Ancora una volta i sondaggi hanno fallito. Sebbene il vantaggio fosse marginale, tutte le previsioni davano per certa la vittoria del candidato di destra alla presidenza del Brasile, Flávio Bolsonaro. Ma gli elettori hanno sorpreso con l’ultima parola: con circa il 51,8% dei voti, il presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva è stato rieletto nel ballottaggio di ieri. Un risultato che si interpreta come un sollievo per chi critica l’influenza degli Stati Uniti in America latina.
Con circa 4,4 milioni di voti in più, Lula da Silva è stato dichiarato vincitore. Ancora Bolsonaro non accetta la sconfitta e ha chiesto che tutti i risultati siano annullati, a causa di alcune irregolarità in alcuni centri di votazione e in seguito alla straordinaria decisione – dell’ultimo momento – di lasciare aperti i seggi due ore in più.
“Si tratta di una rimonta storica per Lula – sostiene l’emittente Bbc -: da quando il Brasile ha questo sistema elettorale, ormai da quasi quattro decadi, nessuno fino ad ora aveva vinto il ballottaggio presidenziale dopo essere stato superato nel primo turno”.
Questo risultato elettorale interrompe una lunga traiettoria di sette elezioni presidenziali in America latina, nell’ultimo anno, che sono state vinte dagli alleati di destra del presidente americano Donald Trump.
Dalla Colombia al Perù, passando per Cile, Costa Rica, Honduras, Bolivia, Ecuador… Il capo della Casa Bianca non ha nascosto l’interesse ad aumentare l’influenza nella regione, sostenendo i candidati che ideologicamente sono in sintonia con lui e le sue politiche di governo, e appoggiano i suoi interventi militari diretti per consolidare la sicurezza regionale.
Lula da Silva è uno dei pochi leader che si è schierato contro Trump. Nel suo intervento alle Nazioni Unite ha ribadito che il Brasile, con il potenziale di diventare una delle economie più grandi del mondo con un Pil di 2,6 bilioni di dollari, non sarà mai il cortile di nessun altro Paese. E ha denunciato davanti ai leader internazionali le “tentazioni egemoniche” degli Usa.
Ma la gestione di questo nuovo governo del presidente socialista non sarà facile. Magna Inácio, docente di Scienze politiche dell’Università di Minas Gerais, ha ricordato alla Bbc che “i partiti di destra (in Brasile, ndr) contano con un maggior numero di deputati e oggi hanno chiaro che possono fortificarsi e mantenersi come un’alternativa di governo molto solida”. Questo significa che il governo di Lula da Silva avrà non solo molto lavoro davanti a sé, ma anche minacce costanti di giudizio politico.
Edgar Franco-Vivanco, professore di Scienze politiche e direttore del Centro di Elezioni di America latina dell’Università di Michigan, ha aggiunto le difficoltà fisiche a cui va incontro il leader brasiliano. Non solo ha 80 anni, ma ha anche superato due tumori che l’hanno indebolito.
O preço da habitação está a forçar novas combinações de agregados não familiares. Mesmo com salários de classe média, os portugueses são forçados a partilhar casas com desconhecidos, colegas e até amigos que deixaram de o ser, a voltar a casa dos pais após uma separação e a emigrar depois dos 50. Há mesmo quem esteja reformado e arrume a vida toda num quarto
Ultimi giorni prima della grande scelta presidenziale in Brasile. Ad oggi, il candidato Flávio Bolsonaro si mantiene in testa nei sondaggi, che prevedono una sua vittoria nel ballottaggio di domenica 25 ottobre. Tuttavia, la distanza dal presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva è marginale, come nel primo turno. La possibilità di un pareggio tecnico c’è ancora.
Il sondaggio di Quaest pubblicato mercoledì scorso indica che il figlio dell’ex presidente Bolsonaro gode del 45% del consenso, con un solo punto di vantaggio rispetto a Lula, che ha il 44% del gradimento dei brasiliani. Il report di mercoledì è il primo studio sulle proiezioni di voti dopo il dibattito di domenica tra i due candidati. La scorsa settimana, la stessa impresa di sondaggi dava a Bolsonaro il 46% e a Lula il 44%.
Invece per Nexus, che ha eseguito un sondaggio lunedì, subito dopo il confronto tra Bolsonaro e Lula da Silva, la differenza sarebbe di soli 0,6%, vedendo in vantaggio l’attuale presidente con il 46,5% dei voti e Bolsonaro figlio con il 45,9%. Il sondaggio precedente registrava una distanza di oltre tre punti percentuali. Per Nexus, circa il 4,7% degli elettori avrebbe deciso di votare in scheda nulla o bianca e il 2,9% è ancora indeciso.
