Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces captured Alisovka in the Kharkov Region and Barilovka in the Sumy Region over the past 24 hours. It also reported that Russian air defenses intercepted and destroyed 617 Ukrainian UAVs and two Neptune missiles, and gave figures for Ukrainian losses across the front lines.
Gulf stocks fell in early Wednesday trading after an attack on a refinery in Saudi Arabia, a leading crude exporter, unsettled investors and revived concerns that the Middle East conflict could escalate.
Gulf stocksRas Tanurarefinery attackMiddle East conflict
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived at Moscow’s Gostiny Dvor exhibition complex for the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum and took his place at the plenary session presidium. African Union Chair and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye also took the stage. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said 48 of 54 African countries would attend the summit, with 22 represented by heads of government.
At least 10 people died when a high-speed train struck the rear of a stopped train near Urda in central Spain on Wednesday, derailing two cars. Authorities warned the death toll could rise; the cause was unknown. Rail service between Madrid and Andalusia was suspended as responders searched the wreckage and took injured passengers to area hospitals.
At least 68 people died and 58 needed hospital treatment after a high-speed train struck a stopped train in Spain’s Toledo province on Wednesday, derailing both. Rescuers continued searching the wreckage. Transport Minister Óscar Puente blamed an “inexplicable” decision by the central control center to clear a RENFE train to proceed after a safety-system failure; the crash remains under investigation.
At least 39 people died when two high-speed trains collided near Urda, Spain. Two carriages derailed and services on the Madrid-Andalusia line were suspended. The crash occurred nine months after another deadly rail accident on the same route killed 46 people.
Two high-speed trains carrying hundreds of passengers collided in central Spain, south of Madrid, killing at least 30 people and injuring many others. Officials warned the death toll could rise. Traffic on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed line was suspended.
At least 46 people were killed when two high-speed passenger trains collided in Spain’s central Toledo Province, the ABC daily reported. The accident occurred around 9 a.m. local time, and two cars of one train derailed.
Two trains travelling in opposite directions collided in southern Spain on the route between Madrid and Seville. Local authorities confirmed at least 10 deaths, while some media reports put the toll as high as 39. The cause remains unknown.
Authorities said a high-speed train struck the rear of a stopped train on Wednesday in central Spain. Two cars derailed and at least 10 people were killed.
At least 10 people died when two trains collided Wednesday morning in central Spain’s Toledo province. Rail services between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia have been suspended.
A collision between two high-speed trains in Spain killed at least 10 people. The incident occurred near Urda station in Toledo province at about 8:54 am local time.
Two high-speed trains collided Wednesday morning in Spain’s central Toledo province, prompting the suspension of services between Madrid and Andalucía. Government sources told El País that at least 10 people had died; the cause and number of injuries remained undetermined.
The crash happened at 8:54 a.m. near Urda. Two carriages derailed and plunged down an embankment, halting rail traffic in both directions between Madrid and Andalusia.
Two high-speed trains collided in central Spain’s Toledo province, killing at least 10 people, with many more feared injured. Rail services between Madrid and Andalucía were suspended. The country’s main political parties halted planned activities for the day as emergency teams responded.
A train collision in Spain’s central province of Toledo reportedly killed at least 10 people and injured several others. Rail service between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia has been suspended.
Two trains collided in central Spain, authorities said, and a local official reported passenger injuries. Rail operator ADIF said the crash happened Wednesday morning in Toledo province. Urda Mayor Manuel Galan said civil protection officials asked the town to prepare a sports pavilion for passengers.
Two trains collided near Urda in Spain’s Toledo province, leaving an unspecified number of people injured. The Madrid–Andalusia high-speed line was suspended, and reports said two carriages derailed and tumbled down an embankment.
Rail operator Adif said on Wednesday that two high-speed trains collided in Spain, prompting the suspension of the line linking Madrid with the southern region of Andalusia.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said the government has compiled a list of strategic and critical facilities and major industrial enterprises, and prepared threat models, standard protection measures and resource-reserve requirements. Regions are also working to establish mobile fire groups and strengthen emergency recovery teams.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said Russian compatriots abroad are witnessing Western efforts to undermine unity in their communities and fuel discord. At a conference for Russian compatriots living abroad, he called it a collective duty to counter what he described as Western actions to provoke conflict through a policy of “divide and rule.”
