Smit Machchhar, the flydubai pilot who helped thwart a terror attack aboard a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv a month ago, is honored with a medal by the president of the United Arab Emirates.
UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan awards Machchhar and the rest of the crew with the First Class Order of Zayed II, “in recognition of their courageous efforts to ensure the safety of passengers,” his office says.
His office adds that the president praised “the crew’s courage and professionalism in ensuring the safety of passengers and securing the aircraft, affirming that protecting people’s safety and security remains a top priority for the UAE.”
Machchhar has previously recounted how he was struck in the back of the head with an emergency axe by his co-pilot, and struggled to shield himself from the blows and open the cockpit door to allow others inside to halt the attack.
The scars on the back of Machchhar’s head are clearly visible during his meeting with the UAE president.
If you haven’t seen something heartwarming today, watch this ????❤️
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed shares a sweet moment with Captain Smit Machchhar of flydubai flight FZ1073, joking about a jiu-jitsu session once he recovers.
Such a beautiful display of kindness and… pic.twitter.com/0RaWUkE7zt
— Mona Alhmoudi، منى الحمودي (@monaalhmoudi) October 28, 2026
The Central Elections Commission announces that the counting of the “double envelope” votes has now begun.
The double envelopes represent the voters who cast absentee ballots, largely made up of IDF soldiers, along with votes from prisoners, medical personnel, those with medical conditions, and Israeli representatives in missions abroad.
The CEC also notes that the counting of all of the regular votes has not completely finished. It says that results have been processed from 11,712 out of the 12,018 regular polling stations, representing 5,126,759 voters. The remaining polling stations are currently undergoing standard verification procedures, it adds.
Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan Abdul El-Sayed tells reporters after an event in a Detroit suburb that he wants US tax revenue to be spent “to build schools and opportunity here, rather than sent abroad to drop bombs on anybody.”
“I don’t think we should be funding foreign militaries generally,” El-Sayed says. “That’s Israel. It’s also Egypt. It’s also Saudi Arabia and Qatar and UAE.”
His answer comes in response to a question about a controversial ad published by Rebellion PAC, which El-Sayed disavowed, that features two people saying they can’t afford groceries because their money needs to go to Israel’s military.
“That has nothing to do with our campaign,” El-Sayed says. “It’s certainly not what I want to be talking about right now.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s acting chief of staff Ido Norden is on his way out, Channel 13 reports, saying the premier is not pleased with his performance.
Norden has been kept out of a number of meetings, according to the report, and Netanyahu is actively searching for a replacement.
The Prime Minister’s Office says in a statement the report is “incorrect.”
In April, Norden, the author of a book about Israel’s so-called “deep state,” replaced disgraced spokesman and chief of staff, Ziv Agmon, who offered his resignation after his derogatory remarks about Likud lawmakers of Middle Eastern, or Mizrahi, descent were leaked to the press.
In a statement, the Arab-led Joint List party says it’s ready for “political cooperation to oust the Netanyahu government.”
The Joint List is projected to win 12 seats, making it tied for the third-biggest party in the Knesset, but most Jewish-led opposition parties have ruled out partnering with it to form a coalition.
“Our public understands the significance of the moment and went in droves to the polls,” the party says. “The Joint List will work with all its strength to bring an end to Netanyahu’s rule. We are ready for political cooperation to establish an alternative government, which will present a true alternative and commit itself to a true change of the current government’s racist policy.”
Earlier, Joint List chairman Yousef Jabareen told Channel 13, “Anyone who wants to offer a substantive and genuine alternative to Netanyahu’s government of bloodshed will have to talk to us in order to pave the way for the change that the Israeli public longs for.”
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