Region
Americas
- Follow-up: Defeated Brazilian candidate Flávio Bolsonaro arrives in the US; Lula calls his departure 'shameful'
Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who lost Sunday's presidential election to Lula by more than 4 million votes, arrived in the United States on Tuesday, Oct 27, joining his brother Eduardo Bolsonaro in Florida. A senior US State Department official confirmed visas will be issued to him and his family. Brazil's Supreme Court had ordered him to surrender his passports, and after the deadline passed they were cancelled, including his official senatorial passport; he faces money laundering and tax evasion investigations in Brazil, which he denies. Eduardo was sentenced in absentia in June to four years and Brazil has issued an arrest warrant for him. Lula said on Tuesday: 'Anyone who leaves their country in secret must be hiding something; leaving Brazil is shameful.'
Oct 28, 2026 Afternoon - King Charles III begins Caribbean tour in the Bahamas, acknowledging 'great suffering' of slavery without apologising
Britain's King Charles III arrived in the Bahamas on Tuesday, Oct 27, at the start of a nine-day Caribbean tour, and attended a youth rally at Clifford Park in the capital Nassau, where the Bahamas declared independence in 1973. He said the finest parts of Bahamian culture 'were born out of darkness' and that 'it is right to acknowledge the great suffering of the past' on these islands and elsewhere, but did not apologise. He confirmed that next week's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda will discuss the legacy of slavery, and his tour includes a state visit to Guyana. The Bahamas National Reparations Committee said the king's remarks fell short of what justice requires, and a small group of protesters held placards demanding reparations.
Oct 28, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Defeated Brazilian candidate Flávio Bolsonaro reportedly flies to the US; police say his passports were cancelled
Right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who lost Sunday's presidential election to incumbent President Lula, flew to the United States on Tuesday, Oct 27, planning to land in Florida and seek political asylum, according to Brazilian news site Metrópoles and Folha de S.Paulo; CNN Brasil said he was travelling with his wife and two daughters. Police sources told AFP that his passports had been cancelled but there was no official record of his departure, and Argentina's security ministry denied he had entered Argentina. Workers' Party lawmakers asked the Supreme Court to order his arrest and to seek an Interpol red notice. The 45-year-old will lose his parliamentary immunity.
Oct 28, 2026 Morning - Trump says he will respect US midterm results 'if they're honest' and that he keeps veto power if Republicans lose Congress
Asked by reporters at Joint Base Andrews near Washington on Tuesday, Oct 27, before flying to Texas to campaign, whether he would respect the results of the Nov 3 midterm elections, US President Donald Trump said: 'If it's an honest election, I will.' Polls show Republicans could lose control of Congress. Trump said that if Republicans lose majorities in both chambers he would try to work with Democrats, adding 'I have a strong veto' and that deals could eventually be made. Republicans fear voters will punish them over inflation driven by higher oil prices from the war in the Middle East; Trump has held rallies across the country almost daily in recent weeks.
Oct 28, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Honda warns Trump's threat to double Canada auto tariffs to 50% would be catastrophic for the industry
A senior vice president for corporate affairs at American Honda told the Reuters Automotive conference in Detroit on Tuesday, Oct 27, that the auto industry would face a 'catastrophic' situation if the US and Canada fail to reach a new trade deal by year-end. Trump has threatened to raise tariffs on Canadian vehicles and parts from 25% to 50% from Jan 1 if no deal is reached. She said the ideal outcome would be a three-way deal similar to the USMCA that also includes the third member. The US Trade Representative earlier said the USMCA would not be automatically extended for 16 years but reviewed annually instead.
Oct 28, 2026 Morning - Former FBI Director James Comey charged for a third time, accused of leaking national defense information
Federal prosecutors charged former FBI Director James Comey on Monday, Oct 26, in a criminal complaint in federal court in Washington, DC, unsealed at his request, the third time the Justice Department has brought criminal charges against the longtime Trump critic. The three-page filing lists two counts, wilfully communicating national defense information to people not entitled to receive it and conspiracy, over disclosures of classified material to The New York Times in October 2016 while he was FBI director. Comey denied wrongdoing in a video posted on Substack, calling the charges an outrageous abuse of the Justice Department.
Oct 27, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Brazil Supreme Court justice orders defeated Flávio Bolsonaro to surrender passports; his party accepts result
President Lula beat right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro by more than 4.4 million votes in Brazil's runoff on Sunday, Oct 25. The Guardian reported that a Supreme Court justice barred Flávio from leaving the country and ordered him to surrender his passports hours after the result, citing a federal police investigation into possible money laundering. Flávio said the ruling stemmed from his brother urging him in an interview to leave Brazil if he lost. The president of his Liberal Party said on Monday that it accepts the result declared by the electoral court.
Oct 27, 2026 Afternoon - Mexico's electoral chief Guadalupe Taddei resigns amid corruption allegations, a first for the institute
Guadalupe Taddei Zavala, head of Mexico's National Electoral Institute (INE), resigned on Monday, Oct 26, amid allegations of corruption, conflicts of interest and abuse of power over contracts awarded to a company owned by a businessman close to her to supply election materials. She is the first head of the institute to resign since it was created in 2014. Mexico holds large midterm elections next June for more than 20,000 federal, state and local posts, including all 500 lower house seats and 17 governorships, seen as a key test for President Sheinbaum.
