After a summit of EU leaders, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever complained he had not received answers to all his concerns about a groundbreaking plan to issue a €140 billion loan to Ukraine.

Brussels

Russian forces have invaded Ukraine from land, air and sea with strikes causing widespread damage. Global leaders have condemned the move and imposed sanctions.

Ukraine Invasion

European Union leaders have not reached an agreement on a proposal to use frozen Russian assets held in Belgium to provide a €140 billion loan to Ukraine. The Belgian government raised concerns about potential risks to its financial sector, including possible legal costs, prompting the EU to delay a final decision.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged EU leaders to approve the plan, emphasizing the need for funds to support Ukraine's defense efforts. The European Commission will now work to address Belgium's objections, with a decision expected at the next EU summit. Other countries, such as the UK and Canada, may also participate in the initiative.

Belgian resistance holds up €140B loan for Ukraine at EU summit

EU leaders fail to agree on a way forward on using frozen Russian assets based in Belgium as a way of funding Ukraine over the next two years. The European Commission and EU leaders say the money should be transferred to Ukraine to pay for weapons and for their budgetary expenses as they defend themselves against the Russian invasion. But the Belgian government says there are too many risks for their financial sector, including potential heavy legal costs for its proceed with the so-called reparations loan. This is a topic that is certainly not trivial. It's very complex and therefore we discussed it, but it was also very clear that there are points to be clarified and to have a deep dive and to work more on them. So in other words, we agreed on the what, that is the reparations loan, and we have to work on the how. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed leaders earlier in the day, welcoming the passing of the 19th package of sanctions targeting Russian energy giants and promising to bring forward a complete end to the use of Russian fossil fuels in Europe. Zelensky says his country needed the money from the reparations loan from Russian assets to produce weapons. We need to use any kind of Russian money for Ukrainian production and increase it. It's cheaper and quicker. And we speak first of all about long range. It's about drones. It's about electronic warfare, systems of electronic warfare, and it's about missiles. If Russia is ready to speak, we're ready to speak. This is the plan. Between us, the plan begins from ceasefire. The plan begins even not with ceasefire. The plan begins with will to sit and speak, not to stand and fight using all the kind of missiles against just civilians. EU leaders have agreed that a decision on using frozen Russian assets held in Belgian banks to be used in Ukraine would be made at the next EU summit in December. It's also possible that other countries outside the EU, like the UK or Canada, could participate. But for now, the European Commission is tasked with addressing and coming up with solutions for Belgium's very strongly held objections. Seana Murray, Euronews, Brussels.

Argentines are voting in legislative elections that will test support for President Javier Milei's free-market reforms and deep austerity measures and determine whether he has the backing to continue his economic overhaul

Buenos Aires

Argentines vote in high-stakes test of Milei's vision

Beijing decided to implement tighter restrictions on rare earths exports that are needed for advanced technologies. In response, Trump threatened additional tariffs on Chinese imports.

Kuala Lumpur

Global Tariffs

US-China trade deal closing in ahead of meeting between Trump and Xi

U.S President Donald Trump has presided over the signing of a peace accord between Thailand and Cambodia. Trump helped broker a ceasefire between the two after a deadly dispute on the border in July.

Trump signs Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire pact

French authorities have made arrests in connection with the recent theft of jewellery from the Louvre Museum in Paris, however it's uncertain whether any jewels have been recovered. One of the men taken into custody was preparing to leave the country at a Paris Airport.

Paris

Arrests made in Louvre jewellery heist by French police: Paris prosecutor

Russian President Vladimir Putin, dressed in military fatigues, met army chief Valery Gerasimov for an update on Ukraine’s front lines. Putin also praised the successful test of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered missile, which reportedly flew 14,000 kilometres in 15 hours.

Moscow

Putin hails long-range nuclear missile as Russia pushes deeper into Ukraine

Hurricane Melissa rapidly intensified from a Tropical Storm to a Category 4 hurricane in 24 hours and is still undergoing rapid intensification. It is expected to be a Category 5 storm by Monday. Melissa is forecast to bring life-threatening, catastrophic rainfall and storm surge to Jamaica, as well as Haiti and Cuba.

Category 4 Hurricane Melissa to bring catastrophic impacts

Left-wing independent Catherine Connolly, who secured the backing of Ireland's left-leaning parties including Sinn Féin, has won the country's presidential election in a landslide victory against her centre-right rival.

Dublin

Left-winger Catherine Connolly wins Irish presidency

It took the French police almost a week to make their first arrests in connection with the investigation into the theft of the jewels of the French sovereigns from the Apollo Gallery.

Louvre robbery: two suspects arrested, Paris prosecutor says

Moscow says it successfully tested a Burevestnik nuclear missile this week, with Russian president Vladimir Putin saying it is "unlike any other in the world."