La consultazione della firma Datafolha del 15 ottobre indica che Bolsonaro avrebbe il 47% dei voti e Lula da Silva il 45%. Gli ultimi sondaggi sembrano avere dato conto dell’effetto della riforma del lavoro approvata dal governo di Lula e dal Congresso, che offre un giorno di riposo a settimana (pagato).
Nell’ultimo tratto della campagna elettorale, il candidato di destra invece si è concentrato sul bisogno di un cambiamento di direzione per il Paese e nelle potenzialità del Brasile, che potrebbe diventare una delle sette principali economie del mondo. “Avevano detto che il bolsonarismo era finito, ma si sono dimenticati che Jair Bolsonaro ha lasciato milioni e milioni di semi”, ha detto il figlio, Flávio. Il candidato ha mantenuto il discorso sulla lotta contro la criminalità e la proposta di ridurre la età di responsabilità penale per reati gravi.
“Non dite all’indeciso per chi votare – ha detto il presidente brasiliano -. Chiedetegli di pensare in quale Brasile vuole vivere. Sicuro che voteranno per noi, siamo l’unica opzione per migliorare il Brasile”.
Oltre agli argomenti e i progetti di governo, il tema dell’ingerenza degli Stati Uniti nelle elezioni presidenziali brasiliane è al centro del dibattito. Molti esperti sostengono che gli Usa hanno preso misure politiche, economiche e diplomatiche per favorire il candidato Bolsonaro – più vicino alla linea del presidente Donald Trump – perché una possibile vittoria della destra agevolerebbe gli interessi americani nella regione.
James N. Green, professore di storia politica del Brasile dell’Università Brown, ha detto alla Bbc che i dazi sono stati disegnati dall’amministrazione Trump per fare pressione sul governo di Lula: “Non c’era una giustificazione economica. Era semplicemente un’altra forma per interferire nelle elezioni”.
Anche il quotidiano Folha de São Paulo ha pubblicato un documento in cui l’Agenzia dell’Intelligence Brasiliana eleva a livello critico la possibilità di ingerenza degli Stati Uniti nel voto di domenica 25 ottobre. Per il Dipartimento di Stato americano, “qualsiasi insinuazione di una ‘strategia’ per danneggiare le elezioni in un Paese democratico è una bugia senza fondamento”.
Oggi ci sarà l’ultimo dibattito televisivo per confrontare le due proposte di Lula da Silva e Bolsonaro jr. prima del voto finale. Entrambi i candidati hanno promesso di svelare il loro patrimonio e quello delle loro famiglie in diretta.
Show features live chat sessions with breeders, a podcast and updates on dogs’ progress from birth to weigh-ins
A 24-hour Finnish TV show dedicated entirely to the live progress of a dog and her six newborn puppies is drawing millions of viewers.
As well as a 24-hour webcam, Pentulive (Puppy Live) includes live evening chat sessions with the dogs’ breeder, a podcast and an instant notification service that updates followers on the puppies’ progress – from their birth to weigh-ins and first nail trims – for eight weeks.
Continue reading...
© Photograph: Julia Kiiskinen/Yle - The Finnish Broadcasting Company/AP
© Photograph: Julia Kiiskinen/Yle - The Finnish Broadcasting Company/AP
© Photograph: Julia Kiiskinen/Yle - The Finnish Broadcasting Company/AP
The Saudi coalition also bombed Bajil in Al-Hudaydah, carried out four attacks in Harf Sufyan and two in Bani Suraym in Amran, and hit the Water Corporation building in Al-Hazm, Al-Jawf with two airstrikes, the same Yemeni health authorities reported. Saudi gunfire wounded two citizens and an African migrant in the border districts of Baqim and Munabbih in Sa’dah.
RELATED: At Least 12 Dead, More Than 300 Injured After Houthi Attack on Saudi Airports
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree reported more than 2,900 Saudi airstrikes and missile attacks in the last 100 days, an escalation that left more than 562 victims, most of them women and children.
Saudi Arabia collaborating with Israeli intelligence in joint campaign against Yemen's Armed Forces
— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) October 23, 2026
——
According to a report published by The Jerusalem Post, Israeli military intelligence is actively sharing strategic target data with Saudi Arabia to assist its campaign against… pic.twitter.com/3PUhxcu46w
According to a report published by The Jerusalem Post, Israeli military intelligence is actively sharing strategic data with Saudi Arabia to assist its campaign against Yemen’s Armed Forces, also known as Ansarallah. The report said a Zionist military official confirmed the intelligence-sharing mechanism and emphasized that degrading Yemeni military capabilities serves Tel Aviv’s strategic regional interests while allowing the IDF to monitor and study tactical operations on the ground.
