For Keeps

An updated United Nations report says 214 companies from 11 countries are involved in specified business activities linked to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. The latest assessment focuses on the impact on the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, and states that companies must take appropriate measures in response. The updated database is drawing attention amid ongoing debate over corporate responsibility in occupied territories.

A judge has ruled that a woman accused of firing gunshots at Rihanna's Los Angeles mansion is mentally competent to stand trial, according to the Los Angeles Times. The incident is drawing renewed attention to the singer and her partner ASAP Rocky, as people follow the case and discuss the couple's safety.

The UN Development Programme is spotlighting a people-centred approach to security, arguing that protecting individuals must come first in the world's toughest crises. The piece highlights how conflict, displacement and instability hit ordinary people hardest, and calls for responses that address human needs alongside traditional state security concerns in fragile settings.

Eighty years after nuclear testing began in the Marshall Islands, victims are still demanding justice and accountability. The UN human rights office has highlighted their ongoing campaign for recognition, compensation and cleanup of contaminated land. Survivors and descendants say health effects and displacement from programmes like those at Bikini Atoll remain unresolved, keeping the issue alive internationally.

The UN Human Rights Council has placed the rights of Armenians detained in Azerbaijan on its agenda. The issue concerns Armenians held in Azerbaijani custody, a matter long raised by Armenian officials and human rights advocates. Attention to the detentions comes amid ongoing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan following the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh and the region's fall under Azerbaijani control in 2023.

President Martins Seguro said Europe must not become a fortress but should remain a space of freedom, dialogue and cooperation. The remarks frame Europe's response to migration and security pressures as a test of its commitment to human rights and openness. They signal a call for continental unity built on shared democratic values rather than closed borders.

An immigration judge has halted the deportation order of a Kentucky State University basketball player, pausing removal proceedings against the student-athlete. The case has drawn attention to the immigration troubles of college athletes and the legal avenues that can keep them in the country while their situations are reviewed.

Bangladeshi and regional media are debating US diplomacy over the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who took refuge in India after leaving Dhaka. Commentary focuses on what Washington did and did not say to New Delhi about returning her to Bangladesh, where she faces legal proceedings. The ambiguity around the US position is fueling speculation about the balance between American, Indian and Bangladeshi interests.

The UN stabilization mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MONUSCO, is providing protection to civilians fleeing violence in Ituri province. The region has long been affected by clashes between armed groups, displacing thousands of people. The mission's peacekeepers are sheltering and assisting those escaping the fighting, in line with its mandate to protect civilians.

The United Nations Security Council convened to discuss the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The meeting comes amid ongoing instability in the country, though details of the discussion or any outcome have not yet been made public. Observers are watching for statements or resolutions emerging from the session.

The UN Security Council has voted to extend the mandate of the Gang Suppression Force in Haiti through March 2027, prolonging the international deployment tasked with helping Haitian authorities curb gang violence. The force has been supporting police operations as criminal groups continue to control large parts of the capital and fuel a humanitarian crisis.

The race for the next United Nations secretary general remains open as the five permanent members of the Security Council have yet to coalesce around a candidate. With the US, UK, France, Russia and China still undecided, no clear frontrunner has emerged, leaving the selection process in limbo and candidates campaigning without a decisive signal from the powers that matter most.

Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican's secretary for relations with states, said the international order is facing a severe test and that religions can make a real contribution to peace. His remarks, carried by Vatican News, framed interreligious cooperation as a resource for diplomacy at a time of global instability, appealing to shared moral responsibility for dialogue and conflict resolution.

Switzerland's diplomats are working behind the scenes far beyond simple message-carrying between states, using the country's tradition of neutrality to mediate conflicts, host negotiations and promote international norms. A feature by Swiss public outlet SWI swissinfo.ch explores how Bern leverages its good offices and humanitarian tradition to try to improve the world, despite its limited size and power.

