The war between Ukraine and Russia has intensified after Russian missiles and drones struck several parts of Ukraine. Ukrainian officials reported heavy casualties and damage to residential areas and infrastructure.
One of the worst attacks occurred in Kramatorsk, where a Russian guided bomb struck near public buses. Reports said at least 30 people were killed in the attack.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticised the United States for what he described as insufficient action against Russia. He has called for stronger support and sanctions as the conflict continues.
Canadian poet, essayist and scholar Anne Carson has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature. She was recognised for her distinctive writing style and works that combine classical ideas with contemporary literature.
The Swedish Academy described her work as bold and inventive. Carson is known for writing across different forms, including poetry, essays and translations.
The award makes Carson one of the most recognised literary figures in the world and brings international attention to her contribution to contemporary literature.
Kenyan university lecturers remained on strike on Today, October 8, 2026, after talks between their unions and the government failed to resolve the disagreement. The strike has affected learning and other activities in public universities across the country.
The lecturers’ unions are demanding that the government commit to financing a new collective bargaining agreement before they agree to return to work. Government representatives have continued calling for negotiations to end the disruption.
Crisis talks were held Today, but the two sides remained divided over several issues. Further consultations with the government are expected as efforts continue to end the strike.
Three scientists have won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine for discoveries involving light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.
Karl Deisseroth from the United States and Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel from Germany were announced yesterday by the Nobel Assembly. Their work developed a technique that uses light to control nerve cells, transforming understanding of the brain and offering new ways to treat neurological disorders.
The High Court in Kiambu has suspended the implementation of the Gazette Notice that set dates for the 2026 National Youth Council elections. The decision means the elections will not proceed on the previously announced dates.
The elections were expected to take place in three stages. Ward-level elections were scheduled for October 9, constituency elections for October 16 and national elections for October 30.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs said it would comply with the court order. It also said voter education and public sensitisation would continue while the ministry waits for further directions from the court.
Kenya and Rwanda signed 11 agreements yesterday covering trade, transfer of sentenced persons, water resources, housing, urban development, wildlife conservation, culture, ICT and tourism.
The MoUs were signed by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Rwanda’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Usta Kaitesi in Nairobi. Implementation will be reviewed in Kigali in October 2027.
The agreements aim to boost East African Community integration and bilateral trade which has grown 30 percent in the last year.
The World Meteorological Organization has warned that El Niño is strengthening and could reach its peak in December 2026. The weather agency says the event could become one of the strongest El Niño events recorded since at least 1950.
The weather pattern is expected to affect rainfall and temperatures in different parts of the world. In the Greater Horn of Africa, including Kenya, the last quarter of the year is an important rainfall period, meaning communities could face unusually wet conditions in some areas.
World Meteorological Organization says that The warning is significant for Kenya because heavy rainfall can lead to flooding, landslides, damage to roads and disruption of agriculture. Authorities and communities are therefore being encouraged to prepare for possible weather-related emergencies
Kenya is intensifying measures to prevent the spread of Ebola after confirming its first imported case of the disease. The patient was a Kenyan citizen who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and travelled through Uganda before arriving in Nairobi. He later died after being admitted and isolated at Nairobi Hospital.
The Ministry of Health says 57 people have been identified as contacts linked to the patient. Ten of them have already been traced and placed under quarantine, while health authorities continue efforts to locate the remaining contacts.
Health officials have urged Kenyans to remain calm and rely on official information. The government says Kenya does not currently have an Ebola outbreak, but surveillance at points of entry and preparedness at health facilities have been strengthened.
Kenya will continue hosting the World Rally Championship Safari Rally in 2027 after the event was included in the FIA’s 15-round calendar.
President William Ruto confirmed the development on Today, ending uncertainty over Kenya’s future in the championship.
The 2027 Safari Rally is scheduled for March 18 to 21. Kenya’s event will feature among the major rallies on the international calendar, bringing some of the world’s leading rally drivers and teams to the count
The Kenyan shilling is trading at KSh129.94 against the US dollar, according to the latest daily exchange rates published by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) on Thursday, October 8, 2026.
The CBK’s daily rate sheet shows the British pound trading at KSh171.62, while the euro is quoted at KSh145.37.The Japanese yen, quoted for 100 yen, stands at KSh82.15.Among regional and African currencies, the Uganda shilling is trading at KSh31.16, while the Tanzanian shilling stands at KSh20.27. The Rwandan franc is quoted at KSh11.34, while the South African rand is trading at KSh7.80.
image source: Central Bank of Kenya
CBK exchange rates for October 8, 2026CurrencyExchange rate in KESUS Dollar (USD)129.94British Pound (GBP)171.62Euro (EUR)145.37Japanese Yen (100 JPY)82.15Uganda Shilling (UGX)31.16Tanzania Shilling (TZS)20.27Rwanda Franc (RWF)11.34South African Rand (ZAR)7.80
The rates provide a reference for businesses, travellers, importers, exporters and financial institutions dealing in foreign currencies. Actual commercial bank and forex-bureau rates may differ depending on buying and selling spreads and other charges.
The figures are contained in the CBK’s Daily KES Exchange Rates for October 8, 2026.
