❌

Normal view

Andy Burnham outlines new rules to outlaw ‘rip-off’ private parking fines

19 October 2026 at 22:30

Drivers to get five minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave after their session ends

Drivers will get a guaranteed five minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave after their parking session ends before they face a fine under new rules for private car parks that Andy Burnham said were designed to outlaw “rip-off” charges.

In the latest in a series of “everyday fixes” to ease the cost of living and give consumers a “fairer” deal, the prime minister said a new official code of practice for the industry meant motorists in England, Scotland and Wales would enjoy a range of new rights.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Ian Lamond/Alamy

© Photograph: Ian Lamond/Alamy

© Photograph: Ian Lamond/Alamy

A Pause On The Front, No Pause In The Air – Russia Hits Kyiv Again

19 October 2026 at 20:14

The front lines are growing quieter as the seasonal lull sets in. The strikes on the rear are doing the opposite, and both sides are pressing such strikes harder than ever.

Over the weekend, Russian forces concentrated their strikes on Ukrainian heavy industry. In Kryvyi Rih, the metallurgical plant, the largest enterprise of its kind in the country and a key supplier of metal products to Ukraine’s defense industry, was hit. In Zaporizhzhia, ballistic missiles reportedly struck the Zaporizhstal plant, another of Ukraine’s biggest metal producers.

Ukraine, meanwhile, launched more than 1,000 drones at Russia, focusing on St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Oblast. Overnight on October 19, as the new week began, Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, it involved Iskander-M/S-400 and Iskander-K missiles and 269 attack drones, 59 of them jet-powered.

Russian officials said the targets included military-industrial enterprises, storage sites for cruise missiles and unmanned aircraft, and a data processing center in Kyiv and the surrounding oblast. Explosions rolled across the capital throughout the night. Eyewitnesses recorded multiple impacts from ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones. Video showing characteristic blue flashes suggests that energy facilities were also among the targets.

Ukrainian air defenses offered no visible resistance. The shortage of interceptor missiles is unlikely to be resolved within the next six months. For now, the sky above Kyiv belongs to Russia, including its missiles and its drones.

On the ground, the pace is slower, but the fighting has not stopped. Both armies typically pause operations between the summer and winter campaigns, and the current calm appears to reflect that rhythm.

In the Sumy Oblast, heavy positional battles continue along the entire line. Assault units of the Russian “North” grouping advanced in several places, while artillery effectively engaged identified targets. Ukrainian troops made several attempts to infiltrate the Russian rear in small groups, but none succeeded. Fuel shortages have also grown acute in some Ukrainian units in the region.

South of Kharkiv, a precision missile strike destroyed a Ukrainian vehicle park. Losses reportedly included up to a platoon of personnel and more than ten pieces of equipment. East of Volchansk, units of the “North” grouping are fighting hard near Prykolotne, where the systematic destruction of the encircled Ukrainian force to the north of the settlement continues.

Near Kupyansk, positional fighting persists. Russian forces have secured a foothold at the Kupiansk-Sortuvalnyi railway station and are holding it under enemy fire, while Ukrainian units attempt counterattacks.

A lull on the front has not brought relief to Ukraine. Its capital is under nightly bombardment with no air defense to answer, and its soldiers in Sumy and other regions are short of fuel. Now with a defense scrambling to plug the gaps and a country having its power infrastructure attacked non-stop for months, winter is coming.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DEAR FRIENDS. IF YOU LIKE THIS TYPE OF CONTENT, SUPPORT SOUTHFRONT WORK:

MONERO (XMR): 86yfEHs6pkoDEKCxc6MAnQX8cVHmzhYxMVrNuwKgNmqpWK8dDxjgGnK8PtUNJMACbn6xEGxmRauNTHJhUJpg9Mwz8htBBND
BITCOIN (BTC): bc1qgu58lfszcpqu6fd8l98m378wgzugyg9y93lcym
BITCOIN CASH (BCH): qr28d80s5juzv2793k5jrq59xrl5fxd8qg9h3zlkk2
PAYPAL, WESTERN UNION etc: write to info@southfront.press , southfront@list.ru

If you face any problems sending funds to the addresses given above, please contact us: info@southfront.press and southfront@list.ru. Also be aware that many email services such as Hotmail, Yahoo etc. may block correspondence from info@southfront.press and some others put it in spam.

