Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat after the 25 Oct parliamentary election, which the student-led Student List won with 52.7 percent of the vote, according to the State Election Commission. Vucic's Serbia Progressive Party-led alliance took 39.2 percent. The Student List is set to hold between 135 and 140 of the 250 seats, ending Vucic's rule dating to 2014. The movement grew out of protests after a 2024 station canopy collapse in Novi Sad killed 16 people. After the concession, crowds tore down cordons around a pro-government encampment in Belgrade and set tents alight.
Egypt's parliament has authorised President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to take necessary measures to support Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks, passing the measure with at least a two-thirds majority on 26 Oct. Al-Sisi said the support would defend Saudi territory and borders and would not include attacks on Yemen. The Social Democratic Party, which holds 11 seats, abstained. The move follows escalating Houthi attacks that have raised concerns over Saudi security and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Egypt joined the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen's war in 2015. No formal Saudi request for Egyptian troops has been announced.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry reports that Israel is still carrying out genocidal acts in Gaza despite the ceasefire that began in October 2025. The Palestinian health ministry says the overall death toll in Gaza has risen to 74,561, including 1,565 deaths since the ceasefire took effect. Israeli forces killed 14 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip over the past two days, among them six‑year‑old Tahani Mohammad Shalalfah. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the genocide allegations as the "biggest lie of the century" at the UN General Assembly last month.
Jordanian security forces detained three men, all wounded, following a shootout at an abandoned house in Karak on Monday. The suspects are linked to the Friday attack on St George's Greek Orthodox Church in Hammoud, which killed nine people and injured dozens. Jordan's air force then bombed military hideouts in southern Syria, where the suspects were believed to be hiding, resulting in civilian casualties. The arrests were confirmed by the Public Security Directorate and Interior Minister Mazen Al‑Faraya, while the Syrian health official reported at least five civilian deaths from the strikes.
The student-led Student List secured a parliamentary majority with roughly 53 % of the vote, translating into 139‑141 seats in the 250‑seat assembly, while incumbent Aleksandar Vučić received just under 40 % and conceded defeat on Sunday evening. The victory ends Vučić’s 12‑year rule as president and prime minister, a tenure that began in 2014. The movement, composed of academics, lawyers, doctors, actors, farmers and musicians, rose from protests sparked by a 2024 Novi Sad train‑station canopy collapse that killed 16 people. The European Commission pledged support for rule‑of‑law reforms.
Delegations from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey and Iran concluded their Tehran meeting without reaching a deal, and hours later the Saudi-led coalition shot down three ballistic missiles and four drones launched by the Houthis. The talks, held on 26 Oct under the Mecca Defence Alliance signed in August 2026, involved Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, while Iran was represented by Mohsen Rezaei and Abbas Araghchi. The meeting aimed to discuss regional security amid the ongoing Israeli‑US war.
Around 44.9 percent of eligible voters had cast ballots by early afternoon on 27 Oct, marking the highest participation since 1973. Voting began at 7 am and will close at 10 pm local time, with final results expected on 4 Nov. About 7.3 million eligible Israelis are choosing 120 Knesset members, and roughly 70 000 citizens have traveled from abroad to vote. The election, the first since the Oct 7, 2023 attacks, will decide whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains in office and which parties can form a governing coalition.
Anthropic, the San Francisco AI company, filed its S-1 registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, 26 Oct, opening the path to an initial public offering. DW reports the listing could come as early as November, with shares planned for Nasdaq under the ticker ANT. Analysts estimate a valuation of $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion, up from $965 billion in May, according to Euronews. The company reported first-half 2026 net losses above $80 billion against revenue of about $16.3 billion. The filing runs 335 pages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says former U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed him and that the two could restart the war against Iran if Netanyahu wins the 27 Oct election. Trump posted on social media urging Israelis to vote for Netanyahu and to finish the job they started. Netanyahu says he has ordered Mossad and the IDF to bring down the Iranian regime if he stays in power. White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly says the U.S. will not attack Iran before the 3 Nov midterm elections. Opponent and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot praises Trump as a true friend of Israel and calls Netanyahu's remarks fear-mongering.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secures a second term after receiving 51.8% of valid votes in the 25 Oct runoff, while Flávio Bolsonaro obtains 48.2% and says he will seek to annul the result. The Supreme Court extended voting by two hours following a request from Lula, though some stations had already closed. Lula, now 81, frames the victory as a defeat of denialism and pledges to expand cash‑payouts and debt relief for low‑income families. The election outcome is seen as limiting former U.S. President Donald Trump’s influence in Latin America.