Geopolitics
The trial of Serhii Kuznetsov, a 50-year-old former Ukrainian military officer, opened on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, at the Hamburg Higher Regional Court. He is the first person to stand trial over the 2022 bombings that damaged the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea. Kuznetsov walked into the courtroom accompanied by officials, gave his personal details when the judge asked, and then used his right to remain silent, though he did not cover his face. Pro-Ukrainian demonstrators protested outside before the hearing began, holding placards that read 'Russia is a terrorist'. Stern reported that Kuznetsov will refuse to testify, because former members of Ukraine's special forces are barred from speaking publicly about their military work. Federal prosecutors charge Kuznetsov with a war crime, specifically an attack on civilian objects using prohibited methods of warfare, and also accuse him of causing an explosion, destroying structures and disrupting public operations. Senior prosecutor Stefan Schmidt read out the indictment and said the accused and his co-perpetrators knew the pipelines did not represent a legitimate war objective. According to the indictment, Kuznetsov and six accomplices, including a ship's captain, an explosives expert and four divers, boarded the sailing yacht Andromeda, which an intermediary had chartered for…
Politics & Economy
Student protests in Tirana turn violent as education ministry is set on fire
Student protests in Tirana turned violent on Tuesday, 13 October, and the unrest carried into Wednesday, 14 October. On Wednesday, protesters threw stones and Molotov cocktails, set plastic benches and rubbish bins alight on the central square and started a fire at the education ministry building. The flames spread to trees a few hundred metres away, while a branch of Raiffeisen Bank near the ministry was attacked, with its windows smashed and smoke bombs thrown inside. Police responded with water cannons and tear gas, pushing the crowd back to clear a path for firefighters. Albanian media reported that the protests had spread to universities in Elbasan and Shkodër. On Tuesday, several hundred people rallied outside the education…
White House forces out US ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle over corruption allegations
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Society & Science
French student protests turn violent as thousands are detained and spread to Belgium
Officers in riot gear fired tear gas and swung batons to break up crowds in France, as the new school year turned into nationwide student protests that are also feeding into the presidential election campaign. The clashes came on Tuesday, 13 October, the fifth day of action, and according to Le Parisien they broke out late in the afternoon at Place Vauban, close to the Esplanade des Invalides where the march ended. A BMW was set alight on the Boulevard des Invalides, and firefighters put it out after police cordoned off the vehicle. A branch of the Nicolas wine chain near the Duroc metro station was also vandalised. Counts differ between sources and dates. French authorities, as cited by Berliner Zeitung, put the number taken into police custody over three…
About 200 French schools close as student protests spread and Greta Thunberg joins
Russell Brand trial opens in London, prosecutors call him a ruthless sexual predator
Burnham greets Zelensky at Downing Street and pledges faster air defence missiles
- Duane 'Keffe D' Davis sentenced to at least 40 years for Tupac Shakur killing
- Madrid public education strike opens amid five arrests and police charge at Complutense
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Culture & Sport
Olise sent off for two yellow cards in seconds as Bayern draw 3-3 at Viking
Bayern Munich drew 3-3 at Viking Stavanger on Tuesday, 13 October, in a Champions League match that turned on the dismissal of Michael Olise. The 24-year-old French forward was shown two yellow cards within seconds in the second half, which left Bayern to finish with ten men. Bayern had trailed 0-2 at half-time, came back through two second-half goals from Harry Kane and a third from Luis Diaz, and were ahead 3-2 when Olise was sent off. Viking's Herman Haugen headed the equaliser in the 90th minute. Olise was first booked in the second half after a tussle with Tripic. Referee Georgi Kabakov was still displaying the yellow card for a tactical foul that had stopped a Viking counter when Olise threw the ball he was holding at Tripic's head.…
Lena Dunham and HBO revive Girls for five episodes, with production set for 2027
Manchester City host PSG on 14 October in Champions League second matchday
Club Brugge beat Inter 4-3 at San Siro as Tresoldi scores hat-trick
- Atlético Madrid beat Manchester United 2-0 as Lisandro Martínez criticises United's recruitment
- Sally Rooney pulls her books from UK sale over Palestine Action support
- Italian photographer Federico Veronesi wins Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 with elephant image
- Saudi Arabia postpones Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition to 27-30 December after Houthi attacks
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