Latest India & World News Today Highlights: Netanyahu bloc leads with 54 seats, Eisenkot at 47
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Latest India & World News Today Highlights: Netanyahu bloc leads with 54 seats, Eisenkot at 47")
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Latest News Today Highlights: Stay connected to WION News for the latest updates from India and around the globe, including major developments in US, Israel, Iran, Strait of Hormuz, global security, diplomacy, energy markets, and other breaking stories shaping the world.
Latest News Today Highlights: As Israel votes, Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc leads with 56 seats against the opposition’s 48, with 66.2% of ballot boxes counted. Arab parties hold 16 seats, while three parties remain below the electoral threshold. Votes cast by soldiers and other double-envelope ballots are yet to be counted.
Serbian police shot dead a knife-wielding attacker outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade after a guard was targeted, outgoing Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said. Authorities classified the incident as a “terrorist attack”, raised the threat level and increased security at key locations.
Brazilian right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro has arrived in the United States after losing Sunday’s runoff election, CNN and The Washington Post reported. Both outlets, citing sources familiar with the matter, said he reached the US late Tuesday (October 27). His arrival location has not been disclosed.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks on the sidelines of the 13th ADMM-Plus in the Philippines, reviewing progress on the US-India Major Defense Partnership framework signed in October 2025 and exploring ways to deepen bilateral defence cooperation.
All speculations about the whereabouts of Flávio Bolsonaro finally came to rest as the defeated right-wing Brazilian presidential candidate and an ally of US President DonalTrump landed at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport on Wednesday after fleeing Brazil.
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have suffered a setback in their defamation lawsuit against US conservative influencer Candace Owens. A US judge has ruled that Owens cannot be sued personally in the case, although the lawsuit against two companies linked to her can continue.
Around 200 passengers who had signed up to travel the world aboard a residential cruise ship were forced to leave the vessel in Cambodia after its operator ran into financial trouble, disrupting plans for those who had paid to make life at sea their permanent home. The US-based company Villa Vie Residences announced on Tuesday (Oct 27) that it had “suspended operations in Cambodia”, citing a sharp rise in fuel expenses following the Iran war. Passengers reportedly received just seven hours to pack their belongings and disembark during a scheduled stop in Sihanoukville.
A high-speed train collision south of Madrid killed at least 30 people on Wednesday, regional authorities told AFP in an updated toll as Spain reeled from its second such disaster this year.
The toll from government sources in the central region of Castilla-La Mancha comes after a collision between two high-speed trains in southern Spain in January resulted in the deaths of 46 people.
With 84.5% of ballot boxes counted by 12:34 p.m., Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc holds 54 seats, while the bloc led by Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot has secured 49, according to partial results released by the Central Elections Committee.
The Arab parties, the Joint List and Ra’am, are projected to win a combined 17 seats.
Three parties remain below the 3.25% electoral threshold: Reservists at 2.7%, People of Israel at 1.6% and Charedi Public at 0.2%.
The figures remain provisional as counting continues. Ballots placed in double envelopes, including those cast by soldiers, will be tallied at a later stage.
The Delhi High Court on October 28 dismissed a PIL challenging the Centre's decision to increase passport issuance and renewal fees, observing that a hike of around 67 per cent over 14 years could not be considered unreasonable.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma said fee determination falls within the government's policy domain. The petition by Pravasi Legal Cell had argued that renewal charges for overseas Indians had risen to nearly Rs 12,000, about Rs 5,000 more than for applicants in India, disproportionately burdening NRIs and migrant workers in Gulf countries.
More than 55,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas and coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh ahead of Cyclone Arnab, with three casualties reported so far, NDRF DIG (Operations) SS Soodan said on October 28. A total of 39 NDRF teams have been deployed, including four airlifted on Tuesday.
At least 22 express and passenger train services have been cancelled or suspended between October 27 and November 5 due to Cyclone Arnab, with major routes such as Visakhapatnam-Kirandul and Rourkela-Jagdalpur affected. The Bhubaneswar-Jagdalpur Hirakhand Express will terminate at Rayagada until October 30, while the return service will originate from Rayagada till October 31.
The storm, which made landfall between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam with winds up to 150 kmph, has weakened to a severe cyclonic storm and is expected to lose further intensity by Wednesday evening. No loss of life has been reported, though coastal erosion damaged the Uppada road near Kakinada.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Wednesday that any Israel-instigated attack in the Gulf region would have a "devastating impact" on global markets.
"Devastating impact on int'l markets of any Israel-instigated military misadventure in Persian Gulf region remains major concern for both gas suppliers and consumers," Araghchi said in a post on X.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is seeking re-election next month, said he was "shocked" after the second collision on Spain's high-speed rail network this year killed 10 people on Wednesday.
"Shocked by the serious train accident in Toledo," Sanchez said on X of the incident south of Madrid, sending "my love, solidarity and support to all the victims and their families".
