Middle East Settlements: The EU condemned Israel’s E1 West Bank housing tender as a direct blow to the two-state solution, urging Israel to withdraw the tender and halt settlement expansion amid record settler violence. Russia Public Mood: A Levada Centre poll found 57% of Russians now describe the political situation as “tense,” the highest since 2000, with 13% calling it “critical.” Kenya Election Violence & ICC: Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi rejected ICC calls, saying Kenya’s institutions should handle political-crime cases and that the threshold for ICC action hasn’t been met. Pakistan Party Tensions: PM Shehbaz Sharif and Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah pledged political harmony and consultation as PPP and PML-N tensions rise around AJK election allegations. Armenia Rights & Prisoners: Civic initiative coordinator Avetik Chalabyan says his prosecution is politically motivated; he was released after a court overturned his arrest, while his wife and supporters allege hundreds of political prisoners. AI in Elections (Quebec): Four Quebec parties backed IVADO/CEIMIA’s code to curb misleading AI use, deepfakes, and strengthen transparency ahead of the Oct. 5 vote. UK Social Media & Safety: No 10 said glorifying dangerous driving “for clips and entertainment” is disgraceful, pressing platforms like TikTok to remove content after a deadly crash. India State Politics (UP): A fish feast at Ayodhya sparked a fresh BJP–Congress row, with Yogi Adityanath accusing opponents of disrespecting Ram and Congress demanding proof. Zambia Courts Shutdown: Zambia shut down the high court in Lusaka with heavy military presence on the last day for election petitions, prompting opposition claims that democracy may be ending. Thailand Amnesty: A political amnesty took effect but excludes lese majeste cases, drawing criticism that it won’t fully heal divisions.