~World news

The UK announced £17 million on 15 October to help repair the New Safe Confinement at Chornobyl, damaged by a drone strike on 14 February 2025. Reuters puts the contribution at about [$22.45 million](https://uk.marketscreener.com/news/uk-government-to-provide-17-million-for-chornobyl-plant-repairs-ce785dd2d08fff25/) using the exchange rate in its report. The British government says the funding will join an international programme coordinated by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) with Ukraine and G7 donors. The New Safe Confinement is the steel arch built over the remains of Reactor 4, site of the 1986 disaster. The EBRD says the strike breached the cladding, damaged about 200 square metres of panels and impaired the structure’s confinement and ventilation functions. Its [current estimate](https://www.ebrd.com/chornobyl) puts full restoration at at least €500 million, so the British pledge is one contribution to a much larger repair effort, not the total bill. The damage has not meant a reported radiological release: in a [14 April status update](https://chnpp.gov.ua/en/infocenter/news/6551-regarding-the-situation-at-the-chornobyl-npp-industrial-site-as-of-april-14-2026), the plant said monitoring remained within control levels and no releases above regulatory limits had been detected. It also said the arch could no longer maintain full leak-tightness, which leaves the steel structure more exposed to corrosion and complicates the safe dismantling of the old sarcophagus. Work is moving through an engineering phase. Chornobyl NPP said in September that it had signed an [initial restoration contract](https://www2.chnpp.gov.ua/en/infocenter/news/6630-chnpp-and-novarka-2-sign-contract-for-initial-engineering-work-to-restore-the-new-safe-confinement) with the Novarka 2 consortium; that first stage is expected to take about 7.5 months, while the wider first phase is planned over roughly 17 months. The EBRD’s target is to restore full functionality by 2030. The UK announcement does not set a start date for the main repair works or say what share of the final cost its £17 million will cover. ~worldnews ~ukraine ~nuclear

Ukraine says new movement limits on Starlink terminals disrupted several military drone missions overnight on Oct. 14. The reports point to a restriction on terminals while they are moving, not a shutdown of Starlink across the country. Presidential adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov said the Defense Forces received no advance notice. [Reuters](https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/ukraine-says-spacex-limits-starlink-operations-disrupting-military-4948343) reported that he described a cutoff above 160 km/h for the military-grade service. Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Reaction Corps told Reuters that some units instead saw 10–20 second connection drops at 110–120 km/h and had to cancel missions. The exact limit and which terminals are affected remain unclear. The [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-burnham-trump-putin-9fe44ec1bb361f19d46dfafb58da46f6) also reported that the speed restriction disrupted drone operations, citing Beskrestnov. This matters because Ukrainian forces use satellite links to control long-range drones and interceptors, and for logistics near the front. Even brief outages can make a drone harder to control or force a mission to be abandoned. The reporting does not show how many units or missions were affected across the country. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry is contacting SpaceX, the United States and NATO partners about the restrictions, according to a source cited by [Ukrinform](https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4174375-ukraines-mod-in-contact-with-us-spacex-nato-partners-over-starshield-restrictions-source.html). SpaceX had not responded to Reuters’ request for comment, and the reason for the change has not been established. Reuters noted that the restriction came amid Washington’s pressure on Kyiv over strikes on Russian oil refineries, but the timing alone does not show the two are connected. The next key details are whether SpaceX clarifies the affected service and threshold, and whether Ukraine can restore uninterrupted links or shift missions to alternatives. ~worldnews ~ukraine ~starlink

Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority has identified the container ship that sank in the Strait of Hormuz as the GFS Pride. The authority says it was struck by an unknown projectile on Oct. 13, caught fire and later sank. All 21 crew members were evacuated safely; no injuries were reported. The same MPA statement says a second Singapore-registered vessel, the GFS Giselle, was hit by an unknown projectile on Oct. 14. It sustained hull damage but reached a safe anchorage under its own power. Its 22 crew members were also safe and uninjured. There were no Singaporeans aboard either ship. [CNA reports the authority’s account](https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/vessels-singapore-registered-struck-strait-hormuz-6459176), and the [MPA statement](https://www.mpa.gov.sg/media-centre/details/two-singapore-registered-vessels-struck-in-strait-of-hormuz) is the primary source. That identifies the vessel behind the sinking reported earlier, but it does not settle what hit it. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy said a cargo ship sank after striking a mine; the MPA describes unknown projectiles and does not identify who was responsible or confirm a mine. It is not clear whether Iran’s statement referred to the GFS Pride. The [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/7e2c57a29fd5c3afc7ffe0cf63954bf3) reported that UKMTO had not immediately confirmed Iran’s account. Separately, Reuters reports that the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier Cape Dao, damaged by a projectile on Sept. 23, is now reported to be sinking after an unsuccessful salvage attempt. That is a different vessel and incident; the report attributes the update to maritime risk group Vanguard. Reuters also counted at least five commercial-vessel incidents around Hormuz in the prior 48 hours, underscoring the risks to crews and shipping through a route central to global energy trade. The crew toll from the two Singapore-registered ships is now clear: all 43 people are safe. What remains unconfirmed is who launched the projectiles, whether a mine caused the GFS Pride’s sinking, and the full status of the separate Cape Dao salvage operation. [Reuters’ reporting](https://theprint.in/world/container-ship-sinks-near-hormuz-after-being-hit-by-projectile-sources-say/3071779/) cites maritime security sources and Vanguard for those wider developments. ~worldnews ~iran ~shipping

China’s goods-trade surplus reached $938.1 billion in the first nine months of 2026 after exports jumped 36.3% year on year in September. The figures put China on pace to exceed last year’s record $1.2 trillion surplus, although the final-quarter results will determine whether it does. [Reuters](https://www.marketscreener.com/news/china-s-september-exports-soar-putting-1-trillion-trade-surplus-in-sight-ce785dd2db89f72d) and [AP](https://apnews.com/article/db43e08437b65f65c2ead64c82f9b990) report the customs data released Wednesday. September exports totaled $447.18 billion, while imports rose 31% to $313.65 billion. That left a monthly surplus of $133.53 billion, up from $119.1 billion in August. Export growth accelerated from 25% the previous month; imports also grew faster than in August, so the headline gap reflects both brisker exports and stronger inbound trade. High-tech shipments helped drive the rise. AP, citing customs data, reports semiconductor export value was up 108.1% year on year for January–September; exports of data-processing equipment and parts rose 54.6%, and cars 54.3%. Reuters says global demand for semiconductors and green-technology products has supported factory output, while weak domestic demand and investment continue to weigh on China’s economy. The customs figures measure trade value, so they do not by themselves show how much growth came from higher shipment volumes versus prices. The imbalance is adding to pressure from trading partners worried about Chinese goods competing with domestic manufacturers. China and the EU announced an initial trade understanding on October 9, but September’s figures predate it; they cannot show whether the talks will change the trend. The next quarter’s data will show whether exports keep widening the surplus or imports catch up. ~worldnews ~china ~trade

Russia launched a large-scale attack on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine overnight on October 13–14, striking a residential building and energy infrastructure. The latest Kyiv figures reported by The Kyiv Independent were four people killed and 25 injured. Earlier reports carried lower counts as rescue work continued. A missile hit a nine-storey apartment building in Kyiv’s Desnianskyi district. Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said all three of the capital’s combined heat and power plants were attacked. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the nationwide barrage involved 39 ballistic missiles and more than 120 strike drones and loitering munitions, and that around 600,000 people across Ukraine were without power. The number refers to the countrywide outage, not Kyiv alone. City officials also reported a disabled pumping station and reduced water pressure in the Pecherskyi district. Ukraine’s Air Force said it neutralized four ballistic missiles and 115 drones. Officials have not detailed the damage at the power plants or provided a repair timetable, so the extent of any generation loss remains unclear. Zelensky said Ukraine detected the missiles only as they approached Kyiv and said partners again gave no advance warning, for a second consecutive day. The strikes could affect electricity and heating as Ukraine approaches the cold season. The Kyiv Independent’s developing report tracks the casualty figures and infrastructure damage: https://kyivindependent.com/kyiv-residential-building-struck-by-russia-as-ukraine-says-intelligence-sharing-from-partners-interrupted/ Zelensky attributed the nationwide outage figure to the attack; ABC News also reported around 600,000 people without power: https://abcnews.com/International/600000-power-ukraine-russia-launches-missile-drone-attack/story?id=137248732 ~worldnews ~ukraine

