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Federal prosecutors in the US are planning to use DNA evidence to try to prove congresswoman Ilhan Omar committed immigration fraud.
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One source said the DNA evidence was critical to proving an allegation that Omar married her brother because she was trying to help him get a green card — which never came to fruition.
Meanwhile DeepSeek, the Chinese AI company that rattled Silicon Valley with a cheap-but-powerful chatbot is now being ordered off US civilian government systems over fears sensitive information could reach Beijing.
While some might say the move is too little, too late,still marks a massive shift in America’s official position as the AI race picks up steam.
The ban was actually pushed through in July, but only released to the public now in late October.
It comes as Volodymyr Zelensky has shared heartbreaking images of people - including a toddler - killed in a strike at a children’s playground in Ukraine.
He labelled the incident an “atrocity” and called out Washington’s softening stance toward Moscow, as Donald Trump continues the personal attacks on the Ukrainian leader.
Read on for more updates.
DNA evidence could prove Ilhan Omar wed her brother
Federal prosecutors are planning to use DNA evidence to try to prove Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) committed immigration fraud, as part of the sprawling investigation into the congresswoman, according to the New York Post.
People familiar with the years-long criminal probe said the feds have made use of whistleblowers, government records and now obtained DNA in an effort to substantiate decade-old allegations that Omar — and possibly members of her family like her father — defrauded immigration authorities.
One source said the DNA evidence was critical to proving an allegation that Omar married her brother when she wed Ahmed Nur Said Elmi in 2009 because she was trying to help him get a green card — which never came to fruition.
It’s unclear whether the DNA was taken before or after Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) searched her home in Washington, DC, last Monday, when federal agents were seen exiting the bungalow with boxes marked “Seized Property Evidence”.
- With the New York Post
US bans China's DeepSeek from government systems
The Chinese AI company that rattled Silicon Valley with a cheap-but-powerful chatbot is being ordered off US civilian government systems over fears sensitive information could reach Beijing.
While some might say the move is too little, too late, it still marks a massive shift in America’s official position as the AI race picks up steam.
The ban was actually pushed through in July, but only released to the public now in late October.
A Department of Homeland Security notice released on Monday sets out restrictions covering DeepSeek’s own products and third-party tools built using its technology.
The signed order carries an original release date of July 24. Monday’s development was its public disclosure.
“DeepSeek’s models present multiple threat vectors,” an accompanying document warned.
Using the tools “may result in the transfer of sensitive data to (China) if used by US government employees or vendors,” the department said.
It pointed to DeepSeek’s China-based servers and laws giving Chinese authorities “extensive authority” to access private company infrastructure.
Australia imposed its own restrictions in February 2025, directing government entities to remove DeepSeek products from official systems and devices.
The move against China’s models is quite significant, but runs into a few problems given some of the most recent developments in the industry.
AI-assisted reverse engineering is already producing some extraordinary, albeit unnerving, results. Tools such as REA also let coding agents inspect compiled software and help recreate particular features without access to its original source code.
The incredible jumps in capability have raise questions about how readily commercial software could be replicated, and potentially decoded on a whim.
Google Cloud outage hits banks.
Online services for a number of UK banks in and around London were disrupted by a Google Cloud outage Tuesday.
The cloud outages began just after 6:08am GMT.
The centre of the outage is London, but the impact can extend outside of the UK if apps in other countries rely on London-based infrastructure.
“Our engineering team continues to investigate the issue,” Google Cloud said early Tuesday.
UK banks that reported disruptions include Lloyds, Halifax, HSBC and Revolut.
“We are currently experiencing a service disruption affecting multiple services,” Revolut said in an email. “We can confirm that all our customers’ money and data are safe. We’ve been working to fix the issue since it was identified this morning and apologise to anyone affected and for any inconvenience caused.”
There appear to be outages elsewhere in Europe, but it is unclear if they are connected.
Rumours swirl on Kim Jong-un
There have been unconfirmed reports in recent days that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un may be in ill health.
News sites across the globe were reporting on Tuesday that Kim was potentially in a “coma” in China. Multiple social media accounts have been spreading the news on platforms like X.
But media in South Korea do not appear to be buying it.
News agency Yonhap on Monday reported Kim was alive and well and had visited a garment factory.
International agency Associated Press ran pictures of him on October 11 visiting a museum at an undisclosed location.
What is making news on the Korean Peninsula is that North Korea was threatening to use loudspeaker broadcasts and “tactical strike assets” at the border.