If you want to support SouthFront but have no opportunity to do it via cryptocurrency, please contact us: info@southfront.press and southfront@list.ru.

SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com

SOUTHFRONT.PRESS

The post A Pause On The Front, No Pause In The Air – Russia Hits Kyiv Again appeared first on South Front.

McCullum wary of Pakistan’s home advantage as England prepare for tri-series test

19 October 2026 at 18:39

England head coach Brendon McCullum has warned his side they will need to adapt quickly to subcontinent conditions to compete against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, as the visitors prepare to face the hosts in the second match of the One-day International tri-series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

McCullum acknowledged Pakistan’s familiarity with home conditions and the challenge of winning away from home, but said England were eager to test themselves against two strong opponents in a competition that will also serve as preparation for next year’s 50-over World Cup.

“Pakistan’s a very strong side,” McCullum said during a media talk on Monday. “When you come to this part of the world, you have to do things differently. Playing subcontinent teams in subcontinent conditions has its own challenges, but that’s something we’re looking forward to.”

England arrive with momentum after three consecutive ODI series victories in 2026, but the prospect of facing Pakistan on their home ground presents a different examination. The visitors will also have to contend with Sri Lanka, with the top two sides from the double round-robin stage qualifying for the Oct 31 final in Lahore.

McCullum said England wanted to be competitive against any opposition and in all conditions, rather than rely on a fixed approach.

“We don’t have any kind of binary process of how we want to go about playing,” he said. “We want to just make sure that we play what’s in front of us, adapt as quick as we can, and hopefully try and play the best cricket we can to give ourselves a chance.”

Pakistan, meanwhile, enter Tuesday’s fixture after beginning their campaign with a 37-run victory over Sri Lanka on Sunday. A match-winning century from Salman Ali Agha helped the hosts post 305 before their pace attack bowled Sri Lanka out for 268, giving captain Shaheen Shah Afridi’s side an encouraging start to the tournament.

Salman’s unbeaten 107 off 90 balls was particularly significant after a difficult period in his international career. Having been left out of Pakistan’s T20 and Test sides, the middle-order batter returned to domestic cricket, where substantial first-class scores helped him regain form ahead of his comeback.

Speaking after the Sri Lanka match, Salman called for greater recognition of performances in domestic cricket, saying: “I feel that we don’t give enough respect to our domestic cricket.”

He argued that scoring runs at that level was not as straightforward as some critics suggested, adding that players had to work hard to earn their runs.

His own return offered a timely illustration of how domestic cricket can help players rebuild confidence and address technical shortcomings before returning to the international stage.

Salman’s innings also underlined the importance of Pakistan’s middle order against an England attack that includes experienced campaigners and several emerging players. His ability to anchor an innings while scoring at a healthy rate could prove valuable if Pakistan lose early wickets against England’s seamers.

The hosts will also look to their fast bowlers to build on Sunday’s performance.

Shaheen, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Faheem Ashraf shared all 10 Sri Lankan wickets, demonstrating the depth of Pakistan’s pace resources. However, Sri Lanka’s fifth-wicket partnership between Janith Liyanage and Pavan Rathnayake showed that Pakistan’s attack can be challenged if batters settle in.

England, for their part, have assembled a squad combining established names with players seeking to establish themselves in the ODI side.

Former captain Joe Root brings experience and stability, while Harry Brook, who leads the team in white-ball cricket, will be central to their batting plans. Will Jacks offers an additional option with both bat and ball, while leg-spinner Adil Rashid and all-rounder Sam Curran have returned to the squad after injuries.

