WORLD

 RIYADH, October 9, 2026 (Nosheen): Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said three Saudi nationals were killed and several others injured in two attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday. According to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation, a statement posted on social media platform X said the first attack targeted airport facilities, while the second struck an aircraft belonging to national carrier Saudia. Officials said the injuries ranged from minor to serious, while the attacks also caused property damage. The authority said airport operations had resumed and air traffic had returned to normal. Meanwhile, Saudia confirmed that one of its pilots was killed and an aircraft was damaged in the incident at Riyadh Airport. In a statement, ...

 WASHINGTON, 9 October, 2026 (Nosheen): The US military is planning a three-day campaign of intensive strikes against Iran, although President Donald Trump has yet to make a final decision on launching fresh attacks, The New York Times reported. According to the report, the proposed military operation would target Iran’s stockpiles of missiles and drones, while Iranian energy infrastructure and command centres belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) could also be among the potential targets. The newspaper reported that Trump had rejected five proposals for military strikes against Iran and Yemen’s Houthi movement over the past several months, highlighting continued uncertainty within the US administration over its military approach to the region. The report furth...

 MOSCOW, 9 October, 2026 (Ghufran): Russian President Vladimir Putin has promoted Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov from Colonel General to the senior military rank of Army General in recognition of his contributions to security operations and military activities. At a ceremony held in Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, Russian National Guard Director Viktor Zolotov presented Kadyrov with new shoulder boards bearing the insignia of an Army General and a maroon beret associated with special forces. Addressing the ceremony, Zolotov said President Putin had instructed him to deliver the presidential decree confirming Kadyrov’s promotion. He said the rank was awarded in recognition of Kadyrov’s role in counterterrorism and anti-extremism operations, maintaining Russia’s internal and ...

KYIV, 8 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Ukraine is facing an increasingly serious shortage of combat-ready troops as the war with Russia enters its fifth year, with military commanders and analysts warning that some front-line units are operating at only half strength. Despite Ukraine’s advances in drone technology and battlefield tactics, the shortage of personnel is limiting its ability to exploit those advantages and launch sustained operations. Commanders say exhausted soldiers cannot be rotated frequently enough because there are not enough reserves to replace them, increasing casualties and weakening military effectiveness. Long-standing mobilisation problems, including draft evasion and desertion, have further complicated efforts to replenish Ukraine’s forces. The Defence Ministry is s...

 CAIRO, 8 October, 2026 (Nosheen): Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen on Thursday claimed responsibility for a new attack targeting King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh, as several explosions were heard in the city and witnesses reported the evacuation of passengers and the suspension of outgoing flights. A witness said a large blast was heard at the airport, while fire and ambulance crews were deployed and smoke was visible. Saudi Arabia’s civil defence authorities said debris from an intercepted missile damaged a kindergarten and a medical complex, but reported no casualties from the latest incident. The spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, Major General Turki al-Malki, said Saudi forces intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched...

 JERUSALEM, 8 October, 2026 (Ghufran): Israel on Thursday ended the functions of the British consulate in Jerusalem and significantly reduced the United Kingdom’s diplomatic presence, allowing only seven British diplomats to remain in a limited capacity. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said 20 diplomats, including the British consul general, were ending their missions and leaving the country following a decision to downsize the UK presence. He said the move followed dialogue between the Israeli and British governments aimed at preventing further escalation in bilateral tensions. Saar said the consulate building remained British government property but would now operate with a task force of only seven diplomats and with a significantly limited scope of activities. Britain said...

ANKARA, 8 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Türkiye is assessing how it can help Saudi Arabia defend against attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi forces under a joint defence agreement with Pakistan, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Thursday, while ruling out any Turkish participation in offensive operations. Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in August, under which an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all. The three countries have since held political and military consultations in response to Houthi attacks. Fidan said the agreement was defensive rather than offensive and that military officials were assessing possible Turkish contributions, particularly in air defence, electronic warfare and technical support. “This is a defe...

Stockholm, 8 October, 2026 (Nosheen): Canadian poet and writer Anne Carson has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature for what the Swedish Academy described as her “bold and inventive oeuvre” that engages creatively with the classical tradition and has developed new forms for contemporary literature. The prestigious award, presented by the Swedish Academy, carries a prize of 12 million Swedish kronor, equivalent to around $1.2 million. Swedish Academy Permanent Secretary Ingrid Carlberg said Carson was deeply surprised by the announcement and, during a brief conversation, said she was currently in Iceland listening to the wind. Born in Toronto, the 76-year-old Carson is widely known for combining poetry, prose, dialogue and translation in genre-defying works. Her writing has been strongly ...