Top Items:
Reuters:
Brazil heads back to the future as Flavio Bolsonaro refuses to recognize Lula win — Brazilian right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has followed his imprisoned father's lead by refusing to concede defeat to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who won a historic fourth term in Sunday's presidential election.
Discussion:
BBC, Chatham House, American Prospect, New York Times, Human Events, NewsMax.com, France 24, Legal Insurrection, The Contrarian, CNBC, Metro.co.uk, Reuters, Daily Mail and Al Jazeera
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Francis Fukuyama / Persuasion:
The Spirit of Democracy Remains Strong — After the piece below had been drafted, news came in of a third development that was perhaps even more consequential than the two described, the victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, or Lula, in the second round of the Brazilian presidential election.
Avery Lotz / Axios:
Trump allies fall in two elections as Netanyahu faces next test
Trump allies fall in two elections as Netanyahu faces next test
Discussion:
Reuters and Associated Press
Reuters:
Trump says, without citing evidence, that Brazil election looks ‘rigged’
Trump says, without citing evidence, that Brazil election looks ‘rigged’
Discussion:
The Independent and Louder With Crowder
New York Times:
Lula Wins Brazil's Presidency, in Stunning Blow to Latin America's Right
Lula Wins Brazil's Presidency, in Stunning Blow to Latin America's Right
Discussion:
Axios, Bloomberg, Variety, GZERO, Breitbart, Foreign Policy, Wonkette, France 24, CNN, Reuters, MS NOW, Atlantic Council, The Spectator, PinkNews, New Republic, The Contrarian, Straight Arrow, The Hill, Al Jazeera, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Middle East Monitor, Semafor, Washington Post, Liberal Currents, Associated Press and Los Angeles Times
Manuela Tobias / Bloomberg:
Milei Is Lone South American Leader Yet to Recognize Lula's Win
Milei Is Lone South American Leader Yet to Recognize Lula's Win
Discussion:
The Hill and Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Associated Press:
Trump critic Lula wins reelection in Brazil, securing fourth presidential term
Trump critic Lula wins reelection in Brazil, securing fourth presidential term
Discussion:
Truthout, BBC, New Republic, HotAir, GZERO, The Guardian, NextDraft, Bloomberg, Latin Times, Reuters, Fox News, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Associated Press, RedState, Straight Arrow, Jacobin, The Spectator, NBC News, The Daily Wire, Human Events, Deadline, Semafor, Politico, Louder With Crowder, Al Jazeera, The Kyiv Independent, Payday Report, NPR, Axios, The American Conservative, Breitbart, Courthouse News Service, NewsMax.com, CBS News and France 24, more at Techmeme »
John Nichols / The Nation:
“LULA!” Progressives Hail Brazil's Stunning Election Result
“LULA!” Progressives Hail Brazil's Stunning Election Result
Discussion:
The Hill
Lisa Rubin / MS NOW:
House Judiciary Democrats release 50-page report on Trump's alleged involvement in Epstein files — House Judiciary Committee Democrats on Monday released an unsigned staff report laying out what they call “the case against Donald Trump emerging in the Epstein Files and DOJ's desperate efforts to cover it up …
Discussion:
NBC News, New York Times, Politico, The Hill, Metro.co.uk, New Republic and NewsMax.com
RELATED:
House Committee on the Judiciary:
Judiciary Democrats' Report Details Mounting Evidence Linking Trump to Epstein's Criminal Activities and DOJ's Cover-Up; Specific Accounts Involving 11 Women Provide More Evidence of Potential Sex Crimes — DOJ and FBI Shut Down Investigations and Withheld Evidence While Claiming No Basis …
Discussion:
Straight Arrow, MeidasTouch, Daily Kos, Truthout, Washington Examiner and Mediaite
Arthur Delaney / HuffPost:
Democrats Level New Rape Accusation Against Donald Trump — Former beauty pageant contestant Beatrice Keul previously said Trump tried to force himself on her but she rebuffed him. — WASHINGTON - A former beauty pageant contestant who has said she rebuffed a sexual advance …
Discussion:
New Republic
Philip Wang / Time:
New Details of Rape Allegation Against Trump Revealed in House Democrats' Epstein Report — Philip Wang … The New York Times reported in March that Zampolli had asked a top official at Immigration and Customs Enforcement last year to detain and deport Ungaro, whom Zampolli had previously dated, amid a custody battle over their son.
Nick Miroff / The Atlantic:
Losing the ‘Big-Ass Truck’ Vote — Along the highways and farm roads of the southern tip of Texas, the bright-red campaign signs for Eric Flores are impossible to miss. Flores, the Republican candidate for the state's Thirty-Fourth Congressional District, has Ken-doll looks …
Discussion:
Texas Monthly
RELATED:
New York Times:
The Midterms Are Next Week. Here's Who We Think Will Win. — By New York Times Opinion Contributors Oct. 25, 2026 — In July and again in September, Times Opinion asked six polling and politics experts to look into their crystal balls and predict who would win control of the House and the Senate.
Discussion:
The Hill, Media Matters for America and The UnPopulist
Greg Sargent / New Republic:
Trump's Vile Persecution of Ilhan Omar Is About to Run Into a Wall — Donald Trump's criminal investigation into Representative Ilhan Omar—which is aimed at stripping her citizenship—is far more than just another attack on a vocal critic. As many have noted, this denaturalization push …
Discussion:
Breitbart
Ron Dicker / HuffPost:
Pete Hegseth Reportedly Angling For Blackburn's Senate Seat To Avoid Impeachment — The defense secretary might try an intriguing escape route, according to Puck. — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is “angling” for Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) to appoint him to her Senate seat …
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Donald Shaw / Sludge:
Musk-Linked Dark Money Network Funded the Group Behind Cornel West's Ballot Push — The nonprofit that helped get Cornel West on presidential ballots in 2024 received all of its funding that year through a conservative political network that has been bankrolled by Elon Musk, tax records reviewed by Sludge show.