Oct 27, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Trump calls Brazil election 'rigged' after Lula beats Flávio Bolsonaro; Ibovespa plunges nearly 17% at open
In Brazil's presidential runoff on Sunday, Oct 25, President Lula beat Flávio Bolsonaro 51.8% to 48.2% to win a fourth term. Leaving Washington on Oct 26, President Trump told reporters it 'looks like another rigged election'. Brazil's Ibovespa index fell nearly 17% at the open on Oct 26, triggering a 30-minute trading halt, and the real at one point fell nearly 12% against the dollar in early trading. TASS, citing Folha de S.Paulo, reported that Flávio dropped a demand to annul the result after allies persuaded him, and he said police had told him not to leave Brazil and to hand over his passport.
Oct 27, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Machado says she is ready to meet interim President Delcy Rodríguez after return to Caracas; EU urges inclusive dialogue
Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado ended nearly a year in exile on Sunday, Oct 25, arriving in Caracas as thousands waved flags along highways and streets, chanting 'freedom'. CNA, citing AFP, reported that she said on Oct 26 she was willing to sit down with interim President Delcy Rodríguez. An EU foreign affairs spokesperson said the bloc hopes the Venezuelan authorities and political forces will seize the chance for an inclusive, Venezuelan-led dialogue leading to free and fair elections.
Oct 27, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Pope Leo XIV confirms Nov 6-17 trip to Argentina and two other Latin American countries after lung surgery
Pope Leo XIV had surgery on Oct 13 to remove a malignant lung tumour. The Vatican press office issued a statement from the pope on Monday, Oct 26, confirming he will visit Argentina and two other Latin American countries as planned from Nov 6 to 17; the Holy See had not formally confirmed whether he could travel. In the statement he said he looked forward to 'returning to this continent where I have lived many moments of my life'. Preparations in the three countries had continued as normal.
Oct 27, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Anthropic files for IPO under ticker ANT, reports US$16.3 billion first-half revenue and a month-plus training pause
AI company Anthropic formally filed its IPO documents with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Oct 26, planning to list under the ticker 'ANT'. The filing shows first-half 2026 revenue of US$16.3 billion, against US$1.2 billion a year earlier, an operating loss of US$693 million, narrowed from US$2.1 billion, and a net loss of US$80.7 billion, mainly from non-cash accounting adjustments related to convertible debt. Among its risk factors, the company said it delayed pre-training of its next flagship foundation model by more than a month to strengthen protection against theft of model weights, and that in testing 4 agents had reached real external computer systems.
Oct 27, 2026 Morning - Trump again says Taiwan 'stole' America's chip business, says with a smart president the Taiwan issue 'wouldn't matter'
In a phone interview with Fox News's Sunday Morning Futures on Oct 25, President Trump moved from tariffs and car manufacturing returning to the US to Taiwan, China and chips. He said that if the US had a smart president, the issue of Taiwan and China would not exist and nobody would care, adding 'they stole our chip business, all of it, 100%', accusing Taiwan of producing chips at outrageous prices. Trump has repeatedly said Taiwan stole the US chip industry; in May Taiwan's foreign minister reiterated that Taiwan and the US are symbiotic partners and 'no one stole from anyone'.
Oct 27, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Lula beats Flávio Bolsonaro 51.79% to 48.21% to win a fourth term as Brazil's president
Brazil's Superior Electoral Court confirmed after the count that President Lula won 51.79% of valid votes in the Oct 25 runoff, defeating right-wing senator Flávio Bolsonaro on 48.21% to win a fourth term. It is the first time since direct elections returned in 1989 that a candidate who lost the first round went on to win the runoff. Lula, 80, called the result 'a defeat of denialism', while Flávio's camp reportedly refused to concede and said it would seek to annul the election; Lula turns 81 this week and his new term begins in January.
Oct 26, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: María Corina Machado returns to Venezuela after more than 10 months in exile, appears at Mass in Barquisimeto
Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado returned to Venezuela on Sunday, Oct 25, writing on X: 'I am here, with you.' She then attended Mass at a shrine in Barquisimeto, Lara state, about 354 km from Caracas. Machado, 59, left by speedboat last December to collect her prize in Oslo and stayed abroad for more than 10 months; in January US forces captured Maduro and Rodríguez became interim president. Trump said he hoped she would be safe.
Oct 26, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Brazil extends presidential runoff voting by 2 hours at Lula campaign's request; electoral court suspends release of partial results
Brazil held the second round of its presidential election on Sunday, Oct 25, with about 160 million voters choosing between President Lula and right-wing candidate Flávio Bolsonaro. A Supreme Court justice granted the Lula campaign's request to extend voting by 2 hours to 7pm Brasília time, and the Superior Electoral Court then suspended release of some partial results. Flávio, 45, led in the first round; his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a 27-year sentence. Lula turns 81 on Tuesday, and final results had not yet been announced.
Oct 26, 2026 Morning - Cerebras describes running ~3-trillion-parameter Kimi K3 across wafer-scale chips at 1,000–2,000+ tokens per second
AI chip company Cerebras published how it deploys trillion-parameter models on wafer-scale engines. A single WSE-3T wafer has 44 GB of on-chip memory, while frontier model weights alone need several terabytes, so Cerebras splits models across multiple wafers and runs multi-trillion-parameter models at 1,000 to more than 2,000 tokens per second. The open-source example Kimi K3 has about 3 trillion parameters, with 69 linear-attention layers and 24 dense layers; it scored 88.3% on Terminal-Bench 2.1, close to GPT-5.6 Sol's 88.8%, and 91.2% on BrowseComp versus 90.4%. Kimi K3 also trended on X in Singapore.
