Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi and the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club urged detailed talks on bringing Ukraine’s farming sector into the EU system, including adaptation periods, market access volumes and safeguards. Vysotskyi rejected permanent limits on access to the EU single market, saying transition periods should enable integration rather than permanently exclude Ukrainian agriculture.
Syria may send troops to help Saudi Arabia fight Yemen’s Houthis, a US official and a Syrian defence official said. The Iran-aligned group has stepped up missile and drone attacks on the kingdom, killing three people at Saudi airports this week.
Diplomats and residents said explosions were audible around Riyadh on Thursday. Diplomats based in the Saudi capital stayed sheltered, while international schools adopted precautions.
High school students across France held another day of protests on Thursday despite government efforts to ease a crisis that has shaken the country for days. With living costs under pressure and presidential elections approaching, France 24’s Douglas Herbert examines whether the unrest reflects a wider French malaise.
Francestudent protestscost of livingpresidential election
Teenagers blockaded some high schools and prepared to rally again after the government pledged to address complaints about teacher shortages and dilapidated school buildings, without offering specific details.
Protests at high schools across France continue, disrupting nearly 400 educational establishments. Demonstrators rejected Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s pledge to present an education-system plan by month’s end and demanded earlier action on their concerns.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Commonwealth of Independent States has paved the way for more advanced integration. He said its multiple agenda items will be addressed at the upcoming summit in Turkmenistan.
Kremlin says CIS format enables deeper integration
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇯🇵 Sleep-deprived Japan holds best-rested competition
In diligent, exhausted Japan, self-described elite "competitive sleepers" vied to lie down, relax and nap the fastest and deepest in a contest organised by a mattress company.
🇯🇵 Sleep-deprived Japan holds best-rested competition
In diligent, exhausted Japan, self-described elite "competitive sleepers" vied to lie down, relax and nap the fastest and deepest in a contest organised by a mattress company.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning confirmed on Thursday that China has nominated Dr. Song Li to run for WHO director-general. Mao said the nomination reflects China’s readiness to work with others and its support for multilateralism and the WHO. China believes Song would help the organization improve global health and well-being if elected.
ChinaWorld Health Organizationdirector-general election
Greece is preparing a 10% capital gains tax on cryptocurrency. Under the bill, annual gains of up to 500 euros ($560) would be exempt, and the measure is due to go to parliament in November.
The IMF has reached a staff-level agreement with Pakistan that could unlock about $1.21 billion in financing, subject to approval by the fund’s Executive Board. Pakistan’s reliance on Gulf energy imports, remittances and regional financing leaves it vulnerable to the Middle East conflict’s effects.
Fast Retailing, Uniqlo’s parent, said its mainland China business rebounded in sales and profits despite ongoing political tensions between Beijing and Tokyo and weak consumer sentiment. The company described progress in the financial year ended in August 2026 as steady, with encouraging signs of a return to growth.
Fast RetailingUniqloChina businessprofit growth
SSouth China Morning PostOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-10-08 09:15
Uniqlo profits surge in China despite Beijing-Tokyo tensions
US container imports rose 10.3% year over year in September, setting a record for the month, with shipments from China up 21.2%, supply-chain technology provider Descartes Systems Group said Thursday. Experts regard import figures as an indicator of economic health, consumer demand and feedback on trade policy.
Isaias, the Atlantic season’s first hurricane, is moving quickly toward the U.S. Gulf Coast. The governors of Florida and Alabama declared emergencies in dozens of counties.
South Sudan has increased Ebola surveillance and preparedness after Kenya confirmed an imported Bundibugyo virus case. No infections have been detected in South Sudan. Screening is underway at entry points, borders of 15 high-risk counties and Juba International Airport, and authorities have formed a task force and established eight specialized infectious disease units.
A Russian glide bomb struck a bus stop in Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, on the morning of Oct. 8, killing 12 people, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Governor Vadym Filashkin reported 14 others injured and condemned Russia for bringing death to Ukrainian cities. Russian forces had also shelled Donetsk settlements 31 times over the previous day.
Denmark has introduced a bill to protect people’s faces and voices from deepfakes. It follows a broad political agreement reached in June 2025, while allowing satire, parody and political or social criticism unless they amount to misinformation that poses serious dangers to others.
Samsung Electronics estimated on Thursday that third-quarter operating profit rose almost ninefold to a record 107.4 trillion won ($80.2 billion). Strong chip demand amid the AI boom also helped TSMC post record quarterly sales.
Samsung Electronics reported a nearly ninefold increase in quarterly operating profit, but the result narrowly missed lofty expectations fueled by relentless spending on AI infrastructure.
