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According to the UN, at least 77 civilians were killed in September in a series of attacks attributed to ADF militants in the Mambasa territory in Ituri province in eastern DR Congo. The militants also abducted people and set houses on fire. This week, 10 more deaths were reported in an attack on mines.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking at the OIC session in Baghdad, said Tehran is ready for dialogue with the US, but only if there are guarantees against repeated military attacks. He referred to a seven-day proposal conveyed through Qatar and to the 'Islamabad Understanding' of June 17, brokered by Pakistan, whose implementation has stalled.
Head of Saudi ACWA Power Muhammad Abunayyan spoke about the outcomes of the Investors Council in Tashkent: the company signed a $1.5 billion contract for a 1 GW round-the-clock generation project and agreed on direct investments of up to $3.5 billion in 2027. In November, a visit by a delegation of more than 50 Saudi companies is expected.
24-year-old Briton Sonay Kartal defeated Jelena Ostapenko 7-6 (11/9), 7-6 (7-5) and became the lowest-ranked finalist in the history of WTA 1000 tournaments. She is returning after a six-month break due to a stress fracture of the spine.
Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust has increased the number of staff dismissed for unlawfully accessing medical records of the victims of the 13 June 2023 Nottingham attacks from 11 to 15. Fifteen final and two first written warnings have also been issued. Investigations are ongoing, including access to the files of surviving victims. The public inquiry's findings will be published by May 2027.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi declared the country's readiness to defend Saudi Arabia if it requests assistance, emphasizing that this concerns defense only. On Sunday, October 18, 2026, Egypt's parliament will hold an emergency plenary session to consider the relevant authorization. The statement came amid intensified Houthi attacks from Yemen on Saudi facilities.
At the annual IMF and World Bank meetings in Bangkok, economists and policymakers discussed AI's role in global growth. According to the IMF, AI investment cushioned the shock from rising energy prices caused by the war in the Middle East, but a slowdown in investment could reduce global GDP by 0.4% by 2028.
The trade union confederation CGTP and housing movements organized demonstrations in Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra on October 17, 2026, demanding higher wages, pensions and affordable housing. The actions followed the dispersal of a tent camp in Porto on Thursday; the Socialist leader demanded clarification over the police actions. At the same time, protests in France escalated into clashes with police.
Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet in Astana on October 17 — the first visit of a Cambodian prime minister to Kazakhstan. The sides discussed bilateral cooperation, adopted a joint statement, and exchanged six documents on digital government, trade, culture, tourism, and sister-city ties between Astana and Phnom Penh.
Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (world No. 26) defeated tournament top seed Alexander Zverev 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in the semifinal of the Shanghai Masters and advanced to the final, where he will play either Daniil Medvedev or Rafael Jodar.
Lord Ricketts told the BBC that the UK should spend more on defence and infrastructure resilience as Russia's hybrid attacks become 'more reckless'. His remarks came after the MI5 chief's speech about a fourfold rise in state threats over a decade.
Over the past 10 years, Uzbekistan's trade turnover with Central Asian countries grew from $2.5 billion to almost $8.5 billion, while the region's mutual trade turnover reached almost $11 billion. Economist Javlon Vahobov believes that the Fergana Valley, with a population of about 18 million, is not only a consumer market but also a base for industrial cooperation: Andijan — machine building, Namangan — light industry, Fergana — chemistry, Tajikistan's Sughd Region — metallurgy.
The building of the State Museum of Literature named after Alisher Navoi in Tashkent has been transferred free of charge to the Uzbek State Youth Theatre under operational management by a Cabinet of Ministers resolution dated 29 September 2026. Construction of a new building for the museum is planned in Yangi Tashkent, but it is not yet ready. Museum staff are concerned about the fate of manuscripts, wall artworks and research activities; part of the collections has already been transferred to the Center of Islamic Civilization, and the rest is planned to be relocated.
Social media reports claimed the building of the Alisher Navoi State Museum of Literature had allegedly been secretly transferred to another organization and that the heritage site faced risk of damage. On October 16, Uzbekistan's Cultural Heritage Agency said it had conducted a review: the building at 69 Navoi Street is listed in the national register of cultural heritage sites and was transferred to the State Youth Theatre under operational management by government decision.
According to Syria's state agency SANA, Israeli forces entered the Wadi al-Rukkad area in the western countryside of Deraa province on Saturday, while Israeli reconnaissance planes flew over the western part of the Yarmouk basin. No attacks or detentions were reported. The day before, Israeli forces had entered Quneitra province and encircled the town of Abidin.
In the village of Shapury in the Vitebsk district, at a mass burial site where about 18,000 Soviet soldiers are buried, including 729 natives of Uzbekistan, a monument was solemnly unveiled to those who died during the liberation of Vitebsk. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the authorities of Belarus and Uzbekistan. The report cites BelTA.
Iranian exports to Pakistan have been 'temporarily' halted due to sanctions against Iran's banking system, said Peyman Sanandaji, head of the transport commission of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce. Imports from Pakistan continue, and the land border remains open.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said a second supertanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of oil hit a mine and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel was traveling along an 'unauthorized' route with its positioning systems switched off. Data on the ship, crew and consequences have not been disclosed.
