French international news agency
Alberta has voted on Oct. 19 on whether to begin a legal process toward a binding referendum on leaving Canada. Prime Minister Mark Carney has campaigned in the province this week urging unity, promoting a new west‑coast pipeline and other projects as reasons to stay, while separatist organisers and their backers have made a final push to increase turnout.
Since 10 October, President Trump has announced a temporary easing of U.S. restrictions to allow large Russian diesel shipments onto global markets and said he struck the deal with Vladimir Putin to lower fuel prices. Ukraine has criticised the move, resumed strikes on Russian refineries and accused the U.S. of restricting satellite services critical to its defences; European leaders have reaffirmed support for Kyiv.
A Washington Post photographer, Heidi Levine, has been beaten and robbed by masked Israeli settlers while documenting Palestinians harvesting olives near Abu Falah on 16 October. Levine has been hospitalised with broken vertebrae, a broken rib and other injuries; US, press and rights groups have called for an investigation and arrests.
Israeli strikes have continued across northern, central and southern Gaza, killing and wounding civilians since the October 2025 ceasefire. Gaza’s Health Ministry has reported more than 1,500 Palestinians killed and 5,300 injured during the truce year, and roughly 74,000 killed since the October 2023 war began. Displacement, shortages and restrictions on aid remain acute.
Myanmar’s president Min Aung Hlaing has visited Malaysia for two days while Kuala Lumpur is proceeding with a programme to repatriate up to 5,000 Myanmar nationals. Malaysia says roughly 10,000 people have returned this year and that repatriations are voluntary; the UN and rights groups have warned they cannot verify voluntariness and say returnees, including possible Rohingya, face grave risks in a country at war.
Marlen Reusser has retained the women's world time‑trial title in Montreal, winning in 50:24.44 and beating Britain’s Zoe Backstedt by 40 seconds. Germany’s Franziska Koch has taken bronze. Backstedt, 21, has stepped up from under‑23 competition and finished strongly on a longer, windy technical course.
Preliminary results have shown President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia has secured about 57–58% of the party vote and is set to take roughly 355 of 450 State Duma seats after three days of voting. Turnout has been reported near 57–60%. Voting included polling in Crimea and four Ukrainian regions annexed by Moscow; Western governments have denounced the ballot as uncompetitive and illegal in occupied territories.
Israeli settler attacks and Israeli military raids have intensified across the occupied West Bank since August 2026, leaving Palestinians injured, homes seized and families besieged in villages such as Qusra, Silwad and Biddu. Authorities have detained suspects, imposed checkpoints and carried out arrests while humanitarian agencies report unprecedented levels of settler violence this year.
Palestinian communities in the West Bank report intensified clashes with Israeli settlers backed by occupation forces. Across multiple towns, settlers have attacked homes, seized property, and sparked confrontations amid a surge in violence since 2022.
Britain has announced a National Centre for Information Defence to detect, attribute and disrupt AI-enabled disinformation campaigns. The move follows a UN address by Prime Minister Burnham warning of an industrial-scale information assault and calls for closer cooperation with tech platforms and allies. The effort aims to shield the UK from foreign interference and bolster national resilience.
Diesel prices have surged to new highs in the UK amid global supply disruptions linked to the Iran war and Russia-Ukraine conflict. The US is weighing export bans to ease domestic pain, while Europe and the UK face rising costs and tight supplies. Authorities warn prices will likely rise further as markets react.
Heavy, near‑continuous rain since late September has dumped roughly 300–330mm across Bangkok, forcing the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to declare all 50 districts disaster zones. Major roads and canals have flooded, thousands of households have been affected and airports and businesses have suffered disruptions as authorities pump water and open shelters.
Rescuers have recovered 15 bodies and are searching for more workers after an avalanche hit the base camp of Himlung Himal, killing Nepali staff and injuring others. Heavy rain and ongoing bad weather have hampered rescue efforts as authorities warn of continued hazards.
Aleksandar Vucic has resigned the presidency and has launched a campaign to lead the Serbian Progressive Party into snap parliamentary elections on Oct. 25. A student-led movement born from a deadly 2024 Novi Sad station canopy collapse is contesting the vote. Overseas voting rules and limited polling stations abroad have sparked complaints from the opposition.
A distressed inflatable dinghy, described as a “water taxi,” carrying about 105 people ran into trouble off Wissant, near Calais. French authorities have reported multiple fatalities and ongoing rescues as a broader migrant-crossing crisis continues to unfold. The incident followed a year of rising crossings and heightened enforcement across northern France and the Channel.