Samsung Electronics projected on Thursday that third-quarter profit would exceed 100 trillion won, a first for a technology company. Strong demand for AI chips is driving memory sales, with earnings expected to rise nearly ninefold.
Italian prosecutors have asked for Campari chairman Luca Garavoglia to stand trial over alleged evasion of 1.29 billion euros ($1.45 billion) in taxes, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said.
Three statues in the Tathagata Hall at Beijing’s Zhihua Temple display the craftsmanship of Ming-era Buddhist sculpture. Shakyamuni Buddha is at the center, flanked by two crowned figures whose robes have painted patterns resembling embroidery and fine textiles. Eleven temple statues were restored in 2003–2004.
Zhihua TempleMing Buddhist statuesBuddhist artBeijing
The Africa Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA) held its launch ceremony in Mauritius. Authorized by the African Union and overseen by its African Peer Review Mechanism, the independent agency aims to add an Africa-focused perspective to credit assessments, improve market transparency and broaden access to ratings. Governments are barred from owning shares.
Africa Credit Rating AgencyAfrican UnionMauritiuscredit ratings
Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses intercepted and destroyed 399 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions and the Black Sea overnight. An attack caused a fire and infrastructure damage at a Yandex data center in Sasovo, Ryazan Region, suspending its operations. Fires and power outages were also reported in other areas.
Yandex confirmed that Ukrainian drones struck its data center in Sasovo, Ryazan region, damaging part of the infrastructure and starting a fire. No one was injured, but the center has been completely shut down and some Yandex services may be unavailable. Ukrainian monitoring channels attributed the fire to the strike; Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses shot down Ukrainian drones in the region overnight.
Russian internet giant Yandex paused operations at one of its data centers after a drone attack, as Ukraine continues to strike infrastructure in Russia.
Yandex said a drone attack sparked a fire at its data center in Sasovo, in Russia’s Ryazan Region. No one was injured. The facility has been fully shut down while emergency services address the aftermath, and some Yandex services may be unavailable.
A major Yandex data center in Russia’s Ryazan Oblast was reportedly damaged in an overnight drone attack, with a large fire at the industrial site. Yandex acknowledged an incident and power problems at its cloud facility but did not connect them to the attack. It remains unclear whether the data center, the Sasta plant or both were targeted.
China's foreign ministry said on Thursday that open cooperation and equal dialogue are the way to resolve economic and trade differences between China and the European Union.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov writes in an opinion piece that Ukraine’s task is not merely to get through another winter, but to keep its frontline cities alive.
Nearly 6,000 monitored vertebrate species, spanning more than 35,000 populations, declined by an average of 73% between 1970 and 2022, according to WWF’s latest Living Planet Report, published Thursday.
Jon Rahm will not take part in LIV Golf’s planned next phase after deciding its proposed LIV 2.0 terms are unacceptable, his lawyer told a bankruptcy hearing. Other golfers are asking a judge to help end contracts as the league’s obligations go unpaid.
During a Wednesday visit to Texas, Donald Trump defended his immigration policies and sought to help struggling Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said freezing the conflict in Ukraine would not resolve it and that comprehensive measures are needed. He reiterated that a settlement must be comprehensive, as piecemeal steps would not suffice.
Margaret Hamilton, who led the team that programmed the first computers used in NASA’s Apollo moon missions, has died aged 90. MIT said she was a pioneering influence on software development. She later founded software companies and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.
Margaret HamiltonNASAApollo programsoftware engineering
Computer scientist Margaret Hamilton has died aged 90. She led the team that developed software for NASA’s Apollo missions, including the system that helped Apollo 11 land safely on the Moon, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.
Margaret HamiltonApollo 11software engineeringobituary
Margaret Hamilton, a groundbreaking researcher who helped establish software engineering, has died at 90. Her code helped NASA’s Apollo astronauts land on the moon.
Margaret Hamiltonsoftware engineeringNASAApollo program
Industry groups are urging Washington to “proceed with caution,” warning that a US stockpile of critical minerals could push prices higher as competition for scarce materials intensifies.
At the invitation of Premier Li Qiang, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, president of Togo’s Council of Ministers, is scheduled to make an official visit to China from October 9 to 16, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday.
The China-Laos 500-kilovolt interconnection has transmitted more than 1 billion kilowatt-hours since coming into operation, a record for the two countries. The line began operating on April 20. The countries plan to expand cooperation in grid dispatch, cross-border operation and maintenance, electricity trading and emergency response, while promoting green power and clean-energy markets.
