Israel Election Deadlock, Alexander Brothers Sentenced, & Mama Bear Award

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Adam Rogers
October 28, 2026

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Israel’s election produced no clear winner Tuesday. Projections from partial results Wednesday put Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc at 54 seats and the main opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot at 49. Arab-led parties were projected to win 17. Neither main bloc reached the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member parliament.
Neither bloc can reach a majority without support from other parties. Arab-led parties could provide that support. Netanyahu rejects a coalition dependent on them while Eisenkot has left that possibility open under conditions that some prospective coalition partners oppose.
President Isaac Herzog will consult party leaders and select a candidate to attempt to assemble a coalition. If negotiations fail another election could follow while Netanyahu’s government continues as caretaker. Tuesday’s vote was Israel’s first national election since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks in 2023.

Microsoft offered voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees Monday as the company expands its investment in artificial intelligence. The eligible group represents roughly 27% of its global workforce.
The buyouts are intended to reduce staffing costs and help fund Microsoft’s heavy investment in AI infrastructure. Employees who accept will receive a package comparable to Microsoft’s standard severance, including pay based on tenure and level plus continued stock vesting and temporary healthcare coverage. They have until early December to decide and would leave by year-end.
The offer extends beyond administrative roles to employees working on Copilot and other AI products alongside Windows and Xbox. It follows 4,800 job cuts in July and hundreds more in September. Microsoft has not disclosed a target for departures; the 60,000 figure reflects eligibility rather than planned job cuts.

The Alexander brothers each received 30-year prison sentences Tuesday following their March convictions in a federal sex-trafficking case. The sentences cover former luxury real estate brokers Oren and Tal Alexander and their brother Alon after a trial in which women described being lured to parties and trips before being drugged and assaulted.
Oren and Tal used their wealth and access to exclusive properties to attract women into their social circle. Prosecutors said the brothers developed a pattern of arranging luxury getaways and using drugs to incapacitate victims. Eleven women testified at trial and prosecutors said they identified at least 70 women who were raped or sexually assaulted by one or more of the brothers.
Prosecutors sought life sentences while defense lawyers requested the mandatory minimum of 15 years. The brothers have maintained their innocence. Oren and Tal’s real estate careers included high-profile property sales in New York and Miami while Alon worked in the family’s private security business.

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CDC deputy director Jennifer Shuford plans to leave after next week’s midterm elections, roughly six months after joining the agency as its chief medical officer. (More)

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Indian media groups challenged a privacy law in the Supreme Court, arguing that requirements to obtain subjects’ consent could undermine investigative reporting and expose confidential sources. (More)

Finland’s president and Norway’s prime minister urged Vladimir Putin to end the Ukraine war during a rare phone call Tuesday before speaking separately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (More)

U.S. stock markets closed higher on Tuesday (S&P +0.60%, Nasdaq +1.18%, Dow +0.03%). Chipmakers led Tuesday’s stock gains as oil prices fell. (More)

Coca-Cola raised its annual profit forecast Tuesday as demand for zero-sugar sodas and higher-priced drinks helped offset rising costs. (More)

U.S. consumer confidence rebounded in October as gasoline prices eased modestly though Americans remained concerned about the high cost of living. (More)

Harry Kane became the first English men’s Ballon d’Or winner in 25 years Monday while Spain’s Alexia Putellas received her third women’s award. (More)

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The Tampa Bay Rays rallied in the 12th inning to beat Milwaukee 4–3 Tuesday and avoid a World Series sweep; the Brewers lead 3–1 heading into Wednesday’s Game 5. (More)

A Florida surgeon removed a patient’s prostate using robotic instruments at a hospital 35 miles away during an FDA-authorized study of remote surgery. (More)

University College London researchers developed a computer model that uses a cancer’s genetic profile to explore treatments that might work when standard options fail. (More)

Researchers estimate nearly 27% of Earth’s land falls within conservation areas when nationally recorded sites are included rather than the 18.5% recognized in global reporting. (More)

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