Trump questions Brazil election as Bolsonaro refuses to concede
Donald Trump, the US President, has questioned the outcome of Brazil’s presidential election, saying it “looked like another rigged election” after defeated right-wing candidate Flávio Bolsonaro refused to recognise his loss to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Trump made the remarks on Monday without presenting evidence of electoral fraud. Bolsonaro said he would seek to annul the result, citing a two-hour extension of voting ordered by Brazil’s Supreme Court. The extension accounted for fewer than 35,000 votes, about 0.03 percent of the total, according to an analysis of electoral records by Pedro Burgos, a professor at Insper.
Bolsonaro lost to Lula by more than four million votes, making a successful challenge difficult. Although Trump did not publicly endorse Bolsonaro before the election, Reuters reported that US State Department officials had campaigned for the Bolsonaro family’s return to power.
Geraldo Alckmin, Brazilian Vice-President, rejected Trump’s comments, describing them as “totally wrong” and “unfounded”. The dispute threatens to intensify political tensions following the election as Bolsonaro’s camp challenges the result.
US, Canada negotiate deal to ease steel and auto tariffs
The United States and Canada are negotiating a possible agreement to ease US tariffs on Canadian steel and automobiles, as both governments seek to repair relations strained by the breakdown of trade talks in August, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
The negotiations centre on tariffs imposed under Section 232 of US trade law, including duties of up to 50 percent on Canadian steel and 25 percent on automobiles. A Canadian source said an agreement could be reached before the November 3 US midterm elections, although American officials want further concessions from Ottawa.
The talks come as President Donald Trump faces declining approval ratings and Republican candidates in border states push for an end to the trade dispute. The tariffs have become a political liability for the administration ahead of elections that could determine control of Congress.
Howard Lutnick, US Commerce Secretary and Canada’s minister responsible for trade, Dominic LeBlanc, have been in regular contact, sources said. Canada’s government said it remained committed to constructive discussions aimed at securing a more mutually beneficial trading relationship.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan seek de-escalation with Iran
Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan met Iranian leaders in Tehran on Monday to seek a diplomatic solution to the widening Middle East conflict, as Yemen’s Houthi forces launched fresh attacks on Saudi Arabia and Egypt approved military support for the Gulf kingdom.
The meeting marked the first high-level contact between Iran and the three countries since the war began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran and spread to Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Saudi Arabia said the visit aimed to establish negotiating channels to prevent renewed military escalation.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin represented their countries. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also attended the discussions, according to Iranian state media.
The four countries agreed to continue talks on strengthening cooperation in peace and security, Iranian state media reported. The diplomatic effort comes as attacks involving regional powers threaten to widen the conflict and disrupt security around key trade and energy routes.
Russian strikes kill two in Ukraine’s Kharkiv
Russian missile strikes on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, killed two people and injured four on Monday, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
Terekhov said three strikes hit a district of the city, damaging a high-rise apartment building and private homes. Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said Russian forces had launched missiles at Kharkiv, which lies about 30 kilometres from the Russian border and has frequently come under attack.
In neighbouring Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian forces launched more than 50 drone and artillery attacks, Governor Oleksandr Hanzha said. A drone strike in the city of Pavlohrad killed one person and injured 10 others, three of whom were seriously hurt.
The attacks highlight continued pressure on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure as Russian forces maintain strikes across the country. Authorities have not provided further details on the full extent of the damage.
Pennsylvania measles cases rise to 1,360
Pennsylvania has recorded 1,360 measles cases in 2026, an increase of 22 from its previous update, according to the state health department.
The state has reported 258 measles-related hospitalisations this year as of October 26. Pennsylvania officials have also recorded five deaths associated with measles, although the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed three measles-related deaths nationally in the state’s figures.
The United States had recorded 4,588 measles cases as of October 22, according to CDC data. The federal agency has said it would provide additional support to Pennsylvania to help investigate the outbreak.
The rising case count has increased pressure on public health authorities to strengthen surveillance and outbreak response. Measles is highly contagious and can cause serious complications, particularly among people who are not vaccinated.
AFRICA
Kenya releases first Ebola contacts from quarantine
Kenya has released the first group of people who came into contact with its initial Ebola patient after they completed 21 days of monitoring without developing symptoms, marking progress in efforts to contain the outbreak.
The 20 people were in good health when they were released, said Patrick Amoth, director-general at Kenya’s health ministry. Kenya has reported nine Ebola cases, including two deaths, while the remaining seven patients are stable and receiving treatment.
