Latest World News Today: 12 November 2026

President Abelardo de la Espriella said he personally authorised an air strike in Antioquia that killed eight people, including a senior leader of the Gulf Clan gang. He said Haminton Mosquera, one of 10 priority targets, was killed and was suspected of ordering attacks on security forces. The Gulf Clan, added to the US foreign terrorist organisation list last year, is known for cocaine trafficking, illegal mining and people smuggling.

Two Iranian men were found guilty Thursday at Woolwich Crown Court of assisting a foreign intelligence service while spying on journalists in London. Mostafa Sepahvand, 41, and Farhad Javadi Manesh, 46, were convicted of working for Tehran, while a third defendant was acquitted. Prosecutors said the pair were promised rewards and targeted journalists for Iran International and a UK Lawyers for Israel founder.

Schools across Italy received bomb threats for a second day, with about 1,800 schools from Milan to Sicily reporting similar messages and no devices found. The government advised schools not to evacuate without concrete evidence, while Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the incidents a strategy to cause alarm. A similar threat had reached 6,300 of 7,476 state schools on Wednesday, and a bomb alert at Calais rail station delayed trains.

A UN report says at least 1,167 people were killed and 459 injured in Haiti between July and September, as gangs continued to terrorise Port-au-Prince and beyond. Gangs caused more than 45 percent of incidents, and more than half of documented killings and injuries occurred during security operations. The report recorded massacres in Kenscoff, including at least 105 deaths, and beheadings in Cite Soleil.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said complete reunification with Taiwan must be realised and will certainly be realised, in a speech marking the 160th birthday of Sun Yat-sen. He urged peaceful reunification under one country, two systems, without mentioning force. Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said neither the government nor the people would accept that model, and Taiwan detected 29 Chinese military aircraft around the island.

South African authorities arrested a 10th person on Thursday on suspicion of violating mercenary laws by trying to travel to Russia to fight in the Ukraine war. Nine others were arrested this week in a joint Interpol and police investigation, and the first nine suspects have been identified as Zimbabwean nationals. Five appeared in court on Tuesday, while four others were expected in court Thursday after being arrested at a Johannesburg hotel.

A Russian serviceman was killed in a car explosion in St Petersburg's Pushkinsky district on Thursday, and the Investigative Committee opened a murder investigation. Russian media reported that the victim was a colonel and chief navigator of the 6th Air and Air Defence Army, and that a remotely detonated device was attached to the underside of his car. Investigators said the cause had not been established and were examining the scene.

Argentina threatened Sam Moody, chief executive of Rockhopper Exploration, with imprisonment over the Sea Lion offshore oil project north of the Falklands. The UK told an international tribunal that Argentina passed domestic legislation criminalising the project and banned Israeli partner Navitas from operating in the country for 20 years. Argentina is seeking urgent suspension of drilling.

Mongolia protested to Malaysia over the 2006 killing of a Mongolian woman, Altantuya Shaariibuu, outside Kuala Lumpur. A special envoy said the country regretted a January Court of Appeal decision that removed Malaysian government liability in a civil suit and reduced damages. Mongolia asked for a fair review, the return of a convicted officer who escaped to Australia, examination of potentially new evidence and a written response.

Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow Thursday to meet Vladimir Putin and press for a Ukraine peace deal after US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi. The talks ended with a planned prisoner exchange but no breakthrough, with differences remaining over territory and progress on post-war security guarantees. The US team will try to persuade Putin to invite Europeans and will meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Dublin on Friday.

Prime Minister Rob Jetten's three-party minority coalition appeared close to collapse Thursday after D66 and the Christian Democrats agreed a tax package with two center-left opposition parties. The right-wing VVD called the deal a breach of the coalition agreement and demanded a fundamental reset if the others voted for it. A fall in government could trigger fresh elections next year.

Gunmen attacked police officers returning from an illegal gold mining operation in Kohat district, northwestern Pakistan, killing 10 officers and 18 fighters. Provincial police said 12 officers were wounded, and the Pakistani Taliban claimed the attack hours later. Security forces say violence in the border province is linked to Afghanistan, an accusation Kabul rejects.

Leaders from more than 40 European countries are meeting in Dublin for a European Political Community summit on the continent's fragile security. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and NATO chief Mark Rutte are attending. American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to meet Zelenskyy after talks with Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Four girls aged between nine and 11 died on Tuesday at a school in Kampala, and police suspect poisoning. Eight pupils had eaten oranges shared by a fellow pupil, and five, including the four who died, started vomiting. The head teacher at Ta'aliim Primary School and Quran Memorisation Centre has been arrested, and post mortem examinations are being carried out.