Oct 25, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Brazil votes in presidential runoff; Reuters says two US State Department officials pushed behind the scenes for a Bolsonaro family return
Brazil holds its presidential runoff on Sunday, Oct 25, between incumbent President Lula and senator Flávio Bolsonaro, with pre-election polls showing them close. Reuters, citing 10 current and former US officials, reported that a Western Hemisphere affairs senior adviser and a deputy assistant secretary at the State Department worked behind the scenes to help the Bolsonaro family regain power and sought sanctions that could influence the race. Folha de S.Paulo reported that Meta employees acknowledged in internal messages that Lula's Instagram account was affected by restrictions and that the platform recommended Flávio's page and WhatsApp channel; Meta said the technical issues had long been public and that any claim Meta favoured one side was false. Figures in the Brazilian presidency worry that if Lula wins, Milei's government in Argentina might not recognise the result.
Oct 25, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: After US concern, Milei government softens Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty bill; UK PM Burnham discusses islands with Chile's president
When the US deputy secretary of state visited Buenos Aires, Washington confirmed concern about clauses in Milei's 'Malvinas law' draft that would sanction oil companies operating in the Falklands/Malvinas, and did not hide its worry. La Nación reported that the Milei government then diluted the bill and made further changes. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham spoke with Chile's president on Saturday, Oct 24, about deeper defence, security, science and trade cooperation; a Downing Street statement said Burnham asked Chile to support ensuring Falkland Islanders keep the ability to exercise self-determination.
Oct 25, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Remains found in Port-au-Prince during hunt for 4 missing Salvadoran soldiers; Bukele says they are not his troops
Four Salvadoran soldiers on a UN-backed Haiti anti-gang force went missing this month after a gang ambush, and El Salvador then sent troops to help locate them. The New York Times, citing multiple Haitian sources, reported that four sets of remains found in Port-au-Prince might be those soldiers. President Nayib Bukele replied on X that they were 'not our people', saying an NGO had brought remains to the airport claiming they were four aviation technicians, but that the remains belonged to a child and others.
Oct 25, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: MLB World Series Game 2 — Brewers rally from 0:4 down to beat Rays 5:4, lead series 2–0
In Game 2 of the best-of-seven MLB World Series at American Family Field in Milwaukee on Oct 24 (US time), the Milwaukee Brewers trailed 0:4 before coming back to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5:4 and take a 2–0 series lead. The Brewers had swept the Los Angeles Dodgers 4–0 in the NLCS and won World Series Game 1 by 3:2.
Oct 25, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Brazil votes in presidential runoff as Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro are virtually tied in polls
After the first round on Oct 4, about 159 million Brazilian voters return to the polls on Sunday, Oct 25, to choose between incumbent President Lula and far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro, eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who led the first round 47% to 45%. A CNT/MDA poll released on Saturday put Flávio at 46.3% and Lula at 45%, with a 2.2-point margin of error, while a Datafolha poll on Thursday had them at 50% each. Tens of thousands of Lula supporters rallied on Copacabana beach in Rio on the eve of the vote; since Brazil returned to democracy in the 1980s, no candidate trailing after the first round has won the runoff.
Oct 25, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Argentina's former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner goes on trial with son Máximo in Hotesur/Los Sauces laundering case
Former Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, serving a six-year sentence under house arrest, went on trial on Friday, Oct 23, alongside her son, congressman Máximo Kirchner, accused of laundering money through family hotel and real estate businesses. The trial combines the Hotesur and Los Sauces cases, with 19 defendants, before Federal Oral Court No. 5. Kirchner, 73, appeared by video from her home in Buenos Aires; it is her third corruption trial and Máximo's first, and the hearing resumes on Monday, Oct 26.
Oct 25, 2026 Morning - California voters to decide on Proposition 40, a one-off 5% wealth tax on about 200 billionaires
The BBC reported that California voters will decide in the November midterm elections on Proposition 40, which would impose a one-off 5% tax on the net worth of every billionaire in the state, with proceeds used to improve healthcare. California has more than 200 billionaires. Supporters say it would be the world's first tax of its kind, while opponents say some wealthy residents have already left the state because of it.
Oct 25, 2026 Morning - El Niño floods force over 2,000 evacuations in north-east Argentina, worst in Chaco and Corrientes; Neuquén town cut off
The Buenos Aires Times reported that heavy El Niño rains have swollen rivers in north-east Argentina, forcing more than 2,000 people from their homes, after two deaths last weekend. Chaco province evacuated about 1,200 to 1,300 people, mainly in Puerto Vilelas and Barranqueras, and Corrientes province more than 1,000. La Nación reported that in western Neuquén province heavy rain reactivated dry ravines and briefly cut off road access to Rincón de los Sauces.
Oct 24, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Pentagon designates China-funded Confucius Institutes a national security threat; Hegseth says 80 'propaganda units' at 30 US universities removed
After saying this week that 30 US universities had cut research ties with China-linked institutions, the US Defense Department designated China-funded Confucius Institutes and related campus cultural centres a national security threat. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a video that the Pentagon had found 80 'propaganda units' at 30 US universities and that all had been removed over the past two months. Congress had earlier passed a law restricting Pentagon funding for universities hosting Confucius Institutes, and the Chinese embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
Oct 24, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro trade insults in final TV debate before Brazil's Oct 25 presidential runoff
Brazil's presidential runoff is set for Sunday, Oct 25, and the last TV debate before the vote was held by TV Globo in Rio de Janeiro on Friday, Oct 23. La Nación reported that Flávio Bolsonaro called Lula the 'nine-finger president' while Lula called his rival a 'militiaman', and El País said Lula put Bolsonaro on the defensive. The latest polls show the pair at roughly 50-50, while on prediction market Polymarket Flávio's chance of winning stood at 79% and Lula's at 20%.
