The US extended a sanctions waiver for Russian oil company Lukoil through April 2027. The National reports that the new license allows service operations and petrol stations, including those in the US, to operate until April 25, 2027, while restricting transfers of funds to Russia and excluding transactions involving several Russian state entities. Euronews reports separately that a Treasury license authorizes certain transactions involving Lukoil's Bulgarian entities through April 24, 2027.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called for de-escalation amid renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia, with civilians reported killed. Africanews reports Rubio spoke by phone with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday and urged dialogue under the 2018 peace deal between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
A study published on October 15 says nearly half of reef-building coral species face an elevated relative risk of extinction. Phys.org reports that 44% of the world’s reef-building coral species are threatened and warns the true figure may be higher; it says a University of Portsmouth scientist helped lead the global study.
Saudi authorities extended the suspension of flights at Riyadh airport after Houthi attacks. The Globe and Mail reports new missile and drone fire, and says attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities are part of a conflict spilling over from a wider regional war.
A minister has urged people to save water, saying drought is becoming the new normal, as severe drought affects parts of southern England. BBC News says the declaration followed months of low rainfall; its earlier report said reservoir levels were dropping after a hot summer and less September rain than normal. The Guardian reported that drought was declared in six areas of England as reservoirs ran low.
As delegates prepare to meet next week in Yerevan, Armenia, expectations for the COP17 biodiversity summit are low. The Guardian says optimism has faded about meeting the 2030 pledge to halt biodiversity loss, agreed by governments at COP15 nearly four years ago.
Guardian columnist Zoe Williams argues that environmentalists need ideas and language that turn support for climate action into political momentum beyond the Green Party. She points to a June debate in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, where a Reform UK councillor sought to scrap the council’s climate emergency declaration; after a meeting was postponed because of extreme heat, the motion was defeated 33 to seven. Williams says other Reform-led councils have held similar debates, and cites a Kent councillor’s arguments against cutting carbon emissions.
A magnitude-7.7 earthquake shook Panama’s central coast on Friday, prompting tsunami warnings for several neighboring countries, NBC News reports. Scientific American describes the quake as a strike-slip event and says damage and injuries are expected, with strong aftershocks possible.
A photograph of an elephant carrying a dead calf won Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026; CBC describes the image as showing a mournful elephant mother. The Guardian identifies the overall winner as Italy’s Federico Veronesi and says the winning photographs will be exhibited at London’s Natural History Museum from 16 October 2026 until July 2027. BBC News, The Guardian and Euronews also present images from the winning entries, with Euronews highlighting elephants and coyotes.
World timekeepers have voted to replace the leap second with a leap hour. Nature reports that the change takes effect immediately, while The Guardian says delegates from 69 countries voted Thursday at a conference in France and that the first leap hour may not occur for thousands of years. Scientific American says the new system will allow Earth’s rotation and official time to fall out of alignment by a full hour.
Researchers are testing whether young birds can learn songs that have disappeared from their local populations. The Guardian reports that Argentinian physicist Gabriel Mindlin used 1960s archives to identify vanished melodies and created computer-generated versions for birds to imitate. In a related report, The Guardian says a local rufous-collared sparrow began copying parts of one recreated song less than three months after researchers played it, offering hope that birds may learn songs even when populations fall.
Iguazu Falls in South America reached a record water flow after heavy rains across the river basin, and Argentina temporarily closed the falls, The Guardian reports. Local government registered 15 million litres per second, compared with a usual flow of 1.5 million litres per second. The Guardian says El Niño weather patterns are believed to have driven the surge.
BBC News describes Starlink as the backbone of military communications in Ukraine, providing high-speed internet to forces across the country. Deutsche Welle examines how Elon Musk's company influences geopolitics.
Several outlets reported on Oct. 14 that archaeologists had discovered what they described as the world’s oldest shipwreck off Turkey’s coast. BBC News says archaeologists date the wreck to as much as 4,700 years ago, in the Early Bronze Age; BBC Turkish locates the discovery in Antalya, and a later Euronews headline reports the discovery of 4,700-year-old amphorae.
Trump slammed Ukraine’s decision to resume strikes on Russian energy infrastructure as a ‘disgrace,’ according to POLITICO. This follows reports that Ukraine had paused the strikes after Trump’s ceasefire announcement.
Nepal wants to bring India and China together to confront a shared climate threat in the Himalayas, despite the two regional powers not being friends, according to the report.
Sgiath, a dog trained to sniff out the invasive marine pest known as “sea vomit,” has been honoured as animal of the year. The BBC reports that Sgiath is thought to be the UK's first sea squirt-hunting dog.
Prince Harry and Meghan made their first joint public appearance since returning to the UK, visiting charities in Nottingham on Thursday. The South China Morning Post reports that they were greeted by cheers and Meghan told well-wishers, “It’s great to be back.” NBC News says they were visiting three charities amid a public row with Buckingham Palace over their status and security in Britain. The Globe and Mail and PBS report that the couple are seeking to rebuild their brand in Britain after leaving royal duties six years ago.
At least 12 people died after a migrant boat sank off The Gambia, Euronews reports. The International Organization for Migration says increased controls in traditional departure spots in Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal have pushed some migrants seeking to reach Europe farther south, toward countries such as The Gambia.
Iran has managed to export some liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and jet fuel since July despite a US naval blockade, according to shipping intelligence and security sources cited in reports on Thursday. Middle East Eye, citing Reuters, reports that United Against Nuclear Iran’s ship-tracking analysis identified at least eight tankers carrying Iranian LPG leaving the Gulf of Oman since mid-July; security sources told Reuters that cargoes have been concealed among ship-to-ship transfers off Oman.