China-Laos power cooperationcross-border electricityclean energy
Senior Russian and US officials discussed bringing in an American investor for the Nord Stream pipeline projects, sources said. The White House said any deal would require US approval and that there had been no recent discussions on Nord Stream. Sources said a deal was unlikely in the medium term, while Germany and other European countries are expected to oppose resuming pipeline operations.
Nord StreamRussian gasUS-Russia relationsEuropean energy
Russia’s Federal Security Service said two residents of the Trans-Baikal Region were detained on suspicion of preparing provocations during recent State Duma elections on instructions from Ukrainian intelligence agencies. One suspect was a precinct election commission member. The FSB said investigative and operational work is continuing.
RussiaTrans-Baikal RegionelectionsFederal Security Service
Russia’s Federal Security Service says it detained two Trans-Baikal residents accused of preparing provocations during the recent State Duma elections on instructions from Ukrainian intelligence agencies. One suspect was a precinct election commission member; the other was allegedly ordered to set fire to a political party office during voting.
Russia’s Defense Ministry says the Strategic Missile Force’s Vladimir formation is undergoing a comprehensive inspection, with Yars mobile launchers deployed along combat patrol routes. Crews are practicing movement, dispersal, camouflage and security, while a commission will assess command readiness and crew training.
Human Rights Watch says US deportations to Africa use human suffering as a tool to deter migration. A file caption says deportees from the US arrived in Liberia on August 20, 2026.
Christa Pike regained consciousness after surviving two supposedly lethal doses of pentobarbital during a botched execution. Her lawyer says she was thought to be brain-dead and close to being taken off life support before she unexpectedly woke and spoke.
Death row inmate Christa Pike regained consciousness after a botched execution in Tennessee, her lawyer says. Life support was due to be withdrawn on the day she woke, and her first words were, “Where am I and who are you?”
Christa Pike is walking around her hospital room after surviving two lethal injections during a failed execution attempt in Tennessee on 30 September, her lawyer says. She remains mentally foggy and has arm injuries. A court has ordered Tennessee to preserve evidence related to the failed execution.
Brent crude rose 3.8% to $104 a barrel on Thursday as fears of escalating Middle East tensions and a hurricane threat off the US coast raised concerns about supply. Potential strikes against Iran add to regional risks, while Shell and Chevron have shut Gulf of Mexico production. Global bonds and stocks also fell.
Oil pricesMiddle East tensionsCrude supplyGlobal markets
Kanye West received about $20 million for two canceled concerts in St. Petersburg, Kommersant reported, citing sources. One said the sum includes staff costs; another said West was unlikely to repay it because his contract does not require a refund. Say Agency head Anna Subcheva said the company had broken no laws. Police have opened a fraud review of the organizer, while it has promised ticket refunds.
Kanye West received $20 million for canceled St. Petersburg concerts and is unlikely to return it, Kommersant reports
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇦🇷 ⚽ Emotion, tears as Messi retires from Argentina national team
Fans and the national coach share their emotions as Lionel Messi retires from international football after helping his side beat Benin 3-0 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.
🇦🇷 ⚽ Emotion, tears as Messi retires from Argentina national team
Fans and the national coach share their emotions as Lionel Messi retires from international football after helping his side beat Benin 3-0 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin warned that AI-driven advances in mathematics could weaken current crypto signatures and some post-quantum defenses. He advised holders to reduce exposure where practical but not rush funds into new wallets, saying migration errors pose a more immediate risk than any demonstrated cryptographic break. The debate followed OpenAI's new mathematical results; no evidence has emerged that blockchain cryptography was practically broken.
Starting in late October, eligible users will be able to send USDC abroad or arrange local-currency payouts to bank accounts in more than 60 countries.
The EU wants to expand trade through the Middle Corridor, potentially benefiting Bulgaria. But drone attacks near Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast on October 6 hit two commercial ships, sinking one and highlighting security risks. Insecurity in Central Asia, weak institutions along the route, Russian influence and falling water levels in the Caspian Sea could also hinder the corridor’s development.
EU investment in counter-drone efforts rose sixfold in 2025, but only a third of programmes are expected to deliver by 2030, a confidential report seen by Euronews says. It points to fragmented procurement and an industry struggling to keep up with rapidly advancing drone technology.
Conservation efforts offer hope despite a 73 percent decline in the average size of monitored wildlife populations over 52 years. Mountain gorillas in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park have rebounded to more than 1,100, while green turtles, bluefin tuna, tigers and Southern African elephants have also recovered. The report says sustained action and international partnerships can help, though it warns against complacency.
As traditional Israeli allies including the UK and France distance themselves from Benjamin Netanyahu, India under Narendra Modi has drawn closer to Israel. The article traces India’s shift since Modi took office in 2014, citing expanding trade and weapons exports during the Gaza war, as well as India becoming Israel’s largest arms buyer. Analysts say domestic political narratives have helped drive the alignment.
