Older stories from Today News Brief, newest first.
Photo: Ralf Lotys (Sicherlich), CC BY 3.0 (file image: the village of Taybeh, West Bank, 2010) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW World · 16:00
A convoy of envoys from Belgium, France, Poland and the Catholic Church was attacked near Ramallah while assessing settler violence during the olive harvest. A French mayor says he was beaten with iron bars. The EU, Belgium and France condemned the assault; Netanyahu's office urged caution.
Source: BBC News (with AFP, Le Monde)
Photo: BalticServers.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 (file image: a datacentre server room, not the Essex site) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW Tech · 16:00
Microsoft, expected to be the anchor tenant, has ended its agreement for Nscale's planned AI datacentre at Loughton, once billed by ministers as the UK's largest sovereign AI site. The project already faced a long wait for grid power.
Source: The Guardian
Photo: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0 (file image: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the 2023 US Open) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW Sport · 16:00
Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina beat compatriot Rafael Jodar 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in the Shanghai final for his first ATP Masters 1000 trophy. He will rise to a career-high No. 13; Jodar, 20, climbs to No. 11.
Source: ATP Tour (with AP, Reuters)
Photo: Christoph Thorwartl / Crossing Europe Film Festival Linz, CC BY 2.0 (file image: Sergei Loznitsa, 2015) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW Entertainment · 16:00
Loznitsa's archive-based portrait of the early-1970s Soviet Union took the top prize at the BFI London Film Festival. Thailand's Oscar entry '9 Temples to Heaven' won the first-feature award, and 'Concrete Land' the documentary prize.
Source: Variety (with The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline)
Photo: IanCamp, CC BY-SA 4.0 (file image: farmer using a mobile phone) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW Tech · 15:56
The World Bank is urging developing countries to build 'small AI' — specialised models that run on a mobile phone, in a local language and with low connectivity — arguing that development which might have taken centuries could happen within decades if the technology is adapted to local needs, its chief knowledge officer said in Bangkok.
Source: The Guardian
Photo: Ibex73, CC BY 4.0 (file image: gold bar) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW Business · 15:55
Gold was set for a weekly decline on Friday's pricing reported this weekend, with spot gold at $4,175.34 an ounce, down 0.4% on the week, as hotter-than-expected US inflation lifted expectations of further Federal Reserve tightening. Traders largely expect a hold this month, with futures pricing pointing to December.
Source: Reuters (via Business Recorder)
Photo: HaJunkiyada, CC BY-SA 4.0 (file image: spaghetti with green peas) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW Cooking · 15:54
UK pea consumption has fallen to a 50-year low — an average of 37g per person per week in 2025, down from 144g in 1975, according to Defra figures reported this weekend. Frozen peas are cheap, available and versatile enough for soup, dips, pasta, risotto and curries, and most of us already have a bag waiting in the freezer.
Source: The Guardian
Photo: Michael Steffen, CC BY-SA 4.0 (AnimaWings Airbus A220) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW Travel · 15:53
Romanian airline AnimaWings has extended the temporary suspension of all its flights until 15 November inclusive, after the Bucharest Tribunal rejected its request to open insolvency proceedings on 14 October. Affected passengers should check their booking directly with the airline for refund or rebooking options and keep all payment and cancellation evidence.
Source: Digi24
Photo: Scott Webb, CC0 (file image: strength training) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW Lifestyle · 15:52
Personal trainers say stalled progress usually comes from inconsistency, changing programmes too often, too much cardio without strength work, extra 'junk volume', liquid calories and training without recovery — not from a lack of intensity. Two consistent strength sessions, gradual progression and enough food and rest beat boom-and-bust training.
Source: The Guardian
Photo: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Quentin Tarantino) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW Entertainment · 15:51
Quentin Tarantino has confirmed on The Graham Norton Show that he has finished writing the script for what he has long said will be his tenth and final feature film, but he will not pursue it until his West End play The Popinjay Cavalier has closed and he has had time with his family.
Source: Variety
Photo: Shixart1985, CC BY 2.0 (file image: live music concert) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW Culture · 15:50
Sunderland Music City has won £156,166 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for Mackem Music Memories, a project that will collect more than 300 stories from residents and turn them into an exhibition at Culture House Sunderland in summer 2027 and a permanent digital archive.
Source: BBC
Photo: J. Brooke / Voice of America, public domain (file image: wheat harvest in Ukraine, 2012) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW Business · 15:00
Ukraine's president has asked Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary to open their territory to transit shipments of Ukrainian grain while exports through the Black Sea are blocked, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said. Budapest says it will not stand in the way as long as the cargo only crosses the country.