Two high-speed trains collided in Spain's Toledo on Wednesday (Oct 28), leading to multiple injuries. Official have said that at least 10 people have died but unofficial sources quoted in multiple reports said that at least 39 people have been killed. READ MORE
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a public interest litigation challenging the Centre’s decision to increase passport issuance and renewal fees, observing that a hike of around 67% over 14 years could not be considered unreasonable. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma said the determination of passport fees falls within the government’s policy domain and that judicial intervention is unwarranted unless the charges are found to be unreasonably exorbitant. “As long as such fees, which are levied towards the renewal of a passport or for processing of a passport, are not found to be unreasonably exorbitant, the Court is not required to interfere with such policies,” the bench observed.
The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange’s TA-125 benchmark index slumps 1.7 percent and the TA-35 index of blue-chip companies slips 1.5%. The TA-90 index, which tracks the shares with the highest capitalization not included in the TA-35 index, falls 3%. The TA-Insurance index declines 4.1%.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said that India's global stature and defence preparedness have grown, asserting that the country does not provoke anyone but responds firmly when provoked. Addressing the Indian community in Cebu, the Philippines, on the sidelines of his 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), Singh highlighted India's growing international standing, economic progress, defence capabilities and efforts to curb corruption.
"India's prestige has grown across the globe. Had this not been the case, the leadership of 35 countries would not have honored our Prime Minister with their highest civilian honors. Today, when India speaks, the world listens with rapt attention," Singh said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A 19-month-old male cheetah, KNG22, has died in Madhya Pradesh after emergency surgery revealed five firearm pellets in its body. Rescued in an injured condition from the Morena Territorial Forest Division on October 25, the cheetah succumbed despite intensive medical treatment. The state government has set up a Special Task Force (STF) to investigate the incident. #cheetah #madhyapradesh #wionnews</p>— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://x.com/WIONews/status/2115300449633116461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
With 76.8% of ballot boxes counted as of 10:58 a.m., partial results published by the Central Elections Committee give 54 seats to the bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and 47 seats to the bloc led by Yashar’s Gadi Eisenkot.
Likud-led bloc leads count with 54 seats, short of majority; Eisenkot-led bloc at 47, Arab parties at 19
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has brought the plight of Kashmir’s traditional artisans back into the spotlight, calling for a waiver of their loans, access to labour welfare benefits and strict enforcement of a law aimed at protecting handmade copperware from machine-made competition.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Oct 27) claimed credit for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's performance in this week's elections, saying his endorsement helped the premier "a lot" as vote counting continued. "I think when the endorsement went out, it had helped him a lot," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, referring to Netanyahu.
Indian Railways has reportedly directed all zonal railways to switch off mobile charging points in train coaches between 11 pm and 5 am, with the Railway Board making clear that no relaxation will be given in the matter. The step has been taken with passengers' safety in mind. The directive, issued in a letter dated October 26, 2026, requires strict adherence to the instructions.
Serbian police has killed an attacker outside the Israeli embassy in Belgrade after an officer was targeted, outgoing Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said. He described the incident as a “terrorist attack.” The assailant was allegedly with knives and attacked a guard outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade. Interior Minister Dacic added that police were treating the incident as a "terrorist attack" and had raised the terror threat to the highest level and stepped up police presence at key locations.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu, Philippines. The meeting, which took place on Wednesday, focused on reviewing progress under the Framework for the US-India Major Defense Partnership, signed by the two leaders on 31 October 2025 during the previous ADMM-Plus in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Delhi government has began online booking of liquor in the national capital. Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) has launched a mobile application named ‘Delhi Liquor Booking’ that allows consumers to book liquor in advance from its retail outlets, officials said on Tuesday (Oct 27). The officials clarified that the app is not meant for home delivery. Once the booking is completed, consumers receive a QR code that can be scanned at the selected outlet to collect their purchases. The facility is currently available only at DSIIDC-operated liquor stores. There are 208 liquor outlets operated by DSIIDC across the national capital
A Chinese glass supplier has won itself a wave of free publicity by repurposing footage of failed break-in attempts during France's October unrest to showcase its shatter-resistant product. Hengxinfeng Special-Glass Co. Ltd., from China's Henan province, shared the video on social media without having to spend even a penny on production. The clip, taken from looting that erupted amid student protests over education and living costs, showed extensive cracking yet no breach of the glass, drawing amused reactions from viewers.
Brazil's defeated right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro has arrived in the United States, two US media outlets reported, after he lost Sunday's runoff election. CNN and the Washington Post, each citing an unnamed source close to the matter, said Bolsonaro had arrived in the US late Tuesday (Oct 27). Where he landed remains unknown.
Israel’s latest partial election tally, released at 9:20 a.m. after 66.2% of ballot boxes were counted, puts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s camp at 56 seats, while the opposing bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar has 48.
Arab parties, which are also against Netanyahu, hold 16 seats in the current count. A party or bloc needs 61 seats to secure a majority in the 120-member Knesset.
