Brazil’s final polling stations closed at 7 p.m. local time Sunday, ending a two-hour Supreme Court extension and clearing the way for the vote count to resume in the presidential runoff.
The official cutoff had been set for 5 P.M. local time but the Supreme Federal Court pushed it back two hours as the original deadline arrived. Under the decision, only precincts where balloting had not ended by 5 P.M. Brasilia time could keep receiving voters.
The last polling stations in Brazil shut their doors at 7 P.M. Brasilia time on Sunday, marking the end of an extraordinary two-hour window that the Supreme Court had ordered only minutes before the original deadline.
Once the extended voting period concluded, election officials formally closed the polls and resumed the nationwide vote count.
The Court’s notification arrived shortly after 5 P.M., when voting was already due to close. By that point, hundreds of polling stations had finished the day’s work, printed their ballot bulletins and even begun shipping equipment to the regional electoral courts.
The definitive shutdown shifted attention to the Superior Electoral Court, which prepared to restart the count. Officials had frozen it six minutes after it began, when only 0.25% of ballots had been processed.
With counting now underway once again, millions of Brazilians are awaiting the official results that will determine the country’s next President who will govern Brazil from 2027 to 2031. The outcome is expected to shape Brazil’s political direction, economic priorities, and international relations over the coming years.
For now, the process rests on the resumed tally. The coming hours will show whether the early lead holds as ballot bulletins arrive from across the South American country.
Brazil’s electoral authority said Sunday that voting in the presidential runoff will continue only at polling places still open past 5 p.m., with ballot records, counting and results resuming after 7 p.m. under a court order.
The Brazilian Superior Electoral Court (TSE) announced the measure on its official account, describing it as a response to a ruling by Supreme Federal Court justice Cristiano Zanin.
Under the decision, only precincts where balloting had not ended by 5 P.M. Brasilia time could keep receiving voters.
Election officials suspended the receipt of printed ballot records, the tally of votes and the release of results, and said all three would resume after 7 P.M. local time.
Voting in Brazil closes nationwide at 5 p.m. in every election. The order by Zanin gives electoral authorities room to let voters cast ballots where local conditions kept lines moving past the cutoff.
Almost all Superior Electoral Court ministers had gathered in the office of the court’s presidency to await the end of balloting, the statement added.
Esclarecimento sobre prorrogação da votação
O Tribunal Superior Eleitoral (@TSEjusbr) informa que, conforme decisão do ministro Cristiano Zanin, do Supremo Tribunal Federal, a eleição segue em andamento apenas nos locais em que a votação não havia sido encerrada às 17h.
The electoral authorities will resume the receipt of the ballot-box bulletins (known as BUs), the totalization of votes and the release of results after 7 P.M. local time. These bulletins are the printed summaries of each electronic voting machine’s tally, and they feed the national count.
Brazil conducts its elections entirely on electronic voting machines managed by the Superior Electoral Court and the regional electoral courts. The system has drawn criticism over transparency, although no case of fraud has ever been confirmed.
The Superior Electoral Court heads the country’s Electoral Justice, which handles voter registration, biometric identification, vote collection, tabulation and the final certification of results.
Sunday’s vote settles the presidency after the October 4 first round produced no outright winner. Senator Flávio Bolsonaro led with 47.03% of valid votes, ahead of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at 45.16%, forcing the runoff held on the last Sunday of October.
Brazil’s two round model requires a candidate to win more than half (50+1) of valid votes in the first round. Otherwise the top two finishers meet again three weeks later. Flávio Bolsonaro (Liberal Party) is the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was barred from office and later endorsed him. Lula da Silva (Worker’s Party -PT) returned to the presidency in 2023 after courts restored his political rights.
Results are expected later Sunday night once tabulation resumes after 7 P.M. The Court has not indicated when it will publish the first partial totals, a schedule that now depends on the pace of the last polling places to close.
Aleksandar Vučić has admitted defeat in Serbia’s early parliamentary election, announcing the victory of the student-backed Student List. According to Vučić, the results based on a stratified sample clearly indicate the loss of his party in this election.
This outcome marks the end of more than a decade of rule by Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party, which served as Serbia’s president from May 2017 to September 2026, when he resigned to run for prime minister in Serbia’s parliamentary elections.
BREAKING: Aleksandar Vučić conceded defeat in Serbia’s snap parliamentary election, saying the student-backed Student List had won.
“Based on a stratified sample, it is clear that we have lost this election. The student blockade list won,” Vučić said.
Voter turnout is projected to exceed 69%, the highest since 2000. Irregularities and some violent incidents were reported at several polling stations, including the arrest of a man for an alleged attack on Vucic’s mother.
At the same time, police and security forces blocked parts of central Belgrade and increased their presence in the area.
The electoral contest is very close. A telephone poll conducted the day before by New Serbian Political Thought (NSPM), a Belgrade-based political analysis outlet, gives the Student List a slight advantage with 44.5% of voting intentions, compared to 42.7% for the list headed by the SNS.
In the previous parliamentary elections in 2023, the coalition led by the SNS won 46.75% of the votes and 129 of the 250 seats in the National Assembly.
The SNS has governed continuously since 2012. Vucic served as prime minister between 2014 and 2017 and subsequently assumed the presidency of the country until his resignation last month.
Venezuelan local history is central to Arístides Medina Rubio’s legacy, which reclaimed regional memory, oral testimony and archives beyond official narratives.
Arístides Medina Rubio: A Lesson in Venezuelan Local History
Venezuelan local history was the life’s work of historian Arístides Medina Rubio, who argued that no universal history is possible without the memory of towns, regions and ordinary people.
Medina Rubio believed that Venezuela’s past had been reduced for too long to the history of Caracas, independence heroes and official dates.
His central thesis was simple but powerful: without local history, universal history is impossible.
The historian was born in Puerto Cabello, Carabobo state, on April 27, 1937, and died in Caracas on October 1, 2019, at the age of 82.
He graduated as a professor of History and Geography from the Pedagogical Institute of Caracas in 1969 and earned a doctorate from El Colegio de México in 1974.
Medina Rubio founded the Chair of Venezuelan History at the Pedagogical Institute in 1976 and taught undergraduate, graduate and doctoral courses at the Central University of Venezuela.
He directed the university’s School of History from 1986 to 1989 and became one of the country’s leading theorists and promoters of regional history.
His influence extended beyond Venezuela through his work with historians across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Medina Rubio was also an editor, publisher and institution builder. He led Editorial Trópicos and co-founded the journal Tierra Firme in 1982, which has published more than 100 issues.
He served as director of Venezuela’s National Library from 2003 to 2009 and helped found and lead the National Center for History.
His books include Regional History: Seven Essays on Theory and Method (1984), A Minimal History of Venezuela (1994), Introduction to Regional History (1995) and Readings in Regional and Local History (2002).
In 2018, he presented The Venezuelan People: 15,000 Years of History, written with Mario Sanoja, Iraida Vargas, Carmen Bohórquez and Luis Britto García.
The book challenged the idea that Venezuelan history begins with Christopher Columbus or independence, placing Indigenous peoples at the center of the national narrative.
Arístides Medina Venezuelan Local History Beyond Caracas
Medina Rubio argued that Venezuelan local history had long been overshadowed by a Caracas-centered narrative.
He said official history focused on events such as April 19, 1810, and July 5, 1811, while ignoring the provinces that made up the Spanish Captaincy General of Venezuela.
