Harry Kane Wins 2026 Men's Ballon d'Or Award
Harry Kane has been named the 2026 men's Ballon d'Or winner, becoming the first English player to receive football's most prestigious individual award since Michael Owen in 2001. The England and Bayern Munich striker was crowned at a ceremony in London's Palladium Theatre after scoring 73 goals for club and country last season, finishing ahead of Barcelona's Lamine Yamal and Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappé.
Kane's victory ends a 25‑year wait for an English men's winner and makes him the first Bundesliga‑based player since Matthias Sammer to claim the trophy, marking a remarkable turnaround for a striker once mocked as the most famous player never to win a trophy. In the women's award, Barcelona forward Alexia Putellas secured her third Ballon d’Or. Kane also confirmed that Bayern coach Vincent Kompany remains in hospital recovering from a recent collapse, with assistant Aaron Danks set to continue leading the team.
Israeli Election Deadlocked as Netanyahu Faces Uncertain Outcome
Israel's pivotal general election has ended with no clear winner, leaving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political future uncertain. Exit polls after the polls closed on Tuesday suggested the anti‑Netanyahu bloc was either narrowly ahead of or tied with the prime minister’s coalition, and neither camp secured the 61 seats needed for a majority in the Knesset. Voter turnout reached 77.7 percent, the highest in more than two decades, in the first election since the October 7, 2023 Hamas‑led attacks.
Projections varied: one count put opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot's bloc at 52 seats to Netanyahu's 50, while another showed the two camps tied at 51 seats each. Eisenkot has vowed to move quickly to form a government, saying voters rejected Netanyahu's divisive rule, though coalition-building negotiations are expected to stretch for weeks. Netanyahu had framed the contest as a 'matter of life and death' and spent election day urging supporters to vote.
The election also saw a surge in support for Palestinian Arab parties, with early indications suggesting they could win up to 18 seats and record turnout of around 80 percent among Palestinian citizens of Israel. Analysts note that the larger Arab‑Israeli bloc may reshape coalition arithmetic and could become decisive if a unity or anti‑Netanyahu government is pursued.
Two Men Charged Over RAF Fairford Security Incident
British prosecutors have charged two men with national security offences following an incident in September at RAF Fairford, the Gloucestershire air base used by the United States for strikes on Iran. Mohmed Ahmad Abdulkarim, 24, and Nouman Essghir, 24, were charged under the National Security Act 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
Abdulkarim, described as British Iranian, is accused of assisting a foreign intelligence service, which police believe to be Iran's. Essghir, a British citizen, is charged with entering a prohibited place. Both men face court proceedings under the new security legislation.
Alexander Brothers Sentenced to 30 Years for Sex Trafficking
Real estate heirs Oren, Alon and Tal Alexander were each sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for sex trafficking, after they were convicted of drugging and raping dozens of women over decades. Prosecutors said the twins Oren and Alon, 39, and older brother Tal, 40, exploited the wealth and influence of their family's luxury real estate firm to target victims.
Federal prosecutors had asked for life imprisonment, while the defence requested 15 years. The judge imposed 30-year terms on each brother.
Grand Jury Declines to Indict Cassidy Hutchinson
A federal grand jury in Washington has refused to indict former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson on charges of lying to Congress about her testimony regarding the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, according to people familiar with the matter. Federal prosecutors had sought the indictment, making the decision the latest setback in the Justice Department's push to charge figures tied to the Trump-era investigations.
Justice Department asks Washington to set aside 400 ballots
The Justice Department has asked Washington state election officials to set aside ballots from roughly 400 voters it alleges are not U.S. citizens. Federal prosecutors sent a letter to the secretary of state with a list of names, the latest in a series of administration demands targeting states with competitive midterm races.
The move follows a similar request in California. Election experts say noncitizen voting is exceptionally rare.
Cyclone Arnab Approaches India's Eastern Coast
Cyclone Arnab is making landfall on India's eastern coast after intensifying into a very severe cyclonic storm, bringing gusting winds and heavy rain to several coastal areas. Authorities evacuated tens of thousands of people ahead of the storm, with up to 400,000 identified as needing evacuation.
Ted Bundy Linked to 1974 Utah Teen Murder
Utah investigators have linked the 1974 killing of 17-year-old Melissa Ann Smith to serial killer Ted Bundy through DNA evidence, state authorities announced. Smith disappeared that year and her nude body was found days later; advances in forensic science and DNA connections to another Bundy victim helped close the case.
The breakthrough comes months after detectives confirmed Bundy was responsible for the death of another Utah girl in 1974.
Flávio Bolsonaro Reportedly Leaves Brazil for United States
Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, has reportedly left Brazil for the United States following his father's election defeat, even as police demanded he surrender his passports. A police source said the passports had been cancelled and that there was no formal record of him leaving the country.
Earlier, Flávio Bolsonaro posted a video saying police had ordered him to hand over the passports amid an investigation linked to the family.