Amoth said 98 other people remained in quarantine and would be released in four groups beginning November 3. Kenya’s first patient died in a Nairobi hospital on October 5, after which eight additional people became ill while under quarantine. The government confirmed a second death on Friday.
The outbreak, which spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo, has raised concerns about gaps in cross-border screening. Health authorities are continuing to monitor contacts and strengthen measures to prevent further transmission.
Libya says UN aviation restrictions lifted after 11 years
Libya’s transport ministry says international aviation restrictions imposed during the country’s civil war have been lifted after 11 years, a move that could increase air traffic through its airspace and generate additional revenue.
The restrictions were issued by the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization in 2015. Libya’s transport ministry said the decision to remove them was formally issued on October 23 and announced by ICAO Secretary-General Juan Carlos Salazar at a meeting of civil aviation officials in Doha.
The ministry attributed the decision to progress in Libya’s civil aviation sector and said international airlines had submitted an unprecedented number of requests to transit the country’s airspace. It reported 61,968 flight permits per month for the November 2026 to March 2027 winter season, compared with an average of 2,000 monthly transit flights during the previous winter season
The ministry said the increase could generate substantial revenue from airspace use. The development offers Libya an opportunity to strengthen its aviation sector, although the extent of the expected financial gains will depend on whether the projected traffic materialises.
Uganda imposes 21-day quarantine for travellers from DR Congo
Uganda has ordered a 21-day quarantine for citizens returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo who have travelled there, tightening Ebola precautions after cases were reported in Kenya and Nigeria.
Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi announced the measure on Sunday, despite Uganda declaring its latest Ebola outbreak over in July. The new precautions follow concerns about two people who tested positive after recently passing through Uganda.
Nigeria is investigating a case involving the wife of a Swiss diplomat who travelled from Uganda through Addis Ababa to Abuja on October 3, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. The 42-year-old woman is in isolation and has shown significant improvement, while 53 contacts have been traced.
Ugandan officials are reviewing genomic sequencing, travel records and contacts in coordination with Nigerian authorities and international partners. The cases have prompted renewed attention to cross-border surveillance and the risk of Ebola spreading througregionalal transport networks.
Egypt approves military support for Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks
Egypt’s parliament has authorised President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to take “all necessary measures” to support Saudi Arabia’s defence following escalating attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement, potentially drawing Cairo more directly into the regional conflict.
At least two-thirds of lawmakers supported the measure during a closed session on Monday, according to an official parliamentary statement. Sisi had sought approval to provide military support if Saudi Arabia requested assistance against the Houthis, whose advances threaten the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a southern gateway to the Red Sea and Egypt’s Suez Canal.
The parliament did not disclose the vote tally or specify the type of support Egypt could provide. Taher al-Khouly, deputy head of parliament’s legislative committee, told Reuters that Egyptian forces would be sent to Saudi Arabia only in coordination with Riyadh and at its request. No formal Saudi request for Egyptian troops has been announced.
The decision comes as regional efforts to contain the conflict intensify, with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan and Iran also holding talks in Tehran. Any Egyptian military involvement could widen the conflict and raise the stakes around vital shipping routes.
Tanzanian opposition activist reported missing in Kenya
Tanzanian opposition activist Twaha Mwaipaya has been reported missing in Kenya after unidentified men allegedly intercepted the taxi he was travelling in and drove away with him, according to a police report seen by Reuters.
Mwaipaya was travelling to visit friends in Kamulu, about 35 kilometres east of Nairobi, when the incident occurred at around 2pm on Sunday, Amnesty International researcher Sikula Oniala told Reuters. The men reportedly ordered the taxi driver out of the vehicle before taking Mwaipaya away.
Reuters could not independently verify the account, and it was unclear who was responsible, whether Mwaipaya remained in Kenya or whether he had been harmed.
Kenyan and Tanzanian police spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The case follows previous reports of cross-border abductions involving government critics in East Africa, including Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who was abducted in Nairobi in November 2024 and later appeared before a military court in Uganda.
John Heche, vice-chairman of Tanzania’s main opposition party, CHADEMA, called on Kenyan authorities to help locate Mwaipaya. “Nairobi cannot remain an abduction hub for dictators,” he said. The disappearance adds to concerns about the safety of political activists and the protection of dissidents across the region.
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Faith Omoboye is a foreign affairs correspondent with background in History and International relations. Her work focuses on African politics, diplomacy, and global governance.