“The great contribution of those of us who work on regional and local history is that we have reclaimed those spaces,” Medina Rubio said.
“Our history was filled with the history of Caracas, not even the Province of Caracas. The same happened with Maracaibo and Cumaná. Angostura appeared only when Bolívar was there, but beyond that, almost nothing.”
He argued that many Venezuelan towns had histories long before independence, but those stories were often reduced to the presence of famous figures.
He cited the McGregor Stone in El Socorro as an example of a place remembered mainly because a celebrated leader passed through it.
Medina Rubio insisted that local chroniclers preserved details that national histories often overlooked.
He also defended oral history as a legitimate historical source.
“The academic historian works with documents, statistics and maps,” he said. “But the people work with memory, and the only way to preserve that memory is through testimony.”
He said oral testimony passes from generation to generation and preserves events that may never leave a community but remain part of its historical memory.
Medina Rubio pointed to the Tere Tere, a traditional dish from Guatire, as an example of how local knowledge survives through community memory.
He said many people learned about the dish because residents created a magazine to document local flavors and knowledge.
For Medina Rubio, food, crafts, music and everyday practices were also historical sources because they revealed regional identities and social relations.
He noted that the hallaca, considered a national dish, has distinct regional expressions in the Andes, Margarita and central Venezuela.
The historian believed that recognizing those differences was essential to understanding Venezuela as a diverse and plural country.
Venezuelan Local History and the Independence Process
Medina Rubio also challenged traditional accounts of Venezuela’s independence, arguing that the process was broader, more complex and less centralized than official history suggested.
He explained that the people present in Caracas’ Plaza Mayor on April 19, 1810, were mainly from the Province of Caracas.
They came from Charallave, what is now the Plaza municipality, Guarenas and the valleys of Aragua.
People from Barcelona, Margarita, Cumaná, Angostura, the Andes and other regions joined the independence movement later, but quickly.
Medina Rubio said communication was decisive in spreading the movement.
In 1810, news from Caracas could take weeks to reach other parts of the country. Yet the April 19 events spread within eight to 10 days.
Caracas was the most important city in the Captaincy General, which included seven provinces.
After the Caracas council declared the Junta of the Rights of Ferdinand VII, later transformed into the Supreme Junta of Caracas, emissaries were sent to other provinces.
Their mission was to secure support for the Caracas movement and build consensus across the Captaincy General.
Of the seven provinces, only Maracaibo, Coro and Guayana did not immediately join. They later incorporated into the independence process.
Medina Rubio said the role of those emissaries remained insufficiently studied.
He also argued that many historical documents had been hidden or removed from public access for decades.
He pointed to the case of independence leader Francisco de Miranda and Juan Germán Roscio, who served as prosecutor against Miranda in 1806.
Medina Rubio said Roscio’s role in condemning Miranda and others captured at Ocumare had long been obscured by official narratives.
He said archives later revealed another side of Roscio, not to erase his contribution to independence, but to show that his life had more than one phase.
Medina Rubio said three volumes of previously unknown Miranda documents were later published, while other archives remained insufficiently studied.
Medina Rubio believed that the democratization of Venezuelan local history required recovering archives, publishing forgotten documents and training new historians.
He said that before 1960, Venezuelan history was often presented as a nearly divine war led by elites.
He cited the 1808 Revolution of Caracas, organized by wealthy Caracas elites known as mantuanos against Spanish rule.
Although the movement was betrayed, Medina Rubio considered it more important than earlier pre-independence uprisings led by figures such as Pirela and Chirino, as well as Miranda’s invasions.
He noted that the first major study of the movement, Andrés de Ponte’s The Revolution of Caracas, was published in 1910 and not republished until after the 1960s.
Medina Rubio said that after 1960, the work of the General Archive of the Nation, the National Academy of History and university history schools began to recover Venezuela’s past.
Books written by witnesses, memoirists and military figures became available to researchers and the public.
After 1998, he said, the recovery of historical memory accelerated further.
More archives were created, and descendants of historical figures began donating documents to the National Library, the General Archive of the Nation and the National Academy of History.
Medina Rubio said those archives allowed a completely different understanding of Venezuela’s past.
He also criticized the fact that, until about 2002, Venezuelan school history textbooks were produced in Spain.
He said the government purchased millions of books from the Spanish publisher Santillana, with financing linked to international institutions.
Medina Rubio said that practice ended during the government of Hugo Chávez, when he was director of the National Library and Aristóbulo Istúriz was education minister.
He argued that replacing Santillana’s editorial capacity would take years because it involved producing and updating textbooks for millions of students.
For Medina Rubio, the transformation of historical knowledge was a long-term process tied to education, archives and public access to information.
Medina Rubio argued that Venezuelan local history helps people understand present-day problems and develop independent civic consciousness.
He gave the example of a town without drinking water or an aqueduct.
Residents may ask why there is no water system despite the existence of a large river nearby.
By investigating the issue, they may discover that a nearby aqueduct serves land owned by a powerful landowner.
That discovery can lead people to organize and fight for their rights.
For Medina Rubio, local history was therefore a tool for social awareness and political action.
He also emphasized the importance of recovering the everyday lives of ordinary people, including songs, dances, food and popular traditions.
He noted that colonial society was deeply marked by class and racial hierarchies.
The term “mantuano” referred to wealthy white elites because the Church allowed only white women to wear mantles, while Black, Indigenous and mixed-race people were excluded.
Medina Rubio said food also reflected those hierarchies. Elites ate refined dishes, while ordinary people ate sancocho, a mixture of ingredients cooked in a gourd.
He argued that history must recover those excluded voices and recognize collective actors as makers of their own history.
Medina Rubio believed that independence was not a completed event but an unfinished process.
He said Venezuela had not yet built a fully independent structure or developed independence as a collective way of life.
For him, history should not be reduced to memorizing dates, names and places.
It should reveal processes, recover local heroes and connect the past with present realities.
His legacy continues through the historians, archivists and communities working to recover Venezuela’s regional memory.
Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court ordered polling stations to remain open nationwide until 7:00 P.M. Brasilia time on Sunday, extending the runoff vote after both candidates asked for more time.
Federal Supreme Court Minister Justice Cristiano Zanin issued the ruling, which pushed the deadline back from the original schedule set for the second round between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro. The change applied across all of Brazil.
The precautionary measure, with immediate effect, extends by two hours the closing of the polling stations, which was set for 5:00 P.M. Brasilia time., and applies to all electoral sections in Brazil. The Superior Electoral Court (TSE) is responsible for executing it.
“Considering the gravity of the facts presented, which reached the Supreme Federal Court at 4:32:49 P.M. today, and given the evident urgency of the measure, I order a two-hour extension, until 7:00 p.m. Brasilia time, of the closing of vote reception at all polling stations in Brazil,” Zanin detailed.
The decision came after the campaigns of Lula and Bolsonaro had requested to extend the schedule due to transportation problems in some cities and difficulties due to rains in other areas of Brazil.
The request had spanned three states, reflecting concern that severe weather could depress turnout across a wide stretch of southern and southeastern Brazil. However, Zanin’s ruling went beyond the listed municipalities, extending the schedule across the entire country rather than only in the rain-affected locations.
Confira abaixo o Ofício da Presidência do @TSEjusbr sobre o cumprimento da decisão do Supremo Tribunal Federal sobre a prorrogação do horário das Eleições 2026. pic.twitter.com/1c3D0s3LhA
The extension added two hours to the voting day. Polling stations that would have closed in the late afternoon remained open into the evening, giving voters in affected regions more time to reach their designated locations.
