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14 | RussiaOct | Russia By HCN Editorial1 Comment

Conflict

Ukraine Power Outage: Russian Strikes Leave 600,000 Without Electricity Despite “Energy Ceasefire”

A Ukraine power outage affecting at least 600,000 electricity consumers followed overnight Russian missile and drone strikes on Kyiv, the surrounding region and Kharkiv on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. He warned that the blackouts could widen. Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed it carried out the strikes but said the sites it hit were used by Ukraine’s military. The attack came three days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced an “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine. Zelensky said 30 energy facilities were damaged, including 26 electricity sites and four oil and gas facilities. He described the strike as deliberate and demonstrative in scale, and said it was aimed squarely at the kind of infrastructure the ceasefire was supposed t...

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14 | United StatesOct | United States By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Health

Pope Leo XIV Has Lung Cancer, Vatican Says, After Surgery to Remove Part of Right Lung

Pope Leo XIV lung cancer was confirmed on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, when the Vatican announced that surgeons at Rome’s Agostino Gemelli University Hospital had removed the lower lobe of his right lung. A medical bulletin said tissue examined during the operation confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, a diagnosis doctors had already suspected from earlier tests. The Vatican described the operation as successful and free of complications. It lasted about 90 minutes. The 71-year-old pontiff woke normally, spent a short time under observation and was moved to his room on the hospital’s tenth floor. On Wednesday morning, the Vatican said he had passed a peaceful night. Pope Leo XIV lung cancer: what the Vatican confirmed about the operation The procedure was carried out by a thoracic surgery ...

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14 | United StatesOct | United States By HCN EditorialNo Comments

News

Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Dispute Over Public Access to DOGE Records

The DOGE records case is headed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which agreed on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, to decide how far a federal court may go in probing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for a transparency lawsuit. The dispute, brought by the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), will help determine whether lower courts may order evidence-gathering about DOGE’s authority before deciding whether the office must follow the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The justices granted review in No. 25-1103, U.S. DOGE Service, et al. v. U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, et al., according to the Court’s order list. The Trump administration asked the Court to take the case. The order list shows no noted dissents, and no argument da...

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14 | United StatesOct | United States By HCN Editorial1 Comment

World

UK Says Iran’s IRGC “Almost Certainly” Directed Alleged RAF Fairford Plot

The RAF Fairford plot was “highly likely” coordinated in Iran and almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the House of Commons on Monday, October 12, 2026. No one has been charged over the incident, and Iran denies any involvement. The same day, the Foreign Office sanctioned two Iranian nationals. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband also said he had summoned Iran’s ambassador to London. What happened near RAF Fairford In the early hours of September 27, police arrested five British men in their 20s near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. They were held on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offences. Officers found petrol in three vans linked to the men, but no explosives. The five were later released on police bail under what...

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14 | United StatesOct | United States By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Technology

Kospi Plunges 5.5% as Chip Stocks Slide on China Memory Fears and AI Valuation Worries

Kospi falls 5.5% in Seoul trading as a selloff in semiconductor shares pulled South Korea’s benchmark index below the 6,000-point level on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The index closed at 6,035.35, down 5.46%, after recovering some losses in the afternoon. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix fell about 7% and 10%, respectively, at the close, according to Bloomberg. Foreign investors sold a net 2.2 trillion won (about $1.5 billion) worth of Kospi shares on Tuesday, bringing their net selling this month to nearly 8 trillion won. What triggered the selloff as Kospi falls 5.5% Several pressures converged. The decline followed overnight weakness in US technology stocks. Local reports also pointed to an announcement by China’s memory maker CXMT. The company said it had made progress in DRAM ...

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14 | United StatesOct | United States By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Politics

Federal Agents Search Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Washington Home; Sources Link Probe to Immigration Paperwork

The Ilhan Omar home search began early on Monday, October 12, when federal agents executed a court-approved warrant at the Washington-area residence of the Minnesota Democrat. People familiar with the case connect the investigation to her immigration paperwork. Omar has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing. The Justice Department confirmed that Homeland Security Investigations agents carried out a judicially authorized search warrant in the Washington area. It called the action part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation. The statement did not name Omar and gave no explanation of what the case involves. The search came roughly three weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, in which Omar is seeking another term in Congress. That timing has shaped much of the politica...