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Mindanao in the Philippines on Thursday at a depth of 10 km, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences.
The European Union is adopting a more assertive stance toward China as two days of negotiations begin in Beijing, seeking to avert a trade war that could damage the economy.
The Houthis claimed a missile attack on Riyadh airport as witnesses reported several explosions across the Saudi capital. The previous day, a separate Houthi drone attack on the same airport killed one person, and flight delays continued into Thursday.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels said they fired a ballistic missile at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday, killing three people, injuring several and disrupting operations. The Saudi-backed Yemeni government had announced a major counteroffensive a day earlier, while the Houthis warned airlines against flying through Saudi airspace.
Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, the Houthis, said it hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a ballistic missile. Spokesman Yahya Saria said air traffic stopped after the direct hit and urged international airlines to avoid Saudi airspace, which he called a “theater of war” apart from Mecca and Medina.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group said it attacked King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, with a ballistic missile on Thursday.
The Houthi group said Thursday it had attacked King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a ballistic missile. Hours earlier, Saudi Arabia said an attack on the same airport earlier in the week had killed one person.
Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said Tuesday that the country intends to formally seek BRICS membership. He said joining would broaden Ghana’s economic options, diversify its international partnerships and deepen cooperation with Global South countries.
Rare birds including oriental white storks, gray cranes, Eurasian spoonbills and white-fronted geese have arrived at Poyang Lake National Nature Reserve in Jiangxi for winter, authorities said. The reserve counted more than 10 oriental white storks, 100 gray cranes and over 600 Eurasian spoonbills.
A Siberian disease-control institute technician died, with the cause unconfirmed and reports suggesting she may have been exposed to plague; nearly 200 people were reportedly isolated. Experts say pneumonic plague is unlikely to cause a global pandemic: it usually spreads only after symptoms appear, is conspicuous and treatable with antibiotics, and contacts have been identified and monitored.
Rangers found a lone snow leopard cub during a routine patrol near Qinghai Lake. Weak and unable to forage, it was suspected of falling behind during migration due to exhaustion. It was taken to the Qinghai Wildlife Rescue and Breeding Center for treatment and rehabilitation.
Signs at the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem were taken down overnight as the closure deadline approached. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the building would instead operate as a “UK Mission”.
The UK will continue its diplomatic presence in occupied East Jerusalem. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said London does not recognise Israel’s legal authority to shut the nearly 200-year-old consulate.
Israel says the British consulate in East Jerusalem is ceasing operations. Foreign Minister Ed Miliband stressed that it would not close, but become the UK Mission, Jerusalem, from Thursday.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said Britain’s consulate general in East Jerusalem would stay open as an independent UK mission serving Palestinians. Israel ordered it closed on Thursday over Britain’s plans to sanction West Bank settlements. Britain has withdrawn some staff and families and plans to rebuild its presence, but will take no reciprocal action against Israel while talks continue.
Israel says 20 diplomats and the consul general will leave the British consulate in East Jerusalem, with a seven-person team allowed to remain for limited work. UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband says some staff have been temporarily withdrawn for security reasons, but the building will stay open as the UK Mission, Jerusalem. Israel says the move responds to UK sanctions on settlements in the occupied West Bank.
French finance minister Roland Lescure said the UK would be welcome to return to the EU after Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged to explore closer ties with the bloc. Burnham’s options include the current arrangements, a customs union, the single market or full membership. Lescure said Britain could rejoin discussions on shared challenges.
Burnham is due to meet Merz as warnings about hybrid threats in Europe grow. The meeting follows an August drone attack on Leipzig/Halle airport, which Berlin has accused Russia of orchestrating.
UK PM Burnham to discuss sabotage and cybersecurity with Merz in Berlin
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🌎 El Nino raises costs and decreases production for Panama's fishermen
Fishermen along the eastern Pacific say they are feeling the impact of ocean warming from the El Nino phenomenon, which is forcing several species to migrate to deeper waters, leaving nets half empty and communities in crisis.
🌎 El Nino raises costs and decreases production for Panama's fishermen
Fishermen along the eastern Pacific say they are feeling the impact of ocean warming from the El Nino phenomenon, which is forcing several species to migrate to deeper waters, leaving nets half empty and communities in crisis.
