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Lula Bans Online Betting in Brazil as Reelection Race Tightens: September 26, 2026

SAO PAULO — President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Friday announced a ban on online betting operations in Latin America’s largest economy and unveiled a new household debt-relief program, the latest measures ahead of next month’s election, Reuters reported.

The executive order takes immediate effect but must be approved by Congress within 120 days to remain in force. It comes less than two years after Brazil opened a legal framework for the industry. Finance Minister Dario Durigan called online betting “a public health issue,” saying app stores and network providers must block betting websites on October 6. Polls show Lula locked in a tight race with Senator Flavio Bolsonaro ahead of the October 4 first-round vote; Bolsonaro called the ban “populist, hypocritical and politically motivated.”

The Finance Ministry estimates Brazilian households spend about 60 billion reais ($11.6 billion) a year on online betting. Lula also said the government will hold a November auction to buy and restructure household debt, spending 15 billion reais to acquire up to 150 billion reais of delinquent loans at deep discounts.

Sources: Reuters

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World Brief, Evening: September 23, 2026

Qatari-mediated U.S.–Iran talks on the UN sidelines produced no breakthrough as Iran’s president rejected Trump’s “annihilation” threat and tied any Hormuz reopening to ending the war; Russia hit Kyiv with daytime drones before Zelenskyy’s UN address; and Xi Jinping landed in Washington to a rare planeside welcome from Trump. Ten stories as of Wednesday evening, September 23.

1. New York / Tehran. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that Tehran will not bow to U.S. pressure a day after President Trump threatened from the same rostrum to “annihilate” the Islamic Republic if no deal is reached, Al Jazeera and the BBC reported. Pezeshkian left the door open for diplomacy, saying Iran “extends its hands towards the world,” while insisting free use of the Strait of Hormuz cannot coexist with a U.S. naval blockade and war. On the sidelines, Qatari-mediated shuttle talks between Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner completed a round without a public breakthrough; a senior Iranian official told Reuters the sides remain far apart on blockade relief and Hormuz terms.

2. Kyiv. Russia pounded Kyiv with drones in daylight attacks Wednesday that killed two people and wounded 41 as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the UN General Assembly in New York, the Associated Press reported. Zelenskyy urged partners to keep limiting Russian oil revenues and met European leaders; he was also due to talk with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, after meeting U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said Moscow is open to talks but would not accept a pause in hostilities before a peace deal. Rubio said Trump has invited Putin to the December G20 in Miami.

3. Washington. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived Wednesday for a three-day state visit and received a rare planeside welcome from President Trump and Melania Trump at Joint Base Andrews, the Associated Press and AFP via CNA reported. The itinerary includes Oval Office talks and a White House state dinner Thursday and a National Archives tour Friday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said a U.S.–China trade truce due to expire November 10 would be extended to January 10. Expectations for major breakthroughs remain low; Iran, AI, and trade are on the agenda.

4. Yemen / Red Sea. An Associated Press reconstruction published Wednesday said Iran-aligned Houthi forces seized Yemen’s Red Sea coast from pro-government forces in under 48 hours, with Iranian Revolutionary Guard advisers directing the battle in the field — Iran’s most direct intervention for the Houthis since 2014, according to officials and soldiers who spoke to AP. The rebels took the port of Mokha around September 10 after government-allied forces retreated amid communication breaches and rivalries; the gain strengthens Houthi leverage over Red Sea shipping as the wider U.S.–Iran war continues.

5. United Nations. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and Hugging Face CEO Clément Delangue told the UN Security Council on Wednesday — in what France cast as the Council’s first dedicated session on AI safety risks — that poorly managed AI could threaten humanity and that states must set safeguards, the Associated Press reported. Amodei warned AI could be “a risk to humanity as a whole”; Altman said “we could lose control of the future to AI.” British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the warnings cannot be ignored; White House science adviser Michael Kratsios rejected pausing development or new global governance structures.

6. São Paulo / Brasília. An AtlasIntel/Bloomberg poll published Wednesday showed President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro statistically tied in a simulated runoff ahead of Brazil’s October 4 election — Lula at 47.7% and Bolsonaro at 47.4%, within a one-point margin of error, Reuters reported. In a first-round scenario Lula led 45.8% to 43.4%. A runoff, if needed, would be October 25. Lula used his UN address Tuesday to warn against foreign interference in the vote and said “Brazil is nobody’s backyard,” Reuters reported.