Russia is discussing with foreign partners whether to extend joint operations of the International Space Station until 2032, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said. He said the crewed space program, cross-flights and ISS work are proceeding as planned.
International Space StationRussiacrewed spaceflightspace cooperation
Trump fights for Texas votes as Israeli election deadlocks: Morning Rundown
FlashBREAKINGTranslated by Minutes
🇪🇸 A high-speed train collision south of Madrid killed at least 30 people on Wednesday, regional authorities told AFP in an updated toll as Spain reeled from its second such disaster this year. [1/2]
🇪🇸 A high-speed train collision south of Madrid killed at least 30 people on Wednesday, regional authorities told AFP in an updated toll as Spain reeled from its second such disaster this year. [1/2]
Bitcoin’s recent win rate against the S&P 500 has climbed back above 50%, up from about one in five trading sessions in June, its weakest stretch in roughly six years, Glassnode says. Coinbase Institutional reported on Oct. 23 that BlackRock’s IBIT had attracted about $6 billion since Aug. 1, compared with roughly $500 million for all other funds combined.
A new report says subsea cable projects owned by US companies including Google and Meta face elevated risks of deep-sea sabotage in the Pacific. Chinese research ships have spent unusually long periods apparently surveying cables, while analysts warn that China and Russia could use cable tampering as a “gray zone” tactic short of direct military confrontation.
Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil returned to Columbia University for the first time since being detained in the United States. He urged students to keep speaking out against Israel, saying their efforts are working.
South Korea’s Media and Communications Commission said on Wednesday it had fined Google and Apple for restricting users to specific app payment systems and ordered them to take corrective measures.
Turkey, host of this year’s United Nations COP31 climate summit, has launched a pledge saying artificial intelligence can help tackle global warming, while data centers are also increasing fossil-fuel pollution.
Hong Kong’s lived-in home prices fell 0.8% in the third quarter, the first quarterly decline after five quarters of gains. Prices rose 0.19% in September from August for a second straight monthly increase, but remained 19.4% below their September 2021 peak.
Hong Konghousing markethome pricesrents
SSouth China Morning PostOriginal★★★☆☆2026-10-28 11:00
Hong Kongrents hit records as home-price gains lose momentum
Google Multi-Party Compute is in private preview, with several major financial institutions testing it. Alphabet is using the technology to protect its digital assets on Ethereum and Solana.
Community advocates say some families have waited between 40 days and seven months for work permits. Alberta requires permits before children can enroll in school as local residents.
Marina Hills and Sergio Losco are working to preserve the legacy of their son Henry, after whom a law taking effect in Saskatchewan on Nov. 1 is named. Henry, 11, died last December following a carbon monoxide leak caused by a boiler malfunction at the Metro 1827 apartment building in downtown Regina.
Gavin Newsom signed two executive orders easing environmental requirements for some flood-prevention work and creating a task force to assess Highway 1’s risks from potential El Niño storms. The National Weather Service warned of significant coastal flooding in Orange and San Diego counties through Thursday.
Kazakhstan’s foreign minister said integration of the Turkic world is a foreign policy priority. Tileuberdi described Kazakhstan and Türkiye as sharing centuries-old historical ties, spiritual affinity and cultural traditions.
Ukraine’s State Security Service says two Russian soldiers who left their units changed into civilian clothes and tried to reach Kyiv. They were detained while attempting to enter Dnipropetrovsk Oblast; one wore a Russian military identification tag around his neck.
Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine receives an average of 12 Patriot missiles monthly from the United States but fired 35 in October. He said the other 23 came through unspecified channels and did not name the countries that supplied them. Kyiv has repeatedly reported a shortage of air-defense interceptors.
Zelensky said Ukraine received an average of 12 Patriot interceptors per month from the U.S. in 2026, while needing to intercept about 150 Russian ballistic missiles monthly. Some European countries have offered missiles from their stockpiles, but transfers require Washington’s approval, and documents await Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s signature.
Seagrass beds protect coasts, shelter many species and store carbon, but about 30% have disappeared since the late 19th century. Conservationists on Germany’s Baltic coast are transplanting shoots, while researchers test seeding and other approaches to restore meadows and increase genetic diversity.