The Supreme Court’s nationwide extension acknowledged that voters beyond those municipalities could also face obstacles reaching polling places before the original deadline. The ruling treated the request as grounds for a broader safeguard covering the whole electorate.
With the later cutoff in place, authorities reminded citizens that anyone already in line at 7:00 P.M, local time would still be allowed to cast a ballot.
Officials have described the unified national schedule as a way to reduce confusion in a country of continental scale. The legal maneuvering unfolded on a day already marked by isolated logistical incidents. The extension gave electoral authorities additional time to process voters in the states most exposed to severe weather, while keeping the process unified from north to south.
Brazil’s top electoral authority reported a generally calm second-round vote on October 25, as more than 158.7 million registered citizens chose the country’s next head of State and renewed regional executives across the nation.
The preliminary report had confirmed the preventive replacement of 900 ballot boxes that presented technical failures, a figure representing only 0.18% of the equipment installed nationwide. The electoral body also maintains more than 48,000 contingency devices ready for deployment in the event of any operational problem.
The public security balance described a day characterized by widespread calm and a low rate of irregularities at voting centers. Security forces counted 138 isolated events, including attempts to violate the secrecy of the ballot and three cases of alleged vote buying.
The second round follows the first-round vote held earlier in October. In the first round, on October 4, far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro (Liberal Party) got 47.03% of the valid vote, while President Lula da Silva (Workers’ Party-PT), received 45.16%, in a process marked by extreme polarization. Brazil’s electoral system requires a runoff when no candidate secures an outright majority in the opening round, concentrating the contest between the two leading contenders.
The court highlighted that Brazil’s electronic ballot box system marked 30 years of uninterrupted operation. Following this, the court has emphasized that the electronic voting platform delivers preliminary results within hours of polls closing, a feature officials point to as evidence of the system’s efficiency.
The president of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, Mahdi al Mashat, affirmed this Sunday that the attacks led by Saudi Arabia have caused the death of more than 562 civilians, mostly women and children, and pledged to fight to end what he described as the Saudi aggression and the siege of Yemen.
In a letter addressed to Yemenis, Al Mashat noted that Saudi Arabia had carried out nearly 3,000 airstrikes against the civilian population since the escalation began in September, although these figures could not be independently verified.
“We are determined to end the aggression and the siege by all means at our disposal,” Al Mashat said, adding that the group welcomed efforts to end the attacks and blockade, address humanitarian issues, repair damage caused by the conflict, and respect Yemen’s sovereignty and independence.
The President of Yemen's Supreme Political Council, Mahdi al-Mashat, accused Saudi Arabia of reneging on its commitments and intensifying its blockade of #Yemen, saying the aggression had created "the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations’ own… pic.twitter.com/tnqKNAAmAl
These statements came after Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea claimed this Sunday that the total number of Saudi air and missile attacks since the latest escalation began in August had reached 3,179.
Sarea’s figure included both airstrikes and missile launches, while Al Mashat referred to nearly 3,000 airstrikes.
Neither provided a breakdown of the reported attacks, and the figures could not be independently confirmed.
Since this summer, both warring parties have been carrying out an offensive that intensified in early September, after the Saudi-backed Yemeni army claimed an attack in July on the Houthi-controlled Sana’a International Airport due to the landing of an Iranian plane.
The US midterm elections have already drawn more than 23 million early votes nationwide as Americans head to the polls ahead of the November 3 election.
The total marks a sharp increase compared with the same point in the 2022 midterm cycle, when about 15 million ballots had been accepted.
The surge in early voting is concentrated in states with competitive races that could determine control of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Analysts say the rise reflects growing concern among working-class voters over the high cost of living, housing, healthcare and economic insecurity.
In North Carolina, more than 1.2 million early votes had been accepted, an increase of 37 percent compared with the same period four years ago.
Early voting among registered Democrats rose by 47 percent, while participation among unaffiliated voters increased by 60 percent.
By contrast, early voting among registered Republicans increased by only 2.6 percent.
The figures do not reveal how individual voters cast their ballots, but they show a significant shift in the pace and composition of turnout.
The increase is particularly notable because North Carolina is one of the key battlegrounds in the fight for the Senate.
US Midterm Elections See Turnout Surge in Key States
The rise in early voting is not limited to North Carolina. Similar trends have been reported in several states with decisive contests.
In Kansas, early voting increased by approximately 69 percent.
In Maine, turnout rose by 41 percent, while Iowa recorded a 24 percent increase.
In Texas, election officials reported record participation in the metropolitan areas of Dallas and Houston since voting centers opened.
Texas is a key state in this year’s elections because its Latino community represents at least 30 percent of the electorate.
Polling and organizing efforts suggest a shift in Latino voter mobilization, driven by economic pressures and rejection of anti-immigrant rhetoric from conservative sectors.
The midterm elections will renew all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate.
Voters will also elect governors in 36 states and three territories.
Republicans currently hold a narrow 218-seat majority in the House, the smallest possible majority, leaving dozens of districts in play.
Democrats need to gain four Senate seats to take control of the upper chamber, a difficult but not impossible task.
Key Senate races are taking place in Alaska, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, Texas, Michigan and New Hampshire.
The outcome will determine whether Democrats can block or advance legislation on taxation, healthcare, immigration, energy policy and judicial appointments.
Public dissatisfaction with the economy has become a central issue in the campaign.
Polling cited in the article places approval of the government’s cost-of-living policy at just 21 percent, reflecting widespread concern over inflation, wages and living conditions.
The high level of early participation suggests that voters are treating the midterms as a major political test rather than a routine election.
US Midterm Elections Face Alaska Certification Battle
The US midterm elections have also been marked by an unprecedented legal dispute in Alaska.
The US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit on October 22 seeking to block Alaska from certifying its Senate election results if Republican Senator Dan Sullivan loses to Democrat Mary Peltola.
The case centers on the presence of a second candidate, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher whose name closely resembles that of the incumbent senator.
The Justice Department argues that the similar names could confuse voters and affect the outcome of the race.
The lawsuit asks a federal judge to prevent certification of any result that may have been affected by voter confusion.
It also seeks an investigation into whether votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan were intended for Senator Dan S. Sullivan.
President Donald Trump publicly confirmed that he ordered the Justice Department to file the lawsuit.
The legal action came 11 days before the election, after early voting had already begun in Alaska.
The case has been strongly criticized by voting-rights groups, Democratic organizations and legal experts.
They argue that the federal government lacks authority to intervene in state-run elections and that the lawsuit represents an attempt to override the will of Alaska voters.
The campaign of Mary Peltola, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and groups including the League of Women Voters of Alaska and Common Cause have sought to intervene in the case.
They are asking the court to dismiss the lawsuit and protect the integrity of the state’s electoral process.
Alaska’s courts had previously rejected efforts to remove Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. from the ballot.
A federal judge and the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that his candidacy was constitutionally valid.
The dispute has drawn attention because Alaska’s Senate seat could be decisive for control of the upper chamber.
Alaska is also strategically important because of its vast oil, gas and mineral reserves.
The outcome of the race could affect future decisions on energy leases, mining permits and federal policy in the Arctic region.
Geopolitical Context
The US midterm elections will have consequences beyond domestic politics because Congress plays a central role in shaping US foreign, economic and security policy.