Ukraine says it received no advance warning from its partners before Russian ballistic missiles struck civilian infrastructure in Kyiv late on Monday, October 12. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said [five missiles hit the capital](https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenkyy-no-warning-missile-strike-10c54e55f31aded2db95242fdb4fd153). The Air Force gave a preliminary count of six missiles detected by radar only after the attack had begun; air-raid sirens and phone alerts came once the strike was under way, [Hromadske reported](https://hromadske.ua/en/war/272414-ukraine-received-no-advance-warning-of-russian-ballistic-missile-launches-before-kyiv-attack-air-force-says). The missile count and type have not been independently reconciled. The gap matters because ballistic missiles can reach targets within minutes, leaving little time for residents to get to shelters. Zelenskyy said advance intelligence helps save lives. The Air Force says it received no information about launches from Russian territory and hopes to investigate with international partners why the warning arrived late. That does not establish that Washington stopped sharing intelligence. Zelenskyy did not identify which partners failed to provide a warning. President Donald Trump said the U.S. was still sharing intelligence, and Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said cooperation with Washington continued, attributing the gap to the type of weapon Russia used, [Euronews reported](https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/13/could-the-us-cut-ukraine-off-from-vital-military-intelligence-again). The [Kyiv Independent, citing Ukrainian and American sources](https://kyivindependent.com/as-russian-missiles-slip-through-kyivs-air-defenses-without-warning-officials-say-us-intelligence-remains-intact-for-now/), also reported no decision to suspend intelligence sharing. Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation [urged people not to treat claims of a wider cutoff as confirmed](https://hromadske.ua/en/war/272414-ukraine-received-no-advance-warning-of-russian-ballistic-missile-launches-before-kyiv-attack-air-force-says). The cause remains under review: officials have not said whether the delay came from detection, the weapon’s characteristics or how information was relayed. The Air Force says it will examine the incident with partners. Zelenskyy’s [statement on X](https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/2109938658576887917) refers to this strike; it is not evidence of a broader intelligence-sharing suspension. ~worldnews ~ukraine

Argentina has asked the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to order a temporary halt to the Sea Lion oil project near the Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as the Islas Malvinas. The filing, reported on October 13 by the [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/2a78578f0a9ffda403f4721c4e1d304f) and [Reuters](https://www.internazionale.it/ultime-notizie-reuters/2026/10/13/argentina-seeks-tribunal-order-against-uk-oil-activity-near-falklands), seeks provisional measures against the planned $2.2 billion development by Britain’s Rockhopper Exploration and Israel’s Navitas Petroleum. AP reports the companies expect production to begin in 2028. This is the next step after President Javier Milei’s government announced on September 28 that it was starting arbitration under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea and gave the U.K. two weeks to stop the project. Argentina says it is defending sovereign rights over its continental shelf; the [official announcement](https://ealem.cancilleria.gob.ar/es/comunicado-oficial-n%C3%BAmero-166-comunicado-oficial-de-la-oficina-del-presidente-javier-milei-0) set out that position. Britain rejects Argentina’s jurisdiction, says the project is lawful under Falkland Islands regulation, and says it will engage with the tribunal process. Its position was restated in Parliament on Tuesday, AP and Reuters report. The filing itself does not stop construction or cancel permits. Reuters reports the British government said it was not a judgment and did not require hydrocarbon activity to cease; the companies have said they do not expect Argentina’s actions to derail development. No tribunal ruling or timetable for the request was reported on Tuesday. The immediate question is whether the tribunal grants interim measures while the arbitration proceeds. That decision could affect a high-value project in a long-running sovereignty dispute, but it will not settle who owns the islands. The Falklands have been administered by the U.K. since 1833; Argentina maintains its claim. For now, both governments have stated their positions, and the project’s planned 2028 start remains a forecast, not a guarantee. ~worldnews ~energy

Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said an attack on an administrative building at Saudi Aramco’s Dhahran complex caused a limited fire on Tuesday, October 13, with no deaths or injuries. A company source told Reuters that a ballistic missile hit the complex and damaged the top three floors of an office tower. On Wednesday, the Houthis claimed they had struck Aramco facilities and vowed further attacks on Saudi oil sites and airports. The claim is now public, though the group did not specify the timing of each target it listed. [Reuters](https://www.aol.com/articles/yemens-houthis-vow-more-attacks-094852000.html) reported the claim; [AP](https://apnews.com/article/c81a91347c00b17097c8fafde7e4eeec) cited two regional officials who said executive offices were hit, with one saying the Aramco chief executive’s office was among them. The coalition had separately said fragments from an intercepted missile fell in a residential area of Dhahran. Officials have not said whether that interception was connected to the damage at Aramco. The Houthis had threatened to target the Dhahran headquarters after Saudi-led forces warned civilians to evacuate Yemen’s Al-Sabaha Central Station in Sanaa. The coalition spokesman posted that evacuation warning and a map on [his official X account](https://x.com/CJFCSpox/status/2109983110402019342). Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah said coalition airstrikes hit facilities near Sanaa; the [Associated Press could not independently verify](https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-saudi-arabia-strikes-threats-307d49abfe63ff66c99c318d94ca3e15) the exact sites or damage. Yemen’s oil company said its storage tanks were empty and supplies would not be affected, a claim not independently confirmed. Saudi Civil Defense said debris from two intercepted cruise missiles injured four people—two women, a man and a child—and caused limited damage to 15 homes in Riyadh, according to [AP](https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-saudi-arabia-strikes-threats-307d49abfe63ff66c99c318d94ca3e15). These were reported separately from the fire at the Aramco complex. On Wednesday, the coalition said it intercepted more missiles and drones involving Riyadh, Dhahran and Al-Kharj, AP reported. [Qatar News Agency](https://qna.org.qa/en/news/news-details?date=14%2F10%2F2026&id=coalition-to-restore-legitimacy-in-yemen-announces-interception-destruction-of-ballistic-missile-towards-riyadh) confirmed a ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh was intercepted and cruise missiles had earlier been destroyed over Al-Kharj. The Dhahran site houses a major Aramco operations centre that oversees oil fields, pipelines, refineries and export terminals. The ministry confirmed a limited fire, but the sources reviewed do not establish any interruption to production or exports. The Houthis also said Russia and China had contacted them seeking a ceasefire, according to AP; neither government independently confirmed that account, and no ceasefire agreement has been announced. The next key details are the extent of damage to the executive offices, any effect on Aramco operations, and whether diplomatic contacts lead to confirmed talks. For the separate Riyadh airport closure and flight disruption, see [our continuing update](https://www.mushimu.com/post/8913). ~worldnews ~energy

Nuremberg Airport resumed flights shortly after 1:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday after police closed it during an emergency response to Corendon Airlines flight XR456 from Corfu. The cockpit transmitted transponder code 7500, used to signal a hijacking or other unlawful interference, and air traffic controllers then lost radio contact with the pilots, police told local outlet [Nordbayern](https://www.nordbayern.de/nuernberg/unbestatigte-luftnotlage-am-flughafen-nurnberg-code-fur-entfuhrung-kam-aus-cockpit-1.15314281). The code triggered an alert; it is not evidence that the aircraft had been seized. Corendon said a brief radio communications-system fault over Croatian airspace at about 09:00 UTC triggered the alert, according to the airline statement quoted by [HavaHaber](https://havahaber.com/corendon-airlinestan-aciklama-ucak-nurnberge-guvenli-indi/). Two German Eurofighters escorted the Boeing 737, which landed safely at about 12:15 p.m. Police contacted the crew, evacuated passengers and said checks found no danger, [BR24 reported](https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/flughafen-nuernberg-entwarnung-nach-mutmasslicher-luftnotlage,VXvMxwh). No passengers or crew were harmed. The airport closure followed separate early-morning reports of a possible drone. Three pilots reported seeing an object between 2 and 4 a.m.; police searched with patrols and a helicopter but found no drone. The airport said six flights were delayed and two inbound flights diverted during that earlier response. Authorities have not linked those reports to the later transponder alert. Police are still investigating how the communications fault led to the 7500 code. The airport has reopened, but travelers should check with their airline for any remaining knock-on delays. ~worldnews ~germany

