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Sunday, October 4, 2026

Bosnia Election 2026: 3.4 Million Voters Cast Ballots Amid Political Crisis

Edited by: Natalie Muller Polls closed in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday evening, with around 3.4 million voters eligible to take part in the Balkan country's general election. Citizens are electing officials across multiple tiers of government, including members of the multiethnic, tripartite presidency. They will also choose lawmakers for the federal parliament and the heads of institutions for the country's two largely autonomous entities — the Muslim-Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Serb-run Republika Srpska. The election comes at a time when the country is struggling with a number of challenges. There's been an economic slowdown, sluggish progress toward EU membership, and a long-drawn-out political gridlock, with the ethnically based dominant parties from the two entities repeatedly stalling decisions by the weak central government that links them. The election will see adversary ethnic parties, the Bosniak SDA, Serb SNSD and Croat HDZ BiH, pitted against multi-ethnic opposition coalitions led by the Social Democratic Party. Polls closed at 7 p.m. local time (1700 GMT), with preliminary results expected to be released late Sunday. <h2>What is the system that governs Bosnia-Herzegovina?</h2> The economic, administrative and political responsibilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina are divided between the multiethnic central government, two semi-autonomous entities, and the self-governing neutral Brcko district. Both entities are further split into several cantons and communities. The complicated framework — divided along ethnic lines — was set up during the US-brokered 1995 Dayton Peace Accords, following the 1992-95 Bosnian war which was triggered by the breakup of Yugoslavia. <h2>Simmering ethnic tensions</h2> Currently in Bosnia and Herzegovina's populace, around half are Muslim Bosniaks, while 31% are Orthodox Serb and 15% are Catholic Croat. The country has been peaceful in recent years but its ethnonationalist parties have kept the divisions alive even as voters say they want to move on from the war-era rhetoric and division. <h2>Milorad Dodik not on the ballot but still dominant in Republika Srpska</h2> In Republika Srpska, secessionist leader Milorad Dodik of the SNSD party remains the key figure despite not being on the ballot. Dodik, the former president of the Serb-majority entity, is barred from holding public office for six years after being convicted of defying the top international envoy overseeing the 1995 peace process. Dodik-backed Savo Minic is running for the Republika Srpska's presidency. Dodik wants close &zwnj;ties with Serbia and Russia. He has just returned from Moscow where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Bosnia and Herzegovina is dead, it is an impossible country," Dodik told supporters at the final rally of his in Banja Luka on Friday. <h2>What is happening in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina?</h2> In the Muslim-Croat federation, Bosniak parties are advocating for a stronger central state. The main Bosniak SDA party is focused on efforts to keep the country united against Serb separatism. Bosnian Croats are also largely backing their ethnic parties, including the Bosnian branch of Croatia's ruling conservative Croatian Democratic Union. Meanwhile, Denis Becirovic, the incumbent Bosniak presidency member, has vowed a renewed path to the EU and NATO. <h2>EU ambitions</h2> Bosnia and Herzegovina has been a candidate for EU membership since 2022. But the actual start of membership talks depends on the prior implementation of numerous reforms, including strengthening judicial oversight and passing anti-corruption laws. Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/bosnia-election-2026-3-4-million-voters-cast-ballots-amid-political-crisis-1869741