A Rome court has convicted three Egyptian officials in absentia for the abduction of Giulio Regeni, a Cambridge PhD student tortured before his death in 2016. A fourth defendant is acquitted; murder charges were dropped for the others. The ruling preserves diplomatic ties but could strain bilateral relations with Cairo.
Multiple Israeli strikes in Gaza City have killed senior Hamas commanders and other militants, with civilians among the dead. The attacks come amid ongoing ceasefire disputes as Israel asserts targets are military and thwart extremist operations. Casualties include commanders in the Northern Gaza Brigade and other operatives linked to Hamas’s military wing.
Protests by high school students have expanded from Paris to cities across France, with blockades and clashes with police. Schools report damage, dozens detained, and calls for more resources as unions push for budget changes ahead of elections.
Estonia has attributed an August arson at Milrem Robotics to Russian special services, saying it will bolster Ukraine support. European leaders condemn the attack as unacceptable and pledge unity against Russia’s hybrid campaigns; Moscow denies involvement. Latvia, Lithuania, and EU allies express solidarity and vow continued backing for Kyiv.
The US Supreme Court has lifted a lower court ruling and allowed the deportations of immigrants to third countries to resume, while agreeing to hear the merits of the case in December. The decision follows ongoing debates over due process and safety for deportees, with critics urging Congress to tighten protections.
A joint South Korean–UN investigation has concluded that North Korean mines caused a September 21 blast in the DMZ that wounded three South Korean soldiers. Seoul has demanded an official apology and is conducting mine-clearing; Pyongyang has denied responsibility and has launched a ballistic missile from Wonsan, escalating tensions.
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after an altercation on the flight deck. The airline has said all passengers are safe and accounted for. Israeli officials have said a pilot stabbed the co-pilot and tried to sabotage the aircraft; Israeli warplanes monitored the diversion and passengers restrained the assailant.
The Tokyo district court has ruled that a performer's voice is protected under publicity rights, in a case over AI-generated content on TikTok. The ruling does not require deletion of videos already removed, but establishes legal protection for vocal identity amid rising AI cloning concerns.
The latest BEA data indicate the core PCE price index has cooled to a 3% annual pace, with monthly gains easing to 0.2%–0.3% in recent readings. Analysts say the Fed’s path remains uncertain as inflation cools but stays above target.
The UK-France migrant returns deal is no longer processing new cases, but deportation flights will continue for those already detained. Crossings have fallen to five-year lows this year amid tougher policing and surveillance, with 19,135 people having crossed the Channel in 2026. Several deaths at sea highlight ongoing risks.
The West Indies have chased 352-5 to win by five wickets with 10 balls to spare in Guwahati, leveling the series after India posted 351-7. Shai Hope leads another chase with a 100, while Amir Jangoo adds a 67 and Keemo Paul anchors late in the innings.
A bus attack in Homs province has killed seven people and injured four, state media says. The motive remains unclear as authorities investigate. The incident follows a string of security incidents near Damascus and across central Syria amid years of instability.
Widespread fires in Borneo and nearby Sumatra have produced dense haze drifting toward Malaysia and Singapore. Authorities report extensive peat and forest burns, with schools shuttered and air quality surging past safe limits; rainfall has offered brief relief, while El Niño intensifies fire activity.
Benjamin Davis has been dismissed from the FAO after a 26-year tenure, amid controversy over his Gaza hunger brief and moments of silence protests. Qu Dongyu has warned staff about firing more for political activism, while Davis argues the dismissal undermines the UN’s human-rights mandate. The case now moves to the FAO’s internal justice process.
The Iran-backed Houthis have targeted a power distribution station in Madinah, with coalition forces confirming strikes and investigations tracing the drone's source. The attack follows earlier raids in Sanaa and Taiz and reports of drones aimed at the Prophet’s Mosque’s power supply. The coalition says the strikes aim to protect the Two Holy Mosques amid ongoing Yemen conflict involvement.
Bashir has been transferred to a military hospital in Omdurman for evaluation after health complications. His condition requires tests and cardiac imaging unavailable in Sudan, with treatment abroad being considered urgent by his family. He has ruled Sudan for three decades before being ousted in 2019 and remains wanted by the ICC. The war has devastated Sudan’s healthcare system.
The IDF has revealed identities of Gazans killed during the war who were presented as journalists but held roles in Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The initial list includes dozens of operatives, with further cases expected. The disclosure accompanies ongoing strikes against Hamas targets and follows prior investigations that questioned the journalist label in Gaza.
