Politics News: 31 October 2026

Alaska Senate candidate Mary Peltola denied involvement in an alleged ballot stacking scheme at a Friday rally, without mentioning ongoing investigations. The Justice Department accused her campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee of orchestrating a sham campaign and issued subpoenas to her offices and Dan J. Sullivan's.

Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered a state investigation, and the House Oversight Committee launched its own probe.

Premier Ben Carroll said a re-elected Labor government would double its pledge to open free dental clinics in Victoria, from 10 to 20 facilities, at a cost of $230 million. Opposition Leader Jess Wilson pledged to strengthen, expand and expedite workplace protection orders to keep violent and abusive offenders away from targeted workers. More than 4.6 million Victorians are on the electoral roll ahead of the November 28 state election.

Vucic lost Serbia's October 25 election to the Student List, which won 53 percent against 39 percent for his Serbian Progressive Party. Vucic accused the winners of revolutionary terror, citing the RTS director's resignation and senior editor dismissals. Citizens have removed his portraits from municipal buildings, while prosecutors opened investigations into electoral fraud and a commission is examining the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office.

Local US election officials are preparing for the possibility of violence and intimidation at polling booths during the midterm elections. The Trump administration has not ruled out deploying armed law enforcement officers, including ICE agents, to polling places. Denver chief election official Paul López said federal agents intimidating voters at the polls would be illegal under US federal law and should be arrested if they refuse orders.

China's anti-corruption campaign has punished at least 7.9 million party members and officials in its 14th year. At the fifth plenum of the 20th Central Committee, 33 members and alternate members were expelled, including 16 from the military. After a purge of senior generals, only two of the seven Central Military Commission members remain, including President Xi Jinping, leaving five seats empty.

Anthony Daniel Palazzolo, 42, was charged Friday in federal court in Michigan after allegedly sending a threatening Facebook message to an associate of FBI Director Kash Patel. In an October 8 message, Palazzolo allegedly wrote that he had put out a hit against the associate. A detention hearing is set for November 2, amid rising reports of threats against government officials and elected leaders.

Hundreds of thousands marched across France on Saturday for a third consecutive week over rising cost of living and school conditions. The interior ministry counted 320,000 nationwide, while student unions claimed half a million, including 200,000 in Paris. Authorities deployed 70,000 police and called the day generally calm, though clashes occurred in Marseille, Paris and Lyon.

Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed told former primary opponent Rep. Haley Stevens to stay away from his campaign events and removed her from a planned Sunday appearance with Rep. Jim Clyburn in Detroit. Stevens said she had accepted Clyburn's invitation and still expected El-Sayed to apologize over an ad that dramatized his criticism of Israel. El-Sayed said the dispute risks relitigating the August primary as he seeks to beat Mike Rogers.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Vladimir Putin's possible return to a December G20 summit in Florida risks normalizing Russia's war crimes in Ukraine. Putin has not confirmed attendance, and his last in person G20 meeting was in 2019. Kallas also hailed the U.S. approval of 500 Patriot interceptors for Ukraine and called on allies to toughen sanctions, while rebuffing Pentagon calls to soften criticism of the Kremlin.

Olivia Rodrigo handed flowers to Democratic Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton during a Friday concert in Columbus, wearing an Acton campaign shirt. The show of support came in a close race against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. Ramaswamy's campaign recently aired a controversial ad featuring Acton's estranged mother, who called her a liar and unfit for office. The ad was pulled after drawing criticism, including from Gov. Mike DeWine.

Police sealed off Die Zeil in Frankfurt after rioters smashed shop windows, looted stores and attacked officers following a Gen Z regelt demonstration. A firearms shop was targeted and arrests were made, while in Hamburg protesters threw fireworks at police, who used a water cannon. A senior police union representative said the protests had been largely peaceful, with clashes driven by individuals acting independently.

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei told military chiefs to give an immediate, impactful response without geographical limits if the United States resumes strikes after the November 3 midterms. He ordered commanders to update their target database so U.S. and Israeli assets are within reach. Reports say Washington notified some Arab countries to prepare for a short campaign, and the war has cost the U.S. about $47 billion.

Chancellor John Healey's budget introduced a preventative departmental expenditure limit, or PDEL, to ringfence spending whose future savings outweigh its initial cost. The rule will apply from the next spending review and is intended to stop long-term projects being raided for immediate needs. The Institute for Government said it could change how spending reviews are run, but departments are waiting for guidance on what qualifies.

