US students score win in push for fossil fuel divestment by private high schools

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Concerned students press for their high schools – some with $1bn endowments – to reinvest in clean energy

A high school in California has decided not to invest in coal, oil or gas, instead pledging to put money into clean energy. It’s the latest win in a new fossil fuel divestment campus campaign launched by high schoolers across 11 countries that is gaining support in the US.

The Nueva School, an elite private school outside San Francisco, pledged in spring 2024 to invest a portion of its $55m endowment in renewable power. The commitment followed months of pressure from students.

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Death toll rises as protesters rage against Mozambique election result

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Police accused of killing at least 11 unarmed bystanders since 24 October, amid claims poll was rigged

Silvio Jeremias was on his way home from his job at a petrol station on the night of 25 October, in Mozambique’s capital Maputo, when he and his friends happened upon a group of protesters demonstrating against that day’s election results.

The ruling Frelimo party’s presidential candidate Daniel Chapo secured 70.7% of the vote, according to official results, ensuring the party that has ruled Mozambique since independence in 1975 remained in power, but there were widespread allegations of rigging.

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Elon Musk’s canvassing operation sued in California for alleged labor law violations

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Plaintiffs accuse America Pac of several violations during its operation to support Orange county’s Michelle Steel

Elon Musk’s troubled canvassing operation on behalf of Donald Trump and the Republican party is now facing a lawsuit in southern California filed by two women who say they were cheated out of wages and expenses as they knocked on doors for an embattled Republican congresswoman.

The suit accuses Musk’s America PAC, which has poured more than $100m into this year’s election campaign, of “willful violations of the California labor code” by paying the plaintiffs less than it promised and refusing to make up the difference.

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Spain floods: 10,000 troops and police drafted in to deal with disaster

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Pedro Sánchez orders largest peacetime troop deployment to deal with flooding that has killed 211 people

Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has ordered the country’s largest peacetime military deployment, announcing that 10,000 troops and police officers will be drafted in to help deal with the aftermath of this week’s devastating floods, which have killed at least 211 people in eastern, southern and central regions.

Speaking after chairing a meeting of the flood crisis committee, Sánchez said the government was mobilising all the resources at its disposal to deal with the “terrible tragedy”, which stuck hardest in the eastern region of Valencia. He also acknowledged that much of the help still wasn’t getting through and called for unity and an end to political bickering and blame games.

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A robot retrieves the first melted fuel from Fukushima nuclear reactor – The Associated Press

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  1. A robot retrieves the first melted fuel from Fukushima nuclear reactor  The Associated Press
  2. Robot retrieves radioactive fuel sample from Fukushima nuclear reactor site  The Guardian
  3. Robot retrieves first piece of melted fuel from damaged Fukushima nuclear reactor  Interesting Engineering
  4. Robot Retrieves Melted Fuel Sample From Fukushima Reactor  Newser
  5. Robot successfully retrieves first radioactive fuel sample from Fukushima reactor  The Independent
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UK schools boost maternity pay to stem exodus of female teachers in their 30s

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Sector faces ‘catastrophic loss’ as more than 9,000 thirtysomething women leave state education in a year

Schools across England are ramping up maternity pay and offering flexible working in a bid to stem the exodus of thousands of women in their 30s from teaching.

In Wednesday’s budget, Rachel Reeves confirmed she would fund the recruiting of 6,500 new teachers by pressing ahead with imposing VAT on private school fees. Yet heads and charities are warning that with more than 9,000 women aged between 30 and 39 having left state education last year, the government will not fix the teacher shortage unless it also acts to stop experienced women leaving.

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‘You have to disguise your human form’: how sea eagles are being returned to Severn estuary after 150 years

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Use of bird hand-puppets to rear young among innovative methods unveiled as part of project to restore species

Sea eagles were last seen soaring over the shimmering mud flats and brackish tidal waters of the Severn estuary more than 150 years ago. Now wildlife charities have unveiled innovative plans to bring the raptor back to the estuary, which flows into the Bristol Channel between south-west England and south Wales, by 2026.

“Sea eagles used to be common in these regions. But they were wiped out through human persecution,” says Sophie-lee Williams, the founder of Eagle Reintroduction Wales, which is leading the project. “We strongly believe we have a moral duty to restore this lost native species to these landscapes.”

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Scottish comedian Janey Godley dies aged 63

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Godley, whose comedy drew upon her Glasgow upbringing, died ‘surrounded by her loved ones’, her management says

Janey Godley, the Scottish comedian and author whose quick wit led her to swap pint-pulling in Glasgow for international standup tours, has died aged 63.

She died in a hospice “surrounded by her loved ones”, her management said on Saturday. Godley had announced she was receiving palliative care in September after her terminal cancer spread.

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University graduates to save $5,500, on average, in Albanese plan to wipe 20% of student debt

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Federal government overhaul to remove close to $20bn of student debt for 3 million Australians

All Australians will have their student debt cut by 20% next financial year, as part of a major federal government overhaul designed to boost access to education and address “intergenerational unfairness”.

The change, which will be outlined by the prime minister at a campaign rally in Adelaide on Sunday, will wipe about $16bn worth of debt and is being sold as a cost-of-living measure for young Australians.

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Iran claims it is capable of building nuclear weapon as Ayatollah vows ‘tooth-breaking’ response to Israel, US – Fox News

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  1. Iran claims it is capable of building nuclear weapon as Ayatollah vows ‘tooth-breaking’ response to Israel, US  Fox News
  2. Iran signals possible change in its nuclear doctrine  NBC News
  3. Iran claims it can build nukes, threatens Israel and US with ‘tooth-breaking’ retaliation  New York Post
  4. Is this our last chance to stop Iran from going nuclear?  The Hill
  5. 'Discourse of destruction': Iran expert says Iranian retaliation guaranteed  The Jerusalem Post
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Khamenei threatens Israel and US with ‘a crushing response’ over Israeli attack – The Times of Israel

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  1. Khamenei threatens Israel and US with ‘a crushing response’ over Israeli attack  The Times of Israel
  2. Iran’s supreme leader vows ‘teeth-breaking’ response to Israel and US after strikes on military sites  CNN
  3. Khamenei warns Israel, US of ‘crushing response’ for actions against Iran  Al Jazeera English
  4. Gen. Keane: The damage to Iran is beyond what's being reported  Fox News
  5. Supreme Leader Khamenei thretens US and Israel as Pentagon deploys reinforcements  The Jerusalem Post
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Pope offers Mass for All Souls’ Day at Rome’s Laurentino Cemetery – Vatican News – English

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  1. Pope offers Mass for All Souls’ Day at Rome’s Laurentino Cemetery  Vatican News - English
  2. Here’s how Catholics can get 8 plenary indulgences during the first week of November  Catholic News Agency
  3. Spiritual, not spooky. After Halloween, Christians observe All Saints’ Day  The Associated Press
  4. On All Souls Day, pope prays at graves of children, miscarried infants  USCCB
  5. This is Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of November  Catholic World Report
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