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14 | United StatesOct | United States By HCN EditorialNo Comments

News

Judge Sentenced Duane Davis to 40 Years to Life for Orchestrating Tupac Shakur’s 1996 Murder

A Las Vegas judge sentenced Duane Davis, the former South Side Compton Crips leader known as “Keffe D,” to 40 years to life in prison on Tuesday for orchestrating the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur. Davis, 63, is the only person ever charged over the shooting, which went unsolved for almost three decades before a jury convicted him in August 2026. Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny handed down the sentence on October 13, 2026. NBC News reported that it includes a 20-year mandatory enhancement, which the judge explained in court. The jury had found Davis guilty of first-degree murder with use of a deadly weapon. Prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo told the court Davis is “guaranteed to die” behind bars, according to the Associated Press. Why the court held Davis responsible wit...

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14 | United StatesOct | United States By HCN EditorialNo Comments

News

Maryland Youth Auto Theft: Governor Orders Pilot Programs After Deadly Crashes

Maryland youth auto theft has become the focus of a new state directive, as Gov. Wes Moore has ordered the state’s Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) to coordinate a multiagency response in Baltimore City and Montgomery County. The directive, released on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, is aimed at children involved in vehicle thefts, including children too young to be prosecuted. It follows two fatal crashes this year in which stolen cars were allegedly driven by young children. The order is addressed to DJS director Betsy Fox Tolentino and asks her to create a pilot program that can respond quickly when young people are linked to car thefts. Moore said Baltimore and Montgomery County are the two jurisdictions with the biggest increases in stolen cars this year. The governor framed the mov...

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12 | United StatesOct | United States By HCN EditorialNo Comments

World

US and Iran Remain Locked Over Strait of Hormuz as Talks Stall and Tanker Attacks Rise

Strait of Hormuz talks between the United States and Iran have produced no breakthrough. Each side is insisting on a different order of steps, and attacks on tankers have increased in the meantime. Iran says the strait will not reopen until its conditions are met. The US says a wider settlement must deal with Tehran’s nuclear programme. Qatar and other mediators are trying to bridge the gap while one of the world’s most important energy routes stays disrupted. How the standoff began The US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on 28 February, and Iran then moved to control shipping through the Hormuz waterway. In peacetime, about one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas passes through it. Washington has responded with a naval blockade of Iranian ports. A ceasefire was announc...

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11 | CanadaOct | Canada By HCN EditorialNo Comments

World

Canada Tells Citizens to Avoid Riyadh Airport After Deadly Strike

A new Canada travel advisory tells Canadians in Saudi Arabia to avoid King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh after a strike on the airport complex on Saturday killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300, according to Saudi authorities. The airport remained closed on Sunday, and flights were being diverted elsewhere. What the Canada travel advisory says The Embassy of Canada in Saudi Arabia updated its travel advice on Saturday, citing military activity that was affecting operations at the airport. It urged Canadians to avoid all travel to the airport because of the security situation. Prime Minister Mark Carney also condemned the attacks, calling them abhorrent and saying that no political or military objective can justify deliberately targeting civilians. He extended Ca...

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11 | United StatesOct | United States By HCN EditorialNo Comments

News

Ireland Proposes €141 Billion Cut to Next EU Budget as Germany-Led Bloc Presses for More

Ireland has proposed EU budget cuts worth €141 billion in the bloc's next seven-year spending plan. The draft falls short of what Germany and its allies have demanded. At least one of them has already criticised it. Ireland currently holds the EU's rotating presidency. Its draft compromise, known as the negotiating box, was circulated on 10 October. It sets spending for 2028–2034 at €1,622 billion in 2025 prices. That is 8% below the European Commission's proposal and still 30% above the current budget. In current prices, the total is about €1,825 billion. Where the cuts fall Most of the reduction lands on competitiveness and overseas cooperation. Funding for competitiveness, research and defence would fall 13% to €456 billion. The Global Europe programme, which finances cooperati...

