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Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan summits focus on cooperation and Caspian Sea crisis
Leaders from across Eurasia gathered in Turkmenistan for three summits focused on strengthening regional trade, transport connectivity and economic cooperation, while addressing the growing environmental crisis facing the Caspian Sea.
Saudi Arabia
Houthis claim Riyadh further airport attacks as death toll rises to 13
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the weekend attacks on Riyadh airport. Saturday’s death toll rose to 13, while a further strike on Sunday killed one person. Flights remain suspended as Trump weighs US involvement.
Ukraine
Ukraine’s Operation Vivaldi foils Russia’s plan to encircle the Donbas
Ukraine’s counter-offensive on the Lyman axis collapsed the northern arm of a Russian pincer movement aimed at surrounding Ukrainian-held Donetsk, liberating up to 176 square kilometres and forcing Russian units onto the defensive, the Washington-based think tank said.
Iran
Iran's IRGC strikes tanker and threatens to target ships beyond Hormuz
Iran's Revolutionary Guard warned that vessels “violating” its designated routes would be pursued and "punished" anywhere in the region, as maritime agencies reported two further strikes on commercial ships in the Persian Gulf.
Saudi Arabia
Houthi strikes on Riyadh airport kill three, including airline captain
Two missile strikes on King Khalid International Airport forced diplomats to shelter in place and delayed dozens of flights, as Yemen’s government claimed progress in its Red Sea counter-offensive. Houthi forces said they were holding their ground.
USA
US to livestream execution of Fort Hood shooter, 'torture' for UN
Convicted military base shooter Nidal Hasan's execution will take place on 3 December at Fort Hood military base, where he committed the shooting. It will be the first US military execution carried out by a firing squad since World War II.
Russia
Russia slashes cancer care as defence spending hits post-Soviet record
The federal cancer programme budget falls from 44.9 billion to 3.87 billion roubles in 2027 — a nearly 40-fold reduction against 2025 levels — as defence spending reaches 35% of all federal expenditure, the highest share since the Soviet Union collapsed.
South Korea
Kyiv open to dialogue with South Korea after it recalls ambassador
Kyiv says it is open to “constructive dialogue” with Seoul despite its decision to recall its ambassador. South Korea’s decision comes just days after its president threatened to take punitive action against Zelenskyy’s violation of the non-disclosure agreement.
Azerbaijan
Experts in Baku urge action as missing persons surge worldwide
Around 280,000 people are registered as missing in Ukraine alone, with 10,000 new cases added each month, part of a 70% global rise since 2019. Forensic experts meeting in Baku said the obstacle was not forensic capacity but governmental reluctance.
Iran
Iran strikes tankers outside Hormuz in signs of expanding campaign
Two commercial vessels were hit within 24 hours — one off Qatar, the first attack in that area in six months, and one off Fujairah in the Gulf of Oman — as IRGC-affiliated outlets suggested Tehran had extended operations beyond the crucial strait.
Ethiopia
Ethiopian drones hit Eritrean forces accused of backing Tigray rebels
Drone strikes hit Eritrean vehicles around the northern city of Adigrat overnight, with witnesses reporting destroyed lorries and retreating troops, days after Ethiopia expelled Eritrean diplomats and Eritrea severed ties.
Ukraine
South Korea recalls ambassador to Ukraine in North Korean prisoner row
Seoul said Kyiv's public disclosure of the repatriation of two North Korean prisoners endangered their families in North Korea, where relatives of those who fall into enemy hands face punishment. Ukraine has rejected South Korea's accusations.
Saudi Arabia
Houthis claim missile strikes on Riyadh as explosions heard in capital
The claims came as witnesses reported several explosions across the Saudi capital, a day after a separate Houthi drone attack on the same airport killed one person and caused flight delays that continued into Thursday.
Russia
Russia dismisses transparency calls amid reports of second plague case
Rospotrebnadzor said nearly 5,000 tests found no dangerous pathogens and saw "no epidemic risk," while the Kremlin called most media reporting "false" and said it had no knowledge of a US demarche formally requesting additional information.