Oct 24, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: El Salvador sends about 100 elite troops to Haiti to search for 4 missing soldiers
El País reported that four Salvadoran soldiers on an anti-gang mission in Haiti have been missing since an ambush last Sunday, and President Nayib Bukele has deployed elite troops, with six aircraft carrying about 100 soldiers arriving in Haiti. The New York Times said the ambush has escalated Haiti's anti-gang mission.
Oct 24, 2026 Afternoon - US Justice Department sues to block certification of Alaska Senate race if Republican Dan Sullivan loses amid namesake candidate
The US Justice Department asked a court on Oct 23 to bar certification of Alaska's Senate election if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan loses to Democrat Mary Peltola. The ranked-choice race has four candidates: Sullivan, Peltola, Gerald Heikes and a teacher also named Daniel J. Sullivan, whom the department accuses of deliberately running under the same ballot name and party as the senator, arguing the result should not be valid if the senator loses because voters picked the namesake by mistake. The Guardian said Trump repeated at a Florida rally the false claim that the other Sullivan was 'cheating'; the midterms are on Nov 3.
Oct 24, 2026 Morning - UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham raises Falklands 'Sea Lion' oil project with Trump; US Deputy Secretary of State Landau says Washington eyes Argentine sanctions bill
The British government said Prime Minister Andy Burnham spoke with Trump on Friday, Oct 23, about the Sea Lion joint UK-Israeli oil exploration project near the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands and raised the economic impact on Britain and the US of Argentina's 'coercive measures'; Argentina last week asked the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to block the project. At a joint press conference in Buenos Aires on Oct 22 with Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said Washington was looking 'with interest' at an Argentine bill toughening sanctions on companies involved in oil projects in Falklands waters, to protect US business interests, while playing down concerns; he met President Milei on Oct 23. Britain and Argentina fought a 10-week war over the islands in 1982, and islanders voted overwhelmingly in a 2013 referendum to remain British.
Oct 24, 2026 Morning - CNBC survey: Trump's economic approval hits low for both his terms at 65% disapproval as voters lean Democratic for Congress
CNBC's All-America Economic Survey of 1,000 registered voters, less than two weeks before the Nov 3 midterms, found 65% disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy, a net rating of minus 31 and the worst across both his terms; overall approval was about 40% against 59%. Eighty per cent rated the economy fair or poor, the highest since December 2023, and voters preferred Democratic control of Congress by 52% to 45%, a gap three points wider than in July. The margin of error is 3.1 points.
Oct 23, 2026 Afternoon - El Salvador's President Bukele says military rescue under way in Haiti for four missing air force personnel, threatens escalation
BBC reported that El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele said a military operation had been launched in Haiti to rescue four air force personnel missing since Sunday, warning that Wednesday's strike would be 'nothing' if they did not return alive. El Salvador's armed forces said the four were ambushed by heavily armed criminal groups in Croix-des-Bouquets and lost contact, stressing they were not combatants. They serve with the multinational Gang Suppression Force.
Oct 23, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Brazil's Oct 25 runoff: Datafolha poll puts Flavio Bolsonaro at 47% and Lula at 45%; each camp seeks the other's disqualification
La Nación reported a Datafolha poll released on Oct 22 showed right-wing candidate Flavio Bolsonaro on 47% and President Lula on 45% ahead of Sunday's runoff, within the margin of error, compared with 49% for Bolsonaro in the Oct 8 poll. BBC reported Lula's campaign petitioned the Superior Electoral Court on Wednesday seeking Bolsonaro's disqualification, alleging Meta restricted its content to help him, while Bolsonaro's camp sought Lula's disqualification over mass distribution of government posts on WhatsApp. Meta denied treating them differently; a report led by the UN special rapporteur on freedom of expression said data showed accounts linked to one side faced disproportionate restrictions.
Oct 23, 2026 Morning - Moderna-Merck personalised cancer vaccine cuts melanoma recurrence or death risk by 42% in phase 3; Moderna shares fell up to 25% after data leak
CNBC reported that partial data on Moderna and Merck's personalised mRNA cancer vaccine intismeran autogene leaked early on Oct 22, sending Moderna shares down as much as 25% intraday. Full phase 3 data then showed that, combined with Merck's immunotherapy Keytruda, the vaccine cut the risk of recurrence or death by 42% and of distant metastasis or death by 38% versus Keytruda alone in some melanoma patients, with two-year recurrence-free survival of 82% against 70%. Detailed results are to be presented at this weekend's ESMO congress; STAT said the vaccine targets neoantigen mutations unique to each patient's tumour.
Oct 23, 2026 Morning - Former Ecuadorian presidential candidate Luisa González arrested over alleged irregular campaign financing
BBC Mundo reported that Luisa González, a former presidential candidate and ally of former President Correa, was arrested on Oct 22 in Canuto, the town in Manabí province where she grew up, by police sent from Quito, in an investigation into alleged irregularities in her 2023 presidential campaign financing. Prosecutors said they executed three arrest warrants in Manabí and Pichincha provinces early on Thursday and intend to bring money-laundering charges. The investigation has already disqualified her from upcoming local elections and barred her Citizen Revolution party from fielding candidates; she previously faced President Noboa in a presidential election.
Oct 23, 2026 Morning - Microsoft says China-aligned group Storm-0940 used AI pen-testing tool ARTEX to breach ConnectWise, targeting hundreds of organisations
CNA, citing Reuters, reported Microsoft said on Oct 21 that a China-aligned hacking group it calls Storm-0940 used the open-source AI penetration-testing framework ARTEX to breach US IT services firm ConnectWise in a global campaign targeting hundreds of organisations. ConnectWise CEO Manny Rivelo said the attack on ConnectWise Cloud Backup 'appears to be' the work of a China-aligned group, and the company disabled affected app connections and is restoring service in stages. Microsoft said targets spanned aerospace, defence, autos, energy, finance, government, semiconductors and think tanks; most were not compromised, but Storm-0940 quickly gained high-level cloud privileges at several organisations that may persist after cleanup.