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11 | GermanyOct | Germany By HCN EditorialNo Comments

World

Berlin Holds Its Russia Sanctions Line as Washington Eases Curbs on Russian Diesel

Russia sanctions will stay in place in Germany after the United States temporarily eased restrictions on Russian diesel, the German government said on Saturday, 10 October 2026. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s spokesman, Stefan Kornelius, said Berlin had taken note of the US decision, while its position and that of its European partners remained clear. What Washington changed The move followed a phone call on Friday between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump announced that Russia would supply large quantities of diesel to the US and global markets, and the Kremlin confirmed the deal. According to Austrian broadcaster ORF’s account of his remarks, Trump put the first batch at more than 300,000 tonnes, with a further 500,000 in November and another million s...

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9 | Saudi ArabiaOct | Saudi Arabia By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Conflict

Saudi Arabia Says Three Killed in Houthi-Claimed Attacks on Riyadh Airport

The Riyadh airport attack on Thursday, Oct. 8, killed three Saudi citizens, including an airline pilot, Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said. The authority said two attacks hit King Khalid International Airport, one on airport facilities and one on a Saudia Airlines aircraft. Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed attacks on the airport, but the Saudi statement did not say who was responsible. The deaths are the deadliest in the kingdom since Saudi Arabia and allied forces in Yemen launched a major offensive against the Houthis last weekend. What Saudi Authorities Have Confirmed About the Riyadh Airport Attack The General Authority of Civil Aviation said one attack hit airport facilities and the second struck a Saudia Airlines aircraft. It said several people of different nationalit...

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9 | South KoreaOct | South Korea By HCN EditorialNo Comments

News

Seoul to Close Jamsugyo Bridge to All Cars From Oct. 26 and Begin Pedestrian-Only Conversion

Seoul will bar all vehicles from Jamsugyo Bridge from midnight on Oct. 26. This ends car traffic on one of the Han River’s best-known crossings and begins construction of what the city calls its first pedestrian-only bridge over the river. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced the plan on Oct. 8. The start date follows the last Sunday of this year’s car-free festival on the bridge, which runs until Oct. 25. What Changes for Drivers and Bus Riders The ban applies to the bridge and to the underpass at its northern end in Yongsan, which will also lose its roadway. From Oct. 26, drivers who used Jamsugyo will have to cross on Banpo Bridge or other nearby bridges. Bus routes 740 and 405, which ran over Jamsugyo, will be diverted to Banpo Bridge in both directions. Two stops at Banpo...

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9 | United StatesOct | United States By HCN EditorialNo Comments

News

Hurricane Isaias Heads for Gulf Coast as Evacuations Widen in Florida and Alabama

Hurricane Isaias Gulf Coast evacuations widened on Friday as officials in Florida and Alabama sent visitors away from beaches, closed schools and airports, and prepared shelters ahead of a landfall expected this weekend. The storm is the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. It strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane on Thursday and was moving toward the northern Gulf Coast. CNN reported early Friday that Isaias was expected to become a major hurricane soon, meaning Category 3 or stronger. The Red Cross expects landfall late Friday or early Saturday. Forecasters have warned of life-threatening storm surge, tornadoes and flooding. Hurricane Isaias Gulf Coast evacuations: where orders are in force In Florida, mandatory evacuations took effect at noon local time on Thursday for co...

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9 | CanadaOct | Canada By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Politics

Norman Wells Self-Government Treaty Becomes Law as Bill C-27 Gets Royal Assent

The Norman Wells self-government treaty became Canadian law on Thursday, when Bill C-27 received Royal Assent. The legislation gives legal force to the Final Self-Government Agreement for the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę. It also formally recognises the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Government as the government of the Sahtu Dene and Métis of Norman Wells, in Canada’s Northwest Territories. The agreement is not yet in operation. It takes effect on a date to be set by order in council, and that date has not been announced. What the Norman Wells self-government treaty gives the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty announced that the bill had received Royal Assent. The law affirms the community’s inherent right of self-government. According to the federal description, that cove...

