Thursday 5 November 2026 | five Australian stories first, then the main headlines from around the world.
Featured image: Photo: BalticServers.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Illustrative image of data-centre equipment.
Australia
1. NSW Health Minister wants Calvary Mater partnership ended by year’s end
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said he wants the public-private partnership governing Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle to end by the close of 2026. A parliamentary committee had recommended returning the hospital to public hands as soon as possible after an inquiry earlier this year into mould, pests and maintenance problems. The government’s response was due on Thursday, the ABC reported.
2. Snowy Hydro executive bonuses exceed $750,000
Three Snowy Hydro executives received more than $750,000 in combined short-term bonuses for 2025-26, according to the company’s annual report. The payments were made in September, and the largest single bonus was $280,915. The ABC noted that revised costings for the Snowy 2.0 project have roughly doubled, with a possible cost of $25 billion. A Snowy Hydro spokesperson said the incentives are tied to a range of performance outcomes.
3. No Gold Coast rentals affordable for many essential workers
An Anglicare snapshot of almost 1,500 Gold Coast rental listings found none were affordable for full-time nurses, cleaners, hospitality or retail workers, or social and community services workers. Only three were affordable for paramedics or firefighters and six for a school teacher. Anglicare described the results as a major concern as the region’s population grows.
4. Gold stolen from Batemans Bay prospecting store
Police said two people smashed a window with a sledgehammer at a store on Orient Street, Batemans Bay, that sells metal-detecting and prospecting equipment, and took an amount of gold before leaving in a Toyota LandCruiser. Police were called at about 3:50am on Wednesday. They are asking anyone with phone, dash-camera or CCTV footage to contact Crime Stoppers.
5. Foster carer shortage reported across NSW
Life Without Barriers said it has never needed more foster carers across New South Wales. The organisation cited about 45,000 children nationally who need care and fewer than 6,000 foster-care households, the ABC reported from Newcastle.
Around the World
6. Global technology shares fall sharply after US midterms
On Thursday in the United States, the S&P 500 fell 4.4%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 3.4% and the Nasdaq fell 5.5%, its largest one-day drop since April 2025. Reuters and Axios reported that investors were concerned about possible tighter rules on artificial intelligence and data centres under a Democratic-led Congress. South Korea’s Kospi fell more than 8%, triggering a trading circuit breaker, and Japan’s Nikkei also dropped sharply.
7. California governor commutes all 548 death sentences
Governor Gavin Newsom commuted every death sentence in California to life in prison without parole, announcing the decision in an open letter. The Death Penalty Information Center called it the largest mass clemency grant in US history.
8. Paraguay’s president out of office as bank crisis deepens
Paraguay’s central bank took control of Ueno bank on 3 November over insolvency, leaving many depositors without access to their money. Reports on 5 November said President Santiago Peña had left office, and prosecutors are examining links between the bank and the government.
9. Nationwide strikes and protests across France
Trade unions held strikes and demonstrations in cities across France over living costs, public services and education. The Interior Ministry estimated about 600,000 participants, with a large march in Paris. Police used tear gas in Lyon, Reuters reported.
10. US widens sanctions on Cuba
The US State Department announced sanctions on 10 individuals and entities linked to Cuba’s government, military and oil sector, including two people and eight entities in shipping networks tied to the Cuban military. The measures expand to electronics, manufacturing, marine and technology sectors.
Stories are included only where the reporting could be confirmed. Figures and details may be updated as events develop.
Sources
This report is a summary written in our own words from the following reporting: ABC News: Newcastle and Hunter briefing, 5 November; ABC News: South East NSW briefing, 5 November; ABC News: Gold Coast briefing, 5 November; ABC News: markets live blog, 6 November; SBS News bulletin, 6 November; Just Security Early Edition, 5 and 6 November; Foreign Exchanges world roundup, 5 November.
