🇲🇾 🐢 Green turtles offer glimmer of hope as other species decline
Green turtles have made the rare jump from endangered to "least concern" in global conservation rankings, thanks to decades of efforts including egg relocation, marine protection and trade bans.
🇲🇾 🐢 Green turtles offer glimmer of hope as other species decline
Green turtles have made the rare jump from endangered to "least concern" in global conservation rankings, thanks to decades of efforts including egg relocation, marine protection and trade bans.
Garrett Mitchell’s go-ahead homer in the sixth helped Milwaukee rally past Los Angeles 6-4 in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, completing the Brewers’ sweep and sending them to their first World Series since 1982.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces liberated 12 communities in the Kharkov and Zaporozhye Regions and the Donetsk People’s Republic from October 10 to 16, including two in the preceding 24 hours. It also reported multiple strikes and losses inflicted on Ukrainian personnel and equipment.
Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller and Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar met during Russian Energy Week 2026 to review progress and prospects for cooperation in the gas sector, the company said.
Pakistan has ordered inspections of schools after a classroom roof collapsed at Al-Khair school in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing at least 34 students and a teacher. Bereaved families are demanding justice and say they had repeatedly warned the school owner about leaks. Police arrested the owner.
Families are demanding justice after a school roof collapsed in Pakistan, killing 32 children. A senior official in Peshawar told AFP that initial reports pointed to weak infrastructure as the cause.
Thousands joined funeral prayers in Pakistan’s Peshawar after a school roof collapse killed at least 34 children and a teacher and injured more than 50. Police blamed weak infrastructure for the collapse.
A bipartisan group of US senators has asked the Pentagon inspector general to urgently investigate reported Starlink speed restrictions and disruptions in Ukraine. Kyiv says the temporary limits disrupted battlefield missions; senators fear they weakened Ukraine’s ability to defend against Russian drone and missile attacks and want to know whether the Pentagon or its contractors caused them.
Reuters, citing unnamed sources, reported that SpaceX restricted Starshield, Starlink’s military version, in Ukraine on White House orders. A senior official said the order did not come from the U.S. president but did not identify who issued it. Ukrainian officials said some missions were disrupted. The White House has not officially announced restrictions, while Axios sources said the administration was not involved. Ukrainian media reported on October 15 that Starshield service for Ukrainian forces had fully resumed.
Reuters reports that Starshield communications services to the Ukrainian military were restricted earlier this week at the White House’s request. The Pentagon received a message to slow the service, though Reuters did not identify who made the decision. A senior US official said the president had made no such request. Ukraine had said the restrictions disrupted some operations; Ukrainian media reported Starshield resumed full operations in Ukraine on October 15.
A fault in the data-transmission network supporting Italy’s nationwide air traffic control system caused delays and cancellations at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport on Friday, 16 October.
Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akrami-Nia said shipping could resume through the Strait of Hormuz once US forces withdraw from the Persian Gulf. He said regional states would then establish collective security, adding that Iran would expel US forces if they stayed.
Bali Governor Wayan Koster said a delayed ship carrying 18 million liters of fuel was one cause of the island’s fuel crisis. The delay disrupted deliveries, which had to be restored in stages because tanker trucks and personnel were limited. Fuel disruptions affected public life, but tourism remained safe so far.
Taiz is rapidly becoming the most important front in Yemen’s reignited civil war, where Iran-allied Houthis face the internationally recognised government backed by a Saudi-led coalition.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the final day of an EU summit in Brussels, where European leaders pledged continued backing for Ukraine's self-defense against Russia. European Council President Antonio Costa urged allies to increase support and pressure, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said sanctions would remain until Russia stops the war.
European leaders are meeting in Brussels to discuss Ukraine amid worsening Washington-Kyiv relations. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged that no sanctions would be lifted unless Russia stops the war. Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said support for Ukraine is essential to Europe’s security and everyday life, and that Kyiv needs financial and military aid to face the harsh winter ahead.
European UnionRussia sanctionsUkraineEuropean summit
At an EU leaders’ summit, Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the bloc for standing with Ukraine. Ursula von der Leyen said Russia had not respected the energy ceasefire and announced work on a 22nd sanctions package. EU leaders also discussed support for Ukraine’s reforms and membership bid.
Europe’s far-right parties are increasingly divided over their past sympathies for Vladimir Putin’s Russia. France’s National Rally and Nigel Farage’s Reform party have toughened their rhetoric on Russia and signaled more conditional support for Ukraine, while Germany’s AfD is moving the other way. The split comes as elections approach across Europe.
Russian Security Council Deputy Secretary Alexey Shevtsov said the Middle East situation is damaging security across Eurasia, disrupting global logistics chains and undermining food and energy security. He said close cooperation has helped Russia and Central Asian countries weather the current resource crisis without significant economic losses.
