Current-events digest: 12 October 2026

2026 10 12 yes

Armed conflicts and attacks

Yemeni civil war

Houthi–Saudi conflict

October 2026 attacks on Saudi Arabia airports

The Houthis claim to have attacked King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a ballistic missile for a third consecutive day. (Reuters)

Delta Air Lines postpones direct flights from Atlanta's Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Riyadh following attacks by the Houthis on the country. (The Hill)

Kivu conflict

M23 campaign

Former Congolese president Joseph Kabila announces the formation of a rebel political-military coalition named Front for the Refoundation of the Nation, which includes the March 23 Movement, Twirwaneho and the Congo River Alliance. The group, led by Kabila, says it aimed to coordinate "resistance forces" to topple the Government of President Félix Tshisekedi. (BBC)

Business and economy

2026 Nobel Prizes

American economists Robert Ernest Hall and Michael Dean Woodford are jointly awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for their work on "microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stabilisation". (CNN)

American visual images company Getty Images announces that it will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2026 Pacific hurricane season

Two deaths are reported after hurricanes Rachel and Simon made landfall on Mexico's coast, with Guerrero governor Evelyn Salgado and Baja California governor Marina del Pilar Ávila confirming their deaths. (Al Jazeera)

Incidents at Six Flags parks

One person is killed and four others are injured after an accident on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia in Mableton, Georgia, United States. (BNO News)

A fire destroys the historic Marché des Enfants-Rouges food market in Paris, France. (France 24)

International relations

International sanctions during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia–European Union relations

The Council of the European Union approves the 22nd package of sanctions against Russia, targeting 1,569 individuals and entities of the country's military and industrial complex. (EU Council)

Law and crime

2026 Aubagne school shooting

A 14-year-old student opens fire at a middle school in Aubagne, France, injuring two staff members, before being detained. (AP) (France 24)

2026 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa state of emergency

Pakistan's federal government detains hundreds of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members, including former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi and other provincial officials, after suspending the PTI-led provincial administration and imposing emergency rule. (AFP via RFI)

2026 French supermarket cyber attack

A cyber attack without attribution against French supermarkets results in losses worth millions of euros. (BBC News)

2026 Great Wolf Lodge stabbings

A woman stabs her husband and her 3-year-old son to death while on vacation at a Great Wolf Lodge in Pennsylvania. (ABC News)

Politics and elections

2026 Estonian presidential election

Ülle Madise, who was elected by the Riigikogu in September, takes office as President of Estonia, succeeding Alar Karis. (Estonian World)

Science and technology

Generative AI chatbot company Character.ai files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing costs and litigations including those linked to teen suicides. (The Wall Street Journal) (CBS News)

2026 10 12 yes