Reservists, with 2.7% of the vote, People of Israel at 1.6% and Charedi Public at 0.2% have yet to clear the 3.25% electoral threshold.
The numbers may shift as counting progresses. Votes submitted in double envelopes, including those cast by soldiers, will be tallied separately at a later stage.
Latest News Today Highlights: As Israel votes, Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc leads with 56 seats against the opposition’s 48, with 66.2% of ballot boxes counted. Arab parties hold 16 seats, while three parties remain below the electoral threshold. Votes cast by soldiers and other double-envelope ballots are yet to be counted.
Serbian police shot dead a knife-wielding attacker outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade after a guard was targeted, outgoing Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said. Authorities classified the incident as a “terrorist attack”, raised the threat level and increased security at key locations.
Brazilian right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro has arrived in the United States after losing Sunday’s runoff election, CNN and The Washington Post reported. Both outlets, citing sources familiar with the matter, said he reached the US late Tuesday (October 27). His arrival location has not been disclosed.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks on the sidelines of the 13th ADMM-Plus in the Philippines, reviewing progress on the US-India Major Defense Partnership framework signed in October 2025 and exploring ways to deepen bilateral defence cooperation.
All speculations about the whereabouts of Flávio Bolsonaro finally came to rest as the defeated right-wing Brazilian presidential candidate and an ally of US President DonalTrump landed at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport on Wednesday after fleeing Brazil.
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have suffered a setback in their defamation lawsuit against US conservative influencer Candace Owens. A US judge has ruled that Owens cannot be sued personally in the case, although the lawsuit against two companies linked to her can continue.
Around 200 passengers who had signed up to travel the world aboard a residential cruise ship were forced to leave the vessel in Cambodia after its operator ran into financial trouble, disrupting plans for those who had paid to make life at sea their permanent home. The US-based company Villa Vie Residences announced on Tuesday (Oct 27) that it had “suspended operations in Cambodia”, citing a sharp rise in fuel expenses following the Iran war. Passengers reportedly received just seven hours to pack their belongings and disembark during a scheduled stop in Sihanoukville.
A high-speed train collision south of Madrid killed at least 30 people on Wednesday, regional authorities told AFP in an updated toll as Spain reeled from its second such disaster this year.
The toll from government sources in the central region of Castilla-La Mancha comes after a collision between two high-speed trains in southern Spain in January resulted in the deaths of 46 people.
With 84.5% of ballot boxes counted by 12:34 p.m., Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc holds 54 seats, while the bloc led by Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot has secured 49, according to partial results released by the Central Elections Committee.
The Arab parties, the Joint List and Ra’am, are projected to win a combined 17 seats.
Three parties remain below the 3.25% electoral threshold: Reservists at 2.7%, People of Israel at 1.6% and Charedi Public at 0.2%.
The figures remain provisional as counting continues. Ballots placed in double envelopes, including those cast by soldiers, will be tallied at a later stage.
The Delhi High Court on October 28 dismissed a PIL challenging the Centre's decision to increase passport issuance and renewal fees, observing that a hike of around 67 per cent over 14 years could not be considered unreasonable.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma said fee determination falls within the government's policy domain. The petition by Pravasi Legal Cell had argued that renewal charges for overseas Indians had risen to nearly Rs 12,000, about Rs 5,000 more than for applicants in India, disproportionately burdening NRIs and migrant workers in Gulf countries.
More than 55,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas and coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh ahead of Cyclone Arnab, with three casualties reported so far, NDRF DIG (Operations) SS Soodan said on October 28. A total of 39 NDRF teams have been deployed, including four airlifted on Tuesday.
At least 22 express and passenger train services have been cancelled or suspended between October 27 and November 5 due to Cyclone Arnab, with major routes such as Visakhapatnam-Kirandul and Rourkela-Jagdalpur affected. The Bhubaneswar-Jagdalpur Hirakhand Express will terminate at Rayagada until October 30, while the return service will originate from Rayagada till October 31.
The storm, which made landfall between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam with winds up to 150 kmph, has weakened to a severe cyclonic storm and is expected to lose further intensity by Wednesday evening. No loss of life has been reported, though coastal erosion damaged the Uppada road near Kakinada.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Wednesday that any Israel-instigated attack in the Gulf region would have a "devastating impact" on global markets.
"Devastating impact on int'l markets of any Israel-instigated military misadventure in Persian Gulf region remains major concern for both gas suppliers and consumers," Araghchi said in a post on X.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is seeking re-election next month, said he was "shocked" after the second collision on Spain's high-speed rail network this year killed 10 people on Wednesday.
"Shocked by the serious train accident in Toledo," Sanchez said on X of the incident south of Madrid, sending "my love, solidarity and support to all the victims and their families".