The Russian Pacific Fleet said the maritime phase of the joint Russian-Indian Indra 2026 exercise has opened in Vladivostok. The corvette Aldar Tsydenzhapov and Indian frigate INS Sahyadri entered the Sea of Japan for live-fire drills, exercises against simulated uncrewed boats and drones, helicopter landings on each other’s ships, and a final drill to free a vessel seized by pirates.
Russia-India relationsnaval exercisePacific FleetSea of Japan
India’s consul general in Kazan said at the “TIME: Russia - India. Mutual Efficiency” business forum that India wants to share experience with Russia on providing utilities in large cities. He said both sides could learn from each other on water and fuel supplies and waste management.
With the international environment becoming more challenging, the EU is seeking stronger ties with like-minded allies, including Canada. In her September State of the Union speech, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Canada could become an associate member, a status the EU does not currently offer its partners.
Pro-Nazi chants were heard before an Ajax match in the southern Croatian city of Split, drawing condemnation from the country’s leaders. Hajduk Split, which won 2-1, apologised to UEFA and Ajax, while the Croatian football federation also condemned the incident.
The IEA’s September estimates indicate that oil is building up at sea while land-based reserves dwindle, leaving uncertain whether inflation and financing pressures will ease.
A review says the Surface Laptop Ultra can summarize books and movies, generate images, run a 70-billion-parameter AI model, and play demanding games with impressive speed and fidelity. Microsoft is pitching it as one high-performance machine for work and play, aimed at potential MacBook Pro buyers, amid falling PC shipments and rising memory prices.
Microsoft and Nvidia teamed up on the high-end Surface Laptop Ultra, built around Arm-based RTX Spark chips to showcase local AI. The review praises its design and display but says the local AI experience remains messy, and getting the most from the laptop takes coding experience or patience to experiment.
Apple’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, is now available to preorder. The 256GB model starts at $1,999 and is set for release on October 23. It has a 5.4-inch outer screen that opens to a 7.6-inch display, uses Touch ID, and will add Apple Pencil support later this year.
Israeli companies and institutions now have a presence in Cyprus’s water, gas, health and defence sectors. The government presents the ties as a security alliance against Türkiye, but some Cypriots interviewed fear their country is ceding control of systems it cannot live without.
At a national health conference in Beijing, Xi Jinping said the 2026-2030 15th Five-Year Plan period is crucial to achieving the goal of a Healthy China by 2035. He called for higher-quality development of the health system, continued improvements in public health and decisive progress on the initiative.
More than 400 Chinese and Pakistani participants met in Shanghai on Thursday for an investment conference focused on Sindh, aiming to draw further Chinese investment to the province. Potential cooperation covers digital technology, AI, manufacturing, electric vehicles and the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Vitol Asia head Kieran Gallagher said faster crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz are not translating into increased shipping-fuel production. With refiners prioritizing products such as diesel to capture strong margins, ship-fuel prices in Singapore, the world’s largest supplier, have reached their highest level since April.
shipping fuelStrait of HormuzSingaporecrude exports
Borrowing costs have retreated from decades-high levels as investors seek the safety of government debt, putting Treasuries on course for their strongest week since February. AI jitters have halted the bond rout.
US Treasuriesbond marketsartificial intelligencesafe-haven demand
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party, was detained in Delhi before a planned march, despite a police warning and a heavy security deployment. The party is seeking the resignation of India’s election chief over alleged voter-list manipulation, a charge denied by the Election Commission. Police have not publicly stated why Dipke was detained.
Authorities closed New Delhi’s Central Park, erected barricades and deployed thousands of additional officers ahead of a Cockroach Janta Party protest over the jailing of two activists. The youth-led movement has held near-daily demonstrations demanding electoral reforms and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, amid a broader crackdown on its protests.
A central park in India’s capital has been shut ahead of the latest protest by the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party. The group has staged near-daily demonstrations demanding the national election authority chief resign over the removal of more than 130 million people from voter lists.
Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least three people and injured 52 over the past day, regional authorities said, hitting energy facilities in several oblasts. The Air Force said Russia launched 149 Shahed-type drones overnight, including 108 jet-powered models; Ukraine neutralized 114 drones across 24 locations.
Russia’s Defense Ministry says its Citadel anti-aircraft artillery system uses automation, AI and a modular design to engage drones, uncrewed boats and lightly armored vehicles with minimal ammunition. Its 30-mm cannon fires shrapnel shells with programmable detonation timing to destroy enemy drones.
The BBC witnessed Israeli settlers attack Palestinians and burn olive trees in the occupied West Bank. Dozens of settlers in black charged at a field where Palestinian farmers and activists were harvesting olives, setting fire to about a dozen trees and firing stones with slingshots. Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine was taken to hospital; she said she had been attacked and kicked while on the ground. The UN says settler attacks in the past two weeks have surpassed the whole of last year’s harvest season, with violence at an all-time high this year.