Ukraine’s military intelligence agency said 49 Russian and Belarusian companies are involved in developing Rassvet, a low-Earth orbit satellite communications system, and that 23 remain unsanctioned by members of the international sanctions coalition. HUR said the system is primarily intended for military use, with planned coverage focused on Ukraine and Europe, and could also support Russian hybrid operations against other countries.
A local truce in the devastated, Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian city of Oleshky remained in effect through its first day and night, while fighting between Moscow and Kyiv continued elsewhere. It began on Tuesday and is expected to last until Sunday.
Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said the first 30 hours of the Oleshky ceasefire passed without incident. Meanwhile, local authorities reported that Russian attacks in other parts of Ukraine killed two people and injured 17 over the past day. Russia launched a ballistic missile and 88 Shahed-type drones overnight; Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 71 drones.
Russian human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova said no incidents had been recorded in Alyoshki during the ceasefire’s first 30 hours. She said she was coordinating implementation with her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmitry Lubinets. The truce is intended to enable humanitarian aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.
AlyoshkiRussia-Ukraine ceasefireKherson Regionhumanitarian aid
British comedian and actor Russell Brand told a London court on Wednesday that a documentary alleging misconduct had devastated him and led friends and colleagues to turn against him.
The 140th Canton Fair is underway in Guangzhou, showcasing China’s full industrial chains and the premium, reliable materials they supply to fast-growing markets, particularly developing countries. The report looks at what global buyers are seeking.
Canton Fairoverseas buyersChinese exportsinternational trade
The second phase of the 140th Canton Fair ended Tuesday. By 5 p.m., 278,000 overseas buyers from 218 countries and regions had attended, 13.4% more than during the same period of the previous session.
The second phase of the 140th Canton Fair ended Tuesday in Guangzhou. By 5 p.m., 278,000 overseas buyers from 218 countries and regions had attended, 13.4% more than at the same point in the previous session.
With the US midterms less than a week away, living costs have become a key campaign issue. Many people in Arizona are criticising the administration’s food stamp cuts, which have had serious consequences for the poorest.
Chancellor John Healey is due to present the first autumn budget under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, setting out tax and spending plans amid rising living costs, energy bills, inflation and borrowing. The government is expected to explain how it will fund defence commitments.
UK budgetfiscal policycost of livingdefence spending
British Treasury chief John Healey faces a difficult balancing act as he presents his first budget statement. Turmoil caused by the Iran war has made the economic backdrop more challenging.
Chancellor John Healey is set to unveil the Burnham government’s first budget, which the Treasury has described as low-key and aimed at easing pressure on low- and middle-income households. Healey has pledged to follow Labour’s fiscal rules. Readers and people struggling with living costs told the newsletter what they want the budget to change.
John Healey is due to present his first budget on Wednesday. Measures are expected to benefit struggling households, first-time buyers and small shops, while banks and online marketplaces could face higher levies. The plans include household support, help with energy bills and a first-home equity loan, amid pressure from debt costs and defence spending.
John Healey says his first budget will ease pressure on household costs while putting Britain on a better path. Major measures are expected to be limited, with key tax and spending decisions deferred; possible steps include temporary help for poorer families, energy market reforms and cancelling a planned fuel duty rise.
UK budgetcost of livingenergy pricespublic finances
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said Japanese embassy representatives were allowed to visit a recently detained Japanese journalist on Monday. Russia previously said the Hokkaido Shimbun correspondent was arrested in Sakhalin Region on suspicion of espionage and is under criminal investigation.
Nearly 90% of large businesses are using or planning to use tokenized cash to speed up payments, DBS says. Stablecoins lead at 63%, ahead of tokenized deposits at 53% and tokenized money market funds at 52%.
Israeli forces continued raids in Hebron and elsewhere in the occupied West Bank, as the lockdown of the city entered its sixth day. UNRWA voiced “grave concern” and warned the developments echoed the 2025 “Iron Wall” operation; nearly 5,000 Palestinians have been displaced.
Israeli raids and tighter restrictions in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, have continued for a sixth day. An Israeli soldier confronted a Palestinian protesting displacement.
As the Russia-Africa Summit begins, African students in Moscow describe how study, friendships and career ambitions are building lasting ties. Zambian medical students praise aspects of Russia’s healthcare system and hope to use their education at home, while a Sudanese lecturer sees scope for pragmatic cooperation, alongside vulnerabilities linked to the war in Ukraine.
