Serbia’s snap parliamentary election recorded turnout of 64.9 percent by 17:00 GMT, the highest since the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992. The vote pits the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, led by Aleksandar Vučić, against a student-backed movement that grew from protests demanding accountability and action against corruption.
Key Facts
Polls closed at 8 p.m. local time on Sunday, with initial results expected a few hours later.
The State Election Commission reported 64.9 percent turnout by 17:00 GMT; turnout alone does not show which side gained support.
The Serbian Progressive Party has governed since 2012 and is seeking to retain power.
The student-backed Student List – Students Win is fielding candidates from professions including medicine and education.
The protests began after a canopy collapsed at a railway station in Novi Sad in November 2024, killing 16 people.
Election watchdog CRTA reported pressure on voters or election workers at nearly a third of the 500 polling stations it monitored, as well as failures to protect ballot secrecy.
CeSID had received about 260 reports of potential irregularities by 5 p.m. local time, including ballot photography and group voting.
About 6.5 million people were eligible to vote for 250 parliamentary seats; a party or coalition needs 126 seats for a majority.
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Marine Le Pen opened a National Rally campaign event in Orléans under the theme “Renaissance,” presenting a law-and-order platform and her vision of a “National Community.” The event followed protests against her, while tensions between the party and Mediapart flared over the outlet’s report on alleged antisemitic messages by party leader Jordan Bardella.
Key Facts
Le Pen spoke at the Zénith Arena in Orléans on October 25, 2026.
The article says Le Pen had topped French popularity polls for months.
More than 10,000 anti-Le Pen demonstrators gathered outside the venue the day before the event.
Four Mediapart journalists were ejected from the event and later allowed back in.
Mediapart had published private Facebook messages allegedly written by Jordan Bardella as a teenager that contained antisemitic language.
Bardella sued Mediapart for defamation and called the report a political attack.
Le Pen said “Renaissance” did not mean nostalgia or a return to the past.
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Brazil’s presidential runoff pits left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro. The article says the race is close, with results expected within hours, and describes the candidates’ opposing claims as they voted.
Key Facts
The runoff election took place in Brazil on October 25, 2026.
Lula is seeking another four-year term as president.
Flávio Bolsonaro is Lula’s right-wing rival in the runoff.
The article describes the contest as close, with little separating the candidates.
Lula said voters faced a choice between himself and a candidate he called morally, ethically, and personally unqualified.
Bolsonaro said worsening living conditions would lead voters to choose change.
The program featured biographer Richard Lapper and Brazil specialist Elena Lazarou.
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Lana Nusseibeh, a senior Emirati diplomat with Palestinian heritage, has entered the race to succeed António Guterres as UN secretary general. Supporters cite her role in efforts to deliver aid to Gaza, while critics point to the UAE’s contested role in Sudan and object to her late entry as candidates remain deadlocked.
Key Facts
Nusseibeh previously served as the UAE’s ambassador to the United Nations and has advocated for Palestinians and a two-state solution.
The state of Palestine has endorsed Nusseibeh’s candidacy.
The UAE has faced allegations that it supplied weapons to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, which has been accused of genocide by two successive U.S. administrations; Nusseibeh has denied reports of UAE weapons supplies to the group.
A group of Latin American and Caribbean states objected to Nusseibeh’s late entry, saying it came as support was building for a candidate from their region.
After six rounds of voting, no candidate had established a clear lead. In the latest straw poll, Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan led but faced objections from two permanent Security Council members.
Other candidates include Rafael Grossi, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Olara Otunnu and María Fernanda Espinosa.
Guterres is due to leave the post at the end of the year.
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Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said she had returned to Venezuela after more than 10 months abroad. Her return comes amid calls for elections and uncertainty over when acting President Delcy Rodríguez will hold a vote.
Key Facts
Machado announced her return on social media on Sunday.
Opposition leader Edmundo González confirmed that Machado was back in Venezuela.