Iran
Iran threatens pre-emptive strikes as US questions who runs Tehran
Iran's army spokesman said Tehran's forces were prepared to strike first "should circumstances require it," while IRGC officials claimed tighter control of Hormuz, and Washington publicly pondered how much authority Pezeshkian and Araghchi actually wielded.
Iran
Iran parliament criminalises interviews with 'hostile' foreign media
The bill passed 174 to six despite cabinet opposition, carrying penalties of up to two years in prison, fines and flogging for Iranians who speak to outlets designated as hostile by the Intelligence Ministry. The bill has not yet become law and faces Guardian Council review.
Egypt
Scientists identify ancient Sphinx-like Egyptian crocodile
A skull found nearly a century ago has helped Egyptian and European researchers revise part of the crocodile family tree, shedding light on the Mediterranean's prehistoric wildlife and revealing an unexpected connection to the Great Sphinx.
Iran
Hardline Iranian MPs move to impeach foreign minister over US talks
The motion, filed by MPs aligned with the Paydari Front, accuses Araghchi of meeting US envoy Steve Witkoff at the UN General Assembly without authorisation, a claim directly opposed by Supreme National Security Council chief Mohsen Rezaei, who said the talks had prior approval.
Russia
Russia asks Vietnam for planes as seized Western fleet falls apart
Moscow proposed wet-leasing Vietnamese aircraft, crews and maintenance, but any transfer would involve Airbus or Boeing jets, exposing Vietnamese carriers to secondary sanctions. Nearly a fifth of Russia's largest airlines' planes are already grounded, double the normal downtime rate.
Turkey
One student killed, eight wounded in Istanbul school stabbing attack
A 15-year-old student disguised herself in the target school's uniform before attacking pupils at Şeyh Şamil Imam Hatip Secondary School in Başakşehir on Tuesday morning. The suspect, who attends a different school, was apprehended.
Russia
Russia denies plague death but quarantines 200 without explanation
Rospotrebnadzor said Darya Shipilova, 28, died of "pneumonia of unknown aetiology" with no links to her work at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute, but imposed quarantine on her contacts, confined 60 colleagues inside the facility and restricted access to hospitals including a maternity ward.
Qatar
Qatar warns 'whole world is paying' for Iran war as talks continue
The Iran war has disrupted global trade as regional powers prepare to bolster Saudi Arabia’s defences. Qatar said talks to end the war remained active and backed the Mecca defence alliance, but added that it was too early to discuss joining the pact.
Yemen
Yemen forces advance on Bab el-Mandeb in offensive against Houthis
Operation Yemen Dawn, backed by 100 Saudi coalition aircraft, retook the town of Dhubab just north of the strait, as the Houthis claimed they struck Riyadh's international airport, an oil refinery and military bases across Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan and Turkey agreed to deploy troops to the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia
Turkey and Pakistan to send troops to Saudi Arabia under defence pact
The three signatories of the August Mecca Joint Defence Agreement met in emergency session in Riyadh and agreed to move immediately to "rapid deployment" of military forces, uniting NATO's second-largest army, the Islamic world's only nuclear state and the largest Gulf power.
Canada
Quebec separatists promise independence vote after local election win
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged to work with the incoming separatist government in Quebec to address the needs and issues of the province, including resisting a hostile US administration, creating jobs and building housing.
United Arab Emirates
FlyDubai co-pilot planned to crash aircraft into Tel Aviv airport
The FlyDubai co-pilot behind the hijacking attempt wanted to crash the jet into Ben Gurion Airport and previously flew the sensitive Israel route, according to multiple sources close to the investigation, amid increasingly difficult questions about the circumstances of the narrowly avoided tragedy.
Russia
Russia denies lab worker died of plague as quarantine stays in place
Rospotrebnadzor said tests found no pathogen linked to the deceased lab worker's work at the Irkutsk anti-plague institute, but more than 60 colleagues remained isolated inside the building and several hospitals stayed closed without explanation.
Iran
Iran insists it controls Hormuz as rial hits record low and exports dry up
Iran's military insisted it retained full control of Hormuz and the foreign minister said the strait could reopen within seven days if Tehran's conditions were met, after US Treasury Secretary Bessent said Iran had not loaded a single barrel of crude onto tankers in September.
