Hard Numbers: Ukraine hits Iranian drones, Lula still leading, Japan needs stimulus, Chad bans opposition

A view of drones during a military exercise in an undisclosed location in Iran.
A view of drones during a military exercise in an undisclosed location in Iran.
Iranian Army/WANA handout via REUTERS

70: Ukraine's military has shot down 70% of Iranian-made drones launched by Russia since mid-September. The drones are one of several reasons the war is having unexpected spillover effects in Middle Eastern politics.

4: A week out from Brazil's presidential runoff election, former President Lula da Silva is still polling four percentage points ahead of the incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro now claims he'll accept the result if nothing weird happens, although many fear he might pull a 6 de Janeiro if he loses.

100 billion: A ruling party exec says that Japan needs an economic stimulus of at least $100 billion to ease the public pain of rising inflation. On Friday, the central bank intervened to stabilize the yen for a second time amid growing pressure to finally raise interest rates — and with PM Fumio Kishida on the ropes.

7: Chad suspended seven opposition political parties after a crackdown against rare violent protests across the country turned deadly. Demonstrators resent that interim leader Mahamat Idriss Déby, son of Chad's longtime former strongman, plans to stay in power for two more years without facing voters.


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