Comments from Kim’s sister Kim Yo-jong, the director of the General Affairs Department of the Workers’ Party of Korea, claim the measures are in response to aggression from the South.
“Our military leadership is considering increasing the deployment of tactical strike means near the entire southern border and resuming loudspeaker broadcasts against South Korea as preemptive and suppressive measures in preparation for any contingency,” she said in a statement carried by North Korean state media.
South Korea has said it was using broadcasts as a warning to North Korean soldiers who have repeatedly breached the military demarcation line in recent months.
The Republic of Korea has also blamed the North for mine explosions that injured three of its personnel last month.
US President Donald Trump made no reference to Kim’s health when asked if he planned to meet with him during an upcoming trip to China.
Kremlin open to Trump, China meeting
A spokesman for the Kremlin says Russian leader Vladimir Putin was open to meeting with Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in China next month amid reports he was seeking favourable terms to end the war in Ukraine.
The Wall Street Journal reported this week that the three presidents planned to meet on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen in mid-November.
According to the Journal, Mr Putin proposed the meeting in an attempt “to capitalize on warming ties between Trump and the Russian leader that have alarmed Ukraine and its allies in Washington and Europe”.
Mr Trump on Tuesday denied having knowledge of the meeting but said he would “do it”, if only to discuss “denuclearisation” and not the Ukraine war. He even said Russia has “been fine in Ukraine”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, AFP reports, when asked about the Journal’s story said: “Given that all three heads of state might potentially attend a summit in China, the topic of such a hypothetical meeting has indeed been mentioned.”
But Mr Peskov added that “no substantive proposals or agreements, neither regarding the meeting itself nor its potential agenda and content, have been discussed or put forward by anyone”.
China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said she had no information about a possible meeting.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga bristled at the suggestion of a meeting without Kyiv.
“A trilateral meeting between the leaders of Russia, China and the US would do only the opposite: encourage Putin to continue this war,” he said.
Me Putin, he insisted on social media, was “not a global leader; he is a war criminal”.
'Pure atrocity': Horror images of Russian strike
A heartbreaking picture of a young girl purportedly killed by a Russian strike at a children’s playground in Ukraine has been released by the military.
Six people were killed in the airstrike, with images of their lifeless bodies shared by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The pictures – which news.com.au has chosen not to publish – show a baby girl still seated in her stroller, her shoes neatly tied and her maroon jumpsuit covered in debris.
Nearby a person was slumped in a garden chair, a single coffee cup lying behind them. What appears to be a trampoline can be seen abandoned in the background.
Another girl, aged 11, was also found among the six people killed at the site in the Kharkiv region.
Mr Zelensky posted the images to his X account on Tuesday as he decried the “pure atrocity” and took aim at a softening stance from the US toward Russia.
“A little girl was killed in a stroller – her name was Angelina, she was just over a year old, born in August 2025… Her mother’s name was Inna. She died in the hospital… Another girl who was killed was 11 years old,” he wrote.
“My condolences to their families and loved ones. Another 14 people were injured, including six more children.”
Mr Zelensky has been involved in a public spat with Donald Trump over the US President’s criticism of Ukraine, his recent oil deal with Russia and plan to drop sanctions on Vladimir Putin’s country.
The Ukrainian leader said in his post he was grateful to all who supported Ukraine but called on the world to keep the pressure on Russia.
“You can’t think about making money with Russia as long as it continues its asinine war,” he wrote.
“We ask that sanctions on Russia stay in place as long as the killings continue. We ask America to be strong, and we ask it to apply the Lindsey Graham law.
“We ask Europe to continue its support. We ask that everything possible be done to bring peace and guarantee security. Ukraine wants peace.
“It is Russia that has insisted on continuing the killing all this time.”
Speaking a few hours later, Mr Trump again blasted Mr Zelensky and said it was time “someone else” negotiated on behalf of Ukraine. He said Russia “has been fine on Ukraine”.
He was also asked about how Ukraine lost connection to Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service last week, which extended for three days. It has been reported Russia bombarded its neighbour with strikes during this period.
Mr Zelensky has claimed it was a “message” from the US and blamed Mr Musk for turning Starlink off.
Mr Trump on Tuesday said he would “like to find out” who or what was responsible.
'Ruined their country': Trump unloads on France
Donald Trump has again blamed the riots unfolding in France on migration and questioned whether the European power could “come back” from a weekend of chaos.