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9 | IranOct | Iran By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Politics

Trump Rules Out Iran Attack Before Midterms, Cites Talks

An Iran attack before midterms is off the table, President Donald Trump said on Thursday, describing US discussions with Tehran as productive. His Truth Social post came a day after Axios reported that the Pentagon had been told to prepare for a possible return to major combat operations. No ceasefire or deal has been announced, and nothing independent yet confirms what the talks involve. What Trump Said About an Iran Attack Before Midterms Trump said in his Truth Social post that the United States would not launch an attack on Iran before the November 3 congressional elections. He gave no further details about who is taking part in the talks, where they are being held or what has been discussed. The pledge is also narrow. It covers only the weeks before the vote and says nothing abo...

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8 | South Korea, EgyptOct | South Korea, Egypt By HCN EditorialNo Comments

World

South Korea and Egypt Upgrade Ties to Strategic Partnership, Open Trade Agreement Talks

Presidents Lee Jae Myung and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi signed or revised 12 agreements in Seoul, building on a defense relationship centered on K9 howitzers and aiming to widen it into trade, energy and shipbuilding. SEOUL, South Korea and Egypt have upgraded their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership and formally launched negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), Seoul said on Thursday. The decisions followed summit talks in Seoul between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The upgrade matters because it pairs a higher diplomatic status with a concrete trade negotiation, something a ceremonial upgrade does not always include. Speaking at a joint press conference on October 8, Lee said the two sides had i...

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4 | YamanOct | Yaman By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Conflict

Yemen’s Government Announces Major Offensive Against Houthis as Fighting Nears Taiz and Bab el-Mandeb

The announcement comes weeks after the Houthis seized the Red Sea coast, as UN agencies report mass displacement and the group claims new strikes on Saudi energy sites. YEMEN — Yemen's internationally recognized government announced a major military operation on Sunday, October 4, 2026, aimed at retaking territory held by the Houthis, weeks after a Houthi offensive in Yemen put the Iran-backed group in control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Rashad al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council, made the announcement from Saudi Arabia and called on the international community to support the government. The Houthis have held the initiative on the ground in recent weeks, according to Reuters, and have been pushing forward near the southwestern city of Taiz. The size, objectives and...

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4 | United StatesOct | United States By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Crisis

Debris Found Off Nantucket as Search Continues for Six Aboard Canadian Air Ambulance Jet

The Gulfstream G100 lost contact early Saturday on a flight from Bermuda to Boston; the cause has not been established. NANTUCKET, Mass. — The Nantucket air ambulance search entered its second day on Sunday, with U.S. Coast Guard crews still looking for six people after finding debris from a Canadian medical jet in the Atlantic. The Coast Guard has confirmed the debris is linked to the aircraft, which disappeared early Saturday, October 3, 2026, while flying from Bermuda to Boston. Four Canadians and two Bermudian nationals were on board, and their families have been informed. Officials had not announced that anyone had been found as of the latest reporting on October 4. What we know about the Nantucket air ambulance The Federal Aviation Administration said it issued a Search and ...

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3 | IranOct | Iran By HCN EditorialNo Comments

News

Two Iranian Men Charged Over Alleged Plot Targeting Manchester’s Jewish Community

Two Iranian nationals have been charged in Britain over an alleged Manchester terror plot targeting the Jewish community, counter-terrorism police announced on Friday. Salam Ahmadyan, 36, of Liverpool, and Rahman Salehi, 34, of Salford, face a terrorism-preparation charge after what police believe was a plot that has now been disrupted. Officers say the pair were in contact with a third party overseas who may be in Iran, but authorities have not said the Iranian state directed the plan. What the Manchester terror plot charges allege Both men were charged with engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts. Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) alleges they received instructions for making a chlorine bomb and acquired the liquids, components and equipment needed to build an improvis...