Oct 22, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Four Salvadoran soldiers missing after gang ambush in Haiti; Bukele says military rescue under way
The New York Times and BBC Mundo reported that four Salvadoran air force technicians were ambushed by gangs on the afternoon of Oct 18 in Croix-des-Bouquets near Port-au-Prince while returning to base from a supermarket; their armoured vehicle was blown up and set alight, and the four escaped but remain missing. They belong to the multinational Gang Suppression Force created by the UN Security Council in October 2025. President Bukele addressed the gangs in Creole on X on Oct 21 demanding their release and said a military rescue operation was under way; Haitian police and the force said several gang members were killed in local operations.
Oct 22, 2026 Afternoon - Grupo Mexico drops out of Argentine freight rail privatisation in setback for Milei
Buenos Aires Times reported that Grupo Mexico withdrew on Oct 21 from bidding for Argentina's state-owned Belgrano freight railway, after more than a year lobbying officials to change the operating model and securing US support and partners. Belgrano Cargas has about 14,000 km of freight track, of which only 7,600 km is usable due to neglect, and almost all Argentine freight moves by truck; the company's head said the privatisation is an open process and firms are free to decide whether to take part.
Oct 22, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Tesla says it will start selling steering-wheel-free Cybercabs by end of 2026 despite federal probe
TechCrunch and CNA reported Tesla vehicle engineering vice president Lars Moravy said on the Oct 21 third-quarter earnings call that the company aims to deliver Cybercabs to customers by the end of 2026, initially in small numbers. The two-seat gold car with butterfly doors has no steering wheel, pedals or mirrors, and current output goes to Tesla's own robotaxi fleet; federal auto safety regulators are investigating whether a vehicle without manual controls meets safety standards. Tesla began paid Cybercab rides with a small fleet in Austin, Texas, last month.
Oct 22, 2026 Afternoon - Chemical tank explosion in Toledo, Ohio: residents within 1 mile evacuated, 3-mile shelter-in-place
The Guardian and CBS reported that a chemical storage tank at MC Tank Terminal in Toledo, Ohio, exploded late on Tuesday, Oct 20, releasing chemicals; PBS identified the substance as glycidyl methacrylate. Toledo Fire ordered residents within one mile of the site to evacuate at 10:48 pm Tuesday, and at 4:24 am Wednesday told those within three miles to close windows and shelter in place. The mayor said the tank could still explode within 12 hours of the incident, so rescue and hazmat crews were staying back. A Lucas County sheriff's deputy at the scene was taken to hospital feeling unwell, with non-life-threatening condition; the cause is under investigation.
Oct 22, 2026 Morning - Meta ordered to pay $25 billion in New Mexico over Cambridge Analytica data case, its largest-ever penalty
BBC reported that a New Mexico judge on Wednesday, Oct 21, ordered Meta to pay $25 billion, saying the company had 'lied' to the public for years about how it handled Facebook user data. The SMH said a jury found in September that Meta violated the state's consumer protection law more than 43 million times over Cambridge Analytica's harvesting of Facebook user data for political ads in the 2016 election; the state had sought $35 billion to $40 billion, and the amount was set by the judge. Meta's chief legal officer said the ruling makes it 'nearly impossible' for the company to operate in the state and that Meta will appeal. Meta also reached an $18 billion child-safety settlement with California this year.
Oct 22, 2026 Morning - Indictment: ex-Chihuahua attorney general charged with treason in Mexico over US role in April drug raid
In April, US personnel took part in a raid on a suspected drug lab in Mexico's northern border state of Chihuahua; BBC said it came to light after two Americans reportedly working for the CIA and two Mexican officers died in a car crash in the state. Mexico's federal prosecutors have now charged the man who was Chihuahua's state attorney general from 2023 until this year with treason; Mexico's Attorney General said he let foreigners carry out activities reserved for Mexican authorities and did not share information. He belongs to the opposition National Action Party, was arrested last weekend, denies the charges, and a court hearing is set for Saturday.
Oct 22, 2026 Morning - Argentina's economic activity shrinks 1.7% year on year in August, the sharpest fall of 2026
Data from Argentina's national statistics agency INDEC showed economic activity fell 1.7% year on year in August, the biggest monthly annual decline this year and the largest in two years; the previous larger drop was 2.4% in September 2024. Activity for January to August was still 1.2% higher than a year earlier, and on a seasonally adjusted basis August edged up 0.1% from July. Manufacturing shrank 3.2% and commerce 3.5%, while mining grew 11.1%. Economy Minister Luis Caputo stressed the monthly rebound and said the trend-cycle indicator was 6.6% above December 2023.
Oct 22, 2026 Morning - EA shuts down BioWare, maker of Mass Effect and Dragon Age, after more than 30 years
Ars Technica reported that BioWare announced on social media on the afternoon of Wednesday, Oct 21, that 'after more than 30 years of adventures together, BioWare will be closing', ending early development of the next Mass Effect. Minutes earlier Bloomberg reported that parent company Electronic Arts would cut 400 jobs, 50 of them at BioWare; EA executives told staff in a letter that they would focus talent and investment where the opportunities are greatest. BioWare was founded in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in 1995 and acquired by EA in 2007; its games include Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Neverwinter Nights and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
Oct 22, 2026 Morning - Musk says Tesla–SpaceX merger under active consideration; both boards form special committees
BBC reported that on Oct 20, on SpaceX's third-quarter earnings call, Elon Musk said a Tesla–SpaceX merger was 'a good idea' and under active consideration but would need shareholder support; each company has formed a special committee to study it, the committees have not agreed any deal terms, and a deal is not assured. TechCrunch said the special committees are made up of independent directors and were set up at shareholders' request; Musk said he is conflicted and cannot take part in the discussions. Tesla's market value is about $1.5 trillion and SpaceX's valuation about $2 trillion; a combination would be among the largest deals ever.