A political organisation called Comando Con Venezuela shared footage of Machado arriving at a church in Lara, where supporters greeted her.
Machado had been out of public view after a brief arrest in January 2025 and reappeared in Norway the following December, where she received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rodríguez has served as acting president since Nicolás Maduro was removed from office in January 2026.
Rodríguez’s acting presidency has exceeded the 90-day period she was authorized to serve, and she has not called an election.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said U.S.-supported reconciliation talks helped create conditions for Machado’s safe return.
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The BBC understands that a 2019 letter to London’s Metropolitan Police making claims about Thomas Markle was written by his former wife, Roslyn Loveless. Markle denies allegations that he possessed child sexual abuse images or abused underage girls; authorities in the Philippines are investigating, and the Met is reviewing how it handled the letter.
Key Facts
The Metropolitan Police confirmed it received a letter relating to Thomas Markle in 2019 and shared it with Meghan and Prince Harry at the time.
The BBC understands the letter was written by Roslyn Loveless, Markle’s former wife, who has since died.
Meghan said she had previously been told about disturbing allegations concerning her estranged father.
Meghan said she had largely cut off contact with her father and does not allow him to contact her children.
Meghan’s half-brother told a newspaper that he found images at their father’s former home in the Philippines and reportedly told police about them.
The FBI said it is aware of the allegations, and Philippine officials confirmed an investigation.
Markle denies possessing child sexual abuse images and denies having sex with underage girls.
The Metropolitan Police said it did not pass the letter’s contents to other law enforcement agencies and is reviewing its handling of the matter.
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A power surge at Stansted Airport temporarily disrupted airport systems and caused long queues for passport control. The airport said systems were back in service, but its shuttle remained out of service, with buses transferring passengers between the terminal and gates.
Key Facts
Passengers reported waiting in a corridor for more than 90 minutes.
One traveller said it took 45 minutes to reach the entrance to the immigration queue.
Passengers reported limited communication and a lack of seating and water.
The airport said a power surge affecting the airport and nearby area temporarily disrupted several systems.
The airport said its systems had returned to service and staff were supporting passengers.
The shuttle service remained out of service because of a technical fault, and buses were operating as a replacement.
Some trains to and from the airport were cancelled on Saturday after overhead power lines were damaged.
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Uganda has ordered citizens returning from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to pay for and complete 21 days of quarantine as it tightens Ebola screening at airports and land crossings. Uganda says it has no active cases, but officials are investigating possible links between infections reported in Nigeria and Kenya and travel through Uganda.
Key Facts
Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi announced the quarantine measure on Sunday in Kampala.
Uganda requires incoming travelers to complete forms with contact information and has strengthened checks at Entebbe International Airport and land crossings.
Uganda declared its Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak over on July 28, after recording 20 infections and two deaths.
Nigeria confirmed an Ebola infection in a Ugandan-born woman on October 20, after she had traveled to Abuja.
A Kenyan man who had traveled from the DRC through Uganda died in October; Kenya has since reported a second Ebola death.
Both the Kenyan patient and the woman passed through Entebbe airport on the same day, but Ugandan officials said footage showed no physical interaction between them.
Uganda said 60 people monitored after possible contact with the Kenyan patient completed 21 days of monitoring and were discharged.
By October 20, the WHO had recorded 9,704 cases and 4,687 deaths in the DRC outbreak. The WHO urged stronger cross-border monitoring and cooperation, while advising against travel or trade restrictions.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia launched about 1,600 guided bombs, 48 missiles and nearly 2,300 attack drones in one week, causing deaths and injuries. He said access to SpaceX’s Starlink and Starshield services had been restored after restrictions disrupted Ukrainian military operations for more than a week.
Key Facts
Zelensky reported that four people were killed and 22 injured in attacks on the Dnipropetrovsk region on Saturday evening, including an 11-year-old girl.
A drone strike injured six people at an apartment building in Vinnytsia, according to Zelensky.