Brazil
Bolsonaro, Lula to face off in presidential runoff vote on 25 October
Flávio Bolsonaro, Brazilian senator, presidential hopeful and son to embattled former leader Jair, says he is “very happy” to have led in the first round and heading into the runoff, with incumbent Lula expressing disappointment over “unexpected” results.
Israel
FlyDubai captain reveals new details of attack in Netanyahu phone call
FlyDubai hero captain Smit Machchhar described to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu how the attack started and how he managed to finally open the cockpit door after nearly losing his vision under the co-pilot’s repeated blows. “I knew I couldn't let the passengers die,” Machchhar said.
North Korea
North Korea fires intermediate-range missile, claiming evasive flight
Japan’s military said the missile landed in waters outside its exclusive economic zone, while South Korea's military, which often accuses the North of exaggerating its capabilities, said it travelled more than 700 kilometres.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia awaits for final general election results
Around 3.4 million eligible voters in Bosnia headed to the polls to choose the three members of the country’s multi-ethnic presidency, lawmakers for the national Parliament, and heads of institutions for the country’s two entities.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, Turkey, Uzbekistan join forces in Karabakh exercise
Thousands of military personnel from Azerbaijan, Turkey and Uzbekistan, as well as other nations participating as observers, including Iran, joined forces in the “Power of Unity, 2026” military exercise for the first time, in the Hojavend district of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region.
Israel
FlyDubai co-pilot attacked captain with axe in 'terrorist' act
The FlyDubai co-pilot who nearly crashed the Tel-Aviv bound flight is an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami. He was barred from flying by Oman amid concerns he showed signs of extremist views. The incident threw the already hard-hit regional travel industry into crisis.
Russia
Russia leads world in cat ownership — yet has 2.8 million strays
Nearly 59% of Russian households own at least one cat, the highest rate globally, but the 2022 mobilisation order left hundreds of thousands of animals abandoned when owners fled the country or were sent to the front in Ukraine. Up to 98% of Russia's stray cats and dogs were once domestic pets.
Brazil
US suspends consular services in Brazil over security concerns
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and rival Flavio Bolsonaro are pulling no punches in a last-ditch effort to win voters ahead of Sunday's election in Brazil, where the US and Australia suspended consular services Friday over security concerns.
Argentina
Argentina announces it will give passports for €311.000 contribution
Argentina on Friday announced plans to offer citizenship to wealthy foreigners in exchange for cash contributions or investments in government bonds, as libertarian President Javier Milei seeks new sources of dollars for the debt-burdened nation.
Yemen
Houthis deny Saudi accusations of targeting Medina's holy sites
The Saudi-led coalition said a drone hit the Taibah electricity distribution station, which supplies power to the Prophet's Mosque, one of Islam's holiest sites. The Houthis denied the claim, stating it was a "lie" to back previous allegations against the group.
USA
ICE officers face tighter traffic stop rules, new guidance memo shows
The new guidance comes as the Trump administration faces mounting criticism over a string of deadly incidents involving ICE officers. The agency downplayed the new measures, insisting they’re mere reminders and that current protocols will continue.
Brazil
Brazil probes alleged US plan to fund far-right causes in the country
The investigation comes as both Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro prepare to contest each other for what is being described as a consequential election in Brazil, that could shape the developing economy’s forecast and future for decades to come.
USA
Musk returns to Trump administration to co-lead Pentagon war study
Musk, who in 2024 threw his support behind Trump and helped his return to the White House, served as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he spearheaded sweeping job cuts across the US federal government.
Russia
Russia expels Hungarian diplomats as Budapest breaks with Orbán era
Moscow ordered Hungarian embassy and consulate staff out just weeks after Budapest expelled 10 Russian diplomats on national security grounds in September, the first such move by Hungary since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russia
Russia's jury reform draws fire for handing verdicts back to the state
The Supreme Court proposals would allow presiding judges to "clarify" questions during deliberations and reduce jury panels from six or eight members to four, changes lawyers say undermine the independence of a system that acquits at 60 times the national average in non-jury trials.