Washington, D.C., and Virginia sued the National Parks Service and Interior Department to block President Trump's proposed triumphal arch on the border between D.C. and Virginia. The plaintiffs say it lacks congressional authorization and warn construction could outrun judicial review, as with the White House ballroom. Virginia's attorney general called the arch an affront to Arlington National Cemetery, where it would be located.

Evacuees from Russian-occupied Oleshky reached Ukrainian-controlled territory under a Kherson ceasefire, the most significant truce since Russia's 2022 invasion. The truce, expected to last through Sunday evening, allowed bus convoys to carry civilians out of the city, where an estimated 2,000 residents remained. Ukraine's human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets accompanied evacuees routed through Anapa and Homel.

A federal appeals court paused an Idaho ruling that would have allowed doctors to grant abortion exceptions to protect a mother's health. In a 2-1 decision, the 9th Circuit said the plaintiff was unlikely to show a constitutional right to a health-saving abortion after Dobbs. The pause affects an August district court order that had been limited to one plaintiff, Stacey Seyb.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was surprised by strong pushback from East Asian countries over a Franco-German plan to limit EU car subsidies to vehicles made in the EU, Switzerland and the UK. South Korea and Japan complained the rules risked new European protectionism. Merz said he would raise their concerns at the next EU leaders summit in Dublin on Nov. 13.

A New York Times/Siena poll shows Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts leading independent challenger Dan Osborn by 6 points, 49 percent to 43 percent, among likely Nebraska voters. Democrats backed Osborn, but 55 percent see him as more similar to Democrats than independent, in a state where 71 percent are dissatisfied with the Democratic Party. The poll was conducted Oct. 23 to 29 among 809 likely voters.

The Trump administration plans to send more than 150 Afghan refugees to Pakistan, where they are widely expected to be sent to Afghanistan, bypassing restrictions because the US has no diplomatic relations with the Taliban. Dozens have been detained in Louisiana, and the flight could depart as soon as Monday. Democrats called the plan a betrayal of Afghan allies, while the Supreme Court is set to rule on third-country deportations.

Former Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK must draw closer to Europe as the United States becomes a less reliable partner, warning that the shift under President Trump is unlikely to reverse. Speaking Friday at the British Irish Chamber of Commerce, he called for closer economic and security cooperation and said Brexit had done deep damage to the UK economy. He framed a stronger Europe as vital to meet threats from Russia and others.

The US Department of Justice asked a court to separate Alaska ballots ranking Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a candidate with the same name as Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, as part of a probe into possible voter confusion. The filing follows reporting that Mary Peltola's campaign recruited the other Sullivan, a claim her campaign denies. DOJ said the measures are needed before Election Day and asked a judge to expedite the request.

Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed accused former primary opponent Rep. Haley Stevens of relitigating their August primary after she said he should apologize over his response to a controversial anti-Israel ad. Stevens, who endorsed him, said the ad dramatized an argument he had made. El-Sayed said the focus should be on beating Republican Mike Rogers, who has courted disaffected Democrats, mainly Jewish voters.

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney said he expects to finalise an agreement making Canada the EU's first associate member by June. The two sides launched an Alliance for the Future after a Montreal summit, with initiatives on digital trade, critical minerals and artificial intelligence. Carney said the arrangement would help Canada and Europe withstand economic pressure, while Trump has threatened tariffs if he considers it unfriendly.

UK Chancellor John Healey said ministers will veto new offshore wind subsidy bids unless all generated power can be absorbed by the grid without raising consumer bills. He framed the rule as a credible route to clean power, but critics see a retreat from Labour's 2030 target after more than £3bn in energy department cuts. A September National Audit Office report warned homes and businesses could face a potential £7.8bn annual bill by 2030.

President Trump is planning telerallies in 19 states and is heading to the Midwest for two rallies he had previously said were cancelled. The G20 meeting in Atlanta continues after early tensions, while Democrats are sharpening their messaging this campaign season.

Former Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a woman to succeed President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, saying no woman has held Germany's presidency in its 77-year history. The Federal Convention will elect the next head of state on January 30, and Steinmeier cannot seek a third term. Several women are being discussed as possible candidates, but no candidate has yet been agreed upon.