The total amount is 634.9 trillion pesos, or 200 billion dollars at the current exchange rate, of which 391.38 trillion pesos, or 122 billion dollars, are for operating expenses, 155.43 trillion pesos, or 48.7 billion dollars, for debt service and 88.14 trillion pesos, or 27.6 billion dollars, for investment.
RELATED: Colombian President Dismisses Interior Minister Over Budget Failure
Opposition sectors described the Government’s handling of the budget as improvised.
The Senate and the Chamber approved different texts in one of the bill’s articles, and conciliation was not achieved before the October 20 deadline set by law for concluding that process, the last of the congressional debates, namely the plenary sessions.
The Government therefore had to issue the Budget by decree in the form in which it emerged from the joint economic commissions.
¡Se le cayó el presupuesto chimbo a @ABDELAESPRIELLA! Por hacer las cosas a las patadas, terminaron enredados entre dos versiones distintas y ahora el Gobierno pretende expedirlo por decreto.
— Oscar Benavides (@ODBenavidesA) October 22, 2026
Tanta improvisación con más de $634 billones de los colombianos exige responsables. ¡La… pic.twitter.com/Uivsc6N4kf
Resources for earthquake victims, health and energy subsidies added during the plenary sessions will be reduced because of the situation, Senator Alejandro Ocampo affirmed.
Representative María Fernanda Carrascal considered that Congress’s servility to the Executive vitiated the legislative process and denounced that the approved budget showed the Government’s true priority as more debt and less social investment, with debt service growing 46 percent while cuts hit the most vulnerable.
After the events, President Abelardo de la Espriella dismissed Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara.
Hundreds of tons of agricultural production remained stranded in trucks or piled up in cold storage rooms, and many business owners decided to suspend harvests and halt production of emblematic products such as buffalo mozzarella.
Poste Italiane was forced to completely interrupt the sending and delivery of mail and packages to and from Calabria, Sicily, Campania and Apulia, the company was reported to have said.
RELATED: Italy’s Giorgia Meloni Trademarks Her Voice Against AI Deepfakes
The mayors of Naples and Bari warned in a joint statement that the paralysis not only threatened food supplies but also jeopardized urban waste management, and they warned of an emergency that could plunge entire communities into a health collapse.
Tension on the roads intensified because of picket activity, and local press reported acts of sabotage in areas such as Caserta, including placing truck tires on highways to force heavy transport to brake.
In response, Italian police escorted convoys of commercial vehicles and deployed operations that resulted in 71 people reported and 242 sanctioned.
Minister of Enterprise Adolfo Urso recalled in the Chamber of Deputies that blocking the passage of trucks was a crime punishable by prison sentences.
In the north, Milan prepared special security measures ahead of new and massive student and youth demonstrations scheduled for Saturday, framed by discontent over the cost of living and the deterioration of public services.
Italy’s Council of Ministers approved on October 20 a new youth security decree that extended preventive detention to minors, until then reserved for adults, and created the crime of violent participation in demonstrations, punishable by up to five years in prison and fines of up to 20,000 euros for anyone who, within a group of five or more people, throws stones, sticks or objects that endanger third parties.
Manifestare è un diritto, devastare le nostre città no. Ecco le misure che abbiamo approvato per contrastare la violenza e tutelare la sicurezza dei cittadini. pic.twitter.com/kqk51X8YZa
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) October 20, 2026
Housing assessments carried out by emergency teams covered 37,210 people, according to the preliminary report from the National Emergency Operations Center. The epicenter was 39 kilometers northwest of Tonosí, in Los Santos province, at a depth of four kilometers.
RELATED: Venezuela Sends 40 Tons of Humanitarian Aid to Panama After Earthquake
The assessment identified impacts in 10 provinces — especially Coclé, Herrera, Veraguas and Los Santos — and the Ngäbe Buglé comarca, the report said.
Local authorities continued damage assessments and assistance to affected families amid recovery efforts after one of the strongest seismic events recorded in the country in decades. Humanitarian aid has also been received from other nations, mainly Venezuela, Costa Rica and the United States, the report said.
Venezuela extiende su solidaridad
— Ministerio de Comunicación e Información (@mippci_ven) October 22, 2026
Desde el Aeropuerto Internacional Simón Bolívar de Maiquetía, el Gobierno Bolivariano envió un cargamento de ayuda humanitaria hasta el Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen.