Saudi Arabia
Israel says pilot tried to crash flydubai plane during cockpit fight
FlyDubai flight FZ1073 to Israel made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia as passengers describe harrowing scenes of a fight between the pilots, with one of them stabbed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a pilot "attempted to crash the plane," as Israeli security services investigate.
Russia
Russian nuclear-capable Tu-95 crashes in Far East, killing six crew
The bomber went down near Krasnoyarovo shortly after taking off from the Ukrainka air base, which Russia had used to shelter surviving strategic bombers after Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb destroyed or damaged more than 40 aircraft at Russian airfields in June 2025.
Iran
Iran warns no regional oil is safe as IRGC touts new weapons
Parliament speaker Ghalibaf said if Iran cannot sell oil, "no one in the region will sell oil," as the IRGC called Trump "a big liar," said US bases were the "only source of insecurity" in the region and warned new weapons were being prepared for the battlefield.
Syria
Sabotage halts Syria gas pipeline in latest attack on energy sector
Remnants of the so-called IS terrorist group have continued to target energy infrastructure after the fall of al-Assad in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor. Syria produces a fraction of its pre-war gas output against increasingly high demand.
Turkey
Iranian jet with passengers on board seized at Istanbul over €3m debt
Bailiffs boarded the Caspian Airlines Boeing 737 as passengers sat ready for departure and served a €3 million debt order before it could take off. The seizure came days after US secondary sanctions on Iran's aviation sector took effect, halving international flights at Tehran's main airport.
United Arab Emirates
UAE confirms president met with Israeli PM Netanyahu on Sunday
The visit came weeks after a bombshell Israeli media report that the Emirati president had warned Netanyahu ahead of the Hamas-led attack on Israel in 2023, which the Israeli premier did not pass on to the security services.
Russia
Putin expands army for fourth time this year as war losses mount
The decree adds 15,500 troops, bringing the authorised military strength to 1.55 million, the fourth such increase since March. Zelenskyy said Moscow had "already begun additional mobilisation" and that North Korea was preparing to send a further 10,000 soldiers to Russia.
Myanmar
Myanmar army airstrike on market in Rakhine kills 49, injures 58 more
The Arakan Army accused the army of using fighter jets to drop bombs near the civilian market around noon on Monday, killing many people. The incident is the latest in a continued territorial fight between Myanmar’s ruling junta and the Arakan Army, which controls the state of Rakhine.
USA
Second prosecutor resigns from Trump's 'grand conspiracy' probe
A second high profile prosecutor in Trump’s grand conspiracy Justice Department probe into whether former government officials conspired against him has abruptly resigned from his post. Kurt Olsen was one of the biggest backers of the 2020 rigged elections claims that Trump has championed for years.
Ukraine
Ukraine's city of Oleshky faces starvation as Russia blocks all aid
Russia is shooting down food deliveries, confiscating supplies that reach the ground and blocking evacuation of some 2,000 residents still trapped in the occupied Kherson town, where the Council of Europe warns civilians face "a high risk of death" with no food, medicine, water or electricity.
Ethiopia
Tigray rebels push into Afar as Ethiopia blames neighbours
The TPLF advanced toward Afdeera after taking Erebti, with at least 150,000 people feared displaced in Afar alone. The offensive targets the Djibouti corridor, through which almost all of Ethiopia's international trade flows, giving the rebels potential leverage over the federal government.
Russia
Russia plans new 'superprisons' despite war recruitment emptying jails
Seven complexes holding more than 20,000 inmates are planned for 2035, including one in Russian-occupied Kherson, even as the prison population has dropped from 465,000 to 282,000 since 2021, largely because inmates have been recruited as contract soldiers for the war in Ukraine.
United Arab Emirates
Trump adviser Boulos says US president is determined to end Iran war
In an interview with Euronews, the US administration's adviser for Arab and African affairs, Massad Boulos outlines the US president's views on the war with Iran, the US ties with Gulf states, Sudan and the political stakes ahead of the midterm elections.
Turkey
Turkey’s fund probe: Asset freezes lifted as AKP deputy chair quits
Turkish prosecutors have lifted asset restrictions on 45 companies and 19 funds amid an investment fund crisis affecting more than 450,000 investors. The decision comes after a deputy chair of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling party resigned amid allegations about her share trading.