7. Durban / KwaMakhutha. Gunmen killed at least 11 people at a house in KwaMakhutha township south of Durban late Tuesday, storming a gathering of 14 people; ten died at the scene and one of four taken to hospital later died, the BBC reported, citing South African police. Police said three men opened fire with pistols and rifles and that a feud between rival groups could not be ruled out; a manhunt is under way. South Africa has one of the world’s highest murder rates, and mass shootings have drawn renewed calls for stronger action against organized crime.

8. Canberra / Wellington. Australia and New Zealand signed Plan Tasman to deepen cooperation between their navies across personnel, training, capability development, warfighting, engineering, regulation, and international engagement, RNZ reported. Royal Australian Navy Deputy Chief Rear Admiral Darren Grogan and Royal New Zealand Navy Deputy Chief Commodore Karl Woodhead signed the pact; Woodhead described a shift “from a history of cooperation based on tradition to integration by design.” Coverage this week also noted the RAAF’s first overseas forward arming and refuelling point at Ohakea in New Zealand.

9. Poland / Kaliningrad. Poland’s military said a Russian helicopter briefly violated Polish airspace Wednesday on the border with Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave, the Associated Press reported alongside the Kyiv strikes. Warsaw said the nature of the incident suggested Russia was again testing the readiness of Polish air defenses. The episode adds to a string of near-NATO air and drone incidents as Zelenskyy pressed allies in New York for sustained pressure on Moscow’s war finances.

10. Brasília / Amazon. Lula’s campaign on Wednesday asked Brazil’s Supreme Court and electoral court to investigate alleged U.S. interference in the October election and accused Flávio and Eduardo Bolsonaro of abuse of power tied to White House contacts, Folha de S.Paulo reported. Separately, Reuters said a record 191 Indigenous candidates are running in the general elections — the highest since ethnicity data began in 2014 — campaigning on territorial recognition amid agribusiness and energy-project pressure.

Coming up. Through Saturday 26 and Monday 28 September — UN General Assembly high-level week, New York (ongoing). Tuesday–Wednesday 30 September–1 October — G20 trade ministers, Milwaukee. October 4 — Brazil general election (runoff October 25 if needed). October 12–18 — IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings, Bangkok. The standing calendar is at The Watch.

Sources: Associated Press; Reuters; BBC; Al Jazeera; RNZ; Folha de S.Paulo; AFP via CNA; PBS NewsHour.

World Brief, Evening: September 15, 2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKh14nL4r2Y

Houthis claimed a fresh missile-and-drone wave on Saudi Arabia’s Khamis Mushait airbase as Gulf–Iran Hormuz talks were postponed; CENTCOM disputed an IRGC account of how the El Gaia tanker was damaged; and Kyiv conditioned any pause in strikes on Russia on a partner-backed halt to attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. Ten stories as of Tuesday evening, September 15.

1. Riyadh / Khamis Mushait. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said Monday they fired dozens of missiles and drones at a military airbase in Khamis Mushait in southern Saudi Arabia, targeting hangars, radar, runways, and ammunition depots in retaliation for Saudi airstrikes, Reuters reported. Saudi authorities issued emergency alerts there and in other southern cities; the Saudi-led coalition said 13 civilians were wounded. The East-West pipeline that bypasses Hormuz remained offline after Thursday’s attack. Oman postponed Monday’s Gulf–Iran meeting on reopening the Strait of Hormuz; Iran said the delay was at Saudi Arabia’s request. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met U.S. Central Command’s Adm. Brad Cooper in Jeddah on Monday, Saudi state media said.

2. Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said the Panama-flagged tanker El Gaia struck sea mines south of the strait. U.S. Central Command called that false, saying the ship was hit by an Iranian missile last month and left inoperable; Al Jazeera’s live coverage added that CENTCOM said an Iranian drone struck it again while it sat off Oman this weekend. The UN’s International Maritime Organization said the vessel was damaged Saturday and that two seafarers were missing, without stating a cause. The IRGC separately repeated that it considers the strait closed under its control.

3. Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that Ukraine is ready to halt strikes on Russian territory if partners can secure a genuine Russian commitment not to hit Ukraine’s electricity system, other energy sites, critical infrastructure, and food-supply routes, the Associated Press and Reuters reported. The statement followed President Trump’s claim that both sides had already agreed not to hit energy targets. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is not convinced Moscow will stick to any deal and that he expects specifics from partners.

4. Brussels. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Monday that Russian drone strikes close to NATO territory show President Vladimir Putin’s “desperation,” and that Russia is “growing increasingly reckless” in its war against Ukraine, speaking at alliance headquarters after the weekend attack near Poland’s border. A Russian drone had struck a Kyiv–Warsaw passenger train’s locomotive about two kilometers from the Polish border at Yahodyn on Sunday; no passengers were reported injured. Rutte said Putin aims to sow fear and weaken Western support — “He is wrong” — and framed the response as more aid to Ukraine while Allies protect Allied territory. See Kyiv Independent and ABC.

5. Houston. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced Monday, on the sidelines of G20 energy ministers’ meetings in Houston, that the agency had finalized repeal of the Biden-era 2024 carbon standards for coal- and gas-fired power plants and proposed scrubbing remaining greenhouse-gas rules for the power sector, Reuters and the EPA reported. The administration cast the move as clearing the way for new generation to meet rising electricity demand; Energy Under Secretary Kyle Haustveit said President Trump had “ended the war on beautiful, clean coal.” Environmental groups warned of higher pollution and climate harm.

6. Aleppo / Damascus. A weekend diesel price hike of 40% — to 175 Syrian pounds a litre — plus smaller increases in gasoline and cooking gas triggered the widest protests across Syria since Bashar al-Assad’s fall, Reuters reported from Aleppo. Demonstrators burned tires, blocked the Damascus–Aleppo highway and other roads, and stopped crude tankers headed for refineries. The Energy Ministry called the increases temporary and blamed higher import costs and the long maintenance shutdown at the Baniyas refinery. The UNDP estimates about 90% of Syrians live below the poverty line.

7. Java Sea. Indonesian rescuers were still searching Monday for 129 people missing after the passenger ferry Virgo Transport 8 capsized Sunday en route from Surabaya to Banjarmasin with 243 aboard, Reuters and Al Jazeera reported. Authorities said 108 people were rescued and at least six died. Rough seas kept divers from underwater work; more than 600 personnel and about a dozen ships were in the search. Transport officials said the vessel’s capacity was 500 and that it was not overloaded; the cause remains under investigation.

8. Lagos. Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote on Monday opened Africa’s largest share sale yet — the IPO of his Lagos-area oil refinery — aiming to raise 2.15 trillion naira (about $1.6 billion) if fully subscribed, or roughly $2.1 billion with a greenshoe, Reuters reported. Marketed as a “people’s IPO” of roughly a 3% stake, the offer lets investors buy as few as 10 shares. The plant processes about 700,000 barrels a day and has exported jet fuel to western Europe amid Iran-war supply disruptions. Dangote said a U.S. secondary listing could follow in three to four years.

9. Bogotá. Colombia’s Congress on Monday approved a 2027 spending budget of 634.9 trillion pesos (about $206.6 billion), projecting a record fiscal deficit of 9.4% of GDP to be financed largely with more public debt, Reuters reported. The new government of President Abelardo De La Espriella folded in extra needs, including costs tied to August’s 7.4-magnitude earthquake. Finance Minister Miguel Gomez said it was not the budget they wanted but what the economy can afford; officials plan a “Rescue Law” package aimed at cutting the deficit toward 7.2% of GDP.

10. Wellington. A The Post/Freshwater Strategy poll published Tuesday showed both of New Zealand’s major parties under 30% with the election less than two months away — Labour at 28% and National at 27% — leaving seat math that points to a possible hung parliament, RNZ reported. The Greens, New Zealand First, and ACT all rose; Opportunity cleared the 5% threshold at 6%. Chris Hipkins led Christopher Luxon 45%–35% as preferred prime minister; 56% of respondents said the country is heading in the wrong direction.

