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World

Swinney at SNP conference: 'Scotland is not Manchester', bus pledges and independence campaign

Scotland's First Minister John Swinney, in his closing speech at the SNP conference in Aberdeen, responded to Mayor Andy Burnham, stating that Scotland is 'not a city or a region, but a nation', and pledged independence. He announced the Choose Scotland campaign with a 'six-figure fund', the transfer of the bus network to public control by 2031, the extension of the £2 fare cap to the north-east from April, a £30 million fund against racism and a misogyny bill.

3 min read
World

OIC Foreign Ministers Gather in Baghdad for 52nd Session: Palestine, Crises, and Iraq's Integration Initiative

The 52nd session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation opened in Baghdad. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi opened the meeting, stated that the Palestinian issue remains the core of the conflict in the region, and presented Iraq's initiative to integrate energy grids, railways, transport, and digital systems among OIC countries. Iraq took over the rotating chairmanship of the organisation from Turkey.

2 min read
World

White House Threatens California with Criminal Prosecution for Counting Ballots of Suspected Non-Citizens

The Trump administration warned California election officials that counting ballots cast by individuals identified by federal agencies as non-citizens could be treated as complicity in a federal crime. The warning followed a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to suspend the counting of such ballots pending verification of immigration status. California officials said no supporting evidence had been provided.

1 min read
World

Sri Lanka experienced a nationwide blackout due to a power system failure

On Saturday, all of Sri Lanka was left without electricity due to instability in the power system. The Upper Kotmale hydroelectric power plant accident is suspected as the cause. Owners of solar panels were ordered to switch them off until further notice; supply restoration is ongoing.

1 min read
World

In Saudi Arabia, sirens sounded twice in one day in Abha and Khamis Mushait; authorities declared the threat over

Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense announced that the threat to Abha and Khamis Mushait governorate had passed after sirens were activated for the second time in one day via the National Early Warning Platform. Residents were advised to follow instructions and avoid gathering in groups. The nature of the threat was not disclosed. The alerts come amid an escalation between Riyadh and Yemen's Houthis that has continued since July.

1 min read
World

IOM: Repeated displacements have left shelters in Gaza in poor condition ahead of winter

Carl Baker, crisis coordinator for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that repeated population displacements are destroying shelters in Gaza, while restrictions on the import of materials and funding shortages are hampering winter preparations. According to him, 1.8–1.9 million people need shelter assistance, and only about 30% of the enclave's territory is accessible.

2 min read
World

Killed in light aircraft crash near Loch Lomond: a 16-year-old teenager and an 80-year-old instructor, believed to be Ian Haggis

A Piper Tomahawk II light aircraft, registered to the Leading Edge Flight Training flight school in Renfrew, crashed on Friday near the village of Drymen close to Loch Lomond in Scotland. A 16-year-old teenager and an 80-year-old man, who is reported to have been flight instructor Ian Haggis, were killed. The AAIB is leading the investigation, and temporary airspace restrictions have been introduced in the area.

2 min read
Economy

Infographic: China Overtakes the US and EU in Trade with 92 Countries

According to Visual Capitalist data based on IMF statistics and the UN Comtrade database, in 2000 the EU was the leading trade partner among the trio 'China — US — EU' in 112 of 175 economies, and the US in 53. By 2025, the leadership had shifted: China became the top partner in 92 countries, the EU in 55, and the US in 32. China's external goods trade grew from $470 billion in 2000 to $6.4 trillion in 2025.

2 min read
Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan's Cadastral Agency held on-site reception in Karakalpakstan: more than 200 appeals reviewed in two days

Over two days of on-site receptions by the Cadastral Agency in Karakalpakstan, more than 200 citizens' appeals were reviewed: on October 15, 136 appeals were received from 12 districts and one city of the republic; on October 16 in Beruni, 72 appeals from four districts were reviewed. The main topics were land plot rights and cadastral documents for real estate. The reception will continue on October 17 in Urgench.

1 min read
World

UKMTO reported a second attack on a tanker off the coast of Saudi Arabia

UKMTO recorded a second attack on a tanker in one day in the area northeast of Al Jubail: according to the captain, the vessel was fired upon with a rocket-propelled grenade from a small boat. The crews of both attacked tankers are safe; damage and environmental consequences are being assessed.

1 min read
Technology

Researchers identify vulnerabilities in data transfer apps between smartphones

Specialists from the Institute of Information Security at the University of Graz and the Center for Secure Information Technologies tested data transfer apps from seven brands for wirelessly moving data to a new phone. In experiments, the researchers managed to intercept SMS messages, contacts, photos, health data, passwords and Wi-Fi keys, and in some cases to substitute installation files and inject malware. The results were presented at the ESORICS 2026 symposium; the vulnerabilities were fixed after notification of compa

2 min read
Economy

Tariff hikes prompted residents of Uzbekistan to save electricity and gas — Ministry of Economy and Finance

Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance Khurshed Mustafayev said that from 2023 to 2025 the average monthly electricity consumption per subscriber fell from 212 to 184 kWh (−13%), and gas from 431 to 342 cubic meters (−21%). Deputy Director of the National Agency for Social Protection Jamshid Abruev explained the shift to targeted support by the fact that the previous subsidies benefited higher-income families more. Over a year and a half, about 470 thousand families received compensation totaling 156 billion soums.

3 min read
Technology

ChatGPT Retains the Lead in Traffic, but Gemini and Claude Are Catching Up

According to Similarweb data cited by Visual Capitalist, in September 2026 the Gemini website was visited 2.6 billion times, and Claude about 1 billion. From October 2025 to September 2026, only Gemini and Claude increased their share among major chatbots, while the combined share of DeepSeek, Grok, Copilot and Perplexity fell from 11.4% to 8.1%.

2 min read
World

Fire at Cox's Bazar resort in Bangladesh: at least 10 dead, 9 injured

A fire at a wooden resort and restaurant on Inani Beach in Cox's Bazar, southeastern Bangladesh, killed at least 10 people, believed to be tourists, and injured nine others. The blaze was extinguished by firefighters, border guards and police. The cause of the fire has not been determined, and an investigation committee has been formed.

1 min read
World

After Russian strikes, Vinnytsia was left without power, with children among the injured

Vinnytsia mayor Serhii Morgunov reported that the city was left without electricity on the morning of October 17 following a Russian strike. According to the State Emergency Service, at least five people were injured in Zaporizhzhia region, including a child; in Kharkiv — 15 people, including three children. The Ukrainian Air Force reported intercepting four Kalibr missiles and 289 drones.

2 min read
World

EU adopts new sanctions package against Russia: 1,569 entities targeted, including suppliers to the missile industry

The EU adopted one of the largest sanctions packages since the start of the war, covering 1,569 entities — 826 companies and 743 individuals. According to political scientists Jahongir Akramov and Anvar Yoʻldoshev, the total number of sanctioned entities grew from roughly 3,000 to 4,600. The restrictions affected GAZ, nickel enterprises, railway organizations, and suppliers of components for missile production.

3 min read