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.

Serbia Begins Voting in Snap Parliamentary Elections: Serbia’s Vucic Concedes Victory to Opposition Students Party

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.

The result ends more than… pic.twitter.com/3BaV95bV7b

— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 25, 2026

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.

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.

Pope Leo XIV Demands End to Yemen Hostilities in Urgent Peace Appeal: Yemeni Houthis Leader Accuses Saudi Of Killing More Than 562 Civilians

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

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 25, 2026

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.

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.

Cuba Rejects Trump’s New Threats of Military Intervention: Former Caribbean Leaders Call on the International Community To Support the End of the US Blockade On Cuba

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

— EmbaCuba_Guyana (@consulcu) October 24, 2026

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.

Iran Warns That Any Military Aggression Would Come At a high Cost: Iran Accuses Emirati UNSG Candidate of Laundering the 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.

Defending the Gaza tragedy is the résumé; the fox is updating the LinkedIn profile to apply for the henhouse guard job. https://t.co/r8GuXcrzHI pic.twitter.com/hAe10Ba4jk

— 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.

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.

Iran’s Pezeshkian Will Travel to Russia To Attend the Gas Exporting Countries Forum: Iran tears Down a US Drone in Southern Bandar Abbas Region

“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.

روابط عمومی ارتش: یک فروند پهپاد لوکاس ارتش آمریکا با آتش سامانه‌های نیروی پدافند هوایی ارتش در آسمان بندرعباس مورد اصابت قرار گرفت و منهدم شدhttps://t.co/LfSAWiGXeP pic.twitter.com/IqggJxzpzY

— خبرگزاری ایسنا (@isna_farsi) October 25, 2026

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.

Kenya Reports Its Second Ebola Dead in the Country: Ugandans Who Travel DRC Will Spent 21 Quarantine Days at Come Back Due Ebola

“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.”

🎙️#UNDERWAY

BRIEFING BY THE HON. MINISTER OF HEALTH @CHRISBARYOMUNS1 ON THE  PROGRESS IN NATIONAL EBOLA PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE EFFORTS. #MOHatWork https://t.co/1fBKmdZKQb

— Ministry of Health- Uganda (@MinofHealthUG) October 25, 2026

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).

Restrictions on female humanitarian workers and other operational challenges continued to affect aid delivery in Afghanistan in September, during which humanitarian organizations reported 30 access-related incidents across the country, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported.

NATO Presence in Afghanistan Is Unacceptable: Russia: UN Calls to Expedite Humanitarian Delivery Process in Afghanistan

“A total of 30 humanitarian access incidents were reported by humanitarian partners across Afghanistan in September, representing a 27% decrease compared to August,” OCHA stated on Sunday in its Afghanistan Humanitarian Access Snapshot for September 2026, published on its X account.

The UN agency noted that the lower number of reported incidents does not indicate an improvement in the humanitarian access environment, as underreporting remains a challenge.

“The access environment continued to be predominantly affected by interference and restrictions on women’s participation in humanitarian operations,” OCHA indicated in its Afghanistan Humanitarian Access Snapshot for September 2026, published on its X account.

Restrictions on women humanitarian workers & other operational challenges continue to affect aid delivery. In September, humanitarian partners reported 30 access-related incidents across Afghanistan. Humanitarian access must be protected.

Find out more⬇️https://t.co/0mZtuvpjN1 pic.twitter.com/isdTRlyF1n

— OCHA Afghanistan (@OCHAAfg) October 25, 2026

According to the report, interference in humanitarian activities accounted for 18 of the 30 incidents, making it the primary access constraint. Four incidents were related to the physical environment, while other cases involved military operations and ongoing hostilities, violence against humanitarian personnel, and the detention of workers.

Another incident was related to delays in signing a memorandum of understanding and the denial of humanitarian needs or rights by de facto authorities.

The report also highlighted the worsening access conditions in western Afghanistan, where the Taliban government’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice increased its visits to humanitarian organizations.

“These included increased visits by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice to humanitarian actors, including project sites and offices, further limiting operations,” OCHA specified.

OCHA noted that restrictions on women’s participation particularly undermine assistance to women and girls.

Around 90% of organizations surveyed in September reported challenges for women and girls’ access to services in the western region. Restrictions imposed since March 2025 also “led to the closure, suspension, reduction of scope, or prevented the initiation of 26 out of 139 surveyed projects, i.e., 19%.”

Of the 30 nationwide incidents, seven involved gender-related dynamics, and one humanitarian worker was arrested. OCHA warned that physical access limitations had increased and could worsen as winter approaches.