Coming up. Tuesday–Wednesday 15–16 September — Federal Open Market Committee, Washington, with the Summary of Economic Projections (rate decision Wednesday). Sunday 20 September — Russia State Duma election. Tuesday 22–Saturday 26 and Monday 28 September — UN General Assembly high-level week, New York. October 4 — Brazil general election (first round). The standing calendar is at The Watch.

Sources: Reuters; Associated Press; Al Jazeera; EPA; NATO; Kyiv Independent; ABC (Australia); RNZ; The Post (NZ).

Milei Plans Bill to Toughen Sanctions on Falklands Oil Firms: September 15, 2026

BUENOS AIRES — Argentine President Javier Milei is preparing legislation this week to toughen sanctions against companies operating in the Falkland Islands, a move analysts say raises uncertainty over whether Buenos Aires may escalate commercial pressure on the disputed territory, Reuters reported.

The proposed bill would build on sanctions proceedings Argentina says it has opened against at least 60 companies and individuals linked to offshore oil exploration around the islands, which Argentina calls the Malvinas. Congressional aide Marcelo Seghini said penalties could extend to affiliates and other activities affecting Argentina’s natural resources, and that fishing may also be targeted.

The push accelerated after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Washington could reconsider its traditionally neutral stance on the dispute. Oil majors SLB, Baker Hughes, and Halliburton have said they would not participate in activities on the islands. Developers of the Sea Lion project say they hold valid Falkland Islands licenses and do not expect Milei’s actions to derail work.

Analysts warn broader sanctions could chill investment in Argentina itself, including Vaca Muerta shale. Opposition lawmakers accuse Milei of political opportunism ahead of a likely 2027 reelection bid; his libertarian coalition lacks majorities in Congress.

Sources: Reuters

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World Brief: September 14, 2026

A Russian drone struck a Ukrainian passenger train near the Polish border; Oman postponed Monday’s Iran–Gulf Hormuz meeting with no new date; and a Reuters poll finds most economists now expect the Fed to hike a quarter point this week. Ten stories as of Monday morning, September 14.

1. Yahodyn / Poland border. A Russian drone struck the locomotive of a Kyiv–Warsaw passenger train about 2 km from the Polish border at Yahodyn shortly after former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European security officials had passed on another train, the BBC and Reuters reported. Ukrainian rail operator Ukrzaliznytsia said there were no casualties and that passengers had been evacuated about 15 minutes earlier. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk convened an emergency meeting as Poland issued air-threat alerts in border counties of Lublin Voivodeship.

2. Salalah / Strait of Hormuz. Oman postponed Monday’s meeting in Salalah between Iran and Gulf states on Strait of Hormuz shipping “in the interests of consensus,” Oman’s Foreign Ministry and Reuters reported; Iran said Saudi Arabia requested the delay citing events in Yemen, Al Jazeera reported. No new date was set. The postponement follows an Iranian commercial ship strike that killed one and wounded four, and a UKMTO report of a projectile strike on a vessel in the strait.

3. Washington. Eighty-six of 101 economists in a Reuters poll conducted after Friday’s inflation report now expect the Federal Reserve to raise rates by 25 basis points to a 3.75%–4.00% target range at its September 15–16 meeting — the first hike since July 2023 — reversing last week’s hold consensus. Interest-rate futures priced close to a 90% chance of an increase this week. A near-majority of forecasters, 37 of 70, expect at least one further hike by end-March. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh faces pressure from President Trump, who has pressed for cuts.

4. Kinshasa / DRC. The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak — the country’s worst on record — has passed 7,022 cases, with 3,398 deaths and 1,671 recovered, and has reached a seventh province, South Ubangi, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported. The government said the epidemic peaked in mid-to-late August and that cases are declining in some zones.

5. São Paulo. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva regained a slim lead over Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in a simulated runoff, a BTG Pactual/Nexus poll showed Monday, Reuters reported. Lula would take 47% to Bolsonaro’s 46% in a runoff scenario — statistically tight given a 2-percentage-point margin of error — reversing a September 8 survey that had Bolsonaro ahead 46% to 45%. In a first-round scenario Lula led 42% to 37%. Separately, Brazil’s Supreme Court unsealed further material on a Bolsonaro biopic-financing probe. The first round is October 4.

