Nov 1, 2026, 05:30 PM UTC

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has rejected media reports claiming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought a military strike against Iran prior to the upcoming parliamentary election. Katz declared that Israel "at no point intended to initiate an attack on Iran" before polls open. The denial followed a report by broadcaster Channel 12 alleging an "unprecedented confrontation" between Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir over proposed pre-election military action.

Concurrently, Netanyahu instructed the military to prepare a complete lockdown of the West Bank following a shooting attack in Hebron that left several people injured. The security escalation and reported leadership tensions occur as Netanyahu campaigns for re-election in a closely contested vote, keeping national security at the forefront of the political debate.

Sources: Der Standard, DW, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau.

Romanian medical professionals are urging the Supreme Council for National Defence to intervene as childhood immunisation rates fall well below critical safety thresholds. Dr Gindrovel Dumitra, coordinator of the vaccinology group at the National Society of Family Medicine, stated that public misperceptions regarding vaccine safety are directly contributing to preventable fatalities.

Speaking to G4Media, Dumitra emphasized that safeguarding public health forms a core pillar of national defence and population protection. Healthcare leaders are advocating for high-level state intervention and a coordinated national response to rebuild trust in pediatric immunisation programs and counter medical misinformation.

Sources: G4Media

Montenegro's Court of Appeal has confirmed a lower court ruling against businessman Duško Knežević and several co-defendants, formalizing an earlier judicial decision in a high-profile financial crime case.

Following the ruling, Knežević's legal representatives renewed demands for a thorough review of all indictments issued during the tenure of former Chief Special Prosecutor Milivoje Katnić. Defense attorneys maintain that an independent audit of Katnić's prosecutorial record is necessary to guarantee institutional fairness and correct alleged procedural irregularities in prior cases.

Knežević, who was extradited to Montenegro earlier this year, continues to reject all allegations against him as several other legal proceedings remain pending.

Sources: Dan

Authorities in Poland and Hungary are confronting heightened security concerns following a series of violent incidents and threats targeting educational institutions. In Poland, public alarm has grown after three violent attacks occurred within a single week, including an incident at a Warsaw higher education facility where a 21-year-old student wounded three people before being disarmed by staff. The wave of violence, along with recent detentions of minors suspected of planning attacks, has triggered intense debate regarding school safety and administrative failures.

Concurrently, Hungarian police are investigating hoax bomb threats emailed to media outlets claiming explosives were planted in over 70 educational institutions nationwide, mirroring similar threats reported in Northern Ireland. Local authorities across both countries are currently re-evaluating safety protocols.

Sources: 444, HVG, Rzeczpospolita, Telex, TVP info

Romania's Ministry of Environment is preparing to launch the Casa Verde Baterii program in October with a budget between 400 and 500 million lei for residential energy storage. Replacing the former first-come, first-served allocation, the revised scheme introduces a scoring model based on applicant co-financing and storage capacity.

While some media reports highlighted families successfully lowering utility bills through state-subsidized installations, applicants face persistent administrative hurdles. Beneficiaries report long waiting periods, excessive bureaucracy, and installer quotes priced up to 100,000 lei above market rates. Furthermore, prosumer groups strongly criticized draft rules excluding households with existing batteries, calling the restriction "e de neînțeles".

Sources: Adevărul, Economedia, HotNews, Moldova1, Ziarul de Gardă.