Serbian snap parliamentary elections were held on a Sunday following nearly two years of student‑led protests that began after a railway station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad in November 2024, killing 16 people. The Student List – a movement that fielded 250 candidates, most of them academics (including cardiology professor Ilija Srdanović, ex‑basketball star Dejan Bodiroga, actor Tihomir Stanić and former National Bank governor Dejan Šoškić) as well as farmers and athletes – won a decisive majority, securing between 135 and 140 of the 250 seats. The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) of President Aleksandar Vučić obtained roughly 104–105 seats. Voter turnout was reported as either 68.78 % (a record high in over three decades) or 67.6 % (the highest since 1992). The Student List’s platform calls for combating corruption and organized crime, improving living standards, employment, education, media freedom and institutional independence, deferring a EU‑membership referendum, and maintaining Serbia’s claim over Kosovo. Celebrations erupted in Belgrade and Novi Sad with honking, fireworks and the dismantling of pro‑government encampments. Election monitors noted irregularities such as ballot photographing, attempted vote‑buying and carousel voting.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was elected president of Brazil in the runoff held on Sunday, securing roughly 51.8 % of the vote—about 4.3‑4.4 million votes more than his rival, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who received around 48.2 %. The result, confirmed after more than 96 % of ballots were counted, gives the 80‑year‑old Lula a fourth, non‑consecutive term that will begin on 5 January 2027. In the first round, Bolsonaro led with 47 % to Lula’s 45 %, a gap of roughly 2.2‑2.3 million votes. Voting hours were extended by two hours to 7 p.m. because of reduced bus service and heavy rain, creating chaos at many polling stations. Lula celebrated the victory in São Paulo with First Lady Rosângela da Silva, allies and supporters, and addressed the crowd, describing the outcome as a “defeat of denialism.” Bolsonaro has signaled he will seek to annul the result and has not conceded. Lula’s win marks the first time since the end of Brazil’s military dictatorship in 1985 that a candidate who placed second in the first round has won the presidency, and it reverses a recent regional trend toward right‑wing leaders while promising continuity of his environmental policies.

Storm Boelo swept across parts of the United Kingdom on Sunday, bringing severe winds, flooding and widespread damage. The storm killed two people when falling trees struck a man in his 20s in north London and a 60‑year‑old in Dumfries and Galloway. As of the following Monday, power outages affected roughly 90,000 properties, with many households still without electricity. Sustained winds of 50‑85 mph were recorded across Scotland and northern England, hampering restoration work. The Met Office issued yellow weather warnings for strong winds from 18:00 Monday to 03:00 Tuesday for the west coast of England, Wales, Scotland and eastern Northern Ireland, and an additional warning for northern Scotland from 03:00 Tuesday. Engineers were unable to work safely until the weather system passed, delaying repairs. A factory and shop in Lyndal, Cumbria remained without power until Tuesday evening, disrupting manufacturing and distribution during the pre‑Christmas peak. Cleanup operations continued across the affected areas, and discussions were noted about the need for further investment to mitigate future storms linked to climate change.

Former ESPN reporter Britt McHenry resigned Friday from her position as a State Department press adviser following an altercation at a basketball game. McHenry was captured on camera appearing to throw a drink on someone during a Washington Wizards vs. Milwaukee Bucks NBA game on Wednesday at Capital One Arena. Video obtained by TMZ **appears to show** McHenry being escorted from the stands following the incident. She was appointed to her State Department role last month. A Department official declined to comment, calling it an internal personnel matter. McHenry formerly worked as a reporter for ESPN. In 2015, she was suspended by the network for one week after a video showing her berating a clerk at a towing company went viral. Her departure from the State Department was first reported by Page Six. ABC News was not immediately able to contact McHenry for comment.

A fire broke out at Pacific Seafood, a seafood processing and distribution plant, in Newport, Oregon's Bayfront neighborhood just before 9 a.m. on Sunday. The blaze originated in a freezer facility where seafood is stored. Emergency responders included the Newport Fire Department and a regional hazmat team. Officials initially issued "level 3" evacuation orders for a 1-mile radius due to concerns about potential ammonia contamination from storage tanks, with residents advised to stay indoors and wear masks. A shelter was established at Atonement Lutheran Church. Approximately 30-40 people were in or near the facility when the fire started. By 4 p.m., officials announced no ammonia threat existed after confirming the ammonia tanks remained intact and non-leaking. The fire continued burning, with smoke as the main environmental concern. One firefighter was treated for exhaustion. No injuries were reported among employees or the public. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Pacific Seafood, a family-owned business and significant local employer, stated it expects the damage to be a major loss. No impacts to marine life were reported.