Russia
Russia lost nearly half its schools — war propaganda fills the rest
Closures driven by per-pupil funding that made smaller rural schools unviable far outpaced demographic decline. Since 2022, all remaining schools hold mandatory weekly classes on Russian "traditional values" and the Kremlin's version of events surrounding Russia's war in Ukraine.
Turkey
Turkish comedian Deniz Göktaş on trial for insulting Erdoğan in show
Göktaş's arrest was the latest in a widening crackdown on anyone seen as critical of Turkey's conservative government or its values, which has netted hundreds of politicians, artists, musicians, journalists and LGBTQ+ activists.
South Korea
Seoul demands apology after Kyiv reveals transfer of North Korean POWs
North Korean soldiers were among the foreign contingent conscripted to fight alongside Russian troops on various frontlines in the war on Ukraine, after the Kremlin sought assistance from its close allies to bolster its deployments amid struggles with domestic conscription.
Serbia
Serbia's politicians return to debates ahead of parliamentary election
A month before the early parliamentary elections, Serbia's high ranking politicians from the ruling and opposition parties engaged in a debate on the N1 channel after a prolonged boycott between the anti-government station and officials. The ownership change provided a new opportunity for dialogue.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan agrees multi-billion-dollar deals with investment giants
Nearly $11 billion (€9.7 billion) worth in contracts have emerged from the Azerbaijan International Investment Forum, where some of the world’s biggest investment managers gathered for talks ranging from infrastructure and technology to energy and transport.
Gaza
Israeli military releases video of tunnel destruction in Gaza
The Israeli military has released video it says shows a 2-kilometre underground tunnel in southern Gaza being destroyed. The footage, provided by the army, could not be independently verified. The military says the tunnel route was dismantled as fighting continues in Gaza.
USA
Uzbekistan calls for more effective UN at General Assembly
Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of Uzbekistan’s Presidential Administration, used her UN address to focus on regional cooperation, Afghanistan and reform of the organisation. She also covered domestic reforms, AI, human rights and environmental challenges.
Iran
Pezeshkian tells UN Iran will not be bullied but will negotiate
In his UN General Assembly speech, Iran's president also accused the US and Israel of illegal attacks on civilians as the US delegation walked out. He closed with a direct message to Trump: "Yes they did hit us, but we did not bend the knee."
USA
UK to review Chagos deal after Trump tells Burnham it is 'terrible'
Britain has suspended its €139 million-a-year lease payments for the Diego Garcia base while ministers try to reshape the agreement into one Washington can accept, with the Conservatives calling for it to be scrapped altogether.
Ethiopia
Tigray rebels seize airport and clash with Ethiopia's federal forces
TPLF forces took control of Mekelle airport and fought federal troops at two locations in the Afar region, while Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to three Tigray airports in an apparent collapse of the Pretoria Agreement that ended the 2020-2022 war in the country.
Russia
AI serves up content from Russia's sanctioned state outlets, RSF finds
Reporters Without Borders tested six AI chatbots by requesting news from RT, Sputnik, and other EU-sanctioned Russian outlets, and found that three produced full summaries with links and quotes, sometimes after encountering web pages explicitly stating the outlets were under sanctions.
Iran
Trump threatens to 'annihilate' Iran at UN, then confirms direct talks
Speaking at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump asked whether he should "annihilate the Islamic Republic" or offer it a deal to rebuild before telling reporters that US and Iranian officials had met on the sidelines. Most of Iran's delegation walked out during his speech.
Russia
Russia quietly modernises bomb shelters in Moscow and St Petersburg
Tens of millions of roubles have been allocated for repairs to shelters across Moscow districts and St Petersburg metro stations as Ukrainian drones struck another Russian refinery on Sunday, as the Kremlin's all-out war in Ukraine continues well into its fifth year.
Iraq
Iraq to collect 6 million weapons despite Iran-backed militia pushback
Baghdad recast 30 September — originally a hard deadline for armed factions to surrender an estimated 6 million weapons — as the start of the regulatory process as Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba refuse to hand over what they call "resistance weapons".