Two high-speed trains collided in Spain's Toledo on Wednesday (Oct 28), leading to multiple injuries. Official have said that at least 10 people have died but unofficial sources quoted in multiple reports said that at least 39 people have been killed. READ MORE
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a public interest litigation challenging the Centre’s decision to increase passport issuance and renewal fees, observing that a hike of around 67% over 14 years could not be considered unreasonable. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma said the determination of passport fees falls within the government’s policy domain and that judicial intervention is unwarranted unless the charges are found to be unreasonably exorbitant. “As long as such fees, which are levied towards the renewal of a passport or for processing of a passport, are not found to be unreasonably exorbitant, the Court is not required to interfere with such policies,” the bench observed.
The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange’s TA-125 benchmark index slumps 1.7 percent and the TA-35 index of blue-chip companies slips 1.5%. The TA-90 index, which tracks the shares with the highest capitalization not included in the TA-35 index, falls 3%. The TA-Insurance index declines 4.1%.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said that India's global stature and defence preparedness have grown, asserting that the country does not provoke anyone but responds firmly when provoked. Addressing the Indian community in Cebu, the Philippines, on the sidelines of his 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), Singh highlighted India's growing international standing, economic progress, defence capabilities and efforts to curb corruption.
"India's prestige has grown across the globe. Had this not been the case, the leadership of 35 countries would not have honored our Prime Minister with their highest civilian honors. Today, when India speaks, the world listens with rapt attention," Singh said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A 19-month-old male cheetah, KNG22, has died in Madhya Pradesh after emergency surgery revealed five firearm pellets in its body. Rescued in an injured condition from the Morena Territorial Forest Division on October 25, the cheetah succumbed despite intensive medical treatment. The state government has set up a Special Task Force (STF) to investigate the incident. #cheetah #madhyapradesh #wionnews</p>— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://x.com/WIONews/status/2115300449633116461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
With 76.8% of ballot boxes counted as of 10:58 a.m., partial results published by the Central Elections Committee give 54 seats to the bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and 47 seats to the bloc led by Yashar’s Gadi Eisenkot.
Likud-led bloc leads count with 54 seats, short of majority; Eisenkot-led bloc at 47, Arab parties at 19
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has brought the plight of Kashmir’s traditional artisans back into the spotlight, calling for a waiver of their loans, access to labour welfare benefits and strict enforcement of a law aimed at protecting handmade copperware from machine-made competition.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Oct 27) claimed credit for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's performance in this week's elections, saying his endorsement helped the premier "a lot" as vote counting continued. "I think when the endorsement went out, it had helped him a lot," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, referring to Netanyahu.
Indian Railways has reportedly directed all zonal railways to switch off mobile charging points in train coaches between 11 pm and 5 am, with the Railway Board making clear that no relaxation will be given in the matter. The step has been taken with passengers' safety in mind. The directive, issued in a letter dated October 26, 2026, requires strict adherence to the instructions.
Serbian police has killed an attacker outside the Israeli embassy in Belgrade after an officer was targeted, outgoing Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said. He described the incident as a “terrorist attack.” The assailant was allegedly with knives and attacked a guard outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade. Interior Minister Dacic added that police were treating the incident as a "terrorist attack" and had raised the terror threat to the highest level and stepped up police presence at key locations.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu, Philippines. The meeting, which took place on Wednesday, focused on reviewing progress under the Framework for the US-India Major Defense Partnership, signed by the two leaders on 31 October 2025 during the previous ADMM-Plus in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Delhi government has began online booking of liquor in the national capital. Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) has launched a mobile application named ‘Delhi Liquor Booking’ that allows consumers to book liquor in advance from its retail outlets, officials said on Tuesday (Oct 27). The officials clarified that the app is not meant for home delivery. Once the booking is completed, consumers receive a QR code that can be scanned at the selected outlet to collect their purchases. The facility is currently available only at DSIIDC-operated liquor stores. There are 208 liquor outlets operated by DSIIDC across the national capital
A Chinese glass supplier has won itself a wave of free publicity by repurposing footage of failed break-in attempts during France's October unrest to showcase its shatter-resistant product. Hengxinfeng Special-Glass Co. Ltd., from China's Henan province, shared the video on social media without having to spend even a penny on production. The clip, taken from looting that erupted amid student protests over education and living costs, showed extensive cracking yet no breach of the glass, drawing amused reactions from viewers.
Brazil's defeated right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro has arrived in the United States, two US media outlets reported, after he lost Sunday's runoff election. CNN and the Washington Post, each citing an unnamed source close to the matter, said Bolsonaro had arrived in the US late Tuesday (Oct 27). Where he landed remains unknown.
Israel’s latest partial election tally, released at 9:20 a.m. after 66.2% of ballot boxes were counted, puts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s camp at 56 seats, while the opposing bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar has 48.
Arab parties, which are also against Netanyahu, hold 16 seats in the current count. A party or bloc needs 61 seats to secure a majority in the 120-member Knesset.
