World, in sixty words

Kyiv says terminals lose their connection once a car or drone passes 160km/h, which hurts interceptor drones, the ones used to shoot down Russia's jet-powered drones. Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to President Zelensky, said on Wednesday that troops weren't told about the limit, which Elon Musk's SpaceX set overnight. SpaceX hasn't commented publicly, and Ukraine's defence ministry says it's still investigating the cause.

Six Republican and six Democrat senators wrote to Trump saying the deal is "a gift to our adversary and a betrayal of our allies". Trump says it will bring down soaring pump prices before next month's elections, which decide control of Congress. Critics say it will help pay for Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine, and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch called it "disappointing".

Zelensky said the Darnytska CHP-4 plant, which supplies heating and electricity to parts of Kyiv, was hit late on Tuesday with no early warning from partners. Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko said two people died and 21 were hurt when a missile struck an apartment block. It was the second night running Kyiv was hit, just two days after Donald Trump announced an energy ceasefire.

Russia's FSB has detained Yuki Imai, a reporter for Japan's Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, on the island of Sakhalin, accusing him of gathering information about Russian defences for Japanese intelligence. He was held a day before leaving Russia and moved to Moscow, where he will be kept until 12 December. Japan's government says it is checking the facts. Espionage carries up to 20 years in jail.

The US Justice Department says North Korean operatives using stolen American identities landed remote IT jobs at more than 70 US companies, earning around $3m. Officials charged 14 people, arrested two US helpers and seized over 180 laptops in raids on more than 40 so-called laptop farms in Texas. Victims included healthcare, retail, communications and manufacturing firms across Ohio and over a dozen other states.

A 23-year-old Iranian accounting student, Najmeh Amini, has been sentenced to death for blasphemy over a social media post, according to rights groups. She was detained during anti-government protests earlier this year and is held in Mashhad's Vakilabad prison, where she also received a separate 12-year term. Campaigners say Iran has carried out at least 600 executions this year as it cracks down on dissent.

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from barring CNN, MS Now and Politico journalists from the White House while their lawsuit continues. Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, ruled on Tuesday that the September ban likely breached their free speech and due process rights. The order restores their press passes but does not guarantee access to the Oval Office or Air Force One.

Saudi Arabia launched attacks on Sanaa on Tuesday after its coalition warned civilians to avoid an oil depot there. Houthi strikes on Saudi airports included a deadly attack in Riyadh on Saturday which resulted in 13 fatalities. The Houthis issued a warning of a "harsh and painful" response to any Sanaa strikes, identifying Saudi Aramco and a Riyadh refinery as potential targets.

The BBC wants a federal judge in Florida to make Donald Trump give a deposition for his $10bn defamation lawsuit against the broadcaster. Trump's lawyers said he was unavailable on 16 October, citing "matters of national importance" and suggesting a January date. The January date is well after the case's discovery deadline, despite the BBC offering a confidential location.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday to confirm the UK's continued support for Ukraine. Yesterday, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine intended to redouble its efforts in the ongoing conflict. This discussion occurs as the United Kingdom persists in providing considerable financial and military support to Ukraine.

Donald Trump struck a deal with Vladimir Putin on Friday to bring Russian diesel to world markets, reversing years of US pressure on Moscow weeks before the midterms. The Treasury issued a temporary licence for Russian diesel sales, and Trump said lower prices for Americans were his greatest priority. Democrat Richard Blumenthal said it made the US complicit in Putin's war against Ukraine.

Nuremberg Airport halted flights on Tuesday following a 7500 squawk code transmission from a Corendon Airlines plane arriving from Corfu. German Eurofighter jets accompanied the plane once air traffic control was unable to establish radio communication with its cockpit. Corendon Airlines verified that the signal originated from a radio system fault and was incorrect, assuring that passengers were never at risk.

The US Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington can gather information about the Department of Government Efficiency. The Trump administration argues DOGE, once led by Elon Musk, is an advisory body exempt from public records law. A lower appeals court had allowed limited fact-finding. Arguments are expected in early 2027, with a ruling by summer.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored as Al-Nassr beat Uzbekistan's Neftchi Fergana 3-1 in the AFC Champions League, in a match delayed by an hour after a missile alert in Riyadh. Saudi civil defence issued the warning 15 minutes before kick-off, as the capital faces missile fire from Yemen's Houthis. Angelo opened the scoring, Ronaldo doubled the lead before half-time, and a late own goal sealed the victory.

