Israel recorded its highest early voter turnout since 1973 in a closely contested election. The result could force rivals towards a national unity government.Image used for representational purposes onlyNewdelhi,Oct 27, 2026 20:48 ISTIsrael recorded a high voter turnout in its crucial general election on Tuesday, with nearly 45 per cent of voters casting their ballots by 2 pm, the highest level since the 1973 polls, news agency Press Trust of India reported.Surveys predicted a close contest between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival, former army chief Gadi Eisenkot.
Netanyahu urged right-wing supporters to "wake up" and vote for his Likud party, warning of a high turnout among Arab voters.Experts said the election could produce three possible outcomes, including a national unity government, if neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot secured a majority in the parliamentary polls.Israel also put in place an extensive logistical operation for the election. It included thousands of accessible polling stations, a nationwide network of cameras and free intercity transport.
More than 7.3 million eligible voters were set to elect the 120-member Knesset, according to PTI. In developments elsewhere, India said any reform of the United Nations Security Council that created a new category of permanent members without veto powers would effectively relegate them to "second-class" status.
It said such a system would leave the five existing permanent members in control of the decision-making process.In the United States, a bipartisan group of lawmakers warned American banks, port authorities and fuel distributors that importing Russian diesel could lead to legal action and congressional investigations. A survey found that at least 25 per cent of South Asian Americans who voted for US President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election planned to support Democratic candidates in the November 3 midterm elections, PTI reported.The White House also completed its review of a proposal to modernise the permanent labour certification process, known as PERM.
The process is considered the first step for sponsoring foreign workers for a green card.Meanwhile, the chiefs of the paramilitary forces of India and Nepal were set to meet in Kathmandu for two days to discuss security and cross-border crimes, officials said, according to PTI.In Nepal, a German climber died while descending from the 6,812-metre Mt Ama Dablam after successfully reaching the summit. Expedition officials said it was the first reported death on the mountain during the current climbing season.The developments ranged from Israel's closely contested election and its extensive polling arrangements to India's position on UN Security Council reform, US action involving Russian diesel and foreign workers, India-Nepal security talks, and a climbing death in Nepal.With PTI Inputs- Ends