Reservists, with 2.7% of the vote, People of Israel at 1.6% and Charedi Public at 0.2% have yet to clear the 3.25% electoral threshold.
The numbers may shift as counting progresses. Votes submitted in double envelopes, including those cast by soldiers, will be tallied separately at a later stage.
Latest News Today Highlights: As Israel votes, Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc leads with 56 seats against the opposition’s 48, with 66.2% of ballot boxes counted. Arab parties hold 16 seats, while three parties remain below the electoral threshold. Votes cast by soldiers and other double-envelope ballots are yet to be counted.
Serbian police shot dead a knife-wielding attacker outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade after a guard was targeted, outgoing Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said. Authorities classified the incident as a “terrorist attack”, raised the threat level and increased security at key locations.
Brazilian right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro has arrived in the United States after losing Sunday’s runoff election, CNN and The Washington Post reported. Both outlets, citing sources familiar with the matter, said he reached the US late Tuesday (October 27). His arrival location has not been disclosed.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks on the sidelines of the 13th ADMM-Plus in the Philippines, reviewing progress on the US-India Major Defense Partnership framework signed in October 2025 and exploring ways to deepen bilateral defence cooperation.
All speculations about the whereabouts of Flávio Bolsonaro finally came to rest as the defeated right-wing Brazilian presidential candidate and an ally of US President DonalTrump landed at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport on Wednesday after fleeing Brazil.
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have suffered a setback in their defamation lawsuit against US conservative influencer Candace Owens. A US judge has ruled that Owens cannot be sued personally in the case, although the lawsuit against two companies linked to her can continue.
Around 200 passengers who had signed up to travel the world aboard a residential cruise ship were forced to leave the vessel in Cambodia after its operator ran into financial trouble, disrupting plans for those who had paid to make life at sea their permanent home. The US-based company Villa Vie Residences announced on Tuesday (Oct 27) that it had “suspended operations in Cambodia”, citing a sharp rise in fuel expenses following the Iran war. Passengers reportedly received just seven hours to pack their belongings and disembark during a scheduled stop in Sihanoukville.
A high-speed train collision south of Madrid killed at least 30 people on Wednesday, regional authorities told AFP in an updated toll as Spain reeled from its second such disaster this year.
The toll from government sources in the central region of Castilla-La Mancha comes after a collision between two high-speed trains in southern Spain in January resulted in the deaths of 46 people.
With 84.5% of ballot boxes counted by 12:34 p.m., Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc holds 54 seats, while the bloc led by Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot has secured 49, according to partial results released by the Central Elections Committee.
The Arab parties, the Joint List and Ra’am, are projected to win a combined 17 seats.
Three parties remain below the 3.25% electoral threshold: Reservists at 2.7%, People of Israel at 1.6% and Charedi Public at 0.2%.
The figures remain provisional as counting continues. Ballots placed in double envelopes, including those cast by soldiers, will be tallied at a later stage.
The Delhi High Court on October 28 dismissed a PIL challenging the Centre's decision to increase passport issuance and renewal fees, observing that a hike of around 67 per cent over 14 years could not be considered unreasonable.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma said fee determination falls within the government's policy domain. The petition by Pravasi Legal Cell had argued that renewal charges for overseas Indians had risen to nearly Rs 12,000, about Rs 5,000 more than for applicants in India, disproportionately burdening NRIs and migrant workers in Gulf countries.
More than 55,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas and coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh ahead of Cyclone Arnab, with three casualties reported so far, NDRF DIG (Operations) SS Soodan said on October 28. A total of 39 NDRF teams have been deployed, including four airlifted on Tuesday.
At least 22 express and passenger train services have been cancelled or suspended between October 27 and November 5 due to Cyclone Arnab, with major routes such as Visakhapatnam-Kirandul and Rourkela-Jagdalpur affected. The Bhubaneswar-Jagdalpur Hirakhand Express will terminate at Rayagada until October 30, while the return service will originate from Rayagada till October 31.
The storm, which made landfall between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam with winds up to 150 kmph, has weakened to a severe cyclonic storm and is expected to lose further intensity by Wednesday evening. No loss of life has been reported, though coastal erosion damaged the Uppada road near Kakinada.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Wednesday that any Israel-instigated attack in the Gulf region would have a "devastating impact" on global markets.
"Devastating impact on int'l markets of any Israel-instigated military misadventure in Persian Gulf region remains major concern for both gas suppliers and consumers," Araghchi said in a post on X.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is seeking re-election next month, said he was "shocked" after the second collision on Spain's high-speed rail network this year killed 10 people on Wednesday.
"Shocked by the serious train accident in Toledo," Sanchez said on X of the incident south of Madrid, sending "my love, solidarity and support to all the victims and their families".