Yemen's internationally recognised government has announced a major military campaign to retake territory from the Iran-aligned Houthi movement. Forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition say they have pushed into Red Sea coastal areas, including around Dhubab and Mokha, while the Houthis report strikes on Saudi oil sites and gains around Taiz. The offensive has intensified fighting and displacement since August.
A laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Anti‑Plague Institute has died after hospitalisation with severe pneumonia; regional officials have placed the hospital under quarantine and put nearly 200 contacts under medical observation. Authorities and Russia's consumer watchdog have said tests are negative so far; local leaders have cancelled public events.
President Trump has said the United States may help Russia after a laboratory worker died in Irkutsk from a suspected plague case. He has scheduled a call with Vladimir Putin and notes that authorities say the situation is under control, while global health agencies monitor for wider risk.
AFP photographer Jaafar Ashtiyeh has been assaulted by armed settlers near Aqraba in the West Bank while covering olive harvest violence. A fellow photographer was threatened; cameras were seized. Israeli soldiers were nearby but did not intervene. The incident follows a rise in settler violence and poses risks to press freedom.
Three years after Hamas’s October 7 assault, Israelis mark memorials at Nova festival and other sites. Bereaved families and survivors recall loss as elections loom, while calls for accountability and investigations into security failures persist amid ongoing Gaza fighting and international reactions.
Saudi-led forces have intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Houthi rebels toward Riyadh, officials and residents have reported. Recent Houthi strikes have hit King Khalid and Abha airports, killed foreign residents and wounded dozens, forced flight suspensions and prompted Saudi counterstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen.
Valtteri Bottas has cycled from Sepang, Malaysia to Singapore ahead of this weekend’s Grand Prix. The 420-km journey involved off-road riding and night cycling, undertaken after a recent Bahrain Grand Prix. Bottas has aligned the ride with his cycling interests, alongside partner Tiffany Cromwell, and will compete in the Singapore event with Cadillac.
Ethiopia has claimed Eritrean troops crossed into Tigray, intensifying clashes as both sides accuse each other of aggression. Eritrea denies the incursion while urging UN action; meanwhile, regional powers watch for potential spillover as Red Sea access and border security become flashpoints.
Violence erupts in Soweto and Durban after a Constitutional Court ruling removes barriers to asylum applications. Refugee offices are overwhelmed as migrants and locals clash amid protests and looting; authorities pledge to expand processing capacity while stressing that asylum eligibility remains individual and not automatic.
Protests by high school students across France have intensified, with thousands blocking entrances, clashes with police, and calls for more resources as authorities promise a plan by end of October; over 6,800 people detained and hundreds of schools affected.
Inter-communal clashes in Rumbek have left many dead and injuries reported as security forces restore order. The interim government says security has been reestablished while calling for restraint from all communities.
A judge in Ensenada has found Jesús Gerardo García, Irineo Francisco and Ángel Jesús guilty of killing Australians Callum and Jake Robinson and their American friend Carter Rhoad during a 2024 trip to Baja California. The court has also convicted the men of armed robbery and carjacking after testimony described a violent, premeditated attack and the victims' bodies were recovered from a well.
A Saudi-backed government offensive is pushing to recapture areas along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including Bab al-Mandab and Mayun Island, as clashes with Houthi forces intensify. Authorities report dozens of civilian casualties and continued fighting on multiple fronts amid a volatile regional confrontation.
The USS Abraham Lincoln returns to San Diego after a record 265 days at sea, with families welcoming sailors amid reports of food shortages, mental-health strain, and multiple suicide attempts within the crew during the Iran war deployment.
Police say a gunman killed nine people in Erie, Pennsylvania, before dying from an apparent self-inflicted wound. Two women and two children were among the victims. Police say the shooter barricaded inside a home and a standoff ensued; investigators say all deaths occurred before officers arrived. The mayor and governor have offered support as the city mourns.
A missile attack strikes King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, injuring dozens and prompting evacuation as Saudi authorities confirm the assault amid ongoing Houthi strikes on civilian targets. Health workers are mobilising, flights are suspended, and international warnings have been issued as the conflict widens.
Pope Leo XIV has undergone surgery at Rome’s Gemelli hospital to remove a small, well‑localised lung nodule. Doctors have confirmed the lesion is lung adenocarcinoma but say the operation was successful and caused no complications. The Vatican has cancelled his public audiences through Oct. 20 and expects a short hospital recovery.
A boat carrying more than 300 people from Djibouti to Yemen has capsized near Guhere, north of Obock. International Organization for Migration teams have recovered at least 139 bodies and rescued about 80 survivors, all Ethiopian nationals; dozens remain missing as Djiboutian authorities continue search and recovery operations on 12 October 2026.