Estos insumos están destinados a brindar apoyo oportuno al pueblo… pic.twitter.com/SbscKqU958
Panama has opened 126 active shelters housing 5,628 people as part of the humanitarian response. Logistically, 171,190 pounds of cargo were moved by air and 365 tons were dispatched by land transport to support assistance operations.
Most of the country’s water treatment plants have restored operations, while security and emergency agencies maintain monitoring in affected areas, Sinaproc reported.
The earthquake occurred at 12:56 local time on October 9, according to the report. The United States Geological Survey raised the magnitude from 7.6 to 7.7, while the Institute of Geosciences of the University of Panama put it at 7.5.
The office of Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé said in a statement that the government is fully mobilized and intends to assert state authority with the greatest firmness against armed groups. It called the soldiers’ release an absolute priority and said all necessary resources are being mobilized to achieve that goal.
RELATED: Salvadoran President Bukele Issues Stern Warning to Haitian Gangs
The prime minister met with competent authorities to assess the situation comprehensively and to determine, in close collaboration with the Salvadoran Gang Suppression Force (GSF), measures to reinforce ongoing operations against the armed gangs that attacked the vehicle carrying the Salvadorans.
Haitian security forces and the GSF have conducted an intense search since Sunday for the four Salvadoran aviation technicians, with whom contact was lost after the ambush in the Santo area of the Croix-des-Bouquets commune, within the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.
#Haiti | The UN Security Council reaffirms its commitment to the Gang Suppression Force despite armed attacks and the kidnapping of four Salvadoran personnel. Rescue efforts continue as international forces maintain their security mission.#UnitedNations #teleSUREnglish pic.twitter.com/kKX5oDtQ0i
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 23, 2026
In its first official statement on the attack, the Prime Minister’s Office said that given the seriousness of the act, the State reaffirms its authority and determination, and that security forces are continuing operations firmly to secure the soldiers’ release and protect human life.
The GSF reported Tuesday that several members of the gangs controlling most of Port-au-Prince were killed and others wounded in clashes with forces searching for the Salvadoran military personnel. The GSF also reported that four of its own personnel were wounded during the operation and received medical care.
The final text passed with 237 votes in favor, 9 against and 4 abstentions from left-wing sectors, in a session that began Wednesday afternoon.
RELATED: Argentina Rights Group Files Complaint Over Police Crackdown
The law maintains non-contributory pensions, compatibility with formal employment and access to health benefits. It also establishes specific budget items to finance the system and mechanisms to prevent arbitrary removal of beneficiaries.
Among its central points are new conditions for accessing non-contributory disability pensions, the possibility of keeping the benefit while working within certain income limits and a control system based on cross-referencing data between public agencies. It also sets obligations for budget transparency, training for service providers and deadlines to complete pending compensations.
#Argentina | Human rights groups filed a criminal complaint over a police crackdown on university protesters in Buenos Aires that reportedly left more than 550 people injured or affected.
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 19, 2026
The complaint seeks accountability for alleged excessive force during demonstrations… pic.twitter.com/yrEWJjPhA7
The law stipulates the return of all funds owed to providers for more than a year, settling the accumulated financial deficit, and sets strict peremptory deadlines for the Executive Branch to make these obligations effective.
The changes were incorporated after weeks of negotiations and set aside the cuts that the Executive Branch had included in the 2027 Budget for the disability area.
Hundreds of Spanish students gathered at Rey Juan Carlos University (URJC) to protest the visit of far-right Argentine President Javier Milei, who was scheduled to participate in a forum during his stay in Madrid.
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 21, 2026
Armed with pots and pans, whistles, Palestinian flags, and… pic.twitter.com/LGGFyeYpe6
Various organizations of people with disabilities in Córdoba denounced not having been convened to the legislative debate, and expressed skepticism about the Government’s real willingness to comply with what was voted.
The approval comes after more than a year of permanent protests, marches and mobilizations led by people with disabilities and their families, who expressed in the streets their rejection of Milei’s adjustment policies. During that period, the affected sectors suffered neglect, mistreatment and harsh episodes of police repression near the legislative palace, images that were widely disseminated and generated deep repudiation in society.
A key factor in unblocking the legislative scenario was intense lobbying by Pastoral Social Argentina, whose representatives went directly to Congress to dialogue deputy by deputy. Added to this was strong international pressure from Vatican diplomacy, after a monsignor gave various interviews in local media to warn about the Holy See’s deep concern for the health and quality of life of the group.
