Moscow withstands record drone barrage with 180 intercepted overnight
Between 8:30 PM on October 13 and 7:00 AM on October 14, 493 Ukrainian drones targeted the Moscow region, with 180 destroyed as they closed in on the city; Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described it as one of the largest drone strikes on Moscow in two years, though no casualties were reported.
Paramount Skydance completes $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery
Paramount Skydance Corp. finalized an $111 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, outbidding Netflix with a $31 per share cash offer. The merger creates a media entity combining studios, streaming platforms, and television networks, projected to generate $70 billion in annual revenue, and marks the end of a protracted bidding war that drew interest from major tech and media players.
Federal judge blocks Trump administration from collecting state voter rolls against immigration database
A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from using an immigration database to check state voter rolls for voter eligibility, ruling the Justice Department exceeded its legal authority. The decision, issued in response to a lawsuit by civil rights groups, prevents the DOJ from collecting unredacted state voter registration records to cross-check against federal immigration databases and demand states remove voters deemed ineligible.
US AI data center startups raise $33.5 billion in 2026 amid power constraints
US AI data center startups raised $33.5 billion in funding by October 2026, nearly doubling the 2025 total, as investors shift focus toward integrated energy solutions to address power and computing constraints facing AI infrastructure development.
Guatemala receives 2,300 U.S. deportees under Arevalo administration
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo confirmed approximately 2,300 Mexican nationals deported from the United States have arrived in Guatemala in 2026, transiting through the country before onward transfer to Mexico. The arrangement represents a shift in deportation routes initiated under the Trump administration, drawing objections from Mexico which previously received deportees directly.
Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon kills two people
Lebanese authorities reported an Israeli airstrike on Thursday killed two people in Nabatieh al-Fawqa, southern Lebanon, part of a pattern of escalations along the Israel-Lebanon border. The attack occurs amid an ongoing November ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah that has faced repeated violations.
Chancellor Healey to deliver Autumn Budget on October 28 with tax plans under scrutiny
Chancellor John Healey is set to deliver the Labour government's first Autumn Budget on October 28, 2026, outlining tax and spending plans for UK workers and businesses. The announcement comes as Healey faces pressure from business groups and the Resolution Foundation to address a narrowed fiscal buffer of £12 billion, with the Chancellor committing to maintain corporation tax at 25% while exploring options for taxing wealth.
NASA's Perseverance rover breaks off-world driving record previously held by Opportunity
NASA's Perseverance rover has surpassed the 15-year-old driving record on Mars set by the Opportunity rover, reaching a total distance of 45.22 kilometers as of October 11, 2026. The achievement marks the farthest distance ever driven by any vehicle on another world and signals a new milestone in long-term planetary exploration.