Ilya Gusev, acting head of the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs’ interregional office for the North Caucasian Federal District, Crimea and Sevastopol, told TASS that efforts by the collective West and Ukraine to disrupt September’s State Duma elections instead consolidated Russian society. He said citizens were ready to defend their social and political life and preserve stability.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius renewed calls for EU sanctions on Russian grain, calling it unacceptable that Russia can export grain while blockading Ukraine. Lithuania plans to propose banning Russian grain transit through the EU and sanctioning Russian agricultural oligarchs who support the war. It has also tightened checks on grain origins.
The article says Israeli aircraft reportedly dropped foul-smelling substances over Gaza City, and describes Israel’s long use of “skunk water” against Palestinians for crowd control. It says the liquid has been deployed at protests and in homes, streets and schools, while also serving as a showcase for Israel’s policing methods and a commercial pitch abroad.
India rejected Elon Musk’s claim that “certain oligarchs” are blocking Starlink’s launch in the country. Its communications ministry said the satellite internet approval framework and its application are fair and non-discriminatory, adding that three providers are at broadly similar regulatory stages and undergoing security assessments.
The article says the Philippines held joint military exercises with countries from outside the region near Huangyan Dao, sent supplies to its warship grounded at Ren'ai Jiao, and deliberately rammed a China Coast Guard vessel near Xianbin Jiao. It accuses Japan's embassy in the Philippines of distorting events and condemning China's actions, and portrays the Philippines as the provocateur and Japan as its instigator. It says China has indisputable sovereignty over Xianbin Jiao, Huangyan Dao and nearby waters.
South China SeaChina-Philippines relationsChina-Japan relationsmaritime security
The article accuses the Philippines of holding joint military exercises with countries from outside the region near Huangyan Dao, sending supplies to its illegally grounded warship at Ren'ai Jiao, and deliberately ramming a China Coast Guard vessel near Xianbin Jiao. It says Japan's embassy in the Philippines distorted the facts and condemned China's law enforcement, portraying the Philippines as a provocateur and Japan as its instigator.
South China SeaChina-Philippines relationsChina-Japan relationsmaritime security
Enthusiasm among cornerstone investors in Hong Kong’s booming IPO market appears to be waning, prompting some issuers that planned to list this month to postpone offerings. More than 60 per cent of third-quarter new listings are trading below their issue prices, leading investors who typically get guaranteed allocations in return for a six-month holding period to reconsider upcoming deals, people said.
Hong KongIPOscornerstone investorsstock market
SSouth China Morning PostOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-10-08 08:11
Hong Kong IPO boom at risk as cornerstone investors turn cautious, sources say
BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li said on Thursday that geopolitics is the company’s biggest obstacle to expansion. Months earlier, BYD’s chairman said the company aims to become the world’s largest automaker within five years.
T-80BVM tank crews from Russia’s Battlegroup North say they destroyed more than 10 Ukrainian drone storage and control sites, along with a fortified strongpoint, in the Kharkov Region. A tank platoon commander said the troops engage targets from concealed firing positions.
Japan’s government has no current intention of revising its non-nuclear principles but is considering an exception that would permit nuclear weapons to enter the country, Sankei reported. The provision could be included in security documents due by year-end, while discussions are expected to continue.
TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, reported record third-quarter revenue of T$1.49 trillion ($46.71 billion) on Thursday, above market expectations and up 50% from a year earlier as demand for AI applications surged.
Brent crude futures for December 2026 delivery rose above $104 per barrel on ICE, reaching $104.07 by 10:11 a.m. Moscow time, up 3.86%. November WTI futures gained 3.55% to $91.41 per barrel.
Ukraine has struggled to field combat-ready troops since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, leaving the country facing a shortage of personnel on the front line after more than four years of war.
Images released by Stanford University show US scientist Karl Deisseroth telling his two daughters and son that he had won the Nobel Prize in Medicine.
Scientist and physician Karl Deisseroth tells The National about his children’s excited reaction when he shared that he had won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the Ukraine conflict as a “strategic stalemate” and said prospects for a negotiated settlement do not currently appear promising. He said Washington remains ready to help explore a deal, while warning that escalation by either or both sides could spread the conflict beyond its original boundaries.
Battlegroup West spokesman Ivan Bigma said the Russian force destroyed 104 Ukrainian heavy combat multicopters, 55 UAV control centers, four Starlink satellite communication stations and 40 ground robotic systems over the past 24 hours.
Germany’s economy and energy ministry has dissolved a key unit that liaised with the wind and solar industries, reflecting changing policymaker priorities as the country seeks to overhaul spending.
Deus X Capital is shutting down. CEO Tim Grant will lead AI venture TensorX, while CIO Stuart Connolly will remain to oversee the firm’s formal wind-down in January.
Bryan Seaver, Dolly Parton’s nephew and longtime head of security, is locked in a contentious public legal dispute with the company that manages her estate.
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