The Gang Suppression Force (GSF) in Haiti has received unidentified human remains that could belong to four Salvadoran military personnel missing after an ambush in Haiti on October 18, 2026.

Haiti Crisis: El Salvador deploys troops for a rescue operation: Haiti: Anti-Gang Force Confirms Finding Remains, Bukele Denies Those to Be Salvadoran Missing Military

This information comes after El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, previously denied this possibility. The remains were handed over to GSF by an external humanitarian organization.

“At this time, the GSF is not in a position to confirm whether such remains correspond to the missing personnel,” added the multinational force whose creation was authorized a year ago by the United Nations Security Council to combat armed gangs and help stabilize Haiti.

The special representative of the Gang Suppression Force, Jack Christofides, expressed the solidarity of the force’s personnel “with the families of the four missing persons, with their comrades in arms, as well as with the Government and people of El Salvador during these difficult times.”

The #GSF confirms that it has received, through a third-party humanitarian organization, remains suspected of being those of the four personnel from the Salvadoran contingent currently missing.
At this stage, the GSF is not in a position to confirm that the remains are those of… pic.twitter.com/JvfLg1DfCG

— Gang Suppression Force – Haiti (@GSForceHaiti) October 25, 2026

This multinational force is made up of more than 1,000 soldiers from El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, and Chad, and its commander is Mongolian Major General Edernebat Batsuuri.

The first information about the recovery of remains that could belong to the Salvadorans was given on Saturday by The New York Times, but Bukele, who sent a military contingent to Haiti in the middle of the week to try to find them, ruled out the possibility that they were his soldiers.

“They are not our men,” he posted on his X account, where he added that the characteristics of the charred remains, recovered by the NGO Hero Client Rescue, led by Scott Reece, a former security official from the U.S. State Department, do not correspond to those of the missing Salvadoran “air technicians.”

No son nuestros hombres.

Una ONG entregó restos humanos en el aeropuerto, asegurando que pertenecían a nuestros cuatro aerotécnicos.

Sin embargo, los restos corresponden a un niño, a un hombre de una estatura considerablemente mayor que la de nuestros aerotécnicos y a una… https://t.co/yQuzUhDq0s pic.twitter.com/bzPdBqSsd5

— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) October 25, 2026

According to the president, “the remains correspond to a child, a man of considerably greater stature than our air technicians, and a person wearing part of a uniform from an army that is not ours.”

“Among the remains, identification cards and military uniforms from other countries were also found,” added the president, who supported his statement with two photographs, one of a GSF member’s ID card and the other of an identity document, both in the name of a citizen of Chad.

The GSF clarified in today’s statement that the images of the documents “belong to a GSF soldier, a member of the Chad contingent,” who is safe.

“This card was lost during the search operations for the missing Salvadoran personnel. The soldier is safe, with his unit, and is not among the missing,” he explained.

The GSF added that “coordination between Haitian security forces and the GSF remains essential to confront the armed gangs that threaten communities and the future of this country.”

More than 82,000 properties are without electricity on Sunday morning due to storm Boelo, which has been battering the UK since yesterday with hurricane-force winds of up to 135 kilometers per hour.

5 Dead in Mexico as Storm Rachel, Hurricane Simon Hit Pacific Coast: More Than 82,000 Customers Without Power in UK Due Boelo Storm

The Energy Networks Association reported that the outages affected hundreds of thousands of customers since yesterday, but service was restored to 344,900 this morning. However, 82,600 properties – homes but also other types of buildings – remain disconnected as of Sunday midday.

The hurricane-force winds have mainly affected North Wales and all of Scotland, forcing the meteorological service (Met Office) to activate an orange alert until 9 p.m. tonight.

Storm Boelo continues to bring disruptive winds in the north, especially for northern Scotland before gradually easing ⚠️

Elsewhere, a much brighter afternoon compared to Saturday with sunny spells and a few blustery showers 🌦️ pic.twitter.com/fg9cimGGaw

— Met Office (@metoffice) October 25, 2026

There were also copious rains in the last hours, without causing victims so far. Nor were large-scale floods reported except in the Scottish town of Largs (North Ayrshire), where images of streets flooded by the rains were seen.

Network Rail Scotland had to suspend several railway lines, after a train station in Glasgow was flooded and rendered unusable and several trees blown down by the wind had fallen onto the tracks.

The meteorological office advised Britons to avoid approaching the seashore during the day due to the risk of strong waves, which could easily overflow the coastline, and also asked to be careful with objects that could eventually fall from roofs due to wind gusts.