6. Toronto. Prime Minister Mark Carney opened a two-day summit pitching more than 160 Canadian projects to global investors — including BlackRock’s Larry Fink, Blackstone’s Jon Gray, Temasek, and Dutch pension giant APG — amid the U.S. trade war, Reuters reported. Ottawa is targeting C$1 trillion in investment over five years.

7. Air Force One / US–China–Iran. President Trump brushed aside a Wall Street Journal report that Chinese entities supplied Iran with satellite imagery of a Jordan base before a July strike that killed three U.S. troops, equating U.S. and Chinese spying, Reuters reported. China rejected the accusations.

8. Naha / Okinawa. LDP-backed Genta Koja won about 59% of the vote to defeat Governor Denny Tamaki, ending 12 years of anti-base-leaning governors in Okinawa, Reuters and Al Jazeera reported. Koja accepts the Henoko base relocation, a result that may give Tokyo a freer hand on military buildup.

9. Panguna / Bougainville. Autonomous Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama condemned an attack on the Panguna mining camp in which machinery was burned at a site linked to Lloyds Metals, Reuters and RNZ reported. Toroama said he will continue to press for a copper-mine restart.

10. Moscow. The Kremlin welcomed President Trump’s call for Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian diesel facilities; spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Gulf instability is driving energy markets, Reuters reported. Russia’s diesel export ban remains in focus ahead of the State Duma election September 18–20.

Coming up. Tuesday–Wednesday 15–16 September — Federal Open Market Committee, Washington, with the Summary of Economic Projections. Sunday 20 September — Russia State Duma election. Tuesday 22–Saturday 26 and Monday 28 September — UN General Assembly high-level week, New York. October 4 — Brazil general election (first round). The standing calendar is at The Watch.

Sources: Reuters; BBC; Al Jazeera; Oman Foreign Ministry; RNZ; Associated Press.

Brazil Court Unseals Probe Into Bolsonaro Biopic Funding: September 14, 2026

RIO DE JANEIRO — A Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Sunday unsealed an investigation into a film about former President Jair Bolsonaro, pointing to suspicions that its financing had ties to a criminal network, the Associated Press reported.

Justice Flavio Dino said the hypothesis of a sophisticated scheme diverting public funds via congressional budget amendments and Sao Paulo city government had strengthened. The case may further complicate Senator Flavio Bolsonaro’s challenge to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in October’s election.

Sen. Bolsonaro is under investigation for corruption, money laundering, and tax evasion related to millions of dollars from a disgraced banker used to finance the biopic “Dark Horse.” Federal police last week targeted Bolsonaro ally and former cabinet member Mario Frias, who sent about 2 million reais ($400,000) to a nonprofit linked to the film.

Dino said there were strong indications Frias played a central role in an alleged network that may also have links to the First Command of the Capital (PCC). Frias denied wrongdoing and said he never allocated congressional funds to the production.

Sources: Associated Press

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Lula Regains Narrow Edge Over Flavio Bolsonaro in Brazil Poll: September 14, 2026

SAO PAULO — Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva regained a slim lead over right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in a simulated runoff for next month’s election, a BTG Pactual/Nexus poll showed Monday, though the race remained statistically tied, Reuters reported.

In a runoff scenario, Lula would receive 47% support compared with 46% for Bolsonaro. A September 8 survey had Bolsonaro ahead 46% to 45% — his first numerical lead over Lula since March — helping Brazilian assets rally as the former president’s eldest son is viewed as more market-friendly.

In a first-round scenario, Lula led with 42%, followed by Bolsonaro at 37%, Augusto Cury at 6%, Ronaldo Caiado at 5%, and Renan Santos at 2%. If no candidate wins more than 50% of valid votes on October 4, the top two advance to an October 25 runoff.

Nexus surveyed 2,003 people from September 11 to 13, with a margin of error of 2 percentage points.

Sources: Reuters via The Straits Times

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World Brief, Evening: September 13, 2026

Sweden’s centre-left opposition is projected to take a one-seat Riksdag majority after Sunday’s vote; Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline remains shut with Yanbu stocks good for only days of Red Sea exports; and Oman postponed Monday’s Gulf–Iran Hormuz meeting as another vessel was struck in the strait. Ten stories as of Sunday evening, September 13.