The US leader said he told his “friend” Emmanuel Macron he should have closed the French borders “a long time ago” as he linked the social unrest to “letting the whole world come in”.
“And as you know Paris is going to be a Muslim city soon. That wasn’t part of the deal,” Mr Trump said.
The protests spreading across France began as a student revolt against closing, dilapidated and packed schools, and poor staff conditions.
Some children received “war-like injuries” in earlier phases of the protests, including one teen whose hand was blown off by a police stun grenade on October 5, the French Senate heard last week.
The demonstrations have since devolved into widespread looting and riots in Paris and beyond.
“It’s a very sad situation because what’s happening in France is to do with immigration, not schools or anything,” Mr Trump stated on Tuesday.
“They let people into their country that don’t love their country. They don’t love their buildings. They don’t love their art.
“They’ve ruined their country. It’s going to be hard to get it back but hopefully France will come back.”
China 'catching up' on nukes: Trump
China was “catching up” to the US and Russia in terms of its nuclear arsenal, Donald Trump has claimed as he said he was keen for a trilateral meeting on denuclearisation.
The US President said China was “five years” away from catching the other nuclear superpowers during comments to a press pack at the White House on Tuesday.
While walking on the South Lawn, he was asked about reports of a planned meeting between China President Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and himself to discuss and end to the Ukraine war.
Mr Trump said he “would do it” but “not so much for Ukraine because Russia frankly has been fine on Ukraine”.
“We would have it to talk about nuclear weapons, denuclearisation,” he said.
“We have more nuclear weapons than anybody. Russia is second and China’s third but catching up. China was way behind but now they’re catching up but it’ll take them probably five years.
“We would schedule a meeting based on denuclearisation and that’s a very positive thing for the world.
“If they’d like to have it … I’d have it.”
Mr Trump said he would be in China in November, where he is expected to meet with Mr Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
'Time for somebody else': Trump on Zelensky
Donald Trump has responded to ongoing criticism from Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky by saying it was “time for somebody else to negotiate” for the war ravaged nation.
Mr Zelensky has said he believed US President Mr Trump would be on the wrong side of history as he seemingly praises Russia while demonising Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning, AEDT, Mr Trump repeatedly whacked Mr Zelensky as he was asked about he would stop the war that has raged since 2022.
Among the comments he claimed Mr Zelensky “is not helping matters much” and “I think he doesn’t want it to stop”.
“I was watching a woman on television the other night and she blamed Zelensky. She said ‘he’s killing our men … our men are dying, they have no legs, they’re in mental institutions’,” he said.
“Zelensky doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Zelensky is a man who should have had this war settled a long time ago.
“And to be honest I think it’s time for somebody else to negotiate on the side of Ukraine.
“If he would have listened to me he would have had to settled a long time ago … maybe it’s time for Zelensky to get somebody else to negotiate.”
The two leaders have been locked in a feud in recent weeks with Mr Trump saying earlier in October “it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president”.
Those comments came after Mr Zelensky criticised the US for striking a surprise oil deal with Russia.
France confirms curfews as cost-of-living riots turn violent
France has introduced partial curfews in Paris, Lille, Lyon and other major cities after a weekend of cost-of-living protests spiralled into the worst street violence the country has seen in years.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has refused to rule out declaring a state of emergency, after the interior minister admitted police had “lost control” of the unrest.
Paris tourists copped a dose of the chaos on Monday, with the Louvre forced to close after a small band of student protesters gathered at its famous glass pyramid entrance. The US embassy has urged American citizens to steer clear of demonstrations altogether.
Around half a million people took to the streets across France on Saturday, the culmination of four weeks of protests that began with high school students demanding better conditions.
The movement quickly escalated, with masked agitators clashing with police, torching buildings and vehicles, and looting shops.
More than 2,500 people have been arrested, with 67 already jailed. Nearly 1,000 security personnel were injured, and one protester reportedly lost a hand after being struck by a police crowd-control grenade.
President Emmanuel Macron has conceded the government’s response fell short, despite deploying 60,000 police on Saturday alone. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez offered his resignation, but Mr Macron rejected it.
The unrest comes just six months before France votes for Mr Macron’s successor, with far-right leader Marine Le Pen riding high in the polls. The government has accused far-left groups of exploiting the chaos.
Similar cost-of-living anger has flared across Europe, with clashes in Milan, tear gas deployed in Brussels, and housing protests erupting in Madrid, Lisbon and Porto.
Organisers say another round of protests is planned for Saturday.