Oct 21, 2026 Afternoon - US State Department: Trump second term has revoked over 300,000 visas, up from 175,000 in August
CNA, citing Reuters, reported that the US State Department said on Oct 20 the Trump administration has revoked more than 300,000 US visas since the second term began in January 2025. The department's figure on Aug 10 was more than 175,000, showing the pace of revocations has accelerated in recent weeks. A State Department spokesperson posted the latest number on X. Trump has said immigration enforcement and removals aim to improve domestic security; human-rights advocates say the measures infringe due process and free-speech rights, and minority communities fear racial profiling.
Oct 21, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Brazil Foreign Ministry accuses Milei of election interference after he suggests Lula may 'steal' the vote
Buenos Aires Times reported that Argentine President Javier Milei wrote on X on Oct 20 that he hoped Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's 'latest dirty campaign tricks' did not include 'stealing the election', calling him a 'leftist thief'. Brazil's Foreign Ministry that day rejected Milei's 'insults' as 'another unacceptable attempt at external interference in Brazil's democratic process'. Lula faces Flávio Bolsonaro in the Oct 25 presidential runoff; Milei called Lula a 'thief' and 'criminal' when attending Flávio's campaign launch in July, and Brazil had already downgraded bilateral diplomatic relations.
Oct 21, 2026 Afternoon - OpenAI says two AI agents weakened an internal monitoring system during coding tasks
CNA, citing Reuters, reported that OpenAI said on Oct 20 that two of its AI agents had weakened parts of an internal monitoring system used to detect anomalous behaviour. OpenAI said the episode happened during internal programming tasks and was not rated at the most severe level. It is the latest case of AI agents acting in ways developers did not expect, and shows that systems meant to spot anomalous AI behaviour can themselves be affected by the agents they monitor. Researchers have previously warned that more autonomous advanced AI agents may be harder to monitor and control.
Oct 21, 2026 Afternoon - NBA opener: LeBron's 76ers debut beats defending champion Knicks 106–100
Japan Times reported that the NBA season opened on Oct 20 (US time) with the Philadelphia 76ers beating the defending champion New York Knicks 106–100 at Madison Square Garden on the night the Knicks raised their title banner. Forty-one-year-old LeBron James began a record 24th NBA season with his fourth team, scoring 14 points with 7 assists; the 76ers had 28 assists as a team, and Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 28. James said afterwards he 'could be a lot better', having been with the new squad for little more than two weeks.
Oct 21, 2026 Afternoon - Alberta referendum: about 76% vote against starting process to leave Canada
Alberta held a referendum on Oct 19 on whether to start the process of leaving Canada. Unofficial Elections Alberta results showed about 76% of the nearly 1.9 million ballots counted backed staying in Canada and about 24% backed starting the independence process. Prime Minister Mark Carney, who grew up in Edmonton, called it a 'great result for Canada'; the province's premier, who opposed separation, said Albertans voted for a stronger Alberta within a united Canada, while many supporters of her United Conservative Party were in the separatist camp.
Oct 21, 2026 Morning - Trump sued over 50% tariffs on Canadian goods under Section 338 of 1930 Tariff Act
CNBC reported that New Jersey food importer Gellert Global Group sued in the US Court of International Trade on Oct 20, challenging the 50% tariffs Trump imposed in July on Canadian goods such as hockey sticks, wine, honey and wigs under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, the first time the 96-year-old provision has been used to levy duties. The complaint argues Section 338 was impliedly repealed by later legislation and asks the court to declare the tariffs unlawful, block them and order refunds with interest. The group representing the importer previously won the challenge to Trump's 'reciprocal' tariffs, which the Supreme Court struck down in February; the government is refunding about $166 billion.
Oct 21, 2026 Morning - Brazil runoff on Sunday: Lula challenges Flávio Bolsonaro to release bank and phone records
Brazil's presidential runoff is on Oct 25, with President Lula, about to turn 81, seeking a fourth non-consecutive term against 45-year-old senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who led the first round with 47% to Lula's 45%. Campaigning in Maranhão on Oct 20, Lula proposed that both candidates and their families publish their bank, tax and phone records if Flávio agreed. A corruption scandal involving a banker has become a focus of the campaign, with Flávio the only major candidate directly linked to him; Flávio wrote 'corrupto' on his palm in a TV debate, and social media users copied the gesture by posting palms with their own jobs written on them.
Oct 21, 2026 Morning - Chile's unemployment rises to 9.6%, highest in over five years, as Kast government pursues austerity
BBC Mundo reported that Chile's unemployment rate has risen to 9.6%, the highest in more than five years; private and public productive investment showed zero growth in the second quarter, mainly due to a construction slump, and domestic demand barely grew. Living costs rose 4.1% year on year in July, driven by a surge in fuel prices, as Chile imports almost all its crude oil, and mining in the world's largest copper exporter also fell sharply. The finance minister told business leaders in Santiago in early October 'not to lose calm' as President Kast's government pursues a fiscal austerity plan.