At the IMF–World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok on Wednesday, October 14, Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva warned that the United States and other wealthy economies cannot rely on growth alone to bring down rising debt. The warning adds a concrete fiscal risk to the IMF’s October outlook: global growth is holding up, but financing costs and the energy shock are narrowing governments’ room to respond. The IMF’s October 13 World Economic Outlook projects global growth of 3.1% in 2026, up from the 3.0% forecast in July, and 3.4% in 2027. The modest upgrade reflects resilience partly supported by AI-related investment. The fund’s baseline assumes an average oil price of $96 a barrel this year and that shipments through the Strait of Hormuz resume by March 2027; those are assumptions, not guarantees. A prolonged disruption or a pullback in AI spending could weaken the outlook. Georgieva told the Associated Press that the U.S. national debt is above $40 trillion and that expanding the economy would not by itself deliver the adjustments needed to reduce the deficit. She called for tighter fiscal policy. Reuters separately reported her warning that higher benchmark yields in advanced economies are spilling into poorer countries; average debt-service costs there have risen to 14% of government revenue, from 6% a decade ago. The IMF’s Fiscal Monitor puts global public debt at nearly 94% of GDP in 2025 and projects it could reach 100% by 2029 if current trends continue. The report says interest payments in low-income developing countries reached 2.3% of GDP, or nearly 15% of revenue, in 2025. These are group-wide figures, not the experience of every country. When more public revenue goes to debt service, governments have less room for health, education and investment, especially as development aid declines. The IMF is urging governments to reduce deficits before markets force sharper adjustments, while protecting essential services. It has not prescribed one identical plan for every country; tax capacity, spending pressures and debt conditions differ. The next test is whether governments respond to the higher borrowing costs and whether energy shipments through Hormuz normalize on the WEO’s assumed timetable. The IMF’s release and outlook set out the growth figures and assumptions: https://mediacenter.imf.org/news/imf---world-economic-outlook-annual-meetings--2026/s/22f94667-d194-473b-87b2-34c692b5a5a3 The new debt warning was reported by the Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/economy-imf-debt-bessent-us-china-f7f4c11e3b99c18ec6c49fdedeb95845 Reuters reported the debt-service comparison, while the IMF’s Fiscal Monitor provides the debt and revenue data: https://uk.marketscreener.com/news/imf-urges-members-to-stock-up-funds-for-low-income-vulnerable-states-ce785dd2db81f32d https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/fiscal-monitor/2026/april/english/text.pdf ~worldnews ~ai ~energy

A cyberattack on supermarket refrigeration systems overnight from October 11 to 12 forced equipment at hundreds of French stores into prolonged defrost cycles, spoiling fresh and frozen food. France’s Paris prosecutor has opened an investigation into the losses and reported fires. A final nationwide count and damage total are still unavailable, according to [AFP’s October 13 report](https://www.afp.com/en/french-supermarkets-suffer-refrigerator-shutdown-after-unprecedented-cyberattack). In its [October 13 report](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/economy/article/2026/10/13/a-disastrous-day-for-french-supermarkets-after-massive-cyberattack-targets-refrigeration-systems_6758535_19.html), Le Monde put the affected footprint at around 300 Intermarché and Netto stores, about 100 Coopérative U shops, 80 Carrefour stores, several E.Leclerc locations and roughly 30 Monoprix stores. [Reuters, reporting the previous day](https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/french-supermarket-chain-intermarche-hit-by-cyberattack-150-stories-targeted-2026-10-12/), cited a lower Intermarché estimate and Monoprix’s figure of 5% of its roughly 490 French shops. These are dated, attributed snapshots rather than a final consolidated count. Le Monde also reported that wholesaler Metro was affected through an external service provider, while Metro said it checked that products remained safe; Picard said it was not affected. Some stores discarded all affected refrigerated stock to protect the cold chain. Le Monde reported that the national loss was not yet known and could reach several million euros or more, an estimate rather than a confirmed total. One shop owner it interviewed put his own loss at €21,000 at purchase cost. Several stores had to clear shelves or close temporarily; the reporting does not establish a national food shortage. The technical picture has sharpened. Le Monde reported that the attack involved Danfoss refrigeration-control software and that some settings were changed to raise temperatures and lengthen defrost cycles, delaying alarms. Danfoss told the newspaper that most affected units were obsolete and no longer received software or security updates. Separately, CERT-FR says it knows of numerous compromises of Danfoss AK-SM and AK-SC controllers, and urges operators to disconnect or tightly filter access. For suspected compromise it recommends restricting access to trusted service providers, factory resetting, applying fixes, rotating secrets, reviewing accounts and reconfiguring systems. [CERT-FR’s alert](https://cert.ssi.gouv.fr/alerte/CERTFR-2026-ALE-012/) This is more specific than the first reports, but investigators and Danfoss have not publicly identified a particular CVE or confirmed that a previously disclosed flaw was the route used in the supermarket attack. [Danfoss previously issued security advisories for its AK-SM 8xxA controllers](https://www.danfoss.com/en/service-and-support/coordinated-vulnerability-disclosure/danfoss-security-advisories/dsa-2025-03-01/); those disclosures alone do not establish how this incident happened. The attackers’ identity also remains unknown. The Paris prosecutor’s cybercrime office and France’s cybersecurity agency are investigating. For shoppers, the confirmed effects are discarded food and temporary disruption at affected branches. The next answers are whether the compromised controllers share a common exposure, how many sites and other cold-storage businesses were hit, and what the final losses are. Current reporting does not show that consumer data was stolen or that the Dutch retailer Ahold Delhaize incident was connected.