England will, however, be without Jos Buttler, who is recovering from a hamstring injury, while fast bowler Jofra Archer has been rested to manage his workload. The absence of two prominent players places added responsibility on the available squad to deliver in unfamiliar conditions.

McCullum said the team understood the advantage Pakistan enjoyed at home but viewed the challenge as an opportunity to improve their adaptability. He also welcomed the chance to play in a tri-series, describing the format as a distinctive test because teams must adjust to different opponents in quick succession.

“It’s a real opportunity in front of us,” he said, adding that England respected the strength of both Pakistan and Sri Lanka and would need to be at their best to reach the final.

Tuesday’s match is the first of two meetings between Pakistan and England in the league stage. The sides will meet again in Lahore on Oct 25, while England face Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on Thursday. With the final scheduled for Lahore on Oct 31, a strong start could prove decisive in the race for qualification.

Italy Wins Its Second Consecutive Title at the World Skate Games

19 October 2026 at 18:12

The delegation finished the competition with 75 medals, including 24 gold.

On Saturday, Italy achieved its second consecutive title at the World Skate Games in Paraguay, beating Colombia in a close race for first place in the overall medal count.

RELATED:

Franco Baresi dies at 66, AC Milan and Italy Football Legend

The Italian delegation finished the competition with 75 medals, including 24 gold, while Colombia finished second with 49 medals and 23 gold. Spain took third place with 47 medals, 17 of which were gold.

The Italian wins were based primarily in the artistic and technical disciplines, where they achieved a significant advantage over their rivals. In artistic skating, Italy won twelve medals compared to Colombia’s three.

Meanwhile, Colombia showed its dominance in speed skating, amassing 35 medals in this discipline, including 17 gold. Therefore, they solidified a hegemony that has allowed them to win 23 world titles.

🌎 World Skate Games ASU🇵🇾2026 🛼

🛹 ¡A puro #Skateboarding en el Parque Olímpico Paraguayo! ✨

🚨EN VIVO – COPTV: https://t.co/vLo2focNRu #ParaguayPuede pic.twitter.com/vij7N1zgCp

— Comité Olímpico Pyo (@coparaguay) October 15, 2026

The text reads, “World Skate Games Asuncion 2026. Pure Skateboarding in the Paraguayan Olympic Park!”

Among the tournament’s outstanding performances was that of 15-year-old Spaniard Egoitz Bijueska, who was crowned champion in the park skateboarding event, ahead of renowned international figures.

Sebastian “Chevi” Guzman, a Venezuelan-born, naturalized Spanish sprinter, won five medals and broke his own world record in the 100-meter sprint with a time of 9.467 seconds.

According to the organizers, the Games brought together 5,600 competitors from 91 countries between October 2nd and 18th. The participants competed in 11 sports and 40 disciplines, making the event one of the biggest international skating events.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's World Food Forum is being held in Rome, Italy, offering nations an opportunity to showcase their capabilities and limitations in ensuring food security. pic.twitter.com/APin31lft6

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 14, 2026

teleSUR: JP

Source: EFE

Russian captain charged with stealing Ukrainian grain from occupied territories

19 October 2026 at 17:23
The captain was charged with violating the procedure for entering and exiting Ukraine's temporarily occupied territory with intent to harm the interests of the state, and violating the laws and customs of war.

Ukraine to compensate damaged cargo ships, as Russia rejects Black Sea proposal

19 October 2026 at 17:05
Under a mechanism developed by Ukraine’s Infrastructure Ministry, Kyiv will compensate shipowners, operators, and charterers whose vessels fly under the Ukrainian or a foreign flag for up to 80% of the assessed damage if insurers don’t cover the risks.

FIBA Women’s Basketball League Asia: Railways to become first Indian team at the event

Four club champions from China, South Korea (KB Stars), Chinese Taipei (Cathay Life Tigers) and Japan (Denso Iris), along with Indian National champion Indian Railways and wild-card entrant Akari Sports from the Philippines, make up the six-team competition

❌