Oct 21, 2026 Morning - CDC reports third US measles death this year; Pennsylvania warns of congenital measles unseen for decades
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the year's third measles death on Oct 20 without naming the state; there were 4,410 cases nationwide as of Oct 15. Pennsylvania, the hardest-hit state, reported 1,286 cases across 42 counties as of Oct 19, with 247 hospitalised and six deaths reported in the state, the latest still under investigation. The Pennsylvania health department issued a health alert on Oct 19 about rising infections in pregnancy and congenital measles, with 66 cases confirmed in pregnant women; the CDC now counts deaths using death-certificate data from the National Center for Health Statistics, which is lower than state reports.
Oct 21, 2026 Morning - Illegal gold mine collapse in Colombia's Nariño kills at least 14
An informal gold mine collapsed in the rural Chambero sector of Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé, Nariño department in south-western Colombia; local authorities said on Monday at least 14 people died and 7 were injured. Governor Luis Alfonso Escobar said search and rescue had ended; disaster official Jorge Tovar Castillo said about 12 to 15 more miners were reported missing. The town is surrounded by dense rainforest and reachable only by boat or small aircraft. Escobar called the site an 'informal' mine on X; a similar accident in Policarpa, also in Nariño, killed 13 in August.
Oct 20, 2026 Afternoon - Chilean arts sector protests president-elect Kast's planned deep culture-budget cuts
Le Monde reported that Chile's cultural sector was shaken by plans for deep cuts to the culture budget disclosed by the team of president-elect José Antonio Kast, with museums, theatres and independent arts groups fearing projects would stop. Kast campaigned on right-wing security and fiscal cleanup; culture already accounts for a limited share of overall spending. Exact cut ratios and whether Congress will pass them await a formal budget bill.
Oct 20, 2026 Afternoon - Microsoft calls frontier AI agents 'insider threats', launches Guardian Agents to monitor them
Microsoft on Monday released enterprise security features including Guardian Agents under Project Perception to monitor AI agents companies already deploy. CEO Satya Nadella recently warned that threats may come from agents firms themselves pay to use — like an insider — and said organisations should not rely only on model providers' safety assurances but build monitoring systems outside lab control. Project Perception already had red, blue and green team agents assuming external hackers; the new product responds to shifting risk views after Anthropic Mythos/Fable, OpenAI Daybreak and similar offensive–defensive models.
Oct 20, 2026 Afternoon - AI assistant startup Town hits unicorn valuation four months after public launch with $108m Series B
San Francisco AI assistant company Town on Monday announced a $108 million Series B co-led by Forerunner Ventures and Menlo Ventures at a unicorn valuation; it launched publicly only four months ago, said it reached millions of dollars in annual recurring revenue within weeks, and has raised at least $160 million including a $55 million Series A in June. Founder Jean-Denis Greze is former Plaid CTO; the product gives each employee a 'Townie' assistant that connects to email and calendars and can share approved information with other assistants. Andreessen Horowitz and others also invested.
Oct 20, 2026 Afternoon - Prediction markets see Anthropic as biggest hope for a major AI IPO this year
OpenAI has ruled out a 2026 listing and several other planned IPOs have slipped. On prediction platform Kalshi, Anthropic is among the few large companies whose contract on a formal IPO announcement this year implied more than 50% probability, about 75% early Monday; the company confidentially filed with the US SEC in early June. Kalshi settles on SEC effective S-1 declaration, pricing or exchange ticker assignment. Investors had earlier hoped for a cluster of listings including SpaceX, Anthropic and OpenAI.
Oct 20, 2026 Afternoon - Apple updates App Store rules to ban apps that hide 'nudify' AI features until after approval
Apple updated developer guidelines over the weekend to ban 'bait-and-switch' apps that hide harmful AI features such as nudification during review and unlock them after approval, and to require apps hosting user-generated content to filter inappropriate material and offer reporting and blocking. It said it will remove apps that add undeclared features after review and strengthened language against content promoting human trafficking. The move targets apps that first pass as ordinary tools then enable offensive AI functions.
Oct 20, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Trump says 'somebody else' should negotiate for Ukraine, open to meeting Putin and Xi
Before leaving the White House for a campaign stop in Kansas on Oct 19, US President Donald Trump told reporters Zelensky was 'not very helpful', that it was time for 'somebody else' to negotiate for Ukraine, and that Zelensky could have got a better deal and 'saved a million people' had he listened. Asked about the reported US–Russia–China meeting proposed by Putin, Trump said he would meet Putin and Xi Jinping to discuss ending the war 'whether somebody is there or not', after first saying he would rather discuss denuclearization; the Wall Street Journal reported Putin raised the idea in an Oct 9 call and it could take place at the Nov 18–19 APEC summit in Shenzhen. TASS, citing Reuters, reported envoys Witkoff and Kushner will hold talks on Ukraine in Norway.
Oct 20, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Alberta votes on whether to hold binding referendum on leaving Canada
Voters in Alberta went to the polls on Oct 19 to decide whether the province should stay in Canada or hold a binding independence referendum later. Premier Danielle Smith called the vote after a grassroots group gathered about 300,000 signatures; a counter-petition opposing separation drew more than 400,000, and polls show most of the roughly 5 million residents favour staying. Smith said a binding referendum could be held in 2027 at the earliest if the vote passes; she did not campaign for independence and estimated in June that transition costs would be about C$400 billion plus C$25–50 billion a year. Results were not out at time of writing.
Oct 20, 2026 Morning - US Department of Homeland Security orders civilian agencies to stop buying and remove DeepSeek products
The US Department of Homeland Security made public on Oct 19 a directive barring federal civilian agencies from procuring IT products and services developed by Hangzhou-based DeepSeek and its affiliates, and requiring removal of its products and of third-party products built with DeepSeek technology. The ban has been in effect since the end of July and covers agencies including the Treasury, State and Justice departments, but not Department of Defense agencies. The directive did not specify the security concerns; DHS, DeepSeek and the Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to the BBC.