The Bank of Canada is widely expected to lift its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 2.5% on Wednesday. Most economists see the move as a safeguard against a possible wider spread of energy inflation.
China reaffirmed its commitment to open cooperation and working with all parties to keep global industrial and supply chains stable and secure. The remarks followed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s call for European and Asian middle powers to form a strategic alliance. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said China-Europe cooperation benefits both sides because their economies complement each other and industries are intertwined.
Dai Huaicheng, secretary general of the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, told TASS that Japan has the industrial and technical potential to develop nuclear weapons delivery systems. He said Japan’s technologies, nuclear fuel reprocessing capacity and military buildup mean it would face no insurmountable technical barriers if it made the political decision to pursue them.
Dai Huaicheng, secretary-general of the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, said Japan’s industrial capacity and plutonium stockpiles could let it develop a nuclear explosive device within weeks if it chose to pursue nuclear weapons. He cited estimates ranging from just over 100 days to a few dozen days.
Dai Huaicheng, secretary-general of the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, said Japan is seeking nuclear capability. He said right-wing forces under the current government have shown ambitions to revive militarism, breach the three non-nuclear principles and pursue an indigenous arsenal.
French multinational bank BNP Paribas exceeded third-quarter profit forecasts as equity-trading revenue surged 50%. It announced a €1.3 billion share buyback and played down its exposure to French debt.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Beijing was deeply concerned about continued Middle East tensions. Asked about reports of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia’s defense ministry and an airport, he said China opposes attacks on civilian facilities and urged all sides to negotiate disputes to restore regional peace and stability soon.
ChinaMiddle East tensionsSaudi ArabiaYemen Houthis
Six days before the US midterm elections, Democrats lead Republicans in national polls, while several key Senate races remain too close to call. Trump campaigned for Republicans in Texas, while Obama and Kamala Harris campaigned for Democrats in Georgia.
US midterm electionspollsDonald Trumpcampaign rallies
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and Finnish President Alexander Stubb spoke with Vladimir Putin for 90 minutes, urging an end to the war in Ukraine. They hope to influence US-brokered talks planned in Abu Dhabi next month. The leaders later spoke with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Vladimir Putin devoted most of an October 27 call with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to what he called “medieval Slavic history,” the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the conversation. The call lasted 90 minutes instead of the expected 30, while an immediate ceasefire was discussed only briefly. A Kremlin-linked source told Reuters that Putin said Russia would not give up its goal of taking all of Donbas.
Vladimir PutinFinlandNorwayRussia-Ukraine wardiplomacy
The Financial Times reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin spent most of an Oct. 27 call with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store discussing medieval Slavic history. Sources said Ukraine’s call for an immediate ceasefire received little attention.
Vladimir PutinNordic leadersRussia-Ukraine warDiplomacy
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS that no European leaders besides Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store had recently asked to speak by phone with Vladimir Putin. Putin spoke with them on October 27 at the request of Finland and Norway; they discussed resolving the Ukraine crisis and welcomed plans to resume trilateral Russia-Ukraine-US talks in Abu Dhabi in early November.
US-based operator Villa Vie Residences has suspended operations after fuel costs rose “extraordinarily” since the Iran war began, leaving around 200 passengers stranded in Cambodia.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Wednesday that China takes French football star Kylian Mbappe’s apology seriously after his earlier inappropriate remarks about China.
Kylian Mbappe apologised after joking about Mao Zedong, a remark that sparked anger on Chinese social media and led to Spanish football being removed from state television. China’s foreign ministry said it took his apology seriously. Several companies ended partnerships with him, while Chinese platforms restricted his accounts.
Sports journalist Ken Early said Kylian Mbappé was likely as surprised as anyone when a meme portraying the Real Madrid forward as Mao Zedong prompted a reaction from China.
Several major Chinese companies have ended their partnerships with Kylian Mbappé. He apologised, saying he has “a deep respect for the Chinese people and their history”.
Kylian Mbappé drew a furious backlash after calling the founding leader of Communist China a dictator. Real Madrid apologised to the Chinese people on Wednesday, a day after Mbappé and Spain's La Liga expressed regret over the remarks.
Three major Chinese brands have ended their partnerships with French football star Kylian Mbappe after his comments about a meme depicting his head on Mao Zedong’s body triggered a backlash. Mbappe apologised, but Chinese fans continued to criticise him.