Control of the House and Senate will determine whether the administration can advance its legislative agenda or face greater opposition.
The elections will influence decisions on government spending, taxation, immigration, climate policy and military funding.
They will also affect the confirmation of federal judges and senior government officials.
The Alaska Senate race is particularly significant because of the state’s strategic location in the Arctic and its vast energy resources.
The United States has increased its focus on Arctic security amid competition with Russia and China over shipping routes, military presence and access to natural resources.
The outcome of the election could influence future policy on oil drilling, mining and infrastructure development in Alaska.
The surge in early voting also reflects a broader debate over democratic participation in the United States.
Voting-rights groups have warned that legal challenges to election certification can undermine public confidence in democratic institutions.
The Alaska case has raised concerns that federal power could be used to influence state-run elections.
The dispute comes as political polarization continues to deepen across the country.
The high turnout suggests that many voters see the midterms as a referendum on economic conditions, democratic norms and the direction of the country.
The results will shape the final two years of the current presidential term and could redefine the balance of power in Washington.
Gaza Food Crisis Worsens as Israel Blocks Flour Supplies
The Gaza food crisis has reached a critical point after Israel blocked commercial flour shipments, leaving Gaza’s last seven operating bakeries at risk of closing within 48 hours.
Abdul Nasser al-Ajrami, head of the Gaza Bakeries Association, warned on Thursday, October 22, that flour reserves in the enclave had been exhausted.
He said the remaining bakeries would stop producing bread within two days unless new supplies were allowed to enter.
“Israel kept the crossings closed throughout last week and continues to strangle the supply of commercial flour even after partially reopening them,” al-Ajrami said.
He added that the small amount of flour previously stored had already run out, forcing several bakeries to shut down.
Only seven of the 20 bakeries that had been operating in Gaza remained active when the warning was issued.
The closure of bakeries would deprive families of one of the few remaining sources of affordable food in the devastated territory.
Bread is a basic staple for Palestinian households, particularly as prices for other foods have risen sharply amid shortages and reduced humanitarian assistance.
The Gaza food crisis has worsened as commercial supplies have been blocked and international aid has been reduced.
Al-Ajrami said the flour currently sold in local markets comes from the United Nations World Food Programme, known as the WFP.
Commercial bakeries that depend on supplies brought through the crossings have been left without raw materials.
The shortage has intensified since the WFP announced a severe funding deficit and reduced food assistance for more than half a million people in Gaza.
The reduction has left more families competing for limited flour while prices continue to rise.
The Gaza food crisis has been compounded by a major reduction in humanitarian assistance from the World Food Programme.
On October 19, the WFP announced that funding shortages had forced it to cut food assistance in Gaza by about one-third.
The agency said the number of people receiving food and cash assistance would fall from 1.6 million in September to 1.1 million in October.
That means approximately 500,000 people will lose access to critical food support as winter approaches.
The WFP has also halved food rations. Families receiving assistance will now receive one food parcel instead of two, along with a smaller bag of wheat flour.
The agency has reduced daily hot meals from 250,000 to 150,000 and cut cash assistance for 75,000 families.
The WFP said the cuts were not caused by a reduction in humanitarian needs or by a lack of access to deliver aid.
“We don’t have the funding to sustain the levels of assistance that are required,” said Shaun Hughes, the WFP’s representative and country director in Palestine.
The agency said it urgently needs $450 million to maintain critical operations in Gaza and the West Bank from October 2026 to March 2027.
The WFP received less than half of the funding allocated to its operations in Palestine in 2026 compared with previous years.
The funding shortfall has come at a time when approximately 1.4 million people, or 67 percent of Gaza’s population, face acute food insecurity at crisis levels or worse.
The WFP estimates that around 200,000 people are experiencing emergency conditions and require immediate food assistance to prevent deaths from hunger.
The agency said it can still support bakeries that cover one-third of Gaza’s bread needs, provide nutrition assistance to 300,000 women and children and deliver school snacks to 200,000 students.
However, the reduction in aid has placed additional pressure on families already struggling to obtain basic food supplies.
Gaza Food Crisis Exposes Impact of Israel’s Blockade
The Gaza food crisis is closely linked to Israel’s restrictions on the entry of food, fuel, medicine and humanitarian aid.
Human rights organizations say Israeli authorities have repeatedly closed Gaza’s crossings since early October, obstructing the entry of essential supplies.
The closures have deepened shortages of flour, cooking gas, fuel and medical materials across the enclave.
The Rafah crossing has remained closed to sick and injured Palestinians waiting to be evacuated for treatment abroad.
International health organizations have also raised concerns about continued attacks on medical facilities and the detention of healthcare workers.
Gaza’s Ministry of Social Development warned that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians face an imminent humanitarian catastrophe if restrictions on flour and bakery supplies continue.
The ministry called for immediate action to stop what it described as Israel’s systematic policy of starvation and the use of food as a weapon against civilians.
Israel has said the disruption in commercial deliveries stems from a fiscal dispute between traders and the administration led by Hamas.
Palestinian traders have rejected that explanation and say the restrictions remain in place.
The Israeli military has said commercial goods would resume entering Gaza after a five-day pause.
However, Palestinian traders reported that major cuts to food supplies remained in force and that the blockade had become increasingly severe.
The WFP said the halt in commercial truck entries through the Kerem Abu Salem crossing was further restricting supplies entering Gaza.
The organization warned that restrictions on goods entering the territory were holding back recovery and reducing the purchasing power of families.
The Gaza food crisis has been aggravated by the destruction of infrastructure, displacement and the collapse of local agriculture and food production.
Most of Gaza’s population has been displaced, with many families living in tents or overcrowded shelters without reliable access to clean water, sanitation or cooking fuel.
The World Health Organization has warned that malnutrition, disease and the collapse of healthcare services are creating a deadly combination for civilians.
Geopolitical Context
The Gaza food crisis has implications beyond the immediate humanitarian emergency because it reflects the broader political and military conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Control over crossings, food supplies and humanitarian aid has become a central element of the conflict.
International law requires parties to a conflict to allow humanitarian assistance to reach civilians and to protect access to food, water and medical care.
Human rights organizations argue that the deliberate restriction of essential goods may constitute collective punishment and a violation of international humanitarian law.
The crisis has drawn attention from the United Nations, international courts and humanitarian agencies, which have repeatedly called for unrestricted access to Gaza.
The situation also has regional implications. Egypt, Jordan and other neighboring countries have faced pressure to facilitate aid deliveries and medical evacuations.
The closure of the Rafah crossing has left injured and seriously ill Palestinians unable to leave Gaza for treatment.
The Gaza food crisis could further destabilize the region by increasing displacement, deepening poverty and fueling anger across the Arab and Muslim world.
The United Nations has warned that famine risk remains high as winter approaches and humanitarian funding declines.
The WFP has said that recent modest improvements in food security remain fragile and could be reversed if access and funding are not restored.
The immediate priority is to allow flour, fuel and medical supplies to enter Gaza and to restore the operations of bakeries and humanitarian kitchens.
Without urgent action, the Gaza food crisis could push the territory into a new phase of mass hunger and deepen one of the world’s most severe humanitarian emergencies.
Voting results from abroad show split support as runoff count continues.
On Sunday, voting by Brazilian citizens residing in Asia and Oceania concluded with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva winning in five of the nine nations in the region.
