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October 25: Serbia’s Election and the Shooting Near Florida A&M
In Serbia
Serbia is holding an early parliamentary election after two years of student-led anti-corruption protests. The student movement is challenging longtime leader Aleksandar Vučić and campaigning against corruption and authoritarianism. Polls show a tight race, with the vote testing his grip on a political system he has dominated for more than a decade.
In the West Bank
Israel says it will close all land crossings with the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, when Israelis vote in a general election. The military has also announced restrictions on Palestinian workers’ movement ahead of the vote. A lockdown in Hebron continues.
Cocaine-linked crime in Britain
A Guardian investigation finds that police forces across Britain recorded a 10 percent increase in crime associated with cocaine since 2019, including assaults, domestic abuse and dangerous driving. Separately, the Home Office estimates that cocaine use at sites across England has risen 26 percent since 2021.
The shooting near Florida A&M
Police say twelve people, including six children, were injured Saturday night near Florida A&M University during Homecoming Week. Eleven suffered gunshot wounds. One victim was in critical condition and two were seriously injured. The youngest was eleven. Tallahassee police say preliminary information points to an altercation before the gunfire. No arrests had been announced as of their latest update.
Britain’s war preparedness
Wes Streeting says Britain must be ready for war within a thousand days amid fears of conflict with Russia. Labour’s “Be Ready” campaign advises people to keep three days of emergency supplies, including canned food and bottled water. The party has also outlined tougher criminal penalties for tampering with undersea internet cables or energy pipelines.
The U.S. flu season
The CDC says the 2026–2027 flu season is starting early, with infections growing or likely growing in 44 states as of October 21. National activity remains low, and H1N1 accounts for most cases. Johns Hopkins virologist Andrew Pekosz says a new mutation may help the virus evade existing immunity, but its effects on spread and severity are unclear. Doctors are urging vaccination.
New York’s archdiocese
The Archdiocese of New York is nearing an $800 million sexual abuse settlement covering about 1,300 survivors, according to The New York Times. The agreement would also require public identification of clergy members and lay leaders credibly accused of abuse.
Protests in France
Hundreds of thousands demonstrated across France, with nearly a thousand people arrested as clashes followed another day of mass protests.
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