Testing of 'unique' new Russian weapon successful, says Putin

On the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, U.S. President Donald Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire deal between Cambodia and Thailand. Trump is on a multi-stop tour of Asia, meeting allies in an attempt to resolve a trade war with China.

Trump's ASEAN visit yields Thai-Cambodian truce, trade deals

Kingston's waterfront in Jamaica was empty on Saturday, with the first bands of rain from Hurricane Melissa hitting the island. But in some parts of the city, they are still racing to prepare for the storm. Jason Allen reports.

Kingston

Jamaica braces for Hurricane Melissa

U.S President Donald Trump says he plans to hike tariffs on imports of Canadian goods by an extra 10 per cent because of an anti-tariff television ad aired by the province of Ontario.

Ontario

Trump announces new punishing tariffs on Canada

French media reports that the Louvre has moved some of its most precious jewels out of the museum for safekeeping. The jewels were moved from the Apollo Gallery, the scene of Sunday's heist, according to French radio.

Louvre moves most precious jewels out of museum for safekeeping

The United States is stepping up its military presence in the Caribbean by ordering its most advanced aircraft carrier into the region. Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro accused the US of using drug trafficking claims to "fabricate a war" in Latin America.

Caracas

Venezuela's Maduro accuses U.S of 'fabricating war'

Deploying an aircraft carrier is a major escalation of military power in a region that has already seen an unusually large US military buildup in the Caribbean Sea and the waters off Venezuela.

U.S sending aircraft carrier to South America in major escalation

Ontario Premier Doug Ford stands by his decision to run an anti-tariff ad campaign in the U.S. after President Donald Trump halted trade talks with Canada because of it. The ad will be paused next week and Prime Minister Mark Carney says he is ready to resume talks when the U.S. is interested.

Ottawa

Trump halts trade talks with Canada over World Series ad

New York Attorney General Letitia James pleaded not guilty to federal charges of bank fraud and railed against the Trump administration over her prosecution.

New York

Letitia James pleads not guilty in mortgage fraud case

The Pentagon announced the USS Gerald R. Ford, the Navy's newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, is headed toward South America as news emerges about a 10th U.S. strike against alleged drug-carrying vessels in the area.

Washington

Pentagon sending world's largest aircraft carrier to Latin America

U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping next week as part of a trip to Asia, the White House said on Thursday (October 23), confirming the meeting which had been called into question following an escalation in trade tensions.

Seoul

Trump to meet Xi in South Korea as part of Asia swing

Changpeng Zhao, known as "CZ," stepped down as head of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange and pleaded guilty to money laundering in 2023. U.S. President Donald Trump has issued Zhao a pardon.

Trump pardons convicted Binance founder Changpeng Zhao

Britain's King Charles III and Pope Leo XIV have prayed in public together in a historic moment, marking the first time in 500 years that leaders of both the Church of England and the Catholic Church have taken part in a joint service.

Vatican City

King Charles meets Pope Leo XIV in historic public show of unity

U.S. President Donald Trump is reacting to an anti-tariff ad featuring a speech by former President Ronald Reagan. Trump is claiming that Canada is trying to influence the Supreme Court as it prepares to hear a case on tariffs.

Trump ending trade talks with Canada over anti-tariff ad

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro appealed Thursday for calm as tensions rose with Washington, saying in English: “No crazy war, please!” His plea followed US President Donald Trump’s announcement that he had authorised covert action against Caracas amid an expanding U.S. military campaign targeting alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Pacific.

'No crazy war, please!' Maduro pleads to Trump after covert action

Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was charged in connection with a conspiracy to fix high-stakes card games. Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was charged in a second fraudulent betting scheme and more than 30 people in total were arrested between the two cases.

Portland

NBA coach Chauncey Billups charged in rigged gambling scheme

An Alaska Airlines IT outage is causing a ground stop for flights nationwide.

Seattle–Tacoma International Airport

FAA issues ground stop for all Alaska Airlines flights due to tech issue

President Trump signaled the U.S. military is planning to go beyond just striking what the administration says are Venezuelan-linked drug boats, saying "land is going to be next."

Trump warns land strikes against alleged drug traffickers may be next

The European Union has imposed more economic sanctions on Russia, adding to U.S. President Donald Trump's new punitive measures against the Russian oil industry.

EU joins U.S. in imposing more sanctions on Russia

President Trump announced Thursday that he has called off a plan to deploy federal agents to San Francisco after a conversation with the city's Democratic mayor, Daniel Lurie.

San Francisco

Trump reverses plan to send federal agents to San Francisco

President Trump has pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who pleaded guilty to enabling money laundering through the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.

Trump pardons Binance founder Changpeng Zhao

In a post on X, Lithuania's President Gitanas Nausėda slammed what he called a "blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity."

Belgian resistance holds up €140B loan for Ukraine at EU summit

Breakdown

See The Full Story

Ukraine Invasion