Kylian Mbappé is facing a backlash in China, with sponsors ending their ties with him over a viral meme. Chinese state media warned that his apology for referring to Mao Zedong as a dictator would be judged by his actions.
The China Import and Export Fair, or Canton Fair, is China’s longest-running trade event and is now in its 70th year. CGTN recounts how three generations of Hong Kong’s Li family have witnessed its evolution, describing it as a benchmark of China’s opening up and economic development.
Two teenage plaintiffs who say social media caused serious mental health problems will take Meta Platforms and Snap to trial in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The case is the latest test of claims raised in thousands of US lawsuits over social media’s effects on young people.
The EU's proposed Industrial Accelerator Act aims to support European carmakers against Chinese rivals by subsidizing vehicles made in Europe. But its proposed rules could exclude close supply-chain partners including Turkey, Morocco, Japan and South Korea, putting billions in trade and hundreds of thousands of European jobs at stake.
The Chinese mainland condemned Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party authorities for budgeting more than 80 million New Taiwan dollars, about $2.5 million, to invite US military personnel to observe this year’s and next year’s so-called Han Kuang exercises.
cross-strait relationsDemocratic Progressive PartyUS military observersHan Kuang exercise
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said there is no final decision on whether the leaders of Russia, the United States and China will meet at the APEC forum. China is still working on the possibility, and the agenda—including whether to discuss arms control—remains under discussion.
No final confirmation of Putin-Trump-Xi summit on APEC sidelines, Russian MFA says
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇸🇬 Runners swap streets for shopping malls as haze chokes Singapore
As toxic haze from Indonesian wildfires chokes Singapore, marathon runners are taking their training indoors, running inside a shopping mall ahead of the city-state's marathon next month.
🇸🇬 Runners swap streets for shopping malls as haze chokes Singapore
As toxic haze from Indonesian wildfires chokes Singapore, marathon runners are taking their training indoors, running inside a shopping mall ahead of the city-state's marathon next month.
A YouGov poll found 74% of German adults unlikely to celebrate Halloween, while younger people were more inclined to take part. Separately, parties are weighing candidates to succeed President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, with Bavarian parliamentary speaker Ilse Aigner drawing support across party lines.
German politicspresidential successionHalloweenpoll
Final results are expected tonight or tomorrow morning. The outlook is increasingly favourable for Benjamin Netanyahu and his bloc, but he still lacks a clear victory and needs 61 seats for a parliamentary majority. He spoke to supporters at the National Congress Centre at around 3 a.m. local time.
Israel electionBenjamin Netanyahuparliamentary majority
Arab-led parties appear to have made a historic showing in Israel’s election, but it remains unclear whether other opponents of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government would join them in a coalition capable of winning a parliamentary majority. Issues involving Palestinians and their descendants remain highly sensitive in Israel.
With about 70% of Israel’s votes counted, Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious bloc had 54 seats, against 47 for the main opposition and 19 for Arab parties, leaving no side with a majority to form a government. Attention has shifted to coalition talks. Trump said his endorsement helped Netanyahu’s stronger-than-expected showing.
Israel’s election has produced no clear winner, and neither Benjamin Netanyahu’s nor Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc has reached the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Arab-led parties could hold the balance of power, but potential partnerships face political barriers as coalition talks begin.
Israel electioncoalition governmentBenjamin NetanyahuGadi Eisenkot
Israel’s benchmark Tel Aviv 125 index fell as much as 3.5 percent after exit polls showed no clear winner in the parliamentary election. With more than 84 percent of votes counted, Netanyahu’s coalition was projected to win 54 seats and the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot 49; 61 seats are needed for a majority.
With more than 60% of ballots counted, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s camp is narrowly ahead of the opposition but lacks a clear majority. The Central Elections Committee is still counting, and the partial results could change. The two leading prime ministerial candidates exchanged barbs in speeches after polls closed.
Netanyahu and Smotrich attacked Arab voters and alleged attempts to steal the election as Israel counted ballots. With neither major political camp securing a clear majority, Arab-led parties could influence who forms the next government.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and rival Gadi Eisenkot have both vowed to form a government, with projections putting them neck and neck in Tuesday’s critical election. Exit polls indicate neither bloc has secured a parliamentary majority.
Israelis are closely watching for the final election results after voting dealt a rebuke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government. Netanyahu, however, is still far from defeated.
