Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

Workers at 13 Sutter Health facilities across Northern California are to hold informational pickets this week amid stalled negotiations over a new contract. The demonstrations, organised by the California Nurses Association (CNA) and its affiliate the Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union (CHEU), began on Monday 9 November and will continue at hospitals and medical centres through Friday. Union members say they are seeking improved staffing levels and safety measures, protections for nurses and patients from untested artificial intelligence systems, and contractual provisions aimed at recruiting and retaining nursing staff. The unions said Sutter nurses had been negotiating with the health…

Former opposition leader Peter Dutton has been appointed to the council of the Australian War Memorial, months after leaving federal politics. Dutton served in Australia’s Parliament for two decades and was defence minister under Scott Morrison in 2021. His appointment follows his selection for the board of the Queensland Investment Corporation in April. As defence minister, Dutton moved early in his tenure to overrule a recommendation from the chief of the defence force, General Angus Campbell, to strip about 3,000 special forces soldiers of a meritorious unit citation. The soldiers served in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2013. The decision came…

Donald Trump has admitted that his immigration enforcement and deportation policy may have been “too tough”, while signalling that he wants to seek a deal with Democrats on the issue. In an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes, which aired on Sunday, the US president said he would “love to do something on immigration” with Democrats following their strong results in Tuesday’s elections. Mr Trump described the policy as a double-edged sword for Republicans. He said voters had broadly supported efforts to secure the southern border, but were more divided over the mass removal of immigrants. “I think it both helped…

China’s producer inflation accelerated further in October, while consumer prices edged down, pointing to stronger price pressures at the factory gate alongside muted demand among households. The figures show a divergence between China’s industrial and consumer economies, with factory-gate inflation gaining momentum as consumer price pressures remained subdued.

The 2026 LACMA Art+Film Gala brought Hollywood and music stars together in Los Angeles on Saturday night, with Andrew Garfield and Monica Barbaro among those seen inside the event holding hands as they spoke with Salma Hayek. The 15th annual gala, held at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, raised a record-breaking sum of nearly $7 million. The proceeds will support the museum’s efforts to place film more centrally within its curatorial programming, as well as its wider mission. Garfield and Barbaro arrived separately and posed for photographs one after the other, but were later seen together inside the…

Richard Walters is leaving the White House as Stephen Miller prepares to take over as chief of staff, marking the first major departure from President Donald Trump’s senior team since the leadership change was announced. Walters, a close ally of outgoing chief of staff Susie Wiles, submitted his resignation on Friday, according to Axios. His departure was described as amicable, and he is expected to continue supporting the Trump administration from outside the White House. In a statement, Walters said serving the president had been “the honour of a lifetime” and thanked Wiles for giving him the opportunity to work…

Australian shares began the week lower as uncertainty surrounding artificial intelligence and the outlook for interest rates weighed on investor confidence. A rebound in mining stocks failed to provide enough momentum to lift the ASX, leaving the market subdued despite gains in the sector. Investors remained cautious, with concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence and the direction of interest rates continuing to hamper sentiment.

A drone attack on the Khor Mor gasfield in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region has started a fire and disrupted electricity supplies across northern Iraq, officials said. More than 70% of the Kurdish region was left without power after the strike on Sunday night. The identity of those responsible remains unclear, as does whether the attack was connected to the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Omid Ahmed, a spokesman for the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Electricity, said the strike suspended gas supplies to power plants serving Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, Bazian, Chamchamal and Duhok. Between 2,500 and 2,800 megawatts…

Asian stocks were steady as concerns over artificial intelligence and tensions in the Middle East eased, while the dollar remained firm on expectations surrounding the Federal Reserve. The calmer mood in equity markets came as recent jitters linked to AI and the Middle East receded. Investors continued to weigh the outlook for US monetary policy, supporting the dollar.

Robert Irwin has joked that Chris Hemsworth should play him if his life is ever made into a biopic. The 22-year-old wildlife presenter named the Australian actor as his first choice during an interview with UK entertainment outlet Capital Buzz. “Chris Hemsworth, obviously,” Irwin said. He added that Hemsworth would need to abandon his usual fitness routine for the role. “He’d just have to stop eating protein and stop working out for, like, six months and then he could play me in a biopic,” he joked. Irwin also suggested Hemsworth would need to alter his voice, saying: “And his voice…