Brazil Votes In Tight Presidential Race As Lula Faces Bolsonaro In Likely Runoff

Edited by: Sean Sinico Voting began in Brazil's presidential election on Sunday, with leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva seeking a fourth non-consecutive term and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro seeking to continue the right-wing populist movement started by his father, Jair Bolsonaro. Polls have predicted a tight race between the two leading candidates, with neither likely to win more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff that would take place on October 25. Lula and Bolsonaro wrapped up their campaigns on Saturday in Brazil's economic powerhouse state of Sao Paulo. <h2>Lula vows to 'defeat the far-right'</h2> The 80-year-old Lula capped off his campaign with a tour through the city of Sao Paulo, vowing to "defeat the far right." Organizers said some 150,000 of Lula's supporters turned up for the rally in Brazil's largest city. Lula has campaigned on continuing his left-leaning Workers' Party platform, comprising welfare programs, state-funded development and income redistribution. "The people will have to choose between strengthening the democratic regime and barbarism ... between progress and backwardness," he said as he cast his ballot on Sunday. <h2>Bolsonaro calls for 'change'</h2> Flavio Bolsonaro, 45, has served as the Liberal Party's senator for Rio de Janeiro since 2019. On Saturday, he led a motorcycle parade through Sao Paulo's countryside cities of Santa Barbara d'Oeste and Americana. He also held up a portrait of his father, while the crowd shouted "mito" — a Portuguese word for "legend" that Jair Bolsonaro's supporters use to refer to him. The right-wing Bolsonaro has campaigned on hardline security policies and tax cuts, emphasizing high cost of living under Lula, who he has slammed as "incompetent." "Brazil needs change," the son of the former president said as he cast his vote. "Brazil cannot bear any more suffering, such as high taxes, so many women killed." <h2>Brazil's 2022 election rematch</h2> The elder Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year sentence in prison for attempting a coup to overturn his loss to Lula in the 2022 presidential election. Flavio Bolsonaro has vowed to pardon his father if elected. Lula's team has cast the Bolsonaro movement as a threat to Brazil's sovereignty, pointing to Flavio and Jair's ties with US President Donald Trump, who last year slapped a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports in response to Jair Bolsonaro's coup trial. The US president called the case a "witch hunt." The younger Bolsonaro has said in interviews he is "more moderate" than his father, who he has nevertheless said will remain "my compass, my point of reference." Policies where both Bolsonaros are similar include relaxed gun control laws and skepticism of human-caused climate change. Trump has not endorsed the senator, but has said he is watching the election "very closely." <h2>What happens next?</h2> Brazil finds itself politically divided, and campaigning has been bitter, with online operations from both sides seizing on every gaffe, accusation and rumor, quickly producing slick videos or AI-generated images for social media. In September, it was revealed Bolsonaro is under investigation for alleged corruption, money laundering and tax evasion tied to the financing of a biopic about his father. He has denied any misconduct. The latest polling for the first round of voting shows Lula at 46% and Bolsonaro at 45%, according to the Brazilian data intelligence and public opinion research firm Quaest cited by Reuters news agency. In the case of a run-off, the Quaest poll shows Lula at 42% and Bolsonaro at 44%. In 2022, Lula beat Jair Bolsonaro by only 1.8 percentage points. Along with voting for president, Brazil's 160 million registered voters are also choosing other lawmakers, governors, and some senators. If you rely on our team for trusted reporting, please take a moment to select us as your Preferred Source on Google, so you'll always see our verified news first. (Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live.)

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/brazil-votes-in-tight-presidential-race-as-lula-faces-bolsonaro-in-likely-runoff-1869738

Saturday, October 3, 2026

Netanyahu invites Indian pilot Machchhar to Israel's I-Day event, calls him 'hero' of entire world

Dubai, Oct 4 (PTI): Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday spoke with Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, calling him a "hero" of the entire world for foiling an alleged attempt by his co-pilot to crash an Israel-bound flydubai flight.Netanyahu spoke to the pilot, who is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in the UAE, and also invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Machchhar to light a flame on Israeli Independence Day."It's our highest honour that we give on our Independence Day. It's usually reserved for Israeli citizens, but I think here in this case, all the citizens of Israel will embrace you. They do now, and they will then too. So we hope to see you very soon in Israel," Netanyahu said during his conversation with 38-year-old Machchhar."You are a hero for Israel, India, and the entire world. I invite Prime Minister @NarendraModi and you to light a flame on Israeli Independence Day," the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel posted on X."During the emotional conversation that took place this evening, the Prime Minister asked Captain Machchhar how it all started, and Machchhar revealed new details about the terrifying moments in the cockpit," the post read.On flydubai flight FZ1073 on Wednesday, Machchhar was attacked by his co-pilot with a crash axe, typically kept in the cockpit for use in emergencies, seriously injuring him.The flight, carrying 174 passengers, transmitted emergency signals and made a rapid descent of more than 17,000 feet from 34,000 feet.In a phone call with Netanyahu, Machchhar told him that before the attack, the co-pilot wanted to pray."...while he was praying, out of respect, I was just looking at the front and not at the back, and suddenly, after, I would say about four-five minutes, there was a big blow to the back of my head."My first thought was that there was catastrophic damage to the aircraft and something was not right. But then after that, the blows kept coming one after the other, and that's when I realised that it's not the aircraft, it's the other guy who was in the cockpit with me," Machchhar said.Netanyahu told him he was "amazed at his courage" and "at your coolness of judgment under impossible conditions.""You saved so many souls. I think you saved something bigger. You saved the spirit of the world...It's something that is being justly hailed around the world. You're a hero of Israel. You're a hero of India. You're a hero of the entire world," Netanyahu told Machchhar."You know, I guess it's a twist of fate, and a twist of faith, and what you did is remarkable. I heard, of course, from the Israeli passengers what transpired after that, and you're a great hero, and you were accompanied by heroes, and you saved the day," Netanyahu said.The plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a descent so extreme that part of the rudder was torn away.The co-pilot who attacked Machchhar has been identified as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, the Wall Street Journal reported, quoting people familiar with the matter.After receiving initial treatment in Tabuk, Machchhar was shifted to Abu Dhabi for continued medical care. PTI AMS MNKMNK(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/netanyahu-invites-indian-pilot-machchhar-to-israel-s-i-day-event-calls-him-hero-of-entire-world-1869614