Kévin Tessier, 39, the main suspect in the October 23 Trappes attack, said he acted on behalf of France when he killed one person and injured five. Investigators found a sticky note at his home listing names and phone numbers of four left-wing figures, including two Green Party MPs, a France Unbowed MP and Assa Traoré. Prosecutors said the shooting was committed because of the victims' actual or supposed race, ethnic group, nation or religion.

Around 80 Palestinian families in al-Shuneh, a Jordan Valley cluster near Jiftlik in the occupied West Bank, are bracing for expulsion after Israeli settlers erected a new outpost on a nearby hilltop. The armed group installed water and electricity cables and released a video encouraging others to join, while townspeople said demolition orders and settler visits have intensified attacks. The outpost is illegal under Israeli and international law.

Iran's armed forces said they have updated their list of possible targets in a renewed war, including no geographical restrictions on retaliatory strikes. Deputy chief of staff Kioumars Heydari said the list is ready to be communicated to army and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders. He said it reflects previous Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's instructions for an immediate, effective response without geographical limitations.

Gibran Rakabuming Raka, 39, resigned as Indonesia's vice president on Thursday after court rulings disputed his educational credentials and questions grew over his eligibility. President Prabowo Subianto accepted the resignation with a heavy heart, while a petition by 120 lawmakers began a process that could lead to impeachment. The office will remain vacant until the People's Consultative Assembly elects a replacement within 60 days.

The cargo ship Karin is set to leave Ireland for Russia carrying alumina, a white powder experts say can be used to make weapons. A Russian-owned plant in Aughinish is Europe's biggest alumina refinery and regularly sends the product to Russian ports. Ireland faces calls to stop the shipments as European leaders gather in Dublin, though the government and the company say there is no evidence the material reaches Russian military supply chains.

A passenger van veered off a mountain road in Nepal on Thursday and rolled about 700 meters off the road before stopping on a slope near Bhimphedi, about 60 kilometers southwest of Kathmandu. Police said at least 10 people were killed and five were injured, and survivors were taken to hospitals. The cause was not clear, but police were investigating as people traveled for the Tihar festival.

US Vice President JD Vance is contemplating direct talks with Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei, according to US media outlets. The Wall Street Journal reported that Doha could be a possible venue if the meeting goes ahead, based on information from several US and Middle Eastern officials and sources familiar with the matter.

A 17-year-old boy is in critical condition after falling from the outside of a northbound Tangara train on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, police said. He was likely train surfing, also called buffer riding, and suffered multiple injuries to his head, chest and pelvis. He was carried to safety and taken to Royal North Shore hospital, while two other people were assisting police inquiries.

Rolling power cuts across Ukraine have left some Kyiv families without electricity for up to 20 hours as Russian strikes intensify on the energy grid. Officials warn life could become unsustainable if outages fall below four hours a day, while Kyiv's metro and trolleybuses have at times stopped. Ukraine has responded by striking Russian oil refineries.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian told the COP31 climate conference on Wednesday that Tehran is seeking compensation for environmental damage caused by US and Israeli strikes. He said the issue is related to global efforts to fight climate change.

Yemen's Houthis denied Saudi claims that they targeted Mecca, saying a drone was launched at a pumping station in Yanbu and three cruise missiles targeted King Khalid airport. Coalition forces said they intercepted missiles and drones, and Saudi civil defence said debris from two ballistic missile interceptions fell in Sabuhah. Yemen's army said at least 138 Houthis were killed or wounded as Saudi-backed forces carried out hundreds of attacks.

Bolivia has arrested former chief justice Aldo Quezada at his home in Santa Cruz on suspicion of drug trafficking and criminal association, a prosecutor said. He resigned last month after being placed on a US visa restrictions list for alleged cartel links. The arrest is part of a crackdown backed by the US that has also targeted officials in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

Pope Leo XIV said Peru is his homeland as he arrived in Lima for the final leg of his South America trip. The Vatican estimated 3 million people lined his motorcade route, and he met President Keiko Fujimori at the presidential palace. The Chicago-born pope, who lived in Peru for more than two decades, said the country formed him as a pastor.

Paraguay's Central Bank said it had partially returned savings to all eligible Ueno Bank depositors after the digital lender collapsed last week. It said 100% of clients entitled to the deposit guarantee fund had received at least part of their money, and 1,812,348 people were partially refunded. The crisis triggered mass protests and the impeachment and arrest of former president Santiago Pena, accused of steering government funds to the bank.