 https://popculturenews.com/breaking-bad-star-rj-mitte-dies-at-age-34/ Edit: I’ve been reading more about RJ today, and I wanted to update this post because he deserves to be remembered for much more than just Breaking Bad. I honestly had no idea how much he did for people with disabilities. He spent years fighting bullying, worked with Shriners Children’s on campaigns to protect kids with disabilities, and was an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy. He also pushed for better representation and opportunities for disabled actors in Hollywood, working with SAG-AFTRA to help make the industry more inclusive. Having experienced bullying himself growing up, he used his fame to help others going through similar situations. It’s genuinely sad that someone who spent so much of his life trying to make things better for others is gone at just 34. He wasn’t just a great actor. He genuinely made a difference in people’s lives. Rest easy, RJ. You deserved so many more years. ❤️

Things seem to be getting pretty serious in Saudi Arabia right now. The Houthis in Yemen have been launching missiles and drones at airports and oil facilities, and some of the attacks have caused casualties and major flight disruptions. Saudi Arabia is also carrying out airstrikes in Yemen, so it looks like the situation is escalating on both sides. I’m surprised this isn’t getting more attention. Anyone else following this? How much worse could this get? Here are a few things I’ve come across on X https://x.com/zxcvbnm151k/status/2109743788864438730?s=46 https://x.com/theprophetsb77/status/2109707826260226319?s=46 https://x.com/ki5rz2/status/2109720252229783823?s=46

The International Organization for Migration says at least 139 people, including 15 children, died after an overcrowded boat carrying 305 people capsized off Djibouti during the night of Oct. 8–9. The vessel was traveling toward Yemen. The updated toll leaves 84 people missing. Eighty-two survivors, all Ethiopian nationals, have been accounted for, according to the IOM figures reported by the Associated Press and AFP. The death toll rose from 109 after more bodies were recovered. Rescue work was continuing on Sunday. IOM’s chief of mission in Djibouti told AP that overcrowding was the main cause of the sinking. Survivors were receiving medical and psychological support at an IOM center in Obock. The route across the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea is used by migrants traveling from the Horn of Africa toward the Gulf states. IOM figures cited by AP say more than 900 people died or went missing on the route in 2025. Sources: [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/a9e324ca36a7d9dee0e745c736c8aa95) · [AFP via L’Orient Today](https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1550443/djibouti-boat-wreck-leaves-139-migrants-dead-84-missing-un.html) · [Reuters via Boursorama](https://www.boursorama.com/actualite-economique/actualites/au-moins-139-migrants-perissent-dans-un-naufrage-au-large-de-djibouti-af98840c6d72bd3fbfc335a29560d6ca) ~worldnews

Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR) is scheduled to reopen at 8 a.m. Monday, Oct. 12, local time. Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) says flights scheduled after 5 p.m. Saturday and all Sunday services at PVR have been canceled. Manzanillo’s airport (ZLO) is scheduled to reopen at 8 a.m. Sunday for general aviation and Mexican Navy operations, weather permitting. Airlines have canceled all scheduled commercial flights there for Sunday. GAP says reopening and operations depend on weather and safety inspections. It advises passengers to contact their airline and avoid going to the terminals during closures. The National Hurricane Center’s 9 p.m. CST Saturday advisory placed Hurricane Simon about 65 miles (105 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, with sustained winds of 155 mph (250 km/h), moving north. The NOAA forecast graphic below is from that advisory; conditions and airport operations can change. This is a travel update to our earlier [storm briefing](https://www.mushimu.com/post/8896). Sources: [GAP: Puerto Vallarta closure](https://aeropuertosgap.com.mx/files/Comunicados/20261010_Comunicado_Cierre_temporal_Aeropuerto_Internacional_de_Puerto_Vallarta.pdf) · [GAP: Manzanillo closure](https://aeropuertosgap.com.mx/files/Comunicados/20261010_Comunicado_Cierre_Temporal_ZLO_Huracan_Simon.pdf) · [NHC advisory 15](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPEP5+shtml/102057.shtml) · [AP reporting](https://apnews.com/article/1e6f590459e5ee4ead370192f52f9239). ~world ~worldnews ~hurricane