On Monday, a Russian strike on Ukraine's southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia injured four people, according to regional Governor Mykhailo Semikin. Separately, a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Voronezh region killed two people and wounded 17, with many injured being passengers on a commuter train hit by falling debris. Two additional people were injured in Russian strikes on Ukraine's Chernihiv region. Russian forces also claimed to have targeted power infrastructure in Kharkiv and the Khmelnytskyi region, as well as port infrastructure in Chornomorsk and a cargo vessel en route to Odesa. Meanwhile, defence ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom convened in Paris on Monday to discuss additional military support for Ukraine, European defence, and the Middle East conflict. Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are expected to meet in Abu Dhabi in early November. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would halt strikes on Russian oil refineries only if Russia stops attacking Ukraine's power infrastructure.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado returned home after more than 10 months in exile. "I am here. With you," Machado wrote on X on Sunday. Her return came after several prior efforts to re-enter the country came to no avail. Machado attended Mass at a church in the state of Lara, and was surrounded by jubilant supporters. Later, huge crowds lined the route of her journey through Caracas. The US seized her opponent, President Nicolás Maduro, last January. The move came a month after Machado escaped Venezuela under cover of darkness to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway. The Trump administration then backed his deputy, Delcy Rodríguez, as leader and she was sworn in as interim president.

On Sunday, October 25, 2026, President Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Port Huron, Michigan, where he directed intense anti-Muslim rhetoric at Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Trump called El-Sayed, a former Detroit health official, a "jihadist" who was "on the side of the terrorists," and questioned his loyalty to the United States. He invoked the September 11, 2001 attacks, drawing comparisons between preventing El-Sayed from entering the Senate chamber and the passengers who fought back on United Flight 93. The remarks drew condemnation from Bishara Bahbah, founder of Arab Americans for Trump, who called Trump's statements "out of line," "crossing a red line," and "racist." Bahbah stated that Arab and Muslim communities would remember these comments. The rally took place in Port Huron, near communities where Trump made significant gains among Arab American voters in 2024. El-Sayed, who would become the nation's first Muslim senator if elected, rejected Trump's attacks as "shameful" and denied any ties to extremist groups. He spoke at a separate rally in Grand Rapids where he expressed confidence about the election. The Michigan Senate race between El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers could determine control of the Senate chamber. Senator Bernie Sanders also appeared at the Grand Rapids rally, condemning Trump's use of Islamophobia.

The presidential election in Bulgaria on Sunday ended inconclusively, with the next head of state to be picked in a runoff. In a surprisingly strong performance, the candidate of the pro-western reformist opposition, Andrey Gyurov, will face the incumbent leftist president, Iliana Yotova. Yotova opposes military aid to Ukraine and favours dialogue with Russia, while Gyurov has often expressed firm support for Kyiv. The vote was held amid security concerns after a series of drone attacks on ships in the Black Sea. Reuters could not confirm the reports regarding the drone attacks.

First lady Melania Trump announced on Friday that she had secured a localized "temporary" ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky, which will begin Oct. 29. A statement from the first lady’s office said that the temporary ceasefire in the Russian-occupied city was agreed to by both countries to "allow for humanitarian aid to enter and to prepare a civilian evacuation through a designated safe passageway." The Russian military is currently coordinating the timing of a ceasefire in the Oleshky area, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday. Peskov also confirmed that Melania Trump played a coordinating role in reaching a ceasefire agreement in Oleshky. Ukraine's General Staff said it will carry out the ceasefire orders. Melania Trump said residents who want to evacuate "to their preferred destination" will receive support from civilian, non-military leaders in both countries. She added that she had also gotten assurances that an unnamed "impartial American media organization" will accompany teams on the ground during the ceasefire. Melania Trump stated that she became involved in brokering the agreement during a private discussion at her Fostering the Future event at the U.N. General Assembly last month.