Two high-speed trains collided in Spain's Toledo on Wednesday (Oct 28), leading to multiple injuries. Official have said that at least 10 people have died but unofficial sources quoted in multiple reports said that at least 39 people have been killed. READ MORE
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a public interest litigation challenging the Centre’s decision to increase passport issuance and renewal fees, observing that a hike of around 67% over 14 years could not be considered unreasonable. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma said the determination of passport fees falls within the government’s policy domain and that judicial intervention is unwarranted unless the charges are found to be unreasonably exorbitant. “As long as such fees, which are levied towards the renewal of a passport or for processing of a passport, are not found to be unreasonably exorbitant, the Court is not required to interfere with such policies,” the bench observed.
The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange’s TA-125 benchmark index slumps 1.7 percent and the TA-35 index of blue-chip companies slips 1.5%. The TA-90 index, which tracks the shares with the highest capitalization not included in the TA-35 index, falls 3%. The TA-Insurance index declines 4.1%.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said that India's global stature and defence preparedness have grown, asserting that the country does not provoke anyone but responds firmly when provoked. Addressing the Indian community in Cebu, the Philippines, on the sidelines of his 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), Singh highlighted India's growing international standing, economic progress, defence capabilities and efforts to curb corruption.
"India's prestige has grown across the globe. Had this not been the case, the leadership of 35 countries would not have honored our Prime Minister with their highest civilian honors. Today, when India speaks, the world listens with rapt attention," Singh said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A 19-month-old male cheetah, KNG22, has died in Madhya Pradesh after emergency surgery revealed five firearm pellets in its body. Rescued in an injured condition from the Morena Territorial Forest Division on October 25, the cheetah succumbed despite intensive medical treatment. The state government has set up a Special Task Force (STF) to investigate the incident. #cheetah #madhyapradesh #wionnews</p>— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://x.com/WIONews/status/2115300449633116461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
With 76.8% of ballot boxes counted as of 10:58 a.m., partial results published by the Central Elections Committee give 54 seats to the bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and 47 seats to the bloc led by Yashar’s Gadi Eisenkot.
Likud-led bloc leads count with 54 seats, short of majority; Eisenkot-led bloc at 47, Arab parties at 19
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has brought the plight of Kashmir’s traditional artisans back into the spotlight, calling for a waiver of their loans, access to labour welfare benefits and strict enforcement of a law aimed at protecting handmade copperware from machine-made competition.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Oct 27) claimed credit for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's performance in this week's elections, saying his endorsement helped the premier "a lot" as vote counting continued. "I think when the endorsement went out, it had helped him a lot," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, referring to Netanyahu.
Indian Railways has reportedly directed all zonal railways to switch off mobile charging points in train coaches between 11 pm and 5 am, with the Railway Board making clear that no relaxation will be given in the matter. The step has been taken with passengers' safety in mind. The directive, issued in a letter dated October 26, 2026, requires strict adherence to the instructions.
Serbian police has killed an attacker outside the Israeli embassy in Belgrade after an officer was targeted, outgoing Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said. He described the incident as a “terrorist attack.” The assailant was allegedly with knives and attacked a guard outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade. Interior Minister Dacic added that police were treating the incident as a "terrorist attack" and had raised the terror threat to the highest level and stepped up police presence at key locations.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu, Philippines. The meeting, which took place on Wednesday, focused on reviewing progress under the Framework for the US-India Major Defense Partnership, signed by the two leaders on 31 October 2025 during the previous ADMM-Plus in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Delhi government has began online booking of liquor in the national capital. Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) has launched a mobile application named ‘Delhi Liquor Booking’ that allows consumers to book liquor in advance from its retail outlets, officials said on Tuesday (Oct 27). The officials clarified that the app is not meant for home delivery. Once the booking is completed, consumers receive a QR code that can be scanned at the selected outlet to collect their purchases. The facility is currently available only at DSIIDC-operated liquor stores. There are 208 liquor outlets operated by DSIIDC across the national capital
A Chinese glass supplier has won itself a wave of free publicity by repurposing footage of failed break-in attempts during France's October unrest to showcase its shatter-resistant product. Hengxinfeng Special-Glass Co. Ltd., from China's Henan province, shared the video on social media without having to spend even a penny on production. The clip, taken from looting that erupted amid student protests over education and living costs, showed extensive cracking yet no breach of the glass, drawing amused reactions from viewers.
Brazil's defeated right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro has arrived in the United States, two US media outlets reported, after he lost Sunday's runoff election. CNN and the Washington Post, each citing an unnamed source close to the matter, said Bolsonaro had arrived in the US late Tuesday (Oct 27). Where he landed remains unknown.
Israel’s latest partial election tally, released at 9:20 a.m. after 66.2% of ballot boxes were counted, puts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s camp at 56 seats, while the opposing bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar has 48.
Arab parties, which are also against Netanyahu, hold 16 seats in the current count. A party or bloc needs 61 seats to secure a majority in the 120-member Knesset.
Reservists, with 2.7% of the vote, People of Israel at 1.6% and Charedi Public at 0.2% have yet to clear the 3.25% electoral threshold.