Despite the fallout from the 7 October attacks, three years of war and widespread public dissatisfaction, Benjamin Netanyahu strengthened his political position in Israel’s election. Neither political bloc is assured of a parliamentary majority.
Israel electionBenjamin Netanyahuparliamentary majority
With 57.3% of votes counted, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party is leading Israel’s parliamentary election, projected to win 28 seats. Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot is in second place with 21. Exit polls indicate no political force is expected to secure the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Turnout in Arab-populated areas reportedly reached 80%.
Early results show Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud as the largest single party, but his bloc appears short of the 61 seats needed to form a government. His main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, may also need Arab parties to command a majority. Many absentee ballots remain uncounted, leaving the outcome uncertain.
Exit polls from Israel’s major TV networks put Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing bloc and the opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot at 51 seats apiece, below the 61 needed for a majority. Counting continues, while Palestinian parties are projected to increase their representation to as many as 18 seats from 10.
Israel electionBenjamin NetanyahuGadi EisenkotPalestinian parties
Early tallies in Israel’s election put Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud ahead, while rival blocs have not secured a majority, leaving the route to power unclear.
Exit polls put Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud-led bloc slightly ahead of the opposition, with neither side appearing likely to secure a governing majority. Likud was projected to win 27 seats and Arab parties 19 collectively. Preliminary official results are expected Wednesday and may differ from the polls.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said forming a government with Arab parties would be “a disgrace and a shame.” Exit polls indicate that neither his party nor the opposition is projected to win the 61 Knesset seats required for a majority.
IsraelBenjamin Netanyahuelectioncoalition government
Exit polls indicate that neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s alliance nor opposition bloc leader Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc is close to the numbers required to form a governing majority.
Exit polls project that Israel’s Arab-led parties will win 18 Knesset seats, a record. Turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel reached about 80 percent, while overall turnout was 77.7 percent, its highest since 1999. The blocs led by Gadi Eisenkot and Benjamin Netanyahu were tied at 51 seats each in updated polling.
Israeli leaders traded sharp reactions after exit polls showed the main blocs tied at 51 seats each, short of the 61 needed for a majority. Opposition figures called the projections a defeat for Netanyahu’s government, while his allies said the final results could change the balance. Unaligned Arab parties were projected to win 18 seats.
Supporters of Gadi Eisenkot celebrated in Tel Aviv after exit polls showed Israel’s opposition bloc narrowly ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu’s camp, though neither had an outright parliamentary majority.
Voting has ended in Israel’s election and ballots are being counted. Exit polls indicate Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc won the most seats but fell short of a majority, while Netanyahu’s Likud is projected to be parliament’s largest single party.
Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot said exit polls showing his bloc ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition reflected a “complete lack of confidence” in the government, and vowed to move quickly to replace it. Polls gave neither bloc the 61 seats needed for a majority, with Arab-majority parties potentially holding the balance. Final results remain pending. The report says a change of leadership may not bring a fundamental shift in Israel’s policies toward Iran or the Palestinians.
Exit polls project Netanyahu’s coalition at 50 seats and the opposition bloc at 52, leaving both short of the 61 needed for a Knesset majority. Arab-led parties are projected to win 18 seats and could become kingmakers. After the final tally, President Isaac Herzog will designate the candidate he believes has the best chance of forming a government; failure to break the deadlock could lead to another election.
Israel electioncoalition talksBenjamin NetanyahuIsaac Herzog
Israel's election was still deadlocked on Tuesday, according to exit polls. Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot's bloc edged ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's camp, 52 seats to 50, but neither had a clear route to forming a government. Turnout was 77.7%, the highest in more than two decades.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opposition showed strength in today’s election, but not enough to take power outright. Weeks of negotiations may now follow as parties seek to form a coalition government.
Israeli electionBenjamin Netanyahucoalition government
Exit polls project Palestinian parties to win 17 to 18 Knesset seats, up from 10, forcing opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to consider negotiations with Arab-Israeli leaders if he hopes to govern. Without an agreement, Benjamin Netanyahu could have a path to political survival.
Tuesday’s exit polls gave the bloc led by opposition candidate Gadi Eisenkot a narrow lead over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud bloc in the Knesset. Likud was nevertheless projected to remain the parliament’s largest single party.
