WORLDBBC NewsTUE 27 OCT 2026 / 5:14 AM CDT

Turnout highest since 1981 as Israelis vote in pivotal election

Turnout is at its highest so far in more than four decades, as Israelis vote in what many view as one of the most pivotal elections in the country's history.

Polling published on Friday suggests incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu is almost neck-and-neck with former military chief Gadi Eisenkot in the race to become prime minister.

But neither of their political blocs are projected to win the 61 seats needed to form a majority government - meaning weeks or months of political wrangling may lie ahead.

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U.K. charges 2 men linked to alleged terror plot against air base

London — Two men have been charged with serious security offenses in Britain after being arrested in connection with the incident last month near RAF Fairford, the air base in England that had been used by the U.S. military to launch strikes on Iran, the U.K. Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Tuesday. Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, and Nouman Essghir, 24, both British nationals and London residents, were charged under the 2023 National Security Act.

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Mbappé dropped by major Chinese brands as backlash grows over Mao joke

He allegedly said the funniest "meme" about him is the one where they put his face on "a Chinese dictator".

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Azerbaijan: rare protests over hijab ban in schools

In Azerbaijan, a new government ban on hijab in schools has provoked rare public protests. The ban prohibits clothing deemed "incompatible with the secular principles of general education". While it does not mention Islamic hijab, girls and teachers wearing hijab have been turned away from schools. The measure has sparked tensions in a country where 96% of the population is Muslim.

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TikTok parent ByteDance's founder is China's richest person again

The founder of Tiktok parent ByteDance, Zhang Yiming, reclaimed the top spot on a list of China's richest people, driven by his company's push into AI.

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Turnout highest since 1981 as Israelis vote in pivotal election

More on this deskAll WORLD

U.K. charges 2 men linked to alleged terror plot against air base

Mbappé dropped by major Chinese brands as backlash grows over Mao joke

Azerbaijan: rare protests over hijab ban in schools

TikTok parent ByteDance's founder is China's richest person again