Defence secretary Wes Streeting said he began stockpiling food and water weeks ago in case of a national emergency, after urging Britons to do the same. He said the UK must deter adversaries and be ready to defeat them if deterrence fails. Chancellor John Healey wants defence spending to reach 3% of GDP by 2030 and 3.5% by 2035, with departments asked to find 1% cuts to fund it.

An ICE agent was indicted in Texas after hitting a Mexican construction worker with his car in Houston on October 10. Mario Alberto Morales was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, accused of intentionally ramming the vehicle at Miguel Parra Hernandez, who broke his leg. ICE said the man ran in front of the car, but prosecutors said video contradicted that account, and Morales's lawyer called the crime invented.

President Karol Nawrocki pushed through protesters into Poland's Constitutional Tribunal shortly after midnight Saturday, escalating a dispute with Prime Minister Donald Tusk over judges. He told judges elected by Tusk's majority that they are not judges, and accused the government of forcibly seizing a constitutional institution. The crisis stems from efforts to reverse judicial changes made under the former Law and Justice government.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is viewed as a possible candidate for Marsha Blackburn's Tennessee Senate seat if she runs for governor, according to sources familiar with the matter. Hegseth is seen as a top oversight target if House Democrats win, and his support for the Iran war could become a liability after midterms. Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson dismissed the reports as beltway gossip.

Rising home heating costs are becoming a focus for Democratic Senate candidates in Maine, Alaska and New Hampshire. Residential heating oil has risen from an average of less than $4 per gallon before the Iran war to more than $6, and Democrats are narrowly favored to flip the Senate. Republican candidates are defending against claims that the war has inflated oil costs, with Susan Collins highlighting her opposition to the conflict.

Youth demonstrations across Germany on Saturday, organized by Gen Z regelt, focus on rejecting military conscription and demanding stronger climate protection. The group directly organized protests in Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt and Munich, with related demonstrations in some 30 other cities. Conservative politicians warned of violence, while Greens and Left Party leaders said the government is not taking young people seriously.

UN biodiversity talks in Yerevan ended with nearly 200 countries agreeing to accelerate the global biodiversity framework, but without resolving how to fund it. Negotiators could not agree on whether historically wealthy nations or newly rich states should bear more responsibility. Armenia's environment minister said negotiators achieved more than expected, while a former Canadian minister said the real test is turning words into action.

Chancellor John Healey's first budget added an extra two percentage points to income tax rates on savings and property income, on top of increases already announced by Rachel Reeves. The rates will be 24%, 44% and 49% from 6 April 2027, while the cash ISA limit for under-65s stays at £20,000. Advisers say the changes make it harder for savers to beat inflation, though allowances can protect some interest.

Changes to Syrian school textbooks have drawn criticism after illustrations were altered, including adding hijabs to drawn girls, removing images of women and children and covering statues. The revisions also affected lessons on political life, citizenship, democratic participation, local administration and the media. Critics are debating whether the changes remove former regime material or reshape how society is represented.

UK ministers are weighing tighter rules on consumer fireworks after a consultation on proposals that would make louder fireworks available only to professional users. Ministers have ruled out a complete ban but are considering expanding the list of fireworks banned for general sale and cutting the permitted decibel level from 120dB to 110dB.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is expected to announce her final decision on immigration rules for legal migrants next week. She had proposed extending the wait for permanent settlement from five years to 10, with some lower-paid migrants facing 15 years, but the proposals are likely to be revised for most social care workers. Most other workers are likely to need 10 years, with shorter waits for higher incomes or community contribution.

One Nation released a Halloween-themed cartoon depicting former Victorian premier Jacinta Allan as a witch, prompting Deputy Premier Gabrielle Williams to call it misogynistic. Federal leader Pauline Hanson made no apologies, saying she was glad Williams had seen it. The party's cartoons have also drawn criticism for making light of Senator Jacqui Lambie's vaginal prolapse, though Hanson later apologised for that one.

A Panama-flagged tanker carrying 27 Indian seafarers was hit by limpet mines in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire in the engine room. Indian Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said all Indian seafarers were safe, and UK Maritime Trade Operations said the fire was extinguished with no environmental impact. The attack marks the first known successful use of limpet mines in the waterway since the US-Iran war began in February.