1. Stockholm. Sweden’s centre-left opposition bloc, headed by Social Democrats leader Magdalena Andersson, was projected to win 175 seats in the 349-seat Riksdag against 174 for Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s right-wing governing bloc, the election authority said based on votes from 4,853 of 6,312 districts, Reuters reported. Public broadcaster SVT’s forecast put roughly 90% confidence on that 175–174 split, while overseas ballots due midweek could still move seats. Andersson said her side was ready to take responsibility if the lead holds; the hard-right Sweden Democrats lost ground from 2022, DW reported. Final certification is expected later this week.

2. Riyadh / Yanbu. Saudi Arabia’s 1,200-km East-West oil pipeline stayed offline after Friday’s drone strikes, and traders and Saudi oil buyers told Reuters that Yanbu Red Sea stocks may sustain recent exports for only five to seven days. Beyond that, up to about 4% of global supply could be at risk on top of Hormuz disruption already underway. Repair timelines cited to Reuters ranged from days to five or six weeks. U.S. retail diesel rose to another all-time high above $6.20 a gallon on Sunday, Reuters reported. Saudi state media also released video of damage in southern Jazan province from what Riyadh called a Houthi attack; the Houthis claimed a strike on a Saudi military base in a neighbouring province. See also Reuters on Sunday’s Gulf strikes.

3. Strait of Hormuz / Salalah. The British maritime agency UKMTO said a vessel was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, causing a fire and forcing crew evacuation, Reuters reported. Iran said one person was killed and four wounded aboard an Iranian commercial ship struck off its coast. Late Sunday, Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said a regional meeting set for Monday in Salalah between Iran and Gulf states on Hormuz shipping had been postponed “in the interests of consensus,” according to Oman’s Foreign Ministry and Reuters. Bahrain had already said it would not sit with Iran while diplomatic ties remain broken.

4. Perim / Bab el-Mandeb. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis completed their takeover of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline after capturing Mocha and overrunning Perim (Mayun) Island, Al Jazeera reported, positioning them about 20 km from the African shore at the southern mouth of the Red Sea. The advance deepens the bind on Washington after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked President Trump for military help and was offered intelligence support for now, three sources told Reuters. Trump confirmed he spoke with the crown prince and said the Houthis had also contacted his administration asking the U.S. to stay out.

5. Kyiv / Yahodyn. Russia launched 453 Shahed-type and other drones plus S8000 Banderol missiles overnight into Sunday; Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 405 drones and six Banderol missiles, with hits at 13 locations, Ukraine’s Air Force said, the Kyiv Independent reported. Regional authorities said Russian attacks over the past day killed at least six civilians and injured 43. A Russian drone struck the locomotive of a Kyiv–Warsaw train about 2 km from the Polish border at Yahodyn; no passengers were injured, Ukrzaliznytsia said. Poland issued air-threat alerts in counties of Lublin Voivodeship near the border.

6. Brasília. Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Flávio Dino on Sunday unsealed further material on the production of a film about former President Jair Bolsonaro, citing suspicions the movie’s financing had ties to a criminal network, the Associated Press reported. The unsealing adds pressure on Senator Flávio Bolsonaro — Lula’s leading right-wing challenger ahead of the October 4 election — already under a July investigation for alleged corruption, money laundering, and related counts tied to financing from failed lender Banco Master’s former CEO Daniel Vorcaro, Reuters and AP reported. Flávio denies wrongdoing.

7. Ambae–Santo, Vanuatu. One person is dead and more than 30 remain missing after the inter-island ferry MV Matui sank Friday in rough seas between Santo and Ambae, Prime Minister Jotham Napat’s office said Sunday, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported. Fifteen people have been accounted for alive. The government said open-water search was being scaled back toward the south-east coast, where currents may have carried survivors, and that the sinking appears tied to strong winds, marine warnings not being heeded, and possible negligence including overloading. A French armed forces aircraft joined the search from New Caledonia, AFP reported.