UK: 2 Iranians Charged Over Alleged Plot To Attack Jewish Targets In Manchester

Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko Two Iranian nationals charged with plotting acts of terrorism against the United Kingdom's Jewish community were remanded in custody by a court in London on Saturday. The pair were detained on September 20, the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. The case only came to light on Friday when the two men were charged, just days after another terror plot, which the UK has linked to Iran, was foiled. <h2>What do we know about the case?</h2> Prosecutor Mark Luckett told Westminster Magistrates' Court that Rahman S., 34, and Salam &zwnj;A., 36, are accused of carrying out "hostile reconnaissance" on Jewish targets in Manchester, in northern England. He said the two men planned to use a "homemade explosive device" and had allegedly been in contact with a third party, an Iranian national, most likely operating from within Iran. The contact is alleged to have given the pair instructions on how &zwnj;to put together a homemade device from chlorine and brake fluid, the court heard. Luckett said the two suspects had used online resources, including images, plans and maps, to identify and research potential attack sites. He told the court that the targets included the Manchester Jewish Museum and the Heaton Park synagogue, where two Jewish worshippers were killed in a knife attack a year ago on Friday. The two Iranian suspects had arrived in Britain in small boats that crossed the English Channel from mainland Europe, Luckett added. One had been granted asylum, while the other's application is still pending, the court heard. The pair did not enter a plea and were remanded in custody until their next hearing at London's Old Bailey on October 23. Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator of counterterror policing, said the plot was believed to be isolated and there was no ongoing public threat. <h2>Police find no link to RAF Fairford plot</h2> Evans also said the Manchester plot was "not connected in any way" to the suspected terror plot at RAF Fairford last weekend, which Prime Minister Andy Burnham said showed "strong indications" of Iranian involvement. Also on Saturday, police said a dual British-Iranian national, arrested on Thursday in connection with the RAF Fairford plot, was released on police bail. The 25-year-old was the sixth person arrested and then bailed as the investigation continues. Police said the five other men held are all British nationals in their 20s and from London. Police uncovered the RAF Fairford plot when a farmer spotted suspicious white vans near the base early on Sunday morning and called the authorities. Officers found petrol inside the vans, but no explosives. UK media reported this week that one of the suspects dialled the police about an hour earlier, though that has not been confirmed. Tehran has rejected as baseless accusations of targeting RAF Fairford, which lies 90 miles (145 kilometers) west of London and has been used by US bombers to strike Iran. The UK remains on high alert for potential threats from Russia and Iran. Iran has previously used proxies to commit crimes on British soil, including repeated attacks and plots against Jewish targets, as well as against dissidents. Antisemitic attacks more broadly have risen sharply since Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023. Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/uk-2-iranians-charged-over-alleged-plot-to-attack-jewish-targets-in-manchester-1869607