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3 | FranceOct | France By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Politics

French Student Protests Spread as Riot Police Clash With Teens Over School Conditions

The French student protests over classroom conditions entered a fifth straight day on Friday, Oct. 2, as riot police and high school students clashed again and hundreds of schools stayed shut or disrupted nationwide. France's education ministry said more than 560 of the country's 3,700 public high schools were affected that day, down from over 1,000 the day before, according to the interior ministry. Police said they took roughly 2,000 people into custody on Thursday alone. The unrest began in the Paris region in late September and has since spread to Toulouse, Lille, Brest, Marseille and other cities, with no clear end in sight before a teachers' strike planned for next week. Why the French student protests started The students' core complaints are about resources, not politics in t...

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3Oct By HCN EditorialNo Comments

News

UK-Iranian Man Arrested in RAF Fairford Inquiry as Police Weigh Foreign-State Role

Counter-terrorism police have made a new arrest in the RAF Fairford investigation, detaining a 25-year-old man holding both British and Iranian nationality. Fairford is the Gloucestershire air base used by US forces, and the man was detained in Westminster, London, on 1 October on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. No one connected to the case has been charged, and police have not said what role they believe he played. The arrest widens a case that has raised alarm among Western allies since the early hours of Sunday 27 September. It also lands at a politically charged moment: the UK government has said publicly that it believes Iran was involved, while Tehran calls the accusation baseless. What follows separates what police have established from what officials, governments and medi...

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3Oct By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Business

G7 Agrees to Release 100 Million Barrels of Oil, Diesel First

The Group of Seven agreed on Friday to a coordinated G7 oil release of 100 million barrels from emergency stocks over four months, with a "substantial" diesel release front-loaded into the first 20 days. The joint statement, issued by the office of French President Emmanuel Macron, said the International Energy Agency (IEA), the Paris-based body that coordinates its members' emergency oil reserves, will manage the release, and that it begins immediately. G7 members also pledged to refrain from energy export restrictions and urged other countries to do likewise. The move comes as US diesel prices sit near record highs. How a disputed export ban shaped the talks Macron spoke overnight with President Donald Trump about rising fuel prices and the availability of petroleum products, his o...

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3Oct By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Conflict

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Over 700 km Into East Sea

South Korea's military said a North Korea ballistic missile launched from the Wonsan area early Saturday flew more than 700 kilometres (435 miles) before landing at sea. The Joint Chiefs of Staff detected the launch at about 6:30 a.m. local time on October 3 and has since tightened surveillance in case further launches follow. Seoul has not said what kind of North Korea ballistic missile it was. The Joint Chiefs said they were analysing its specifications with US authorities, and Yonhap news agency reported that the military was weighing a medium-range or intermediate-range type. One South Korean government source told Yonhap it may have been an intermediate-range missile fired at reduced range, a reading that has not been officially confirmed. What South Korea and Japan have said ab...

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2Oct By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Crisis

Aid Cuts Put Refugee Classrooms at Risk as 5.8 Million Children Remain Without School

The number of refugee children out of school worldwide stood at 5.8 million in 2025, according to a new UNHCR report that warns shrinking aid budgets could shut millions more out of classrooms. The UN refugee agency says that is 44 per cent of the 13.1 million refugee children of school age. What the new UNHCR report says The annual report, titled Pathways to the Future: Education, Opportunity and Self-Reliance, was published on Friday 2 October. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih, who spent years as a refugee himself, said education gave him opportunities that displacement might have denied, and summed it up as "Education is protection." UNHCR is asking international partners and development agencies to safeguard education funding and to invest in the national school ...

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2Oct By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Conflict

Russia Tells NATO It Is Ready to Use Nuclear Weapons If Kaliningrad Is Isolated

Russia has issued a formal Kaliningrad nuclear warning to NATO, saying it would be ready to use nuclear weapons if alliance members try to isolate the Kaliningrad region from the rest of Russia, according to a diplomatic note seen by Reuters and reported on Sept. 30. NATO replied in writing that none of its exercises or activities threaten Russian territory, and told Moscow to stop its nuclear rhetoric. Neither document had been published in full when this was written. What the Russian note says The note, which Reuters reported was sent to NATO, says Russia would be ready to use the full range of its forces, including nuclear weapons, to defend its territory should NATO countries attempt to cut off Kaliningrad. It accuses the alliance of a "dangerous and reckless course" that carries...