Zelensky said emergency workers were wounded in a repeat strike in Kharkiv.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said it struck a Kharkiv logistics center used by the Ukrainian military, Reuters reported.
Ukraine uses Starlink and Starshield for military communications, drone operations and frontline logistics.
Elon Musk said Ukraine violated SpaceX’s commercial terms by using Starlink for offensive drone strikes; Ukrainian officials denied the allegation.
Musk said the U.S. government controls operational changes to Starshield, the military-grade version of the service.
Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied that the administration was involved in the service disruptions.
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Two Israeli air strikes hit the Islamic University in Gaza City, killing three people and injuring at least seven others. Al Jazeera reported that students and security guards were among those hit.
Key Facts
Two Israeli strikes hit the Islamic University in Gaza City.
The strikes killed three people.
At least seven people were injured.
Students and security guards were among those hit.
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud reported the incident.
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The Board of Deputies of British Jews voted 118 to one to describe the Green Party of England and Wales as a racist party, citing a conference motion that defined Zionism as racism. The Greens rejected that characterization and said they would continue to oppose Israel’s actions in Gaza; Israel denies that its actions amount to genocide.
Key Facts
The Board of Deputies said the Green Party adopted an antisemitic platform by passing the motion.
The motion describes Zionism as supporting a Jewish state in historic Palestine to the exclusion or domination of non-Jewish people.
The Board urged other parties not to form deals with the Greens unless they rejected the policy.
Labour told local Green groups in existing coalitions to disown the motion or lose Labour’s support.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski did not attend the vote and has said he would not overturn the motion, which remains party policy until 2028.
The motion drew criticism from Jewish groups, four Green MPs, two former party leaders and opposition parties.
The Board and the Jewish Leadership Council said Zionism creates a refuge for Jews in their ancient homeland.
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The article says Israeli governments and U.S. presidents change while Israeli settlement expansion on occupied Palestinian land continues. Al Jazeera’s Leila Warah and Noor Wazwaz examine what sustains that expansion.
Key Facts
Israeli governments change over time.
U.S. presidents change over time.
The article says settlement expansion continues despite changes in leadership.
The article describes the settlements as being on occupied Palestinian land.
Leila Warah and Noor Wazwaz explain the issue for Al Jazeera.
The article asks what sustains settlement expansion.
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Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado returned to Venezuela on Sunday after 10 months in exile. She announced her return in a post on X, saying, “I am here. With you.”
Key Facts
Machado returned to Venezuela on Sunday.
She had been in exile for 10 months.
Machado announced her return on X.
Her post said, “Estoy aquí. Con ustedes,” meaning “I am here. With you.”
Machado left Venezuela under the protection of a U.S. rescue team.
The article identifies Machado as the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize recipient.
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Protests have taken place across several European countries, with some of the largest demonstrations in France. Protesters are calling for increased government investment in public services, and the article examines whether demonstrations can lead to policy changes and how long people may continue protesting.
Key Facts
Protests took place in several European countries over the weekend described in the article.
Some of the largest demonstrations were in France.
Protesters in France are calling for more government investment in public services.
The article says similar demands are being made in other parts of Europe.
The article asks what would prompt governments to enact the changes protesters seek.
The article also asks whether demonstrators will stay in the streets until changes happen.
Guests include public law student Jack Eisner, French politics specialist Rainbow Murray, and European policy analyst Petros Fassoulas.
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A senior UN official warned that unequal access to AI could widen economic and social gaps between rich and poor countries. He cited differences in infrastructure, AI use, and language support, while researchers said AI may both displace jobs and change workplace skills.
Key Facts
Africa and Latin America together account for 3.3 percent of global data centre capacity, according to Tomas Lamanauskas.
About 2.2 billion people worldwide remain without internet access.
Lamanauskas said closing the digital infrastructure gap would require an estimated $2.8 trillion in investment by 2030.
About 29 percent of working-age people in developed countries use generative AI, compared with 16 percent in developing countries.
Only 7 percent of African languages are represented in AI translation tools, Lamanauskas said.