Flydubai Attack: What We Know About Omani Co-Pilot Hamam Al-Hammami

The investigation into the alleged cockpit attack on a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv has brought renewed scrutiny on the background of the Omani co-pilot accused of attacking Indian captain Smit Machchhar. The co-pilot has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, CNN reported, citing an Israeli official and Saudi state media. He is currently in the UAE and is being investigated over the incident, including whether it had any connection to terrorism. Reports by CNN, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Associated Press (AP) and ABC News have since shed light on al-Hammami’s employment history and his alleged links to extremist material. <h2>What Reports Say About His Time At Oman Air</h2> Al-Hammami spent nearly seven years working for Oman Air. According to the Associated Press (AP), Oman Air had prevented him from flying because of concerns over extremist views. However, it remained unclear how closely flydubai scrutinised his background before employing him. ABC News reported that extremist material was found in al-Hammami’s possession in 2024, when he was training to become a co-pilot at Oman Air. Despite the discovery, he was retained by the airline in an administrative capacity but was removed from flight training. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_B9mMeQoXy0?si=xumfgrzpPQw2U_0u" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> The reports do not identify the material allegedly found in his possession or detail the specific views that raised concerns. There is also a discrepancy over the timing. ABC News places the discovery in 2024, while CNN’s account and the employment dates on his LinkedIn profile suggest it may have happened in 2025. <h2>From Oman Air To Royal Air Maroc And Flydubai</h2> A LinkedIn profile that has since been deleted and was in al-Hammami’s name said he left Oman Air in February 2025 after nearly seven years with the airline. The profile listed a subsequent stint at Royal Air Maroc, where he reportedly joined in June 2025 and left in January 2026. CNN said a source familiar with the matter confirmed that the profile belonged to al-Hammami. An Israeli official told CNN that he had been working with flydubai for about eight months. WSJ reported that despite the concerns surrounding his previous employment, flydubai hired him. This eventually placed him on the UAE-Israel route, despite Oman not recognising Israel. ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/pakistan-summons-indian-envoy-over-killing-of-2-men-at-punjab-border-1869590">Pakistan Summons Indian Envoy Over Killing Of 2 Men At Punjab Border</a> <h2>Omani Citizen Born In UAE</h2> Al-Hammami is an Omani citizen who was born in the UAE. His father was Omani and his mother was Syrian. According to a report by Al Arabiya English, al-Hammami spent considerable time outside Oman, particularly in Syria, where he was influenced by extremist ideas before eventually moving to the UAE. His LinkedIn profile also stated that he had studied aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University in England. CNN reported that the university confirmed that a man with his name had completed a three-year distance-learning programme and graduated in 2023. The Jerusalem Post, citing sources close to the investigation, reported that al-Hammami does not hold a second nationality. <h2>UAE, Israel Investigate Alleged Attack</h2> Saudi Arabia handed al-Hammami over to the UAE on Thursday. Sources cited by ABC News said he was cooperating with investigators and has claimed that he intended to crash the aircraft in Israel. The UAE attorney general has opened an investigation into whether the incident was connected to “terrorist activity”, CNN reported, citing the state-run WAM news agency. The incident has also prompted an investigation in Israel. Agencies including Shin Bet and Mossad are examining how an Omani citizen came to be part of the aircraft’s crew. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said al-Hammami underwent “Islamist radicalisation” and that Israeli authorities are investigating whether anyone had sent him. CNN said investigators are examining his employment history, education and social media activity as they try to determine how he ended up in the cockpit of a flight bound for Israel. Flydubai told CNN that it could not comment while the investigation was ongoing. ABC News reported that the airline has suspended flights to Tel Aviv until further notice. ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/gulfstream-jet-with-6-on-board-vanishes-en-route-from-bermuda-to-boston-1869594">Gulfstream Jet With 6 On Board Vanishes En Route From Bermuda To Boston</a>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/flydubai-attack-what-we-know-about-omani-co-pilot-hamam-al-hammami-1869602

Friday, October 2, 2026

Canadian minister to lead 300-member Trade Mission to India this month

Washington, Oct 2 (PTI): Canada’s Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu on Friday said he was heading to India later this month with a 300 strong business delegation to explore opportunities across sectors in the world’s fastest-growing markets. Sidhu, who met Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in Milwaukee on Thursday, said India and Canada will start another round of talks with negotiators from New Delhi as part of efforts to conclude the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement by the end of the year. India and Canada announced a bilateral trade deal in March this year with an aim to expand the bilateral trade between the two countries to USD 70 billion by 2030. “After wrapping up the fourth round of negotiations in Mumbai, I met again with Minister Piyush Goyal at the G20 ahead of the next round beginning October 5 to advance negotiations to conclude towards a deal before the end of this year,” Sidhu said in a post on X. The next round of negotiations on the CEPA are scheduled to start in Ottawa. “With more than Canadian dollars 30 billion in two-way trade today and a shared goal of reaching Canadian dollars 70 billion by 2030, there is significant room to grow the trade and investment relationship between our two countries,” Sidhu said. The Canadian minister said he was leading a Team Canada Trade Mission to India this month to explore opportunities across sectors in India. “That’s why this month I am leading a Team Canada Trade Mission to India, bringing close to 300 Canadian delegates from businesses across key sectors to make connections, find new customers and pursue opportunities in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets,” Sidhu said. He said from critical minerals and energy to agriculture, technology and other sectors where Canada is a global leader, we are helping Canadian companies build partnerships and grow in India. In a separate post on X, Goyal said he had a “productive meeting” with the Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu and reviewed the ongoing negotiations for the India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The India-Canada CEPA was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in March to take bilateral trade to USD 50 billion by 2030. “Building on our recent meeting in Mumbai, we reaffirmed our commitment to expediting negotiations and working towards an early conclusion of the agreement,” Goyal said. PTI SKU GSP GSP(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/canadian-minister-to-lead-300-member-trade-mission-to-india-this-month-1869461

