Oct 5, 2026, 10:30 PM UTC

A ballot recount in a Spandau election district following a transmission error assigned a direct seat in Berlin's Abgeordnetenhaus to Alternative for Germany (AfD) candidate Tommy Tabor instead of the Christian Democratic Union's (CDU) Bettina Meißner, reducing parliament's total size by five seats.

The administrative correction comes amid shifting voter dynamics ahead of the state election. A Forsa survey places Die Linke ahead at 22 percent, driven by strong support among young voters, while the CDU and AfD follow at 18 percent each. Meanwhile, voter turnout among residents with migrant backgrounds remains low in districts like Neukölln, though reporting highlights growing interest in the AfD among some young voters of Turkish descent citing concerns over public safety and migration.

Sources: Correctiv, Die Zeit, DW, FAZ, Tagesschau

Hungarian Transport and Investment Minister Dávid Vitézy announced the recovery of 2.27 billion forints (€5.7 million) from a private equity fund linked to businessman Lőrinc Mészáros. The repayment follows an audit of a 64.5 billion forint transaction involving the national electronic toll system, which was executed under former minister János Lázár.

Following this recovery, authorities extended their scrutiny to examine state contracts awarded to IT entrepreneur Gábor Emőri. Emőri, one of Hungary’s wealthiest individuals, spent 12 years developing and operating key infrastructure within the toll network. Government officials are reviewing historic agreements to evaluate whether additional public funds can be reclaimed as part of an ongoing asset recovery initiative targeting past procurements.

Sources: 444, HVG, Telex.

Israeli security agencies are investigating an attempted hijacking on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv after an Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed the Emirati captain in an effort to crash the aircraft. The flight, carrying nearly 180 passengers, landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after passengers and crew restrained the attacker and a remaining pilot took control.

Israeli authorities described the incident as a jihadist terrorist attempt and temporarily barred Flydubai flights from Israeli airspace, prompting a second incoming flight to turn back to Dubai. Scrambled Israeli fighter jets monitored the situation before the plane landed outside Israel. The passengers subsequently arrived in Tel Aviv aboard a replacement aircraft. Investigators are currently examining potential security lapses, specifically how the co-pilot cleared pre-flight screening.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, El Mundo, Il Messaggero, La Repubblica.

Forensic procedures are underway to identify the remains of at least 23 individuals exhumed from three sites in Zubin Potok, northern Kosovo. Kosovo's Governmental Commission on Missing Persons and the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) confirmed that field exhumations concluded on August 21, launching a complex multi-stage laboratory analysis.

Speaking on the process, ICMP Western Balkans head Samira Krehiq highlighted that recovering the remains is only the initial phase. Forensic specialists will extract DNA profiles from bone samples and cross-reference them with genetic data collected from families of people missing since the 1998–1999 Kosovo conflict. The identification efforts aim to provide closure to relatives after decades of uncertainty.

Sources: Gazeta Tema, Koha.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's decision to call early general elections has drawn sharp criticism from opposition and regional political leaders across Spain.

Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the conservative People's Party, suggested the election call serves as an incentive for Sánchez to avoid a judicial ordeal amid ongoing investigations into his government. Meanwhile, Catalan pro-independence party Junts accused the prime minister of calling the vote to obscure corruption allegations surrounding his administration and to conceal failures in immigration policy.

Left-wing pro-independence party Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya also criticized Sánchez, branding the decision frivolous while confirming its backing for Gabriel Rufián as a key candidate. The political fallout follows recent demonstrations and civil unrest in Barcelona.

Sources: Canarias7, El Mundo, La Provincia, La Vanguardia