Stories for October 2026

Thursday, October 8th 2026 - 07:37 UTC
British Army exploring military working horses: US used them against Taliban and Russia in Ukraine

When you hear of horses being used in battle, you could be forgiven for thinking back to the First World War or even the Napoleonic era. However, the British Army, specifically The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR), is exploring how Military Working Horses could contribute to future operations.
Wednesday, October 7th 2026 - 10:00 UTC
Messi leaves Argentina's national team after 21 years with a fortune Forbes puts at US$1.1 billion

Lionel Messi played his last match for Argentina on Tuesday, a friendly against Benin that ended 3-0 at Buenos Aires' Monumental stadium before more than 80,000 spectators. At 39, he closes a 21-year international career while consolidating a fortune that Forbes estimates at US$1.1 billion.
Wednesday, October 7th 2026 - 08:07 UTC
Trump promises payments to voters ahead of midterms dominated by the cost of living

US President Donald Trump has announced a series of direct payments to various groups of citizens in recent weeks and has promised US$5,000 to every adult if Republicans keep control of Congress in the November 3 midterm elections, in which the cost of living is shaping up as the central issue.
Wednesday, October 7th 2026 - 07:11 UTC
Former Venezuelan Supreme Court justice says she was coerced into barring Machado

Former Venezuelan Supreme Court justice Bárbara César Siero has alleged that the detention of two of her brothers and her sister-in-law in late 2023 was used to force her to sign the rulings that kept opposition leader María Corina Machado barred from office. She made the claims in a 43-minute video posted on YouTube on Tuesday.
Tuesday, October 6th 2026 - 22:31 UTC
British Airways restores non-stop London-Buenos Aires flights and adds a daily Santiago service

British Airways will operate a daily non-stop flight between London Heathrow and Buenos Aires from March 28, 2027, continuing on to Santiago, Chile. A direct route between the British and Argentine capitals has not operated since October 2023.
Tuesday, October 6th 2026 - 22:15 UTC
Lula targets non-voters and over-70s to overturn the first-round result

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will focus his campaign for the October 25 runoff on mobilising those who did not vote on Sunday, particularly people over 70, and on winning over centrist voters, after finishing almost two points behind Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in the first round.
Tuesday, October 6th 2026 - 09:08 UTC
UK agrees £190m Airbus deal to boost RAF's strategic airlift fleet of A400M Atlas

The UK Ministry of Defence has signed a £190m contract extension with Airbus to deliver a 30% improvement in the availability of the Royal Air Force's tactical and strategic airlift fleet.
Tuesday, October 6th 2026 - 09:04 UTC
On first Monday in October Falklands celebrates Peat Cutting Day

Monday 5th October has been a public holiday in the Falkland Islands. This is because the first Monday in October every year has been declared Peat Cutting Day, which is a way of celebrating a long standing tradition and recalling the primary fuel that for decades kept Islanders and their homes warm.
Monday, October 5th 2026 - 22:09 UTC
Paraguay's opposition takes Asunción from the Colorado Party and holds Ciudad del Este

Paraguay's opposition won the mayoralty of Asunción and held that of Ciudad del Este, the country's two most populous cities, in Sunday's municipal elections, according to preliminary results from the electoral authority. The ruling Colorado Party, however, won the vast majority of districts.
Monday, October 5th 2026 - 17:30 UTC
São Paulo stocks jump 8% and the real firms after Bolsonaro's first-round win

Brazilian markets rallied sharply on Monday in response to the first round of the presidential election, in which Senator Flávio Bolsonaro finished ahead of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, contrary to what polls had predicted. The São Paulo Stock Exchange's Bovespa index rose as much as 8% in early trading, above 208,000 points.