Today's News Digest
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won a fourth term as Brazil's president, defeating far-right challenger Flávio Bolsonaro 51.79% to 48.21% in a runoff after trailing in the first round. The result comes as Serbia's veteran leader Aleksandar Vučić lost an election to a student-led protest movement.
World Politics & Elections
Lula Wins Brazil Runoff After First-Round Deficit
Lula won a historic fourth term as Brazil's president, the first candidate to win a runoff after losing the first round. He defeated Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, and Bolsonaro has reportedly not conceded.
Serbia's Long-Governing Nationalist Loses Election
Veteran populist right-wing leader Aleksandar Vučić, who has led Serbia for 12 years, conceded that his party lost an election framed as a referendum on the country's future. The vote was won by a student-led protest movement.
Nationalist Populists Face Limits in Eastern Europe
While the rise of the right has been widely seen as unstoppable across much of Europe, nationalists are being rejected in eastern countries where they had long governed, according to analysis of the Serbian vote.
Israeli Voters Weigh Security, Isolation and National Identity
Supporters and opponents of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expressing intense anxieties about isolation abroad, security at home and the future of Israel's identity ahead of an upcoming election.
Xi Tightens Party Discipline Ahead of Expected Fourth Term
China's closed-door party plenum began Monday, about a year before Xi Jinping is expected to secure a fourth term and personnel changes to key leadership bodies. Reporting describes a continuing campaign of purges within the party.
Middle East & Europe Security
Algeria to Deploy Troops to Niger
Algeria's president ordered a troop deployment to neighbouring Niger at Niger's request, to protect energy facilities in northern Niger near the Libyan border. It would be Algeria's first foreign deployment since 1973.
Egypt Approves Military Aid to Saudi Arabia Against Houthis
Egypt agreed to commit forces to support Saudi Arabia, which is exchanging increasingly deadly strikes with the Iranian-backed Houthi militia in Yemen. Egyptian officials said the forces will be used for defensive purposes only.
Diplomatic Push on Iran Amid Renewed-War Reports
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan made a rare joint visit to Tehran. The visit came amid reports that the United States and Israel were drawing up plans to renew their attacks on Iran.
Zelenskyy Says Peace Talks With Russia and US Will Restart
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said peace talks involving Russia and the United States will restart. No details on timing or format were included in the reporting.
Conflict & Humanitarian Crises
Britain Sanctions Sudanese Commanders Over Sexual Violence
The UK imposed travel bans and asset freezes on senior commanders from the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces. They are implicated in a campaign of rape during the El Fasher assault, described as the largest and fastest slaughter of civilians in more than 30 years.
Paramilitary Drone Strikes Cut Power Across Eastern Sudan
Sudan's Rapid Support Forces launched a coordinated drone attack on five power stations, causing mass outages across the east, according to a government official. Two plants were hit in each of Al-Jazira and Gedaref states, and one in White Nile state.
UN Calls Russian Energy Attacks on Ukraine a War Crime
A UN commission said Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, including heating plants and power lines, amount to a war crime. It noted Russia's weaponisation of cold across nearly five years of attacks.
Somali Civilians Trapped by Flooding and Airstrikes
An exclusive report alleges that coordinated US airstrikes on al-Shabaab-held territory are driving civilians to river areas where rising floodwaters from El Niño pose a threat. The report raises the question of whether this is a deliberate military strategy.
Business & Technology
Anthropic Warns of Catastrophic Risk Before Share Listing
AI company Anthropic warned of a 'catastrophic risk' to humankind ahead of a major share listing. It will be the first true artificial intelligence company to go public, as tech firms continue heavy investment in AI.
Tesla Shifts Focus From Car Sales to Autonomy Subscriptions
Having lost its lead in electric vehicle sales, Tesla is betting that autonomy subscriptions can deliver the profit margins that car sales no longer provide.
Weather & Science
Storm Boelo Cuts Power and Brings Further Wind Warnings to UK
Storm Boelo left 22,000 customers without power, and the Met Office issued new wind warnings for western England, Wales, Scotland and eastern Northern Ireland. A separate low-pressure system is forecast to bring further yellow wind warnings to the UK on Tuesday.