Source: Libertatea (citing RTL and Reuters)
Photo: Romanian Union of Architects archive (author unknown), CC BY 4.0 (file image: the CET Iași power plant) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW Romania · 14:00
About 22,000 apartments in Iași, along with schools, hospitals and public institutions, have lost heating and hot water after a transformer fire shut down the city's combined heat and power plant. Repairs are under way, but no date has been given for restoring supply.
Source: Știrile ProTV (News.ro), Digi24
Photo: Airman 1st Class Dana Butler / U.S. Air Force, public domain (file image: NATO Baltic Air Policing jet at Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW World · 14:00
An unidentified drone flew into northern Lithuania from Poland on Sunday morning and exploded, scattering debris that damaged a civilian car. No one was hurt, but the incident triggered air alerts, closed Kaunas airport and sent NATO jets into the air.
Source: LRT (BNS), Digi24 (TVPWorld)
Photo: CdnMCG, CC BY-SA 4.0 (file image: live-fire training at Wainwright) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW World · 13:00
Four Canadian service members were killed and dozens injured in a fast-spreading fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta, officials confirmed. Thirty-nine people were being treated in hospital, Alberta's premier said.
Source: CNN
Photo: Pierre-Selim Huard, CC BY 4.0 (file image: Place de la République, Paris) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW World · 13:00
Some 550,000 people marched across France on Saturday over rising prices and failing public services. Violent groups then looted shops and set buildings on fire, leading to about 1,800 arrests and hundreds of injured officers.
Source: BBC News, The Guardian
Photo: Florstein, CC BY-SA 4.0 (file image: the Neva river, St Petersburg) / Source: Wikimedia Commons
NEW World · 13:00
A massive overnight Ukrainian drone attack on St Petersburg killed at least one person, injured five, set fire to two oil facilities and hit a logistics centre, Russian officials said on Sunday.
Source: G4Media (Agerpres/AFP), Digi24
Photo: Unsplash / Source: Unsplash
Romania · 11:21
Romania Defence Ministry published on Sunday the first photographs from the F-16 mission that destroyed two Geran drones over the Black Sea.…
Source: Gandul
Photo: Unsplash / Source: Unsplash
Romania · 10:00
Gasoline became slightly cheaper at major chains in Romania on Sunday 18 October, by up to five bani per litre, while diesel was unchanged f…
Source: Libertatea
Photo: Unsplash / Source: Unsplash
Tech · 09:30
Microsoft unveiled Azure Maia 300, the third generation of its in-house AI accelerator, at the OCP Global Summit. Maia will become its prima…
Source: TechPastWeek / CNBC
Photo: Unsplash / Source: Unsplash
Romania · 09:00
Romanian F-16 jets shot down two drones over the Black Sea on Saturday evening after they entered airspace near Sulina. The first was engage…
Source: Euronews
Photo: Unsplash / Source: Unsplash
Politics · 08:00
PNL will support Prime Minister-designate Luca Niculescu proposed cabinet, while USR will vote against. Hearings are Monday, with a confiden…
Source: The Bucharest Observer
Photo: Unsplash / Source: Unsplash
Politics · 07:00
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised Donald Trump decision to waive new Russia sanctions, calling it wrong and warning it would embolden…
Source: Reuters via Devdiscourse
Photo: Unsplash / Source: Unsplash
World · 06:00
Pope Leo returned to the Vatican on Saturday, four days after lung-cancer surgery at Rome Gemelli Hospital, walking unaided to his car and w…
Source: Reuters via Devdiscourse
Photo: Unsplash / Source: Unsplash
World · 05:00
Police in Albania fired what appeared to be rubber bullets at protesters on Saturday, during the fifth day of student demonstrations demandi…
Source: Reuters via Devdiscourse
Photo: Unsplash / Source: Unsplash
World · 18:00
EU leaders ended the 15-16 October Brussels summit without a 2028-2034 budget deal. Antonio Costa will take talks forward, with a special su…
Source: European Council / Euronews
Photo: Unsplash / Source: Unsplash
Business · 21:00
Romania recorded the EU highest annual inflation in September, at 6.5 percent, while households face high fuel and energy costs. The budget …
Source: The Bucharest Observer
Photo: Unsplash / Source: Unsplash
Sport · 23:00
Lamine Yamal starred as Barcelona won 5-2 away at Real Betis on Saturday, his opening goal setting the tone for a ruthless performance. Baye…
Source: AP News
Photo: Unsplash / Source: Unsplash
Culture · 09:00
French carmakers leaned on classic designs for new electric concepts at the Paris Motor Show, blending nostalgia with the EV transition. Ren…
Source: Euronews
Photo: Unsplash / Source: Unsplash
Culture · 08:30
The annual smashing-pumpkins festival returned to Brussels this weekend, drawing thousands of visitors to castle grounds for a seasonal cele…
Source: Euronews