The SS United States, a nearly 1,000ft ocean liner that set a transatlantic speed record on its 1952 maiden voyage, sank off Destin, Florida, to become the world's largest artificial reef. The ship, retired in 1969, was hollowed out and filled with water before reaching the seafloor at about 180ft depth. Officials expect it to provide habitat for marine life and become a diving destination.

Spain's interim lower house ratified housing measures to limit evictions and real estate speculation a day after a general strike and clashes in Barcelona. The first decree passed, extending eviction protections for vulnerable tenants until 2030 and restricting companies from buying properties below 70 percent of their value. The second decree was rejected, and the measures may be repealed if the Popular Party wins the November 29 election.

William, 17, was found alive after six days missing in dense bushland near Walhalla, Victoria, though the two accounts differ on whether the rescue happened on Thursday or Friday morning. Rescuers winched him to safety and took him to hospital for a checkup. His mother said he had only a few scratches and seemed fit and healthy.

Indonesia's police chief is set to appear before a parliamentary panel Thursday as lawmakers investigate allegations that President Prabowo Subianto was targeted in an illegal wiretapping operation by senior officials, including his chief of staff. Three police generals were detained, including Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, and Prabowo's office said the case may be possible treason, while the government ordered 20,000 troops to Jakarta.

An Israeli air strike on the Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza early Thursday killed at least six Palestinians and injured more than 20. The strike hit the second floor of the al-Yasin building, causing extensive damage to intensive care and surgical wards, while Israeli Army Radio called it an assassination operation and casualties included staff and patients.

Leonardo Bertulazzi, 74, escaped from house arrest in Argentina by descending from a fifth-floor apartment with a harness and rope, prompting a nationwide search. He faces extradition to Italy to serve a 27-year sentence for his role in the kidnapping and death of former prime minister Aldo Moro. Argentine police said he tampered with his ankle monitor, and the Security Ministry offered a reward of 20 million pesos for information.

Australian state governments could sue tobacco companies for public hospital and healthcare costs, under a proposal by former barrister Neil Francey. The plan would let six states pool resources to seek up to $50bn in compensation in federal court and fund cancer screening and prevention. It targets British American Tobacco, Philip Morris and Imperial Brands, while South Australia is formally seeking advice and other states are reviewing it.

Nvidia said Thursday that cofounder Jensen Huang has stepped down as chief executive after reports of extramarital affairs with an alleged Chinese spy and a company employee. Chief financial officer Colette Kress will serve as interim CEO until a permanent successor is named. Huang, who owns about 3.6 percent of the company, will not remain on the board, and its shares fell 8.6 percent in after-hours trading.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's party launched his re-election manifesto, promising 6% annual growth by 2031, 78,000 additional security personnel and 200,000 affordable homes. The plan, titled From Reform to Prosperity, builds on first-term reforms such as removing fuel subsidies that raised living costs. General elections are due in January 2027, with Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar among challengers.

A March dispute over roadworks in Yaounde, involving the housing minister and the city mayor, highlighted tensions between central government and municipal authorities. President Paul Biya, 93, has governed since 1982 and returned to Yaounde on August 20 after more than 10 weeks abroad. The government has not given a detailed public account of whether presidential functions were formally delegated during his prolonged absences.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem welcomed Republican setbacks in last week's US midterm elections and a poor showing for Benjamin Netanyahu in Israeli polls, calling them a boon for Lebanon. He said the results signal Lebanon should resist the Trump administration's push to disarm the group. Qassem insisted Hezbollah would not hand over its weapons while Israel occupies parts of southern Lebanon.

A three-story building in Brooklyn's Flatbush section collapsed at the edge of a construction site on Wednesday, killing at least two people and trapping others. Firefighters rescued at least one survivor and rushed four people in critical condition to hospital, while officials said they did not know how many people remained in the rubble.

Archaeologists now believe the gilded bronze leg found in a Scottish bog in 1820 was part of a statue of Emperor Antoninus Pius erected near Hawick around AD140, rather than a looted Roman limb. They say it suggests the Romans were a far more significant force north of Hadrian's Wall than previously thought. The limb is the centrepiece of a Roman Scotland exhibition opening Saturday at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Israel ordered its military to step up preparations for a possible attack on Iran, and Tehran said it would retaliate if attacked. US President Donald Trump thanked troops involved in the war and defended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after House Republicans blocked an impeachment effort. Scenes showed the aftermath of an Israeli strike on Gaza tents.