Saudi-led coalition strikes Houthi sites as Iran war widens into Red Sea shipping lanes
Al Jazeera's live coverage on October 14 reported a Saudi-led coalition hitting Houthi sites and an Aramco office in eastern Saudi Arabia being struck, as the kingdom escalated retaliation for recent Houthi missile and drone attacks that killed more than a dozen people. The clashes come amid continuing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, where cargo vessels have reported being struck by projectiles in recent weeks, part of the broader war that has seen Iran and the US trade blockades of each other's shipping since fighting broke out earlier this year. Oil prices have remained elevated as the conflict has widened beyond the original Iran-US-Israel front to draw in Saudi Arabia and Houthi forces directly.
Read more →Saudi-led coalition strikes Houthi sites as Iran war widens into Red Sea shipping lanes
Al Jazeera's live coverage on October 14 reported a Saudi-led coalition hitting Houthi sites and an Aramco office in eastern Saudi Arabia being struck, as the kingdom escalated retaliation for recent Houthi missile and drone attacks that killed more than a dozen people. The clashes come amid continuing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, where cargo vessels have reported being struck by projectiles in recent weeks, part of the broader war that has seen Iran and the US trade blockades of each other's shipping since fighting broke out earlier this year. Oil prices have remained elevated as the conflict has widened beyond the original Iran-US-Israel front to draw in Saudi Arabia and Houthi forces directly.
US envoys offered Russia unfreezing of billions in assets to revive Ukraine ceasefire talks
The New York Times reported that Trump administration envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner floated releasing up to roughly $100 billion in frozen Russian sovereign assets, among other economic incentives including a Lukoil stake sale and a Belarus potash export deal, in exchange for a partial ceasefire covering energy-infrastructure and sea strikes. Officials described the money as an upfront incentive rather than a reward for compliance, and Ukraine reportedly did not reject the idea outright but sought safeguards such as matching payments to Kyiv and additional military aid if a truce were violated. Trump announced an energy-sector truce on October 11, though Russian authorities had not publicly confirmed agreement to it as of October 12.
Read more →US envoys offered Russia unfreezing of billions in assets to revive Ukraine ceasefire talks
The New York Times reported that Trump administration envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner floated releasing up to roughly $100 billion in frozen Russian sovereign assets, among other economic incentives including a Lukoil stake sale and a Belarus potash export deal, in exchange for a partial ceasefire covering energy-infrastructure and sea strikes. Officials described the money as an upfront incentive rather than a reward for compliance, and Ukraine reportedly did not reject the idea outright but sought safeguards such as matching payments to Kyiv and additional military aid if a truce were violated. Trump announced an energy-sector truce on October 11, though Russian authorities had not publicly confirmed agreement to it as of October 12.
Kospi plunges 5% as tech sell-off deepens on AI-spending and chip-rivalry fears
South Korea's benchmark Kospi index fell 5.46% to close at 6,035.35 on October 13, its fifth consecutive losing session, after opening more than 3% lower. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix led the rout, dropping 7.29% and 8.35% respectively, as the Korea Exchange briefly triggered a sell-side sidecar after the index fell more than 5% in a single minute. Analysts pointed to concerns over OpenAI's spending plans, the completion of local chipmakers' share buyback programmes, and reports of rapid progress by Chinese rival chipmaker CXMT, while foreign investors sold a net 4.51 trillion won ($3.35 billion) of stock; Middle East-driven oil prices and inflation worries ahead of the US Federal Reserve's October meeting added to the pressure.
Read more →Kospi plunges 5% as tech sell-off deepens on AI-spending and chip-rivalry fears
South Korea's benchmark Kospi index fell 5.46% to close at 6,035.35 on October 13, its fifth consecutive losing session, after opening more than 3% lower. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix led the rout, dropping 7.29% and 8.35% respectively, as the Korea Exchange briefly triggered a sell-side sidecar after the index fell more than 5% in a single minute. Analysts pointed to concerns over OpenAI's spending plans, the completion of local chipmakers' share buyback programmes, and reports of rapid progress by Chinese rival chipmaker CXMT, while foreign investors sold a net 4.51 trillion won ($3.35 billion) of stock; Middle East-driven oil prices and inflation worries ahead of the US Federal Reserve's October meeting added to the pressure.
WWF report finds global wildlife populations down 73% since 1970, but India bucks the trend
The WWF and Zoological Society of London's Living Planet Report 2026, released October 8, found the average size of monitored wildlife populations worldwide fell 73% between 1970 and 2022, based on nearly 35,800 population trends across 5,790 vertebrate species, with freshwater species hit hardest at an 85% average decline. The report singled out India as a bright spot: tiger, greater one-horned rhinoceros and Asiatic lion numbers have all risen, with Asiatic lions climbing from 674 in 2020 to 891 in 2025 and a first science-based count putting the Ganges river dolphin population at 6,324. Habitat loss, overexploitation, climate change, pollution, invasive species and disease were cited as the leading drivers of the broader global decline.
Read more →WWF report finds global wildlife populations down 73% since 1970, but India bucks the trend
The WWF and Zoological Society of London's Living Planet Report 2026, released October 8, found the average size of monitored wildlife populations worldwide fell 73% between 1970 and 2022, based on nearly 35,800 population trends across 5,790 vertebrate species, with freshwater species hit hardest at an 85% average decline. The report singled out India as a bright spot: tiger, greater one-horned rhinoceros and Asiatic lion numbers have all risen, with Asiatic lions climbing from 674 in 2020 to 891 in 2025 and a first science-based count putting the Ganges river dolphin population at 6,324. Habitat loss, overexploitation, climate change, pollution, invasive species and disease were cited as the leading drivers of the broader global decline.