Far-right Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who is the presidential candidate of the Liberal Party (PL), secured victories in the four remaining jurisdictions.
Shortly after noon, the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) published a first report on votes abroad, where some 918,000 Brazilians are legally eligible to participate in the presidential runoff. So far the results are as follows:
Lula da Silva
The Workers’ Party leader won in Finland (74.83%), Estonia (82.90%), Cyprus (53.70%), Jordan (90.51%), Syria (90.60%), Kuwait (78.48%), Saudi Arabia (61.25%), Egypt (78.95%), Kenya (64.44%), China (73.67%), Singapore (63.77%), South Korea (64.35%), Australia (63.46%) and New Zealand (80.54%).
Brazilian voters living in Tokyo turned out on Sunday to cast their ballots in the tight presidential runoff. 🇯🇵🇧🇷
As polling stations opened abroad, members of the diaspora expressed contrasting visions for the future of South America's largest nation, covering topics ranging… pic.twitter.com/YVGHP0SBnI
The far-right senator have prevailed in Greece (54.95%), South Africa (57.92%), Mozambique (52%), Qatar (55.08%), the United Arab Emirates (54.56%), Thailand (51.72%), Indonesia (60.53%), Hong Kong (51.15%), Taiwan (58.04%), Malaysia (51.76%), the Philippines (59.09%) and Japan (80.08%).
Results Abroad Do Not Indicate a Trend
As of noon Sunday, Bolsonaro held a lead in eight countries and Lula in six. Nevertheless, information on electoral behavior in another 67 countries had not yet been incorporated into the official count.
“Portugal and the U.S., where important communities of Brazilians eligible to vote are concentrated, remained pending the closing of polls in the initial tally,” the outlet Cronica Digital reported.
“In the first round, Lula obtained 157,387 valid votes abroad, equivalent to 47.57 percent, while Flavio Bolsonaro received 143,900, equivalent to 43.49 percent,” it recalled.
Statistically speaking, voting abroad is not significant for drawing conclusions about the final direction of the runoff, since only 0.5% of Brazilian electors reside outside their country.
He attributed demonstrations in European cities to domestic economic and financial problems, including excessive public debt.
On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out that European countries continue to receive Russian liquefied natural gas while simultaneously accusing his country of fomenting protests in Europe.
He recalled that Western countries had accused Russia of refusing to supply relatively inexpensive raw materials: oil, gas, coal and uranium. “But we have never refused anything to anyone,” Putin stressed.
The Kremlin chief stated that although Europeans are “planning to stop buying what they are still receiving from Russia,” they continue to receive substantial quantities of products.
“Our LNG accounts for 20% of the European market. That is a significant market segment,” he emphasized.
Russia’s President Putin talks about European energy prices and deliberate decisions which have increased prices to consumers.
“We used to sell natural gas to Europe for $150. Now they are paying $1000”
Putin also said that Russia agrees that the transition to renewable energy sources is necessary, but that it must take place gradually and as other sources become ready for rational and economically viable use.
“Let’s shut down nuclear power plants, Let’s close open-pit coal mines, and so on. I don’t even understand what they intend to use,” Putin said of European policies, which he described as the underlying causes of ongoing protests.
“What is their cause? Their own mistakes in various areas. In the economy and finance, there is excessive public debt, exceeding 100%,” Putin said.
“There is no need to blame anyone abroad,” he stressed, adding that Europeans must address the problems they themselves have created on their own territory.
“If this work is not done, things will get worse for Europe itself,” Putin said, adding that Europeans would fail to analyze the causes of their difficulties and would “shift the blame” to the United States and Russia.
They reject restrictions on demonstrations and partial curfews as a broader wave of protests spreads across France.
On Sunday, the Yellow Vests movement’s coordination group called for demonstrations featuring pot-banging protests outside the National Assembly on Friday, Oct. 30, to protest French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Macron and his administration have decided to take another step toward authoritarianism. They ban our demonstrations, impose curfews, and close city centers to protesters. We will make our pots and pans heard beneath the windows of lawmakers,” the Yellow Vests said.
The group, whose demonstrations shook France in 2018 during Macron’s first term, also called for the action to be extended to areas outside city halls in protest of restrictions on demonstrations and partial curfews in some cities.
These demonstrations are part of a wave of protests that began in September, when high school students took to the streets to demand improvements at their schools.
Le 24 octobre, manifestation dans la rue avec les étudiants et les gilets jaunes.
Des gens si différents, un même rythme. Pour le pouvoir d'achat, la dignité et l'avenir.
The text reads, “On Oct. 24, a street demonstration with students and the Yellow Vests. Such different people, yet sharing the same rhythm. For purchasing power, dignity, and the future.”
They later received support from college students, labor unions and the Yellow Vests, who added their demands for action against the rising cost of living and in defense of public services.
Organizers of the demonstrations held over the past two weekends have called for another day of protests on Saturday, Oct. 31, and are preparing a general strike for Nov. 5.
On Monday, in an effort to avert those events, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu will meet with representatives of student organizations, teachers, labor unions, business organizations, local authorities and lawmakers.
Former Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have called on the international community to support the resolution proposing an end to the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba, which is scheduled for consideration on October 28th at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
In an open letter addressed to all nations of the world, the former leaders described the US sanctions as contrary to international law and the fundamental principles of coexistence between peoples. They also urged UN member states to vote in favor of the resolution and to reject the pressures which, they denounce, seek to prevent its approval.
The document recalls that since 1992, the General Assembly has repeatedly supported initiatives calling for the lifting of the blockade, without Washington substantially changing its policy towards the island.
Open letter by former CARICOM Heads of State and Government urging all nations to vote in favour of the UNGA resolution calling for an end to the US blockade against Cuba on October 28. Cuba is not a threat. The blockade must end! 🇨🇺#CubaIsNotAThreat . The blockade must end! pic.twitter.com/feZAz0QzIl
For the signatories, this year’s vote is of particular importance due to the tightening of economic measures against Cuba.
One of the main concerns highlighted in the letter is the extension of sanctions to third countries and entities that supply, sell, or transport energy products to Cuban territory, including fuels such as gasoline and diesel.
The former leaders argue that these restrictions worsen the economic difficulties of the population and denounce that they aim to subdue the country through economic pressure. The signatories consider these measures to be an inhumane practice and a violation of Cuba’s sovereignty and independence.
They also warn that the blockade represents a threat to regional and international peace and security, in addition to affecting fundamental rights of Cuban citizens.
The statement also insists on the need for governments to resist Washington’s attempts to influence their votes. In the opinion of the former leaders, the international community must defend multilateralism and the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.The initiative comes amid growing diplomatic tension between Washington and Havana.
The annual resolution of the General Assembly is non-binding, so its approval would not legally oblige the United States to lift the sanctions. The decision to end the blockade ultimately rests with the US political and legislative system.
The purpose of lifting the blockade is to heal the division between the US and Cuba, emphasizing that Cuba does not pose a threat. Signatories include former prime ministers of Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as a former president of Guyana.
The Speaker of Parliament and Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohamad Baqer Qalibaf, on Sunday accused Emirati Lana Nusseibeh, a candidate for the United Nations Secretary-General, of favoring the “Greater Israel” project and of trying to “whitewash a systematic genocide” in Gaza.
“A candidacy for the highest-ranking position in the UN aims to pave the diplomatic way for the ‘Greater Israel’ project and whitewash a systematic genocide,” Qalibaf stated on his X account.