8. Obock, Djibouti. More than 2,000 people fled Yemen to Djibouti over about 24 hours as fighting along the Red Sea coast intensified, the International Organization for Migration said, Al Jazeera reported. Arrivals in Obock — roughly 20 km from Yemen’s shore — received food and water, with IOM warning more support is needed. Overall displacement inside Yemen has topped 85,000 in the latest surge tied to the Houthi coastal offensive.

9. New Delhi. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday pushed “Greater BRICS” initiatives spanning AI to trade as India closed its chair year and China prepares to take the chair in 2027, Reuters reported, citing Xinhua. BRICS leaders had adopted the New Delhi Declaration on Saturday after a last-minute Iran–UAE compromise on Middle East language. Indian officials separately said members discussed protecting energy flows and supply chains amid the West Asia crisis.

10. Toronto / Ottawa. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday Canada seeks a “unique alliance” with the European Union but is not looking to become an EU member, after the Wall Street Journal reported exploration of a yet-to-be-created associate-member status, Reuters reported. Carney will address the European Parliament next week and meet French President Emmanuel Macron on September 20 in Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Separately on Sunday, President Trump called Canada “the worst country to deal with” while saying Ottawa was “dying to make a deal,” and reiterated plans for new tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks, and auto parts from January 1, Reuters reported.

Coming up. Tuesday–Wednesday 15–16 September — Federal Open Market Committee, Washington, with the Summary of Economic Projections. Sunday 20 September — Russia State Duma election. Tuesday 22–Saturday 26 and Monday 28 September — UN General Assembly high-level week, New York. October 4 — Brazil general election (first round). The standing calendar is at The Watch.

Sources: Reuters; Associated Press; Al Jazeera; BBC; AFP; DW; The Guardian; Kyiv Independent; Oman Foreign Ministry.

Trump Says He Could ‘Settle’ Falklands Dispute With Argentina: September 13, 2026

DUBLIN — President Donald Trump said Saturday he expects to be called on to “settle” any potential conflict over the Falkland Islands, describing rising U.K.–Argentina tension as a “potential disaster,” The Independent and Bloomberg reported.

Speaking alongside Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Trump questioned whether Britain would “be willing to travel that far” if Argentina invaded as in 1982, saying it would take “weeks by boat.” He added: “I’m sure I’ll be called into that potential disaster, but if they do, I’ll probably be able to settle it out.”

The remarks follow earlier comments in which Trump suggested Washington might not back Britain over the islands and said he was reviewing the traditional U.S. position. Argentine President Javier Milei, a Trump ally, has stepped up sovereignty claims and oil-related sanctions threats over the territory Argentina calls Las Malvinas.

In the Commons on Wednesday, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the United Kingdom would be “relentless” in defending the Falkland Islanders’ right to remain British. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has said the islands “are British and will remain so” because that is the islanders’ overwhelming preference.

Sources: The Independent, Bloomberg

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World Brief, Evening: September 12, 2026

Houthi control of Perim puts Washington in a tighter Red Sea bind as Trump confirms intelligence help for Riyadh but no direct fight; Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline stays shut after drones from Iraq; and BRICS leaders in New Delhi adopt a joint declaration after Iran and the UAE compromise. Ten stories as of Saturday evening, September 12.

1. Perim / Bab el-Mandeb. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis reached Perim (Mayun) Island on Friday, putting them in position to choke Bab el-Mandeb after seizing Mocha, Reuters reported. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked Trump for U.S. military help; Trump told him Washington would share intelligence but not intervene directly for now, three sources told Reuters. Trump confirmed Saturday he had spoken to the crown prince and said the Houthis had also contacted his administration asking Washington not to join the fight. Saudi Arabia has leaned on Red Sea export routes since Hormuz disruptions, Reuters reported.

2. Riyadh / oil markets. Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline remained shut as a precaution after drones launched from Iraq hit sites in the Riyadh and Medina regions, causing injuries and damage, the Saudi energy and foreign ministries said. The line had been moving about 4–5% of global oil supply by routing crude around Hormuz, Reuters reported. Riyadh said it would not retaliate for now at Baghdad’s request; Iraq dismissed the Maysan operations commander and opened an investigation, BBC and Al Jazeera reported. Brent settled Friday at $104.61 and U.S. crude at $100.05, down on the day but finishing the week above $100 with a weekly gain of more than 8%, Reuters reported.