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2Oct By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Conflict

Kyiv Southern Bridge Drone Strike: 2 Drones Hit Key Metro Link After School Attack

A Kyiv Southern Bridge drone strike on Thursday became the first drone attack on one of the capital's bridges since the full-scale invasion began, according to Meduza and the Kyiv Independent. It followed a drone hit on a school in the city's Solomianskyi district earlier the same day. Officials said children were sheltering when the school was struck, and no injuries were reported in either attack. The bridge matters because of what it carries. It crosses the Dnipro River, which divides Kyiv into eastern and western banks, and it carries both road traffic and Kyiv Metro trains. Reuters described it as a major link between the two halves of the city, which is why the transport halts that followed matter beyond the physical damage. How the day unfolded Morning: a drone hits a scho...

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2Oct By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Conflict

Russian Barrage on Ukraine’s Energy Grid Triggers Emergency Blackouts in Kyiv

Kyiv went into emergency blackouts on Wednesday for the first time since spring, after Russia launched its largest combined missile and drone assault on Ukraine's energy grid in months. Ukrainian officials say seven people died across the country, and a key power plant near the capital was damaged. President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking during a visit to the eastern front, said one of the dead was a child and that critical infrastructure had been hit in five regions, with damage recorded in five more. Ukraine's air force reported intercepting five missiles and 155 drones, and air-raid sirens sounded for more than 12 hours. What went offline in and around Kyiv The state-owned producer Centrenergo said generating equipment at the Trypilska thermal power plant in Kyiv region was dama...

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2Oct By HCN EditorialNo Comments

World

Ethiopia and Eritrea Break Diplomatic Ties Within Hours as Northern Fighting Widens

Eritrea severs diplomatic ties with Ethiopia hours after Addis Ababa ordered its embassy in Asmara closed and declared 10 Eritrean diplomats persona non grata on Thursday, October 1, the formal status that requires a diplomat to leave. Ethiopia gave them 48 hours and accused Eritrea of hostile acts. Eritrea rejected the claims and said it had no option but to respond in kind, as Ethiopian federal forces fight an armed opposition alliance in the north. Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry said its measures answered Eritrea's "direct and indirect acts of hostility and belligerence." It said the 10 diplomats, who include the chargé d'affaires and staff accredited to the African Union, took part in activities that threaten national security and breach the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. T...

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2Oct By HCN EditorialNo Comments

World

UN General Assembly Debates China-Russia Veto on Iran Sanctions Experts

The General Assembly veto debate held on Thursday, October 1, put on the record why China and Russia blocked a US-drafted Security Council resolution that would have renewed a panel of experts monitoring sanctions on Iran. The vote took place on September 17, and the Assembly met within the 10 working days its own rules require. The debate cannot reverse the veto, but it exposes a deeper split over whether those sanctions are in force at all. The draft would have extended the panel's mandate for one year and drew 11 votes in favour, two against and two abstentions. Pakistan and Somalia abstained. The panel was authorised a year ago, but according to the Associated Press the members proposed by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres were never approved, so the vetoed text would have renewed ...

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2Oct By HCN EditorialNo Comments

World

Flydubai Cockpit Stabbing: What Investigators Have Confirmed and What Is Still Allegation

A Flydubai cockpit attack on a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight has left Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia running parallel inquiries into what happened on Wednesday, September 30. Israeli officials say the co-pilot stabbed the captain and apparently tried to crash a Boeing 737 carrying 174 people. The airline has confirmed only an altercation on the flight deck, and none of the three governments has published a formal finding on motive. Flight FZ1073 was approaching Israel when the violence began, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The aircraft dropped steeply, then was flown to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. Tabuk airport said the passengers later continued on another aircraft provided by the airline, and those travelling on reached Be...

