Nov 13, 2026, 04:00 PM UTC

Preparations for France's 2027 presidential election have accelerated following a broadcast featuring eight potential contenders, including Gabriel Attal, Raphaël Glucksmann, and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, focused on public services.

On the right, Les Républicains' Bruno Retailleau urged a joint primary even if former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe declines to join. Reconquête! leader Éric Zemmour formally confirmed his candidacy on national television before meeting with right-wing digital influencers. Former Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire criticized the early flood of candidates, noting they "poussent comme des champignons," while keeping his options open.

Meanwhile, La France Insoumise and Les Écologistes continue talks on a governing agreement ahead of a Green party vote on election strategy.

Sources: La Tribune, Le Figaro, Le Monde, Le Soir, Libération.

World leaders gathered in Antalya for the opening of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) summit, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned that humanity faces an unprecedented existential crisis. Addressing over 100 heads of state and government, Erdoğan urged immediate global action and fairer climate financing, stating that Turkey assumed the presidency to champion collective action.

Key participants included UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. However, Western European representation was limited, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen joined by leaders from Austria, Cyprus, Finland, Malta, and Slovenia. Side panels organized alongside the leadership sessions focused on strengthening the role of women and youth in climate governance.

Sources: Anadolu Ajansı (Anadolu Agency), Bianet, Cumhuriyet, Daily Sabah, TRT Haber.

Engineers at Microsoft are continuing efforts to resolve a widespread technical failure that disrupted Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook, Teams, Word, and Copilot, across more than 70 countries. The disruption, which began on Thursday evening, triggered nearly 130,000 incident reports on tracking site Downdetector at its peak.

Microsoft clarified that the blackout stemmed from an internal process error rather than a cyberattack. According to the company, a system responsible for establishing secure connections became overwhelmed, causing servers to freeze under heavy traffic loads. Although configuration adjustments and network rollbacks are underway, restoration efforts hit delays as newly restarted servers became unresponsive once user traffic resumed. The tech giant stated it is prioritizing recovery for life, safety, and government infrastructure.

Sources: The Guardian, The Herald, STV News, Cyprus Mail, BBC News

Leaked records from Russia's Rosstat registry indicate that nearly 500,000 Russian personnel have died in Ukraine since February 2022. According to analysis by Janis Kluge from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, monthly casualty rates exceeded 15,000 in late 2024 and early 2025. Reports also point to problematic military recruitment practices, including the enlistment of individuals with severe mental health conditions.

At the same time, European security services are increasing pressure on Russian proxy networks, highlighted by a Latvian state security raid targeting suspected operative Vasilijs Kovacovs near Riga. Meanwhile, reports indicate Moscow is seeking direct bilateral security talks with European NATO members. German ministries are reportedly examining a Russian working document outlining these terms, though sources aligned with the government have denied its existence.

Sources: Beta, Danas, Klix, N1, Vijesti

Regional stability remains precarious following a series of maritime incidents and ongoing political rhetoric involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.

According to statements from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, multiple commercial oil tankers experienced explosions and fires in the Strait of Hormuz after striking naval mines or encountering incidents while under U.S. military escort. Officials reported that the affected vessels carried millions of barrels of crude oil. Concurrently, Iranian state media indicated that authorities have not confirmed direct foreign missile strikes on domestic territory following reported explosions near Qeshm Island.

Diplomatic and military exchanges have also escalated. Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei stated that Tehran would target U.S. military facilities located in Europe if they are utilized for strikes against Iran. Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Israel's strategic mission regarding Iran is "still not complete."

Sources: Cyprus Mail, Daily Sabah, France24, Sweden Herald, Trend News Agency.