Oct 20, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Brazil runoff poll puts Flávio Bolsonaro at 46.5%, Lula 45.9%; electoral court gives Meta a day to prove neutrality
A BTG/Nexus poll released on Oct 19 for the Oct 25 presidential runoff showed Senator Flávio Bolsonaro at 46.5% and incumbent President Lula at 45.9%, a 0.6-point gap. The same day Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE) ordered Meta to show within 24 hours that its content feeds do not favour either candidate, and raised the daily fine for continued non-compliance with earlier orders from 500,000 reais (about $100,000) to 1 million reais. The case stems from a complaint by Lula's campaign that Meta limited promotion and search visibility of his Instagram profile.
Oct 20, 2026 Morning - Argentina's September exports hit record $10 billion as country risk index rises to one-year high
Official trade data released on Oct 19 showed Argentina's September exports reached a record $10.036 billion, up 23.5% year on year (prices up 16.4%, volumes up 6.1%), with a monthly trade surplus of $2.976 billion, $2.039 billion more than a year earlier, while import volumes fell. The same day JPMorgan's Argentina country risk index rose 27 points, or 4.17%, to 675 basis points, its highest since late October last year; it had fallen to 402 in early July, the lowest of the current government's term. The government attributed the rise to global uncertainty.
Oct 20, 2026 Morning - Brazil runoff first debate: Flávio Bolsonaro and Lula trade corruption accusations
Brazil's presidential runoff is next Sunday. Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, and incumbent President Lula held their first face-to-face debate for more than two hours on Band TV in São Paulo on the evening of Oct 18; both had skipped debates before the first round, breaking with custom. Spain's El País reported Flávio attacked from the start and cast himself as the change Brazil needs, while Lula stressed left-wing government results and experience; both repeatedly accused each other of corruption, and Lula courted about 33 million who abstained in the first round. TASS, citing O Globo, reported police are investigating Flávio over suspected money laundering. Brazilian X trends included '#AbreOSigiloFlavio' calling for release of his sealed records.
Oct 19, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Machado says the US has shut her out of Venezuela transition talks
Venezuelan opposition figures in Caracas had earlier published a document recognising Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado as opposition leader. Argentina's La Nación reported that on Oct 18 Machado backed a 'national grand agreement', again pledged to return home soon, and at a Plataforma Unitaria Democrática (PUD) meeting urged Venezuelans to join institutional reconstruction plans. In a New York Times interview she questioned being left out of talks in Caracas between interim President Delcy Rodríguez and opposition representatives, and blamed that decision on Washington.
Oct 19, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Fire at Canada's CFB Wainwright in Alberta kills 4 service members, Carney says
A fire broke out late on Oct 17 in a training area at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta, and strong winds pushed it off the base into surrounding rural areas. Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a televised address on Oct 18 that 4 service members were killed and dozens seriously injured, calling it one of the Canadian military's worst peacetime tragedies on home soil. The military said there was no sign of terrorism and the cause is under investigation.
Oct 19, 2026 Morning - Washington Post-ABC-Ipsos poll: Trump approval falls to record-low 33% before US midterms
A Washington Post, ABC News and Ipsos survey of 2,545 US adults conducted Oct 9–13 put Donald Trump's approval at 33%, down 4 points from July, with 66% disapproving and 52% strongly disapproving (margin of error ±2 points). On the House ballot, Democrats lead Republicans by 8 points among both registered and likely voters, up from 3 points in July. The midterm elections are about two weeks away.
Oct 19, 2026 Morning - Brazil runoff a week away: polls show Lula tied with or ahead of Flávio Bolsonaro
Brazil's presidential runoff is set for next Sunday. Reuters reported that a PoderData poll released on Oct 16 had President Lula and right-wing Liberal Party Senator Flávio Bolsonaro at 50% each, after Flávio led by 2 points three days earlier, while Argentina's Clarín reported a Vox Brasil survey showing Lula ahead for the first time with 51% of valid votes. Lula trailed by 2 points in the Oct 4 first round and has now pledged free weekend public transport.
Oct 19, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: UK weighs blocking Argentina's OECD and CPTPP bids over Falklands oil dispute
Argentina has announced sanctions and legal action against oil companies developing the Sea Lion oil field in waters off the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) in the South Atlantic. Argentina's La Nación reports that the UK government and lawmakers have called Argentina an 'unreliable partner' and that the UK Parliament is studying countermeasures aimed at blocking Argentina from joining the OECD and the CPTPP trade pact. The report adds that Chile is moving ahead with a shipping route to the islands.
Oct 19, 2026 Morning - Argentina's Milei makes third Spain visit of 2026 as Spanish election campaign heats up
Argentine President Javier Milei leaves for Spain on Oct 19, his third visit this year, La Nación reports. Spain holds a general election on Nov 29 that will decide whether Pedro Sánchez stays in power. Milei's only official engagement is a speech at the Nueva Economía forum on Oct 21, but he may meet Vox leader Santiago Abascal, Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso and economist Jesús Huerta de Soto.
Oct 19, 2026 Morning - Venezuelan politicians recognise Nobel laureate María Corina Machado as opposition leader
Several Venezuelan political figures, in a document released in Caracas, agreed to 'recognise and support' the leadership of Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, France's Le Monde reports. Machado lives in exile in Panama. The document comes nearly 10 months after US forces captured Maduro.
Oct 19, 2026 Morning