Lead Story
Houthi missile strikes destroy jet, kill three at Riyadh airport as Saudi-Yemen offensive escalates
Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed ballistic-missile strikes on October 8 against King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, with a second strike the following day hitting a parked aircraft. Saudi authorities said three Saudi citizens, including an airline pilot, were killed, and a Saudia Airbus A320 was completely destroyed. Hundreds of flights to and from Riyadh were cancelled, and Lufthansa Group suspended its Riyadh flights through October 16. The attacks came as a Saudi-led coalition launched a major offensive to retake territory the Houthis seized a month earlier along Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait; the US has provided intelligence and planning support but President Trump has so far held off ordering American forces back into direct strikes on the rebels.
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Houthi missile strikes destroy jet, kill three at Riyadh airport as Saudi-Yemen offensive escalates
Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed ballistic-missile strikes on October 8 against King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, with a second strike the following day hitting a parked aircraft. Saudi authorities said three Saudi citizens, including an airline pilot, were killed, and a Saudia Airbus A320 was completely destroyed. Hundreds of flights to and from Riyadh were cancelled, and Lufthansa Group suspended its Riyadh flights through October 16. The attacks came as a Saudi-led coalition launched a major offensive to retake territory the Houthis seized a month earlier along Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait; the US has provided intelligence and planning support but President Trump has so far held off ordering American forces back into direct strikes on the rebels.
Nobel Peace Prize 2026 awarded to former UN human rights chief Navi Pillay
The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on October 9 that the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize goes to Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay, a South African-born jurist and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Pillay, who grew up under apartheid in Durban, was honoured for a career advancing international law and human rights; the committee drew 287 nominations for this year's prize, 208 for individuals and 79 for organisations. The formal award ceremony is scheduled for December 10 in Oslo. The announcement rounded out a week of Nobel science prizes, including Physiology or Medicine going to three scientists for pioneering optogenetics research.
Read more →Nobel Peace Prize 2026 awarded to former UN human rights chief Navi Pillay
The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on October 9 that the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize goes to Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay, a South African-born jurist and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Pillay, who grew up under apartheid in Durban, was honoured for a career advancing international law and human rights; the committee drew 287 nominations for this year's prize, 208 for individuals and 79 for organisations. The formal award ceremony is scheduled for December 10 in Oslo. The announcement rounded out a week of Nobel science prizes, including Physiology or Medicine going to three scientists for pioneering optogenetics research.
Bus-truck collision and fire kill at least 28 on Tanzania highway
A passenger bus travelling from Dar es Salaam to Mbeya collided head-on with a timber truck on October 9 at Mkambarani on the Morogoro-Dar es Salaam highway, after the truck attempted to overtake other vehicles without adequate precautions, officials said. The bus burst into flames and was completely burnt out, complicating rescue efforts. The death toll reached at least 28, including the truck driver, with the number of injured still unclear. Tanzania has one of the world's highest road death rates; a bus collision in the Kilimanjaro region killed at least 37 people in June 2025.
Read more →Bus-truck collision and fire kill at least 28 on Tanzania highway
A passenger bus travelling from Dar es Salaam to Mbeya collided head-on with a timber truck on October 9 at Mkambarani on the Morogoro-Dar es Salaam highway, after the truck attempted to overtake other vehicles without adequate precautions, officials said. The bus burst into flames and was completely burnt out, complicating rescue efforts. The death toll reached at least 28, including the truck driver, with the number of injured still unclear. Tanzania has one of the world's highest road death rates; a bus collision in the Kilimanjaro region killed at least 37 people in June 2025.
Gaza strikes continue a year after ceasefire, with death toll since the truce topping 1,446
A year after the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire took effect, Israeli strikes have continued at a near-daily pace, with reporting putting the number of Palestinians killed since the October 2025 truce at roughly 1,446, with more than 5,060 injured. On October 7, as Israel marked the third anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks, further strikes killed several people in Gaza, and Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered all crossings into Gaza and the occupied West Bank closed for the day. Humanitarian conditions remain dire, with hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians still living in tent cities and makeshift shelters despite the ceasefire.
Read more →Gaza strikes continue a year after ceasefire, with death toll since the truce topping 1,446
A year after the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire took effect, Israeli strikes have continued at a near-daily pace, with reporting putting the number of Palestinians killed since the October 2025 truce at roughly 1,446, with more than 5,060 injured. On October 7, as Israel marked the third anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks, further strikes killed several people in Gaza, and Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered all crossings into Gaza and the occupied West Bank closed for the day. Humanitarian conditions remain dire, with hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians still living in tent cities and makeshift shelters despite the ceasefire.
Cook Political Report shifts 18 US House races toward Democrats ahead of midterms
Less than four weeks before the November 3 US midterm elections, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report moved 18 House race ratings toward Democrats on October 9, now projecting a likely Democratic gain of nine to 19 seats. The shift includes nine seats held by Republican incumbents, five held by Democratic incumbents, and four open seats, with several races in Iowa, Pennsylvania and Washington moving from toss-up to lean-Democrat. Cook's House editor Erin Covey pointed to a sustained Democratic enthusiasm advantage in recent special and off-year elections, a trend that predates the president's sliding approval ratings amid high gas prices and the war with Iran. The NRCC said races are won district by district with strong local candidates.
Read more →Cook Political Report shifts 18 US House races toward Democrats ahead of midterms
Less than four weeks before the November 3 US midterm elections, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report moved 18 House race ratings toward Democrats on October 9, now projecting a likely Democratic gain of nine to 19 seats. The shift includes nine seats held by Republican incumbents, five held by Democratic incumbents, and four open seats, with several races in Iowa, Pennsylvania and Washington moving from toss-up to lean-Democrat. Cook's House editor Erin Covey pointed to a sustained Democratic enthusiasm advantage in recent special and off-year elections, a trend that predates the president's sliding approval ratings amid high gas prices and the war with Iran. The NRCC said races are won district by district with strong local candidates.