The Iranian politician accompanied his post with a February 2024 news item from the France 24 channel, in which Nusseibeh defended the UAE’s decision to maintain diplomatic relations with Israel despite concerns about the victims and destruction caused by the war in Gaza, which began after October 7, 2023.
“Defending what happened in Gaza is what’s on her resume; the fox is updating its LinkedIn profile to apply for the position of guardian of the hen house,” Qalibaf added ironically, referring to the candidate.
A bid for UN’s top job to clear the diplomatic runway for Greater Israel project and whitewash a systematic genocide.
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) October 25, 2026
During her speech at the World Government Summit, Nusseibeh argued that cooperation with Israel had allowed Abu Dhabi to set up a field hospital in Gaza and another floating one in Egypt, although she also called for a humanitarian ceasefire and a two-state solution, considering it necessary to dialogue even with those who hold opposing views.
Nusseibeh, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and former ambassador to the United Nations between 2013 and 2024, was formally proposed on October 21 as a candidate to succeed UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose term ends in December.
Since the ceasefire came into force on October 10, 2025, Israel has killed more than 1,550 Gazans and wounded another 5,500 in an offensive that international justice is investigating as possible genocide due to the extreme destruction caused in Gaza and the death of more than 74,500 Palestinians since October 2023.
Pope Leo XIV demanded an immediate end to Yemen hostilities during his Angelus address on Sunday, October 25, warning that civilians are paying the highest price in the conflict. Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace before thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the pope expressed deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Yemen.
He paid particular attention to the city of Taiz, where residents are suffering from severe shortages of food, drinking water and medical care.
“I make a heartfelt appeal for hostilities to cease and for the Yemeni people and all the peoples of the region to be guaranteed the right to live in peace,” Pope Leo said.
The pope’s message came as fighting and road closures have cut off vital supplies in Taiz, leaving civilians increasingly isolated. The Vatican said the pope’s appeal was directed at all parties involved in the conflict and at the international community.
Pope Leo also condemned the broader spiral of violence affecting West Asia, calling for urgent guarantees for regional peace. He denounced the devastating consequences of armed confrontations across the region and urged leaders to choose dialogue over war.
The pontiff said wars not only cause death and destruction but also impoverish and damage the world. His appeal placed the humanitarian suffering of Yemeni civilians at the center of the Vatican’s message.
Pope Leo XIV draws attention to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, remembers victims of an attack on Christians in Jordan, and looks ahead to the Assisi gathering marking 40 years since the first World Day of Prayer for Peace.https://t.co/UZ47Hb6oMw
The pope’s warning focused on Taiz, a city that has become one of the most visible symbols of Yemen’s humanitarian crisis.
Residents face severe shortages of food, clean water, fuel and basic medical services as fighting and road closures restrict the movement of supplies.
Humanitarian organizations have warned that the blockade of supply routes has worsened conditions for hundreds of thousands of people.
The United Nations has repeatedly called for unimpeded humanitarian access to affected communities across Yemen.
Yemen has been devastated by years of war, economic collapse and the destruction of essential infrastructure.
The conflict has left millions of people dependent on humanitarian assistance and has created one of the world’s most severe food-security emergencies.
The pope said the Yemeni people, like all peoples of the region, have the right to live in peace.
His message also called for an end to the cycle of violence that has spread across West Asia.
Pope Leo condemned the human cost of armed conflict and urged the international community to prioritize negotiation and diplomacy.
The Vatican has repeatedly emphasized that military solutions cannot resolve political crises or address the needs of civilians.
The pope’s appeal comes amid heightened tensions across the Middle East, where conflicts have displaced communities, damaged infrastructure and deepened humanitarian needs.
The Vatican’s message called for a regional approach to peace that protects civilians and guarantees access to humanitarian aid.
🚨 Saná denunció que Arabia Saudita incumplió pactos previos a 2023 al bombardear el aeropuerto de la capital y poner fin a la tregua. Mohammed Abdul-Salam afirmó que la vía diplomática se agotó tras la falta de respuestas claras de Riad. #Yemen#ArabiaSaudita#teleSUR#19Octpic.twitter.com/ONZhAvdkCG
Pope Leo XIV also addressed the deadly attack on worshippers at Saint George’s Orthodox Church in Hamoud, in Jordan’s Karak governorate.
The attack occurred on Friday, October 23, during a funeral service at the church.
Jordanian authorities said gunmen opened fire on worshippers, killing nine people and wounding around 40 others.
The pope prayed for those killed and injured in the attack and expressed his closeness to the affected community.
He also expressed solidarity with Jordan, a country he praised for its history of peaceful coexistence and respect among different religions.
Jordan declared three days of national mourning following the attack.
Jordanian authorities launched an investigation to identify those responsible. No group had claimed responsibility for the attack as of Sunday.
Christian leaders across the region condemned the attack as a crime against humanity and an assault on religious coexistence.
Patriarchs and heads of Churches in Jerusalem called on churches across the region to ring their bells in solidarity and pray for the victims.
The pope’s response highlighted the vulnerability of religious communities in a region marked by political instability and sectarian tensions.
His message emphasized that attacks on places of worship are attacks on human dignity and the right to religious freedom.
The Vatican has repeatedly called for the protection of Christian communities and all religious minorities in the Middle East.
119 ataques aéreos de la coalición saudita en 24 horas contra Yemen. En Taiz, un bombardeo a una escuela y un puesto sanitario dejó 3 muertos y 12 heridos, entre ellos mujeres y niños. La escalada supera 2.177 agresiones. #teleSUR#13octpic.twitter.com/SLJn8j89uW
Pope Leo XIV called on the faithful to join spiritually in the peace gathering taking place in Assisi, Italy, on October 27.
The meeting, titled “Unarmed and Disarming Peace,” marks the 40th anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Peace convened by Saint John Paul II in 1986.
The event is organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio and brings together religious leaders, representatives of Christian Churches and figures from other faiths.
The 2026 gathering includes 384 representatives of religions, cultures and institutions from 53 countries.
Participants will take part in 24 thematic forums addressing conflict, disarmament, migration, poverty, young people and the role of religions in building peace.
The pope had planned to attend the closing ceremony in person but canceled the trip on medical advice after undergoing thoracic surgery.
The Vatican said Pope Leo would send a message expressing his closeness to organizers and participants.
The pope urged believers around the world to join the Assisi gathering in prayer.
“Never has it been more evident that wars, in addition to sowing death and destruction, impoverish and harm the world,” he said.
The pope called on the international community to abandon weapons and commit decisively to understanding and harmony among peoples.
The Assisi meeting recalls the historic 1986 gathering, when Pope John Paul II brought together representatives of different religions to pray for peace.
That event became a landmark in interreligious dialogue and remains a reference point for Vatican diplomacy.
The 2026 meeting seeks to renew that tradition at a time of multiple conflicts and growing humanitarian crises.
Geopolitical Context
The pope’s appeal on Yemen hostilities reflects the Vatican’s broader diplomatic effort to promote dialogue in a region marked by war and humanitarian emergencies.
Yemen’s conflict has become one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with millions of people facing hunger, displacement and limited access to healthcare.
The war has drawn in regional and international powers, making a political solution increasingly difficult.
The crisis in Taiz illustrates how blockades, fighting and the collapse of public services can trap civilians between military objectives and humanitarian needs.
Pope Leo’s message also comes amid rising tensions across West Asia, where conflicts in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Yemen have deepened regional instability.