West Banksettler violenceolive harvestPalestinians
Israeli settlers attack Palestinians during West Bankolive harvest
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇨🇳 🇰🇵 China-North Korea bridge opens, 12 years late
North Korean trucks festooned with flags and flowers trundled towards China as a new bridge between the countries opened, allowing the isolated nation to ramp up trade with its huge neighbour.
🇨🇳 🇰🇵 China-North Korea bridge opens, 12 years late
North Korean trucks festooned with flags and flowers trundled towards China as a new bridge between the countries opened, allowing the isolated nation to ramp up trade with its huge neighbour.
The 7th Genes & Diseases International Symposium and a conference on integrating biomedical industry, education, research and application were held at Chongqing Medical University. Nearly 200 overseas experts and domestic representatives attended to discuss cooperation, research, talent development and industrial application.
Iran plans to invite Gazprom to develop gas fields in the country, Deputy Oil Minister and National Iranian Gas Company CEO Saeed Tavakoli said. He said Tehran and Moscow have no specific program for joint gas production, and that Iran would use Gazprom’s and other Russian companies’ capabilities under contracts now under discussion.
Analysts say China is building its gold reserves to reduce reliance on US dollar assets and guard against financial and geopolitical risks. The People’s Bank of China has bought gold for 23 consecutive months, while households are also turning to the metal to preserve savings amid uncertainty about the domestic economy.
China will host the 2026 Global Governance Forum (Xiongan) in Xiongan New Area from October 23 to 25, the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs announced. Xi Jinping has repeatedly outlined China’s position, calling for true multilateralism, greater democracy in international relations and a more just and equitable global governance system.
The Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs said the 2026 Global Governance Forum (Xiongan) will take place Oct. 23–25 in Xiong'an New Area, Hebei Province. International guests from nearly 100 countries across the Global South, Europe and America have confirmed they will attend and visit the area.
Global Governance ForumXiong'an New AreaChina diplomacy
China aims to promote more effective and accessible global governance solutions at a forum next week, convened as part of its push for an alternative system of global governance.
Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilyov said Russia plans to discuss implementing fuel and energy agreements with African partners at the Russia-Africa forum in Moscow on October 28-29. He said recent commission meetings with the Central African Republic, Togo and Niger produced specific project lists, timelines and assigned responsibilities; commissions with Mali and Burkina Faso are also working.
The article argues that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ceremonial welcome for Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing weakens Malaysia’s support for international accountability. The ICC prosecutor has sought an arrest warrant for Min Aung Hlaing over alleged crimes against humanity targeting the Rohingya.
Donald Trump said the US is discussing nuclear disarmament with Russia and China, and predicted China could catch up with their warhead totals within five years. The US and Russia each have more than 4,000 warheads, while China has about 620. His comments came after the US-Russia Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty expired.
More than 90 years ago, during the Red Army’s Long March, a quilt was split in two in Shazhou Village, Hunan Province, and one half was left behind. The story’s warmth has endured, and a return to the village explores what it means to residents today.
Shazhou VillageHunanRed Army Long Marchquilt story
China reaffirmed its sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and Nansha Qundao, rejecting the Philippines’ claim that it is safeguarding its rights there. After recent incidents, the Philippine military said more than 100 Chinese vessels were in nearby waters. Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Chen Xi said Friday that the islands and reefs are outside Philippine territory.
South China SeaChinaPhilippinessovereignty dispute
EU leaders rallied behind Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a Friday summit, while U.S. President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of Ukraine, calling its strikes on Russian refineries a “disgrace.”
European UnionUkraine fundingVolodymyr ZelenskyyDonald Trump
Young workers in India are using AI to speed up routine work such as research, translation, data analysis and sorting legal documents. Workers interviewed say it saves time but can make mistakes or miss context, so people must verify its output. One lawyer also worries that some young lawyers are using AI in place of their own thinking.
Nyingchi in southeastern Xizang is known as the Switzerland of the East. Forests blanket the hillsides, greenery borders rivers, and snow-covered peaks rise above lush meadows, revealing the plateau’s green landscapes.
UK growth figures have exceeded expectations throughout the year. Businesses’ efforts to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels appear to be one key reason.
An Armenian church official said normalisation between Türkiye and Armenia could pave the way for stronger ties. Archive footage shows the first mass in seven years after restoration at Surp Giragos Armenian Church in Diyarbakir on May 8, 2022.
Vivienne Nunis retraces the Long March route through some of China’s harshest landscapes, while Mike Walter visits communities finding new ways to survive and thrive in the Gobi Desert. The documentary connects these present-day experiences with the Long March, asking what it takes to persevere when nature stands in the way.
