Author: space4knews

October 10, Kathmandu – US President Donald Trump has assured that there will be no military attack on Iran before the upcoming US midterm elections scheduled for November 3. He emphasized that negotiations with Iran are progressing positively and reiterated a clear commitment to refrain from any attack prior to the elections. Trump shared this information through his social media platform, Truth Social. “We will not attack Iran at any time before the American midterm elections on November 3,” he stated.

However, he confirmed that the blockade against Iran will remain fully in place and stressed that Iran will not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. President Trump highlighted that a significant volume of oil is being transported through the Strait of Hormuz, claiming that 22 million barrels passed through this route in a single night. Previously, on February 28, 2026, the US and Israel launched “Operation Fury,” targeting Iran. This attack resulted in the deaths of senior officials, including Iran’s Supreme Commander Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, tensions between the US-Israel alliance and Iran have remained high. Additionally, fuel shipments through the narrow maritime route of the Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, have been affected. The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and ultimately the Arabian Sea.

October 10, Kathmandu – The US stock market declined following news that OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, reported annual earnings lower than expected. Reports indicated that OpenAI’s annual revenue was approximately $20 billion less than previously disclosed. This development caused technology company stock prices to fall, according to the Financial Times.

Previously, media sources based on investor information had cited OpenAI’s annual revenue at around $70 billion. However, OpenAI recently informed investors that its actual annual revenue neared $50 billion. The approximately $20 billion discrepancy between prior public data and OpenAI’s recently disclosed figures triggered a 1.25% drop in the Nasdaq Composite index, which is heavily weighted toward technology firms, as reported by CNN on Thursday.

This marked the largest single-day decline in the Nasdaq since mid-August. The S&P 500 index also declined by 0.5%. The market had been trending downward since the opening bell. Following the earnings news, shares of semiconductor chip manufacturers, cloud service providers, and other technology companies involved in AI infrastructure construction also fell. NVIDIA’s stock dropped by 2.9%, Intel’s by 5.3%, and Oracle’s by 5.5%.

Concerns have been raised about whether the demand for AI could profit companies like OpenAI and Anthropic. While Anthropic includes total revenue from cloud service providers in its earnings calculation, OpenAI reportedly bases its calculation solely on its gross revenue.

Officials in Ukraine have reported that a Russian attack targeting passenger buses has resulted in the deaths of at least 30 people. According to rescue officials, two buses carrying civilians were struck by Russian glide bombs in the frontline city of Kramatorsk. Vadim Filashkin, head of the Donetsk region, stated that at least 18 individuals were injured in the attack. He accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting passenger buses to inflict maximum civilian casualties.

Images released by local authorities show debris scattered across the road and burning buses. Kramatorsk and the neighboring city of Sloviansk, both located in the war-torn region, have been reported as key targets of Russian occupation. Russian President Vladimir Putin has asserted claims over the entire industrial Donbas region of Ukraine. Russia has not yet responded to this attack. This incident comes amid a sudden surge in Russian offensives across the country. According to the United Nations, the number of civilians killed in Russian attacks in Ukraine by August of this year has already surpassed the total civilian deaths recorded throughout 2025.

October 9, Sankhuwasabha – The number of scrub typhus infections in Sankhuwasabha has reached 560 to date. Deepesh Shrestha, information officer at the District Health Office, reported that since mid-July, 560 patients have been diagnosed with scrub typhus. The increase in cases is attributed to the rainy season, during which grass and bushes grow extensively, and more people engage in outdoor work in these areas.

Among the 14 districts in Province 1 (Koshi Province), Sankhuwasabha has recorded the highest number of infections this fiscal year, Shrestha stated. He further noted that the district ranks first in Province 1 and third nationwide in scrub typhus cases. Between mid-July and October 8, 393 patients were confirmed positive in district hospitals, and an additional 167 cases were identified in various local health institutions.

Sabhapokhari Rural Municipality has been identified as a high-risk area for scrub typhus recently. Among the ten local units in the district, Sabhapokhari reported the highest number with 110 confirmed cases, followed by Chainpur Municipality with 43 cases. So far, no deaths due to scrub typhus have been reported in the district, according to the District Health Office. Due to the rising number of infections, regular updates on statistics have been initiated, added information officer Shrestha.

October 14, Kathmandu — Italy’s lower house of parliament is set to hold the final vote today on a contentious bill to reform the electoral system. The proposed law, pushed forward by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, aims to grant a 105-seat bonus in parliament to the party or coalition receiving the highest votes, provided it surpasses a 42 percent threshold.

This bonus includes 70 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 35 in the Senate. Importantly, these seats are within the total parliamentary count of 600 and will not increase its size. Out of Italy’s total of 600 parliamentary seats, 70 in the Chamber and 35 in the Senate will be allocated as bonus seats to the winning coalition.

According to the bill, the party or coalition must secure at least 42 percent of votes in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate to qualify for the bonus seats. If the 42 percent threshold is not met, or if different parties or coalitions lead in each chamber, no bonus seats will be distributed and seats will be allocated proportionally. Today’s vote will be conducted by secret ballot and will be the bill’s final parliamentary approval. If passed, the existing ‘Rosatellum’ electoral system will be replaced by the new ‘Stabilicum’ system. The opposition, however, has dubbed it ‘Melonellum’ in reference to Prime Minister Meloni and criticizes it sharply.

How Are the Bonus Seats Awarded Upon Reaching 42 Percent?
Italy’s parliament consists of 400 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 200 in the Senate, totaling 600 seats. Under the proposed system, 70 of the 400 Chamber seats and 35 of the 200 Senate seats will be allocated as bonus seats. The remaining seats will be distributed proportionally. For example, if a coalition gains more than 42 percent in both chambers, it would receive an additional 70 bonus seats in the Chamber. When the proportional seats and bonus seats are combined, the winning coalition is designed to secure a clear parliamentary majority.

However, the bill also caps the maximum number of seats a coalition can acquire: up to 220 seats in the Chamber and 113 in the Senate. This means a coalition that secures 42 percent of the vote will not automatically receive exactly 42 percent of the seats but may be allocated additional seats under specific circumstances. The opposition argues this provision could create imbalances in representation and has expressed strong objections on these grounds.

New Requirement to Announce Prime Ministerial Candidate Ahead of Elections
Under the new system, parties or coalitions participating in the election must register their candidate for Prime Minister with the President, along with their electoral program, at the time of candidate registration. This aims to introduce voters to potential prime ministers before the elections. However, this does not give voters the power to directly elect the prime minister or guarantee that the candidate will automatically assume the premiership after victory. According to the Italian Constitution, the President retains the power to appoint the Prime Minister, a provision preserved in the new law.

The government asserts that these measures will enhance transparency in the electoral process and provide voters with greater clarity. Opposition critics, however, warn that this could increase political pressure on the President and undermine their constitutional role.