The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20-3 on Sunday night in Week 7 action. The Seahawks' defense dominated, holding Patrick Mahomes to 165 passing yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III, who won Super Bowl MVP for Seattle in February, was limited to 14 carries for 36 yards—his lowest rushing total of the season despite entering the game as the NFL's leading rusher. Kansas City's three points were tied for their lowest output in any Mahomes start. Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold threw for 257 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba contributed nine catches for 150 yards and a score. Running back Emanuel Wilson added 100 rushing yards for Seattle. Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker missed two field-goal attempts. The victory improved Seattle to 4-3, breaking a two-game losing streak and moving the team to within two games of the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West. Kansas City fell to 5-1.

Delegations from the Mecca Defence Alliance countries – Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – arrived in Tehran on Monday, October 26, 2026, for joint talks. The meeting involves Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, Pakistani military chief General Asim Munir, and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin. Iran's delegation is led by Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, with Ali Bagheri Kani presiding. The meeting marks the first high-level contact between Iran and all alliance members since Yemen's Houthi forces escalated attacks on Saudi Arabia last month. Saudi Arabia intercepted another wave of Houthi missiles and drones on Sunday as fighting continued. The three nations signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August, under which an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all. The agreement commits parties to use "all necessary means" to eliminate threats to each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Pakistan has been mediating between Washington and Tehran since the US-Israel war began in February. Earlier mediation produced an interim agreement in June that quickly collapsed. Alliance ministers previously held an emergency meeting in Riyadh and agreed to rapidly deploy military capabilities to Saudi Arabia.

In Serbia's parliamentary election on Sunday, October 25, 2026, the opposition Student List movement defeated incumbent President Aleksandar Vučić's bloc. With 96.9% of polling stations processed, the Student List secured 52.6% of votes compared to Vučić's 39.22%. The Student List is projected to win 140 seats in parliament, surpassing the 126-seat majority threshold, while Vučić's bloc receives 103 seats. No other party crossed the 3% threshold, with national minority parties taking the remaining seven seats. International leaders including Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Sweden's caretaker Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, and Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna issued congratulations, expressing support for Serbia's democratic transition and European path. Press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders called the result "a historic opportunity to restore media freedom." The Kremlin stated it hopes Serbia's new rulers understand cooperation with Moscow is in Serbia's interests. International observers are expected to present their preliminary report on the vote Monday afternoon. The Student List's manifesto indicates it intends to retain "traditional partnership" with Russia and opposes sanctions against Moscow.

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Thursday seeking to block certification of Alaska's Senate race, with President Trump confirming Friday he directed the action. The DOJ argues that candidate Dan J. Sullivan—running without party affiliation—created intentional voter confusion with incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan due to their similar names. The lawsuit, filed by DOJ's Stanley Woodward, asks Alaska officials to not certify any election result potentially impacted by voter confusion. The DOJ's position states that if Sen. Sullivan loses but would have won had votes for Dan J. Sullivan gone to him, the result should be invalidated. Alaska's Supreme Court previously ruled that Dan J. Sullivan must remain on the ballot after he challenged a state decision to remove him. The state election office had determined his candidacy was not made in good faith but intended to mislead voters. Dan J. Sullivan has said he has voted for both Democrats and Republicans. Sen. Sullivan's spokesperson said they would let the complaint proceed, while Democratic challenger Mary Peltola's campaign called the suit "a despicable political threat to overturn an election."

On Sunday, October 25, 2022, former President Donald Trump held a rally in Port Huron, Michigan, in support of Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers. Trump alleged without evidence that Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed is a "jihadist" and "Muslim Brotherhood member," stating he would be the "only senator that will have to go through a metal detector" before entering the Senate. Trump compared El-Sayed to the September 11, 2001 attackers, introducing David Beamer, whose son Todd died on hijacked United Flight 93. Beamer claimed the enemy is now "local terrorists" and called El-Sayed "anti-American," stating "a birth certificate doesn't make you an American." Both Rogers and El-Sayed were born in Michigan. Rogers, when asked about Trump's statements, said the election is about "me versus Abdul" and stated he has "never called him a terrorist." El-Sayed has denied ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. Former President Barack Obama had campaigned for El-Sayed in Detroit on Saturday. The Senate race is described as a dead heat ahead of the November 3rd election.