The meeting presented the balance and details of the third cycle of conversations held in Caracas, a process that included six working sessions structured in two plenary sessions and fifteen meetings. On Wednesday, the delegations held the final plenary of the third cycle, focused on reviewing compliance with agreements on institutional matters and renewal of the judicial system.
RELATED: Venezuela Reaffirms Sovereign Control of Oil Revenue as Deals Advance
The acting president contrasted that willingness with the actions of small groups that insist on blocking streets and violence, and said the majority of the country supports joint work, as demonstrated by mobilizations of Venezuelan women during breast cancer awareness month. She said that when common interests such as women’s health and lives unite people, that is the Venezuela she recognizes.
The formal negotiation process began on August 12, when both parties agreed on a working methodology and installed technical tables to address care for victims of the June earthquakes, democratic strengthening and judicial reforms. The third cycle was installed on Wednesday the 14th with the central goal of advancing renewal of the Supreme Court of Justice and setting participation guarantees for political organizations.
As part of the commitments, the installation of the new Table 4 on Political, Economic and Social Guarantees was formalized, highlighting mediation and conciliation mechanisms under the Program for Peace and Democratic Coexistence and the start of discussions to create an Ombudsman for Political Guarantees and Citizen Participation. A deep review was also agreed of key legal instruments, including the Law on Political Parties, Public Meetings and Demonstrations; the Liberator Simón Bolívar Organic Law; the Organic Law against Organized Crime and Financing of Terrorism; and the Organic Law of the Comptroller General and the National Fiscal Control System, to evaluate matters related to political disqualifications.
In the institutional and judicial sphere, the work of the Preliminary Commission of the Judicial Nominations Committee was recognized after it interviewed 127 candidates from different sectors. It was announced that the next National Assembly session will appoint the 12 members of the nominations committee, allowing publication of the constitutional schedule and subsequent activation of the Credentials Review Council.
On economic and patrimonial matters, the parties reaffirmed the urgency of recovering Venezuela’s international reserve assets at the Bank of England, the Venezuelan gold, to assist the population affected by the June 24 earthquakes. They agreed to form a parity delegation to manage these actions and promote economic and social prosperity in health, education, food and workers’ income.
Company ordered to stop work at two sites in country, which has found itself at forefront of tech firms’ latest push
Behind a wire fence lies a vast gaping wound of earth. Before Google’s arrival a few months ago, an estimated quarter of a million trees occupied the 330 hectares (815 acres) of forest near the town of Muhos in rural northern Finland. Now they are all gone.
After the tech company illegally stripped the entire area to build a datacentre – taking even the top soil with it – all that remains is a vast expanse of mud indented with the trail marks of machinery, puddles and mounds of earth, roots and branches. Residents say that brown water flowing off the site is going into a stream that feeds the Oulujoki River.
Continue reading...
© Photograph: Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP/Getty Images
© Photograph: Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP/Getty Images
© Photograph: Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP/Getty Images
The accumulated public sector liabilities stood at £3.005 trillion, equivalent to €3.57 trillion, according to the provisional estimate released by the National Statistics Office. The figure represented 94 percent of UK gross domestic product and marked a historic high, the agency reported.
The balance grew by £91.7 billion compared with the level recorded twelve months earlier, about €109.074 billion, according to the provisional estimate.
RELATED: U.K. Slashes International Aid Budget by 56% to Fund Defense
Despite the nominal record, the weight of the liabilities on the economy as a whole fell by seven tenths compared with the 2025 level, the agency reported. The agency recalled that net debt exceeded £2 trillion in June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and had surpassed £1 trillion in February 2010, following the global financial crisis.
September public borrowing amounted to £24.5 billion, or €29.142 billion, and was the second highest recorded for that month, according to the National Statistics Office. Only the September 2020 figure, unadjusted for inflation, was higher. Compared with the previous year, the imbalance increased by £1.8 billion, or 7.7 percent, because spending growth outpaced income growth, the agency reported.
Britain’s national debt has climbed above £3tn for the first time, underlining the pressure on the public finances before John Healey’s maiden Budget next week
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) October 21, 2026
🔗 https://t.co/xKIQKqOhib pic.twitter.com/ExKxQ7hI95
Central government debt interest reached £10.9 billion in September, the highest figure recorded in the ninth month of the year since monthly records began in 1997, according to the National Statistics Office.
Annual inflation stood at 3.5 percent in September, four tenths above the August figure and the largest increase since October 2025, according to the National Statistics Office. The price of goods rose 3.2 percent year on year, compared with 2.7 percent in August, while services became 3.7 percent more expensive. Core inflation, which excludes energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, advanced to 2.8 percent, two tenths more than in August.
Login