesperson said the company had secured about 80% of the stolen assets.
The FBI previously blamed North Korea for the theft of $1.5 billion from the Bybit exchange.
The FBI has accused North Korea of cybercrime and virtual-asset theft; Pyongyang has denied accusations that its government relies on cybercrime.
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A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order barring the Justice and Homeland Security departments from pressuring states to withhold or stop counting ballots based solely on claims that registered voters are ineligible. The order also bars threats of prosecution against election workers who follow election laws, as federal officials pursue voter-record investigations and related legal actions ahead of the midterms.
Key Facts
U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson said the departments likely violated the Voting Rights Act’s ban on voter intimidation and exceeded their constitutional authority over elections.
The order bars demands that states remove registered voters, withhold their ballots, or stop counting them solely because the administration claims they are ineligible.
The judge ordered prosecutors to disclose pending search warrant applications, grand jury subpoenas, and other demands tied to lists of allegedly ineligible voters.
Since May 2025, the Justice Department has filed 31 lawsuits seeking sensitive voter records; 27 had been dismissed at the time of the article.
In July, the Justice Department warned election officials in all 50 states that they could face criminal charges for knowingly allowing noncitizens to vote.
The Justice Department says its election-related actions enforce federal bans on noncitizen voting, which is illegal in federal elections; research cited in the article finds such voting is rare.
An appeals court rejected the Justice Department’s emergency request to set aside ballots from more than 20,000 suspected noncitizens in California.
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KFF reported that the average cost of health insurance plans sold through Healthcare.gov is expected to rise 13% in 2027. That would follow a 26% increase from 2025 to 2026, marking a second consecutive year of double-digit increases.
Key Facts
KFF published the report on Friday.
The report projects a 13% average cost increase for 2027.
The average cost rose 26% from 2025 to 2026.
The projected increase would be the second year in a row with a double-digit rise.
The report concerns Obamacare plans sold through Healthcare.gov.
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Indian chef Ranji Smile arrived in New York in 1899 and became known for serving curry at the upscale Sherry’s Restaurant. In 1901, he opened Omar Khayyam, likely the first Indian restaurant in the United States, but the article excerpt ends before explaining what happened to him afterward.
Key Facts
Smile sailed from London to New York in the summer of 1899.
His origins and real name are unknown; the article says “Ranji” may have referred to cricketer KS Ranjitsinhji and “Smile” may have been an anglicised form of Ismail.
Before moving to New York, Smile worked as a curry cook at London’s Cecil and Savoy hotels.
At Sherry’s Restaurant, he served dishes including Bombay duck and a creation called “Lettuce Ceylon.”
Smile performed for customers in a satin coat and blue silk turban, asking whether they wanted their curry hot or mild.
In 1901, Smile left Sherry’s and opened Omar Khayyam at 325 Fifth Avenue with financial backing from Roland R. Conklin.
Omar Khayyam featured Indian décor, Indian waiters and musicians.
The excerpt says customers did not arrive as Smile had hoped, but it does not describe his later life.
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The paper review highlights stories on an alleged $6 billion theft from Binance, UK plans to reduce payments for turning off wind turbines, and calls for welfare reform. Other front-page reports cover allegations against Thomas Markle, a possible UK apology for its role in the transatlantic slave trade, and public support for rejoining the EU.
Key Facts
The Financial Times Weekend reports that hackers from North Korea targeted Binance in what it calls a $6 billion theft.
The Times says Chancellor John Healey is seeking to reduce the cost of switching off wind turbines when the electricity grid cannot use their power.
The Guardian reports that Andy Burnham is open to calls for a formal state apology for Britain's role in the transatlantic slave trade and has offered formal talks.
The Daily Telegraph reports that Labour MPs want welfare reform and that Burnham could lose support in some constituencies if he does not consider benefit cuts.
The Daily Mail and The Sun report allegations that child abuse images were found in a storage unit rented by Thomas Markle in Mexico; Markle denies the allegations.
The Daily Express reports on increased mental health support for cancer patients following a campaign by the paper.
The i Paper reports polling showing growing enthusiasm in Britain for rejoining the European Union.
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People in Sweden, the United States and Japan describe preparing household emergency supplies in response to government advice, severe weather and past disruptions. Their kits range from basic food, water and radios to supplies for longer outages, and several people review or replace items regularly.
Key Facts
Sweden sent a preparedness booklet to every household, outlining what to stock and how to act in a crisis or war.
Andreas Wennerberg, who lives in Stockholm, keeps a crank radio, 10 litres of water and about €200 in cash.
Maryland resident Dan C says he has spent about $6,000 on emergency supplies since becoming a parent.
Dan keeps about three months of food for his family of four and rotates long-life pantry items so they do not expire unused.
Dan’s supplies include water, water-purification tablets, solar panels, a camping stove and medical kits.
Japan’s Tokyo government publishes a 68-page disaster-prevention guide for emergencies.
Tokyo resident Ayumi T keeps an emergency rucksack with clothing, towels, menstrual products, masks and a portable toilet.
Ayumi and her family check their emergency kits each New Year and replace expired food as needed.
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Pope Leo XIV cast a mail-in ballot in Chicago in the run-up to the November 3 U.S. midterm elections, becoming the first pope to vote in a U.S. general election, the Vatican said. The Vatican did not disclose his choices; Leo has previously voted in Illinois primary elections as Robert Prevost.
Key Facts
The Vatican said Leo voted as a U.S. citizen and supports citizens’ participation in democratic processes.
Leo requested a mail-in ballot on October 3, according to the article.
Illinois voters will choose a successor to retiring Senator Dick Durbin and decide whether to re-elect Governor JB Pritzker.
Illinois election records show Prevost voted in five primary elections since 2000: twice using Democratic ballots and three times using Republican ballots.
Prevost requested Democratic primary ballots in 2008 and 2010, then Republican ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said Leo’s vote encouraged citizens to exercise their civic responsibility.
Leo is also a citizen of Peru and the Vatican, and lived in Peru for more than 20 years.
The article reports that President Donald Trump and Leo have clashed over immigration policy and the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.
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A federal judge barred the Justice Department from threatening election workers or pressuring them to stop processing ballots, and from demanding that officials set aside ballots the federal government considers potentially ineligible. Separately, a federal appeals court rejected the department’s request to have California hold disputed ballots from the midterm election until voters’ citizenship could be verified.
Key Facts
The federal judge issued the order late Friday.
The order bars the Justice Department from demanding that local officials segregate or not count ballots the federal government deems potentially cast by ineligible voters.
The Justice Department says California sent ballots to about 20,000 people who may not be U.S. citizens.
California officials say the list is unreliable and likely includes many U.S. citizens.
A district court judge denied the Justice Department’s request on Wednesday and warned that it could disenfranchise citizens.
The Ninth Circuit ruled 2-1 that identifying and separating the specific ballots could cause serious harm to the election system.
California officials say hundreds of thousands of ballots have already been processed and processed votes cannot be matched back to the voters who submitted them.
Los Angeles’s top federal prosecutor warned that election officials who knowingly process a noncitizen’s ballot could face legal jeopardy.
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