Algeria's parliament has approved a proposal to deploy troops to Niger, marking a significant departure from the country's longstanding noninterventionist military doctrine. The lower house, the People's National Assembly, ratified the deployment on Sunday after the upper house, the Council of the Nation, unanimously approved the proposal earlier the same day. The troop deployment aims to protect oil installations belonging to Algeria's state-owned energy company, Sonatrach, in Niger. Specific numbers of soldiers and deployment timing remain undisclosed. This decision follows Algeria's dispatch of four Sukhoi Su-30 jets and support aircraft to Niamey nearly two months ago, which authorities described as a response to an attempt to destabilize Niger's military-led government. The approval comes after Niger's President Abdourahamane Tchiani visited Algeria in February, followed by defense minister Salifou Mody traveling to Algiers to discuss security cooperation. Under Algeria's 2020 constitutional revision, the president may authorize such deployments with support from two-thirds of each parliamentary chamber. Algeria spent over $25 billion on its armed forces in 2025, making it Africa's largest military spender.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won a historic fourth term in the October 2026 presidential runoff, defeating far-right Senator Flávio Bolsonaro with 51.79% of the vote (64,256,232 votes) to Bolsonaro's 48.21% (59,826,041 votes). The election took place on Sunday, with polls extended from 5pm to 7pm after both candidates requested extensions—Lula due to transportation disruptions in multiple cities that prevented voters from reaching polling stations, and Bolsonaro citing heavy rain in some states. Bolsonaro refused to concede, claiming the voting extension was illegitimate and vowing to seek annulment of the election results through legal action. The margin of victory was approximately 4.4 million votes, a reversal from the first round where Bolsonaro led by 2.2 million votes. Lula's term is set to begin on January 5, 2027. International leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, and Chinese officials congratulated Lula on his victory. Celebrations erupted on São Paulo's Paulista Avenue as supporters gathered to mark the win.

Eric Bauza, a renowned voice actor best known for voicing iconic Looney Tunes characters including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig, died Sunday at his residence. He was 46 years old. His family announced his death in a brief statement on his official Instagram page, stating he had "passed away suddenly." The Los Angeles County medical examiner's office confirmed his death and noted he had been diagnosed with hypertensive cardiovascular disease. Bauza was a Canadian-American actor who won three Emmy Awards between 2022 and 2025 for his voice work, also voicing Elmer Fudd, Marvin the Martian, and Tweety. He was notably the first person of color to voice Bugs Bunny in the Looney Tunes cartoons. His recent film credits include "Space Jam: A New Legacy" (2021), "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" (2023), and "Coyote vs. Acme" (2026). His manager, Judy Coppage, described his passing as a shock and a profound loss for his family and the animation industry.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won re-election in Brazil on Sunday, securing an unprecedented fourth term with 51.8 percent of the vote against 48.2 percent for his far-right rival, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro. Fireworks lit up the night sky as supporters poured into the streets to celebrate. In Rio de Janeiro, vuvuzelas echoed along the beachfront and central avenues as crowds draped in Brazil’s green-and-yellow flag and Lula’s trademark red danced, sang campaign songs and chanted pro-democracy slogans. In Sao Paulo, thousands of people dressed in red packed central squares and major roads, waving banners and setting off flares. According to official results, Lula, who turns 81 on Tuesday, secured the victory. Lula hailed the high turnout, saying Brazilians had “voted to defend democracy.” The jubilation unfolded despite Bolsonaro’s refusal to accept the result, promising to seek to annul the vote after a Supreme Court decision extended polling by two hours. But in city after city, Lula’s supporters treated the win as a resounding repudiation of authoritarianism and a renewed mandate for Brazil’s left.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado returned to Venezuela on Sunday lunchtime, after nearly a year in exile. Machado, 59, arrived in Barquisimeto, capital of Lara state, approximately 220 miles west of Caracas. She had left Venezuela last December, weeks before Nicolás Maduro's capture in January 2026. Upon arrival, she visited the Sanctuary of the Divine Shepherdess church, where supporters gathered. She then traveled eight hours by convoy to reach Caracas, where tens of thousands of supporters lined the streets greeting her. Her close ally Edmundo González, currently in exile, confirmed her return on social media and stated he would also return soon. Machado was previously awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her peaceful opposition to Venezuela's authoritarian government. She has called for fresh presidential elections to be held by July 2027. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Machado's return resulted from U.S.-supported reconciliation talks that have facilitated the release of political prisoners and the return of opposition figures from exile. There was no intervention by Venezuelan security services during her journey to the capital.

