politics

Across the Middle East, governments are preparing for a possible return to large-scale fighting while trying to head it off through diplomacy. Iran is showing off its missile capabilities. Israel is debating a military operation that could bring it into direct confrontation with Tehran. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are sending their top defense and intelligence officials to the Iranian capital. This is no longer an exchange of statements: states are coordinating their actions in case the political standoff slides back into direct war.

Lula da Silva's victory in Brazil has put an end to talk that all of Latin America was headed inevitably for right-wing leadership. But his re-election does not return the region to the old "pink tide." The right has gained ground in several countries, China has dug in across trade and infrastructure, the European Union has secured new treaty access to Mercosur markets, and Russia keeps significant but mostly sector-specific positions.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won the presidential runoff on October 25. Published results give him about 51.8% of valid votes to 48.2% for Flávio Bolsonaro, a margin of roughly 4.4 million votes. The president keeps his office, but his challenger has refused to concede and says he will seek to have the vote annulled.

The pendulum that swung left two decades ago has swung back to the right. Colombia and Peru chose right-wing presidents in June by fractions of a percentage point, and on Sunday Brazil will settle a runoff between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro. What is behind the turn? How does it resemble the "pink tide"? And what should the region expect?

Brazil: The October 25 Runoff

If you think the protests in Europe flared up by chance, you are mistaken. But there is no single hand on the remote control either. Who gains from the fires? Why did Washington deliver its diagnosis in advance? And what does Russian gas have to do with it?

What Was Actually Burning

A second front of the Iran war has opened on the Arabian Peninsula, and the tone there is set not by Saudi skyscrapers but by Houthi missiles. What is happening between Ansar Allah, the Yemeni government and Riyadh? What does it mean for Russians and for business? How long will it last, and who is responsible for what?

How the Truce Collapsed

The Republican Party has no collective leadership, but there is one person whose word carries more weight than anyone else's: Donald Trump. The party's headquarters is flush with cash and free of debt, and money flows through MAGA Inc. and the Senate fund. Where are decisions made? How are the limits circumvented? Is it true that the fight against the Democrats is moving to Europe?

The Charter and the Reality

Prospects for a change in the US approach to Ukraine received concrete confirmation over the past week: a diesel deal with Moscow, a speed limit on Starshield, and discussion of easing sanctions on tankers. What exactly happened? How much of a turning point is it? What does it give Russian business and the budget? Let us go through the facts.

What Happened This Week

No one runs the US Democratic Party alone. The headquarters is in debt, the money is handed out by the committees of Schumer and Jeffries, closed-door funds push candidates, and activists pull to the left. Where are decisions made? How does money get around the limits? And is it true that the party is placing its people in Europe?

Official Bodies: What the Charter Says

Pacific Link: Canada Launches a Pipeline to Stop Feeding the American Market

Canada has designated the Pacific Link pipeline a project of national interest: 1 million barrels per day, C$35.2–43.7 billion, and exports to Asia. What this means for the United States.