South Africa has lodged another formal diplomatic protest with the United States over the conduct of the US ambassador, according to Anadolu Agency. The move escalates a running diplomatic friction between Pretoria and Washington, though the specific remarks or actions that triggered the complaint were not detailed in the report.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, speaking in Brussels, warned of the danger of nuclear escalation in the war in Ukraine and called for renewed diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. His remarks position him among European leaders urging negotiation over continued military escalation, a stance that contrasts with more hardline positions within parts of the EU.

Senator Eric Schmitt made remarks about Jack Smith, the former special counsel who pursued the federal cases against Donald Trump. The comments drew attention on social media, with users debating the criticism and its political implications.

The documentary NAZA, which examines Israeli war crimes, will be made available to stream for free in November, according to its makers. The announcement is drawing attention given ongoing debate over the war in Gaza and the growing number of documentaries confronting Israel's conduct, several of which have faced distribution and censorship battles abroad.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will not appear at a congressional hearing examining the risks of AI agents acting beyond human control, according to NBC News. The hearing is expected to scrutinize autonomous AI systems and whether companies can keep them in check, and Altman's absence leaves lawmakers without testimony from the head of one of the most prominent AI firms.

A new poll conducted by Oregon Public Broadcasting finds the state's gubernatorial race in a virtual deadlock, with candidates in a statistical tie as the election nears. The tight numbers suggest neither campaign has broken away, keeping Oregon's governor's contest in play and drawing attention to how the outcome could shift the balance in this closely watched race.

Russian regions reported overnight drone incidents on September 30. The Defence Ministry said a UAV was shot down over Tatarstan, while a Ukrainian drone was destroyed on approach to Penza, where authorities activated the 'Kover' air-defence plan. The reports came as Russian forces struck Kyiv and the surrounding region with ballistic missiles for a second consecutive night, keeping drone warfare and air raids a daily focus in Russia and Ukraine.

France and Spain have signalled they would welcome Britain rejoining the European Union, keeping open the question of a possible future return by the UK. The comments come years after Brexit and reflect ongoing debate in Europe about whether ties with London might one day be rebuilt. Officials and commentators across the continent continue to weigh how relations between Britain and the bloc could evolve.

Ukraine's former president and his son have failed in a legal bid to overturn European Union sanctions imposed on them. A court rejected their attempt to be removed from the EU's restrictive measures list, meaning asset freezes and travel bans remain in place. The case has drawn attention to how the EU continues to apply sanctions linked to the conflict and to figures from Ukraine's political past.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the exiled leader of Belarus's democratic opposition, delivered a speech in Brussels outlining what she called Belarus's path to freedom. She renewed calls for European support for a democratic transition in Belarus and for the release of political prisoners, keeping the country's situation on the EU agenda amid the ongoing crackdown by Alexander Lukashenko's government.

Betclic and the Ligue Nationale de Volley (LNV) have extended their partnership, keeping the betting operator linked to French professional volleyball. The deal continues the collaboration between the two organisations for the French league. The renewal underlines the growing presence of betting brands in French sport sponsorship, with volleyball gaining a stable commercial partner for its national competitions.

Reports say Donald Trump has rejected a ceasefire proposal from Iran, keeping tensions high between the two countries. Coverage also notes that Britain foiled an alleged plot near a US base, and an internal dispute involving Trump's press corps drew attention. The developments keep Iran-US relations at the centre of the news agenda.

The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Atlanta Braves, tying their National League Division Series and forcing a decisive Game 3 in Atlanta. Fans and commentators are reacting to Philadelphia's upset momentum against the division-winning Braves, with discussion focused on the Phillies' pitching performance and whether the underdogs can keep their postseason run alive at home.

A discussion is underway about whether ordinary Indian families can afford the cost of raising a child, covering expenses like education, healthcare and housing. Many people are weighing in with their own experiences of rising childcare and schooling costs, and questioning whether middle-class incomes in India can keep pace with the price of parenthood.