Former Rep. Mary Peltola and her family sustained minor injuries in a car crash Saturday evening in Anchorage, Alaska, her campaign announced Sunday. A vehicle transporting Peltola and her family was struck by another driver while en route to the Alaska Federation of Natives' annual banquet. The collision involved three vehicles. Police confirmed the crash occurred Saturday evening and that those involved sustained non-life threatening injuries. The incident is under investigation. According to her campaign manager Cheryl Bruce, Peltola is in good spirits but will reschedule upcoming campaign events in Fairbanks and Bethel to later in the week on medical advice. The campaign stated there is no reason to believe the accident was politically motivated. Peltola, a Democrat, is in a competitive Senate race against Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan. This was set to be the start of her "Alaska Always Tour" campaign.

Jordanian security forces arrested three suspects on Monday in connection with a church attack that occurred on Friday in Karak governorate, approximately 120km southwest of Amman. The suspects, all Jordanians, were apprehended during a dawn raid in the village of al-Jadeeda, a six-minute drive from Hamoud where St George's Church is located. The suspects refused to surrender and opened fire on security forces, who returned fire. All three were subdued and taken into custody with severe injuries, including one in critical condition. Security forces recovered firearms and ammunition at the hideout. The gun battle lasted approximately three hours. The attack on Friday during a funeral procession at the church killed eight people and wounded 34 others. Armed men stormed the church compound, shooting at mourners. King Abdullah II had ordered security forces to respond with an "iron fist" to the attack. No group has claimed responsibility, and authorities have not publicly named the suspects or identified their affiliations.

On Friday, a gun attack at an Israeli military checkpoint near Hebron killed two soldiers. Both attackers were killed on-site. Within hours, Israel sealed off Hebron, a city of 250,000, and began large-scale military operations. The neighborhood of Farsh al-Hawa was demolished, destroying an industrial area with car workshops and a ceramics plant. In Ein Deir Baha, residents were ordered to evacuate at gunpoint overnight Friday into Saturday. The Israeli army allegedly targeted this area because one of the attackers was allegedly from the Jaba'a clan. By Sunday, the Israeli military had taken over homes, turning them into bases, and planted Israeli flags. Approximately 370 families, nearly 2,000 people, were displaced. The Israeli military stated civilians left voluntarily, a claim rejected by residents. One resident, 77-year-old Abdul Halim al-Tamimi, said soldiers gave his family 10 minutes to leave and threatened displacement similar to Gaza. Mayor Yousef al-Jabari called it "collective punishment." All roads in and out of Hebron remained closed by Sunday evening. The operations occurred ahead of Israel's Tuesday election, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visiting the site Friday and promising military action "on a scale the West Bank has not seen in nearly 60 years of occupation."

On Monday, the Saudi-led coalition announced it carried out military operations in Yemen aimed at neutralizing Houthi threats. Coalition forces destroyed four ballistic missile launchers, five tunnels used for missile storage, and attacked a missile depot. The operations targeted Houthi fortifications, member gatherings, and military equipment along front lines, focusing on cutting off supply lines. Separately, the Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport using a ballistic missile, which Saudi air defenses intercepted. The group also claimed strikes on oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia using drones. Saudi air defenses intercepted at least 10 ballistic missiles launched toward the kingdom. Two people were injured by falling debris, with damage to buildings and vehicles reported. The attacks follow a major escalation in Yemen's war. The Houthis launched a maritime blockade and lightning offensive in summer, seizing Red Sea coast territory. In response, Yemen's government launched "Operation Yemen Dawn" counteroffensive. Greece agreed to keep its Patriot air defense system deployed in Saudi Arabia following talks between Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Italian wunderkind Kimi Antonelli took another step toward his first Formula One championship by claiming his ninth race of the year at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. Antonelli, 20, capitalised on his pole position and sailed to a time of 1:35:16.650 at the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday, beating Charles Leclerc of Monaco by a comfortable 13.078 seconds. With five races to go, Antonelli does not have the championship wrapped up quite yet, but his lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell expanded to 123 points. Russell must win the next race in Mexico City to remain in contention for the championship; otherwise, it will go to Antonelli. Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing rounded out the podium 17.485 seconds behind Antonelli. A Virtual Safety Car was deployed after Valtteri Bottas’s Cadillac stopped on the track on Lap 52. Mercedes grew its lead in the constructors' standings to 133 points over Ferrari — 607 points to Ferrari’s 474.