Iran Blocks SIM Cards Of Critics, Cutting Access To Banking, Government Services: Report

In Iran, cell phone numbers are a key tool for digital identity verification and access to banking, judicial, administrative and insurance services, as well as many everyday activities. As a result, disconnecting a SIM card can do more than block calls and text messages. It can also cut off access to a wide range of digital services. Some Iranians said the restrictions on their cell phones were accompanied by the blocking of user accounts and access to banking and government services. They said access was restored only after they deleted critical content or pledged to stop participating in protest-related activities. DW spoke to three people in Iran about the issue. They have used pseudonyms out of concern for their safety. <h2>'Six hours of interrogation'</h2> Sina told DW that he realized his SIM card had been disconnected while returning from university and trying to book a taxi by phone. The 25-year-old said that after visiting a telecommunications center, he received a call from someone claiming to be from the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IO-IRGC), who instructed him to go to a specified location to have his SIM card reconnected. Sina said he was interrogated for about six hours and that his mobile phone was confiscated. He said the return of his SIM card and phone was made conditional on signing a pledge expressing "remorse" for his activist activities and online "propaganda against the system." He said he was also required to publish posts supporting the Islamic Republic to "prove his brotherhood with the system." Several hours later, he said, his family discovered that posts on his Instagram account had been deleted. Only one remained, stating that "the activities of the page are in accordance with the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran." A month later, he said, he had still not received his SIM card or mobile phone back and was unable to access his social media accounts. Sorour, a 41-year-old translator at an official translation office in Tehran, said that after her SIM card was disconnected, she went to a location designated by the IO-IRGC, where she was interrogated for hours about her activities on Instagram and X. Sorour said she was told to make her account private and pledge to refrain from activities critical of the authorities, including advocating for political prisoners, protesting executions and supporting demonstrators during nationwide anti-government protests that began in late December 2025. Mina, who lives in Isfahan, said she was summoned by an institution she identified as the IRGC Intelligence Organization after posting a comment supporting one of the country's political currents under a post by a foreign-based news outlet. The 63-year-old said her SIM card and national identification card were blocked after she refused to comply with the summons. According to Mina, the restrictions disrupted her access to bank transfers, administrative systems, online purchases and services that require electronic identity verification and one-time passwords. She told DW she had also been denied access to Sana, the judiciary's electronic system, and was therefore unable to determine whether a case or charges had been filed against her. <h2>SIM cards: the key to digital life in Iran</h2> Several other Iranian citizens also posted similar complaints on social media. Zia Nabavi, a former political prisoner, said in an Instagram post that his SIM card had been suddenly disconnected. He said he discovered the issue while at a doctor's office, where he needed access to his mobile phone and banking text messages. "For a long time, I have come to the conclusion that the government's policy toward critics and opponents is to apply pressure that pushes them toward obedience or withdrawing from their activities," Nabavi wrote. Reyhaneh Saeedi, a physician and activist, also said on Instagram that her SIM card has been blocked for months and that this is the second time she has faced such restrictions. She said the measure has effectively prevented her from practicing medicine, issuing prescriptions and renewing her Medical Council and medical office licenses. Saeedi said her identification card had also been deactivated. She added that no ruling had been formally served on her, she had not been informed of any charges or judicial proceedings, and her efforts to determine the reason for the restrictions had yielded no results. Actress Shaghayegh Dehghan said on Instagram that her SIM card had been blocked and that she did not know which institution or authority was behind the move. <h2>Cutting communications</h2> The disconnection of SIM cards and other digital restrictions has become part of a broader set of tools that the Islamic Republic has used over the past four decades to exert pressure on opponents, critics, journalists, and civil and human rights activists. The Defending Free Flow of Information (DeFFI) organization reported in 2025 that journalists and activists had their SIM cards blocked without judicial orders. The measures have raised concerns about the powers exercised by security institutions to deny citizens access to communication tools and essential services. They have also highlighted the absence of a clear accountability mechanism, leaving those affected with no obvious avenue to challenge the restrictions or seek an explanation. Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/iran-blocks-sim-cards-of-critics-cutting-access-to-banking-government-services-report-1869456