The two leading candidates for an Alaska Senate seat debated Thursday night, addressing the Iran war and controversies from the Democratic nominee’s time in Congress. The exchange at times devolved into personal attacks.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said issues involving freight, insurance and diesel supplies to the US had effectively been resolved, and suppliers and buyers now needed to sign documents with one another. He said there were no freight or insurance obstacles under the US Treasury Department’s interpretation of the lifting of sanctions on diesel shipments.
Namcha Barwa Peak, at 7,782 meters in southeastern Xizang, is often concealed by clouds. Also known as Shy Maiden Peak, it is said that only one in ten people see it in person, and some locals have never seen it in full. Catching a glimpse of the snow-covered mountain feels like good luck.
Bend, Oregon, is holding vigils after gunfire at Silver Rail Elementary. The 16-year-old attacker killed four young pupils and a teacher; NBC's coverage also addresses the investigation.
Three children and a teacher were killed in a shooting at an Oregon school. Election officials are rebutting a conspiracy theory that has circulated for years, while another interest rate hike is also raised as a possibility.
Russian Presidential Adviser Anton Kobyakov said military operations in the Strait of Hormuz are unlikely to end soon. He said current estimates of volumes passing through the waterway range from 10 million to 13 million barrels per day, 1.5 to two times below the pre-war level of 20 million.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen accused Madrid of taking “almost the exact opposite” approach to other EU countries, escalating tensions with fellow Socialist Pedro Sánchez, Spain’s prime minister.
Numan Kurtulmus met Moldovan Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu at the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament and called for international action over Israel’s violations of international law.
The 36.452-km second phase of the Ezhou Airport Expressway in Hubei opened to traffic on Friday, improving road access to Ezhou Huahu International Airport. A logistics worker said the trip from Daye City to the airport now takes under 20 minutes, down from nearly an hour.
expresswayEzhou Huahu International Airportcargo transportHubei
Volodymyr Zelensky and Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar held their first bilateral talks in Brussels on Oct. 16. Magyar called Ukraine’s adoption and immediate implementation of a minority education law a first step toward rebuilding trust. The two sides will continue ministerial talks on minority issues and seek a new foundation for political and economic ties.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the European Council, seeking to normalise relations after Kyiv passed a minority-rights law and Budapest dropped its objections to EU accession clusters.
Ukraine’s General Staff said Ukrainian forces struck a Russian Nebo-U radar near Magri in Krasnodar Krai on the night of Oct. 16. It estimated the radar’s cost at about $100 million and said strikes on such systems reduce Russia’s ability to monitor airspace and detect aerial assets promptly.
Germany’s Bundestag backed a plan to pay €10 a month into private retirement savings for children aged 6 to 18, pending approval by the Bundesrat. Critics say families able to add much more could widen inequality. Separately, Jewish student representatives said they received death threats after blocking a far-right lawmaker from a synagogue commemoration in Halle.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said Battlegroup North had taken full control of the Volchansk-Budarki highway, which Ukrainian forces had sought to use for logistics. It said Russian troops struck supply convoys and were expanding a security zone along the border in Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkov regions.
Global equity funds recorded inflows for a fourth consecutive week through October 14, as Treasury yields retreated from near 25-year highs and hopes for strong earnings lifted sentiment. Investors nevertheless withdrew money from technology funds over concerns about rising debt in the sector.
A proposal to suspend the shared e-scooter scheme is due to be discussed at a council meeting on 21 October. Bolt, Lime and Bird currently operate in the sector in the Portuguese capital.
Russian presidential adviser Anton Kobyakov said new LNG capacity outside the Persian Gulf has replaced about two-thirds of lost Qatari and UAE volumes. Before the US-Israel conflict with Iran, nearly 20% of global LNG supplies passed through the Strait of Hormuz, he said, adding that American companies are among the main beneficiaries of the situation.
The SEC’s decision to rescind a key rule on shareholder voting could not have come at a worse time, as shareholders should have a role in making AI safe.
Villagers in Koraput, Odisha, allege signatures and thumbprints on records of meetings in Balda and Bannur were forged, including those attributed to dead or fictitious people. Documents reportedly say nearly 600 tribal residents agreed to land being used for an Adani-linked bauxite mine, while both villages’ elected heads deny collecting signatures and call the meetings invalid.
IndiaAdani Groupbauxite miningIndigenous land rights
The Vatican said on Friday that Africa now has more Catholics than Europe, releasing the latest Catholic Church figures compiled by its news agency Fides.
Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali said the United States had shown no serious political will for substantive talks with Iran. He blamed the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, Persian Gulf and Bab al-Mandeb Strait on US and Israeli aggression and a naval blockade against Iran, adding that continued force and ultimatums would achieve nothing for Washington.
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AFP News Agency