The Vatican has positioned itself as a voice for civilian protection, humanitarian access and negotiated settlements.
The pope’s call for peace in Yemen and his solidarity with Jordan highlight the connection between armed conflict, religious violence and the erosion of social cohesion.
The Assisi gathering offers a platform for religious leaders to promote dialogue at a time when political institutions face growing difficulty in resolving conflicts.
The Vatican argues that interreligious cooperation can help reduce hatred, protect minorities and build conditions for peace.
The pope’s message is a reminder that wars have consequences beyond battlefields: they destroy economies, displace communities and damage the future of entire generations.
President of the BRICS New Development Bank received a warm welcome from Workers’ Party supporters.
On Sunday, former Brazilian President and current President of the BRICS New Development Bank Dilma Rousseff exercised her right to vote at Santa Marcelina School, located in the Pampulha region of Belo Horizonte.
The progressive leader arrived at the polling station during the presidential election runoff and was warmly welcomed by supporters of the Workers’ Party (PT).
During the day, she was accompanied by her great-nephew and federal deputy-elect, Pedro Rousseff; federal deputy Rogerio Correia; and federal deputy-elect Bella Gonçalves.
Activists gathered at the site expressed their support for the former president through fighting slogans such as “Dilma, warrior of the Brazilian people” and popular chants in support of her political career. Rousseff greeted the supporters and posed with them before heading to the ballot boxes.
SAFTU Statement of Solidarity with Brazil’s Workers and People
Brazilian workers, Indigenous Peoples, landless families and all those who have struggled for dignity and social justice must come out in their millions to defend the gains won through years of struggle.
The welcome Rousseff received on Sunday differed substantially from the events of the first round of voting held Oct. 4. On that occasion, she faced a hostile atmosphere created by far-right groups, which forced her to leave the site as quickly as possible to prevent physical attacks by Bolsonaro’s supporters.
Currently, Rousseff resides in Shanghai, because of her responsibilities as head of the BRICS multilateral financial institution. However, she maintains her voter registration in the capital of the state of Minas Gerais.
Her in-person participation in the election reaffirms the commitment of the PT’s historic leaders to popular mobilization and the consolidation of democracy in Brazil.
In the first round, Flavio Bolsonaro received 56.1 million votes, or 47%, while Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, garnered 53.8 million votes, or 45.16%. Abstention totaled 33.5 million, equivalent to 21.08% of registered voters, making this segment of the population the key battleground in the political contest in recent days.
At the closing rally of his campaign in Sao Paulo, Lula da Silva denounced ties between Rio de Janeiro criminal organizations and Flavio Bolsonaro, whom he described as a person “who does not have the political, moral or ethical qualifications to become president.”
Voters cast ballots for far-right senator Bolsonaro or incumbent Lula da Silva amid a mostly peaceful atmosphere.
On Sunday, the second round of Brazil’s presidential election drew thousands of Braziliasn to polling stations in Madrid, where they voted for their next president, choosing between far-right senator Flavio Bolsonaro and incumbent Luiz Inazio Lula da Silva.
The second day of voting in the Spanish capital saw large, orderly crowds throughout the morning and a mostly peaceful atmosphere, although some voters clashed at the entrance to Blanca de Castilla School over their ideological differences. Workers organizing the lines had to separate them.
“The flow of voters is quite impressive compared with the first round. Many, many voters who did not come in the first round are here for the second,” said Brazilian Consul Maria Angelica Ikeda.
“The atmosphere has been very good, even though this is a very tense election. Here on the street, there are people who support one candidate and people who support the other, but they are all calm. Everything is going very well,” she added.
The text reads, “The left-wing wave in Brazil will reveal a new generation of leaders. Lula for Democracy!”
In the first round, held Oct. 4, the results in Madrid were 3,571 votes for Lula da Silva and 2,333 votes for Flavio Bolsonaro.
“I believe there is no such thing as a perfect society. We have an endemic problem with corruption, and unfortunately, that is something that will be very difficult to solve under any circumstances,” said Ana Paula Santos, a Brazilian woman who has lived in Spain for 25 years.
“There are universal values that Bolsonaro has shown, through his actions, that he does not uphold. The vote is individual, but the consequences are collective,” she stressed, explaining why she voted for Lula da Silva.
Santos was accompanied by Cristina Ana Perez, another Brazilian who said she does not share Bolsonaro’s “very radical” views and therefore voted in favor of Lula da Silva’s re-election.
In Barcelona, more than 40,000 residents of Spain will be able to exercise their right to vote. In the Madrid consular jurisdiction, 23,520 Brazilians are eligible to vote, and polling is open until 5 p.m. local time.
Iran’s army announced Sunday it shot down a U.S. attack drone in the airspace of the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas, amidst Washington’s threats to launch a new offensive against the Islamic Republic.
“A LUCAS drone belonging to the terrorist U.S. Army was hit by fire from the Army’s Air Defense Force systems (…) in the sky over Bandar Abbas and was destroyed,” the Iranian Army stated, according to the ISNA agency.
During the war initiated by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28, the Pentagon confirmed having used the LUCAS for the first time, a kamikaze drone that, according to the US Army, is inspired by the Iranian Shahed-136.
Last Tuesday, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard reported that it had shot down a US MQ-9 drone —the 54th since the start of the conflict— while it was flying over the Strait of Hormuz, amid an intensification of Iranian attacks on ships and oil tankers attempting to cross this maritime route through the corridor established near the coast of Oman.
These incidents occur in a context of growing tension between Iran and the United States, with no prospects of an agreement despite mediation efforts by countries like Pakistan and Qatar in recent days.
While Washington and Israel reiterate their threats to launch a new offensive, Tehran warns that the magnitude of its response will be greater than during the previous confrontation.
All Ugandan citizens returning to their country with a history of travel to the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will have to undergo 21 days of quarantine, the Ugandan government announced this Sunday, after the detection of cases in several countries linked to the Ebola epidemic in the DRC.
“If you are a Ugandan citizen returning to Uganda and have a history of having been in the DRC, we will subject you to a 21-day quarantine (the incubation period of the Ebola virus), at your expense,” said Ugandan Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi at a press conference.
Likewise, he noted, “movement across the Uganda-DRC border is restricted to essential travelers, including humanitarian workers and commercial truck drivers.”
The minister disclosed this decision after his ministry announced on Friday that the country will not allow people who have traveled to the DRC to transit through its territory, warning that “relevant provisions of the Public Health Act will be invoked in case of non-compliance” and that “people who enter the country through unauthorized routes will be referred to the competent authorities.”
Uganda has announced these measures after Nigeria confirmed last Tuesday an imported case of the disease corresponding to a Swiss citizen of Ugandan origin who returned to Nigeria after a vacation in Uganda.
Kenya, for its part, has detected nine Ebola infections so far, after confirming its first imported case on October 5, that of a Kenyan man who returned to his country via Uganda, after having lived the last seven years in the DRC.
That man and another patient have died so far, while the other seven patients are still receiving medical attention.
The DRC declared its seventeenth Ebola outbreak on May 15 – the second deadliest in history globally – affecting eight Congolese provinces and, according to the latest official balance, with data collected until October 23, has caused 9,876 confirmed cases and 4,803 deaths so far.
It also spread to Uganda, where the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the outbreak on August 26, after counting 20 confirmed cases, including 15 imported from the DRC, among which there were two deaths.
