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Five missing after flash flood damages homes and hydropower in Nepal

Five people were missing after a flash flood swept through Nepal’s Gorkha district. Officials reported about 45 houses swept away, damage to hydropower projects and bridges, and at least 82 rescues. The initial explanation was a river blockage that burst after a landslide.

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UN poverty report puts 1.2 billion people in acute deprivation

The latest UN multidimensional-poverty report estimates that 1.2 billion people face acute deprivation, 51.5 million more than in the previous edition. Population growth contributed to the increase, and updated observations were available for only 13 of the 108 countries covered.

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Saudi Arabia outlines plan to expand pipeline oil-export capacity

Saudi Arabia is considering pipeline changes that could eventually lift crude-export capacity to around 10 million barrels a day. A temporary gas-pipeline conversion could add 1.2 million barrels a day sooner. The figures describe proposed capacity, not an increase already achieved in exports.

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IMF chief says AI investment is supporting growth despite energy shock

IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva says artificial-intelligence infrastructure spending is helping sustain global growth around 3%, with benefits for Asian suppliers. Her estimates are potential effects, not guarantees. An updated IMF outlook is due on 13 October and is not included here.

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Anne Carson wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature

Canadian poet, essayist and classicist Anne Carson has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature. The Swedish Academy recognised her inventive writing, which combines classical traditions with contemporary poetry, prose and translation.

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Kagan and Soai win Chemistry Nobel for mirror-molecule research

Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discoveries that transformed scientists’ ability to create one preferred mirror-image form of a molecule, with major importance for pharmaceuticals.

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Spain calls 29 November election after housing bill defeat

Pedro Sánchez brought forward the national vote after lawmakers rejected proposed protections for tenants and vulnerable residents.

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Indian election protests continue as police investigate harassment allegations

Protesters in India continued demanding the election chief’s resignation over disputed voter-roll revisions. The Election Commission denies wrongdoing. Delhi police also announced an inquiry into harassment allegations arising from earlier demonstrations. The electoral dispute and the allegations against officers remain contested matters, not established findings.

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Myanmar receives nearly 1,500 returnees from Malaysia despite safety warnings

Nearly 1,500 Myanmar nationals returned from Malaysia arrived near Yangon on 4 October. Malaysia says the returns were voluntary, but the UN refugee agency was denied access to assess consent. Rights groups warn that conflict and persecution leave returnees at risk despite official assurances.