Afghanistan's Taliban government has suspended BBC broadcasts from FM radio sites nationwide, citing unspecified "repeated violations". The BBC is the only international news organisation still broadcasting inside Afghanistan and reaches more than a fifth of adults weekly, including education programmes for girls barred from secondary school. The broadcaster said it is working with the authorities and will keep reaching listeners via shortwave, satellite and online.

Geoffrey Hinton, described as the "godfather" of AI, labelled Donald Trump a "corrupt, senile felon" and said he understands "almost nothing" about artificial intelligence. Hinton criticised Trump's use of the term "superintelligence" as proof of his lack of AI knowledge. He also pushed back against industry self-regulation, comparing it to allowing oil or tobacco companies to set their own rules.

MI5 chief Sir Ken McCallum said on Tuesday that Iran is now trying to hit military sites in Britain, calling the suspected plot at RAF Fairford not unique. In his annual threat update he also warned of escalating Russian hybrid attacks and announced a new centre to assess threats from artificial intelligence. Iran denies any involvement in the Fairford incident.

Jury selection has begun in a federal court in Buffalo, New York, for the hate crimes trial of Payton Gendron, the white supremacist who killed 10 Black people at a Tops supermarket in 2022. Prosecutors are now seeking the death penalty. His lawyers are not disputing that he carried out the attack but want to spare him execution. Gendron is already serving life without parole.

Britain has written to Interpol urging it to reject Argentina's requests for the arrest of people linked to the Sea Lion oil project off the Falkland Islands, calling them politically motivated. President Javier Milei has vowed to stop the project and has begun criminal proceedings against the firms behind it. Interpol has replied that its own rules bar it from acting on purely political matters.

MI5 director general Sir Ken McCallum says the agency is spending more effort on hostile states than at any time during the Cold War, naming Russia the leading aggressor. In his annual speech, he said Iran-linked activity had led to 50 arrests in a year, warned of rising far-right terrorism among young people, and said terrorists were already trying to exploit AI-enabled drones for attacks.

Cologne police have seized a robot after it allegedly touched a 16-year-old girl inappropriately outside a fast-food restaurant just before midnight on Saturday. Police say the robot's 16-year-old owner and a 19-year-old companion filmed the incident, livestreamed it and commentated as it happened. Officers found it hidden in their car and are investigating sexual harassment and how the robot was controlled.

Rwanda has signed a 10-year deal with Formula 1 to host a grand prix from the early 2030s, the first race in Africa since South Africa in 1993. It will run on a new purpose-built track in Bugesera, about 25 miles south of Kigali, beside a new international airport. President Paul Kagame said the agreement belongs to Africa and will bring new jobs and tourism.

Qantas took a Boeing 787 out of service in Rome after bedbugs were discovered in the front rows of economy on a flight from Perth on 9 October. The return Rome to Perth service the next day was cancelled so engineers could deep-clean the cabin. The airline apologised and rebooked passengers within 48 hours. An expert said the insects probably arrived in a passenger's luggage.

China's central bank has approved Visa's application to start preparing a domestic bank card clearing business, six years after the US firm applied. The move could let Visa process yuan payments inside China, a market long dominated by UnionPay, WeChat Pay and Alipay. Mastercard and American Express already won similar approval. One analyst linked the timing to Trump and Xi Jinping's expected meeting next month.

Oleksandr Syrskyi, sacked as Ukraine's commander-in-chief this summer, told the BBC that Ukraine has stabilised the front line and broken Russia's ability to push forward. In his first interview since leaving the post, he claimed Russian losses were six times Ukraine's and said Moscow gained just 61 square kilometres in the first half of 2026. He also defended the 2024 Kursk incursion as a necessity.