Along with Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria, cases linked to this epidemic have been detected in the Netherlands (one) and France (one).
Florida A&M Shooting Leaves 11 People Shot Near University
The Florida A&M shooting left 11 people with gunshot wounds and one additional person injured on Saturday, October 24, near Florida A&M University’s Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee.
The shooting occurred shortly before 8:00 p.m. near the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets, just hours after the university’s homecoming football game.
Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said 12 people were injured in total. Eleven were shot, while the 12th person was injured while fleeing the scene.
The victims included six adults and six minors. The youngest was an 11-year-old child.
Police said at least three victims suffered serious injuries. One of them, a minor, remained in critical condition as of Sunday morning.
The other eight shooting victims were reported in stable condition. By Sunday morning, five victims had been released from the hospital, while six remained hospitalized.
Police said one of the injured was a student at Florida A&M University. The university confirmed that it was aware of the incident near campus.
The 12th victim was identified by Revell as the grandmother of one of the shooting victims. She was injured while trying to escape the area during the panic.
The shooting took place during homecoming weekend, when thousands of students, alumni and visitors had gathered in Tallahassee for celebrations and the football game.
Florida A&M University issued a safety alert urging people to avoid the area around Bragg Stadium and Perry Street while police investigated.
The university said its campus remained safe but asked community members to allow law enforcement to carry out its work.
🚨At least 12 people are injured, including six children, in a shooting near a football stadium in Tallahassee on homecoming weekend for #Florida A&M University. #Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell told reporters that no arrests had been made yet following the Saturday… pic.twitter.com/G0MSaiSAkF
The Florida A&M shooting occurred after the university’s homecoming football game at Bragg Memorial Stadium.
Florida A&M’s Rattlers lost 31-28 to the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions in the homecoming game earlier that day.
Police said preliminary information indicates that a physical altercation between two or three people preceded the shooting.
Chief Revell said investigators believe one shooter was involved. However, no arrests had been made and no suspect had been identified as of Sunday morning.
The Tallahassee Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit is leading the investigation.
Officers, detectives, sergeants and forensic personnel remained at the scene, collecting evidence and reviewing information from witnesses.
Revell said police were still working to determine exactly what happened and to identify those responsible.
The police chief described the incident as an isolated event and said there was no indication that it was a random attack against the university.
He also said that about two dozen officers were already in the area when the altercation broke out, given the large crowds present for homecoming.
The shooting occurred in a crowded area near the stadium, where families, students and visitors had gathered after the game.
The presence of children among the victims has intensified concern about gun violence affecting young people in the United States.
Police have asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Tallahassee Police Department or Crime Stoppers.
Authorities have not released the identities of the victims or confirmed a motive.
The investigation remains active and officials have warned that preliminary details could change as evidence is reviewed.
As of 11:30 p.m., the Tallahassee Police Department is continuing its active investigation into a shooting that occurred just before 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, near the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets. Read the full news release: https://t.co/wNqNznTLyb
The Florida A&M shooting is the latest in a series of mass shootings that continue to affect communities across the United States.
The incident occurred near one of the country’s historically Black colleges and universities, known as HBCUs.
Florida A&M University was founded in 1887 and has played a central role in expanding access to higher education for Black students in the United States.
The university is a symbol of the struggle of Black communities against racial segregation and structural racism in American education.
Homecoming is one of the most important cultural events at HBCUs. It brings together students, alumni, families and local residents in celebrations that strengthen community ties.
The shooting has cast a shadow over those celebrations and raised questions about public safety around large public events.
Gun violence remains a persistent crisis in the United States. Mass shootings occur regularly in schools, universities, public spaces, workplaces and residential areas.
The country continues to face political divisions over gun control, background checks, access to firearms and community-based violence prevention.
Advocacy groups have called for stronger measures to reduce access to weapons by people at risk of committing violence.
They have also urged investment in youth programs, mental health services and community intervention initiatives.
The Tallahassee shooting highlights the impact of gun violence beyond those directly targeted. Bystanders, families and entire communities can be affected by a single act of violence.
The injury of a grandmother fleeing the scene illustrates how panic and fear can harm people who were not involved in the original dispute.
Geopolitical Context
The Florida A&M shooting has implications beyond Tallahassee because it reflects the broader crisis of gun violence in the United States.
Gun violence affects public health, education, economic activity and social cohesion across the country.
Mass shootings near universities and sporting events undermine confidence in public spaces and create fear among students and families.
The incident is particularly significant because it occurred at an HBCU during homecoming, a moment of cultural pride and community gathering.
HBCUs have historically played a vital role in advancing educational opportunity and civil rights in the United States.
Violence near these institutions adds to concerns about the safety of Black students and communities, particularly in a country still marked by racial inequality.
The shooting may also intensify national debate over gun legislation, policing and the protection of young people.
Federal, state and local authorities face growing pressure to address both the availability of firearms and the social conditions that contribute to violence.
For Tallahassee, the incident represents a major test for public safety institutions and community leaders.
The university has asked for calm and cooperation while police continue their investigation.
The immediate priority is to identify those responsible and support the victims and their families.
The Florida A&M shooting is a reminder that gun violence remains one of the most urgent social and political challenges facing the United States.
Police operations left 31 people detained and more than 20 injured, prompting parties to criticize PM Montenegro.
Early Sunday morning, Portuguese police violently evicted housing rights encampments that had been taking place in Lisbon and Oporto. The police operations left 31 people detained and more than 20 people injured.
The police action prompted reactions from most opposition parties, which criticized Prime Minister Luis Montenegro and his convenient silence in the face of the events.
Socialist Party (PS) leader Jose Luis Carneiro demanded a “comprehensive explanation” from the Montenegro administration regarding the police action at the encampments. He emphasized that the solution to the housing problem “is political, never police-related.”
“Montenegro cannot, through his silence, continue to pit the police against citizens and citizens against the police,” the Socialist leader said.
Although the government has not yet commented on the police operation, one of the parties in the governing coalition, the Social Democratic Party (PSD), has spoken out.
Its spokesman, Sebastiao Bugalho, defended the “proportionality” of the police action, which took place “within the legal framework that is supposed to apply to protect the right to demonstrate.”
🇵🇹 Manifestação pacífica pelo direito à habitação, foi violentamente desmobilizada pela polícia de intervenção, no centro de Lisboa. O governo de direita português mandou evacuar a praça do Rossio durante a madrugada. Houve 31 detenções. pic.twitter.com/CgJBaD9cyU
The text reads, “A peaceful demonstration for the Right to Housing was violently dispersed by riot police in downtown Lisbon. The right-wing Portuguese government ordered the evacuation of Rossio Square in the early hours of the morning. There were 31 arrests.”
Meanwhile, far-right politician Andre Ventura, founder and leader of the Enough! party (Chega), defended the eviction, asserting that “the police have been very patient with these people camping out in the squares. Too patient, even!”
Nevertheless, even Ventura criticized the stance adopted by Montenegro and the Social Democratic Party, accusing the prime minister of hiding from problems and failing to come out publicly in support of the police.
In recent weeks, police violence against Portuguese citizens has drawn criticism from international humanitarian organizations such as SOS Racismo and from European left-wing parties, which have denounced the excessive use of force.
The housing movement has called for demonstrations in Lisbon and Oporto on Sunday to reject police violence, as well as another protest on Tuesday outside Parliament, where debate will begin on the 2027 state budget.
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