Voting in the first round of Brazil’s 2026 presidential election began Sunday at 8 a.m., with polling stations scheduled to close at 5 p.m. Initial results are expected within several hours. Recent polls showed incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Liberal Party candidate Flavio Bolsonaro leading the other candidates by a significant margin.

Brazilpresidential electionLulaFlavio Bolsonaro

Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, announced military operations to retake territory still held by the Iran-backed Houthis and restore state authority nationwide. He said forces would act under an approved plan until Yemen was liberated. A government spokesperson said 257 strikes on Saturday killed at least 700 Houthi fighters, according to initial estimates.

YemenHouthismilitary operationarmed conflict

Rashad al-Alimi, the Saudi-backed head of Yemen’s presidential council, announced on Sunday that military operations had begun to retake the remaining territory held by Iran-backed Houthis and restore state authority throughout the country.

YemenHouthismilitary operations

A U.S. Marine is being held in Japan on suspicion of murder. Police allege that 20-year-old Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard took a woman to a hotel, killed her and stole her wallet and backpack. Ballard has denied the accusations.

Japanmurder allegationUS Marines

A 20-year-old US Marine has been arrested on suspicion of robbing and murdering a 39-year-old woman at a hotel in Naha, Okinawa. Japan lodged an official protest with Washington and demanded full cooperation with the investigation. The suspect reportedly denies the charges.

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Japan has arrested a US Marine on suspicion of murder. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the killing as exceptionally brutal and vicious.

JapanUS Marinemurder

A US Marine was arrested in Japan on suspicion of murder and robbery after a woman’s body was found in a hotel room, local police told CNN. Police said the investigation is ongoing.

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A U.S. service member is in custody on suspicion of killing a Japanese woman on the island of Okinawa.

OkinawaU.S. MarinemurderJapan

A 20-year-old US Marine stationed in Okinawa was arrested on suspicion of robbing and murdering a 39-year-old woman at a hotel in Naha. Japan lodged a strong protest with the United States and demanded full cooperation, strict military discipline and measures to prevent a recurrence. The suspect denies the allegations.

OkinawaUS Marinesrobbery-murderJapan-US relations

Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is the main focus of talks with the United States aimed at ending the war.

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Iran says it is ready to both fight and negotiate with the United States. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until Iran’s seven conditions are met.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen within no more than a week if the United States accepts Iran’s proposed settlement plan. He described it as a “seven-day plan” intended to resolve existing disagreements and the ongoing conflict between the two countries, and promised more details later.

IranStrait of HormuzUS-Iran relationsdiplomacy

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until seven Iranian conditions in a June interim agreement with the United States were fulfilled, Nournews reported. His comments came days after Tehran received Washington’s response to its diplomatic proposal.

IranStrait of HormuzUS-Iran diplomacy

Cornell University remains embroiled in controversy over an alleged gang rape at a campus fraternity. In an eight-minute video released Saturday night, President Michael Kotlikoff called the allegations by a woman identified as Jane Doe deeply disturbing and said the university must do better.

Cornell Universitycampus safetysexual assault allegations

A Russian drone struck the roadway of Kyiv’s Northern Bridge on Oct. 4, marking the fourth straight day of attacks on bridges across the Dnipro. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a heating main was also damaged, temporarily cutting hot water to parts of Desnianskyi district. An aviation expert said the strikes may aim to disrupt traffic and logistics and pressure residents rather than destroy the bridges.

KyivRussian drone strikesNorthern BridgeUkraine war

Russia has targeted Kyiv’s Pivnichnyi, or Northern, Bridge for a second consecutive day. Unverified video appears to show a drone striking the bridge and exploding. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a heating main was damaged, while visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged continued support for Ukraine’s air defences.

Kyivdrone strikesRussia-Ukraine warGerman support

Russian forces have recently attacked Kyiv’s Southern and Northern bridges over the Dnipro River, which had not previously been targeted. The Southern Bridge is closed to cars and metro trains, while the Northern Bridge is partly closed after two people were injured. Ukrainian experts say drones alone cannot destroy the bridges, but repeated strikes could severely disrupt transport. Zelenskyy accused Putin of ordering commanders to disregard the rules of warfare. Reports also said Western diplomats were preparing possible embassy relocations, while Russia again urged them to leave Kyiv.

Kyiv bridgesRussian strikesUkraine warDnipro River

Two people died and another was missing after heavy rain caused flooding in Spain’s Catalonia region, authorities said on Sunday.

floodingheavy rainSpain

Ethiopian federal troops entered Mekelle, the capital of Tigray state, on October 3, as the city was largely deserted by rebels from the region.

EthiopiaTigrayMekellearmed conflict

Ethiopian government forces and allied militias have retaken control of Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, three sources told Reuters on Sunday. The development represents a major setback for the opposition alliance governing the northern region.

EthiopiaTigrayarmed conflict

Ethiopia’s government forces say they have captured Mekelle from Tigray fighters after a week of intense battles. The renewed fighting has raised fears of a full-scale war that could involve neighbouring countries.

EthiopiaTigrayarmed conflict

Max Verstappen defeated Kimi Antonelli to claim his first victory of the year at Formula 1’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. George Russell’s retirement gave Antonelli a major boost in the title race.

Formula 1Bahrain Grand PrixMax Verstappen

Israeli shelling hit a civilian near the Engineers Syndicate headquarters in northwest Gaza, wounding five people. The incident occurred amid reported violations of the Gaza truce; the headline says Israeli fire killed one Palestinian and injured 15.

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