3. New Delhi. BRICS leaders unanimously adopted the New Delhi Declaration on Saturday after Iran and the UAE agreed a last-minute compromise on West Asia language, The Hindu and wires reported. The text expressed “deep concern” over Middle East escalation and called for maximum restraint without directly naming U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran or Iran’s subsequent attacks on Gulf neighbours; it made no separate mention of the war in Ukraine. Chinese President Xi Jinping, after a bilateral with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said China would take the BRICS chair next year. Member leaders continue Sunday at Bharat Mandapam under India’s chair.

4. Stockholm. Sweden votes Sunday in a general election that could see the hard-right Sweden Democrats enter government if the ruling right holds, the Guardian, BBC, and Reuters reported. Final Friday polls left the centre-left opposition ahead, but bloc gaps ranged from about 0.3 points to more than 5 points depending on the survey; the Liberals cleared the 4% threshold in the last readings. Social Democrats leader Magdalena Andersson remains favorite to return as prime minister. Polling stations close at 8 p.m. Sunday.

5. Kyiv. Russian air strikes across Ukraine on Saturday killed nine people and injured dozens, damaging homes, a grocery store, and Black Sea port areas, local officials told Reuters. President Zelenskiy said Russia had launched nearly 500 drones against Ukrainian targets since early morning and was expanding attacks on the economy. Separately, Zelenskiy said he would be willing to meet Putin at December’s G20 in Miami; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told AFP that was “impossible” and repeated that any face-to-face meeting would have to be in Moscow, RFE/RL reported. Ukraine said it struck a synthetic-rubber plant in Russia’s Samara region.

6. Wonsan / East Sea. North Korea fired several ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea around 5:20 a.m. Saturday; they flew about 250 kilometers, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, Al Jazeera, AFP, Reuters, and AP reported. The launches came a day after U.S.–South Korea–Japan Freedom Edge drills ended. U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the event did not pose an immediate threat to U.S. territory or allies.

7. Washington. Trump confirmed Saturday he had spoken to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the Houthi advance and said the Houthis had also contacted his administration asking Washington not to become directly involved, Reuters reported. A senior administration official said the U.S. is focused on freedom of navigation in the Red Sea “while empowering our regional partners to take the lead.” Analysts told Reuters the Houthi move complicates Trump’s effort to keep the Iran fight from further driving U.S. energy prices.

8. Brasília. Newly unsealed Supreme Court records show Senator Flávio Bolsonaro — Lula’s leading right-wing challenger ahead of the October 4 election — has been under investigation since July for alleged corruption and money laundering tied to failed lender Banco Master and film financing linked to banker Daniel Vorcaro, Reuters and ABC News reported. Police examined about $12 million routed through a U.S. fund linked to Eduardo Bolsonaro. Flávio denies wrongdoing and says the film financing was legal. A full-court session on related Banco Master disputes is set for Tuesday.

9. Abuja / Johannesburg. Nigeria’s National Assembly suspended official visits to South Africa and ordered lawmakers to boycott South African-hosted legislative events over anti-migrant violence targeting Nigerians and other Africans, parliament spokesman Akin Rotimi said, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported. Nigerian officials have cited dozens of Nigerian deaths in related attacks since 2022; South Africa’s foreign minister visited Abuja in July on the issue.

10. Ambae–Santo, Vanuatu. Inter-island ferry MV Matui sank Friday in rough seas between Ambae and Santo with 34 passengers and 11 crew aboard. Seven people were rescued and about 38 remained missing as searches continued Saturday, police told Vanuatu broadcaster VBCTC, ABC News reported. Luganville harbour master Terry Ngwele said two people were rescued Saturday; communities on Ambae were asked to watch for survivors.

Coming up. Sunday 13 September — BRICS summit continues, New Delhi; Sweden general election. Tuesday 15 September — Brazil Supreme Court full session (Banco Master disputes). Tuesday–Wednesday 15–16 September — Federal Open Market Committee with projections. Sept. 20 — Russia State Duma election. UNGA high-level week Sept. 22–26 and 28. The standing calendar is at The Watch.

Sources: Reuters; BBC; Al Jazeera; Associated Press; AFP; ABC News (Australia); The Hindu; The Guardian; RFE/RL.