Emily Goodin / New York Post:
Trump fires back at Obama over ‘Cheesecake Factory’ jab about White House: ‘Shows why you were a lousy president’ — WASHINGTON — President Trump fired back Monday at Barack Obama's weekend jab comparing Trump's White House renovations to a branch of The Cheesecake Factory …
Discussion:
Axios, The Hill, New York Magazine, Washington Examiner, Daily Kos, The Post Millennial, RedState, Crooks and Liars, HuffPost and New York Times
RELATED:
Jenna Monnin / The Washington Sun:
Trump Confirms He's ‘Thinking About’ Booting Reporters From the White House
Trump Confirms He's ‘Thinking About’ Booting Reporters From the White House
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, CNN, Deadline, Forbes, Fox News, The Guardian, NewsMax.com, The Independent, The Post Millennial, RedState, Mediaite, The Hill, New York Post, The Hollywood Reporter, HuffPost, Althouse and The Gateway Pundit
Kathryn Watson / CBS News:
As Trump brags about U.S. oil and gas company profits, his stocks gained millions during Iran war — Washington — As President Trump boasts about how much money the U.S. oil and gas industry is making from the war with Iran, the president's personal holdings in oil and gas …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, CNN, New Republic, The Independent and Wall Street Journal
RELATED:
Wyatte Grantham-Philips / Associated Press:
In his own words: Trump on gas prices and energy costs since launching the war with Iran
In his own words: Trump on gas prices and energy costs since launching the war with Iran
Erica Orden / Politico:
Trump admin illegally fired Maurene Comey, judge rules — A judge ruled Monday that the Trump administration broke the law when it fired Maurene Comey from her job as a federal prosecutor last year — sharply curbing the administration's attempt to advance a “sweeping theory” of executive power.
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Malcolm Ferguson / New Republic:
Ohio Venues Keep Cancelling on Vivek Ramasamy After That Campaign Ad … Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is struggling to book venues in his home state just days before the midterms, amid growing backlash to his unreasonably cruel attack ad against Democratic opponent Amy Acton.
Discussion:
Newsweek, The Independent and Ohio Capital Journal
RELATED:
Jalen Beckford / Politico:
Catholic leaders distance themselves from Trump after Oval Office prayer video — Several Catholic leaders are distancing themselves from the White House in the lead up to the midterms, after an administration official posted a video of them praying over President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
Discussion:
MS NOW, New Republic, KEYT-TV, The Guardian, New York Times, Associated Press, HuffPost and Archdiocese of Milwaukee
RELATED:
Manuela Silva / The Washington Sun:
Catholic Leaders Feel ‘Manipulated’ and ‘Exploited’ After Trump's Oval Office Photo Op
Catholic Leaders Feel ‘Manipulated’ and ‘Exploited’ After Trump's Oval Office Photo Op
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Mediaite and Catholic World Report
Anita Gates / New York Times:
Walter Koenig, Chekov From ‘Star Trek,’ Has Died — As the baby-faced Russian navigator of the U.S.S. Enterprise, he was a mainstay of the original television series and seven films. He was 90. — Walter Koenig, a mainstay of the “Star Trek” franchise as Pavel Chekov …
Washington Post:
Powerful executives cozied up to Trump. Now they fear a reckoning. … Cooper Teboe's phone won't stop ringing. As Democrats gain ground ahead of the midterms, defense and tech firms have flooded the Silicon Valley-based Democratic strategist with calls.
Discussion:
Bloomberg
Steve Vladeck / One First:
259. DOJ's Preemptive Election Interference — Welcome back to “One First,” a newsletter that aims to make the U.S. Supreme Court more accessible to lawyers and non-lawyers alike. I'm grateful to all of you for your continued support, and I hope that you'll consider sharing some of what we're doing with your networks.
Discussion:
Wonkette, MS NOW, No More Mister Nice Blog, Talking Points Memo, emptywheel, Anchorage Daily News, Election Law Blog and NPR
Steve Benen / MS NOW:
On multiple fronts, the Trump administration faces accusations of data manipulation — Over the course of Donald Trump's second term, there have only been a handful of prominent officials who have resigned in frustration and expressed public concerns about the president and his administration.
Dell Cameron / Wired:
The US Government Is Hiding a Secret Court Ruling About How It Spies on Americans — Two US senators say the Trump administration is breaking the law by withholding the FISA court decision while it presses Congress to renew America's most sweeping surveillance program.
Robert F. Worth / The Atlantic:
The Collapse of Cuba — Hunger. Sickness. Blackouts. Abandoned streets. The withering of the state is shocking to behold. — a priest led me up battered stairs to a tiny room at the top of a church. From the window, we gazed down at the decayed colonial villas and scattered trash fires of eastern Havana.
Discussion:
NewsMax.com
New York Times:
Norway Pushes Back After Trump Disparages It Over Nobel Prize Decision — Norwegian officials emphasized that their country does not have any influence over who receives the Peace Prize, after President Trump used crude language to express his frustration. — President Trump …
Discussion:
Politico, Reuters, NewsNation, Forbes, Bloomberg, The Hill and New Republic
New York Times:
Ken Paxton's State-Funded Jet-Setting Draws Campaign Scrutiny — Mr. Paxton, the Republican candidate for Senate in Texas, has taken about 350 trips outside of the state since he was sworn in as attorney general. — Where in the world is Ken Paxton? — In 2021, Mr. Paxton …
Discussion:
Christian Science Monitor and Washington Post




