Oct 26, 2026, 06:00 AM UTC

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected a US-backed 15-point peace proposal for Gaza, creating a public rift with US President Donald Trump. Speaking during televised cabinet remarks, Netanyahu declared that "Israel rejects the 15-point document" previously accepted by Hamas. He stressed that the Israeli military "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed" and insisted operations would persist to counter potential threats against Israeli forces.

The rejection comes despite a scale-down in Israeli military activity under diplomatic pressure from Washington, which had touted the framework as a major step toward lasting peace. Netanyahu's firm stance underscores complex political dynamics ahead of Israel's general election on 27 October, as he navigates demands from far-right coalition partners while managing ties with the United States.

Sources: Cyprus Mail, France24, STV News, The Guardian, The Herald.

Global efforts to regulate artificial intelligence in warfare are accelerating alongside its operational deployment. In Geneva, 128 nations established a common definition for autonomous weapons systems following warnings from the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding automated targeting.

Concurrently, Western militaries are advancing their AI capabilities. Germany’s Defence Ministry confirmed that semi-autonomous systems may operate independently under specific conditions, emphasizing that "the decision on the use of military force remains with humans." Germany also rejected US vendor Palantir to build its own data analytics platform. In parallel, Ukraine and NATO have jointly developed two AI tools aimed at predicting enemy drone paths and assisting artillery targeting.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Spiegel, Der Standard, Die Zeit, Hartpunkt

Demonstrations over housing affordability in Barcelona escalated as around 500 youths clashed with law enforcement, prompting regional police to link the unrest to recent protests in France and Italy. While organizers estimated attendance at 120,000 and police reported 20,000, tenant advocacy group Sindicat de Llogateres called to "paralizar el país" through a general strike, stating "Esto acaba de empezar."

Meanwhile, political friction intensified in Madrid. Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo claimed Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has incentives to call early elections to "evitar el calvario judicial," as reports indicate internal discussions within the ruling party regarding potential election timing.

Sources: Canarias7, El Mundo, La Vanguardia

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement has advised airlines and travelers to avoid Saudi Arabian airspace and most airports following consecutive strikes on transport hubs. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated that facilities outside Mecca and Medina "constitute a theatre of operations for our forces."

The warning followed repeated strikes on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which caused a passenger terminal fire and forced flight suspensions. Casualty reports indicate at least 12 to 13 people were killed and over 300 injured. A separate attack at Dammam airport in eastern Saudi Arabia killed one person and injured eight, while coalition forces reported shooting down four incoming drones.

US President Donald Trump described the assaults as "not acceptable," while the Saudi-led coalition pledged to retaliate against Houthi targets.

Sources: BBC News, France24, STV News, Sweden Herald, The Guardian.

Aleksandar Vučić officially resigned as President of Serbia on September 27, ending his second five-year term seven months ahead of schedule. Under Serbia's constitution, Vučić is barred from seeking a third consecutive term.

Former parliamentary speaker Ana Brnabić has taken over as acting president. Early presidential elections must now be organized within 90 days.

The resignation occurs shortly before snap parliamentary elections scheduled for October 25, following the dissolution of the national assembly and the appointment of an interim caretaker government.

Sources: Adevărul, Digi24, HotNews, TV8, Ziarul de Gardă.