Estimates cited by Lamanauskas suggest AI could displace 90 million jobs and create 170 million new ones.
An estimated 40 percent of workplace skills could change by 2030, Lamanauskas said.
A 2026 International AI Safety Report estimated that AI could affect about 60 percent of jobs in advanced economies and 40 percent in emerging economies.
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Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado announced that she had returned to Venezuela, nearly a year after leaving the country. Her ally Edmundo González confirmed her arrival, and social media footage showed her with supporters in Barquisimeto; it remained unclear how she entered the country.
Key Facts
Machado announced her return in a post on X on Sunday.
Edmundo González, who is in exile, confirmed Machado had arrived in Venezuela.
Social media footage showed Machado among supporters at a church in Barquisimeto, in Lara state.
Machado left Venezuela last December, weeks before Nicolás Maduro was captured in January.
The article says the Trump administration had reportedly opposed Machado’s return, fearing it could complicate relations with interim president Delcy Rodríguez.
After Maduro’s capture, President Donald Trump backed Rodríguez rather than Machado, despite claims that Machado’s movement had won the 2024 presidential election.
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Al Jazeera reports that more than 2,000 Palestinians have been forced from their homes in Hebron amid an Israeli lockdown of the occupied West Bank lasting more than 50 hours. The report says the military operation is taking place days before Israel’s elections.
Key Facts
The report says more than 2,000 Palestinians have been forced from their homes in Hebron.
Israel’s lockdown of the occupied West Bank had lasted more than 50 hours at the time of the report.
The report describes the operation as a sweeping military operation.
The operation was unfolding days before Israel’s elections.
Al Jazeera’s Nour Hegazy reported on the situation.
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Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s National Rally, addressed about 10,000 supporters in Orléans on Sunday to launch her presidential campaign. The event came a day after cost-of-living protests across France turned violent in some places, while polls showed Le Pen benefiting from weeks of unrest.
Key Facts
Le Pen launched her presidential campaign in Orléans on October 25, 2026.
About 10,000 supporters attended her campaign event.
Nationwide protests over the cost of living flared into violence the day before.
The article describes Le Pen as the frontrunner in the presidential race.
The article says polls show Le Pen benefiting from weeks of unrest.
Andrew Smith, a lecturer at Queen Mary University of London, provided analysis in the video.
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Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado said she returned to Venezuela on October 25, 2026, after more than 10 months in exile. Her return comes as the country’s political future remains uncertain, with interim president Delcy Rodríguez still in office and no election scheduled.
Key Facts
Machado announced her return in a post on X.
She left Venezuela secretly in late 2025 to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway.
Her party said Venezuelan authorities had blocked at least seven attempts to return.
Machado’s ally Edmundo González Urrutia welcomed her return and said he planned to join her.
U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro about a month after Machado left Venezuela and took him to New York to face criminal charges.
Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s deputy, is serving as interim president beyond the authorized period, according to the article.
Machado and her allies are pressing for a date for a presidential election, while U.S. officials have prioritized economic stabilization.
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Pope Leo XIV called for an end to hostilities in Yemen and prayed for people killed or wounded in an attack on Orthodox worshippers in Jordan. He is gradually resuming public duties after surgery for lung cancer, which doctors said had not spread.
Key Facts
Leo said people in Taiz, Yemen, face shortages of food, water and medical care.
The U.N. said more than 250,000 people had been displaced in Yemen by renewed fighting since August.
The Houthis closed the only supply route linking Taiz to Aden, according to the U.N.
The World Health Organization said 42 health facilities in Taiz faced acute shortages of fuel, oxygen, medicines and medical supplies.
Nine people were killed and about 40 wounded in a shooting during a funeral at an Orthodox church in Hamoud, Jordan.
Leo expressed solidarity with the victims and praised Jordan’s tradition of peaceful coexistence among religious communities.
Doctors removed the lower lobe of Leo’s right lung less than two weeks before his remarks and said no further treatment was planned.
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