Israeli exit polls indicate that neither Benjamin Netanyahu nor Gadi Eisenkot is on track to win a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Eisenkot supporters in Tel Aviv reacted after the first results were released.
Exit polls show Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition bloc narrowly ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu’s right and far-right coalition, although Likud is projected to remain the largest party. Israeli Arab parties could win up to 18 seats and become kingmakers in potentially protracted coalition talks. The outcome remains uncertain after turnout reached its highest level in 50 years.
Israel electionBenjamin Netanyahuexit pollscoalition talks
An exit poll from state-run broadcaster Kan-11 projects Likud will take 25 of the Knesset’s 120 seats, with Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party second on 21. The opposition bloc is forecast to win 53 seats against 50 for Netanyahu’s bloc. Arab parties are projected to get 17, but neither side is ready to form a coalition with them; neither bloc reaches the 61-seat majority threshold.
Exit polls project Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc to win 50 seats and the bloc led by opposition candidate Gadi Eisenkot to take 52 or 53, short of the 61 needed for a majority. Arab parties are projected to win 18 seats combined. Turnout reached 74.3 percent by 8pm, and official results are due on November 4.
Exit polls indicate that Israel’s election has no clear winner. Netanyahu spent much of the day urging supporters to vote, describing the contest as a “matter of life and death.”
Tanzania says it has found natural gas in the southern Mnazi Bay area for the first time in a decade. Energy Minister Juma Homera called the estimated 223 billion cubic feet discovery a major milestone; the well is expected to begin production early next month to boost domestic supply.
Serbian police shot dead an underage man outside the Israeli embassy in Belgrade after he rushed at an officer with two knives, authorities said. The officer suffered a minor facial wound. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said the Serbian citizen had been monitored over support for Islamic State, and raised the national terrorism threat level to its highest, red alert.
Serbian police said an unidentified assailant used knives to attack a guard outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade and was killed shortly after midnight Wednesday.
Serbia’s outgoing interior minister, Ivica Dacic, said an unidentified minor attacked a police officer with two knives outside the Israeli embassy in Belgrade early Wednesday, shouting “Allahu Akbar.” The attacker was killed, and the terrorism threat level was raised to its highest setting.
A dinosaur resembling a tiny Tyrannosaurus rex has become one of the world’s most expensive fossils after selling for €42.6 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York.
Wednesday’s press review looks at newspapers’ reactions to the ongoing results of Israel’s election. It also previews Macklemore’s Free Palestine tour coming to Paris, new thinking about how antidepressants work, and the dating lives of boomer divorcées.
After Tuesday’s election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a right-wing government, while rival Gadi Eisenkot said voters had rejected the longtime Israeli leader. Early counting showed no clear winner, even as both put forward competing claims to lead.
Workers told WIRED that NOA, short for “No Ordinary Assistant,” was unhelpful. Bestselling authors also say AI is damaging their relationships with the Big Five publishers.
Argentina’s government said Wednesday that defeated right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro was traveling to Ecuador after fleeing Brazil. The 45-year-old senator and his family received US visas from the Trump administration the previous day.
Chitai-Gorod–Bukvoed has spent about 100 million rubles in recent years removing books it says violate Russian law and destroying them, its head, Alexander Brychkin, told RBC. A contractor shreds the books on camera. The chain suspends sales after receiving a warning from the Russian Book Union, while Brychkin says returns and disposal costs fall on the retailer.
Rostec says the Oktava plant has fitted Obereg GR body armor for humanitarian demining specialists with an integrated automatic tourniquet system. Air-filled cuffs can constrict an injured limb, and the prototype is undergoing tests. The armor weighs about 5 kg.
Rostecbody armorhumanitarian deminingbleeding control
Rosgeo has begun gold exploration in the Central African Republic. Alexey Desyatkin, who heads the company’s international operations, said it conducted predictive metallogenic mapping there from 2021 to 2023 and identified promising zones.
Nicki Minaj recently appeared alongside Trump at a rally in Michigan, where he remarked on her “beautiful” and “hard to miss” butt. Talk has now emerged that the MAGA-supporting rapper could be offered a White House job.
Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko said Russia would keep supplying agricultural products to markets in Africa and elsewhere, noting that many countries need Russian grain and other goods. Kenya’s ambassador to Russia said the Black Sea situation was creating serious logistical challenges for grain shipments to Africa.
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TASSOriginal★★★★☆2026-10-28 11:11