The numbers may shift as counting progresses. Votes submitted in double envelopes, including those cast by soldiers, will be tallied separately at a later stage.
Latest News Today Highlights: As Israel votes, Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc leads with 56 seats against the opposition’s 48, with 66.2% of ballot boxes counted. Arab parties hold 16 seats, while three parties remain below the electoral threshold. Votes cast by soldiers and other double-envelope ballots are yet to be counted.
Serbian police shot dead a knife-wielding attacker outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade after a guard was targeted, outgoing Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said. Authorities classified the incident as a “terrorist attack”, raised the threat level and increased security at key locations.
Brazilian right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro has arrived in the United States after losing Sunday’s runoff election, CNN and The Washington Post reported. Both outlets, citing sources familiar with the matter, said he reached the US late Tuesday (October 27). His arrival location has not been disclosed.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks on the sidelines of the 13th ADMM-Plus in the Philippines, reviewing progress on the US-India Major Defense Partnership framework signed in October 2025 and exploring ways to deepen bilateral defence cooperation.
All speculations about the whereabouts of Flávio Bolsonaro finally came to rest as the defeated right-wing Brazilian presidential candidate and an ally of US President DonalTrump landed at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport on Wednesday after fleeing Brazil.
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have suffered a setback in their defamation lawsuit against US conservative influencer Candace Owens. A US judge has ruled that Owens cannot be sued personally in the case, although the lawsuit against two companies linked to her can continue.
Around 200 passengers who had signed up to travel the world aboard a residential cruise ship were forced to leave the vessel in Cambodia after its operator ran into financial trouble, disrupting plans for those who had paid to make life at sea their permanent home. The US-based company Villa Vie Residences announced on Tuesday (Oct 27) that it had “suspended operations in Cambodia”, citing a sharp rise in fuel expenses following the Iran war. Passengers reportedly received just seven hours to pack their belongings and disembark during a scheduled stop in Sihanoukville.
A high-speed train collision south of Madrid killed at least 30 people on Wednesday, regional authorities told AFP in an updated toll as Spain reeled from its second such disaster this year.
The toll from government sources in the central region of Castilla-La Mancha comes after a collision between two high-speed trains in southern Spain in January resulted in the deaths of 46 people.
With 84.5% of ballot boxes counted by 12:34 p.m., Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc holds 54 seats, while the bloc led by Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot has secured 49, according to partial results released by the Central Elections Committee.
The Arab parties, the Joint List and Ra’am, are projected to win a combined 17 seats.
Three parties remain below the 3.25% electoral threshold: Reservists at 2.7%, People of Israel at 1.6% and Charedi Public at 0.2%.
The figures remain provisional as counting continues. Ballots placed in double envelopes, including those cast by soldiers, will be tallied at a later stage.
The Delhi High Court on October 28 dismissed a PIL challenging the Centre's decision to increase passport issuance and renewal fees, observing that a hike of around 67 per cent over 14 years could not be considered unreasonable.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma said fee determination falls within the government's policy domain. The petition by Pravasi Legal Cell had argued that renewal charges for overseas Indians had risen to nearly Rs 12,000, about Rs 5,000 more than for applicants in India, disproportionately burdening NRIs and migrant workers in Gulf countries.
More than 55,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas and coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh ahead of Cyclone Arnab, with three casualties reported so far, NDRF DIG (Operations) SS Soodan said on October 28. A total of 39 NDRF teams have been deployed, including four airlifted on Tuesday.
At least 22 express and passenger train services have been cancelled or suspended between October 27 and November 5 due to Cyclone Arnab, with major routes such as Visakhapatnam-Kirandul and Rourkela-Jagdalpur affected. The Bhubaneswar-Jagdalpur Hirakhand Express will terminate at Rayagada until October 30, while the return service will originate from Rayagada till October 31.
The storm, which made landfall between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam with winds up to 150 kmph, has weakened to a severe cyclonic storm and is expected to lose further intensity by Wednesday evening. No loss of life has been reported, though coastal erosion damaged the Uppada road near Kakinada.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Wednesday that any Israel-instigated attack in the Gulf region would have a "devastating impact" on global markets.
"Devastating impact on int'l markets of any Israel-instigated military misadventure in Persian Gulf region remains major concern for both gas suppliers and consumers," Araghchi said in a post on X.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is seeking re-election next month, said he was "shocked" after the second collision on Spain's high-speed rail network this year killed 10 people on Wednesday.
"Shocked by the serious train accident in Toledo," Sanchez said on X of the incident south of Madrid, sending "my love, solidarity and support to all the victims and their families".
Two high-speed trains collided in Spain's Toledo on Wednesday (Oct 28), leading to multiple injuries. Official have said that at least 10 people have died but unofficial sources quoted in multiple reports said that at least 39 people have been killed. READ MORE
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a public interest litigation challenging the Centre’s decision to increase passport issuance and renewal fees, observing that a hike of around 67% over 14 years could not be considered unreasonable. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma said the determination of passport fees falls within the government’s policy domain and that judicial intervention is unwarranted unless the charges are found to be unreasonably exorbitant. “As long as such fees, which are levied towards the renewal of a passport or for processing of a passport, are not found to be unreasonably exorbitant, the Court is not required to interfere with such policies,” the bench observed.