A fatality occurred on Monday afternoon at Six Flags Over Georgia, approximately 15 miles northwest of Atlanta. Local media reported witnesses saw a man thrown from the Goliath rollercoaster, which reaches speeds of 70mph. Six Flags has temporarily closed nine similar rollercoasters across six parks and is cooperating with authorities.

Ukrainian drone attacks have taken multiple Russian data centres offline, causing internet bot traffic from the country to drop to almost zero. These centres, run by Yandex, Russia's version of Google, saw traffic fall to just 0.4% of its two-week high. The strikes on October 8 and 10 targeted data centres in Sasovo and 220 miles west of it.

Oleksandr Merezhko, head of Ukraine's foreign affairs committee, said Donald Trump is "siding with Putin" and his worldview sees Ukraine as an obstacle. He believes both Trump and Putin want to pressure Ukraine into capitulation. Merezhko also warned that cutting US intelligence sharing would "blind" Ukraine's air defence systems.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced on Monday his intention to participate in a Brussels summit next month, aiming to advance stronger ties with the European Union. He told MPs that parts of the post-Brexit trade deal would be renegotiated, focusing on boosting economic growth and controlling illegal immigration.

South Africa's deputy national police commissioner, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, resigned at a disciplinary hearing after being charged with sexual offences. Police are treating his exit as a dishonourable discharge because proceedings were pending. The charges include the rape of an 18-year-old, the alleged grooming of a 16-year-old and human trafficking. He denies them, saying sex with the adult was consensual, and remains in custody.

Actress Selma Blair has pleaded not guilty to two state assault counts after an alleged altercation on a Delta flight from Los Angeles to New York. Two flight attendants were reportedly hurt, one needing hospital treatment, and the charges relate to alleged incidents in an ambulance and a hospital. Bail was set at $20,000. Her publicist cited a medical emergency. Federal charges also remain possible.

The International Monetary Fund has warned that a crash in AI company shares could threaten world financial stability, citing sky-high valuations and rising debt in its latest Global Financial Stability Report. It named an AI correction as one of 3 main risks, alongside government borrowing costs and a major cyber-attack. The seven biggest US tech stocks make up more than 35% of the S&P 500.

Argentina temporarily closed tourist access to Iguazu Falls after heavy rains linked to El Niño pushed the Iguazu River above 12,000 cubic metres per second, over six times its normal flow. National park officials said the closure was a precaution against flooding and that the site would reopen on Tuesday as water levels eased. The Unesco-listed falls lie on the border between Argentina and Brazil.

Donald Trump says he is considering firing Kimberly Guilfoyle, the US ambassador to Greece, following reports alleging improper behaviour in Athens, which she denies. Asked about sacking her, he said he was looking at it and not happy. Messages seen by the BBC appear to show her asking a donor to pay a credit card bill; her lawyers say the money was owed for consulting.

An initial inquiry has been launched by Bolivia's acting attorney general into allegations that Evo Morales, who was president in 2009, was connected to the killing and torture of European nationals. Police raided a hotel in Santa Cruz 17 years ago, killing three Europeans and torturing two others who survived.

Saudi Arabia's second-busiest airport is to remain closed until October 17, following recent fatal attacks attributed to Yemen's Houthi rebels. The civil aviation authority said the extension is needed to check the airport's safety and operational readiness. Airlines like Lufthansa and Air France have cancelled or postponed flights to Riyadh, with Delta delaying a new route until March 2027.

Paris's Marché Couvert des Enfants Rouges, a popular street food spot, was completely destroyed by a fire overnight from Sunday to Monday. Food & Wine magazine this year placed the market, which has existed since 1615, in fifth position globally for street food offerings. Authorities confirmed the fire is now under control and didn't spread to nearby buildings.

Scientists are trialling a new early warning system in Indonesia that uses mosque loudspeakers to alert people to earthquakes. The five-year project aims to save lives by using the existing network of speakers, which are well-maintained by local communities. The system could give people 5 to 10 seconds to react, especially in hard-to-reach areas.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband summoned Iran's ambassador to make clear that the UK will not accept threats to its security. Prime Minister Andy Burnham informed MPs that the incident at RAF Fairford last month was "almost certainly" directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard. The UK and 28 other countries have also condemned Iran's violent attacks in a joint statement.