Amit Shah challenges Rahul Gandhi to debate vote theft in Parliament. A gazette notification issued Friday set India's next population census for January 25 to February 28, 2027, with self-enumeration available from January 10 to 24.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard says four oil tankers, including a supertanker carrying more than two million barrels, hit mines and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after using unauthorised routes. Oman said it rescued 25 crew from a Panama-flagged tanker attacked near Musandam, and a tanker carrying 27 Indians was hit by limpet mines. The attacks raise shipping risks in a waterway Iran has claimed since the war began.

The UN peacekeeping mission MINURSO in Western Sahara is left in limbo after Russia and the United States vetoed each other's draft resolutions one day before the mandate expires. The US draft would have extended the mission for a year, made Morocco's autonomy plan the only basis for negotiations, cut its military component and renamed it MINUSO. Russia vetoed it, and the US then vetoed a Russian draft to renew the mission on previous terms.

The Albanese government banned federal agencies from buying promotional merchandise with taxpayer funds unless they seek approval, after entities spent more than $3.4 million last financial year. The rules, effective from July, require departments to report merchandise spending in annual reports. Defence spent more than $1.4 million, while the health department bought 40,000 condoms and anti-vaping items.

Former Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro said he fled to the United States because of persecution after losing Sunday's runoff to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He said he secretly left Brazil on Tuesday, arrived in Florida on Wednesday by private jet, and that his passports were cancelled in a money-laundering investigation. He plans to run for president before the next election in 2030.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the UK is open to a formal apology for its role in the transatlantic slave trade but ruled out financial reparations. He said he wants a dialogue with those affected and that Britain must face up to the past. The comments come ahead of a Commonwealth leaders summit in the Caribbean next week, where Caribbean nations have renewed calls for an apology and reparations.

A California federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to stop threatening election officials over noncitizen voting claims. Judge Trina Thompson issued a temporary restraining order in a case brought by unions representing California election workers, halting efforts to force workers to remove people from voter rolls, deny ballot requests or set aside ballots. The ruling comes as ballots have been issued and voting has begun.

Arab parties won a record 19 seats in Israel's 120-seat Knesset, up from 10 in the previous election, after a surge in turnout among Arab voters. Neither Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition nor Gadi Eisenkot's rival bloc secured a majority, leaving the Arab-majority parties in a position to help form government.

Susan Collins is making her long history of disagreements with President Trump central to her bid to keep Maine's Senate seat as the midterms near. She has opposed some DOGE cuts, voted against the Big Beautiful Bill, criticized Canada tariffs and supported Democrat-led resolutions to end the Iran war. Republicans see the Maine seat as crucial to retaining Senate control in a closer Senate battle, while polls show Trump unpopular in Maine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the US for approving the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 interceptors to Ukraine but warned deliveries may begin only in a few years. He urged partners to provide stocks now, in the winter of 2026 to 2027, and replenish them later. The State Department said the estimated $2.1 billion cost would be funded entirely by partners and allies.

A report from health research group KFF found the average cost of Obamacare health insurance will rise by 13 percent in 2027, following a 26 percent increase from 2025 to 2026. The estimate is based on 2027 prices released by the Trump administration for the 30 states with federal health insurance marketplaces, ahead of the 2027 enrollment period opening Sunday. Health care costs have become a key issue in the midterm elections.

European diplomats refused to join a family photo with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a G20 meeting in Atlanta, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio scrapped the photo before the talks began. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said there was no normalcy with Russia. The two-day meeting is a precursor to a G20 leaders summit in December that US President Trump is set to host in Miami.

The State Department approved on Friday a possible $2.1 billion sale of 500 Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine, funded entirely by U.S. partners and allies. Ukraine will pay with donations from Norway, Germany and Canada through the JUMPSTART program and national funds, with no U.S. funds involved. President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Patriot interceptors are paramount to shooting down Russian missiles and drones.

President Trump said Friday that the U.S. war against Iran will end soon, while he considers authorizing military strikes after the November midterm elections. He said the U.S. military will not strike before the midterms and that the United States needs a guarantee there will never be a nuclear weapon. The Pentagon said the conflict, which began in late February, has cost $47 billion.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has nearly three years before he must call an election and has repeatedly ruled out an early vote, but many MPs think one is possible. Some point to Chancellor John Healey's Budget measures, including £100 energy bill help and VAT cuts on electricity bills, as resembling a pre-election programme. The Liberal Democrats claim a 30 percent chance of a vote on 10 December, while Nigel Farage says one could come in May.