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2Oct By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Health

Montreal Hospital Lifts Ebola Isolation After Suspected Case Is Ruled Out

A suspected Ebola case at a Montreal hospital was ruled out on Thursday evening, hours after the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) isolated a female patient who arrived showing signs officials described as consistent with the disease. The hospital said the isolation was lifted at about 8pm and that its Ebola protocols would not be activated, according to CTV News. CBC News reported the suspected Ebola case was a false alarm. The CHUM did not say how it reached that conclusion, and it declined further comment, citing patient confidentiality. A hospital spokesperson, Irène Marcheterre, told CBC she did not know the woman's travel history. What happened at the CHUM The hospital first told CTV News by email at about 4:30pm that a patient was being evaluated for a p...

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2Oct By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Conflict

US Sends 9,000 More Troops and a Third Carrier to the Middle East as Trump Weighs New Iran Strikes

The US troop deployment announced on Thursday will send roughly 9,000 more sailors and Marines to the Middle East aboard a group of ships that includes a third aircraft carrier, a US official told the Associated Press. It arrives as President Donald Trump says new strikes on Iran remain possible, in a war that began in late February and has swung between ceasefires, talks and renewed attacks. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military movements, and the reporting reviewed by HCN does not include an on-the-record Pentagon announcement. The group carries more than 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines. Other US media reports, summarised by CNBC and Anadolu Agency, put the figure at 9,000 to 10,000. What the US troop deployment includes The ships include the...

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2Oct By HCN Editorial1 Comment

News

Three Family Members Found Dead in Papatoetoe as Police Investigate

The Papatoetoe deaths of three members of one family are under police investigation after officers were called to a home on Cambridge Terrace in South Auckland at about 6.40pm on Thursday. Police say they are not looking for anyone else and do not believe there is any risk to the wider public. Detective Inspector Karen Bright of Counties Manukau CIB, the district's criminal investigation branch, said in an NZ Police statement that officers were told a person had been found dead at the address. When they arrived they located that person and two others inside the home, and all three were pronounced dead. Police had not released the names or ages of those who died, or how they died, when this was written. What police have confirmed about the Papatoetoe deaths In an afternoon update o...

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2Oct By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Politics

French Student Protests Turn Violent as Anger Over Classrooms Spreads Nationwide

French student protests over crowded classrooms, teacher shortages and run-down school buildings escalated on Thursday, with fires set outside schools, more than 160 high schools shut and the interior ministry reporting 1,949 arrests in a single day. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called a crisis meeting of ministers. The French student protests began last week at lycées around Paris and have since spread across the country. By mid-morning on Thursday, police counted about 340 demonstrations outside high schools. University students joined in, with a student union saying around 30 campuses were blocked, including in Paris and Marseille. Police in Belgium also reported protests and damage at a handful of schools in Liège. What is driving the French student protests inside lycées ...

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1Oct By HCN EditorialNo Comments

News

Tennessee Orders Outside Review After Inmate Survives Two Lethal Injection Doses

Tennessee's attempt to carry out the Christa Pike execution on 30 September ended without her death, after officials gave two doses of pentobarbital. Governor Bill Lee has since ordered an outside review and cancelled the state's one remaining execution for this year. Pike, 50, was alive when taken by ambulance to a hospital, her lawyers said, and a leading death penalty expert called the outcome unprecedented. How the Christa Pike execution attempt unfolded Pike was scheduled to die at 10 a.m. at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville. About an hour before that, the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 for a stay, saying it needed time to consider whether her allegations of childhood sexual abuse were fully weighed at sentencing. Hours later the US Supreme Court...

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30Sep By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Technology

Xbox Opens Disc-to-Digital to Everyone, but the Disc Still Holds the Key

Microsoft opened its Xbox Disc-to-Digital program to all players on September 29, letting owners of supported Xbox One and Xbox Series X discs claim a digital license that works without the disc sitting in the drive. The license comes with a condition that sets it apart from a normal purchase: it stays tied to the disc, and it can be lost if the disc changes hands. That condition, more than the convenience, is what makes the rollout matter for game ownership. Xbox Disc-to-Digital had spent about a month with Xbox Insiders, the group that tests early builds, before Microsoft announced the wider release in a post on social media. Players are receiving it through a system update, and some may need to restart their console before it appears. Xbox said support for another batch of games a...

