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World

Villages in Ayutthaya Province Flooded for the Sixth Year in a Row: The Price of Protecting Bangkok from Floods

After the 2011 floods, Thailand expanded dikes and spillways to protect Bangkok, Ayutthaya and industrial zones along the Chao Phraya. Commercial centers are protected, but low-lying villages that serve as floodwater release zones are flooded every year. Residents raise their houses on stilts at their own expense for 100,000 to a million baht, an environmentalist proposed a 'flood-free living tax,' and authorities are building a €700 million bypass canal by 2030.

4 min read
Technology

China to Upgrade Railways: 400 km/h Trains, 600 km/h Magnetic Transport and 'Smart' Tickets

China's National Railway Administration has presented an industry development plan for 2026–2030. It provides for about 30 new science and technology centers, the introduction of 400 km/h trains, phased research into 600 km/h magnetic transport, the transformation of the 12306 platform into an intelligent passenger companion, and a reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030.

2 min read
World

German Labour Minister Bärbel Bas resigns, citing personal tragedy and coalition criticism

Germany's Federal Minister of Labour and SPD co-leader Bärbel Bas announced her departure from all government and party posts after the death of her stepdaughter. She said the decision was also influenced by intensified public attacks from the CDU/CSU. According to Süddeutsche Zeitung, Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized her work pace while knowing about her personal tragedy; his chancellery neither confirmed nor denied this.

3 min read
Economy

AUGA explained why operating kindergartens were included in Uzbekistan's privatization program

At an October 8 press conference, AUGA head Sohibjon Murodov explained why operating kindergartens in Tashkent and Kashkadarya region were included in privatization lists. According to him, the building of kindergarten No. 58 in Yakkasaray district is old and has no foundation; children will be moved to a new 720-seat kindergarten, and the facility will be sold with the condition of building a private kindergarten. The Kashkadarya kindergarten is already operating under lease by an entrepreneur. Gazeta's data show a decline in preschool enrollment coverage in 11 of 12 districts.

4 min read
Economy

The soum depreciated by 2% over nine trading sessions, returning the dollar rate to its highest level since July 31

The Uzbek soum has been losing value against the dollar for nine consecutive trading sessions: from October 3 to 16, the rate rose from 11,772.95 to 12,011.65 soums (+238.7 soums, about 2%). Economist Mirkomil Kholboev links this to the dollar's strengthening on the global market amid the US Federal Reserve's policy tightening, and also names three possible domestic factors, emphasizing that there is no confirming data yet.

3 min read
World

EU Summit in Brussels: Trade with China, 2028–2034 Budget and Support for Ukraine

EU leaders opened a two-day summit in Brussels. The first day covers the trade deficit with China (€360 billion last year) and the contentious seven-year budget for 2028–2034, over which Merz demands spending cuts while Meloni defends cohesion funds. On Friday, Zelensky will join the discussion on support for Ukraine.

3 min read
Technology

India Unveils FWD Supreme Heavy Combat Drone with AI Instead of a Pilot

Indian company FWDA has unveiled the FWD Supreme Heavy unmanned aerial vehicle, designed for autonomous flight using artificial intelligence. According to The Times of India, the vehicle is intended for reconnaissance, surveillance, and strikes. The claimed specifications have not yet been confirmed by flight tests.

1 min read
World

A Year Without Raila Odinga: Kenya Debates the Legacy of the 'Father of Opposition'

A year after Raila Odinga's death, Kenya remains divided over his legacy: some see him as a fighter for multiparty democracy and constitutional reform, while others criticize his 'handshakes' with former rivals. Within the ODM party he founded, a struggle over its identity is underway, and the politician's daughter has announced her candidacy for the Senate in 2027.

3 min read
World

WHO: Lead exposure linked to more than 3.5 million deaths worldwide annually

The World Health Organization called on states to strengthen protection of populations from lead poisoning. According to the organization's estimate, lead exposure causes more than 3.5 million deaths annually, and hundreds of millions of children are at risk. The statement was made ahead of International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (October 18–24).

1 min read
World

Zelensky announces resumption of strikes on Russian energy, Trump calls it a 'disgrace'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the Financial Times that the moratorium on strikes against Russian energy infrastructure has ended. Donald Trump called the resumption of strikes a 'disgrace' and said Zelensky is harder to negotiate with than Putin. The Kremlin claims Kyiv is coming into conflict with US peace efforts, while Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy system continue.

3 min read
World

EEA report presents six 'no-regret' steps for Europe's competitiveness without undermining sustainable development

The European Environment Agency on 13 October published the report 'Competitiveness by nature', proposing six 'no-regret' measures: from climate adaptation and the circular economy to AI, education, public trust and EU leadership in global standards. According to the agency, sustainable development strengthens rather than undermines Europe's competitiveness.

3 min read
World

California Court Ordered the US State Department to Resume the Green Card Lottery

A federal court of the Southern District of California ordered the resumption of registration in the Diversity Visa program for fiscal year 2027. Under the court ruling, Secretary of State Marco Rubio must open registration on October 18 by midnight Eastern Time, with an application period of 30 days. The lottery was suspended in December 2025 after the shooting at Brown University.

1 min read
Technology

China Unveils Four-Meter Robot Neo1 Capable of Lifting 500 kg with Two Hands

At the international industrial exhibition CIIF 2026 in China, the four-meter-tall robot Neo1 was presented in cooperation with JD Industrial. It has 41 degrees of freedom, combines hydraulic and electric actuators, and can lift up to 500 kg with two hands. Possible application areas named include assembly of heavy equipment, port operations, the nuclear industry, underwater and mining work, but all of these remain planned and require additional testing.

2 min read
Uzbekistan

Residents of five Tashkent districts complain of chemical smell in hot water — laboratory testing launched

Veolia Energy Tashkent has received complaints from residents of the Mirzo Ulugbek... no — Mirabad, Yakkasaray, Shaykhantahur, Chilanzar and Yunusabad districts about a foreign chemical smell in hot water. Samples have been taken for chemical-bacteriological and organoleptic analyses, and the data has been passed to the supplier — JSC Tashkent CHP — for flushing of the main networks. Results were promised after the studies are completed.

2 min read
Science

Scientists have discovered why some people learn foreign languages more easily

A study involving 67 Japanese people learning English showed: people with sharper hearing engage the left sensorimotor brain area less when perceiving foreign sounds and do not force them to fit their native language. The authors note that the work does not prove that all language abilities are innate.

2 min read
Economy

In nine months of 2026, illegal use of energy resources worth 825.3 billion soums was detected in Uzbekistan

Uzenergoinspektsiya reported that from January to September 2026 it recorded 2,795 cases of illegal consumption of electricity and gas with damage exceeding 825 billion soums. Also, 4,196 administrative protocols were drawn up, excessive payments were recalculated for entrepreneurs, and the sale of more than 7.4 thousand tonnes of low-quality fuel was prevented at gas stations.

1 min read
Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan installs air monitoring stations near Fergana and Samarkand airports

Uzbekistan Airports announced the installation of automatic air quality monitoring stations near Fergana Airport (October 15) and Samarkand Airport (October 9). The equipment measures pollutant concentrations and meteorological parameters, with data transmitted to a unified geoinformation database. The project is being implemented with Malkam Environmental Technologies, and stations are planned at other airports as well.

1 min read