The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange’s TA-125 benchmark index slumps 1.7 percent and the TA-35 index of blue-chip companies slips 1.5%. The TA-90 index, which tracks the shares with the highest capitalization not included in the TA-35 index, falls 3%. The TA-Insurance index declines 4.1%.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said that India's global stature and defence preparedness have grown, asserting that the country does not provoke anyone but responds firmly when provoked. Addressing the Indian community in Cebu, the Philippines, on the sidelines of his 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), Singh highlighted India's growing international standing, economic progress, defence capabilities and efforts to curb corruption.
"India's prestige has grown across the globe. Had this not been the case, the leadership of 35 countries would not have honored our Prime Minister with their highest civilian honors. Today, when India speaks, the world listens with rapt attention," Singh said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A 19-month-old male cheetah, KNG22, has died in Madhya Pradesh after emergency surgery revealed five firearm pellets in its body. Rescued in an injured condition from the Morena Territorial Forest Division on October 25, the cheetah succumbed despite intensive medical treatment. The state government has set up a Special Task Force (STF) to investigate the incident. #cheetah #madhyapradesh #wionnews</p>— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://x.com/WIONews/status/2115300449633116461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
With 76.8% of ballot boxes counted as of 10:58 a.m., partial results published by the Central Elections Committee give 54 seats to the bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and 47 seats to the bloc led by Yashar’s Gadi Eisenkot.
Likud-led bloc leads count with 54 seats, short of majority; Eisenkot-led bloc at 47, Arab parties at 19
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has brought the plight of Kashmir’s traditional artisans back into the spotlight, calling for a waiver of their loans, access to labour welfare benefits and strict enforcement of a law aimed at protecting handmade copperware from machine-made competition.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Oct 27) claimed credit for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's performance in this week's elections, saying his endorsement helped the premier "a lot" as vote counting continued. "I think when the endorsement went out, it had helped him a lot," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, referring to Netanyahu.
Indian Railways has reportedly directed all zonal railways to switch off mobile charging points in train coaches between 11 pm and 5 am, with the Railway Board making clear that no relaxation will be given in the matter. The step has been taken with passengers' safety in mind. The directive, issued in a letter dated October 26, 2026, requires strict adherence to the instructions.
Serbian police has killed an attacker outside the Israeli embassy in Belgrade after an officer was targeted, outgoing Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said. He described the incident as a “terrorist attack.” The assailant was allegedly with knives and attacked a guard outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade. Interior Minister Dacic added that police were treating the incident as a "terrorist attack" and had raised the terror threat to the highest level and stepped up police presence at key locations.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu, Philippines. The meeting, which took place on Wednesday, focused on reviewing progress under the Framework for the US-India Major Defense Partnership, signed by the two leaders on 31 October 2025 during the previous ADMM-Plus in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Delhi government has began online booking of liquor in the national capital. Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) has launched a mobile application named ‘Delhi Liquor Booking’ that allows consumers to book liquor in advance from its retail outlets, officials said on Tuesday (Oct 27). The officials clarified that the app is not meant for home delivery. Once the booking is completed, consumers receive a QR code that can be scanned at the selected outlet to collect their purchases. The facility is currently available only at DSIIDC-operated liquor stores. There are 208 liquor outlets operated by DSIIDC across the national capital
A Chinese glass supplier has won itself a wave of free publicity by repurposing footage of failed break-in attempts during France's October unrest to showcase its shatter-resistant product. Hengxinfeng Special-Glass Co. Ltd., from China's Henan province, shared the video on social media without having to spend even a penny on production. The clip, taken from looting that erupted amid student protests over education and living costs, showed extensive cracking yet no breach of the glass, drawing amused reactions from viewers.
Brazil's defeated right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro has arrived in the United States, two US media outlets reported, after he lost Sunday's runoff election. CNN and the Washington Post, each citing an unnamed source close to the matter, said Bolsonaro had arrived in the US late Tuesday (Oct 27). Where he landed remains unknown.
Israel’s latest partial election tally, released at 9:20 a.m. after 66.2% of ballot boxes were counted, puts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s camp at 56 seats, while the opposing bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar has 48.
Arab parties, which are also against Netanyahu, hold 16 seats in the current count. A party or bloc needs 61 seats to secure a majority in the 120-member Knesset.
Reservists, with 2.7% of the vote, People of Israel at 1.6% and Charedi Public at 0.2% have yet to clear the 3.25% electoral threshold.
The numbers may shift as counting progresses. Votes submitted in double envelopes, including those cast by soldiers, will be tallied separately at a later stage.