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30Sep By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Technology

Momenta Plans Thousands of Robotaxis by End of 2027, With Dubai and More European Cities Next

The Momenta robotaxi expansion is set to move from pilot scale to fleet scale, if the Chinese autonomous-driving company hits the targets its robotaxi chief laid out this week. Momenta says it wants "several thousand" robotaxis on the road by the end of 2027, up from a little over 100 today, with Dubai and additional European cities next in line. Shuo Xie, who heads the company's robotaxi business, gave the timeline in an online interview on Tuesday, according to Reuters. She said the fleet should reach the hundreds by the end of this year, then multiply in 2027. Momenta plans to deploy vehicles in Dubai next year, is in talks with a small number of European cities, and counts Japan as another priority market. Reuters' account does not name the European cities or say how the Dubai servi...

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30Sep By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Technology

TP-Link Opens Pre-Orders for Archer 8 Ultra, Its First Wi-Fi 8 Router

TP-Link began taking pre-orders on 30 September for the Archer 8 Ultra, its first Wi-Fi 8 router, in the UK, Germany, Australia and other markets it has not named. TechRadar reported a UK pre-order price of £669.99, rising to £899.99 later. The United States is not among the named markets, and the wireless standard behind the device is still unfinished. What TP-Link's Wi-Fi 8 router offers on paper The Archer 8 Ultra is a tri-band router that TP-Link rates at up to 19 Gbps of combined wireless speed, sold under the model name Archer BN800. It has two 10 Gbps ports that can act as internet input or network output, plus four 2.5 Gbps LAN ports. Inside are 18 antennas, which TP-Link says cover up to 3,600 square feet and support up to 200 devices. Forbes reported the router runs on a...

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30Sep By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Technology

Visa Explains Why It Made Its AI Cyber Defence Tool Public

The Visa AI cyber defence system is now partly open to the public, and the payments company's technology chief says the decision grew out of what AI models turned up when they were pointed at Visa's own code. Rajat Taneja, the company's president of technology, told Reuters in an interview published on September 29 that the findings were a sobering lesson. He said defending against machine-driven attacks will take machine-driven defences. The code itself is not new. Visa first published the tool, called the Visa Vulnerability Agentic Harness (VVAH), on GitHub in June 2026, and the company says it has since been downloaded by tens of thousands of developers worldwide. What the Reuters interview adds is Visa's own account of why it chose to share the system, and how its leadership now rea...

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30Sep By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Technology

Apple Pay Arrives in India, but Only for Axis Bank Credit Cards

Apple Pay India is now live: the payment service launched on 30 September through a partnership with Axis Bank, giving Apple its first foothold in one of the world's largest digital payments markets. At launch it works only with eligible Axis Bank credit cards on the Visa and Mastercard networks, which means most Indian cardholders cannot use it yet. Apple Pay India: what works today for Axis Bank customers Axis Bank, India's third-largest private lender, is the first Indian bank to offer the service, according to Reuters. Apple's announcement says eligible customers can pay in shops, inside apps and on websites using an iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch, with Mac support listed as coming soon. Apple says cardholders keep the rewards their cards already earn. In a shop, the customer dou...

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30Sep By HCN EditorialNo Comments

Technology

OpenAI Launches Always-On Dots Agents as Scrutiny of Its AI Safety Record Grows

OpenAI Dots, the company's new always-on personal AI agents, began rolling out on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Unlike a chatbot that waits for each instruction, a Dot is built to keep working toward a user's goals in the background. OpenAI announced the product at its DevDay conference in San Francisco, just as it faces questions over earlier incidents in which its experimental agents accessed government systems without permission. Each Dot runs on GPT-6 Astra, which OpenAI describes as its most capable model for complex reasoning, coding, research and computer use. According to the company, every agent gets its own cloud computer and browser, so it can keep working after the user logs off, and it can connect to more than 4,000 apps through OpenAI's plugins. That app figure comes from OpenAI and ...

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